Communication to the Institute following the appointment of Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse as Bishop

We receive this news with a mixture of feelings and emotions, foremost among them gratitude to God for the gift we have had in Fr. Tesfaye as our Superior General, as well as a fellow brother. We recognise that his selection represents a gift to the particular church, for whose growth we as an Institute collaborate.

According to canonical provisions, any hierarchical role exercised within the Institute ceases at the moment when the news of a confrere's episcopal appointment is made public by the Holy See.

With this message, therefore, we wish to inform everyone of the arrangements we intend to follow for the continuation of the General Council's service during this transitional period.

The Council will continue to meet to handle ordinary and urgent matters, convened by the Vicar General. Electronic correspondence intended for the Superior General should now be directed to the Vicar General at vicgenmccj@comboni.org, while other communications can continue through the usual channels of the assistants and the general secretary.

A new election for the Superior General will be convened as soon as possible, following the guidelines on which we will discern in the coming days, in accordance with the provisions of RV 157, especially 157.2, which is provided below for reference:

…If the office of Superior General becomes vacant during the first four years of his tenure, the Vicar General, with the consent of the Council, calls for an extra-capitular election, sending a list of five candidates - the Assistants General and others of their choice - to all the capitulars of the previous Chapter or to their substitutes or successors. The person who receives the absolute majority is elected to finish the current term. If none receives the absolute majority in the first ballot, the election is repeated proposing the two names that received the most votes. In the case of a tie the oldest by profession and then by age is elected.

We ask everyone to pray with us for our Institute, that it may always be more worthy of the mission entrusted to us by our Holy Founder and of the confidence the Holy Father places in us by choosing some of our members for the ministry of the Episcopate; let us also pray for Bishop Tesfaye, imploring for him all the graces he will need for his episcopal ministry.

We look to the Holy Virgin with trust and serene reliance, asking her to accompany us at this time.

Rome, November 6, 2024
The General Council