Section I: Personnel Live + Jesus Annual Report Toledo-Detroit Province to the Superior General, General Councilors, Major Superiors and Members of the Toledo-Detroit Province In compliance with Constitution 324 and General Statute 31. All data as of 30 June 2016 A. Total personnel: 56 professed! B. Age Distribution of Members: C.! Priests: 47 = 84% 90 s: 02 = 04% Brothers: 07 = 12% 80 s: 13 = 23% Scholastics: 02 = 04% 70 s: 18 = 32% Novices: 00 = 00% 60 s: 12 = 21% 50 s: 01 = 02% 40 s: 02 = 04% 30 s: 07 = 12% 20 s: 01 = 02% Distribution according to service:! Full-time Ministry: 22 (39%) The religious is engaged in a ministry which provides a stipend sufficient to pay province assessment/retirement as well as monies necessary for full contribution to the community in which he lives. Part-time/Limited Service Ministry: 11 (19%) Although the religious is engaged in some ministry on a limited or part time basis, the stipend from it is not sufficient to meet both the needs of the local community and/or province and is thus supplemented to some degree from province funds. In most instances these are religious who, age-wise, are in the senior category but are willing and able to continue ministry with stipends beyond that of weekend parish help. Fully retired: 20 (36%) The religious is fully subsidized from province funds. Some of the fully retired priests are able to take limited public ministry. Formation: Novices (0); Annual Vows (2) (4%) The religious is in Basic Formation and not doing reimbursed, full-time apostolic ministry. Exclaustrated: (1) (2%) 1
Section II: Initial Responses to the Four Topics Provided by Father General See page 6 for a description of Fr. Adino s Congregational Topics. I. Mission and Ministry A. Pope Francis Many confreres are using the Holy Father s reflections in their prayer and homily preparation. The theme of Mercy has especially caught the attention and imagination of the American Church. Many Oblates are focusing their theological and spiritual reading on mercy and participating in theological presentations, workshops and discussions on the topic. The theme touches our personal and collective understanding of mission and ministry. It encourages a pastoral, loving and non-judgmental response to those with complicated or compromised lives. Further intra- and inter-province/region/mission discussions of the Pope s writings would be beneficial, both to better know his teachings and to implement them in our communities, personal lives, formation, and apostolates. B. New Cultures and Local Churches Some feel the Congregation would benefit from a 6-12 month orientation program for confreres transitioning from one culture/unit to another. Topics might include: apostolic readiness, language/accent, local communal and ecclesial prayer styles, laity s expectations and perceptions of religious/clergy, social boundaries, the role of (and our relationship to) women in hierarchical structures, homily style, length and content, workload expectations, lived reality of the vows (local practice of poverty, chastity, obedience), personal and communal finances, housekeeping expectations (cleaning, cooking, laundry), etc. This might be similar to the Jesuit tertianship program - a second novitiate done by invitation after some life experience and intentionally focusing on upcoming apostolates as well as pastoral, spiritual and psycho-social readiness. C. Cooperation Across Salesian Congregations Four years ago John Graden, OSFS, reached out to other Salesian congregations and lay organizations in North America. The following groups responded: DeSales Secular Institute, Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, Oblates and Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales, Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, Salesian Cooperators, Salesians and Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, St. Francis de Sales Association, and Visitation of Holy Mary. The groups created the North American Salesian Network (NASN). We meet annually. Mission Statement: NASN embraces a collaborative effort among our Salesian associations and institutes to empower us in refreshing our North American culture with the spirit of St. Francis de Sales and our Founders. We facilitate the sharing of Salesian resources, educational services, technological expertise, vocational efforts and other key ministries that enable us to touch hearts and Live Jesus across a wider expanse of people. Together we enter into the mystery of Christ and help to bring all people to Christ with the strong gentleness and zeal of St. Francis de Sales. 2
