by Charles Phukuta, cicm
 

Next year, we will celebrate our 16th General Chapter and the Bicentennial of the birth of our Founder, Theophile Verbist. In the July-August 2022 issue of the Chronica, Jean-Gracia Etienne reflected on the Spirit-soul-body trilogy, to which the facilitator introduced the participants of the 15th General Chapter. The facilitator explained: “The soul of the Congregation or its heart is its ability to experience God, to inspire and animate people, to transform the members of its communities into witnesses of faith, hope and charity.”¹  This part of the trilogy remains a challenge. So, as we prepare for the next General Chapter, we have been reflecting on the themes of spirituality and mission, reconciliation, and interculturality, as we seek to renew the apostolic thrust of the Institute and encourage one another to be faithful to our religious missionary vocation (Cf. CICM Constitutions, Art. 110).

Now, I would like to invite you to reflect further on the importance of reconciliation and our universal brotherhood in proclaiming and witnessing the Gospel. Indeed, brotherhood is constitutive of the Church and our faith. So, it is not surprising that Article 2 of our Constitutions gives us the key to proclaim and witness the Gospel:

Religious missionaries of different races and cultures, we live and work together as brothers. ‘One heart and one soul,’ we witness the Father’s will that all men and women be brothers and sisters in Christ. We are a sign of solidarity among the particular Churches in their universal mission.

Article 45 realistically adds: “Knowing that we are sinners, we trust in God’s mercy and respond to Christ’s call to be reconciled with the Father and one another. We regularly turn to the sacrament of reconciliation and take the steps necessary to heal any broken relationships.”

As CICM, we like to talk about our universal brotherhood and multiculturality, which correspond well to our longing for fraternal communion, the heart of the Gospel message of reconciliation. As religious missionaries sent to proclaim and witness the Gospel, there is always the possibility of living with the illusion that evil is only out there and not within us. Yet, we do not always act as brothers and children of a loving God and cause disruptions in relationships. Thus, we regularly need reconciliation with God and others and the life-giving words of forgiveness. When we experience brokenness in a relationship with a confrere or with others, we are to reach out, apologize or offer our friendship. When it is the community itself that suffers from brokenness, we are to heal the situation.²

Reading the various reflections and reports on the Memo on Reconciliation, I realize that our journey moves us toward renewed relationships among us and with our brothers and sisters. As we move toward the 16th General Chapter, I wish to share some reflections that may help us tune in to the great call to reconciliation and fraternal communion in order to proclaim and witness the Gospel in our changing world.

Christianity is the proclamation of the Gospel as a message of universal brotherhood. In the current context of globalization, we Christians must encourage and spread a spirit of universal brotherhood that transcends all borders while respecting the differences between cultures. Thus, communal fraternity contributes to the proclamation of the Good News. No one can claim to disengage from fraternal life in the community for apostolic reasons. On the contrary, it is integral to our commitment to proclaim and witness the Gospel.

Jesus is right when he tells us, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand” (Mt 12:25). Unfortunately, sometimes, we experience frictions that make reconciliation and forgiveness difficult. Yet, both are important since fraternal life is crucial for bona fide proclamation and witness. Pope Francis has also made a similar observation and speaks of it in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG).

Those wounded by historical divisions find it difficult to accept our invitation to forgiveness and reconciliation, since they think that we are ignoring their pain or are asking them to give up their memory and ideals. But if they see the witness of authentically fraternal and reconciled communities, they will find that witness luminous and attractive. It always pains me greatly to discover how some Christian communities, and even consecrated persons, can tolerate different forms of enmity, division, calumny, defamation, vendetta, jealousy and the desire to impose certain ideas at all costs, even to persecutions which appear as veritable witch hunts. Whom are we going to evangelize if this is the way we act? (EG, # 100)

It is common for hostilities to break out between members of the same community. No one is immune to the wounds that make it difficult to live in the community. During our canonical visits, we have noticed that very old events, some dating back decades, are still open wounds. I am sometimes surprised to see old quarrels persist in some communities. We should always ask ourselves what could open a way out. Our Christian faith urges us to find strength in the attitude of Jesus, for whom, where the means of justice and law have been exhausted, there is no other way to end the cycle of conflict and hostility than to oppose it with nothing other than forgiveness.

