Rome, March, 2 2020. The Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi concluded their first Ordinary General Assembly as a Society of Apostolic Life (SVA) on Friday March 6, 2020, and made public their General Communiqué with their reflections and decisions about the topics discussed.
“At the end of our Assembly,” states the General Communiqué, “the experience of the encounter with Christ generates new life in us and sends us out with the desire to give life – life in abundance. We hope to unfold the gift of life in Christ that we received as a seed in our baptism”.
The Assembly began on January 24, 2020 in Rome. Its three main tasks, as established by canon law and the proper law of the Institute, were: the election of the general government for the next six years, assessing the report of the previous government, as well as analyzing and discerning issues relevant to the Society of Apostolic Life, including a review of their proper law.
Themes addressed and the election of a new government
During the first days, after hearing the report of the outgoing general government, the delegates of the Assembly decided to include in their work agenda additional topics to those already planned. These were: the projection and sustainability of the Society of Apostolic Life, the mission, poverty, means of spiritual growth, and the care of elderly and sick parents of the Consecrated Women. They also dealt with important issues such as the institutional position on the person of the founder, sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable persons, the exercise of authority, and reconciliation and healing.
The General Assembly held the election of the new government on February 11. Nancy Nohrden, 46, from the United States, was elected as the new general director. As general councilors, the Assembly elected Elena Bartolomé, Spanish; Eugenia Álvarez, Venezuelan; África Pemán, Spanish; Viviana Limón, Mexican; and Jacinta Curran, Irish.
Indications for the new government
In light of their reflection and discernment, the delegates voted on amendments to their own constitutions and proper law. The General Assembly, as the supreme governing body of the Society of Apostolic Life, assigned mandates to the new government – tasks that they need carry out during the next six years.
These tasks are:
– creating a strategic plan for the sustainability and projection of the Society of Apostolic Life
– continue promoting the process of renewal that generates a cultural change from a solid formation
– deepening and renewal of the exercise of authority and the living out of obedience
– promoting of a path of formation and discernment that culminates in the revision of the proper law
– developing, implementing and communicating safe environment policies and action on cases of abuse, sexuality, authority and conscience
– follow-up with a second stage of discernment on poverty in light of the orientations given by the Assembly
– reopen the discernment on the possibility of a contemplative branch in Regnum Christi, involving the Consecrated Women who continue to express this desire since it was brought up six years ago, and who have asked the Assembly to reconsider it.
Within the framework of the Regnum Christi Federation
The General Assembly is being held for the first time within the framework of the Federation Regnum Christi which was recently approved by the Holy See. The new general director, Nancy Nohrden, will be part of the general directive college of Regnum Christi together with the new general directors of the Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi (Felix Gómez Rueda), the Legionaries of Christ (Fr. John Connor, L.C.), and assisted by two lay members with consultative vote (Francisco Gámez and Álvaro Abellán). Their first meeting will be during the General Plenary of Regnum Christi at the end of March.
Links of interest
- Address of the Holy Father to Regnum Christi
- Communique
- Letter to Regnum Christi members
- Letter to Regnum Christi members (spanish versión)
- Weekly summaries (Spanish)
- Photo gallery
- Videos of North American delegates
- Videos of other delegates