NASN is currently: creating a website and blog to direct people to Salesian news, resources and other Salesian websites: www.salesianspirituality.com organizing its members to jointly request an apostolic letter from the Holy Father in 2022 commemorating the 400 th death anniversary St. Francis de Sales, Setting up a Google Drop Box for easy communication and sharing of resources; studying the possibilities of NASN representation at various national and regional conferences in North America sharing our various vocation awareness and promotion materials exploring ways to maintain and expand Salesian spirituality and identity in institutions that no longer have the presence of a Salesian congregation. II. Religious Life/Oblate Identity A. Community The T-D Province has discussed community life many times over the years. The fruit of those discussions may be more in the area of understanding and appreciation of our diversity than in new policies. Men live under one roof to practice internal ministry (care for the confreres), for spiritual and mutual support, for the sake of the apostolate, because of poor health, in obedience to the provincial, and/or for convenience. Men live alone because the apostolate requires it, to stay near their medical, social, spiritual support system, they feel no one wants to live with them, they recall past communal experiences and personality conflicts, and/or need greater control of their schedules, diet, prayer, or environments. We often note that some men living alone are more engaged in the province than some living with others. Overall there is interest in creating healthy, supportive community models and strengthening our relationships both for ourselves and to attract and retain vocations. We have observed that all the T-D Oblates under the age of 60 have chosen to live with other confreres. This year all of them have also agreed to share a single community checking account. Income will be pooled, divided, and each will receive the same personal allotment. They will use the same online, cloud-based banking application (Quickbooks). This allows each participating confrere to write and record his own income and expenses on any computer. The confreres wanted this for the sake of transparency, simplicity and to create a deeper sense of common life. Every confrere is a member of a Region. Regional communities meet four to six times a year. The entire Province meets for five-days every June. These gatherings provide opportunity for fraternity, theological and spiritual input, prayer and province business. It is in the various experiences of community (local, regional and provincial) that we attempt to find strength and meaning as a community of Oblates living the vowed life together. B. Initial Formation - Province/Region/Mission based or Congregational Cultural differences, especially in the living of the evangelical counsels and the experience of community life, favor unit-based (province/region/mission) formation programs. The shortage of qualified/interested confreres to work formation ministry, as well as cross-cultural interaction and bonding, favors congregational collaboration. Larger numbers require greater structure. Smaller numbers allow for individualized programs that adjust to the scholastic s age and previous life experience. What are other congregations doing? What could we do together? Where? Cost? What should remain unit-based? 3
III. Social Issues and Prophetic Responses Salesian Spirituality in general and the Treatise on the Love of God in particular teaches an effective, Christ-like manner or attitude for working in our broken world. St. Francis offers a spirituality that shows how to be like Mary, resting at the feet of Jesus, while working like Martha, engaged in works of kindness and justice. Suaviter et fortiter. We embrace the Will of God s Good Pleasure and recognize that this moment, this person or this situation is as God has permitted or is permitting it to be. This realization produces within us gentleness, patience and compassion. But we also embrace God s Signified Will. The Holy Spirit enflames in us firm purpose and unwavering resolve to work for the Kingdom of God and to serve those most in need. We need only think of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King for contemporary examples of suaviter et fortiter. In the T-D Province, individual Oblates are addressing terrorism and violence, the refugee crisis, and the marginalized in their preaching and catechesis. Efforts have been made to educate people about the growing problems of (prescription) drug and alcohol abuse and human slavery/sex trafficking in American cities. Some Oblates also work directly with the people above. American policy has prevented most refugees from entering the United States. Many Catholics are working for more welcoming laws. It would be wonderful to see individual Oblates, or particular Congregational units, work full time and directly with refugees and all who have fallen victim to violence and terrorism. IV. Governance A. Our Current Structures in Relation to Our Ministry Of those in full time apostolates, ten T-D confreres are in parishes, eight in schools, one in deaf ministry and four in internal ministry (province/formation). We have identified several apostolates as Ministerial Priorities: DeSales University-Allentown, Embraced by God-Stella Niagara, Gesu Parish-Toledo, Lumen Christi School-Jackson, St. Francis School-Toledo, St. Mary s Parish-Adrian, St. Pius X Parish-Toledo, and Salesianium School-Wilmington. In 1999 we agreed to favor: 1. Institutional and individual initiatives which promote our Salesian charism, foster community ties, promote the development of the Province and further social justice. 