Genuine brotherhood can only exist where forgiveness is given and received. We are talking about a brotherhood that, even with all the possible differences, is an experience of love that overcomes conflicts because community conflicts are inevitable. In a certain sense, they must exist if the community truly lives sincere and trustworthy relationships. To dream of a conflict-free community is not realistic and does no good. It might mean something needs to be improved if there is no putting up with conflicts in a community.³

Evil can only be overcome by good (Rom 12:22; cf. 1 Pet 3:9). Living in a community that is reconciled and open to diversity makes our interculturality an eloquent testimony to our capacity to live as brothers and sisters, and therefore to proclaim and witness to the Gospel. Today, many of our communities are rich in different cultural or national sensibilities. Confreres live together in respect of their differences. But we must remain vigilant because the human tendency is to create borders to protect ourselves from differences.

The Pope’s appeal is a call to examine our conscience about our brotherhood’s quality and capacity for reconciliation. Do our communities promote and leave enough room for forgiveness and reconciliation? How can we have true community joy if there is little or no room for reconciliation? Sometimes we are too inclined to criticize our brothers freely. Are we aware that this attitude, which can go as far as denigration, is an attack on our brotherhood?

The time of preparation for the Chapter is a crucial moment of prayer and joyful hope. The General Chapter and the Bicentennial celebration of the birth of our Founder allow us to deepen and reappropriate the essence of our charism, listen to what people are asking today of a CICM religious missionary, assess and discern our witness, proclamation and community life, and give new vitality to the Congregation.

To prepare for the twofold celebration, let us seek reconciliation with any person or persons with whom we now have a ruptured or unhappy relationship. Additionally, where the hotbed of conflict is present, a spiritual retreat of reconciliation during this coming Lent 2023 before the General Chapter could be beneficial - a retreat facilitated by a competent resource person who can encourage and challenge everyone to admit their part in the conflict, express it openly in the community, and be ready for sincere and genuine reconciliation.

The challenge of reconciliation is to keep at it; to keep opponents talking, encourage compassionate listening, invite forgiveness, find the middle ground for peace, and never give up. As Saint Paul exhorts us,

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection (Col 3:12- 14).

Let us not grow weary in doing what is right (Cf. Gal 6:9). Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of the ideal of fraternal love (EG, # 101)!  Finally, I wish you a good journey in communion toward the Chapter and the Bicentennial celebration of the birth of our Founder.  

We too are sinners.
We cause disruptions in relationships.
We do not always behave
as children of a loving God.

We too regularly need reconciliation
with God and with others.

We too regularly need to experience
life-giving words of forgiveness.

CICM Constitutions. Commentary, p. 85

----------------------

1. We have a Good and Beautiful Mission. Acts of the 15th General Chapter, pp. 3-4.

2. CICM Constitutions Commentary. Chapter I: Our Institute. 2nd Édition, 2007, p. 85-86.

3. « Réveillez le monde ! 29 novembre 2013, entretien du pape François avec les supérieurs généraux, » in Documentation catholique, n° 2514, p.12-13.

by Silvester Asa, cicm
 

Researchers have discovered that bacteria thrive in every nook and cranny of our bodies. For some in the animal kingdom, certain bacteria flourish around their orifice or private parts. This explains why these specific parts of the body become the center of attention in bonding and mating rituals. Interestingly, like lemurs, who can stand on their two feet, we, humans, accumulate bacteria in our armpits. The glands in our armpits produce certain microbes with a particular odor. In the case of lemurs, the odor helps determine whether a lemur comes from the same conspiracy and is related to it. For us human beings, attraction to another person, or the lack thereof, is all about chemistry. Indeed, the scent of our personal wildlife, which can be traced back to our armpits, either binds us together or sets us apart.^[1] Perhaps that is why someone may smell like Rafflesia to you, but that same person can be an alabaster jar of overflowing Sandalwood oil to someone else. This might also explain why Adam is attracted to Eve, while Steve prefers Job instead.  

Interestingly, some studies have also concluded that the human brain is capable of producing oxytocin, a hormone that plays a significant role in our behavior. Also known as the love hormone that makes us feel close and connected to others, Oxytocin helps us heighten our bond with one another. Simply put, oxytocin is responsible for why birds of the same feather flock together. However, it is important to remember that oxytocin only serves to strengthen our bonds with one another. Furthermore, a study on primates’ behavior reveals that their oxytocin levels rise significantly as they enhance their proximity and strengthen their bond. By the same token, couples who are affectionate and bless each other with tender loving caress tend to develop a strong immune system and live a healthier and longer life because of a high dose of oxytocin.^[2]

Intriguingly, even though oxytocin enables us to strengthen our bond with one another, the same hormone can also heighten our animosity against others, turning them into enemies. Oxytocin “prompts trust, generosity, and cooperation towards Us but crappier behavior toward Them. . .”^[3]  Indeed, there is a fine line between love and hate. The question is: what do these studies have to do with CICM Initial Formation and our intercultural living as CICM religious missionaries? Can we learn something from these recent scientific findings? Let me address these questions with an illustration that is based on real-life experiences. 

