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Earlier this year, Fr. Nestor Fils-Aimé, CSV, Superior General, officially convened the Fourth General Assembly of the Viatorian Community for October 18-25, 2025 in Valpré, near Lyon, France. With assembly just one month away, here’s a primer on what General Assembly is.
A Distinctly Viatorian Gathering
Many Catholic religious institutes have “third orders” of lay people who form a related but separate group from the professed religious. Conversely, we consider lay associates to be Viatorians – full members of the Viatorian Community together with the professed brothers and priests in religious vows who comprise the religious congregation.
To describe this unique membership, the Viatorian Charter states, “the Congregation could accept as associates those persons who, without having made vows, would commit themselves to participate in its mission, spirituality, and community life… [and] henceforth become in the community co-heirs of the founder’s charism and co-responsible for its development.”
In the US, the Viatorian Community Council is a major way we live out this membership. A mix of elected professed, elected lay Viatorians, and ex oficio professed members comprise the VCC, which meets to provide consultative input to the Provincial Council and Provincial Chapter. Additionally, the annual Provincial Assembly includes all members.
Several members of our province were at the first assembly in various roles: (back row L-R) Br. Michael Gosch, CSV; Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV; Fr. John Peeters, CSV; Associate John Ohlendorf, (front row L-R) Br. Carlos Flórez, CSV; Associate Marilyn Mulcahy; Fr. Tom von Behren, CSV, then as Provincial; Fr. Corey Brost, CSV; and, front-center in bottom group photo, Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, then as Superior General.
For the worldwide Viatorian Community, lay and professed Viatorians come together at the General Assembly, for fellowship, prayer, and communal consultation to our Superior General and the councilors who lead the community globally. So far, there have been three General Assemblies: first, in 2006 in Arricia, near Rome, Italy; then, in 2011 in Bogotá, Colombia; and most recently, in 2016 in Guadarrama, near Madrid, Spain.
“The issues treated by each of the Assemblies evolved over the years,” Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, Provincial said – as Superior General from 2000 to 2012, he convened the first two gatherings. “The first two assemblies dealt with introducing and strengthening the Charter of the Viatorian Community. The third assembly was especially concerned with how associates lived out Viatorian community life and spirituality alongside the professed.”
Going Fourth
The theme for the Fourth General Assembly is “How can we be a fraternal, synodal, missionary Viatorian Community today?” This assembly will utilize Conversations in the Spirit and the synodal way as means to inform the community’s direction and structure for our future.
“In this changing world, we meet to share our experiences and discover together the factors that slow down or accelerate our spiritual, community, and missionary life as Viatorians,” Fr. Fils-Aimé said, in his convocation announcement. “We will explore new paths that will give us new impulses to ‘proclaim Jesus Christ and his Gospel and to raise communities where faith is lived, deepened, and celebrated.’”
The General Council allocated delegates to each country where Viatorians minister. The United States was asked to send two professed men and two associates, and the Foundation of Colombia was asked to send one professed man and one associate.
Each country’s full membership discussed questions from the General Council about living out the charism, witnessing the signs of the Holy Spirit, and identifying the call ahead. These responses were submitted to the General Council, which compiled them and provided them to all delegates with the preparatory materials for the assembly. These submissions reflect the variety of cultural, ecclesial, and pastoral contexts in which Viatorians live and minister together.
The US Delegation
In addition to the General Council and their appointed support staff, each Provincial Superior will participate by virtue of their office. So, the US delegation will be led by Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, Provincial, who oversaw the election of General Assembly delegates in early 2025. The brothers and priests of the US elected Fr. Dan Lydon, CSV, and Fr. John Eustice, CSV, and the associates in the US elected Associate Rosy Hartz and Associate Dan Masterton.
Fr. Dan lives in Casa San Justo in Bogotá, Colombia, and serves as Director de Postulantes (Pre-Novices), currently for three men in formation. “I feel honored to be a delegate,” Fr. Dan said. “I am looking forward to meeting up with friends from the 2018 General Chapter as well as meeting Viatorians from the other provinces and regions.”
Fr. John serves as Director of Vocation Ministry, Director of Pre-Novitiate for two men in formation, and Chaplain for Saint Viator High School. “Since our delegation has roots and experience in both regions of Illinois and Nevada, the international community will come to know the US and our expression of the charism well,” Fr. John, himself a native of Illinois who grew up in Nevada, said. “The four of us together bring a cross-section of our community to France.”
The delegates for the Province of Chicago: (top row) from the US, Fr. Dan, Fr. John, Rosy, and Dan; (bottom row) and from Colombia, Fr. Gustavo and Stella Luz; with Fr. Francis, Provincial, ex oficio.
Rosy is the Director of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry for St. Viator Catholic Community in Las Vegas. “I feel extremely humbled to have been chosen to go, and I’m thankful for the community trusting me to represent them,” Rosy said.
Dan is the Director of Communications for the Province of Chicago. “I feel like Viatorians, Catholics, and many people are often longing for better connectedness and communication. This gathering offers me – as an individual, a Viatorian, and a communications director – a one-of-a-kind chance to connect with folks from around the world and try to strengthen and improve the bonds many of us are longing for,” Dan said.
The Foundation of Colombia elected Fr. Gustavo Lopez, CSV, and Associate Stella Luz Serrano.
The Agenda for Assembly
About 60 Viatorians and support staff from 11 countries will converge in Lyon next month. One highlight will be the pilgrimage to Vourles on St. Viator’s feast day, October 21, to gather at the grave of the Venerable Louis Querbes, celebrate Mass at Fr. Querbes’ St. Bonnet Church in Vourles, and visit the Querbes museum.
“I have always been drawn to the history, the stories, and the documents,” Dan said. “So, to go to Vourles and Lyon, see these storied places first-hand, and hear from Viatorians who have studied and reflected on our history – it’s really exciting faith formation and spiritual opportunity to look forward to.”
The bulk of the agenda is thematic presentations by Viatorians, small-group synodal discussions on key future-oriented topics, and plenary sessions pertaining to the theme, which includes updates on the ongoing process of evaluating the community’s structure.
Fr. Fils-Aimé at the altar, during his installation Mass as Superior General, in 2024, in St. Bonnet in Vourles, France.
Fr. Dan, a veteran of international gatherings and a former Provincial Councilor, is intrigued for these presentations. “I am particularly excited about what the associates have to say, and I’m curious about the restructuring review,” Fr. Dan said.
And as Viatorians from a dozen different countries mix, the variety of cultural contexts and pastoral realities will offer a diverse mix of witness. “I’m excited to be with so many other Viatorians. I’m also curious how the charism is lived in creative ways throughout our worldwide community,” Rosy said.
“I’m excited to share time with our Viatorian sisters and brothers from around the world. We will get to learn how what we’ve inherited from the Venerable Louis Querbes is being lived out in unique cultural ways,” Fr. John said. “And I expect there to be genuine laughter.”
And as Fr. Francis returns, now in a different role and in a different time, he has an ear out for the growing voice of lay Viatorians. “As the Viatorian Community evolves and deals with issues surrounding the reconfirmation of the Congregation, I am especially interested in how we can involve associates in these changes to maintain the mission of service ‘to those accounted of least importance’ and the charism of Fr. Querbes,” Fr. Francis said.
Stay tuned to Viatorians.com and @ViatorianUSA on social media for photos and bulletins from the US delegation at the Fourth Viatorian General Assembly next month.