The Council of the Lay Dominican Fraternities of Latin America and the Caribbean (COFALC) held its Intermediate Assembly in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, 28 to 31 August 2024.
The main topics discussed by the participants included: greater coordination in mission and formation among the fraternities of the region, expansion and updating of the provincial directories of the fraternities, and cooperation with other branches of the Dominican Family.
During their time together, the members also made an excursion to Samaipata.
Participants in the assembly included: Mrs. Margareth Velásquez, OP, of Bolivia, President of COFALC and Treasurer of the ICLDF (International Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities); Mr. Carlos Castro, OP, of Costa Rica, Vice-President of COFALC; Mr. Otto Sandoval, OP of Guatemala, Treasurer of COFALC; Mrs. Isabel Demaldé, OP, of Argentina, Secretary of COFALC; Mr. Rogelio Recalde, OP, President of Fraternities in Paraguay; and the other Presidents of the Lay Fraternities of the provinces and entities of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Several Dominican friars attended the assembly as well: Brother Yinmy Caballero, OP, Prior Vice-Provincial of the Vice-Province of Bolivia; Brother Alfonso Caba Llanos, OP, Promoter of the Dominican Family in Bolivia; Brother Cristóbal Torres, OP, Promoter General for the Dominican Laity, who intervened as a speaker, presenting ‘The Dominican Identity, Lived by the Laity’ and ‘The History of the Rosary and the Role of the Laity’; and Brother Julián de Cos, OP, from the University of Salamanca (Province of Hispania), who also intervened as a speaker, with a two part presentation entitled: ‘Savonarola and Las Casas: from the American Ultra-reform to the Defence of the Native Americans’.