Together with seven other Indonesians, I spent two memorable semesters at Maryshore Seminary in Bacolod City, Philippines, for our philosophy studies. One day, we were given some “tawas”^[4]  as presents. This was the first time most of us saw this crystal-like thing, and we wondered what to do with it. Later, we discovered that tawas is widely believed to be effective in, among other things, neutralizing body odor in the Philippines. This realization made us, the Indonesians, realize that our Filipino brethren were trying to convey a subtle yet essential message to us in order to address this pertinent issue of our distinct body odor. As a result, some of us began using tawas, while others resorted to conventional deodorant or settled for rubbing alcohol.

Some years later, as a formator, I had to overcome my own predicament in addressing the issue of body odor. Some community members had brought this issue up in their “Peer Evaluation,” thereby needing my assistance. Fortunately, contrary to my fear that this would offend the concerned parties, my carefully crafted feedback was taken in stride.

While listening to my sharing, a Congolese confrere confided to me about his similar experience in the mission as a formator. Once, he received a call from the school where our students were enrolled for their studies because a student confrere had “a little bit of a strong body odor.” The school thought that he could help them bring this to the student’s attention since he was the student’s formator. Despite the awkwardness of the situation and with due sensibilities, he politely discussed this issue with the said student confrere and the case was resolved amicably.

While it is true that we tend to be drawn and attracted to those who share our chemistry, our proximity and constant interactions can, in time, increase the production of our positive oxytocin and social bonding. Indeed, love not only happens at first sight but is also nurtured. This should be more than welcome news to us, CICM religious missionaries, who came from different races, nationalities, and cultural backgrounds. And yes, each of us does have a distinct body odor.

Nobody has ever said that living together in a community is a walk in the park. Yet, despite our fundamental differences, no one has ever systematically attempted to implement discriminatory policies and practices. On the contrary, our vision and policies are crystal clear. Called by the same Lord, we follow the footsteps of our beloved Founder, Théophile Verbist, by leaving our familiar surroundings behind to proclaim the Good News to all creation in the spirit of Cor Unum et Anima Una (CICM Constitutions, Art. 2).  Furthermore, some structures that we have put in place, such as our international formation communities that allow us to be in close proximity to one another even at the very early stages of our CICM religious missionary formation, can actually increase the level of our positive oxytocin. In fact, this is an effective way to embrace oxytocin’s side effects gently. In extreme circumstances, the same bonding hormone can cause animosity, which can lead to hatred and racial discrimination. As a result, forming international and multicultural formation communities and pastoral teams is both necessary and crucial to the fruitfulness of mission.

The challenge remains, however, that we must go beyond international and multicultural living. Bringing different nationalities and cultural groups together in the same space simply because we want to be “multicultural and international” is not enough. That is just the beginning of the journey. It is only when we are able to gently challenge, affirm, and enrich one another because each has been blessed with what is peculiar; can we celebrate our intercultural living.  

In fact, for many of our Filipino brothers and us Indonesians, I must add, this was most likely our first experience of living with “foreigners” who smell differently. I am sure it was not easy for those Filipino seminarians to find creative ways to address this issue without offending us. Our Filipino brothers could have chosen not to interact with us at all. Instead, they chose to welcome us in their midst. Fortunately, they found the answer to this existential question in, among others, tawas. And so were we, the formators, who were entangled in this delicate issue. It would be horrible if we had to dismiss a candidate solely because he had a peculiar scent. Instead, we embraced our own apprehensions in order to resolve this issue with much sensibility and style. Of course, such creative intervention risks being perceived as a subtle way of imposing a certain standard of truth on others. However, this must be viewed as a genuine effort on the part of some community members to share the wealth of their tradition with those who wish to enter their sacred stable, thus welcoming a stranger as one of their own. After all,

