On the 14th July Fr. General opened the Provincial Chapter. During the Mass of the Holy Spirit which he concelebrated with the Provincial and Vicar Provincial, Javier Guerra reminded people of the centenary of the General Chapter that took place in San Millan in 1908 and spoke of the journey and principal moments of St. Joseph’s Province.

After setting up the monitoring table for the Chapter, the first two days were dedicated to analyzing the situation of the Province. The Prior Provincial. Fr. Jose Ramon Perez presented his report on the Province. The capitular religious offered their contributions, suggestions and proposals on the themes mentioned. The old age of the religious in Spain and the socio political situation of Venezuela were highlighted and debated.

Reports and acknowledgments

In the morning of the day Fr. Ricardo Riaño touched on the topics of continuous and initial formation, vocations promotion, the meetings that had taken place during the three years in the Vicariate of Venezuela, as well as looking at the ministerial apostolates and the activities of those religious groups who are close to us like the third order, religious communities etc.

In the afternoon, Fr. Ignacio, Vicar of Perú, reported on the communities, religious and work done in the three years in that part of the Province. Afterwards, Fr. General, who presided at the Chapter, spoke with gratitude of the work of the religious who have special tasks in the Church. – the three bishops who serve in Peru -, those who undertake tasks which are dependent on the General Curia–Frs. Jesús Lerena y Severiano de Cáceres-, he also remembered the work of Fr. Edwin Sánchez in Brazil who supports the brothers of St. Rita’s Province.

At the end of the day, Fr. Daniel Ayala presented the financial report, followed by Fr. Severiano de Cáceres, a member of the Precapitular Commission who showed and explained the results of a questionnaire that had taken place in the Province some months before. The meeting ended with the presentation of the document on the restructuring of the Province, which was unanimously approved and has as it’s basis a circular setter sent to all the religious of the Province a after the meeting of the Provincial Council with the Vicars of Peru and Venezuela in November 2007.

Commission work

Following the Chapters dynamic, four commissions were set up to deal with the main themes: Spirituality, Formation, Apostolate and Government and Economy. These commissions prepare the acts or direction of the life and governance of the Province for the next three years.

Election of the Prior Provincial

Once the acts are approved on 24th July the election of the Prior Provincial took place. Fr. José Ramón Pérez Sáenz was reelected Prior Provincial of augustinian recollects in Peru, Venezuela and Spain. After that the Provincial Council was choosen and the full council was closed the Provincial Vicars.