Madonna dell’Arco 2023.
Responding to the call of the General Chapter of Biên Hòa, the socii for Europe, brothers Alain Arnould, OP and Miguel Ángel del Río, OP convened the co-operator brothers of Europe and Canada for a meeting at the Convent of Madonna dell’Arco (Naples) from 11 to 15 December 2023. Eighteen cooperator brothers from the provinces of Toulouse (3), France (vicariate of Dacia, 2), San Tommaso d’Aquino in Italy (6), Poland (1), Malta (3), Canada (1) and Vietnam (2, who carry out their mission in the community of Santa Sabina), participated in this fraternal encounter.
Brother Alessandro Cortesi, OP, Promoter of Justice and Peace in Europe and brother Vivian Boland, OP, President of the Theological Commission on the Vocation of the Cooperator Brother in the Order, deepened our understanding of the different aspects and challenges of the vocation, mission and reality of the co-operator brothers in Europe and Canada. Brother Jacques Ambec, OP offered a reflexion on saint Martin de Porres. Via Zoom, brother Xavier Plassat, OP (Province of France), who carries out his mission in Brazil and is member of the Order’s Permanent Commission of the Vocation of Cooperator Brothers, offered an account of his contribution as cooperator brother to the fight against slavery in Brazil.
In their closing remarks, the participants insisted on the importance of the promotion of the vocation of cooperator brothers, so that the rich tradition of this Dominican vocation may continue to enrich the preaching mission of the Order.
The generous welcome of the community of Madonna dell’Arco and the participation in the rich life of the sanctuary helped us in our reflection and each one returned to his place of assignation with a renewed sense of fraternal support and strength to continue carrying out the mission entrusted to him, so that “Christ’s preaching to be complete” (cfr. ACG Tultenango 2022, n. 78).
