At the beginning of May, the first meeting of the governments of the Pauline Family in Portugal was held in the SSP community of Apelaçao.
Participating in the event were the provincial superiors, councilors, bursars and secretaries of the Society of St. Paul, the Daughters of St. Paul and the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master. The meeting’s agenda offered the participants times dedicated to formation, spirituality and the apostolate.
During its first stage, Claretian priest Fr. Abilio P. Ribeiro gave the group clearer insights into the ecclesial document The Service of Authority and Obedience, whose teachings can help to strengthen faith in the salvific mystery of authority from the Gospel perspective. Fr. Ribeiro’s conference was followed by a sharing of ideas and program planning among the governments of the Pauline Family. Taken into consideration during this stage of the encounter were areas of the Pauline life such as organization, circumscription dynamics, formation, community life and the apostolate.
The meeting was an excellent moment for pooling experiences and promoting greater integration among the members of the three Pauline Congregations present in Portugal, especially during this time of preparation for the Centenary of the Pauline Family.
