From 23 September to 4 October 2024, superiors, board members and bursars from all provinces and regions gathered in Tilburg for the General Assembly of the Brothers CMM. The motto of this meeting was: ‘Called to be merciful brothers, joyful and courageous in today’s world – a reflection on our life and mission’. The General Assembly discusses policies for the entire Congregation and the implementation of recommendations and resolutions of the General Chapter.
In his opening speech, Brother Lawrence Obiko, superior general of the Congregation, mentioned, among other things, the profound policy changes needed. “As a congregation, it is important to think carefully about the essence and scope of our mission as well as the financial means to realise these goals of our international Congregation,” Brother Lawrence said.
The agenda included a number of important topics to deliberate on, such as strategic planning for the future, reflection on the mission, and passing on the rich heritage to a new generation of brothers.
The General Assembly began with an evaluation of the various boards, and this was not a random choice. “I want to stress the importance of togetherness and good teamwork, both within the boards, and between the boards. That is also why we invited for this assembly not only the superiors, but also other members and bursars from the different provinces and regions,” Brother Lawrence spoke in his closing speech.
He continued: We are in a period of transition. The Congregation was founded in the Netherlands, and for a long time there were the Dutch brothers who further developed and built up our Congregation. We are privileged because there are still brothers in the Netherlands who can advise us, but it is now up to brothers from the other provinces and regions to take over these important tasks. That involves leadership, but also preserving and passing on our spirituality and our heritage. And for that, we need to work together. We need good teamwork, a sense of togetherness, a sense of worldwide brotherhood.”
These were two intensive weeks with a full agenda, but participants found it enriching to listen to each other and hear experiences of fellow brothers from different regions and provinces.


