The second day of the Assembly was held on Tuesday 26 January, with a large attendance, and many thematic presentations and questions from the audience on aspects of the new configuration. The Decree of Unification was duly proclaimed and the St. John of God Province of Latin America and the Caribbean was officially erected, the following new government:

Provincial Superior, Brother Juan Carlos Tovar Huertas.

Provincial Councillors:

First Councillor: Brother Gudiel Sánchez Chacón.

Second Councillor: Brother William Pintado Saavedra.

Third Councillor: Brother Carlos José Tirado Terán

Fourth Councillor: Brother Erick Luciano Castillo Carreño

Fifth Councillor: Brother José Merced Ulloa Gutiérrez

Sixth Councillor: Brother Daniel Márquez Bocanegra

The Provincial Superior of Latin America and the Caribbean, Brother Juan Carlos Tovar, pointed out that prayer, dialogue and listening would be the pillars underlying the new Province. Progress would depend on the degree of integration between the Hospitaller Brothers  and our Co-workers.

Brother Jesús Etayo, the Superior General, closed the Assembly "thanking God for this new creature that has been born", and all those who had been working for 5 years along the road to reach this point, and for their skill and vision to place the good of the Order above any individual wishes. And he thanked the Portuguese Province for all its help in accompanying the previous Delegation of Brazil.

"Today we are invited to REVIVE the gift of Hospitality... in the new Province, with courage, strength and sound judgement," he said.

A new project has been born in Latin America and the Caribbean, which the Hospitaller Order knows as "the region of hope".

The first day of the St John of God Province of Latin America and the Caribbean Unification Assembly was held on Monday, 25 January.

During the day, four of the Regional Working Commissions delivered their progress repots, and Brother Jesús Etayo, the Superior General, and Brother Dairon Meneses, General Councillor and Regional Delegate for Latin America and the Caribbean, also addressed the Assembly.

The whole session was run through by the idea that our experience of life must be like St. John of God's: to reach out to attend to the needs of others. This is how we see that God's love is in us.

As Brother Etayo pointed out, for Latin America and the Caribbean this phase s a great opportunity that the Holy Spirit is offering us and it will only be possible to make the most of it if everyone makes the effort. Unification is an opportunity to reach out to others, to see one another as brothers and sisters, because united, we are more than we are as individuals.

"The Regional Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Bogotá (Colombia) on 25 and 26 January to promulgate the decree for the canonical erection of the St John of God Province of Latin America and the Caribbean, amalgamating all the previously existing Provinces and Delegations, including Brazil, of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Regional Assembly will be held in Bogotá, partly in-person and partly virtually by videoconference, on account of the pandemic. A group of about 20 Brothers and some Co-workers will be present in person, while the others will be linked by videoconference.

As the Assembly proceeds we shall be announcing more details and provide photographs of the most important moments.

The whole Order is united with the new Province, thanking Our Lord for accompanying us throughout the preparatory work, praying that, through the intercession of St John of God, He will accompany and keep watch over its future, to enable it to continue bearing witness to the Hospitality of St John of God throughout the Region of Latin America and the Caribbean".

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