On Tuesday February 28 the Regional Council met by skype and telephone because until a few days before it seemed that the agenda did not warrant a face-to-face meeting. The meeting lasted an hour and a half. The skype service was less than trustworthy. Maurice disappeared from view too often to make it an acceptable alternative to a face-to-face meeting. Aegi was not able to join the council although he did provide information about the Toronto community.

1. Montreal community: Richard and Maurice reported on the events at the Montréal community. Frère Luc is still undergoing chemotherapy. He has a few more sessions. He is more optimistic about its success. In the meantime, in the week-end of February 4 – 5, 2017, Louis-Marie Butari has been installed as the administrator of the Unité pastorale Sault-au-Recollet. During this time, p. Engelbert Fotsing took his holidays in Cameroon to visit his family and reconnect with his province of origin. Engelbert returned to Montréal on February 27. Maurice also reported that the Syrian family sponsored by the community was doing well.
2. Toronto Community: Aegi wrote that the Toronto community had received two visitors from the Sao Paulo Province in Brazil were in Toronto for a month of English study. As Aegi reported, they started at level 3 and progressed to level 4. Last week they had an opportunity to visit the Montreal and Ottawa communities. They returned to Brazil on February 26.  The Toronto community has also taken the initiative to introduce the Dehonian Spirituality among the people they minister. Beginning on March 14 and for two other dates in March, the UKI members, the Becoming Neighbours group and the members of the two parishes are invited to come together for sessions of “The life of Fr. Dehon,” “Spirituality of the Dehonian”, and “Dehonian Mission.” It is hoped that from the participants a number of people may seek to become Dehonian Associates. Also the community has scheduled a Lenten Day of Reflection on March 27, 2017 with Fr. Dominic Borg OCD.
3. Ottawa Community: Paul Tennyson reported on the events in the Ottawa community. There have been a number of visitors to the community in the past two weeks. It was a test of the community’s ability to not only house them but also to provide for hospitality and cooking. Paul also mentioned that the sponsorship of the Syrian family is going well with a lot of help from the Sunday community. All members of the family are engaged in language study as their primary pre-occupation. The house at 192 Daly has been plagued in the past years with a recurrent leakage on the third floor. It has now requested for the necessary funds ($28,000) to repair the roof. It may relieve the house in future years of the enormous icicles that formed on the third-floor dormer endangering all who might venture on to the parking area.
4. Letters to the Indonesian Province and Indian District: The Regional Superior wrote follow-up letters to the Indonesian Province to find a successor at UKI.  Fr. Johanes Yuliwan Maslim, Fr. Sarto has indicated, will be recalled for another appointment. The agreement with the Indonesian Province to minister to the Indonesian community in Toronto has been in existence since the 1980s. It is hoped that a replacement will be appointed by the summer. And in a letter to the District Superior, Thomas Vinod, the Region requested that he sends us at the earliest opportunity one of the Indian priests who is currently studying in Venezuela to help us in the parish of St. Thomas More. With the departure of Fr. Giovani Pontes, the parish needs a permanent assistant to replace him. A promise was made to the Region at the meeting of the Major Superiors in Rome in November.
5. Future gatherings: With the interprovincial retreat scheduled between August 13 and 19, there is a need for an additional Regional Assembly in order to deal with other matters of the Region, such as the updating of our ten-year plan, our commitment to migration, and our finances. The meeting will be held at Providence House, Princess Street, Kingston, ON, starting on Monday evening, October 2 and ending at noon on October 4. Council also decided to hold the Feast of the Sacred Heart once again at Dehon House, 192 Daly Avenue, on June 22 for holy hour and June 23 for the Solemnity itself.
6. Finances: The Region has made a $ 500,000 contribution to the Manor Residence project in Toronto, organized by the Basilian Congregation and a number of other religious communities. The Manor will be a communal residence mainly for religious. In its first phase, the project is looking for financing. It is hoped that construction will begin soon.
7. Meeting of Bursars: Maurice Légaré will participate in the meeting of the Congregation’s treasurers in Rome between May 1 and 5.