2. Settings where active members are able to live and work together. Ideal settings provide a place where retired or formation members may reside and receive the necessary support and ministerial opportunities appropriate to their needs and abilities. This usually requires that the ministry be administered by an Oblate and at least in the case of formation, the community be of sufficient size to provide for mentoring, evaluation and support. 3. The Needs of the Provincial Administration. These include the Provincial and Council; Vocation and Formation Personnel; Director of Stewardship (Treasurer, properties, etc.) and the Director of Senior Oblates. 4. Opportunities where members can live for a time in the Third World and experience the plight of the poor in their struggle for justice. Members of the Province, in particular those in formation, will be encouraged to spend time in the Third World. 5. Cooperative efforts between the two North American Provinces in areas such as formation, vocational recruitment, promotion of Salesian Spirituality and other viable initiatives. 4
B. Our Structures and Vocation-Attraction Our schools and parishes have been the traditional source of Oblate vocations. We have fewer institutions today, and more lay people are serving in the ones we have. Studies suggest American males are maturing later in life, entering adulthood around age 30. Few of our school graduates are ready to make career choices and life commitments. A good number of American dioceses are experiencing a modest increase in vocations. Dioceses rarely tell these 30+ year old vocation aspirants about religious life. Thus for vocations, our schools may not be as important as they once were. Yet they continue to provide congregational identity, opportunities to work together, and housing and meaningful work for senior Oblates. The majority of the province favors holding onto our two ministerial structures: St. Francis-Toledo and Camp DeSales-Brooklyn, MI. The confreres attempt to apply the Church s social teachings within their apostolates. This includes helping disadvantaged children attend and succeed in our schools, serving minorities and the poor in our parish communities (e.g. Latinos and the Deaf), and organizing and leading student service projects to impoverished communities in the USA and abroad. C. Addressing Province Completions, Mergers, and New Apostolates Most T-D confreres support our eventual merging with the W-P Province. We speak of an organic process, a future consensus among the confreres that now is the time. Already our pre-novitiate, novitiate and post-novitiate programs operate under a common North American Formation Plan. This has contributed greatly to the new spirit of cooperation and appreciation between the two American Provinces. Another consequence of this cooperation is the freedom to work in either province. A W-P confrere is Superior of T-D s largest community, T-D confreres are on the boards of DeSales University (DSU) and Salesianum and one teaches at DSU. A W-P Oblate is pastor of St. Mary s - Adrian. All North American Oblates assemble for a joint convocation every four years. Provincials frequently consult. We look for other ways to collaborate. At this time both Provinces face possible litigation. Merging now would complicate matters. D. Preparation for the 2018 General Chapter and Selection of the Superior General Each congregational unit (province/region/mission) might share a report similar to the annual report, creating a snapshot of the state of the congregation through reports oriented toward the selection of the Superior General. The Generalate might do the same. The congregation could then discuss at the local/regional level the qualities and skills needed in the next Superior General in light of these reports and the needs of congregation, Church and world at this point in history. Discussion might include expanded/reduced role of the Superior General and/or General Counselors, areas needing attention, staffing and finances, and Oblate missions and Missiology. 5
Fr. Aldino s Congregational Topics Fr. Aldino asked the Major Superiors to respond to some of the following points in their Annual Reports in preparation for the summer meeting in Annecy. The T-D Province response begins on page 2. I. Mission and Ministry Pope Francis has proposed a number of new directions for the church or new approaches to the way we understand our mission and ministry to the People of God. How can the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales respond to his call? Over the years we have come to serve in new cultures and new local churches. How are we discovering our mission and ministry in them? How might we do this better? What does responsible growth and expansion look like in our newer units? How does Chablais Mission Fund play a role here? How can we better explore cooperation across Salesian