SECOND PART
THE LIFE OF THE CONGREGATION: ITS PRESENCE
AND SERVICE
67. The statistical survey carried out by Father Bernard
Rosinski gave us an idea of the Congregation in numerical terms. Such information
has brought to the fore themes and questions that we need to answer in
order to better understand our religious life and our way forward as a
congregation in terms of our tendencies, values, problems and challenges.
The Development of the Congregation
68. As of 1968, the Congregation has experienced a progressive
decline in numerical terms. The previous year, we had attained the highest
number of members in history, that is 3,255 (2,718 religious clerics and
537 religious brothers). There has been some respite in this lapse of time:
in 1979 and 1981-1983, in which we registered a slight increase compared
to the previous year. The same is true for this year, for we have grown
by 7 members compared to 1995. However, these are sporadic fluctuations
which do not mark an inversion of trend or a change in the tendency towards
this recession. On the whole, in this sessennium, the Congregation decreased
by 99 members.
69. A comparison of the data draws our attention to both
positive and negative elements which are singificant in the interpretation
of our reality, namely:
- This sessennium was not characterized by a shortage
of vocations: suffice it to consider that we had 461 new professions, a
two-fold increase in the number of perpetually professed scholastics (from
26 to 52), and the simply professed scholastics increased by 40.
- 6 provinces registered an increase in numerical terms:
Portugal (LU) grew by 34 members, Poland (PO) by 17, Indonesia (IN) by
13, Southern Brazil (BM) by 10, Zaire (ZA) by 7, and Southern Italy (IM)
by 3. All of the other Provinces are experiencing a decrease in the number
of members.
- It is worthwhile to note that the four Provinces having
registered the greatest increase (BM, IN, LU, PO) account for 38% of the
Congregation's members, 32% of finally professed religious, 73% of annually
professed religious and 57% of the novices. Given their geographic distribution,
therefore, it cannot be asserted that the Congregation is increasing its
presence in the south of the world and decreasing it in the north. Yet,
it should be considered that the growth is concentrated only in a few countries.
However, the adoption of a development policy in Asia and Africa and a
greater emphasis on formation in the other provinces, may singificantly
improve the picture in the near future. The highest degree of perseverance
is registered in LU (67%) and in PO (56%). It is lowest in IN (38%) and
BM (29%).
70. - The number of religious brothers in this sessennium
suffered a considerable 16% decrease. The 26 professions that were registered
was accompanied by the departure of 7 finally professed and 18 annually
professed brothers. It is too early yet to ascertain whether the Hales
Corners meeting will determine an inversion of trend in this area.
- The high number of members leaving the Congregation
continues to be a concern: 302 in this sessennium, including 69 priests,
2 deacons and 12 finally professed religious, while the rest were annually
professed religious. 75% of them leave the Congregation before their 10th
year of profession and before the age of 35. However, the number of religious
confreres that leave the Congregation with more than 30 years of religious
life behind them is also high; they especially belong to the generation
that suffered the crisis immediately after the Second Vatican Council.
In this sessennium, some Provinces registered more departures than new
enrollments (AU, CG, FL, GE, HI, NE, US).
- In this sessennium, the total number of departures ranges
between 10 and 15% of the total number of members. It is a reality which
debilitates the Congregation and whose causes should be explored in depth.
All of the provinces, especially those in which the loss is obviously disproportionate,
must engage in a serious analysis of the situation and on the causes of
such departures. It is a constant concern for the General Administration.
71. Another aspect which should be taken into account
and that is also the cause of concern, is the situation of the religious
that belong to the Congregation from a juridical point of view, but that
are not part of a congregational project. They live in a rather isolated
manner, and maintain a very weak or a purely formal relationship with the
Congregation. Several of such members are valuable people from an apostolic
point of view, but complex circumstances have led them to become estranged
from their provinces. It is not easy to quantify their number; they are
a scattered all over the place, especially in Europe. The Congregation
can no longer rely on them, although it would very much need to be able
to do so.
Ageing and “ars moriendi"
72. Although the mean age has remained unchanged in this
sessennium, and actually it has slightly decreased (51 years), the Congregation
is suffering from an ageing process. The statistical index is greater than
the corresponding mean.
This is more obvious in certain provinces, where no new
enrollments have occurred for some years to replace the older generations,
and where almost all of the religious are over 50 years of age. Realistically
speaking, they must be prepared to close down, at least for the time being.
