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PGC - Highlight of the day n.3 - Wednesday, June 4, 2025
In memory of Carlos Antonio Felipe Di Pietro and Raúl Eduardo Rodríguez
Forty-nine years ago to the day, on June 4, 1976, brothers Carlos Antonio and Raúl, brothers in formation, were kidnapped in the neighborhood of “La Manuelita” (San Miguel, Buenos Aires) and disappeared forever. They were victims of the violence that ravaged Argentina under the tyranny of the “National Reorganization Process.” “Aged 31 and 29, respectively, they did not die as naive young men or absurd idealists, but as men of faith, lovers of Christ and devoted to his cause, for ‘they knew well in whom they had placed their faith.’ The death of Brothers Carlos Antonio and Raúl was a willing consequence of a choice of life for God and for humanity, which flowed from their faith and their religious consecration.” (Roberto FAVRE, Los Asuncionistas en Argentina 1910-2010, p. 250).
The PGC chose to commemorate these brothers by celebrating a Eucharist at the CIFA “Raúl Rodríguez y Carlos Antonio Di Pietro,” our formation community in Buenos Aires. During the evening, we had the opportunity to hear the testimony of Fr. Louis Ramon, who lived in the same community as these brothers at the time but was absent on the day of the kidnapping. We thus discovered the current CIFA, which this year welcomes two young Ecuadorians and one young Colombian, accompanied by two formators originally from Congo. It was a warm and fraternal evening that allowed us to have beautiful interactions with the brothers.
We had actually taken the time, during the morning's work in the PGC, to review the experience of the CIFA in Buenos Aires and also that of the CIFA in Kinshasa. As we have repeatedly pointed out during previous evaluations in the PGC, during meetings of formators, and during the last General Chapter, the overall assessment of our CIFAs is very positive. They effectively allow us to develop a sense of belonging to an international congregation, to experience interculturality on a daily basis, to promote the learning of the languages of the congregation, and to offer a formation that is better shaped by our own Augustinian, Alzonnian, and Assumptionist tradition.
However, challenges remain: there are currently three brothers in formation in Buenos Aires, compared to 36 in Kinshasa! It is true that the small number in Buenos Aires is mainly due to the particular circumstances of recent years, and several provinces are planning to send new brothers there for formation starting next year. The teams of formators, for their part, still need to be strengthened and internationalized. The work around interculturality, welcoming others, overcoming clichés, but also mastering local languages remain challenges to be pursued. In any case, the experience is to be continued for the time being, and the PGC will continue its work of vigilance, accompaniment, and evaluation of the CIFAs.
Visit to CIFA in Buenos Aires
To see all the photos from the PGC, click here.
Fr. Benoît Bigard