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New Province

With the merger of the Province of Bahia with the Province of the Northeast will appear the Province of Northeast Brazil that will include the states of Espírito Santo, Bahia, Piauí e Maranhão Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte e Ceará. The Missionary Region of the Amazonian that now is linked to the current Province of Bahia will continue being maintained by the new Province.

Commission of Reflection
and Planning

On March 10, 2003, in the Retreat House of St. Alphonus, in Socopo, in Teresina, Piauí, took place the first meeting of the Commission of Reflection and Planning in view of the New Province (CNP). Participatats at in this meetingwere : from the Province of Bahia, Frs. João Pedro Cornado (Provincial), Miguel Martins Filho (Socius) and José de Anchieta Lima Costa; from the Province of Northeast Brazil Frs José Pablo Hernandez Gil (Provincial), Jacques Trudel (Interim Socius) and Francisco das Chagas de Albuquerque. After a brief time of prayer Fr. João Pedro highlighted some points of the last record of the United Consultation of the two Provinces. Fr. José Paulo, who coordinated the meeting, presented the conclusions of the document "Projecting New Steps", elaborated by the two Provincials in Brasília, on November 14, 2002, whose first step concerns the restructuring of the current sections, designating with a representative of each Province for every one of the contemplated apostolic areas: Education, Parishes, Social, Formation, Spirituality, Economical, Movements, Vocational, Government. The second step treats of the creation and performance of new CPA, now called CNP, with its objectives. Fr. José Pablo remembered that there were some criticisms and new suggestions from Jesuits on the occasion of the respective Provincial Congregations, from the encounter with the students of ISI and from the meeting of the Superiors of Bahia. In light of these data, the Commission, in its first official meeting, sought to define its function. After an initial discussion it reached the conclusion that its current role should not elaborate initially an apostolic plan, but offer elements for reflection and planning in view of the creation fo the new province. Since then some significant and provisional objectives have been defined with their respective operational
steps. They are these:

I. Objectives of the Commission

1. Make a survey of the human resources of the Jesuits' of the Provinces, respecting the mutual knowledge among them;

2. Make a survey of the apostolic works of the two Provinces, in agreement with the apostolic sections, for better knowledge of the reality of the mission on the part of the Jesuits of the two Provinces;

3. Plan steps for both sections of the New Province to reinforce the emergence of "new apostolic subject" (Jesuits, lay men and women, other religious both male and female) in the service of the Church and of the transformation of the society (CPAL - "Beginning and Horizon... ", n. 21);

4. Give direction to our apostolic activities that reflect the social, culural and religious aspects that characterize the era in the which the New Province appears;

5. Work in the elaboration of the mission of the New Province, listening the appeals of the Church;

6. Keep in mind the social conditions of the Northeast, to encourage and to make possible the hope that "a new Northeast is possible."

II. OPERATIONAL STEPS

For each one of these objectives the Commission established operational steps. In the first place it was determined that the Home Page of the Province of Bahia (www.jesuitas.org.br) would start to be a common space for the two Provinces, having also a specific section regarding the process of the creation of the New Province. This section would house the documents and news regarding this subject, for the consultation of the interested parties. It was also suggested that a letter be sent by the Provincials to each one of
the Jesuits, accompanied by the present report, informing them of the current steps taken in the process of creating the New Province. At the same time they will motivate the communities in order that they share their reflections that the text provokes at a community meeting. Suggestions and comments can be
directed to the Provincial. The news regarding the process of creation of the New Province will be sent in the appendices to the news bulletin that already exist on line (JÁ and Northeast News), that are still in circulation.

©2004 Jesuits Braxil Northeast