As the saying goes, a good day is seen in the morning. The second day of the plenary council began by Lectio Divina done in groups before breakfast. The morning session was ushered in with prayers led by Fr. Krzysztof Pachut, General Councilor, whose theme touched on leadership. In his reflection, he said that “leadership is not about watching and correcting, neither is it about telling people what to do.” The participants were challenged to look at leadership as “less about the love of power and more about the power of love.”

Before diving into the day’s sessions, a formal introduction of members was done followed by the opening speech of the Superior General, Fr. Antonio Porcellato, who in the end declared the Plenary Council 2023 open.
In his opening remarks, the Superior General began by welcoming and thanking all the 15 provincials including Fr. Adam Fijolek, vice superior of the polish province, standing in for the Provincial of Poland who was unable to attend due to ill health and the two delegates representing the 8 Districts, members of the General Council, and Katherine Sourty (in absentia) a member of the Lay Missionary Fraternity (FLM). He welcomed and thanked the General bursar who is a permanent invitee to the Plenary Council. He extended a warm welcome and gratitude to the technical staff, translators, secretaries, editorial board and those in charge of IT and the media center.
The Superior General expressed his sincere gratitude to the Province of Lyon for hosting the Plenary Council in keeping with the tradition of the former entities and for bearing the cost of the session despite having to put up with unforeseen circumstances that occasioned the delay of the finishing of renovation work of the premises of MIM (Maison Internationale Missionare) formally known as 150 Cours Gambetta.
The Superior General called members to reflect upon the context within which the plenary council is being held. He observed that the subjects, discussions and decisions that will be dealt with are rather technical and internal to the SMA. The risk he said, “is to see only our own little world, putting aside the joys, anxieties and challenges of the people with whom we live and to whom we are sent.”
He said that a fundamental point of this Plenary Council, which should be the last of this mandate, is to establish the framework for the next General Assembly in 2025. He called on entities to accomplish their responsibilities toward contributions to the common budget.
Last but not least, he thanked Fr. François de Paul, the Vicar General, who by tradition is called upon to facilitate the Plenary Council.
The program of the Plenary Council was proposed and adopted by members and they once again opted to be paperless by adapting to work through google drive whereby documents are shared through computers. Fr. Brice Aferi helped participants navigate through this system that is becoming a household way of working among confreres today.
Fr. Francois Du Penhoat, the Provincial Superior of Lyon, made a presentation about the ongoing collaboration between the SMA and the OLA commission on the common spiritual patrimony.
Fr. Francis Rozario, the General Councilor, presented the draft protocol for the general assembly 2025 pointing out clauses that can be amended and those that are protected by the laws and constitution of the society. The protocol will be discussed in groups and the final draft will be voted in the plenary council.
Fr. Jean-Paul Kpatcha the Director of CCA (Carrefour des Cultures Africaines in Lyon) was invited to share about the future of African objects found in different entities in Europe and America.
Proposals about Health and retirement funds that were put in place by the finance committee were elaborated by Fr. Emmanuel Zinsou, the Provincial Superior of Nigeria and the final draft will have to be adopted and approved by the plenary council after discussing them in the small groups.
The day ended with the celebration of the Eucharist on the feast of St. Anthony of Padua presided over by Fr. Trinkson Muthu, the Provincial Superior of the Indian Province.
It has to be remembered that “The Plenary Council provides an international and representative forum for discussion, evaluation and decision-making, within which solidarity and cooperation are realized for the common good of the Society.” (C&L 98).

                                                                                                               By Dominic Wabwireh, SMA