Ageing occurs in the provinces with a limited number of
new entrants and where there are wide generational gaps; the result of
this process is an imbalance in terms of age. As a consequence, direct
apostolic presence is reduced, it becomes difficult to find members for
animation and government and the vocational appeal of the younger members
is also diminished.
On the whole, the Congregation has reported that the age
group between 35 and 55 years is especially weak from a numerical point
of view, for these confreres received their formation in the Post-Council
period, which was a time of crisis and renewal.
73. It would be of little benefit to engage in great analyses
over our ageing. The important thig is to live this phenomenon in full
obedience to the Spirit, living our charism to the end. Indeed, since our
charism is not directly related to a functional purpose but to a “spiritual
perspective" (cf. Const. 26: “visée spirituelle"), it
has a great potential for being fulfilled even in this stage. In its dimension
of oblation, self-giving, reparation, worship, cooperation to the salvific
mission of Christ, eucharistic sense, etc.., always marked by love, our
charism may be fulfilled fully at all ages. It may be fulfilled in a peculiar
way in old age, when the individual has reached a certain maturity and
is in special conditions to be assimilated to Christ, like a grain that
dies so that it can bear fruit.
The ability to experience this situation in a positive way gives meaning to death even when the local institutions are involved. Managing this reality is not easy, it is a true “art"; a great human, spiritual and charismatic quality is required, to make fruitful the time in which a province that may have had a glorious past, dies.
It may be hard for certain provinces and works to enter
in this frame of mind. However, it is an unescapable challenge, if they
want their religious life to be significant until the end.
However, these provinces must not preclude the path of life that the grace of God may unexpectedly bestow on them in their old age, as happened with Sarah (cf. Gen. 18,9-14), who in her old age became the mother of many generations (cf. Letter 14.03.97, Prot. 20/97).
In such cases, the candidates must be accepted and formed
in other provinces.
74. This “transition" from one age to another must
be accompanied at a spiritual level. Many other practical aspects, which
must be anticipated in time, must also be addressed. They include: assistance
in old age, health care, pensions, the administration of goods, contacts
with the other provinces, the ability to follow world events with serenity,
the reality of the Church, the SCJ life which continues elsewhere, etc...
Some provinces are doing this with positive results and with an attitude
of serenity, showing an excellent vitality and spirit of faith in their
old age.
The congregational shift
75. Several changes are taking place in the Congregation. The most significant is a certain geographical, social and cultural shift. It is a slow movement towards Eastern Europe and towards the south of the world, towards the poorest countries with new cultures. This shift is not a merely external phenomenon of a geographical origin, rather it is a more profound cultural change occuring in the Congregation itself, to the extent in which it is beginning to live, think, express itself and be conditioned by new realities. It is conditioned by the presence and leadership of religious whose means and style of life are departing from the western model because they do not have an inclination for it.
The Congregation is acquiring a new identity; it is necessary
for this to happen in order for the Congregation to be enriched by a greater
vitality. So far, we have been prevalently western. Even outside of Europe,
in South and North America, we have developed in a rather European-western
cultural environment. The charism, which by its very nature has a universal
dimension, is impoverished and depleted when it remains closed within a
single cultural model. Now, however, an Asian and African presence is beginning
to take shape, which God willing, will be able to grow in future years.
Latin America is also undergoing an internal change with the entry of more
indigenous vocations.
This is a challenge and an element of enrichment, which
we must be able to accept. It requires us to engage in a conversion capable
of making room for and conferring leadership upon these members and their
cultural expressions. We have to be willing to modify administration officials
and relations between clutures. We must enhance the new symbols and the
ways of expressing spirituality.
76. The Congregation's new presence in the south and in the east and its development, pose the need for urgent action:
- plan adequate personnel support for the next few years, so that the confreres may rely on their own local resources as soon as possible;
- look after formation so that the young religious acquire a certain maturity and autonomy and are capable of strongly sustaining the SCJ heritage;
- ensure the necessary economic resources and structures
for these provinces to manage their ordinary life on an independent basis.
New Provinces and Regions
77. In this sessennium, the Congregation has established
itself in certain areas for the first time. The General Administration
juridically established 3 Provinces and 3 Regions.
