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I came that they may have
life and have it abundantly
(Jn 10:10b)
GIVING OUR LIVES FOR PLENTIFUL REDEMPTION
Instrumentum Laboris
for the XXIII General Chapter CSsR
Roma 2003
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” (Jn 3:16)
Foreward
INTRODUCTION
I. THE SITUATION OF THE CONGREGATION
A. The World in Which We Live
1. Signs of the presence of the Kingdom
2. Signs of the absence of the Kingdom
3. Three particular challenges to the Congregation and the Church in today’s
world
B. The Congregation in the Church Today
1. The general situation
The Mission of the Congregation in the Church
The Apostolic Community
The Apostolic Community dedicated to Christ the Redeemer
The Formation of the Apostolic Community
The Government of the Apostolic Community
2. The Congregation in its diverse Regions
Region of Northern Europe
Region of Southern Europe
Region of North America
Region of Latin America
Region of Oceania/Asia
Region of Africa
II. DISCERNMENT ABOUT THE SITUATION OF THE CONGREGATION
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10b)
A. “In Him There is Plentiful Redemption” (Ps 130:7)
B. Urgent Issues
III. TOWARDS THE FUTURE
“Simon, do you love me? . . . Feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15)
A. Reawakening the Redemptorist Charism
B. Proposals for Action by the General Chapter
1. Identity
2. Mission
3. Initial Formation
4. Structures
Foreword
1. This “Instrumentum laboris” is a tool for the Chapter to use in
fulfilling the responsibilities mandated by Constitutions 104, 107-111, and
General Statute 0116-a. It was requested by the 1997 General Chapter in
Postulatum 1,4. In other words, the purpose of the Instrumentum laboris is
to help the General Chapter do its job.
This is the first time that the Congregation is using an Instrumentum
laboris at a General Chapter. This draft of the Instrumentum laboris draws
on five sources: the questionnaire, which was sent to the whole Congregation
in October 2001, the first draft of this document prepared for the
pre-chapter Regional meetings, the Status Congregationis prepared by the
General Council, the response received at the six Regional meetings and,
finally, the experience and reflection of the Superior General and his
Council.
This version was edited and approved by the General Council on June 11,
2003.
May the Holy Redeemer and Our Mother of Perpetual Help be with us in this
process and bring us to a renewed sense of dedication and enthusiasm in our
Mission to the most abandoned.
INTRODUCTION
2. The XXII General Chapter set a course for the revitalization of the
Redemptorist charism by its focus on spirituality. The present document
continues that effort and proposes the theme of “Giving Our Lives for
Plentiful Redemption.”
Every General Chapter is important in the life of the Congregation because
it is a kairos, a special moment to “hear the voice of God which speaks to
us in the world and the Church” (C. 108).
However, there are circumstances that make this present General Chapter
especially significant for our time.
a) We are at the beginning of a new millennium. “Conscious of the Risen
Lord’s presence among us, we ask ourselves today the same question put to
Peter in Jerusalem immediately after his Pentecost speech: ‘What must we
do?’” (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 29).
b) We live in a world touched by phenomena that influence all areas of human
life, that is, its religious, cultural, and political dimensions, and that
affect all persons in the world. We think for example, of globalization,
religious pluralism, the easy access to the World Wide Web, diverse
world-views, individualism, terrorism, and so on.
c) The historical moment of the Church. The Church is still discovering its
place in the postmodern world of today. In the wake of the Second Vatican
Council it continues to seek how to understand and respond to the signs of
the times.
3. In the words of the Pope John Paul II, the delegates of this General
Chapter are invited “to remember the past with gratitude, to live the
present with enthusiasm and to look forward to the future with confidence”
(Novo Millennio Ineunte, 1). The question which challenges the understanding
of our vocation as well as our creativity is none other than this: How do
we, in solidarity with one another, the Church, and with the world, bring to
life the redemption of Jesus Christ and the missionary spirit which
characterized Alphonsus’ preaching in his day? How do we announce the Good
News of Jesus Christ to a world marked by these new realities of our age?
How do we burn again with the spirit and zeal of Alphonsus, the missionary
of redemption in his own day?
In order to find adequate answers to these questions, it is necessary to
take a good look at the recent developments in the Congregation and to
reflect critically on them in the light of the Gospel and our Constitutions
and Statutes. From this reflection the Chapter can discern where the Spirit
is leading the Congregation and arrive at some concrete proposals.
CHAPTER I: THE
SITUATION OF THE CONGREGATION
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16)
4. This Chapter aims to provide a brief description of the context in which
the Congregation finds itself in the world; a brief description of the
general characteristics of the Congregation; and, finally, an attempt to
specify the issues facing each Region of the Congregation.
A. The World in Which We Live
5. We propose to look at our world not from the standpoint of culture,
politics or economics – as valid as those perspectives are – but rather from
a standpoint of faith, that is, by noting the presence or the absence of
signs of God’s Kingdom.
1. Signs of the Presence of the Kingdom
6. The search for God and his mystery in prayer and other cultural
expressions on the part of many people, within and outside of ecclesial and
religious settings.
Many lay people have deepened their baptismal commitment, leading them to
collaborate in the pastoral work of the Church. In addition, they give
witness to their faith in temporal matters, alive with the spirit of the
Gospel.
Greater awareness of the demands of justice at both the local and
international level, as well as the promotion of and respect for human
rights; there are also many expressions of solidarity and charity that go
beyond boundaries of religion, race and nation.
A growing awareness that creation is a good for all of humanity. All human
beings throughout the world and in every age are responsible for its
protection and conservation.
Do you encounter these realities in the apostolic life of your community,
Unit, and Region? What other signs of the presence of God’s Kingdom should
be mentioned in order to understand more fully the situation of the
Congregation in the world?
2. Signs of the Absence of The Kingdom
7. The denial of God and indifference toward religious belief. The phenomena
of agnosticism and secularism, totalitarianism and communism, are real
challenges to evangelization.
Crimes against life such as abortion, murder, war, terrorism, kidnapping,
corruption, and the arms race; but also the exclusion of people from
opportunities to flourish because of faulty political systems and bad
economic policies that privilege capital and gain at the cost of human
beings.
Breakdown in family life through infidelity and divorce tears at the fabric
of society by eroding its original cell, the family. The very place where
people should learn how to receive and give love has become in some
instances a place of conflict and division. Much damage also comes from
substance abuse among the young and not so young, and economic migration
resulting from globalization.
Instances within the Church of abuse of one’s office and authority
especially in areas of sexual misconduct have caused great pain to the
believing community and deform the Church as a sign of salvation. A new
pastoral urgency is how to bring healing and reconciliation to both the
victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse.
Obstacles to fullness of life encountered especially by children and young
people; poverty and misery, economic, political and religious exploitation.
Lack of responsibility for creation, which arises from an egotistical
possession of goods and self-centered consumerism.
