ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Provincial Councils of the Sacred Heart, St. John the Baptist, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the Assumption Provinces met Sept. 5-8 here. The annual combined meeting of the councils is an opportunity to deal with issues of common interest and to increase collaboration among the four provinces.
After the Provincial Ministers reported on what was happening in their provinces, the councils discussed and approved the revised ratio of the interprovincial post-novitiate program and voted to develop an interprovincial program of priestly formation.
“Restructuring” was the principal focus of the remainder of the meeting. The Provincial Vicars of their respective provinces presented the results of discussions held in the Province about this issue. Reports from various staff offices (treasurers, development officers, vocation directors, FMU directors, communication directors and JPIC directors) presented the advantages and obstacles to restructuring with regard to their operations.
After these reports, the councilors began a wide-ranging discussion of restructuring. It soon became clear that there was no consensus about the next steps. While some wanted to begin interprovincial collaboration in areas such as JPIC and FMU, others thought that such action was premature.
It soon became clear that next year’s Interprovincial Convocation (June 13-18 at the Racine Marriott) will be a crucial step in developing a plan of action regarding restructuring.
[This article is taken from the Sept. 12 issue of the Provincial Newsletter of the Assumption Province.]