It became present in:
- Albania, upon the initiative of the IM Province;
- Slovakia, upon the initiative of the PO Province, in concert with the FL Province. At the end of the previous sessennium, PO had started an apostolic work in Belorussia and Moldavia, in response to requests by the local churches. This presence seems to be growing, thus better defining the specific SCJ service. The PO Province is also planning to establish a house in the Ukraine for strategic reasons related to security, to the future and to its proximity to Moldavia, in addition to normal apostolic motivations.
- India, upon the initiative of the General Administration with international cooperation.
- The HI Province is considering the possibility of establishing a house in Ecuador.
- The initiative taken by the General Administration in
Lithuania lasted only 13 months due to the reasons of which you are aware.
78. The newly created Provinces were: Chile (19.12.91), which was separated from the NE Province; Southern Africa (28.11.94) as a result of the merger between the Regions of Aliwal North and De Aar, respectively related to the GE and US Provinces; Cameroon (30.11.95), which up to that time had been a Region of GA and which had a significant international presence.
The newly established Regions were: Maranhao (18.11.91)
and the Southern Brazilian Region (08.10.94) as part of the BM Province;
the Austrian-Croatian Region (27.12.1995), which depends on the GE Province
and is the result of the cooperation between the GE Province and the PO
Province.
These six new realities, with a juridical configuration
of their own, have not been the result of improvisation. Their process
stemmed from within and was guided by the Mother Provinces and General
Administration, which set the criteria. For all of them this is the end
of a long process, often lasting several years, which in most cases started
in the previous General Administration.
79. The main guiding principle for us was the need to foster the local life of these parts of the Congregation. The form and criteria followed are indicated under no. 119 of our Rule of Life (Constitutions and General Directory), namely:
- a territory ready to have a government and an administration of its own;
- with works and structures that can guarantee an independent evolution;
- with a fairly defined apostolic project;
- and reasonable hope for local vocational development.
To guarantee a reasonable economic support, in view of
self-sufficiency in ordinary life, the Mother Provinces were asked to provide
for the creation of adequate assets or of a start-up fund, and to also
continue providing regular support for the first years.
In Southern Africa, a contract was stipulated with the
PO Province, which has committed itself to providing assistance in terms
of personnel for a number of years. In other cases, this cannot be required
from the Mother Provinces, for they have a shortage of vocations. Actually,
this was a factor that determined the speeding up of the process towards
a local autonomy.
80. These realities (Provinces and Regions) at the outset
are rather weak in numerical terms and have a shortage of economic resources
(they are poor). However, they come into the world with great hope for
the future, with a clear consciousness of our religious identity and the
wish to play a specific role in the local churches, according to our SCJ
charism. It will now be up to them to make appropriate and priority choices,
conscious of their strengths.
81. Another significant event at a juridical and practical
level, was the transition of the Finnish Province from the NE to the PO
Province, which occurred on January 10, 1997, 90 years after we first established
our presence in Finland.
Other Regions, namely Mozambique and Venezuela, are taking
steps to become Provinces. Our method is to help them to make sure that
this happens as the result of a process of internal maturation based on
joint responsibility.
Our presence in Madagascar, in the Philippines and in
India constitues a community reality, which has not been described previously
and does not fall within any currently existing juridical formula. They
may be considered as territorial communities (or special communities, as
we sometimes call them, not to confuse them with the local communities).
Madagascar depends upon the IM and LU Provinces. They have established
a rather strong cooperation in the area of formation, with an intermediate
animation and government figure, in view of Madagascar's future development
as a Region or Province. As they await a further definition of their status,
the Philippines and India directly depend on the General Curia. In the
meantime, with the support of international cooperation, they continue
to serve the local Churches and seek their future in the area.
82. It should be noted that our 22 Provinces vary greatly
as far as the number of members is concerned: 8 Provinces have more than
100 members; 6 have between 50 and 100 members, while 8 have les than 50
members. Of these 8, 4 Provinces have even less than 30 members. Therefore,
we are a Congregation with small provinces. This implies the need for a
more targeted setting of priorities and a more careful form of administration,
to avoid excessive red tape and wasting of energy. This is a challenge
upon which we have to reflect carefully, if we want to have a future.
Missions and Missionary Spirit
83. Although we are not a specifically missionary Institute like others, our Founder has instilled in us a missionary spirit which is always alive within us and continues to stimulate in a positive way the members of the Congregation.
It has been a grace and a constant service in our history
ever since 1888, when Father Dehon sent his first religious to Ecuador.
It has continued as such in Zaire for 100 years, in the other African missions,
in Indonesia, in America (North and South) and in Europe itself.