At the root of all of these situations that deny life is sin, which
manifests itself in the idolatry of personal possessions, of power and of
pleasure (1 Jn 2:16). It is crucial to pay attention to signs of both the
Kingdom’s life and its absence, since “through contact with people, [we] may
learn to understand the signs of the times and of places, and adapt
[ourselves] more fittingly to the demands of evangelization” (C. 43; cf.
C.19).
Do you encounter these realities in the apostolic life of your community,
Unit and Region? What other signs of the absence of God’s Kingdom should be
mentioned in order to understand more fully the situation of the
Congregation in the world?
3. Three Particular Challenges to the Congregation and the Church in Today’s
World
8. Three factors that contribute to new challenges facing the Church and the
Congregation in today’s world are secularism and secularization,
postmodernism and globalization.
These terms may appear to offer more darkness than light because there is no
single definition for any one of them. The following brief description of
the terms is intended to show how they form part of the context for the
challenges of our day. Although these three realities may be perceived as
harmful in today’s world, one can note constructive consequences as well.
Secularism rejects all forms of religion and religious faith. Against this,
the Church seeks to respect the autonomy of diverse human realities, or
secularization, and to illumine the life of the human family from the
perspective of the Gospel. Secularism and secularization confront us with
the obligation to seek out new ways to dialogue with the world, to seek
common values or points of convergence between our beliefs and the “secular
city.” Far from retreating into a ghetto mentality by enclosing ourselves in
our own world, we are encouraged to bring to the table of dialogue the truth
of the Gospel in a way that invites tolerance and even acceptance rather
than one that expects deference and submission.
As used here, postmodernism means the recognition and acceptance of the
relativity of all reality. If the modern age was characterized by a loss of
religious faith and great confidence in human reason, the post-modern period
has lost faith in human reason. Postmodernism recognizes and accepts a
plurality of perspectives with no universal moorings. Like the New Age
movement, it exalts human emotions and promotes an individualism without
religious or moral limits. Postmodernism challenges traditions to articulate
clearly the foundations upon which they stand. Such questioning of our faith
and vocation to the consecrated life can help us to clarify our identity and
to present ourselves with greater coherence to a world often sceptical of
our way of life. Postmodernism challenges us to attest to the truth of our
convictions through witness of lives of integrity.
Globalization, in this document, refers to the previously inconceivable
connection of people around the world. This new relationship touches all
aspects of people’s lives, notably the economic, political, cultural and
religious aspects. Globalization may be a positive or a negative reality.
The economic exploitation of workers in developing countries by
multi-national corporations is an affront to human dignity. On the other
hand, the Internet empowers non-governmental organizations by giving voice
to new ideas. There is a danger of cultural hegemony while at the same time
a great cultural diversity becomes accessible to many.
Globalization renders the world “small,” in the sense that we can know what
goes on almost instantaneously in practically every part of the world. It
brings the joys and anguish of our brothers and sisters closer to all,
promoting empathy and solidarity. The new bonds may improve the well being
of all people of the earth.
How do the phenomena of secularism and secularization, postmodernism and
individualism and globalization affect the world in which you live and
minister?
B. The Congregation in the Church Today
9. The following section is organized under the headings of the
Constitutions and Statutes. Delegates will note many contrasts, often within
Regions and units themselves, yet this is the reality of the Congregation
today. This presentation is not exhaustive but attempts to describe the life
of the Congregation by noting many of its strengths and weaknesses. A
general description of the Congregation will be followed by a brief
depiction of the issues facing the Congregation in the its six Regions.
1. The General Situation
The Mission of the Congregation in the Church
10. While the overall number of confreres continues to diminish, the
Congregation shows signs of growth in the developing countries of Asia,
Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe. Despite reduced numbers, however,
the Congregation displays an extraordinary missionary vitality in many
areas. Redemptorists remain close to the people in their missionary work.
Other examples of the vitality of the Congregation are its efforts at
renewal of the parish missions, the creation of new foundations, the efforts
to preach the gospel to the poorest people and to marginalized groups, while
combining the explicit proclamation of the Word of God with the authentic
witness of apostolic life.
This missionary vitality contrasts sharply with the dearth of vocations that
has seriously limited the mission of the Congregation in several Regions and
has effectively blunted new apostolic initiatives. Missionary dynamism is
further challenged in some areas by a certain stagnation in the
Congregation, evident in a lack of commitment to foreign missions, neglect
of the poor (especially immigrants), the embracing of middle class attitudes
and lifestyle, and an inability to change structures and leave foundations
in the service of more urgent pastoral needs.
11. There is a growing spirit of solidarity in the Congregation and its
mission is increasingly being realized through cooperation between different
units, with the laity and with groups committed to the poor.
Provincialism and an excessive preoccupation with their own Unit prevent
some confreres from seeing beyond their own concerns to the needs of the
Congregation and the Church throughout the world. Preoccupied with the
problems and issues of their own Region, confreres lose touch with the
universal mission of the Church and the Congregation.
12. In countries where Christians are a minority, confreres are more aware
of the ever-present challenge for dialogue and inculturation that would make
their proclamation of the Gospel more meaningful to these different
cultures. In more secularized societies, there is the need to proclaim or
put forward a more prophetic message.
One also notes in some areas a seeming indifference to the concerns of
justice and peace, linked to our mission of redemption.
Do these blessings and challenges in the missionary work of the Congregation
ring true for you? How do they manifest themselves in your particular
Unit/Region? Are there other issues that ought to be raised to complement
this picture of the missionary work of the Congregation, Unit/Region?
The Apostolic Community
13. In the Congregation there are many hopeful signs of community life,
especially, a growing awareness of its importance. We are more conscious
that we are members of an international community, one that is made up of
different rites, and that an increasing number of international communities
is opening up new missionary frontiers for us.
However, as noted by the 1997 General Chapter, a serious obstacle to
community life is frenetic activity, which leaves little space, time and
energy for community life. Our life together is further weakened by
exaggerated individualism, just as the dynamism of the whole Congregation is
threatened by a sort of provincialism.
14. Many confreres are growing in their awareness that the first form of
Gospel proclamation is their community, and many communities have made
serious attempts to improve the quality of their life. The fine example of
dedicated older confreres contributes to the quality of community life
throughout the Congregation. The care of the sick and elderly is a
noteworthy sign of brotherly love.
Despite the decision of the 1997 General Chapter (Postulatum. 3.1.), few
communities outside of Latin America have produced a ‘plan of community
life’. The members of many communities are not prepared to plan and evaluate
together.
15. The XXII General Chapter noted “the most urgent issue is the place of
God in our lives” (Message, 3). Many communities are trying to re-examine
the depth of their spirituality by ensuring moments of spiritual sharing
through listening to the Word of God or by common retreats. Some houses and
churches have become real spiritual centers for the surrounding area.
