The Claretian Mission Prefects of Apostolate Meeting Lisbon 2014
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 2 CONTENTS FIST PART 5 Prefects of Apostolate Meeting. Lisbon, 2014 0. Introducction 7 I. Features of the Claretian Mission Style. Congregation 9 1. Centrality of the Word, particularly in reading and receiving the Holy Scripture 12 2. Missionaries in a missionary Church that is a mystery of communion. 12 3. Assuming dialogue as the place where the mission is done 12 4. Solidarity and prophetic, from the perspective of the poor and excluded Mission 13 5. Mission is always the key 13 II. The Features of The Claretian Mission Stile. Highlights for each continent 15 1. America 17 2. Africa 17 3. Asia 18 4. Europe 18 III. Mission Priorities for the Congregation, in the next sexenium. Proposals. 21 IV. Proposed improvements to the area Apostolate for the Congregation in the 25 next six years 1.Proposals about The 4 Priorities 27 1.1. Youth and Vocation Pastoral Ministry (YVPM) 1.2. Solidarity and Mission 1.3. Bible Minnistry 1.4. Evangelization through technology, Information and Communication (E-TICs) 2. Proposals to improve the organization of The General Prefecture of Apostolate 28
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 3 Conclusions Presentation At the Prefects of Apostolate gathering in Lisbon, the 38 participants had enriching sessions of dialogue and sharing. We introduce to the Preparatory Commission of the XXV General Chapter and the Congregation the documents and conclusions of our 10 days (27 July to 4 August 2014) of work during which we had: updated the information of our Claretian Missionary ministries from around the world, discerned, along with lively discussion, through continental groups and plenary sessions, the central aspects of our missionary life, made global and continental plans of the priorities of our mission in our present and future projects and programs. The key to read and move forward with these plans is through the passionate and collective search that includes: what is common and non-negotiable for all Claretians the growing number of crises and the transformation of our global situations. The different referent points related to our Claretian presence in 67 countries on the five continents. In this context, the common understandings and consensus have taken into account: the admirable tradition of the Congregation and our strength in integrating and overcoming the impact of the crises in the European nations and Claretian organisms in Europe, the aim and intent of dialogue with the poor, the various religions and many cultures of Asia, the search for new horizons for a popular and communal reading of the word of God and a liberating presence amidst those who are impoverished in the Americas the missionary leadership and direction of the Claretians in Africa in light of our growth as a Congregation, our diverse and rich cultures, our possibilities for evangelization and the conflicts within the continent, As those primarily involved in what is proposed here, we have been seriously committed to Live a more persuasive witness in order to energize the ministries of our Organisms In order to do this we rely on you, brother Claretians and laypeople to share this misión with us. be unifiers and promoters of communion in each of the continents by sharing through E-TICs and communal programs. For this, the Congregation will be open-minded and together explore the geographical and technological frontiers in the new Areopagus of the internet. motivate our local and provincial communities in a conscious, fearless, critical and creative process of participation in the preparation and implementation of next year s General Chapter. To achieve this, your views, ideas, dreams and your whole Claretian being are necessary. Lisbon, August 4, 2014
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 4 I. Features of the Claretian Mission Style. Congregation The Features of the Claretian Mission Style. Continental Meetings AMERICA ASIA EAST AFRICA WEST AFRICA EUROPE A solid spirituality based on the Word of God A missionary solidarity with the impoverished and with creation. A mission in communion and dialogue A missionary itinerancy with continuous revision of positions Mission based on the Word of God. Centrality of the Word of God Prophetic Option for the Mission: poor Passion for God and Passion for People Shared Mission Shared Mission Mission in Communion Mission in Dialogue Centrality of the Word of God (Bible) Option for the poor Communion Mission as for The Mission communion Mission in dialogue Mission as Dialogue A Mission of solidarity that is singularly expressed in commitment to the poor and marginalized A Mission that makes us brothers, that demands we live in profound communion and to care for our fraternity as the first missionary word. A Mission shared with other disciples of the Lord and with many other men and women A Mission that announces the Word in dialogue, available and prepared to go to the existential, social and cultural frontiers of evangelization Youth Ministry A Mission that is born of the action of the Spirit in us and that drives us to live in an attitude of listening and discernment NOTE The text below is a summary of the relevant section: Features of The Claretian Mission, of each of the five continental meetings about The Claretian Mission in the continent. It was sent to the Provincial and Prefects of Apostolate of the Congregation in order to receive suggestions for modifications, which were put into the text. It was approved before the meeting of Prefects of Apostolate of Lisbon 2014 and endorsed by a large majority of the assembly of prefects at Lisbon. You may examine the conclusions of each Continental Meeting in the second part of this document.
