56th OSC General Chapter allots first week to Camillian Family meeting
The 56th General Chapter of the Order of St. Camillus was held from May 3-19, 2007. It took place in Paulist Casa del Divin Maestro, a religious house located near the two volcanic lakes of Albano and Nemi in the Roman/Alban Hills, in Arricia, just south of Rome. Fifty nine delegates representing 35 countries attended the Chapter. Some of them were Provincial Superiors of the different Provinces within the Order.
The Lay Camillian Family was invited to the said General Chapter together with the representatives of the Camillian Sisters, the Daughters of St. Camillus, the Handmaids of the Incarnation, the Missionaries of the Sick “Cristo Speranza,” and the Kamillianische Schwestern. A few lay collaborator representatives recommended by their Provinces to the Consulta were also present. There were 17 Lay Camillian Family members from 11 countries who attended the General Chapter. The lone lay representative from the Philippines was CF Romeo Obillo of the Camillian Family-Davao.
The first week of the Chapter was intended for the Lay Camillian Family who participated in the Chapter united by a common bond created by the great gift given to the Church (charism) through our Patron Saint – St. Camillus de Lellis. All the concerns of the LCF were discussed during the first few days of the Chapter. Fr. General Frank Monks in his opening remarks challenged everyone to develop a formation that fosters a collaborative mentality in the exercise of the charism God gave to St. Camillus. This charism was passed on to all of us who have continuously burned with the fire of enthusiasm in serving our sick brothers and sisters. He also stressed that the Religious should ask themselves questions about their belief in the role of the laity, and their openness to giving them more responsibility in the running of their facilities. He also stressed to help open up spaces in which the laity can live their faith to the full and share the vision of Christ and their spirituality.
Meanwhile, the President of the Lay Camillian Family, Isabel Calderon of Colombia, who was present during the said Chapter presented her report regarding the activities done by the LCF for the past six years. There was an informal meeting among the LCF delegates after the fourth session of the Chapter presided by its president. LCF Isabel Calderon informed everyone that there will be a General Assembly in April 2008 which will be held in Mottinello, Venice also in Italy. She informed everyone this early so that the local LCF will have enough time to prepare especially the funding for the said General Assembly, which will come from the local or provincial chapters. She also emphasized that during the LCF general assembly next year there will be an election of a new set of officers composed of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer who will serve for a six-year term. The meeting was a very fruitful experience for the LCF representatives because they got to know one another and share their experiences in their own local chapters.
The participants also had a chance to go to Bucchianico to visit the birthplace of St. Camillus de Lellis. They also visited the Camillianum – a school for the Camillian Religious and Casa Maddalena where the Generalate is based. In Camillianum we met Fr. Aris Miranda who has been in Rome for quite some time for his continuing education. Last May 8, Fr. Aris fetched CF Romie and toured him around in Rome, while Fr. Ivo and the rest of the Filipino delegates were still participating in their Chapter in Arricia until the 19th of May 2007.