Dear Brothers,

The FIC Congregational Conference 2014 taking place here in Blantyre, Malawi, which was started on Tuesday, 19 August 2014   is coming to its end. With a deep feeling of  gratitude  let us conclude this  significant gathering. At the end of this conference  personally I feel satisfied and very happy for the fact that everything has been going well as expected.  The success of the meeting is in fact the success of us all.

Looking back into what we have gone through, we all realize that the 10 days of conference is for us  a moment of grace, where we have opportunities to have a real encounter with ourselves,  with fellow brothers  and surely  with God the One who calls us. We are all happy with  the atmosphere of brotherhood and mutual respect we established throughout the conference and the conducive environment we all created   After  10 days of meeting I believe we have found a lot of treasures to be cultivated and developed further for our own benefit and for the benefit of our fellow brothers and the people entrusted to us.

Good achievement

Throughout the conference we have tried our best to deal with all important issues of the congregation as planned. Issues connecting with the resolutions of the General Chapter 2012 indeed became the main topics of the conference, but this does not mean that the other issues are neglected. The report of the provinces have been very enriching and inspiring for all of us. Moreover the deepening part of the conference, when we were reflecting on our function as the servant leaders, make us possible to develop our leadership quality.

I am fully aware that this conference is not meant to solve all the problems of the congregation. However through listening to the sharing of experiences of our fellow leaders, I hope we feel united in our struggle to live out our call, and at the same time are encouraged to continue finding the best way to help our brothers grow to be fully alive as a religious. I am also convinced that  through out the conference we have been mutually giving and receiving support, inspiration and encouragement  in many aspects of religious lives.

With regard to the issues discussed during the conference, some can be carried out immediately by incorporating them into the program of the province, but the other might need to be digested further. I hope you will find ways and means as to how the fruits of the conference can be followed-up as best as possible.  

Vote of Thanks

Dear brothers,

As I said earlier that the success of this conference is the success of every one of us. I am aware that there have been many people contributed to it. Without active participation and contribution of so many people I do not think that the conference would have been able to accomplish  its objectives  as we all experience. Therefore  I would like to take this opportunity to explicitly express my sincere thanks to the following:

1. Thanks to the host province Malawi, under the coordination of the Provincial Superior Bro. Martin Dariyo, for the good reception and for providing us with   all  necessary arrangements that make us possible to have a nice stay and successful meeting here in this place. As a small province with very limited personnel I can imagine how busy you have been to prepare and to arrange a lot of things  for this conference (visa and travel arrangements, outing program, provincial day, meeting arrangement, etc).  We have to admit that the Malawi province has done a good job. Thanks very much.

2. Thanks to the secretariat:  Bros. Remy and Andrew who took care of the minutes and many paper work for the success of the conference.

3. We do not forget to thank the community of Bethel, Bro. Henry Anthony and Jo Banda together with kitchen and cleaning staff, for their excellent service and hospitality.

4. and last but not the least, thanks to my fellow members of GC under the coordination of Bro. Raphael for their hard-work since the preparation until the conclusion of the conference;  and to  all Provincial Superiors for your good cooperation and active participation this conference.

I am sure there have been  more brothers/people , which I am not able to identify exactly one by one, (e.g. Lawrence for taking care of visa arrangement, Andrew for ticket re-arrangement, etc) who directly or  indirectly  contribute to the success of the conference through their moral support, prayers, and  many more ways.  For them we also give our sincere thanks.   

Dear brothers, for those going back soon to your home province  I wish you all a pleasant and save journey. May you arrive safely in your home province to spread out the good news you get from this conference to your fellow brothers back home  and to the people entrusted to you.  Some of you  still have time to visit  fellow brothers and enjoy the beauty of Malawi.

Finally with deep feeling of gratitude to the Lord our God who always guide us with His Holy Spirit, and mother Mary for her continuous protection,  herewith I declare  the Congregational Conference 2014 of our congregation officially concluded. .

Blantyre, 29 August 2014

General Superior,