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 5 Claretian Missionary Style in the unique mission of the Spirit in the Church After the theological Congress on the mission and, supported by it, there have been missionary encounters in the different parts of the Congregation. The important reflections and experiences that were shared have been outlining what we call the Claretian Missionary style which the Spirit gives to us and from which we feel responsible at this time. I. Claretian Missionary Style The Claretian Missionary Style shows by the characteristics that define it, what are the concretization of the Claretian Missionary charism for a particular era. This missionary style is generated in us through the Holy Spirit thus configuring our evangelizing activity, testimony and intercession in the unique mission of the Church. As Claretian Missionaries we are called to read the Signs of the times with the aim of discovering what it is the Spirit wants of us; we read them with charismatic eyes which the Spirit gives us to search, in community, what is the mission that he has entrusted to us. There are two movements in this dynamic of discovering the characteristics of our missionary style: to discern in community what is most urgent, timely and effective in the process of evangelization according to the needs of the different times and places. to offer an innovative evangelizing response according to what the Gospel and the signs of the Spirit are asking of us in each moment and place. Our Claretian Missionary style is not only explained by doing and programming, meaning, from the options of mission or evangelizing priorities, but rather from what we can call characteristics of our charismatic personality. The Claretian Missionary style brings us to discover the evangelizing options towards which the Spirit is pointing us and to configure from them our spirituality and our personal and community lifestyle. In the Style and in the characteristics that express it, they bring together the personal and community experience of God and the personal or community commitment with the missionary work. These features of the Claretian evangelizing Style, like the options that appear in the Directory, have to be lived by each and every Claretian and has to shape each of our ministries and missionary projects. Each Claretian, community, Organism, project and missionary action has to be lived, structured and programmed from this group of characteristics that, interrelated, shape the Claretian Missionary Style. It is not a question, therefore, of asking ourselves if our evangelizing action is Claretian because it lives one, two or more of them; to live from the Claretian evangelizing Style supposes taking on all the interrelated characteristics as a system of characteristics which lived all together, give as a result a concrete manner of interpreting the world and our vocation.
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 6 II. The features of the Claretian Missionary style according to the continental discernment 1. Centrality of the Word, particularly in reading and receiving the Holy Scripture. Listening to the Word of God is the starting point of our vocation and the source of our missionary dynamism. Sacred Scripture, read and received under the guidance of the Spirit and in communion with the Church, is for us a place to find fundamental references for our mission. The Bible is perceived as a place of meeting with God, where he speaks of himself, of the People of God and about what he wants and needs from us. In Scripture we realize that the Word of God, Jesus Christ himself, speaks to us, addresses us, helps us to interpret the signs of the times and shows us the mission the Spirit wants to send us. In this way we feel and we are Servants of the Word and with a missionary spirituality firmly grounded in Scripture. Scripture is perceived as an indispensable guide to discern the opportunities and challenges for evangelization; it is an enlightening source for the life of those to whom we are sent. The Bible is a living expression of God's way with Humanity, and it helps us to discover and to show who is God, what does he want from his Christian communities and what would be his plan for humanity. 2. Missionaries in a missionary Church that is a mystery of communion. We are aware that we are part of a church whose sole mission given by Jesus Christ and led by the Spirit, is to be herald of the Gospel with the life and the word. We live the experience of the diversity of life forms, ministries and charisms which the Spirit inspires in the Church and the mystery of its complementary unity as gift of the same Spirit. Within our congregation we experience the diversity of cultures, ages and gifts and we are called to be parable of communion through our community life. We are a community for the Mission. This way of living the Mission as born into a community filled with diversity, is already in itself a missionary testimony. We want to live and develop our Claretian Mission within a Church that is communion with brethen and with God, and so we want to live our charismatic identity, in communion, co-responsibility and complementarity with other charisms, ministries and forms of Christian life. Therefore, we understand our mission as a mission to be shared with other charisms and ministries, especially the laity, as Fr. Claret did. We commit to work for a Church that is a communion of communities, charisms and ministries for the Mission. We seek to participate in the Church's diocesan life and servicing it from our missionary charism. 3. Assuming dialogue as the place where the mission is done We understand dialogue as the process through which people are able to communicate and understand each other vitally. To make this possible we have to know others' life circumstances and put ourselves in their place, so that we are able to understand their thoughts and actions. This dialogue is not only the condition making possible the inculturation of faith, but it is also needed for reconciliation, peace, brotherhood and teamwork. The congregational community, in its great diversity, is a privileged place to
