The first meeting of the new General Commission for Evangelisation and Mission took place recently at the Casa Generalizia in Rome, from Friday the 26th to Sunday the 28th of September.
The meeting was organised by the General Councillor with responsibility for Evangelisation and Mission, Fr John Keating. He was joined by the other members of the Commission: Conrad Mutizamhepo, (General Councillor), Francisco de Sales Alencar Batista (Pern.), Sanny Bruijns (TOC - Neer), Donna Orsuto (Rome), Klaus Rudolf Schenkelberger, (Gal), Henricus Pidyarto (Indonesia), and Miceal O’Neill (Hib). Desiderio García Martínez (ACV) was unable to attend. The meeting was exploratory, as no particular task had been set for the work of the commission. In the end, having spent much time pondering the papal exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, and the Final Message of the 2013 General Chapter, the commission set out a set of themes to guide reflection over the next five years, and a set of proposals as to how this reflection might take place. The main thrust of this reflection is about joy in Carmelite life, following the teaching contained in Evangelii gaudium.
The next meeting of the commission will take place in September, 2015. In the meantime its members will continue to work on the project.