One of our distinctive features is that we go to places
where there is need, that are difficult, where others do not want to go...,
where the Church sends us. We go with a sense of gratuity and generosity,
to places where we have run risks and even paid with our life (“martydom",
diseases, early death and hardship). Actually, in this we do not differ
greatly from many other Congregations, but according to the Founder, what
distinguishes us is choice and a conscious acceptance. Zaire today is evidence
of this, with its troubled contemporary history; the Philippines, with
its permanent challenges of poverty and dialogue with the Moslems; Mozambique,
with its recent experience of Marxism and war; Albania, with the struggle
of a people seeking its own identity; South Africa, with its minorities
and drought; Belorussia and Moldavia, with our total service to the local
churces, etc...
84. Our 100 years of service in Zaire, the evolution of
the theological and pastoral concept of the mission, many new situations
in the worlds, the limits and possibilities of the Congregation today...
should induce us to engage in a serious congregational reflection on our
“missionary policy today". We have come to a stage at which we are
required to review our evolution so far and project it in a new light.
We must support the transformation under way by reviewing our concept of
mission, our methods of evangelization, our style of presence, our cultural
insertion, the use of the media at our disposal, our concrete choices on
site.
85. In the course of this sessennium, in the General Administration
as well as in the Provinces and Regions, we have often discussed certain
criteria, which must be analyzed and experimented with in greater depth:
- set up our missionary presence with a smaller staff but with a more apostolically qualified activity, considering our possibilities and limits;
- the committed Provinces should guarantee the necessary turnover of personnel for a certain period of time;
- we should guarantee the presence of missionaries capable of living the SCJ communion in community on the basis of a continuous project;
- the future should be sought on site, both in terms of human and economic resources. It would be ideal for the missionaries to adapt to the local culture and pace of life; they should give up their roles as leaders as soon as possible and choose to become the servants and co-workers of an increasingly autonomous, indigenous and adult local church. Excessively delaying the handing over of leadership roles harms the Church and stunts the inculturation of the missionary;
- before being introduced in new realities, missionaries
should receive adequate training, possibly in a neutral country, where
they can experience their first impact with cultural diversities.
86. Almost all SCJs express a positive evaluation of the
missions, open to international cooperation. Without denying how difficult
it is to harmonize different cultures, we must have a positive view so
far of the experiences that have been carried out in India, the Philippines,
Zaire, South Africa, Cameroon, etc...
We do not intend to limit or remove the possibility that
each province has to open up new foundations. However, we believe that
it is important for such foundations to be established in a spirit of openness
to international cooperation, in agreement with the rest of the Congregation,
through a common discernment.
87. The Congregation is experiencing a certain missionary
awareness, which is extended to all of the Provinces. A clear example is
Cameroon and Northern Brazil, which for the first time have sent out one
of their members beyond their borders. Something similar also happened
in Chile, but within the country itself. The missionary spirit is an essential
feature or all of the Church and must be furthered and experienced in the
entire Congregation. Historically, many SCJ realities have sent their members
beyond the national borders, from the very beginning; for instance, the
first Polish religious was sent to Cameroon; the same happened with the
first Italian brother, etc...
This means that the sending of missionaries cannot be
restricted only to large provinces; all of our provinces and regions must
include it in their plans, according to their possibilities. It cannot
merely be the consequence of a surplus of members, nor the fruit of an
uncautious decision that neglects to consider the situation as it really
is. It must be a conscious gesture of communion and co-responsibility with
the whole Church. The provinces that are excessively closed up in their
own reality do not render themselves good service.
88. The missionary spirit does not merely consist in sending
members from the Congregation beyond their national borders. It is a way
of conceiving Evangelization and of committing onseself to presenting a
testimony and announcing the Good News everywhere. It is up to the Secretaries
for missionary animation, both at a provincial and regional level, to encourage
this spirit.
A lot is already being done in the Congregation. By better
defining the “missionary policy", more can be achieved today. India's
experience shows that even the older provinces and senior members are able
and necessary to carry out new demanding mission projects, according to
their possibilities. Measures should be taken to further encourage missionary
mobility in the provinces that have a lot of personnel, where the risk
is that the staff won't have enough to do, or that their tasks will not
be very motivating.
The social commitment
89. The awareness of our social commitment continues to
grow. It is now seen as a component of our spirituality of reparation,
as a characterizing apostolic activity and as an essential element of Evangelization.
