July 9th

The arrival

On July 7th, 8th, and 9th, more than 200 Dominican friars, nuns, religious and lay people arrived at Providence, RI (USA) to participate in the General Elective Chapter. The Providence College community graciously organized an effective transport system which brought the Chapter members from the different airports to the Chapter site.

The seat of the Chapter is the Providence College Campus, a truly splendid place! Providence College is a university that consists of several faculties as well as approximately fifty buildings in a well kept green area, with beautiful flowers and large trees. Ten percent of the professors are Dominicans (the ratio of professor/student is 1/14). In this privilege place the vocals representing more than a hundred countries of the world will reflect on the mission of the Order in the world today.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, testimonial letters or credential were presented. This event was followed by the chanting of solemn vespers in the magnificent church - very beautiful, functional, and almost brand new; in the three official languages of the Chapter including Latin. At the beginning of vespers, the General Secretary read the message of His Holiness John Paul II to the General Chapter. Announcements and recommendations of every kind were made after dinner so that everything may run smoothly.

Tomorrow, July 10th, the Chapter will begin. It will end on August 8th, the Solemnity of our Holy Father and founder Saint Dominic of Guzman.

These previous days have been lived in a climate of intense fraternity, with emotional scenes of friars: meeting one another for the first time and of friars that had not seen each other for a long time, but all were united by the same Dominican ideal and charism. Conversation flowed spontaneously, memories were recalled, and greetings and fraternal embraces did not allow us to voice the question that is in the mind of all of us: "who will be the next Master of the Order?". We shall see…