Decisions are made, but then what?
Monday's small-group work focused on the setting of goals, their implementation and evaluation. What happens when the chapter makes a decision? How does a decision move from meetings and documents to an implemented reality?
Small groups reported on their discussions. All emphasized the need to share information in order to assess and evaluate the tasks that arise from chapter decisions. Such sharing needs to take place within the entities, between the entities and in two-way dialogue with the general administration. Dialogue helps to foster co-responsibility.
Suggested communication tools include regular local and regional meetings, province assemblies, visitations, letters, reports and sharing via the internet. Perhaps the congregational website,
www.dehon.it, could have a password-protected area to share information that wouldn't necessarily be appropriate for wider public view.
Communication in regards to decisions must go beyond status reports; it must be interactive. There needs to be a willingness to challenge one another in a fraternal way on multiple levels, beginning in local communities and moving all the way through to general meetings, such as the gathering of major superiors. Communication is an essential tool in the review and analysis of work on a project. Members of the community must always be willing to honestly review the implementation of a task. If something is not being done, or not working well, members need to ask themselves why this is so. How can a task be revised to make it more effective?
The use of external experts should be encouraged when implementing and analyzing the effectiveness of a decision.
The sharing of successes also needs to be done via the same methods noted above.
Decisions of the chapter should come with an expectation of who will have responsibility for implementing them. They should be prioritized with the understanding that different sectors of the congregation have different needs and concerns. Congregational directives cannot always be "one size fits all."
Individual responses
After the small group reports, individuals had an opportunity to share their thoughts. One delegate asked if perhaps too much time and energy was being spent discussing how decisions will be implemented and monitored. "How many concrete decisions are actually made by the chapter?" he asked. The major decision-making body of the congregation only meets every six years. Instead of focusing on how decisions will be implemented during the six years, would it be better to develop a more frequent way for the congregation to meet as a governing body?
Another delegate reminded the chapter that the entities of the congregation are not equal. They do not all have the same concerns. Chapter decisions need to be prioritized and adapted to the realities of each entity.
However, said another, how can delegates prioritize chapter decisions when few decisions have actually been made? This process of implementing and reviewing chapter decisions seems too theoretical. What decisions is this plan being designed to serve?
Fr. Ornelas reminded delegates that the work of the past two weeks has been leading the chapter to priorities that will be further defined and focused by the Synthesis Committee. The chapter continues to be in the midst of an organic process.
In response to this a delegate wondered if the chapter has enough time to accomplish its tasks. There are still juridical concerns and several entity and project reports. Doesn't the chapter need to hear all of these reports and tend to the juridical tasks before it can identify decisions? Is there time for it all?
Another said that religious communities have much to learn from the business world in terms of decision-making and analysis. "We need to learn to prioritize objectives and identify a way for them to be carried out," he said, adding that often the congregation makes a decision without looking at all of its practical implications.
"We keep coming back to the same themes," said another delegate. The sharing of resources and the need for greater fraternity comes up again and again. Perhaps simply finding a way for these themes to be pursued locally and on the congregational level should be the focus of the chapter.
Synthesis
In the afternoon the Synthesis Committee distributed a list of themes and topics of interest which it identified from both the small group discussions and the personal interjections made during plenary. They broke the topics down into three categories all based in the love of the Heart of Christ: 1) spirituality, 2) community, and 3) mission. Under each of these topics were many of the items of concern already noted in previous reports such as the need for better utilization of the Dehon Study Center, solidarity, planning, formation of treasurers, collaborative projects, enhanced vocational and youth efforts, and better communication.
The chapter will continue to work toward identifying the topics that should be forwarded to the next administration for further attention and in what form.
Juridical issues
Fr. Marek Stoklosa reviewed the Norms of the Administration of Temporal Goods, the development of which was called for by the previous General Chapter. It has been in use by the current administration and now needs to be approved by the chapter for continued use. Delegates have until Friday to submit motions regarding the Norms.
The Philippines and India
Today's entity reports came from the Philippines and India.
Fr. Rino Venturin, superior of the Philippine District, gave background information on the SCJs' presence in the country. He noted that the original missionaries spent six months in the United States preparing for their work before arriving in the Philippines in 1989. On the first day of the General Chapter, the district celebrated 20 years of the SCJs' presence. The first years were spent getting to know the country and its people to determine how the SCJs could be best present in the Philippines.
The formation program began in 1995 with the acceptance of the district's first candidates. Over 30 Filipinos have professed vows, as well as eight Vietnamese. There are three Filipino SCJ priests. The district's focus is on formation but it also maintains several parishes, as well as a program for young women who are victims of sexual abuse. Priorities for the future include having a parish in Manila (negotiations continue with the bishop), a new community in the area of Dansolihon, the development of a retreat center, and a greater use of Manila as a study center for priests and religious. The district also hopes to move toward great self-sufficiency. The U.S. Province is working with the district to develop a fund-raising program. Fr. Rino thanked the congregation for its continued financial support.
Fr. Martin van Ooij spoke about India, including its beginnings 15 years ago with just a handful of SCJs. The district now has dozens of seminarians and 11 ordained Indian SCJs. India takes seriously the call to be part of the international congregation, with some of its men in formation serving and/or studying in Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, Rome and Ireland.
Future goals include further work with street children, expanded ministry at the parishes in Eluru and Guntur and -- if all goes as planned -- ministry in Mumbai, an area with many needs but also many resources. Fr. Martin said that it would make an excellent location for the district's headquarters.
Noting the district's financial dependency, Fr. Martin gave thanks for the generosity of many entities. Not only has the congregation been generous with supporting funds, but also with personnel.
Rome II -- the international college
The chapter also received a brief report on the international collegiate community, or Rome II. It is a vibrant community that not only offers educational opportunities at a wide variety of colleges, but also introduces students to the global nature of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. In fact, it is one of the most international communities in the congregation. Including the General Curia and staff there are 44 members in Rome II representing 19 entities.
Challenges to the community include its yearly turn-over, where students done with their studies return to their home entities and new students arrive. Although it is very life-giving to live in an international community, there are naturally cultural differences that can pose challenges. But again, even with its challenges, such a community is a wonderful expression of "We the Congregation."
NOTE: The majority of photos taken at the General Chapter will be posted at the congregational website,
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I'll be posting some of the photos I take at http://www.scjusa.smugmug.com To see them, click on the first gallery, or go directly to:
