Fr. Orozco Opens Extraordinary Visitation of Province

Fr. Hugo Orozco Opens Extraordinary Visitation of the Province

Fr. Hugo Orozco, Salesian general councilor for the Interamerica Region, arrived in New Rochelle in the wee hours of Tuesday, October 1. A few hours later, he began the 2024 extraordinary visitation of the province of St. Philip the Apostle, meeting with the provincial council and then beginning personal interviews with members of the provincial house community, the first house on his itinerary.

Extraordinary visitations are carried out every 6 years in the name of the rector major, usually by a member of the general council.

Fr. Hugo invited all the confreres of the province (who number about 130) to his formal introduction to the visitation, presented from 3:40 to 4:20 p.m. in Salesian High School’s Cassin Commons (the cafeteria). About 30 Salesians and the prenovices came from the 5 local communities: New Rochelle, Port Chester, Haverstraw, Ramsey, and Orange. The 10 distant communities in Canada, New England, the Midwest, and the South and some individual confreres attended by Zoom.

Fr. Hugo began by voicing his happiness to be carrying out this visitation, appointed by the rector major (when Fr. Angel was still in office). He pointed out the time constraints of his visit; normally, it should take 3 months. But because the next general chapter has been moved up by a year (on account of the Holy Father’s having made Fr. Angel a cardinal), less than 2 months is allotted (October 1-November 23). He asked for patience with the limitations of his English; but in fact he has displayed competence in speaking even if he sometimes struggles to find the right word.

Fr. Hugo used a PowerPoint presentation as well as his own words. He introduced the members of the general council before explaining the purposes of the visitation: to foster in the province the spirit of General Chapter 28, the Salesian charism, the Salesian mission, and the spirit of communion with the rest of the Congregation; to update the general council’s knowledge of the province; and to follow up on the last visitation (by Fr. Tim Ploch in 2018).

Continuing, Fr. Hugo commented on our Salesian vocational identity with its focuses on God, the young, and community. He stated that ours is a confident, optimistic lifestyle in service to the young, like Don Bosco’s.

Fr. Hugo identifies 3 priorities for the visitation: meeting with and getting to know the confreres, meeting with the young, and meeting with the educational-pastoral community of each work.

When Fr. Hugo had finished his presentation, Fr. Dominic Tran, provincial, invited questions from the attendees, both those in the room and those on computers. There were none.

Photos: https://link.shutterfly.com/Z8zlsj1bnNb

After a break, the confreres in New Rochelle prayed Evening Prayer together, then enjoyed a buffet supper.