Opening Session of Congregational Conference 2022.

The afternoon was quite calm with a clear sky and good weather. We open our Congregational Conference by having a Eucharistic prayer service prepared by Bro. Valentinus Daru Setiaji and led by Reverence Fr. Romulus Aabekpiir. At the beginning of the Eucharistic prayer service Bro.  Valentinus lead us on the candle lighting as a sign of our faith and love for God by all Provincial Superiors and General Superior. We are grateful to God that finally, we can have this very important event. We are grateful for this fraternal meeting where we will walk together as brothers during these days, a wonderful opportunity that God gives us to share, celebrate, and enrich our experiences, but above all a meeting of a family of brothers. On this occasion, we are grateful for the celebration of Chile's independence day. We pray for the people in Chile that God continues to bless their well-being and prosperity. 

After Eucharistic, we continue with a welcoming address by the Provincial Superior of FIC Ghana province. At his welcome address, Bro. Seregeous mention that our Congregational Conference is an opportunity offered to us to meet after a long involuntary break. Through this meeting, we hope to learn from the shared experiences of each other as well as discuss pertinent issues that are not only central to our lives as Brothers FIC but also of global concern. He also said that the theme of our Con-Con, "Prayer as a source of our community living and apostolate" could have come at a better time than now. These three components of our lives are interwoven. Prayer brings us closer to God and Jesus whose life examples we try to imitate as religious. This spiritual relationship, influences our courage, commitment, and sense of direction and makes us amenable to commune with others in community and apostolate.

Meanwhile Bro. Augustine as General Superior at his opening address stressed the theme of our Con-Con 2022. Prayer is a basic source of Religious life. We felt inspired by the life of Christ and the legacy of our dear Founders whose life suggest that there is an inseparable bond between the spiritual and the apostolic dimensions of our vocation. Our Founder Louis Rutten, was an incredibly active man, but he was also a man of deep prayer. Even more evidence of a good blend of community living, prayer, and apostolate is obvious in the life of Bro. Bernard. Prayer is and should be the soul of our apostolate. Our good works should be nothing but an overflow from our inner life. And his conclusion speech he wishes that may we be pilgrims in love with the Gospel and be people who are open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit.

We have supper at 18.15 and followed by practical matters at 19.15. Bro. Valentinus as our coordinator of this meeting gave some explanations of practicalities during the Con-Con. He gave detailed information about it and was very clear to each participant. We close our opening session by singing together our congregational song,  "We honour both their names".