In other cases, however, it seems that we have given up the old forms of
prayer but not yet found new ones suitable to our time and mentality. There
is too much individualism in prayer, that shows itself in undue haste and
lack of creativity in forms of prayer in common. Meditation in common has
disappeared in many of our units. We have not discovered new ways of
listening to the Word of God and, generally, our communities are not seen as
authentic schools of prayer for the faithful.
Do these blessings and challenges in the apostolic community of the
Congregation ring true for you? How do they manifest themselves in your
particular Unit/Region? Are there other issues that ought to be raised to
complement this picture of the apostolic community of the Congregation
Unit/Region?
The Apostolic Community Dedicated to Christ the Redeemer
16. A good number of confreres throughout the world report a genuine
satisfaction in their vocation as religious in the Church and give witness
to God’s presence and action in the world.
At the same time, many Redemptorists express confusion over the meaning of
the consecrated life in today’s world. They seek a new understanding of the
vows and theology of the consecrated life. The lack of appreciation for
religious consecration is one of the reasons for the loss of identity among
religious clerics, rendering us indistinguishable from diocesan priests, and
a major reason for the continuing vocational crisis among Brothers.
17. The importance of spirituality has been manifest in many ways: at the
level of the whole Congregation (e.g. Charism booklets, workshops and other
gatherings, the Center for Spirituality, the ongoing series of Redemptorist
Spirituality courses) and in the initiatives of the Regions and Units
(meetings, courses, publications, communal and personal retreats). More
importantly, however, the theme has captured the hearts of confreres who
have been renewed in spirit and experienced conversion and redemption.
Yet the question remains: to what extent have we allowed the grace of
conversion to renew profoundly the lifestyle and work of our communities?
Accustomed to consider spirituality in individualistic terms, we often fall
far short of giving witness in community to the vows we profess and of
supporting one another in living the consecrated life. We also have a long
way to go before arriving at a spirituality lived as the work of the Spirit
in and through community.
The spiritual vitality of the laity and of their movements is a sign of the
Spirit in the post conciliar Church. In recent years we Redemptorists have
also been able to find many lay people who wish to live Alphonsian
spirituality with us. This has helped not a few confreres to re-examine
their own spirituality and has stimulated a greater knowledge of our
spiritual heritage.
Do these blessings and challenges in the consecrated life of the
Congregation ring true for you? How do they manifest themselves in your
particular Unit/Region? Are there other issues that ought to be raised to
complement this picture of the consecrated life of the Congregation,
Unit/Region?
The Formation of the Apostolic Community
18. A sign of vitality in the Congregation is the large number of candidates
in certain Units in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, areas
where approximately 90% of all Redemptorist candidates are presently found.
Inter-provincial programs of formation and the move towards regional
programs manifest the growing sense of solidarity in the Congregation.
The dwindling number of new candidates in other regions of the Congregation
and, in some cases, the lack of vocational promotion must also be noted.
Another reason for concern is the high number of young Redemptorists who
leave the Congregation.
19. Many confreres, including formators, have profited from courses of
formation organized by many units of the Congregation. The number of
confreres enrolled in the Higher College of St. Alphonsus in Rome continues
to be high.
Unfortunately, it must be said that some Units find it very difficult to
provide the sort of formation envisioned by the Constitutions and Statutes
and the Ratio Formationis Generalis. In many Units, formators are unprepared
for their office while others are changed too frequently, to the detriment
of the formation program. In other cases, insufficient finances or a
critically small number of students threaten the quality of the formation
program.
20. There is also the problem that in some Units the necessary continuity
between initial formation and the mission of the Unit is not always clear
and there is a lack of well-planned programs for the transition to ministry
for either the new priests or the new brothers of the Unit. The new Ratio
Formationis Generalis should help both initial and ongoing formation.
Continuing formation is frequently not a priority in many Units.
Consequences of this lack of importance are a decline of intellectual life
in the Congregation, a reduction of pastoral competence and a diminishing of
self-esteem among the confreres. This problem contributes to the difficulty
in finding competent confreres to teach in faculties like the Alphonsian
Academy.
Do these blessings and challenges in the formation of the apostolic
community of Congregation ring true for you? How do they manifest themselves
in your particular Unit/Region? Are there other issues that ought to be
raised to complement this picture of the formation of the apostolic
community of the Congregation? How do these other issues manifest themselves
in your particular Unit/Region?
The Government of the Apostolic Community
21. The General Government has sought to promote the responsibility of the
(V) Provinces for the mission of the Congregation and to encourage them to
carry out and coordinate their apostolic life, as well as promulgating or
adapting their statutes to the needs of the mission in their particular
situation (C. 92). The Congregation can be proud of its increasing
solidarity, seen in the efforts of major superiors or their representatives
to address the anxieties and challenges common to their respective Regions
in the areas of mission, formation, and finance.
Although the positive aspects of our decentralized style of government
cannot be denied, unfortunately in many (V) Provinces it has also given rise
to a tendency to be over introspective, which means having less concern for
the needs of other units of the Congregation as such.
Provincial governments are making efforts to involve lay collaborators in
decisions concerning their ministry and some have provided formal structures
for this development such as lay participation in chapters or secretariats.
A cause for concern is the scant importance given by some Units to Chapters
and the lack of preparation for these special moments in the life of a Unit.
In some cases the secretariats do not function or do not even exist.
Many local superiors lack specific preparation prior to assuming office and
end up too involved in financial administration and other apostolic duties
rather than concentrating on the primary obligation of being pastors to
their communities. In addition there is a weak sense of co-responsibility
among the members of the community. In some cases there is little evidence
of communal planning and evaluation. It is hoped that the newly revised
Pastoral Guide for Superiors will help superiors in carrying out their
service.
22. Many confreres find that the structures of the Congregation are
unsatisfactory for our present situation. They seek creative ways to make
the best use of our personnel in order to fulfill our Mission in the Church.
There is clearly a need for greater solidarity and reorganization that
provides for local autonomy and effective Regional authority while
respecting the role of the General Government.
Do these blessings and challenges in the governance and administration of
the Congregation ring true for you? How do they manifest themselves in your
particular Unit/Region? Are there other issues that ought to be raised to
complement this picture of the governance and administration of the
Congregation, Unit/Region?
2. The Congregation in Its Diverse Regions
23. Having reviewed some general characteristics of the Congregation as a
whole we move to particular descriptions of the six Regions of the
Congregation.
Region of Northern Europe
24. The Northern European Region is very diverse due to its history,
languages, politics, religious and economic situations from the past and the
present. On the one hand, Western Europe is a rich, consumerist secularized
world which is very sensitive to the values of justice and democracy; on the
other hand, Eastern Europe is a much poorer world, corrupted by a communist
system yet sensitive to spiritual values and in search of its own political
and cultural autonomy. With the political development of recent years,
practically all the Units, with the exception of the Ukraine, will find
themselves within the European Union within a few months.
