Day eight report of ConCon 2014.

(2014-08-28)

Our day started with a reflection on the virtue of in God, led by Bro. Frans Dwiyatno.

During the first morning session, Bro Theo Suwariyanto presented the new FIC Website and the first issue of FIC Magazine. He showed how to go through the different pages of the website and how to interact with texts and pictures. A manual is available to make the website practicable. A contact person was confirmed from each FIC province to update the Website regularly.

The website is to be used by our community to share our life, to give information and share our mission to the world.

The Congregational Magazine called “Brothers FIC, called to be good and to do good”, contains news from the General Council, congregational events and from the provinces. This magazine brings the profile of certain brother, gives inspiration and at the same time can be a way of promoting vocations. It is to be published in June and December and appears in the website as pdf file. Some copies have been sent to the provinces.

In connection with the website and magazine, aproposal on Internationality and solidarity in our congregation was presented by Bro. Wim Luiten on behalf of the province of The Netherlands. The province likes the FIC can inform, share life experiences of the brothers and motivate young men to join our Congregation. Some publications can contribute to deeper and more profound feelings of our internationality and solidarity.

During the second session, we discuss the coming General Conference 2015. It is a mid-way evaluation of the implementation of the resolutions of the General Chapter 2012. Apart of the topics the Conference must deal with, the representatives will deepen on our Apostolic Mission. Suggestions have been asked for the preparation of this topic. The General Conference is to be held in Ghana, on 2-13 of November 2015, just before the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the presence of FIC brothers in Ghana. Provincials are invited to join them to celebrate this jubilee on the 21 of November.

For the preparation of the 175^th Anniversary of the FIC Congregation in 2015, provinces shared the programs or activities to be done. With the theme “Story Goes Further” The Netherlands presented its program. They foresee, among other activities, a procession on June 2015, special gatherings round 21 of November 2015 and a Fund raising for a Congregational project. The other provinces prepare different activities to be programed and realized with the brothers and collaborators. The celebrations could be integrated in the Year of Consecrated Life and for vocational purposes.

A committee to explore ways of formulating a reflective document on FIC Constitutions is to be appointed. It will help to promote a common spirituality among our candidates and brothers, and at the same time it will serve in the formation of the brothers. This committee will work since 2015 till 2017 to elaborate the document that will be presented during the General Chapter 2018.

The FIC Journey for Spiritual Enrichment goes on. Bro Guido as coordinator of this program asked the provincials to share the experience of the Journey up to now. Looking at the difficulties that the participants find to continue the Journey after the Oasis stage, the forum agreed to program an after care for them in order to keep the participants growing properly during  the next stages of the Journey.

(Diego IG)