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 7 experience the dialogue that leads us to find new and creative ways of mission. The dialogue within the Congregation, in the Church and with all those who believe in Jesus Christ leads us to be open to a permanent discernment of our life and mission. As Claretians we understand that dialogue must move us to promote the reconciliation and coming together of ethnicities and cultures, other faiths and Christian denominations. Defining our mission as dialogue impels us to work with all kinds of religious or lay institutions, NGOs, governments and people of good will, with whom we share many things. Understanding dialogue as a place of Mission, also leads us into direct contact with the actual situation, the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the people of our time, especially of the poor and afflicted, to let them know that these are too our joys, hopes, griefs and anxieties. 4. Solidarity and prophetic, from the perspective of the poor and excluded Mission We feel called to set our life (spirituality, apostolic positions, missionary actions, organization and economy) -as a person and as community, from the perspective of the poor and excluded. To make this call real we have to approach them, so we can feel the call of the Spirit to proclaim the Good News of Jesus. We want our evangelization to be a prophetic and liberating one, in solidarity with those who suffer persecution, poverty, violation of human rights. We want to contribute to the transformation of the world according to God's plan, promoting an ethical and solidary culture that promotes human dignity and strengthens cooperation, peace and reconciliation among peoples. We are urged to go out in search of the poor and marginalized and to work so they can feel the Church as their home. For these reasons all our missionary activity, even the missionary work that is not carried out directly with them, is made "from the perspective of the poor and needy",. Our identity as children of the Heart of Mary calls us to live our missionary commitment from the heart, especially in its prophetic dimension and in solidarity with the excluded. 5. Mission is always the key We are missionaries, and this is a clear identity sign for the Claretians. Our charism in the Church urges us to always look for new ways to reach out to those who have lost faith or who may have never have it. Missionary creativity was a characteristic of Fr. Claret we can't send into oblivion; we commit ourselves to what is most urgent, timely and effective at any time and place, so that the world may know the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our congregational community and each local community are privileged spaces of discernment for our mission, for what God wants of us in every moment and in every place, but so are, too, all the forums searching for the good and the truth. We constantly look for the signs of the times nesting the call of the Spirit, and treasure the seeds of the Kingdom that God places wherever He wants. We leave our communities to search for the signs of the Spirit through our contact with men and women of our time, and we must return to them to meet our brothers and discern together our Mission's course of action.
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 8 Our missionary presence involves dialogue, contact and closeness to the people we are with. It also implies a constant openness to those who are not close, to inter-cultural, interfaith and inter-religious dialogue. We are called to work with all so that we can become one with all and signs of the presence of the Spirit of the Lord who makes all things new. Our being missionaries impels us to promote and establish truly missionary Christian communities that are a privileged mediation announcing and witnessing the Kingdom; to train and prepare young people who are true missionaries leaders wherever they go, or whatever their vocational call; to reach out to the poor and needy so they can feel the warmth of God and the Church. In other words, it is a call to be, like Claret, creative and dauntless bearers of the Fire of the Spirit.
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 9 II. The Features of The Claretian Mission Stile. Highlights for each continent 1. América Sugerimos, para completar este documento sínteses: 1. Centralidad de la Palabra a. Explicitar la centralidad de la Palabra y su lectura en clave JPIC y con carácter popular y comunitario. b. Explicitar a María como Sierva misionera que, desde la fragua, escucha y vive la Palabra. 2. En cuanto a Iglesia misterio de comunión a. Incentivar la realización de los proyectos en Misión compartida: Fomentar y acompañar el Movimiento de Seglares Claretianos. Experiencias de misión compartida para los formandos en sus diferentes etapas. 3. Con respecto al Diálogo como lugar de misión: a. Pedir que se programen acciones concretas: educar para el dialogo y su importancia tanto hacia adentro como hacia afuera; proyectos comunes con otras organizaciones religiosas. b. Trabajar el diálogo con el pobre, con las culturas y con las religiones, como lo propone Asia. c. Destacar el tema del diálogo orientador con la religiosidad popular. 4. En cuanto a la clave misionera a. Fomentar las misiones populares con énfasis en los ámbitos urbanos. b. Destacar la atención a la opción por los pobres, de tal manera que sea transversal, comprensiva y generadora de unidad desde la diversidad. 2. África 1. Centrality of the Word of God a. Attentive listening to the Word of God as a source of our life and mission. b. Inculturating the Word of God as a way of making it much more meaningful to the people. c. Proclamation of the Word of God according to what is timely, needed and urgent. (The use of social communication media and technologies). 2. Mission as Communion a. The need for availability for solidarity and subsidiarity with and outside our communities. b. Availability of missionaries for service should be emphasized c. Communion in the areas of our apostolate and with the recipients of our mission (family, children, youth, marginalized people).