It is strengthened by the belief in the possibility to reconcile the mystical
and social dismension of our charism to a unity of life, as Father Dehon
did personally. In our opinion, the dichotomy that separates or opposes
these two aspects has diminished. This change was influenced by a consistent
and insistent approach which the Congregation adopted several years ago.
There are many initiatives and commitments existing in
all of the Provinces and Regions. As in the past, in some countries we
have significant works that give name to and specify the local identity
of a province or region. We also have people who are known for their courage,
creativity and commitment in this field.
90. However, as an Institute (province or region) we could
and should do more, especially by accentuating the challenge of some forms
of modern poverty that call us to action. A broad overview of the Congregation
will reveal that we do not do more than other religious, priests or lay
people in this area. We all know of many initiatives existing all over
the world; however, we have the thrust of a charism that as people and
as an institution we must encourage to bear fruit.
In many countries, we are lacking a significant work,
managed on a community basis and with a tradition of service, which may
express the SCJ-social facet of the province or region. There is the impression
that we fear works that require a constant and uninterrupted commitment
of little gratification, where adequate training is also required.
There is also the feeling that the “prophets" do
not have a lot of room among us, or else they are unable to involve their
brothers in a co-responsible way in the changing of structures.
91. However, it appears increasingly clear that SCJ candidates
and young religious must be formed to take on a social commitment. In vocational
and formative discernment, the attitude towards social commitment becomes
a decisive element; indeed, it has become part of the Ratio Formationis.
92. The social teaching of the Church is held in high
esteem. There is the awareness that we must engage ourselves in the formation
of clerics, religious and laity, as Father Dehon did. There is a critical
conscience which is growing in evaluating the present economic, political
and social reality; however, there is still a long way to go. The Justice
and Peace Commission, on several occasions, has proposed themes that should
not escape our reflection; neo-liberalism, for example, the current trend
towards globalization, how money is used and the way investments are made,
the defense of human life, the rights of migrants, the problems related
to the culture of peace, etc... These are themes that must guide our judgements
on the realities in which we live or when apostolic choices are to be made.
In general terms, our service to the poor is good, our
presence among them with our apostolic works is positive, especially in
the Third World. We should associate our name and our apostolate with specific
works in this field. We should form specialists in the Social Doctrine
of the Church to provide this service, thus promoting international communion
and cooperation.
Formation priorities
93. Initial and ongoing formation was proposed as the
top priority in this sessennium. This priority was taken seriously, in
general, and we are seeing the results, for there has been a greater rate
of perseverance and maturity in our young religious. This is especially
true in the Provinces and Regions that have succeeded in preparing formators,
and where the formators dedicate themselves generously to this service.
Now there is a clearer conscience, albeit unfortunately
not in all SCJs yet, that formators cannot improvise; personal experience
is not sufficient. The need is felt increasingly for a deeper analysis
of and a systematic approach to the contents (human, religious and Dehonian)
to convey pedagogically.
94. In spite of this, there are still points that have
not been assimilated adequately, and which are the following:
- The usefulness for formators of being exposed to an international experience of the Congregation, so that they can appreciate the experience of our Order in its quest for increasingly consistent formation approaches.
- The inadequacy of forming one or two candidates on an isolated basis, or of forming them in non-SCJ communities. In the short or long term, this proves to be negative and requires difficult solutions subsequently. It is best to form such candidates in other provinces or regions, and play down the excessive importance attributed to the culture of origin.
- The need to review without anguish but deeply the formative process of one's province or region, when a high rate of departures is registered. It is obvious that not everything depends on formation, but when there is a high number of departures, formation and the general approach cannot but be examined.
- Attribute due importance to qualification and specialization.
It is not a good policy to settle for the minimum level of study or for
a generic preparation.
These are the problems that need to be tackled at the
level of initial formation. They are indicative of a formation policy that
has not been sufficiently defined or that has not been chosen as a due
priority.
95. There is a growing interest for and awareness of ONGOING
FORMATION.
Some provinces and regions foster it and plan it for the
members that request it. Others have organized periodical courses, to offer
everyone the opportunity to participate. There seems to be a readiness
on the part of the members of the Congregation to take courses or take
some time off for a sabbatical.
However, there are some members that are not too keen
on updating their knowledge; they remain on the fringes of the present
evolution in theology, spirituality and pastoral renewal. There are quite
a few religious who have not participated in a course on spiritual exercises
for quite a few years. There are also some very zealous confreres who,
however, have fallen prey to an apostolic pragmatism and feel that the
time devoted to reading and study is wasted or is not spent fruitfully.
