USA | Provincial Promoters Get on Board with the Apostolic Forums
Updated: Dec 27, 2021
A year since its first online meeting, the Provincial Promoters of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic in the USA reconvened via the internet platform on 20 December 2021. Joining them from the General Curia in Rome as in the previous year were the Socius of the Master of the Order for the USA, fr. Christopher Eggleton, OP, and the General Promoter, fr. Florentino Bolo, OP.
In line with the current thrust of the General Curia in building the Forums for the Apostolic Life, the meeting of the promoters further adds to the network of friars in the Order who are working in the same or similar mission areas. A key topic discussed was the use of collaborative instruments to facilitate the ongoing communication and collaboration of the promoters. This is likewise in response to the commission of the General Chapter of Trogir in 2013, which aims to facilitate the sharing of experiences among the friars and connect them with the best possible methodologies for their ministries (ACG 2013 Trogir, n. 109).
The four Provinces in the US have all responded to the petition of the General Chapter of Trogir to appoint a promoter to form and develop fraternities of diocesan priests in the Order (ACG 2013 Trogir, n. 120): Br. Michael Monshau, OP (Province of St. Albert the Great); Br. Vincent Mary Kelber, OP (Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus); Br. Albert Trudel, OP (Province of St. Joseph); and Br. David Keong Seid, OP (Province of St. Martin de Porres). Appointing a friar to promote the fraternities in the Province represents not only an evidence of awareness of the reality of this branch of the Order, but also a serious commitment on the part of the entity to promote it by nurturing existing groups or even by forming one where such a fraternity does not yet exist.
Br. Florentino Bolo, OP
It stood out to me that this marked a full year since the first online meeting, yet the real work seems to be getting provincial promoters to keep showing up and coordinating across regions. That persistence, not just the initial call, is probably what makes the forums stick.
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The shift to an online format makes sense for keeping busy promoters aligned without extra travel. I’d be curious how they structure the meeting rhythm or rotate facilitation, since that usually determines whether a group like this stays practical or just becomes another call to sit through.
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