Regional Assembly in Canada

From August 25 to 28, 2025, the Dehonians of Canada held their annual Regional Assembly at the Galilee Centre in Arnprior, Ontario. During the opening evening, after the Dehonian Jubilee prayer and the singing of the Veni Creator Spiritus, the members present shared events or situations experienced over the past year in an atmosphere of mutual listening and intimacy. The following morning, Father Gustave Lulendo N’dotony, regional superior, took the opportunity in his opening address to thank all those who contributed to the preparation of the Assembly. He then provided an overview of the Region, highlighting the internationality, interculturality, and intergenerationality experienced within the Region and its three communities. He also emphasized that this assembly was held in the context of the Congregation’s double jubilee. The day was then dedicated to a reflection on Pope Francis’ fourth and final encyclical, "Dilexit Nos". With the help of Mr. Joe Gunn, a layperson long engaged in social ministry, the participants reflected on the relevance of the encyclical’s message for the Dehonian ministry in Canada and explored how the Canada Region could respond to the world’s suffering today and here.

The following days were devoted to reflecting on the programmatic letter written by the Regional Superior to propose concrete solutions to the challenges identified in the letter, listening to Father Willyans Prado Raposo, general councilor, on the concerns of the General Council and the first major celebration of the Dehonian Jubilee in Saint-Quentin and Brussels, as well as various updates from the Region’s committees and commissions (review of the Regional Directory, Finances, Justice, Peace and Immigration, Vocations, Communications, and Theology).

On Wednesday, the end of the day was used to honor the jubilarians of the year: Father John van den Hengel (60 years of priesthood), Father Richard Woodbury (60 years of profession), and Brother Dieudonné Tchouteu and Father Johannes Yuliwan Maslim (40 years of profession each).

In his concluding remarks, Father Gustave thanked the confreres for their presence and active participation, Father Willyans for his much-appreciated presence, the speaker, the interpreter who enabled everyone to express themselves in their own language, and all the contributors and staff of the Galilee Centre in Arnprior.

Fr. Maurice Legare, scj