Society of the Divine Saviour - Salvatorians, Via della Conciliazione, 51, Rome (2026)

17/08/2024

Congratulations and best wishes to the newly elected General Superior and the team of Society of the Divine Saviour - Salvatorians.
General Superior Fr. Christopher Kowalczyk SDS
Vicar GeneralFr. Joe Rodriguez SDS
Fr. Michael Tesha SDS (Councilor)
Fr. Adam Ziółkowski SDS (Councilor)
Fr. Marcellin Mukwasay (Councilor)
Fr. Hubert Kranz SDS (Councilor)

17/08/2024

The members of the General Chapter in the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Trzebinia, the first Salvatorian community in Poland.

17/08/2024

DAY 25 - Wednesday, 14 August, memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report
H. Mass was concelebrated in English by Fr. Jacek Nowak and Fr. Krzysztof Kowalczyk. After the visit in the extermination camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, this celebration was particularly touching for many chapter members, as the celebrant reminded us, that even in this time of utter sufferings and darkness, God was present in deeds of goodness and sacrifice.
Fr. Peter Schuessler presented some snapshots of the USA-province, which in a time of ageing and shrinking under considerable stress and difficulties, nevertheless is trying to live the charism alongside our Sisters and the Lay Salvatorians.
The plenum then engaged in the second reading and a few last editorial changes to the chapter Resolution, which was approved by the large majority of the chapter members. Our facilitator, Fr. Paul Smyth, confronted us with the content of the Resolution, stating that it is a call to live the charism and identity of the Society in a new and radical way. In other words, it is a call to holiness. The chapter calls itself and all confreres to live our life, our vocation and mission in a more dedicated way. This is the message that comes from the XX General Chapter. Now, what are the other messages each chapter member is giving to the confreres in his home unit? Are they conflicting with this fundamental message, or are they supporting it? The chapter members took some personal reflection time to confront these questions.
In the second morning session, upon the recommendation of the Superior General-elect, Fr. Paul Harris, Fr. Michel Coppin and Fr. Hubert Veeser were elected to the International Finance Commission for the coming term of office. The plenum then decided that the new term of office will start on 8 December and defined the period in which unit chapters of implementation will have to be held.
In the afternoon, the chapter members discussed in small groups how they now see the challenges and illnesses, defined by the feedback from the units and contained in the reports, with which we started out the chapter process a few weeks ago. This exchange was followed by a presentation of Fr. Paweł Wróbel, who on behalf of the Archdiocese of Krakow is leading the beatification process for Ms. Helene Kmieć. She was a lay volunteer of the Polish Salvatorian Missionary Volunteering https://wms.sds.pl and was murdered in Bolivia in January 2017, while on mission in our program. Hers is a very compelling life story, linked with the call of our Founder not to rest until not all single souls know, love and serve the Saviour.
The afternoon was closed watching in plenum the fourth and last part of the movie on the life story of our Founder, recently released by Studio Katolik, the internet apostolate of our Polish province. This part focuses on the beatification process, the miracle and the beatification itself. The movie “Become great before God” (all 4 parts) can be viewed in the internet under https://www.fatherjordan.com
Evening prayer was again in the ordinary form of a silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

13/08/2024

https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report
DAY 23 - Monday, 12 August
On Day 22 of the chapter, the participants made a day trip to the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau, about 1.5 hr drive from Kraków. They arrived in the evening back home with many deep impressions of this period in European history which has had a big impact all over the world. How deep ideologies can hurt people! The outing was brought to an end in an sanctuary with a beautiful baroque church devoted to our Lady of the Calvary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, where the participants were invited for supper.
The Holy Mass on the 12th of August was concelebrated in English by Fr. Raúl Gómez Ruiz and Fr. Joseph Rodrigues.
In the morning, the plenum first discussed and voted upon several ordinances and recommendations concerning formation and finance. Hereby the work of also these two commissions was finalised. In the second session, it further discussed proposals on the Salvatorian Family, especially on the establishment of an international joint Justice, Peace and Integrety of Creation Commission and a Joint Commission that will further study the possibility to expand the membership of the Salvatorian Family. Furthermore, the Chapter voted also upon proposals from the governance and administration area (specifically: the veneration of Bl. Francis Jordan and the Preparation for the 150th Jubilee of the Society in 2031).
In the first afternoon session, first reflections of participants on the chapter were formulated and shared in the plenum in the framework of orienting the chapter members in their role as embassadors of the Chapter, going back to their units. After the break, the plenum voted on a recommendation concerning the Salvatorian Family and finished in this way its work. Upon the proposal of the Superior General-elect the plenum elected Fr. Leszek Kopiec as the General Treasurer. Evening prayer today was shaped in the form of a multi-language rosary.