Ongoing formation should thus be more related to life
and daily challenges, which may be met with the customary means of prayer,
meditation, reading, study, fraternal dialogue in the community on daily
events, the use of certain space and of cultural opportunities within reach,
the critical analysis of certain life experiences, etc...
It would also be advisable to look after the library more
and subscribe to certain especially formative publications. In certain
provinces and regions, we have been pleased to observe the setting up of
a library and of appropriate environments, usually in the main house, at
the service of all of the members.
It is up to the superiors to raise the awareness as to
the need for and appropriateness of ongoing formation, by creating opportunities
in order for it to be practiced. The danger of a spiritual and cultural
impoverishment and depletion is great, especially if religious do not have
any time for themselves during the day or time to prepare the message accompanying
each one's ministry.
Apostolic commitment
98. The Congregation has a living conscience of being
an Apostolic Institue, committed to Evangelization from the outset, with
many different forms of presence and of service.
Wherever we are, we are able to insert ourselves in the
local Churches, of which we are active members and in which we are strongly
committed at a pastoral level, according to diocesan plans and orientations.
There is a communion with the bishops; in many cases, we also get along
with them very well and work together closely, on the basis of dialogue
and mutual esteem. There are some exceptions, but they generally derive
from problems of a wider scope and are not strictly related to our religious.
Our reference to the universal Church, to the Pope and
to the Magisterium is respectful and serene more than in the past. It occurs
on the basis of faith and ecclesial communion. Our relations and cooperation
with the diocesan clergy, with the other members of consecrated life and
with the laity are generally good. We normally participate in and work
with national, diocesan and religious life entities.
We work with great generosity and availability. Many elderly
members as well still carry out certain activities with enthusiasm and
vitality.
We greatly suffer from the uncertainty of the present
age, characterized by rapid changes and by many challenges to which there
is no response. We feel the weight of certain issues, especially within
the framework of the management of the Church and of the moral pastoral
ministry, which are yet to be faced adequately. What prevails is a certain
fear of centralism, of a return to conservative positions, of involutions
of different kinds, in almost all areas and all over the world. The challenge
is thus felt of being faithful to “the today of God" and to his Gospel,
which is difficult to reconcile with so many present achievements imbued
with secularism.
97. With our apostolic work, we are mostly present in
the middle classes; we are almost absent in upper class and in decision-making
circles. The Congregation's presence among the poor and the way that it
serves them with different ministries is significant.
We have some qualified works in the area of culture and
formation (Seminaries, Schools at all levels, Publishing Centers, our presence
in MCSs), in the national bodies of Bishops'Conferences and Dioceses, and
in certain social and evangelization fields. But we are largely responsible
for ordinary and generic pastoral ministries, where our works do not differ
from those of others, nor do they offer anything peculiar in accordance
with our spirit.
98. However, provinces and regions are increasingly asking
about the way in which we can charismatically specify our presence and
service in the local Churches. We may be helped in this endeavour by the
definition of a Provincial Project; indeed, in the areas where a project
has been developed with apostolic choices that are more consistent with
our spirit, the face of the Congregation becomes clearer and more attractive.
Within the Church we are identified by our spirit, often
manifested in the accentuation of certain values, which translate the “culture
of the Heart of Christ", and by certain characteristic works in the
line of the heritage which we received from Father Dehon (cf. Const. 30-31).
This happened in the past in the history of many provinces; their identity
rested on a characteristic spirituality and apostolic works. It is necessary
for this to happen again today, in order to once again acquire a meaning
among the people of God and in the world.
The lack of an apostolic project and of specific works
determined the generic character and the dissipation of energy which took
place in certain provinces, preceisely at the time of renewal and change
of religious life brought about by the Council.
Lights and shadows in the experience of SCJ religious
life
99. We would now like to express how, in the Congregation,
we perceived the experience of its religious and Dehonian being. Religious
life in the Congregation is a complex phenomenon which is hard to interpret.
It is impossible to summarize it in such a way as to completely reflect
its reality. Each province and region, and often each community as well,
have their own characteristics, with common elements and aspects that cannot
be reduced to a single model. They are influenced not only by cultural,
social and ecclesial differences, but also by broader external factors,
like secularism, materialism, individualism, social and political conflicts,
etc... which in one way or another modify the historical and sorrounding
reality, and penetrate the fabric of religious life. However, we can provide
a general overview and point out the lights and shadows, as elements that
we can examine.