The situation of the Church is also very different between Western and
Eastern Europe. In the North-West, Catholics are frequently quite critical
of ecclesial structures, leave the Church and even abandon God. In the
Central-East, where the Church has played a significant role in the
opposition of Communism, the Church still enjoys great respect even if it
has lost some influence and importance and encounters increasing
anti-clericalism.
The Congregation, which lives in these ecclesial and social contexts, also
manifests differences of mentality, as well as diverse spiritual and
theological approaches. These differences sometimes make dialogue among the
confreres difficult. There is considerable disparity between confreres of
the North-West (English, Dutch and German-speaking) and those of the
Central-East (Slavic languages). The presence of both the Latin and the
Byzantine rites in this Region further highlights its diversity.
There are Units in the Region which have not had new candidates for decades,
others which have very few, and still others, which have numerous vocations,
especially where esteem for the priesthood and religious life remains high.
While some Units are trying to find new structures to carry on apostolic
work while caring for older confreres, other Units have great difficulty
providing good formation and finding the resources to maintain the
candidates in first formation.
Noteworthy in this Region, especially in the Central-East part, are new
missionary foundations, especially in the territory of the former Soviet
Union and in Croatia. The diversity that exists within the Region is not
only a source of difficulty but also a source of richness, which should not
to be lost There is a strong sense of unity which is particularly evident in
solidarity, both economic (there are structures in place to provide
assistance from the West to the East) and in personnel. There is a great
desire to continue this collaboration in the future.
Region of Southern Europe
25. A glance at the political and social reality of Southern Europe reveals
a strong communal effort aimed at unity with the other countries of the
European Union. The countries of Southern Europe understand their goal as
not simply a quest for economic unity but also for recognition of common
historical, cultural and religious roots. Dialogue is rendered difficult by
nationalist movements and a tendency to resort to terrorism. A particular
challenge for this Region of Europe is the heavy immigration from poor
countries with significant economic, cultural and religious consequences for
society. On the world stage, some European political figures underscore the
urgency of dialogue with the remaining superpower, the United States, in
order to prevent its unilateral dominance in the world; certainly, all
southern Europeans are not in agreement on this point.
In the world of the Church, secularization is ever more evident and
manifests itself in a decrease in religious practice and a fall in vocations
to the priesthood and religious life. In the French-speaking part of this
Region, however, there appears to be a certain indifference in the face of
this reality, noted even in their way of perceiving the mission of the
Church. In other areas the faith continues to be expressed in a strong
allegiance to the Church and in popular religiosity. A certain distance from
the institutional Church, however, is quite common; the Church’s influence
in people’s lives and society is practically irrelevant.
The Congregation was born in this Region; however, it is also the Region
that, perhaps, today faces the greatest difficulty. In some Units,
especially the French-speaking part of the Region, there have not been new
candidates for decades. In other Units, a few new Redemptorists do not
replace the number who die each year. In some of the Units with a majority
of older confreres, one hears a desire for help in order to die in peace and
there is seen a need for someone fulltime to fulfil this role. The Units
whose average age is not so high have tried to establish a common novitiate
but the experience has made slow progress because of a lack of consensus on
the objectives and methods of formation. A difficulty characteristic of this
Region is the number of different languages spoken in a relatively small
number of countries. This linguistic diversity does not foster continuity in
dialogue or collaboration.
Yet the Region is marked by a certain vitality that is manifest in the
following ways:
· the fidelity of the older confreres to their vocation;
· popular missions, particularly in Spain and Italy;
· efforts, with greater or lesser success, in favour of the Redemptorist
Youth and Vocation Ministry (RYVM);
· the appreciation that the People of God show for our pastoral care,
particularly in our shrines and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation;
· efforts in the mass-media (editions of the Alphonsian corpus, the out put
from our editorial houses, etc) and in academic research;
· generous service in the mission ad gentes in various countries of Africa
and Latin America.
Region of North America
26. The Region of North America is made up of wealthy countries, which have
many poor, especially among some ethnic groups (e.g. North American Indians,
African-Americans, immigrant groups). While there is a dominant culture,
there is also much cultural diversity because of groups which cling to their
ethnic heritage, as well as the immigrants who are still arriving. English
is the language of the majority of North Americans but there are other
sizeable linguistic groups, such as French speakers in Quebec, Hispanics,
(the United States is the fifth largest Spanish-speaking nation in the
world) and Vietnamese, Portuguese, Chinese speakers, etc. Although
influenced by materialism, and consumerism, the majority of the population
belongs to some religion and regularly participates in worship.
While the religious ambience of the United States is predominantly
Protestant the Catholic Church is the single largest denomination. The
situation is different in French Canada where the population is nominally
Catholic but largely non-practising. The Catholic Church continues to grow
in both nations, largely because of the arrival of new immigrant groups
(Hispanics in the United States and Catholic immigrants from Asia and
Eastern Europe in Canada). Unfortunately the number of priests and religious
is decreasing, which creates a severe shortage of clergy in a number of
dioceses. In recent years the Church in the Region has been seriously harmed
by the scandal of sexual abuse of minors on the part of a small number of
the clergy, the mishandling of this problem by bishops and widespread
reporting in the media.
The Congregation has 5 provinces in this Region (one of the Ukrainian Rite),
3 vice-provinces (one dedicated to the care of Vietnamese immigrants) and
one region in the Caribbean. There are still strong ties between the units
of the Region and their foreign missions. The Region has been generous in
expressing solidarity with other units of the Congregation by sharing their
economic resources.
The Region has undertaken more restructuring than any other section of the
Congregation, resulting in the Province of Denver as well as the Province of
Edmonton/Toronto; the Vice-Province of New Orleans has decided to merge with
the Province of Denver in 2005. The need is seen for more restructuring in
the future, requiring creativity in order to preserve the uniqueness of some
Units while providing for greater possibilities for collaboration. Although
all units in the Region still have candidates, they are far fewer than in
the past and 63% of the confreres are now over the age of 60. A lack of
personnel has forced most units in the Region to return parishes to the care
of the local clergy. This decision has been accompanied by a search for new
apostolates in the spirit of our charism.
Most of the units of the Region participate in a joint novitiate program,
and are studying the possibility of a joint theological formation.
Region of Latin America
27. The Redemptorists of Latin America carry on the work of evangelization
in a somewhat unstable social and political context, which is characterized
by frequent changes in government, administrative corruption and the scandal
of a widening gap between rich and poor, social insecurity, and the lack of
resources for health care and education. In recent years, economic
dependence and the external (eternal) debt have provoked new economic crises
in different countries and have generated a strong internal migration toward
the great cities and emigration to the United States and to Europe.