It belongs to our human dignity that we seek and share the truth. Truth is the basis of all human community. Human beings flourish in the shared pursuit of truth as fish do in water and birds in the air. Without it, we perish, and society disintegrates. To share what I believe to be most deeply true expresses my belief in the dignity of the other person.^[5]

What has happened simply showed such ingenuity in sharing a recognized and time-tested truth. Hopefully, this resourceful and courageous act motivated by hospitality and genuine desire for unity and harmony will help us significantly become interculturally savvy CICM religious missionaries who have “the odor of the sheep.”^[6]  

^[1] DW Documentary. “Who lives on our Bodies? A Microscopic Safari.” YouTube Video, March 7, 2022. Who lives on our bodies? A microscopic safari | DW Documentary - YouTube

^[2] DW Documentary. “How does touch affect our mental and physical health.” YouTube Video, April 2, 2022. How does touch affect our mental and physical health? | DW Documentary - YouTube.

^[3] Robert M. Sapolsky, Behave, the Biology of Humans at our Best and Worst (Penguin Books, 2017), 389.

^[4] Tawas is also known as Potassium Alum or simply Alum.

^[5] Timothy Radcliffe, OP., “Does Europe Need Missionaries?” in SEDOS Bulletin 2022,

vol. 54, No. ¾, March-April, 15.

^[6] Pope Francis, Homily on Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Holy Thursday, March 28, 2013, in 28 March 2013: Chrism Mass | Francis (vatican.va).

by Jean-Gracia Etienne, cicm
General Councilor

“May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thes 5:23)

A Fervent Call at the Beginning of the 15th CICM General Chapter 2017

At the opening of the 15th CICM General Chapter, Father Javier Alvarez- Ossorio, SSCC, was invited to lead the recollection that marked the beginning of the occasion. He focused his meditations and exhortations on the biblical text quoted above. In his exegetical approach, Father Javier emphasized the distinction and function of each element of the Spirit-Soul-Body trilogy. He then attempted to apply the results of this exegetical analysis to CICM.

He proposed that the spirit is the foundational charism, the formulation of mission ideals, and the promulgation of our Congregation’s Constitutions and Statutes. The soul is the heart of the Congregation. It is the capacity to experience God, inspire and animate others, and transform communities into disciples of faith, hope, and charity. The body is the members of CICM.

Based on these considerations, Father Javier invited the participants in the 15th General Chapter and all the Congregation members to look mainly at the Congregation’s soul (heart). According to him, it is not enough for the body to be healthy and the spirit to be alive. It is critical that the Congregation’s members take care of its soul.¹ Javier’s exhortation had a positive impact on the capitulants during the Chapter and on all the members of the Congregation through the publication of the Acts of the Chapter. These Acts included a summary of Father Javier’s message. What has happened to this message five years after the 15th Chapter?

On the Progress of the Congregation After the 15th General Chapter

We have attempted to maintain and nurture our Congregation’s spirit, soul, and body over the last five years, with the help of the Holy Spirit. This explains its continued active participation in Christ’s mission entrusted to the Church. The reports of the meetings and assemblies of the eight CICM Provinces, as well as those of canonical visits to the confreres in the field and the Houses of Initial Formation by members of the General Government (GG), as well as positive echoes received from Christ’s faithful and bishops in the places where the congregation’s members are engaged, attest to the congregation’s vitality. Confreres’ witness still needs to be improved. The work of the 2019 CICM General Conference provides a more general overview of our congregation’s current situation.

The CICM General Conference: A Period of Evaluation of the Orientations of the 15th General Chapter

Two years after the 15th General Chapter, the GG organized a General Conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from October 14 to 28, 2019, in accordance with our Constitutions (Art. 105). The Provincial and Vice-Provincial Superiors and the members of the GG of our Congregation attended this meeting. The work of this Conference was centered on the implementation of the 15th Chapter. Furthermore, participants in this Conference reflected on the Congregation’s mission, Initial Formation, consecrated celibacy, and other topics. There was also time to assess the effectiveness of some of our Congregation’s internal structures.

It was observed that the confreres took the recommendations of the 15th General Chapter seriously from the reports of all the CICM Provinces. These reports were honest and sincere, reflecting what was accomplished and what was not accomplished, as well as the various obstacles and suggestions. Furthermore, these reports highlighted our Congregation’s participatory leadership. In dealing with new challenges in frontier situations, some Provinces and the GG have demonstrated exemplary discernment. This process of reflection led to the selection of Malawi as a new missionary insertion. There was also a greater awareness among the confreres of the importance of being good stewards of the Institute’s material goods and finances. Internal and external audits conducted in all Provinces have contributed to this awareness.

