MESSAGE OF THE CAMILLIAN RELIGIOUS WHO TOOK PART IN THE TWENTY-THIRD PROVINCIAL CHAPTER
Aci Sant’ Antonio 5-10 March 2017
To the much loved religious of the Province of Sicily and Naples,
To the Camillian consecrated women with whom we work,
To the generous lay fellow workers who provide valuable service in our social/health-care works,
To the members of the Lay Camillian Family and all those who, in various capacities, live and embody the Camillian charism,

Peace and Joy from all the Camillian religious who came together at the OASI of Aci Sant’Antonio in Sicily on 5-10 March to celebrate the twenty-third Provincial Chapter, at the historical location of the novitiate of our Province which began in 1951. Day after day, we were enriched spiritually by bishops who are friends of ours and who celebrated the Eucharist with us, also offering us the gift of the Word of God to be embodied in our lives and to be borne witness to in our works of charity. In addition, we dedicated time and attention to reflecting on our personal relationship with Jesus and on our spiritual and community lives; on whether we live our fourth vow to serve the sick even if our lives are endangered with faithfulness and enthusiasm; and on whether the wish of our Founder to serve the sick with the heart of a mother is not only borne witness to by us religious but also shared by those lay people who work with us and who are at our side in our ministerial activity. Lastly, we also examined and discussed the managerial and financial aspects of our works. Difficulties are not absent but we look forward to the future with hope. Supported, therefore, by an unshakeable trust in Divine Providence but also by the constant commitment of all of us religious to live faithfully our consecration to service to the sick, we are certain that God will not abandon us, and that we will be able – even if we are a ‘minority’ – to cultivate and make bear fruit the little plant of Camillus which has continued to expand in the world for more than four centuries, embodying Jesus’s tenderness towards those who suffer. We express strong heartfelt thanks to our Most Reverend Father General, Leocir Pessini, who with discretion, lovingness and affectionate cooperation followed all the stages of the Provincial Chapter. May Mary our mother and St. Camillus accompany us in the new renewed commitment that our Province wants to undertake, bearing witness to mutual communion and productive cooperation by serving every sick person with faith and devotion!

The Religious of the Provincial Chapter