Examining the Church in the Region, if we exclude Surinam (and, in part,
Cuba), we note a special characteristic in that, joined with a profound
popular religiosity and devotions inherited from the colonial times, new
apostolic movements are rising. In Latin America the mentality of the
Christian era and movements of base communities and of liberation live side
by side while Christian sects and Pentecostal groups multiply. For this
reason, some believe that there has been an ecclesial regression. Even so,
the Catholic Church and its hierarchy continue to be an important voice in
society and have great credibility. Perhaps this fact accounts for a high
number of the vocations to the diocesan priesthood and religious life in the
majority of the countries and practically in all the Units of the
Congregation in this Region.
Dealing with a Region so large in distance and numbers, we are accustomed to
divide it into three sub-regions or zones, which are, the northern
sub-region, extending approximately from the Equator to Mexico and the
Caribbean, ~ the sub-region of Brazil, ~ and the southern sub-region of
Latin America, from Peru to Argentina. This Region has the advantage that
the two major languages, Spanish and Portuguese, provide a certain
linguistic unity.
In recent years this Latin American Region has become the most numerous
within the Congregation (representing about 28.8% of all Redemptorists),
with a large majority of young confreres and many candidates. This vitality,
which is also a considerable financial burden and a challenge in providing
well-prepared personnel for formation, is also evident in the search for new
initiatives and new missionary horizons; that is, in apostolic creativity
and in the desire to go ad gentes beyond the borders of one’s own country.
The Region has not yet found the most effective way to evangelize the
megalopolis and the emigrants.
The Region of Asia/Oceania
28. About half of the world population lives in Asia-Oceania in a great
diversity of cultures and religions and whose majority lives in unjust and
dehumanizing situations of poverty and marginalization. The countries in
this Region, with some exceptions, are in a state of economic dependency.
Australia and New Zealand are unique in that their dominant culture is
western European, and display a much more unreceptive attitude toward the
Church.
The Catholic Church in Asia-Oceania is a very tiny minority marked by a
strong popular religiosity and a great Marian devotion. But it is trying to
live a new way of being church. As a missionary response to the situation,
it has declared the three-fold dialogue with cultures, religions and the
poor as its specific mode of evangelization. Aware that in many places the
explicit proclamation of the Gospel may not always be possible or prudent
for political or cultural reasons, it considers the Christian witness in
Christ-like deeds as a more effective and relevant task.
The Redemptorist Congregation is relatively young, both in the age of the
confreres and as a historical presence in Asia, but it shows signs of
vitality in the numbers of vocations and in the growth of units (in the last
sexennium one province and two new regions were established). Following the
lead of the Federation of Asian Bishops, Redemptorists accept the importance
of the three-fold dialogue and judge the Christian witness by Christ-like
deeds in the Asian context as very relevant. They also see as still very
valid for today the statement of the Synod of Bishops in 1971: “Action on
behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully
appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the gospel, or
in other words, of the Church’s mission for the redemption of the human race
and its liberation from every oppressive situation”.
While the region of Korea and the community of Dalat (East Malaysia) are the
result of collaboration in mission among various units, it is felt that
solidarity is a necessity - not simply a value - and must be sought
particularly with regard to the needs of initial formation, in which
competent formators are very limited. The ASIOC committee can play a big
role promoting solidarity. The phenomenon of excessive individualism,
understood as the search for personal fulfillment at the cost of community
life and apostolate, is a serious concern among the Units that needs to be
addressed.
Region of Africa
29. Africa is characterized by great diversity in climate, population
densities, races, level of development, cultures, languages, resources,
religions, leading one to see that there are many Africas. There is
political instability or authoritarianism and civil war. In the past there
was colonialism, today there is the problem of multinational corporations.
There is economic poverty and widespread corruption. Families are frequently
quite large but immigration to the cities or abroad, has led to a crisis in
the traditional family Unit . Ethnic rivalries can create huge divisions
between the people. Finally, there is the pandemic of AIDS.
African people thirst for spiritual nourishment. In many countries the
Catholic Church is a minority, even a very small minority, and relations are
sometimes very difficult with other churches, such as Pentecostal sects,
traditional African religions and Islam. In general, the hierarchy of the
Church is quite clerical and traditional. On the other hand Christian
communities are numerous and active. The Church has a good reputation and
can be a force in confronting injustice. The Church is involved in education
(schools) and in health care (small clinics and dispensaries); these are
sometimes operated in conjunction with Moslems and are open to all peoples.
The Church is still dependent on help from abroad.
This is the smallest Region in the Redemptorist world: 250 professed
confreres and half of these are still young men in first formation. The
Redemptorists are present in 12 different countries, using three
international languages: English, French, and Portuguese. Numerous local
languages exist and this diversity poses special problems in the apostolate
and complicates the transfer of confreres. Foreign missionaries are becoming
fewer while native vocations are growing. There is only one province within
this Region, South Africa, but it is smaller in number than several of the
vice-provinces in the same Region. In general terms, the Redemptorist
mission in this Region is carried out through: first evangelization and
extraordinary preaching and the formation of the laity, especially
catechists.
Great importance is attached to inculturating the Congregation into African
reality. This is especially true with regard to formation, the understanding
of the vows, and the vocation of the Brothers. The scarcity of economic and
human resources complicate programs of first formation; it is very difficult
to find trained formators. The most recent missions in Africa are still
small in numbers and fragile. Three of these were founded by confreres from
southern countries (India, Colombia, and Argentina).
In your experience and in your reading of this section on the various
Regions, what surface as key issues that merit the attention of the General
Chapter? What issues touch the whole Congregation? Which ones appear to be
unique to a particular Region of the Congregation?
This chapter examined in broad strokes the world in which the Congregation
lives and then focused more specifically on the situation of the
Congregation in general and in the Regions. The following chapter begins
with a reflection on the Redemptorist charism to proclaim plentiful
redemption. Its purpose is to prepare the Chapter members for their critical
task of judging the situation of the Congregation and identifying the urgent
issues that must be addressed in the next sexennium.
CHAPTER 2: DISCERNMENT
ABOUT THE SITUATION OF THE CONGREGATION
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10b)
30. At this point we want to look at the situation of the Congregation in
light of the Word of God as it is proposed to us in our Constitutions and
Statutes.
Constitution 6 states:
Abundant redemption “proclaims the love of God the Father, ‘who first loved
us and sent his Son to be the expiation of our sins’ (1 Jn 4:10) and through
the Holy Spirit gives life to all who believe in him. This redemption
affects the entire person. It brings to perfection and transforms all human
values, so as to unite all things in Christ (cf. Eph 1:10; 1 Cor 3:23), and
thus lead them to their completion in a new earth and a new heaven (cf. Rev
21:1).”
Beginning with the motto of our Congregation we want to discern the
principal challenges that the Lord presents to us in order to move ahead in
the next sexennium.