1. The lights
100. Generally speaking, it may be said that we are experiencing
a very positive time in the Congregation, which has grown over the years;
in other words, ever since, as a Congregation, we accepted the invitation
of Vatican Council II to undertake a path of renewal together with the
whole Church. We too experienced a crisis, which inflicted pain on us and
left some marks. But the Congregation experienced God in a significant
way and was able to rediscover herself and its mission.
- It deepened its mission, which was more integrated in
the local Church and in the universal Church. Today it is increasingly
clear to everyone that we must be present within the Church with our CHARISM
and not only to share the pastoral work and help the local forces in trouble.
- There is a growth in terms of our Identity, which is
completely different from the pre-Council era. It is not a pecualir aspect,
the reason for triumphalistic considerations; rather, it is lived as a
ministry carried out in communion with the People of God. SCJ values give
content and form to our experience of God and to our mission.
- Our configuration as an Apostolic Institute is clear,
motivated by a great “Spiritual Perspective" rather than special needs
or emerging activities, especially attentive to the world's challenges.
As a result, a certain insertion in the world and a style of being close
to the people is strong in the entire Congregation. This explains our social
awareness and readiness to evangelize on the basis of our specific reading
of the mystery of Christ (cf. Const. 16).
- Increasing importance is being attributed to our community
life. We often hear our members say “we are religious missionaries, and
not the other way around". Many provinces, regions and communities,
albeit it with some difficulty, have developed a plan of life in which
they define the essential signs of communion that must always be present
among SCJs. In the Congregation, we have beautiful examples of fraternity,
in which the common vocation and mission are shared, with great respect
for individuals.
- Part of the Institute is experiencing the new phenomenon
of the “SCJ Family". Our charism and spirituality have gone beyond
the sphere of the Congregation to inspire the Christian life of other people,
both consecrated and lay. Like us, they share the same “Spiritual Perspective
as Father Dehon", which they fulfill through different vocations and
styles of life, independently but in communion with us.
These broad parameters in the Congregation are developed
in many significant details, which we do not wish to go into; however,
they affect the daily, personal, community, institutional, ecclesial, apostolic
etc... life of SCJs. We can state that in general terms, there is a growing
tendency on the part of our brothers to subscribe to these values of SCJ
religious life. This process is accompanied by inconsistencies, temptations
and crises, but their belief and good spirit grow.
101. As far as we can see, the “Spiritual Vision or Perspective"
which we inherited from Father Dehon (cf. Const. 26.16) is especially expressed
as follows:
- The SCJ values most deeply felt and easily identifiable,
and often invoked by all, seem to be the spirit of oblation, of availability
and of self-giving, related back to the spirituality of Ecce Venio and
Ecce Ancilla. These are values that are developed in a climate of intimacy
with Christ.
- At a pastoral level, frequent and clear reference is
made to and emphasis is placed on the love of God, mercy, compassion, solidarity,
the service of reconciliation and assistance. We want a heart like that
of Jesus to be at the base of our Sint Unum and of our ministerial relations.
- We are increasingly rediscovering the social dimension
of our charism. It is viewed as being more in tune with the mystical dimension,
and emphasis is placed on the unity of life that characterized Father Dehon.
In light of this dimension, we are rediscovering a new sense of reparation,
especially as of the Brusque Conference.
- Reparation, as a spiritual attitude of acceptance of
the Spirit, of cooperation in Christ's work of redemption, of reconstruction
of humankind... in the offering of our own suffering in communion with
Christ's suffering and to serve the Gospel (cf. Const. 23-25), is felt
most deeply by the elderly. For many of them, who are at the twilight of
their existence, it sometimes is a dominant motivation. On the other hand,
it is difficult to propose it as an element of spirituality to the younger
members.
- The eucharistic adoration is still heading towards a
recovery in the Congregation, although this is taking place in different
ways. In certain apostolic communities, especially in the Third World,
it has become the strongest time of common prayer, which begins the working
day. In many places, the laity is also involved.
- The Congregation is felt to be a work of God, as Father
Dehon perceived it. This is experienced without triumphal attitudes and
without hiding the reality of poverty and weakness that we carry with us,
though knowning that we have “such a beautiful vocation", as Father
Dehon himself used to say.
