The General Assembly of the Society of the Priests opened at the Sulpician Seminary in Issy-les-Moulineaux, a suburb of Paris, on 7 July 2014, with a solemn opening prayer and the enthronement of the Bible of M. Jean-Jacques OLIER, founder of the Society.
The thirty assembled delegates hail from France, Canada, the U.S., Benin, Colombia, the Congo (DRC), Japan, Brazil, Italy, Vietnam, and Zambia. The former Superior General of the Vincentians (Lazaristes), Father Robert MALONEY, c.m., is serving as Moderator. The Assembly, which will close on 19 July with a solemn Mass and banquet, will elect a new General Council and set the agenda for the Society for the next six years. In place of a pre-designated theme, the Assembly will discern a theme in the midst of its meeting, relying on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the ingenuity of the delegates.
During this fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), a feature of this Assembly is the frequent use of the Adsumus Prayer, which was used at the beginning of each session of the Council. The prayer dates at least to the seventh century, the time of Saint Isidore of Seville, and has been used in many councils throughout Church history. The Assembly is alternating versions of the prayer in French, English and Spanish.