11/08/2024

DAY 20 - Friday, 9 August
https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report
On August the 9th, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, even better known as Edith Stein. Fr. Kitbok Umlong Khunsyiem, assisted by Fr. Heribert Kerschgens, was the main celebrant on his 37th birthday. The liturgy reminds us today of the reality of the Cross, also much present in the life of or Founder, and that it is a call for all of us to be taken upon our shoulders and to be lived through until the very end, trusting in God’s saving presence.
The two morning sessions were spent in big part, completing the second reading and voting on a host of General Directory changes. These changes entail on the one hand redactional changes, on the other hand, more substantial changes, especially as to the administrative structure and work of the generalate (the general secretariats). The plenum also discussed a number of proposals concerning formation. Some of these proposals were definitely approved, others were rejected and other were not mature yet for any decision and were sent back to the respective committee.
In the first afternoon session, the voting process continued. Upon proposal of the superior general-elect, the plenum elected
Fr. Michael Tesha,
Fr. Adam Ziołkowski,
Fr. Marcellin Mukwasay and
Fr. Hubert Kranz in turn as consultors.
Fr. Michael is from the Tanzania Mission Pro-Province and serves at present as the superior of this unit.
Fr. Adam is from the Polish Province and is the provincial secretary.
Fr. Marcellin is a member of the Congo Mission Pro-Province and serves as the superior of this African unit.
And last but not least, Fr. Hubert, who is originally from Germany, he has been serving for more than 20 years in the Philippines and is serving as the unit superior.
In the second afternoon session, commission work continued, and the plenum gathered briefly to make the official chapter picture.
Evening prayer was left to the private discretion of the chapter members.

09/08/2024

https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report (for DE, ES, FR, PL, PT and other photos)
19 - Thursday, 8 August
At the Memorial of St. Dominic, the main celebrant was Fr. Benitus Baraka Isuju, assisted by Fr. John William Nsenye. Both confreres belong to the Salvatorian Unit in Tanzania.
Taking advantage of the presence of the representatives and leaders of the two other branches of the Salvatorian Family, a number of proposals concerning the Family were discussed this morning. In the second morning session, the plenum discussed proposals concerning finance and governance. All these proposals which are convirted by the General Chapter into decisions, are related with the next term of office of the new Generalate and will serve as orientations and directives for the planning.
In the afternoon, after having had a session in the different groups that work on proposals to be studied and evaluated by the Chapter, the plenum performed the second reading of further changes in the Constitutions. A large number of redactional and small changes in articles throughout the eight chapters of the Constitutions were voted upon. At the end of the afternoon sessions, the Sr. María Yaneth, Sr. Ewa, and Mr. Patzl bid their farewell to the chapter members and expressed their thanks and joy to have been able to stay with us and address us. How good it is to see and feel that people in different ways related to the Salvatorian Charism, as religious and lay christians, try to share and live the spirituality of Blessed Francis Jordan, in the footsteps of the Apostles, making God known, as Jesus, the Saviour of the world has shown.
Silent adoration concluded our day.DAY

08/08/2024

DAY 18 - Wednesday, 7 August
The liturgy was celebrated in Portuguese by Fr. Silvio Aparecido da Silva and Fr. Davide Caisse, with songs in Spanish and English.
https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report (for DE, ES, FR, PL, PT and more photos)
The plenum in the morning greeted our guests from the Salvatorian Family: Mr. Christian Patzl, the President of the International Community of the Divine Saviour ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/304921663032905/ https://www.laysalvatorians.org/ ), and Sr. María Yaneth Moreno, the Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour https://www.facebook.com/SalvatorianSistersIntl . She was accompanied by Sr. Ewa Tonacka, who is on the General Council.
The first session was spent on the third reading of Chapter I and II of our Constitutions. After the proposal of the last small changes, the plenum read and voted upon each separate article, which were all approved by large majorities. The Capitulars ended this session with a well deserved applaus, after the work done in preparation to get to this final text, especially by the preparatory committee, headed by Fr. Milton in consultation with experts at theological and canonical level, as well as with leadership teams of the units all over the world and the XV General Synod, held in 2022 in Montet, in Switzerland. In the second session further proposals were discussed, especially from the formation and finance areas.
In the afternoon sessions, first Sr. María Yaneth and Sr. Ewa gave an in depth overview of where the Salvatorian Sisters are at in many aspects, focussing on successes, difficulties and challenges. Then Mr. Christian Patzl explained the common vocation from the viewpoint of the lay and explained several structural topics, related to the developments after having been officially recognised ad experimentum by the Church. After each presentation, the chapter members had the occasion to ask many questions. Our Sisters have their General Chapter in September in Rome and the Lay Salvatorians have a General Assembly in October in Logroño.
Evening prayer and adoration was left to the individual discretion of the chapter members today.