Moreover, as recommended by the 15th General Chapter, the carbon tax has become a common practice throughout our Provinces. Multiculturalism was also perceived as a fact and a success at all levels of the Institute and in our Initial Formation communities. The Institute’s charism is similarly visible in our preference for the poor. This is reflected in the confreres’ involvement in various ministries, such as those for abandoned children, orphans, migrants, the elderly, drug addicts, and so on.

Furthermore, new insertions in most of our Provinces attest to the pioneering spirit of our charism, which has become an integral part of our missionary life. Overall, the participants in the General Conference renewed their sense of optimism for the future. This optimism stems from the positive reports and missionary projects of the various Provinces. The sharing during this General Conference had given the participants renewed hope for the future.²

The General Conference participants also identified some less positive aspects that require attention. It is disheartening, for example, to see some confreres refuse to change their apostolate. They would rather stay in their comfort zone and are unwilling to serve the Congregation when called upon. Also troubling is the fear of Provincial Superiors making difficult decisions, such as applying the decree on dealing with serious cases of fraud and financial mismanagement. Furthermore, it is saddening to see confreres in the process of leaving the Congregation or those who are problematic being sent for specialized studies. It is also surprising to see such a small number of active confreres on the field, despite the significant presence of young people.

The reports from our Provinces, on the other hand, made the participants realize that there is still work to be done in terms of honesty, truth, and commitment as missionaries and religious. First, we must be aware of sexual and other forms of abuse, as well as how to prevent them. Second, it is critical to support ecological projects and to instill in the confreres the importance of the environmental statement. Finally, we must emphasize lay associate formation, animate the confreres through strategic corporate mission projects, and remind them of the 15th General Chapter’s recommendations, declarations, and decrees.³

The Mission During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 health crisis has had a significant impact on people’s lives all over the world. Members of our Institute are called to witness God’s love in the midst of suffering and death. The GG conducted a survey of our eight CICM Provinces through the General Committee for Mission. The GG wanted to solicit reflections on the pandemic’s impact on the confreres and the lives of those around them. The goal of this survey was to gather ideas for what more could be done in the long run at the level of our Provinces and the Congregation as a whole.

We have retained a few elements from the responses received that stem from the CICM’s initiatives to better cope with this reality. To begin, our CICM Provinces put in place safeguards to ensure the safety and health of our confreres and close collaborators. To ensure everyone’s safety, the confreres did their best to strictly adhere to the directives and health protocols issued by the governments and health authorities of their respective places. Confreres collaborated with religious and non-governmental organizations to provide food and health supplies in an effort to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable. During the lockdown, steps were also taken to ensure that workers and employees received all or half of their wages.

Efforts have been made in schools and parishes where confreres work to better extend relief efforts to the most affected communities. For their part, the young confreres in our Houses of Formation have found ways to be creative and helpful during this pandemic. Confreres, particularly those involved in parish ministry, had been celebrating Masses online in order to continue providing liturgical service to the faithful during their confinement. Professionals from universities and our schools were encouraged and supported to provide counseling and psychological support to those suffering from trauma and stress. Confreres in some of our CICM Provinces offered their facilities as temporary shelters for frontline workers such as doctors, nurses, and so on. Individual confreres and communities reported they experienced intense moments of prayer and realized more the value of community life. Finally, meetings and other gatherings were held using Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and other similar platforms.

The pandemic’s impact on human lives continues unabated. As a result, some proposals were made in order to develop long-term strategies for dealing with this crisis. It was proposed to establish a “Covid-19” fund and, if possible, allocate a substantial budget for emergency relief to parishes and other CICM entities. This would allow continued assistance to vulnerable people needing food and health care. Cooperation with faith-based organizations, government services, and non-governmental organizations was also contemplated. This collaboration would help most people suffering from the economic downturn caused by the pandemic by creating alternative livelihoods. We must continue to take adequate measures to protect the Institute’s vulnerable members, particularly those in our retirement homes. And, if possible, consider adequately training Institute members to assist people suffering from psychological trauma and stress due to the pandemic. There is also a strong desire to ensure appropriate training of young confreres for mission in the post-Covid-19 context. Finally, there is an urgent need to manage available resources better and strengthen congregational solidarity. We hope that the necessary steps will be taken to implement some of these proposals.

