This is the first meeting of its kind to be convoked after an extensive process of renewal, which, with the help of the Holy See, clarified Regnum Christi’s identity and mission and gave the organization the canonical form of a Federation comprised of four vocations: the Legionaries of Christ, Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi, and lay members. 

The General Convention is a collegial body and the highest authority of the Regnum Christi Federation. It is responsible for “overseeing the purposes, progress and future development of the Regnum Christi Federation” and establishing mission priorities for a six-year period, among other functions established in the Statutes approved by the Holy See in 2019 (SRCF 64-75).

A path of apostolic discernment regarding our world today and the election of delegates

In 2022, a global synodal process began in preparation for the General Convention. 2,914 meetings were held in different locations across 26 countries. The contributions of thousands of members of all the vocations of Regnum Christi were collected to facilitate discernment of how Regnum Christi is called to respond to the current needs of the world, the Church, and society through its mission. The themes of support for marriage and family and evangelization in today’s world resonated deeply with members globally during the process.

The elected delegates who will participate in the General Convention were selected by their fellow members in each of the nine territories of Regnum Christi. As laid out by the Statutes of the Regnum Christi Federation, 120 delegates from the four vocations will be present, of which 33 participate ex-officio with voice and vote, 72 are elected delegates with voice and vote, ten participate ex-officio with voice but without vote, and five guests are invited to attend with voice but without vote. Forty-five delegates are Legionaries of Christ, 29 are Consecrated Women, eight are Lay Consecrated Men, and 38 are lay members.

Three major themes for deliberation

The results of the global preparation process showed great convergence in the themes members chose to reflect on. These are collected in a working document that articulates all of the contributions received on the three major themes discerned as most globally relevant for the Convention to deliberate on: vocational fulfillment, communities of apostles, and the mission of Regnum Christi in its different areas of evangelization (marriage and family, today’s culture, professional environments, and the evangelization of adolescents and young adults).

As they prepare for the work ahead of them, the delegates will also have the report of the General Directive College on the current situation of Regnum Christi with global statistics, challenges, and experiences, as well as the reports of the Legionaries of Christ, the Consecrated Women, and the Lay Consecrated Men as input for discussion. Delegates, who will approve the topics to be addressed at the beginning of the Convention, will work in plenary sessions to establish overviews, in groups to discuss contextual issues, and in teams to address the specifics. 

Conclusions and expectations

As a result of this journey, it is hoped that the Convention will set the priorities from which Regnum Christi will project its apostolic work in response to the needs of the world for the period 2024-2030, taking into account local needs and cultural differences in each of its nine territories. It is also expected to make key assessments and recommendations for Regnum Christi’s governing bodies, territories, and localities.