Since August 16th, nearly 300 delegates from 28 countries have been gathered at the Santa Teresa Spirituality Center – CEST in Fortaleza, experiencing days of profound unity, communion, and listening to God’s voice. Comshalom.org has compiled significant moments from this AG:
Gathered as the Shalom Family
This celebration of the General Assembly is marked by the presence of missionaries living the Shalom Vocation in various parts of the world. The experience of communion and unity among the brothers and sisters makes this time a new Pentecost in the Community’s mission.
Among the graces of this intercultural experience of the Charism is the coverage of the AG in other languages. For the first time, the Shalom Family Bulletin is being produced in Portuguese and English, allowing brothers and sisters living outside Brazil to partake in the graces experienced at AG2024. Check out Bulletin 1 in English below:
United to Hear God’s Voice
AG2024 began last Friday, August 16th, with the opening Holy Mass at the Church of the Risen One who passed through the Cross, at the Shalom General Diakonia, the Community’s headquarters. The Eucharistic Celebration was marked by a profound experience with God, through the liturgy deeply characterized by Spousal Love, the core of the Shalom Vocation, the first encounter of many brothers and sisters with the Church’s main icon, recently completed, as well as joyful reunions.
Read more: Holy Mass opens the General Assembly of the Shalom Community
Before the Assembly’s work began, the GA members spent two days on retreat, preached by the founder and General Moderator of the Community, Moysés Azevedo. The retreat, a tradition in every General Assembly, is a concrete sign of the desire to first hear God’s voice in everything.
After the spiritual retreat, the work of GA2024 focused on evaluating the 2019-2024 quinquennium. This is a moment marked by the recognition of God’s faithfulness. The Assembly members were able to evaluate the Community’s work in various aspects, such as youth and poor evangelization, vocational work, Shalom Editions, Parresia Institute, among others.
Election of the New General Council
GA2024 also marks the beginning of a new era in the governance of the Shalom Community. During these days, the General Assembly approved a new chapter of the statutes describing the Community’s governance.
Based on the new guidelines from the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life and the inspirations the Community itself discerned over the past five years, the General Council underwent some changes, such as the inclusion of new members representing locations outside Brazil where the Community is present; the inclusion of the animators of the three states of life present in the Community, and the inclusion of the Community Assistant as a member of the General Council.
Meet the new General Council in the Shalom Family Bulletin:
Held on the day of Our Lady Queen, the election of the new General Council marks the beginning of a new cycle in the Community’s life. From now on, the General Assembly members will focus on drafting and approving the general guidelines that will guide the Community for the next five years.
Your Prayer Support the Shalom Community
Whether you are a member of the Work, the Community, or a friend of the vocation, you are invited to intercede through the recitation of the Rosary for the Shalom Community General Assembly.
Read more: AG 2024: Shalom Community elects new General Council