So far, we have attempted to present some of the actions taken by Institute members within the framework of the mission in order to revitalize the Institute in the spirit of the body-soul-spirit trilogy. However, we must not overlook the explicit call to pay special attention to the Congregation’s soul (heart). Can we say that the confreres have responded to this call and that the next General Chapter does not need to revisit this critical aspect of our trilogy?

The Link Between the 15th General Chapter’s Call and the 16th CICM General Chapter in Preparation

We are not satisfied with the attention given to the Congregation’s soul thus far. Nurturing our Congregation’s soul is a never-ending task. Therefore, the following theme has been chosen for the next Chapter in order to further encourage Institute members to fidelity to religious vows, intense individual and community prayer, contemplation, reconciliation, community life, and a new missionary thrust: “Witnessing to the Gospel in a Changing World.” The three memos, which were sent to Institute members for personal and community meditation, reflection, and small group sharing in preparation for the Provincial and Regional Assemblies for the next Chapter, are entitled: “Spirituality and Mission: to Evangelize is our Joy”; “Reconciliation as a Gift from God and a Missionary Task”; and “Interculturality as Witnessing.”

The contents of these memos were not only applicable to the preparation and conduct of Provincial and Regional Assemblies. They should constantly remind all Institute members to work on improving the soul (heart) of the Congregation. In this regard, we would like to reiterate St. John Paul II’s words to the religious of London on May 29, 1982:

Most people know what you do, and admire and appreciate you for it. Your true greatness, though, comes from what you are. Perhaps what you are is less known and understood. In fact, what you are can only be grasped in the light of the “newness of life” revealed by the Risen Lord. In Christ you are a “new creation” (cf. 2 Co 5:17). . . This “newness of life” is a gift of Christ to his Church.

We hope that these words may well guide us in our efforts to improve the quality of our lives and our commitment every day in order to fulfill better our role as religious missionaries in this changing world.  

_______________

1. Cf. CICM, Acts of the 15th General Chapter, Rome, 2017, p. 11-12

2. Cf. CICM, General Conference Report, Santo Domingo, 2019, p. 23

3. Cf. Ibidem, p. 25.

by Jozef Matton, cicm 

In this article, I would like to share some experiences that have caused me to reflect and question myself. These experiences are rooted in the last few months’ events, personal encounters, and visits to some of our beloved Congregation’s Provinces.

Covid-19

We have all been living under the health crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic for more than two years. This pandemic has had and continues to have a significant impact on us. Many restrictive measures have been implemented worldwide to limit the spread of the virus and ensure that we live as healthily as possible in society. Restriction measures have also been implemented in our communities, particularly those with elderly and disabled confreres. This has necessitated a great deal of creativity and flexibility on the part of the confreres and staff.

Some specific measures or arrangements, which were only temporary, have remained permanent in some communities, such as table arrangement in the refectory, the way meals are served at the table, and eating alone in one’s room.

I also noticed that some confreres wanted to return to the situation before Covid-19. They felt that community life was deteriorating, and physical contact became even more limited. However, many other confreres wished to keep the provisional as the permanent. And for what reason? Was it because the temporary fit them best? There is indeed a need to consider a balance between each confrere’s physical health and healthy community life.

Covid-19 also introduced the ZOOM videoconferencing application. We have all had the experience that ZOOM can be an effective means of communication for meetings, etc. For example, the SEDOS (Service of Documentation and Study on Global Mission) sessions through ZOOM have drawn a larger global audience. Many of these participants would not have been able to attend these sessions if they had been held (only) face-to-face in Rome because of travel costs or visa issues.

However, we were also aware of Zoom’s limitations. We all felt the importance of physical and personal meetings. We must cherish our personal and physical encounters in Europe and also elsewhere. We all learned how confinement was a painful and challenging experience for many people. Fortunately, we religious have a community. We must take care of it.

Covid-19 has had a significant impact on our Congregation. To begin with, some confreres died directly or indirectly as a result of Covid-19, even in countries where the existence of Covid-19 was denied.

Second, for more than a year, members of the General Government have been unable to travel to visit confreres in several Provinces and countries where CICM is present due to the Covid-19 pandemic and all of its restrictions.

Finally, many young confreres also had a challenging experience. Some, for example, had to wait two years before entering their mission countries. Others did not even make it to the countries where they were appointed as missionaries. The mission assignments were even changed for the latter. It took a lot of patience and effort to adjust to new realities. To face these new realities, patience and creativity were required. Having a missionary spirit and conviction aided greatly in the adaptation process. Perhaps this experience will be helpful in the future when other challenges and difficulties arise that require the same adaptation. Dear confreres, let us not be afraid of challenges. This is not a missionary attitude. It is not a CICM attitude either.

