Last May, we held the 12th Assembly of the Iesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests in Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Thirty-six delegates participated, including national and continental representatives and the outgoing International Team. At that time, while we were meeting, the conclave that elected Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, was taking place in Rome.
At our meeting, we also had the task of electing the new International Responsible. We identified Carlos Roberto do Santos, from Brazil, who had been serving as responsible of the Pan American Fraternity since 2022, as the most suitable for the task. When several brothers nominated Carlos Roberto, he generously made himself available to the Assembly for whatever it might require. From the moment he was elected, and in dialogue with the previous responsibles who attended our meeting, we began to consider members who could accompany him on the International Team.
He asked Mark Mertes, from the United States, to serve as treasurer and oversee the International Fraternity’s treasury, as he had previously done when Aurelio was international responsible. He was also asked to propose some criteria for the use of the Fraternity’s resources. Boris Schlussel, from Switzerland and continental responsible for Europe, will be responsible for coordinating communications with that continent, carrying out in-person activities at the bank where the fraternity’s account is held, and supporting Carlos Roberto in the actions that must be carried out at the Holy See for the approval of the approved Statutes.
On the other hand, Yves de Malltmann, a brother from France, will be responsible for organizing and safeguarding the Fraternity’s archives in Paris. Louis Edmound Esseyi a Gnadam, responsible for Cameroon and the continental office of Africa, will be in charge of communication with the brothers on that continent. Éric Lozada has been asked to be the contact with the fraternities in Asia, taking into account both the geographical and cultural distance. Carlos Roberto, for my part, has asked me to serve as general assistant to the team and secretary for meetings, taking minutes of each virtual meeting and to assist him especially in the activities held throughout the Americas.
We hope to be able to fulfill the needs and contribute with our presence to the life of the Fraternity in all countries, especially with regard to the emergence or growth of new fraternities where there are small sprouts.
Roberto (Tino) FERRARI
Argentina