From the 8th to the 10th of January 2018, the provincials, commissaries and delegates general of the European geographical area of the Order met at Centro Internazionale S. Alberto (CISA). This area meets every eighteen months to discuss matters of common interest and organization. The meeting began with a letter from the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral. Present were: Italia-Malta Region: Frs. Giovanni Grosso (Ita), Enrico Ronzini (Neap), Luciano di Cerbo (Brun), Alexander Vella (Mel). Iberian Region: Desiderio García Martínez (ACV), Luis Maza (Cat), Francisco Daza Valverde (Baet), Ricardo dos Reis Rainho (Lus). Northern European Region: Jan Brouns (Neer), Peter Schröder (Ger), Richard Byrne (Hib), Bogdan Meger (Pol), Kevin Alban (Brit), Gorazd Cetkovsky (BM), Klaus Schenkelberger (Gal).
The main topics addressed during these days included vocations, the European novitiate in Salamanca, the establishment of a house of initial formation in Rome for European students, the future of the Order in Europe and a reflection about the next General Chapter in 2019. The meeting was conducted under the presidency of the Councillor General for Europe, John Keating. Short presentations were given by Frs. Míceál O’Neill (on vocations), Desiderio García Martínez (on the novitiate) : also three speakers on the future in Europe - Alexander Vella , Kevin Alban, Francisco Daza Valverde; Giovanni Grosso (on patrimony), Jan Brouns (on ageing), Michael Farrugia (Procurator General), and Dr. Giovanna Brizi (Postulator General).
One special moment of during this intensive meeting was the presentation by Fr. Desiderio García Martínez of a beautifully illustrated book on the history of our European novitiate in Salamanca (Spain) by Fr. Matías Tejerina Espeso, O.Carm. (Prior, Salamanca).