congregations? II. Religious Life/Oblate Identity At times in our units, we may experience an uncomfortable individualism among our confreres and a lack of community spirit. Sometimes this is expressed as a desire to define and lead one s own ministerial project rather than join in the ministries of the unit. How can we address this? How can we refocus on true community, including a common goal and lifestyle, while respecting individual charisms? Among our units, we have differing experiences of membership. Some units, especially in the west, experience aging and diminishment while others still experience sustained vocational interest among the young. Pope Francis, in his letter To All Consecrated People on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life outlined the difficulties which various forms of consecrated life are currently experiencing particularly in the western world. It is urgent for us in the west to address those common issues that may either help or hinder vocations. How can we have this conversation as a Congregation and not just in our own units? Also, what does this diminishment mean for us as a Congregation and what directions do we need to consider taking as we update our Constitutions? How can we continue to dream ever new ways to spread our Salesian spirituality? Solid, spiritual and well-rounded initial formation programs are essential to forming our men in religious life and Oblate identity. Do the initial formation programs in each of our units provide for this? How can we ensure this is happening? III. Social Issues and Prophetic Responses Terrorism and Violence: In light of the pandemic of violence around the world, how can we Oblates respond to or address it? With gentleness as a core value, our charism confronts this global threat head on. How can we frame our charism so that it places before the people we serve and beyond a consistent exhortation and resource to our extended communities about the evil of violence and a Salesian response that can be a transforming or healing agent? 6
Refugee Crisis: The issue of refugees occupies the mind of Europe the most and it will remain an issue for a long time. We are challenged as a Congregation to face this challenge, to invest ourselves where we see possibilities. How can we help our confreres there aid refugees who are seeking a home and meaningful work? Ultimately, however, the refugee crisis is not a European one but rather is more and more a clearer crisis of injustice and the lack of a proper balance of the world. As a Congregation we need to start talking about it with each other, especially regarding the different ways of living, thinking and behaviors of the confreres who come from different continents. Of course this will not work without highlighting differing cultural backgrounds. Religious life bears nonetheless the opportunity and possibility to replace the political and economic ways of thinking of the powerful in the world with the ways of thinking of the Gospel. Knowing that we are only limited human beings we cannot be satisfied by simply blending into the world or worse by seeking our own advantage. Serving on the Periphery: As Pope Francis persists in calling the church to serve those on the margins, how can we, in a coordinated way, connect our charism, history, and present moment to this plea from the pope? And, flowing from this, can we define the periphery as a Congregation so that we can engage in the hard work of becoming an international community of dialogue in search of truth and understanding as our Pope invites us to be? IV. Governance As we look at the various works of the Congregation as a whole, where might our structures be suffocating the Spirit, our charism to spread the spirit of St. Francis de Sales, or the ministry of Evangelization? Can we ask ourselves if our current works or structures help or hinder us in this ministry? Is our preoccupation with vocations at the service of maintaining our ministries and structures or at the service of guaranteeing that our charism may remain alive in the service of the church and people? Are our works at the service of mission? How can we make ourselves and our structures more attractive? As we cultivate leadership in the units of the Congregation, how can we make sure that the operative mindset is service rather than power? As we look to the future of the Congregation, how will we continue to address province completions, mergers, and new apostolates? How can we strengthen inter-unit cooperation in formation, leadership and apostolates? In 2018 we will experience a transition in congregational leadership. The 2012 General Chapter proposed that the General Preparatory Commission (GPC) direct a congregation-wide discernment process ad experimentum to facilitate the election of the Superior General in 2018. How can we involve the entire Congregation in this discernment process? What necessary steps do we need to take in advance of the General Chapter in 2018 so that viable and vetted candidates are available and willing to provide service to our Congregation? 7