2. The shadows or problems
102. Our way is always the way of pilgrims. We proceed towards such a high ideal, which the grace of God makes us appreciate and helps us live, albeit it with many inconsistencies.
We would like to point out some problems that we must
become aware of, and propose some choices in terms of life and government.
As far as we are concerned, these problems indicate the continuity of a
crisis affecting religious life, which has not entirely been overcome;
they call for a more targeted and deeper renewal. Some of the realities
that we denounce have remote and long-standing roots and stem from historical
events that have marked the institution and people.
103. Here is a very general analysis:
1. The time of review of religious life occurred
when the epochal changes were taking place in our society, which determined
the collapse of many points of reference. As a result, rather than renewal,
we often sought to adjust or modernize religious life, which did not bear
the fruit hoped for by the Council. Today, we are still faced with the
challenge of being faithful to the signs of the times, but in the evangelical
dynamics of a radical following of the Lord. If this radical attitude at
an evangelical level is not clearly visible in our style of life, in the
attitudes of the heart, in the apostolic choices and in concrete signs...
our religious life loses its effectiveness and appeal. There is the risk
of being overwhelmed by secularism, consumerism and by the global vision
of neo-liberalism, which today prevail.
2. Now that the old signs and symbols which expressed
our spirituality have collapsed and have not been replaced by adequate
or updated alternatives, a certain privatization of religious life seems
to have occurred. In other words, the experiences and contents of faith,
for many religious, have been confined to the private personal sphere.
This phenomenon greatly debilitates religious life, and places it on the
verge of ineffectiveness and death. Religious life is a “community"
experience of God. We should reflect on the fact that some religious, although
they have a personal spirituality, do not pray together, that in certain
communities the religious limit themselves to a cold and formal prayer,
to a rather uncreative liturgy, and to a very limited sharing of their
own life.
3. The humanization of religious life and the overcoming
of rigid community patterns has been accompanied by the great development
of individualism, seen as the exaggerated quest for personal fulfillment,
to the detriment of a community project at the service of the Kingdom.
Individualism, which is very strong in western culture, is a great obstacle
to the availability and the participation on the basis of co-responsibility,
of all of the religious in the common mission.
4. The dissipation of many energies with the isolation
of too many brothers, who for years have lived on their own outside of
the Provincial Project. Many of them are valuable people, but they only
entertain formal relations with the Congregation. Sometimes they are emotionally
involved, but not enough to be led back into the context of a community
project. This happened in two historical moments: when the seminaries were
closed and when many religious returned from the missions. At these times,
the individuals were not presented with the proposal of provincial choices.
This led them to seek individual apostolic ministries and consequently
determined a dissipation of energies. These events should be reconsidered,
because they have partly contributed to the dissolution of certain provinces,
which due to a lack of project of their own, lost valuable people, which
they never recovered.
5. Our spirituality is beautiful but difficult;
not everyone is able to synthesize it at a personal level. It has undergone
a theological reformulation, but it must be constantly translated into
a more comprehensible language, into more modern signs and expressions,
into consistent and significant choices, into a more organic spiritual
path. We have the testimony of our life, but that is often insufficient.
We need spiritual teachers and directors, who are able to present our spirituality
in a systematic and balanced way, in fidelity to the charism of the Founder
and to the Signs of the Times, which does not always happen. The so-called
double belonging phenomenon takes place. This creates an internal division
in the person, a psychological and spiritual estrangement from the Congregation,
both at the level of spirituality and of the mission. We have registered
several cases of this sort in the course of this sessennium.
6. The generic quality of our apostolic work, which
we have already mentioned, is another problem. The spirit needs a body;
spirituality must be expressed through consistent and significant choices.
Our contribution to the local and universal Church is more significant
if it is small but in accordance with our specific nature, than if it is
great but generic and atypical.
7. A certain lack of government. It is easier to
coordinate and delegate than to take on a service of animation, communion
and government. We cannot go back to outdated authoritarian models which
are detrimental to a fraternal religious life. But we need an authority
at all levels (General, Provincial, Regional, Territorial and Local) at
the service of fraternity and capable of relating the word of God “to the
individual situations, according to the spirit of the Institute",
“promoter of unity" and “that knows how to make the final decision
and ensures its implementation" (VFC 48-50).
In our Institute, the shadows which were mentioned are
partial and circumscribed realities, which must play a positive role as
warning signs to call our attention to aspects that challenge us and require
a more adequate action or presence on our part.