(ANS – Rome, 26th Nov 2008) – “What we have seen and heard, we also announce to you, so that you may be in communion with us,” was the introduction proposed by Fr Pascual Chávez Villanueva, quoting from the 1st Letter of the Apostle John as, in his role of President, he opened 72nd Six-monthly Assembly of the Union of Male Superiors General (USG) which is taking place today and tomorrow at the Salesianum in Rome.
The
theme of the Assembly, and in particular the programme for the first day,
is based on the recent Synod of Bishops on the Word of God. During the
morning a number of Superiors General who took part in the Synod spoke,
“aware that we were delegates of the Union as its representatives,” as Fr
Chávez observed, while gving their own impressions and experiences.
Afterwards a discussion was opened which will also continue in the
afternoon. Those who spoke were: Josep María Abella Batlle, C.M.F., Carlos
Alfonso Azpiroz Costa, O.P., Glen Adrian Lewandowski, O.S.C., Giorgio Nalin,
R.C.I., Adolfo Nicolás, S.I., Kieran O`reilly, S.M.A., Antonio Pernia, S.V.D.,
José Rodríguez Carballo, O.F.M., Heinz Wilhelm Steckling, O.M.I., Joseph
William Tobin, C.SS.R., and naturally Fr Pascual Chávez.
After having traced the main stages of the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Fr Chavez focused on some specific issues. The need to recover the relationship between “the Word” that is the Word of God, and the Scriptures which give expression to it. “If it is true that the Bible is also a literary work, indeed the great document of unversal culture, it is also true that it cannot be deprived of its divine element, but must be read in the same Spirit by whose power it was composed,” the President of the USG observed indicating in scientific Exegesis and in “lectio divina” the two paths both necessary and complementary. This demands “a strong and credible pastoral promotion of a knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures,” the “preparation of the pastors” and attention to the Liturgy, “the privileged place in which is proclaimed the Word of God which builds the Church.”
Fr Chávez concluded his address by issuing a challenge to the Superiors General of the male religious orders. “The Synod, which will be concluded with the publication of the Post-synodal Letter of the Pope, is a pressing appeal to the Church and in particular – I believe – to Consecrated Life: born from listening to the Word, it lives to bear witness to it - as a way of life, more than and before being preached and proclaimed. Has not the hour come when consecrated life, in union with Jesu Christ, is consecrating itself in the first place to living by the Word of God alone?”