07/08/2024

In the second afternoon session, after an introduction by the Superior General-elect and a short moment of silent reflection,
the Chapter elected Fr. Joseph Rodrigues as the Vicar General.

07/08/2024

https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report (for DE, ES, FR, PL, PT and more photos)
DAY 17 - Tuesday, 6 August
On today’s Feast of the Transfiguration, Fr. Piotr Łapiński and Fr. Adam Teneta presided over festive H. Mass, reminding us that all of us have to be radiating by God’s light.
The plenum then in the first morning session continued with the second reading of the proposed Chapter II of the Constitutions. Then including up until lunch, the plenum discussed and voted upon first proposals which had been worked on in committee: texts concerned mission and expansion, international cooperation among the units and throughout the entire Society, and one of the Salvatorian major apostolates, Jordan University College, also known as JUCo in Morogoro, Tanzania. Some proposals will go back into the commission and will return for a second reading after this first plenum discussion.
The first afternoon session was spent for commission work. In the second afternoon session, after an introduction by the Superior General-elect and a short moment of silent reflection, the Chapter elected Fr. Joseph Rodrigues as the Vicar General.
In the afternoon, representatives of the Generalate of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour and the President of the International Community of the Divine Saviour, also known under the name of the Lay Salvatorians, arrived. They will participate from tomorrow on at the chapter sessions and get the opportunity to address the capitulars.
The silent adoration concluded our working day.

07/08/2024

https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report (for DE, ES, FR, PL, PT and more photos)
Day 15 of the XX General Chapter happened to be a Sunday and so the day was left to the chapter members, who all designed their own activities. Masses were celebrated in the morning in diverse language groups.
Today, Mass in English was presided over by Fr. Richard Mway, Fr. Paul Harris, and Fr. Ferdinand Lukoa. Today’s Gospel passage reminds us, that the little poor resources we have, can turn into abundance, if we are open to the saving love of God.
The plenum then in the first morning session reviewed the work of the day. The facilitator explained how the chapter committees are to work. All the proposals (from the Generalate, from unit chapters and from others) are organized thematically. The following are the committees: Salvatorian family; Mission and International Cooperation; Formation; Governance and Administration; Constitutions; Finance. The chapter members met in the committees during the second morning and the first afternoon sessions. In the second afternoon session, the plenum continued with the second reading of proposed changes to the Constitutions and General Directory and held clarifying discussions.
The silent adoration concluded our working day.

04/08/2024

DAY 14 - Saturday, 3 August
From 06.00 o’clock in the morning, the Holy Sacrament was exposed and capitulars could be found praying in the chapel.
The plenum then in the first morning session continued the first reading of proposals for changes in the Constitutions and General Directory, asked for by the XIX General Chapter and the XV General Synod and submitted by the Generalate.
In the second morning session, the outgoing Superior General explained the steps of the election. After the sung invocation of the Holy Spirit in the Veni Creator, he read the respective article of our rules governing the election of the Superior General. Then the capitulars voted. On the first ballot, Fr. Krzysztof Kowalczyk was elected. Asked by the presider, he accepted the election, upon which a strong applause emerged from the plenum. The session was adjourned and all the capitulars went to greet the Superior General elect.
At 16.00 hrs the Superior General elect and the outgoing Superior General were the celebrants, with all chapter members, in the festive Eucharist, thanking God for his guidance of our Society. The afternoon and evening was concluded with a barbecue and feast in the cafeteria of the chapter.
Sunday is a free day for the chapter members. No daily report will be published.
For DE, ES, FR, PL, PT and more photos
https://www.sds.org/news/news-all/2999-xx-general-chapter-daily-report

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