A. “In Him There Is Plentiful Redemption” (Ps 130:7)
31. For Redemptorists, redemption is, first and foremost, a person: Jesus
Christ, the Most Holy Redeemer. Our purpose as Redemptorists is “to follow
the example of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, by preaching the word of God to
the poor” (C. 1). Jesus Christ reveals a God who is love and who has first
loved us. Jesus lived this mystery of giving and receiving love in
solidarity with all of humanity. St. Alphonsus expresses this divine
solidarity saying that, in the Incarnation, God gives himself personally; in
his passion, he sacrifices himself for all; and in the Eucharist, he makes
us one body with him.
With Jesus the reign of sin and death has ended. Giving himself completely
from his Incarnation to his death and resurrection, Jesus mysteriously heals
the wounds of sin and offers us the fullness of life
This fullness of life marks the Kingdom that Jesus announced. Jesus’ sense
of his mission and his announcement to others is captured in the well-known
text from Luke 4: 16-22: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me; therefore he
has anointed me. He has sent me to announce good news to the poor, to
proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind and release to
prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord.”
“Since the good news is Christ, there is an identity between the message and
the messenger, between saying, doing and being. His power, the secret of the
effectiveness of his actions, lies in his total identification with the
message he announces; he proclaims the good news not just by what he says or
does, but what he is” (John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, 13). Jesus was good
news for the people with whom he came in contact, especially for the poor
and marginalized. They sought him out; they followed him. Jesus was
passionate about his mission and literally gave his life for the redemption
of all.
32. Alphonsus Liguori lived his own experience of conversion and exodus, to
dedicate himself to the proclamation of redemption in Christ to the most
abandoned. He realized that many people found themselves alienated from God
because of false images and a suffocating legalism in morality. He showed
them a God who was full of mercy, close to them in Jesus Christ, a God who
wanted to be with them. He also found creative and compelling ways to
proclaim the message of redemption through the preached word, song, poetry,
painting, theology, pastoral practice, and a spirituality that he knew how
to communicate to the people. Tannoia writes that Alphonsus, a confessor
prodigal with the mercy of God, never refused absolution to a penitent. He
constantly tried to remove obstacles to people’s free choice to receive
God’s love and to respond in love to God and others, to live the redeemed
life.
What we say of Alphonsus is true of all our saints and blessed: from St.
Gerard Majella, St. Clement Hofbauer and St. John Neumann to our more
recently beatified confreres, some of whom shed their blood for the sake of
redemption. Zeal for the Kingdom begun in Christ and furthered in the
Redemptorist apostolic community in the past compels us today as well. Zeal
for the Kingdom of God, which had its origin in Jesus Christ, and which has
long been lived in Redemptorist apostolic community, urges us on today.
33. Pope Paul VI wrote: “As the kernel and center of His Good News, Christ
proclaims salvation, this great gift of God which is liberation from
everything that oppresses man but which is above all liberation from sin and
the Evil One, in the joy of knowing God and being known by Him, of seeing
Him, and of being given over to Him” (Evangelii nuntiandi, 9). The
Constitutions call this reality redemption and proclaim it as abundant.
There are at least three different lenses through which redemption is viewed
in our Constitutions and Statutes (cf. Hans Schermann, C.Ss.R). These
different expressions speak of redemption as liberation from and liberation
for: liberation from sin, liberation from dehumanizing social, political and
cultural structures; and liberation for fullness of life as human persons in
a new and redeemed world.
34. Redemption as liberation from sin and reconciliation with God and others
(C. 6, 11, and 12). Redemption is a gift from God, poured out on us through
Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:10 speaks of Christ as the “expiation for our sins”
(cf. Col 2:13). This notion of redemption is expounded in the Letter to the
Romans and to the Hebrews, in particular, which focus on God’s action in
Christ as saving us from sin and restoring our proper relationship with God.
35. Redemption as liberation of the poor from all forms of oppression (C. 5
and 65; Stat 09). Constitution 5 notes that Redemptorists “have the duty of
preaching the Gospel explicitly and of showing solidarity with the poor by
promoting their fundamental rights to justice and freedom.” Redemption
involves not simply liberation from sin but also from sinful structures and
from all that oppresses and enslaves humanity (cf. Gal 5:1; Eph 2:14-15).
Statute 09 calls us to be tireless in seeking out the poor and attentive to
their cries for justice.
36. Redemption as liberation for ongoing development of a new person and a
new world (C. 6 and 19). “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation” (2
Cor 5:17). “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” (Rev 21:1). Many
approaches to redemption focus on the eschatological fulfillment of God’s
activity in Christ for both the individual and for the community. Yet,
plentiful redemption begins now, just as Jesus noted that the Kingdom was
already in the midst of those who were with him and experienced his saving
presence and activity (Lk 17:20-21). It promises fullness of life for all.
37. Our reading of the situation of the world and of our own Congregation
convinces us that our vocation as Redemptorists, our deep gladness, responds
to the great need of ourselves and of our world for liberation, for
redemption. Our religious profession identifies us “with Christ, who
continues to fulfill the will of his Father by carrying on the redemption
through [us]” (C. 52).
We have in Mary a model of the acceptance of copious redemption in her life.
“For she went on her pilgrim way in faith and embraced with her whole heart
the saving will of God. She dedicated herself completely as a handmaid of
the Lord to the person of her Son and to his work, and thus served the
mystery of redemption. Indeed she still serves it, as the perpetual help of
God’s people in Christ. Therefore, let them relate to her as a mother with
all the love and veneration they owe her as sons” (C. 32).
Copiosa apud eum redemptio. Jesus came to bring the fullness of life to
broken humanity. Through his relationship with Jesus, Alphonsus experienced
this abundant life and felt called by the poor to continue this mission of
Jesus. We sons of Alphonsus have been called to experience redemption and to
give our lives so that others may have life.
How has your own experience of redemption given you a glimpse of the
fullness of life to which you are called? How has your ministry as a
Redemptorist been liberating for the people whom you serve? How does this
reflection on our charism color our reading of the pressing issues that face
the Congregation?
B. Urgent Issues
38. The preparation of this working document has raised numerous concerns
that ask for some response by the Congregation. What is more, after studying
the reality of an international Institute, which is present in seventy-seven
countries and faces a spectrum of challenges, it is not easy to decide which
themes merit further study and action by the Chapter. Thus, in the light of
their experience during this sexennium, the members of the General Council
would like to suggest the following issues as deserving the “willing
attention [of the Chapter] to the voice of God who is ever challenging it
through the Church and the world” (C. 108).
1. Identity
39. It is not an exaggeration to say that the consecrated life has been
passing through a significant crisis in the last five decades. Some speak of
the present state of affairs as a “winter” of the consecrated life or its
time in “exile”. In practically all the continents, the former confidence
and exuberance of religious has been replaced by uncertainty, resignation or
even cynicism. In some regions of the world, the revival of vocations to the
diocesan priesthood has not been matched by young men and women entering the
consecrated life. If this is true for religious in general, such an
uncertain situation is also reflected in many corners of the Congregation.
