The Guanellian General Chapter re-elected Father Umberto Brugnoni

Fr. Umberto Brugnoni was re-elected Superior General of the Guanellians (Servants of Charity) during the 21st General Chapter, held in Barza d'Ispra (Varese, Italy), from 6 to 24 October 2024.

Fr. Umberto was born in Cavona di Cuveglio (VA) in 1952 and ordained priest in 1979, he is the tenth successor of St. Luigi Guanella. He entered the Divine Providence House in Como as a child to attend second grade and remained there for seven years. In 1964, as a first grade pupil, he took part in Fr Guanella's Beatification. In 1962 his family moved to Cantello, taking over a bakery. After completing the third grade, he entered the Seminary of Anzano del Parco for the gymnasium (1967), continuing his vocational journey. He began his novitiate in 1969 in Barza d'Ispra, where he professed religious vows in 1971 and completed high school in 1973. After his apprenticeship in Fara Novarese, he moved to Rome in 1975 for theological studies and was ordained a priest in 1979. His first obedience took him to Rome as an educator in the minor seminary (1979-1985), where he deepened his vocational methodology. From 1985 to 1990 he did pastoral work in Messina, then returned to Rome as rector of the minor seminary.
Subsequently, he was Superior in the Alberobello House (1991-1993) and then Provincial Superior in Rome. In 2000, he was elected Vicar General of the Congregation, a position he held for three terms until 2018, when he was elected Superior General.

Together with him, the members of the new General Council were also elected:

• Fr Rathinam Soosai, first councillor and vicar general (India)
• Fr Gustavo de Bonis, second councillor (Argentina)
• Fr Vitus Unegbu, third councillor (Nigeria)
• Fr Francesco Sposato, fourth councillor and secretary general (Italy)

The title chosen for the General Chapter was:
"Faithful and Creative in Charism;
 Co-responsibles in the Mission.
 With Christ we take up the challenges of our time!"

Every six years, the Congregation is called upon to make an assessment of the journey made, and to draw up the programmatic lines for the next sexennium.

This important gathering was attended by 39 Brothers (including two lay Brothers) from 14 nations. The Congregation is present all over the world, in 24 nations, with about 530 Brothers (including 30 lay Brothers and about a hundred temporarily professed).