Among the international commissions to help animate the Congregation and support its mission, the 2023 General Chapter called for one to be dedicated to the Near Eastern Mission and ecumenism, in conjunction with the mobilizing work of Bucharest (Saint Peter – Saint Andrew Center) and all our Oriental communities (cf. Acts of the 34th General Chapter, n. 120).
Set up in September 2024 by a letter of mission from the Superior General, this Commission – whose title has been broadened to include interreligious dialogue – is made up of nine members: Fr. Michel KUBLER (coordinator, Rome), Fr. Viktors JERMAKOVICS (Assistant Provincial of Europe in charge of the Oriental Mission, replaced in 2026 by Fr. Iulian DANCĂ), P. Marcos Lucio BENTO DE SOUZA (Brazil), P. Lucian DÎNCĂ (Romania), P. Jean-Paul SAGADOU (Ivory Coast), P. Édouard SHATOV (Canada), P. Raymond TONGAMANA (Madagascar), Sr Felicia GHIORGHIEŞ (Oblate of the Assumption), Mme Bernadette GIRAUD (Alliance Laïcs-Religieux). They will serve until the 35th General Chapter, scheduled for 2029.
The roadmap of this Commission, defined by the 34th General Chapter(Acts nn. 33 to 49) under the heading “The Mission of the Orient”, includes the following projects:
- Accompany the mobilizing work of the St Peter – St Andrew Center in Bucharest, linking it with the transversal animation of the Congregation;
- To draw on the skills of this mobilizing work and its mobilizing character, to stimulate all the works and communities in its sector of animation, especially those of the Oriental Mission;
- Promote networking and twinning within the sector;
- Propose elements for the animation of communities, parishes and works in the field of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue;
- Consider holding “International Assumption Encounters for Dialogue” (RIAD).
Its first meetings, held by videoconference, enabled members to get to know each other and share experiences from their respective regions in terms of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue: the very diverse social and ecclesial situations, but also the Congregation’s current involvement through works or commitments in these fields. The results are very encouraging, even if there is still work to be done to raise community awareness, particularly in countries where these issues are less present.
Since 2026, the Commission has been concentrating its work on the last of the projects assigned to it, reflecting on the desirability of relaunching the “RIAD” for our congregation . It is currently preparing, for the attention of Father General and his Councils, proposals for themes and venues for a first meeting of this new formula. Stay tuned!
P. Michel KUBLER, a.a. (Rome)