Versión en español a continuación
The last Provincial Council of the Lay Fraternities of Santo Domingo of the Province of Hispania took place on February 15 at the Convent of Atocha in Madrid, where he was invited by the Provincial President José Vicente Vila Castellar OP, the representative of the European Council (ECLDF) Maro Botica OP.
In the name of the European Council, Maro Botica, thanked the invitation to the latter Provincial Council, as well as the availability and delivery of each of the provincial councilors. The European Council is currently preparing the next Chapter that will take place in Lithuania in July 2021. The actual European Council proposed a great challenge: establishing contact with all the Provinces and Vicariates of the Order in Europe, as well as knowing their presidents and knowing what work they do. One of the main objectives that the European Council had planned is to create a training platform accessible to all of Europe. With great effort and, with the approval of Fr. Rui OP – former General Promoter of the Dominican Laity – and Fr. Juan Ubaldo OP – successor in the aforementioned position – the European Council will conclude in a few months this very titanic work . This will mean a great advance in the communication and information transfer channels in the Order since all the training materials generated by the laity will be available on the website in the three official languages of the Order, English, Spanish and French.
To conclude, Maro Botica explained to us the logistics of the European Council, which meets once a year (in person) trying to make it every time in a different country to have greater contact with the different provinces of Europe. Maro emphasizes that, with this small gesture, the global vision of the Order and the people who make it up are enriched, being able to know the different ways of living Dominican life. An experience that, in turn, generates personal growth and puts us in tune.
Similarly, the Provincial Council of the Province of Hispania concludes its functions in a few months, so in this last council is preparing the II Provincial Elective Assembly, which will be held from April 30 to May 3 in Madrid.
In the trajectory of these years, an important project has been the elaboration of a Provincial Formation Plan taking into account the characteristics of each fraternity that form our Province.
Finally, a challenge that this council posed was to consolidate the Province, promote unity and knowledge among the fraternities and that the geographical situation of the former provinces was not a separation between them. For this, the Provincial President has dedicated himself body and soul to personally know each and every one of the fraternities that make up the current Province of Hispania. With his visits he has brought the proximity of the Provincial Council to all the members of the fraternities.
María José de Vicente, OP
