The Europe Commission held its first meeting on 24-25 May at the General Curia with its new composition, as approved by the 2017 Assembly of Major Superiors.

The Europe Commission serving in the quadrennium 2018-2021 now comprises the General Councillors responsible for the Europe Region, all the Superiors of the European Provinces and one Brother responsible for Tiber Island Hospital. The Commission is chaired by the General Councillor, Brother Rudolf Knopp and is assisted by Dr Carlo Galasso as its coordinator. 

The meeting exchanged a wide-ranging amount of information on the work done by the previous Commission and the work scheduled for 2018 including a one-day meeting of officials responsible for communications in the European Provinces. The new members of the Europe Commission were updated on the work of the Hospitality Europe office in Brussels and proposed the names of the members of the new organs of the Europe Commission: the Operational Committee (with responsibility for studying and implementing the resolutions of the Commission) and the working groups set up to foster synergies and for networking between the European Provinces in specific areas (Social and Pastoral Care of the Sick, Vocations Promotion and Formation, bioethics and Hospitality Europe coordination). The names will now be submitted for final approval by the Order’s General Definitory.

It also discussed the ways of proceeding to Institute a European Novitiate, and events of transnational interest scheduled by individual Provinces over the coming months were also presented.

The meeting took place in a fraternal and constructive atmosphere which promises well for the work which the Commission will have to perform over the next few there years.

After the final words of the Father General, the members of the Commission agreed to meet again on 21 and 22 September in Rome.