Over 120 delegates from around the world gather in Rome to determine the Federation’s roadmap for the next six years.
From April 29 to May 4, 2024, the first General Convention of Regnum Christi will take place in Rome, the supreme governing body of the Federation. This gathering aims to discern God’s plan for Regnum Christi and to give a new boost to the common evangelizing mission.
With the participation of delegates from the four vocations that make up the federation, the goal is to establish guidelines and practical directions for greater missionary impact in the upcoming six-year period.
Under the motto “Apostles on mission, making the Kingdom of Christ present today“, the General Convention is the first of its kind after the renewal process that, in collaboration with the Holy See, clarified the identity and mission of Regnum Christi, and canonically shaped the four vocations that comprise it: Legionaries of Christ, consecrated members, lay consecrated, and lay members.
In a letter sent to the General Governing Body, Pope Francis stated that “I ask the Lord that the light of the Holy Spirit help you to discern, in fidelity to the Gospel and the Magisterium of the Church, how to make the mystery of Christ present in our days.”
The day began with a Eucharist celebrated by Father John Connor, L.C., General Director of the Legionaries of Christ, who in his homily indicated that “Jesus is giving us a criterion on how to become a single light: to become small so that He may be great.” He also recalled that the General Convention is a unique opportunity to renew our commitment to the mission of Regnum Christi in the world. “Jesus invites us to open our ears to listen with humility. Only then can we gather strength to be light and hope,” he emphasized.
A path of discernment
The path of discernment for Regnum Christi began in 2022, oriented towards the General Convention, where members from different parts of the world participated in a discernment process with an important nuance: an apostolic discernment.
Through sections, thematic guides, territorial conventions, and now everything related to the General Convention, the movement and the desire of each member to examine the state of the world and the Church to respond to current needs through the common mission, as a spiritual family and apostolic body, are reflected.
The methodology applied for this apostolic discernment of reality consisted of three questions:
- How do we see the world to which God sends us today, and where do we stand in it? (See).
- What is God calling us to in the coming years? (Judge).
- How can we respond as a spiritual family and apostolic body? (Act).
The answers to these questions were reflected in the results of the territorial conventions, showing great consonance in essential aspects, which has allowed the formulation of common proposals among them.
In the Territorial Conventions, proposals for themes that will be fundamental in the upcoming General Convention have emerged. Delegates will have the responsibility to analyze and validate these themes during the event. It is important to highlight that, due to the dynamics of the Convention, the themes will be subject to adjustments during the first day of the gathering. Additionally, the regulations will also be validated by the delegates themselves during the Convention.
The themes to discern and the mode
The General Convention has integrated the consensual visions and actions from the material sent by the territorial conventions into a working document, organized as follows:
A horizon: The evangelizing mission of Regnum Christi in today’s world.
Three major general themes proposed with their specific aspects:
- The vocational fullness:
- Identity, mission, and belonging of the lay members of Regnum Christi.
- Formation in the life of the lay member.
- Knowledge, interiorization, and lived experience of our charism.
- Culture and vocational promotion.
- The communities of apostles:
- An integrated pastoral approach from the local level.
- Formation of formators and leadership in the style of Jesus.
- Structures in service of communion and mission.
- The mission of Regnum Christi in different evangelization areas:
- The mission with adolescents and ECYD. The mission with youth in and from Regnum Christi.
- The promotion and formation of marriage and family.
- The evangelization of culture and professional environments.
As part of the materials for delegates and to complement the apostolic discernment, the report from the General Governing Body on the current situation of Regnum Christi will be presented, including statistics, challenges, and missionary experiences; likewise, reports from federated institutions and their relation to the mission of Regnum Christi. It is emphasized that the most important input will be the personal experience of the delegates.
The Convention will work in plenary sessions to establish a general vision, in groups to discuss contextual themes, and in teams for specific topics.