In addition to the Covid-19 pandemic, Europe is facing another crisis. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe has realized that the dream of permanent peace in its midst is a pipe dream. What a horror in Ukraine! Thousands of dead and wounded on both sides! No call for peace has been heard. What is the role of the churches that claim to be Christian? Religion should unite and build rather than divide and destroy. What is the future of ecumenism?

During this time of war in Ukraine, we see conflicting reactions in Europe. On the one hand, the European Union responds by sending arms, supposedly “to protect itself,” while on the other hand, it expresses deep support for the Ukrainian people. Large sums of money have suddenly become available for humanitarian aid and the refugee reception. As a result of the European Union’s stance, some question why there is such strong solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a refusal to accept Syrian and other refugees.

All can work together to build

a more peaceful world,

starting from the hearts of individuals

and relationships in the family,

then within society and with the environment,

and all the way up

to relationships between peoples

and nations.

Pope Francis, Message for the celebration

of the 55th World Day of Peace. January 1, 2022

Experiencing Hardship

Earlier this year, my cousin was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctors told him he only had six months to a year to live, depending on the tumor’s development and the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

When I visited him, I was struck by how calmly he and his wife deal with this painful reality. I congratulated them and inquired how they were dealing with this unfortunate experience. After looking at himself and his wife, my cousin said, “Would getting angry, rebelling, or letting go change anything?” It wouldn’t make me live any longer, let alone better. But we both have to deal with these trying times. It is each other’s support and encouragement that allows us to succeed. We are married not only for the good times but also for the bad.”

I was pensive when I got home. I was mostly thinking about the difficult situations that many confreres face from time to time. I also reflected on my interactions with confreres who had received devastating health news. I also considered how I would react in such a situation.

How about the CICM? Are we truly brothers or confreres? Are we capable of supporting one another in the spirit of Cor Unum et Anima Una when we encounter difficulties? Our Cor Unum et Anima Una is more than a slogan to be printed on T-shirts; it is a mission to live.

In View of the 16th General Chapter

The theme of the Provincial Assembly of the CICM Province of LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean), in which I participated, was: The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord (Jn 20:20). This theme was very well reflected in the Assembly’s logo. And it gives me great pleasure to see how many young and not-so-young confreres working in the Province’s various countries are joyful missionaries. While they are realistic and aware of the challenges in each country, they also recognize that a permanent conversion is required for each member of the LAC Province.

I would like to close with a few words about the memos in view of the preparation for the 16th Chapter. I have heard some comments and remarks about the three memos that the General Government sent to all CICM Provinces to help prepare for the 16th General Chapter.

“The memos are very Ad Intra oriented,” was one of the comments. We don’t see much about our “core business,” namely our mission. What should be the missionary presence today and in today’s world? “Indeed, these questions are not explicitly asked in the three memos. However, I believe that these memos should be read in light of the theme of our 16th General Chapter, which is "Witnessing to the Gospel in a Changing World." The term ‘witnessing’ is important to me. It is the key to understanding all three memos.

Modern man listens

more willingly to witnesses

than to teachers,

and if he does listen to teachers,

it is because they are witnesses

Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, no. 41

We are all convinced, and we say with great conviction, that the testimony of life is the most important aspect of our lives and missionary work. I am also completely convinced of this.

Indeed, questions like ‘What missionary work?’ and ‘Where?’ are important questions. But, if we lack the necessary missionary dispositions, if we are not faithful to our missionary and religious lives, if we live a double life, what witness can we give wherever we are?

Instead, we must dare ask ourselves: Is evangelizing in a CICM spirit still our joy? Are we here to serve the mission, or is the mission at our service? Are we, as CICM, ready to be reconciled on many levels of life? What kind of missionary witness is provided by two confreres who live in the same community but never speak to each other? Are we prepared to live and commit in an intercultural context while witnessing the universality of salvation? What are our criteria when we are consulted in view of appointments within our Province?

I am convinced that spiritual renewal is also required for this. Beautiful structures and large sums of money are insufficient. In our Congregation, there are considerable Ad Intra challenges.

