Building Bonds Among Provinces
Sunday. When I asked one of the brothers why general chapters are called every three years, since we elect a general once every nine years, he replied without hesitation that it is primarily about unity. Chapters are for meeting, for building bonds—between brothers, between provinces.
No one needs to be reminded that we come from different cultures. You can see and hear it almost immediately. I am reminded of a scene from the Acts of the Apostles, in which the apostles go out into the square and speak in such a way that everyone can understand them. Saint Luke wrote that they all spoke in many languages. Many—so the differences were not abolished, but understanding was given. Diversity in Christianity is not an obstacle but a treasure.
This is what distinguishes the unity brought by the Spirit from the uniformity proposed by the world.
The chapter is not there to make us all the same, but to bring us together.
Wisdom and Heritage in Mission
And although certain truths are universal, there can be many ways of looking at them. During Sunday Mass, just before the Dunajec River rafting trip, the preacher, Brother Gabriel Samba, said:
“A wise and believing person knows that riches come from God and belong to Him. God has entrusted him with the management of His riches to make them bear fruit for the benefit of all His children.
In the Congo wisdom of my country, there is a proverb that says: “What you inherit, you must make fruitful”; or “what you benefit from, you must increase.” And we Dominicans, what heritage have we received and how must we make it fruitful for our mission today?”
Let the photos serve as a testimony of unity and joyful community today. This time, they speak louder than the words that the chronicler struggles to put together, trying to capture something that is not easy to describe.
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Communication Office of the General Chapter of Provincial Priors
Krakow, August 3, 2025
Photographs by: @dominikanie.pl
