May 2013, in this special Spring of Miles Jesu, members from around the world gathered at our General House in Rome to elect our new government. The elections were presided over by Fr. Barry Fischer, CPPS, whose term as Commissary ended with the election of our new General Director. Archbishop Filipe Iannone, Viceregent for the Vicariate (chancery office) of Rome, was an official observer for the election of the General Director as well as the election of the Men’s Branch Director.

The Electoral Assembly was both a climax and a new beginning. A climax because it was the final event of a long process including an Apostolic Visitation and several years of collaboration with our Commissary; a process of revising our constitutions and an overall renewal of Miles Jesu. As of May 7, 2013, after almost exactly six years, we once again can say “habemus generalum” (we have a general). And so it is a new beginning as well, as we take our first steps with our new government and revised constitutions.

Our new General Director is Fr. Robert Nicoletti, MJ. Fr. Nicoletti, originally from the United States, has spent many years in Ukraine at our communities in the city of L’viv and the nearby village of Bortniky. He has also long been involved in pilgrimages and other apostolic activities in England and Ireland. He has recently returned to studies and is midway through a Licentiate degree in Philosophy, studying at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome.

Because Miles Jesu has branches for men and for women, all under one Director, our General Government includes also Directors for the Men’s and Women’s Branches as well as two additional Councilors—one man and one woman. Dr. Pavel Zvak, MJ was elected Men’s Branch Director. A medical practitioner specializing in internal medicine, Pavel comes from the Czech Republic and is currently a member of our community in Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia. The new Women’s Branch Director is Miss Elizabeth Baez, MJ, originally from Puerto Rico and a member of our community in Phoenix, where she teaches kindergarten and elementary school.

The other two Councilors are Mr. Andriy Protsiv, MJ,of the L’viv community, a specialist in property management, and Miss Lucia Okonofua, MJ, of our Nimo, Nigeria community, who is currently using her degree and experience in banking as a background for teaching economics.

Father Barry Fischer remains at our side in his new capacity as “Religious Assistant,” a post sometimes assigned by the Church to an experienced member of one institute or society to be a guide and advisor to a newer institute.

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