The International Board of the Dominican Family held its annual meeting in Santa Sabina on 6 November 2016. The meeting was attended by all of it members, to wit: Br. Bruno Cadoré, Br. Orlando Rueda Acevedo, Br. Rui Carlos Antunes e Almeida Lopes, Br. César Valero Bajo, Sr. Inmaculada Serrano Posadas, Ms. Yvette Anquetil, Sr. M. Therese Clement, Br. Florentino Bolo, Mr. José Alberto Blas, Mr. Héctor L. Márquez, and Br. Bonaventure Agbali.
Ms Yvette Anquetil was introduced as the new Representative for the Secular Institutes, and Mr. Héctor L. Márquez as the President of the International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities and new Board Representative for the Lay Fraternities.
The main subject of the meeting was our common mission as members of the Dominican Family, and the importance of collaboration between all branches of the Family in missions, projects and vocational promotion, drawing input from the recent DSI Assembly and the Acts of the General Chapter of Bologna, with emphasis on the Exhortation contained in AGC Bononiae #256. Also, fr Orlando Rueda presented an update on the organization for the upcoming Congress for the Mission of the Order.
The representatives of all branches presented their reports to the Board, including their collaboration efforts with the other branches of the Order:
Sr. Inmaculada Serrano Posadas, the representative of the nuns, shared the success of the Pilgrim Rosary of the Jubilee as a unique symbol of communion and common mission among the monasteries in the Order, and how it promoted the visits to the monasteries by the faithful in general and members of all branches of the Family. All present recognized this effort as an example of how we can all work effectively together in various projects.
Mr. Héctor L. Márquez presented the plans for the upcoming International Congress of Lay Dominicans, scheduled for October 2018 in Fatima, Portugal, on the theme: Justice, Peace, and Care of Creation. In the organization of this event, the Laity is working closely with the other branches of the Order, including the speakers for the various work sessions. He also announced that they have been actively promoting the participation by Lay Dominicans in the Congress for the Mission of the Order scheduled for January 17-21 2017 in Rome. He also informed that the ICLDF is undertaking a census of the Laity to establish an accurate figure of their membership.
For the Congress in Fatima, Br. Bruno advised the Laity to consult with those who are already working effectively with friars and sisters in different parts of the Order on the issue of “Justice and Peace and the Care of Creation”. He also advised that, during the census, they should take particular note of those who are not official members of the Lay Fraternities but are collaborating effectively with friars and sisters in many projects and missions.
Mr. José Alberto Blas informed that a new IDYM Council was elected during their recent International Assembly in Toulouse, and that Mr. Benz Rodil has been elected International Coordinator, and will assume office in January, 2017. He related how the IDYM is always involved and always eager to collaborate with other branches of the Family and related several instances of collaboration.
Ms. Yvette Anquetil reported that the members of the Secular Institute had participated with other members of the Dominican Family in a Rosary pilgrimage, but that due to their particular spirituality they do most of their work individually, but are always eager to collaborate with the other branches of the Family wherever possible.
Sr. M. Therese Clement reported that the work and mission of the Apostolic Sisters are so varied, as are their places of mission, and stressed the fact that, generally, there is an openness and great enthusiasm among the sisters as regards collaboration, which varies from place to place.
Br. Florentino Bolo, OP, stated that some members of the Priestly Fraternities are collaborating with the other branches of the Dominican Family in different places, although he believes that more encouragement is needed in this regard. He suggested that this could be facilitated by a structural organization that may encourage collaboration and provide the foundation for its continuation. He emphasized the importance of AGC Bononiae #256. He further suggested several ways to improve the mutual understanding and collaboration among members of the Dominican Family, most importantly the inclusion of this aspect of mutual collaboration in the formation program of each branch of the Family.
Br. Michael Deeb, OP, General Promoter for Justice and Peace, and permanent delegate of the Order to the UN, joined the meeting during the afternoon session to share with the Board the Final Statement of the Salamanca Congress on Human Rights, especially the ten commitments contained in the Statement, which were discussed at length. It was agreed to disseminate this statement to all the Dominican Family, and make it a subject for study and discussion.
Mr. Héctor L. Márquez, OP
President, International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities