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 10 3. Mission as Dialogue a. Promotion of intercultural, ecumenical, inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation, (Rich and Poor, Young and Old etc) b. Fostering peaceful co-existence of people to preserve unity in diversity. 4. Solidarity and Prophetic, from the perspective of the poor and excluded Mission: a. Preferential option and solidarity with the poor and the neglected. b. Missionaries witnessing to prophetic lifestyle. 5. Shared Mission a. We are collaborators in the mission of God and should be open to the various joint ventures in our ministries. b. Proper collaboration with religious institutions, laity, NGOs, Government and people of good will who share in this mission of God while maintaining our own identity. 3. Asia Asia will continue its dialogue with other religions, with cultures and with the poor. The Claretians are facing and will continue to confront the realities of poverty, marginalization and abuse in many parts of the continent. The Claretians Asia maintain its identity amid a multicultural reality of the continent. 4. Europe We appreciate the synthesis document about the claretian missionary style. We honor the intention of putting together all that has been elaborated in the continental encounters about the mission. But we have to admit that we feel closer and related to the document that the Missionary Encounter for Europe has elaborated. This is simply because there are some elements in the synthesis documents that are not well elaborated or loose their explicit importance and clarity. a. The action of the Holy Spirit should have been more explicated in the headings of the characteristics of the claretian missionary style as well as shared mission and the Word proclaimed and offered (not only the Word read and accepted). b. Notes from the Constitutions and other fundamental documents of the Congregation were generally missing. c. Reference to the missionary community in the service of the mission is missing. d. We are asking to ourselves if there is a necessary need for a synthesis document since there are the documents from the continental encounters. Furthermore, these conclusions from the continental encounters should be forwarded along with other documents for the pre-chapter commission and to the General Government.
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 11 III. Mission Priorities for the Congregation, in the next sexenium. Propousals The Priorities 1. A prophetic solidarity with those who are poor, marginalized, vulnerable in their human rights (MFL 58.3) and migrants. 2. Evangelization of children, youth and families with special attention to the vocational dimension. 3. Evangelization that is centered on the Word of God that creates life, builds Christian community and transforms the world. 4. Dialogue among people and evangelization on the internet as well as among people who do not believe, are religiously indifferent or are not Christian. IV. Proposed improvements to the area Apostolate for the Congregation in the next six years 1. Explaining The Four Priorities 1.1. Youth and Vocation Pastoral Ministry (YVPM) A. Criteria - Orientations a. To articulate the processes of the initiation of faith in the ministry to children, youth and families (YVPM) b. To inspire and nurture a Culture of Vocation in our formation and evangelization centers c. To improve the relationship between those responsible for the YVPM and the various Organisms d. To commit, as individuals and communities of Claretian Missionaries, to be very present as a testimony among young people B. Organization a. We propose that there will be a Secretariat for YVPM under the Prefecture of the Apostolate. This team would consist of representatives members from different conferences. 1. 2. Solidarity and Mission A. Criteria Orientations a. We will implement the conclusions regarding Solidarity and Mission that came from the JPIC Encounter in Vic, Spain in February 2014. b. To evaluate the work of our United Nations team and to strengthen them and their projects. c. To have clear distribution criteria for the Mission Procure for the understanding and presentation of the projects. d. To give systematic work guidelines to help those in charge of Solidarity and Mission for the organisms as well as their teams to better animate and organize.
The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014 12 B. Organization: a. To implement the area of Solidarity and Mission-- Procure, Proclade, JPIC, UN- CMF-- under the Prefecture of the Apostolate 1. 3. Bible Minnistry and Biblical Animation Minnistry A. Criteria Orientations a. We consider it essential to offer adequate training and specialization in the area of animation of the biblical pastoral to both Claretians as well as lay people. B. Organization a. To create a Secretariat for the animation of the Bible Pastoral composed of Claretian and lay representatives from all conferences 1. 4. Evangelization through technology, Information and Communication (E-TICs) A. Criteria - Orientations a. To form people to be able to understand, advance and utilize the E-TICs in order to evangelize more effectively. b. To discover and understand how to E-TICs especially the internet, not only as a tool, but as a new Continent or Place where Claretians are present to do our missionary works. B. Organization a. To create a Secretariat or team for E-TICs 2. Proposed organization of The General Prefecture of Apostolate A. Criteria - Orientations a. Our coordinating structures ought to respond to insure consistency between these planned and formulated priorities and the corresponding structures for implementation. b. The Prefecture of the Apostolate should ensure the animation, follow up and evaluation of the objectives, priorities and pastoral activities of the major organisms. B. Organization- Structure a. The Prefect of the Apostolate b. A Congregational Apostolate Council comprised of: The Prefect of the Apostolate, coordinators from each continent or conference, those in charge of the Secretariats in the Apostolate c. The Secretariats of the following areas: YVPM, SO-MI, BP,E-TICs, others? d. Each Secretariat, led by its coordinator, will have its own team for its activities with the possible presence of lay people.
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