Fr. Hugo Orozco Opens the Extraordinary Visitation

By Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

(New Rochelle – October 2) – Fr. Hugo Orozco, regional councilor for Interamerica, 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.

Fr. Hugo invited all the confreres of the province 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 five local communities: New Rochelle, Port Chester, Haverstraw, Ramsey, and Orange. The ten distant communities in Canada, New England, the Midwest, and the South and some individual confreres, such as Fr. Tim Zak from Puerto Rico, 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 three months. But because the next general chapter has been moved up by a year, less than two 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 GC28, 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 three priorities for the visitation: meeting with and getting to know the confreres, meeting with the young, and meeting with the EPC of each work.

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

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

Explore photos on Shutterfy!