On Saturday, November 9, 90 people from the pastoral councils of the Piarist parishes in the Americas met via Zoom. The meeting marked the end of a three-year cycle that began with the first Assembly in October 2021 amid the pandemic.<\/p>\n
The meeting began with a greeting from Fr. Pedro Aguado, who congratulated the participants on their journey so far, stating that they have shared the Piarist charism and mission from the parishes. He affirmed that \u201cwe want to build Pious Schools that are more open, participative, and missionary little by little. And we want to do it because St. Joseph Calasanz conceived the Pious Schools as an instrument serving the kingdom of God and his justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
To illustrate his message of encouragement, Father General read a short letter from Calasanz (1631): \u201cGod guides all things for our good, although we sometimes do not realize it, so let God guide our boat and let us receive from his most holy hand everything that happens to us.\u201d In conclusion, he encouraged us to \u201ctrust in God and work day by day.\u201d With this attitude, we will achieve an authentically Calasanzian parish and an ever-more-effective network.<\/p>\n
Julio Alberto, Assistant General for America, shared a motivating message: \u201cWe are sharing the mission to build the Pious Schools for the benefit of children, young people, and families through synodality.\u201d \u201cWe must let the Holy Spirit guide us from the opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Javier Alonso, on behalf of the general team of the Network, read a report on the actions that have taken place in the last three years since the previous Assembly.<\/p>\n
The leading conference was given by Fr. Ernesto Palafox, a Mexican priest and expert in pastoral ministry. He made some theological-pastoral considerations on the parish in a synodal key that he structured in three blocks, three calls: to conversion, renewal, and synodal reform.<\/p>\n
After a pleasant dialogue with the speaker, six dialogue groups were formed around the six pastoral dimensions a Piarist parish wants to promote: liturgy, social ministry, family ministry, catechesis, the Calasanz movement, and non-formal education. Coordinated by a pastor, they shared what is being done in each parish and defined some lines of action to consolidate each pastoral dimension. Finally, the conclusions of the group work were shared.<\/p>\n
That a Piarist parish is \u201cgoing out\u201d implies that it is willing to organize itself from communion to serve poor children and young people better, the first recipients of Calasanz’s mission.<\/p>\n
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