The General Convention from the perspective of the General Governing Body
The General Governing Body shares some reflections on the Convention regarding the importance of this gathering and the expectations held. More information and preparatory material can be found on the Web of the Regnum Christi General Convention.
For Fr. John Connor, L.C., General Director of the Legionaries of Christ, “the Convention will shed light, provide orientations, and more practical guidelines” to later be able to “apply those priorities more effectively so that the mission has a greater impact.” Meanwhile, Nancy Nohrden, General Director of the Consecrated Women, reminds us that each member must “be ready to participate in what follows, where they are called, in their local reality, all our vocations, and the mission we share in Regnum Christi,” with the fruits of the Convention.
Félix Gómez Rueda, general director of the Lay Consecrated, comments that a fundamental attitude is required: “Be open to the Holy Spirit,” that is, the attitude of discernment, to “find what God wants in today’s world” for Regnum Christi.
On his part, Spanish Abellán-García, a layperson attending the General Governing Body, explains in his message that the contributions from all localities and territories, as well as delegates from all territories, arrive at the Territorial Convention. They bring the entire experience of their locality. They live an impressive experience of communion in the Spirit and receive a word from God, which is important for all of Regnum Christi and must be grounded afterward in the territory. Delegates leave the Convention sent to their territory, where they hope to testify to what they have experienced. I hope that localities will listen to the word we have for them.
Next, we share messages from the general directors of the consecrated vocations and the message from Álvaro Abellán-García. In the coming days, new messages will be published, which you can also follow on the Instagram account.
John Connor, L.C.: the goal and mission of the Convention
The statutes give us a comprehensive vision of the objectives for the General Convention. If I had to summarize, I would focus on three aspects. First, that the Convention will be a great opportunity to listen to God, that is, prayer. Prayer and discernment about what He wants from us at this moment. We must answer big questions: What does God want from Regnum Christi at this moment in our history? What does He expect from us, from each member of Regnum Christi? How can we serve Him better and humanity with our charism?
Second, the Convention will give us apostolic priorities for the upcoming six-year period. These priorities can be of various types, starting from the most identity-based themes to apostolic actions and strategic actions.
And third, the Convention will shed light, provide orientations, and more practical guidelines. How can we apply those priorities more effectively so that the mission has a greater impact?
Three things: prayer, prioritization discernment, and practical orientations for greater impact.
Nancy Nohrden: how to participate and live the General Convention, even if not physically present
Every member of Regnum Christi can participate in the Convention in some way. First, by informing yourself, paying attention to the participants in the Convention, the information on the website describing the Convention’s dynamics, the official letters outlining the objectives, etc. Also, by contacting your local delegates.
Second, very important is your intercessory prayer for the Convention and for each participant. We depend on the prayers of all of Regnum Christi so that this becomes a space of listening—daringly open to God—and to hear His invitation to respond to today’s world needs. With your intercession, I believe this will be possible.
And third, be ready to participate in what follows. After the Convention, we will share some general lines of priorities for all of Regnum Christi, which will involve us all. So, be prepared to engage where you are called, in your local reality, all our vocations, and the mission we share in Regnum Christi.
Félix Gómez Rueda: the attitude with which to live the Convention
I ask myself: what is the attitude with which we can truly find what God wants in today’s world? Certainly listening, certainly going, presenting ourselves open to the Holy Spirit. We have planned a lot, generated many initiatives, and gone through a discernment process, but ultimately, that openness to active listening to the Spirit is the most fundamental attitude with which we must face and undertake this Convention.
Álvaro Abellán-García, the General Convention will consider the realities of each local Regnum Christi community around the world
The reflections from localities and territories arrive at the General Convention, along with delegates from all localities and territories, who bring the entire experience of their locality. They live an impressive experience of communion in the Spirit and receive a word from God, which is important for all of Regnum Christi and must be grounded afterward in the territory. Delegates leave the Convention sent to their territory, where they hope to testify to what they have experienced. I hope localities will listen to the word we have for them.