While many confreres speak of our Redemptorist vocation as primordial in
that it is common to all, one still must ask: what does it mean to be a
vowed man today?
There is a need for a new and clearer articulation of religious consecration
with particular reference to the meaning of the vows and total dedication to
mission. The vows are commonly understood as the commitment of an individual
only and not the witness of the community. The basis for the prophetic
dimension of the consecrated life is found in the fact that religious, who
are “called to place their very existence at the service of the cause of the
Kingdom of God, leaving everything behind and closely imitating the form of
life of Jesus Christ, assume a most important teaching role for the whole
People of God” (Starting Afresh from Christ, 1).
How does our witness as vowed men further our mission of proclaiming
plenteous redemption? While we have justly paid great attention to the
necessity of inculturating the Gospel and our proper charism, are we equally
attentive to the challenge of offering an alternate witness in situations
where the values of the dominant culture do not reflect the teachings of
Jesus?
A diminishing appreciation for religious consecration, together with a
weakening of community life and a facile identification of the Congregation
with diocesan clergy, have contributed to the continuing crisis among
Redemptorist brothers. On the other hand, a deepened awareness of the value
of religious consecration, which includes all Redemptorists, should result
in a heightened appreciation for the gift of Brothers within the
Congregation.
40. The Congregation was once identified with a dominant ministry: the
preaching of parish missions. This is such a strong element in our history
that some confreres believe that Saint Alphonsus founded the Congregation in
order to preach parish missions and that, even today, where missions are not
preached, the Redemptorist identity suffers. It is very difficult for some
confreres to appreciate that the apostolic work of the Congregation is
distinguished more by its missionary dynamism than by any particular forms
of activity; in other words, by evangelization in the true sense, and by
service of persons and groups who are poor and more neglected within the
Church and society (C. 14). In some Provinces there is an anxious search for
an apostolate, which will strengthen the Redemptorist identity; this
apostolate is usually identified with some type of itinerant mission
preaching.
The value of symbols is a new challenge in the consecrated life. It can be
said that for many years we have stripped ourselves of any external display
of our consecration in favor of a more discreet witness among people. Today
many, especially young people, seek to rediscover the importance of external
symbols as a means of self-definition and visible appeal.
Many confreres seek to quench their spiritual thirst by having recourse to
other wells and even to esoteric movements. There may be many reasons for
this continuing challenge to our identity. Is our own spiritual patrimony
largely unknown and, hence, irrelevant? Perhaps many of us have reduced
Alphonsian and Redemptorist spirituality to mere devotions, thus losing its
theological and Christological dimension.
2. Mission
41. How best to preach the Gospel in our own day, which is the very mission
of the Church, varies from region to region and certainly challenges the
Church to seek new ways of evangelization. Where the Congregation had been
identified with a single apostolic method – traditional parish missions –
the demise of that ministry has seriously hurt both Redemptorist identity
and mission. The uncertainty present at some Chapters and among some
superiors about what to do, often coupled with the exaggerated
individualism of various confreres, has deprived some (vice-) provinces of
the capability of making a corporate response to new situations of pastoral
urgency. Without an understanding of the Redemptorist charism that results
in agreement regarding pastoral priorities, the energy of a Unit becomes
diffused, missionary zeal is replaced by a search for security and
communities become dwellings of capable but sovereign clerics or
professionals.
To what degree is the apostolic activity in any given Province coherent with
the preference for situations where there is pastoral need, that is, for
evangelization in the strict sense together with the choice in favor of the
poor [which] is the very reason why the Congregation exists in the Church,
and is the badge of its fidelity to the vocation it has received (C. 5)?
While it is true that community life is at the service of the apostolate (C.
54), recent documents of the Church on the consecrated life and the doctrine
of our General Chapters have agreed that our life together is itself a
mission – the “first proclamation of the Gospel” (XXI General Chapter, 1991,
Final Document 5.1). In many areas of the Congregation, this close link
between our evangelizing mission and the witness of community life remains
purely theoretical. There is little evidence of planning and decisions that
are aimed at making more coherent the missionary testimony of our community
life.
42. The mission of the Congregation has an indispensable role to play in
formation, since the apostolic purpose of the Congregation must inspire and
penetrate the whole formation process of its members (C. 77), as well as
that of our lay collaborators. Hence, confusion about the apostolic purpose
of the Congregation will have serious consequences for both the proper
formation of our candidates as well as the continuing formation of the
confreres themselves.
The Congregation is slowly recognizing that the situations of pastoral
urgency in the twenty-first century often will demand a creative cooperation
between provinces and Regions, including a greater sharing of the personnel
and financial resources. For example, because of the increasing phenomenon
of immigration, there is the new reality of itinerant missions that go
beyond national or (v)provincial boundaries. The aging of some units,
together with the dearth of new vocations, invites stronger units to offer
assistance. But there are many factors which hamstring such cooperation,
such as an exaggerated provincialism that makes us reluctant to cross
frontiers or seek the help of others, the failure to prepare members for
living in international communities and the lack of multi-cultural formation
and cross-cultural pastoral experiences for our younger members.
3. Formation
43. The formation of Redemptorists, which includes the selection of
vocations, the different periods of training and the formation which must
last throughout the whole of life (C. 77), calls for the careful and
thoughtful attention of the Chapter. Formation is no longer only a teaching
period in preparation for vows or ordination but also represents a
theological way of thinking of consecrated life which is in itself a never
ending formation “sharing in the work of the Father who, through the Spirit,
fashions in the heart the inner attitudes of the Son” (Vita Consecrata, 66,
cf. also Starting Afresh from Christ, 15).
What is more, initial formation should be a gradual entrance into a
particular culture: that of the Congregation itself as it is expressed in a
given (vice-) province or region. Given the fact that most candidates study
at theological consortia or diocesan seminaries, there must be a conscious
effort on the part of the (vice-) province to provide formation in
Redemptorist spirituality, the history of the Congregation and theological
and pastoral themes proper to our Institute.
Many units single-handedly make significant sacrifices to provide formation
in all stages for the candidates and confreres. Yet there is a growing
awareness that such effort is not sufficient for the challenges we face
today nor is it the best use of our limited resources of personnel and
finances. The expectations for first formation as expressed by our
Constitutions and Statutes as well as by recent General Chapters exceed the
capabilities of many single units; hence the need for greater
inter-provincial cooperation and more attention from the General Government.
4. Structures
44. The fourth issue, which is suggested to the Chapter by the General
Council, is the question of administrative structures in the Congregation.
