I'm a Delegate!

This is one title I don't think I've held before. Kudos to me! My new status as delegate has me heading to California tomorrow to as the VIDES/St John Bosco School rep at the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians (Salesian sisters) provincal chapter. Before you even ask, yes, I will explain that.

There are roughly 2,000 Salesian sisters in the world. Every six years they have a big summit-like meeting in Rome with the Mother General, the provincials, and some other reps. The state of the congregation is discussed and prayed about, with the end goal of doing exactly what God wants them to do. In the year preceding that big meeting, each province (like a Salesian state) has its own chapter. The provincial chapters bring all the animators (heads of each community), one delegate from each community, and some other reps and delegates together to evaluate themselves, reflect, and get ready for the general chapter. Salesian schools usually send one lay teacher because the teachers are an important part of the sisters' community and mission.

VIDES, meanwhile, is the Salesian sisters' lay volunteer mission, so they want VIDES to have a presence. I have the double-whammy of being around the VIDES office and being a teacher at their school, so I got picked to go and be part of this process. The Western Province's chapter starts this Sunday, and S Gloria and I take off tomorrow. Sunday I meet about 30 more sisters and the other 12 lay delegates, and we get to business.

The chapter is being held at a retreat house in the mountains of southern California (go ahead, weep for me), so blogging and phone calls will be scarce. I ask your prayers for the sisters' and delegates' safe travel and for the Holy Spirit to impart some of his wisdom and understanding upon us all. Be good until I get back!