Closing Address, General  Conference FIC 2015.

Dear Brothers,

We are now entering into the very end of our conference. With a deep feeling of  gratitude  let us conclude this  significant happening of the congregation. Looking back at the whole process of the conference  personally I feel satisfied and very happy for the fact that everything has been going well as expected. All issues and topics put in the schedule have been dealt with properly and thoroughly.  The success of the meeting is surely the success of us all.

Looking back into what we have gone trough, we all realize that the two weeks of encounter 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 and spirit of brotherhood and mutual respect we established throughout the conference and the conducive environment we all created   After two weeks 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. I do hope that the positive impact of this meeting keeps ringing loudly when we exercise our leadership function in our respective province.

Good achievement

Throughout the conference we have tried our best to deal with all important issues of the congregation as planned. We started the conference with the deepening on our apostolic mission, by which we are reminded the way of doing our mission in accordance with the teaching of the Gospel and of the church, and also the expectation of the congregation as stipulated in our Constitutions. Issues related to 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. Topics related to financial matters, regeneration in the area of leadership and preparation for General Chapter 2018 also got our full attention. More over the report of the provinces has brought us to a better understanding of the latest situation of our congregation. It has .been very enriching and inspiring for all of us. 

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 brothers from different provinces, I hope we feel united in our struggle to live out our call, and at the same time we are encouraged to continue finding the best way to serve the Congregation. I am also convinced that throughout the conference we have been mutually giving and receiving enrichment in many aspects of religious lives.

    

With regard to the issues discussed during the conference, some can be carried out immediately 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 persons:

1. Thanks to the host province Ghana, under the coordination and commander in chief of the Provincial Superior Bro. Seregeous, for the good organization and wonderful 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. We feel very at home under your loving care and hospitality. I can imagine how busy you have been to prepare and to arrange a lot of things for this conference. We have to admit that the Ghana province in this case has done the job very well.

2. Thanks to the secretariat:  Bro. Paul Sabogu, assisted by Bros. Nimorius and Remy Nyukorong who took care of the minutes and many paper works for the success of the conference.

3. We do not forget to thank the community of St. Louis, under the leadership of Bro. Peter Kuuniabom, together with kitchen, laundry and cleaning staff, for their excellent service and hospitality.

4. Another word of thanks goes to all of you the participants (the provincial superior and delegates) of this conference for your active participation and cooperation. Without your active participation this conference will not be able to achieve its objectives as expected.

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

I am sure there have been more people, which I am not able to identify exactly one by one, who indirectly contribute to the success of the conference through their moral support, prayers, and in many more ways.  For them we also give our sincere thanks.    

Dear brothers, 

Due to one reason or another some of us some of us are not able to stay longer here in Wa. I my self is leaving for Accra by tomorrow morning. Meanwhile some brothers are staying here to join the Ghana province in the climax of the jubilee celebration on 21 November.  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.  For the brothers in Ghana Province we wish you all a successful celebration of the jubilee year of the congregation and the mission in Ghana.

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 General Conference 2015 of our congregation officially concluded. .

Wa, 13 November 2015

General Superior,

Bro. Martinus Handoko