It is a conscious choice to present this theme last, since such structures
are not ends in themselves but rather support for the Mission of the
Congregation. There is a consensus among Redemptorists, which was expressed
in the initial questionnaire as well as in all six Regional meetings, that
the structures of the Congregation often inhibit a more creative and
effective response to the pastoral urgencies of our times. There are units
in the Congregation which, unaided, can no longer meet the demands posed by
questions like first formation, the selection of superiors, the care for the
sick and elderly and economic stability. More importantly, there are new
pastoral situations which call for greater cooperation among units, such as
new foundations in Africa and Asia as well as attempts to evangelize migrant
communities in the northern hemisphere. Finally, there are already new
structures at work in the Congregation. One might point to bodies such as
the URB (União dos Redentoristas no Brasil) and the ASIOC (Asia Oceania
Regional Committee) and FICOM-NE (Financial Committee of North-western
Europe for Eastern Europe) as concrete examples of new relationships among
Redemptorists that provide an effective intermediary structure in the
Congregation.
Confreres argue for structures that will serve the following values:
- The structures of the Congregation should serve the Redemptorist Mission;
this Mission should not be sacrificed in order to preserve existing
structures.
- New configurations of the Congregation should strive to provide for a just
measure of the autonomy that is presently enjoyed by the units, while
providing for an authority that will serve the Mission beyond present
(vice-) provincial boundaries and relate effectively with the General
Government.
In the light of the Gospel, the Constitutions and Statues, their experience
during the past sexennium, the work on the Instrumentum laboris, and the
Regional meetings preparing for the General Chapter, the General Council has
identified the above four urgent issues: identity, mission, formation, and
structures. The XXIII General Chapter must address these issues so that “it
might present suitable guidelines to the Congregation” (C. 109 a). The
following chapter encourages a reawakening of the Redemptorist charism and
identifies specific actions for the consideration of Chapter members to
fulfill this task of the General Chapter.
CHAPTER 3: TOWARD THE FUTURE
“Simon, do you love me? . . . Feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15)
A. Reawakening the Redemptorist Charism
45. Together with the whole Church, the Congregation begins this new
millennium with a question, the same question put to Peter and the other
apostles on Pentecost: “Brothers, what must we do?” (Acts 2:37). There may
be a number of factors that inhibit us from making a generous response to
this question, not the least of which is a consciousness of the many ways in
which we have failed in our love for the Lord. We recognize that there are
areas that are not redeemed in our lives and in our apostolic work. Yet this
awareness should not discourage us because it is the same Lord who, as he
did with Peter, calls us to follow him (Jn 21:20), and lead us into a
process of ever-deeper conversion.
We see the Lord’s faithfulness to our Congregation in the rich heritage of
our past, which we carry with us into the future.
46. We inherit and continue the Redemptorist tradition within the Church.
Even as we count the blessings and challenges within the membership of the
Congregation as we are today, we realize that we are heirs of an Alphonsian
spirit and the Redemptorist charism. As such, we bring to the task of
evangelizing the poor a rich treasure, which equips us pastorally and
empowers us to continue the mission today. We rejoice in the many religious
congregations of Sisters in particular, which share our Redemptorist
spirituality and charism and are themselves instruments of plentiful
redemption in the world.
We review some of the hallmarks of the Redemptorist tradition both as a
reminder to us of who we are and as an impetus to move us creatively and
imaginatively into the future.
1. A spirituality rooted in and centered on Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, “the
one thing necessary.”
2. A spirit of community in apostolic ministry. Our communal life is our
strength (Jn 13:1-8; 1 Cor 12:12-24; 1 Pet 3:2ff).
3. Love for and service in the Church in whose mission we participate with
the hierarchy in association with the laity and in whose constant renewal we
share.
4. Missionary dynamism and a willingness to respond to urgent pastoral need
in a variety of forms, even beyond the borders of our homeland.
5. Generosity and availability of persons and resources, maintained in spite
of a diminishing number of confreres and increasing challenges.
6. Closeness to the poor and needy, “sharing their joys and hopes, grief and
anxieties” (Gaudium et Spes, 1). “Redemptorists can never be deaf to the cry
of the poor and the oppressed” (Stat. 09).
7. Preachers of the heart in order to touch people deeply, reaching their
hearts where freedom and personal identity reside. In addition, our
evangelization always carries a prophetic dimension.
8. An intellectual tradition which comes from our founder himself,
especially in moral and pastoral theology, and carried on by many
Redemptorists after him, in many and varied expressions at the service of
our mission.
9. Apostolic charity, which offers to persons the face of the compassionate
Christ.
10. Filial devotion to Mary, dear helper in Redemption, our Perpetual Help
who accompanies us and whom we offer to humanity in need.
B. Proposals for Action by the General Chapter
1. Identity
47. During the next sexennium a reflection on the theology and the concrete
way of living the vows should be promoted on a Congregation-wide level. In
this reflection, in which the participation of confreres involved in
academic studies would be helpful, special attention should be given to
creativity and the need for inculturation. To facilitate this reflection
adequate tools such as Communicanda, the study of the five chapters (or,
perhaps, only chapter three) of the Constitutions and Statutes or booklets
on this theme should be prepared and used during the next sexennium.
48. In continuity with the work of the last sexennium the work of the Centre
for Spirituality should be confirmed, strengthening the links at the
Regional level and/or with specific language groups, taking to heart the
need to promote our spirituality and its visible manifestations (images,
symbols, etc.).
2. Mission
49. A revision of the pastoral priorities should be promoted in light of
Constitution 5 with particular attention to situations of pastoral urgency
that demand immediate attention; these situations, in fact, constitute the
very reason for the existence of our Congregation (C. 5). We should be
particularly available to the new poor (for example, immigrants, linguistic
minorities, and those discriminated against because of race or colour), and
we should avoid the identification of our mission with any one form of
activity (C. 14).
50. One Communicanda in the upcoming sexennium should be devoted to the
theology of Redemption and the consequences of this theme for our mission.
51. We should provide formation for both lay people and Redemptorist in
order to ensure respectful and effective cooperation.
3. Formation
52. The General Council should ensure that each of the units in the
different Regions has an adequate program of first formation. Wherever this
requirement cannot be accomplished by a single Unit, the General Council
should provide for a greater cooperation among Units, including the exchange
of formators, the programs to prepare formators, etc.
53. The General Chapter, taking to heart the theme of ongoing formation,
should encourage the (vice-) provinces to provide for sabbatical
experiences, opportunities for continuing formation, and inter-provincial
cooperation in these matters (e.g. the organization of retreats, courses,
etc.).
54. A permanent Centre for Formation should be established with the General
Government especially to ensure a point of reference for the formation of
the formators.
4. Structures
55. There should be a restructuring of the Congregation, in service to a
broader sense of mission that goes beyond the boundaries of any single Unit.
In any case, the Congregation should recognize a creative tension between
the just autonomy of Redemptorists of a given area and new configurations
that will favour collaboration beyond the existing structures in the
Congregation.
56. In the light of Postulatum 1, the General Chapter should clarify the
criteria that should inspire the restructuring of the Congregation (economic
solidarity, intermediary structures at the Regional level, facilitating the
movement of confreres between provinces, and the like).
“Duc in altum: Put out into the deep!” (Lk 5:4)
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