To be honest, it is excruciating to see that personal ambition, personal enrichment, power, and influence are sometimes more important than our corporate commitments to the mission and greater congregational solidarity for some confreres. Our three religious vows risk losing all of their religious significance.

During the Province of LAC’s Provincial Assembly, a young confrere asked me, somewhat unexpectedly, if I still had hope for the Congregation’s future. Certainly! Why should I have any doubts? However, the Congregation’s future will be determined not only by the Superiors at all levels of the

Congregation but also by each of us. Regardless of our shortcomings, each of us has a responsibility. Beautiful structures and finances are secondary considerations.

I wish you all the best in your missionary endeavors. Please pray for the success of our Congregation’s upcoming General Chapter. We are all participants. Cor Unum et Anima Una.

by Adorable Castillo, cicm 
Vicar General  

This prayer of the late Bishop Desmond Tutu that figured in the Acts of the 15th General Chapter is intended to inspire CICM confreres to continue dreaming and hoping for a mission that is pioneering, daring, and creative. Our Constitutions say that the General Chapter is held regularly “to renew the apostolic thrust of the Institute and encourage its members to be faithful to their religious missionary vocation” (Art. 110). Allow me to contribute my two cents’ worth to this ongoing reflection as we prepare the 16th General Chapter and renew our commitment to the worldwide mission of the Church.

Authentic missionary renewal presupposes a conversion, both personal and communal. As in the case of prominent biblical characters, conversion happens in many different ways, at times bizarrely, concomitant with unexpected happenings.

Jonah was called by Yahweh to preach conversion to the Ninevites, but he continuously refused and deliberately ran away. Shipwrecked and thrown into the sea, he was eventually swallowed by a whale and made a reluctant missionary inside its belly.

The frustrated, exhausted and fear-stricken Elijah was fed by ravens and a widow. And in the mountain of Horeb, the Lord appeared to him not in the strong winds, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but in a sound of sheer silence.

Simon, the seasoned fisherman from Capharnaum, was awed by a miraculous catch and became a disciple of Jesus. And later, the proverbial cock crow reminded him (also known as “Peter the denier”) of his great sin but also of God’s great mercy.

Saul of Tarsus was a zealous Pharisee, a fanatic defender of the Torah, and an avowed persecutor of Christians. Along the way to Damascus, he suddenly fell down and a flash of light struck him blind. It was indeed a conversion experience to reckon with for it changed the course of Christianity’s history.

Bizarre happenings coupled with natural and cosmic occurrences such as flashes of lightning, miraculous catch, cock’s crow, and turbulent storms are occasions of disturbance, dissonance, and rupture that play a crucial role in any conversion experience. May this prayer lead us to conversion.

Disturb us, O Lord,

when we are too pleased with ourselves,

when our dreams have come true

because we have dreamed too little,

when we arrived safely

because we sailed too close to the shore.

At a recent occasion of the profession of perpetual vows, I addressed this message to the confreres concerned: “Does this perpetual profession mean having the inviolable rights and privileges enjoyed by all perpetually professed members of CICM? Does it mean perpetual “entitlement”? Not at all. Rather, it means perpetual service to the people of God and long-lasting commitment to the mission entrusted to us by the Lord.” Are we too pleased with ourselves when we have finally made it to the final vows and been ordained to the orders of deacon and presbyter? Have our dreams come true when we finally enjoy the inviolable rights and privileges of a perpetually professed CICM and acquired the honor and dignity of an ordained minister? Have we arrived safely, “sailing too close to the shore,” when we prefer to dwell only in our comfortable and familiar surroundings?

In Evangelii Gaudium (#20), Pope Francis exhorts us “to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the ‘peripheries’ in need of the light of the Gospel.” Our comfort zone is not just our familiar and cozy environment. It also includes being stuck with non-updated theologies, outdated missionary methods, and old “habits of the heart.”¹  We are challenged “to move from maintenance mode to a new missionary paradigm.”²  With meager resources at his disposal, Théophile Verbist dreamt “big”. He dreamt about a mission in China. He died after only 27 months in one of the most difficult missions in the hinterlands of China, without seeing the fruits of his labor. After 160 years of our existence as a missionary congregation, let us do a reality check. Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Redemptoris Missio (#33), identifies 3 missionary situations: (1) where the Gospel is not yet known, (2) young churches that need pastoral care, and (3) “post-Christian situation,” particularly in Europe. Needless to say, more than 80 percent of our active missionary personnel are located in situation no. 2. While we do pastoral work in many local churches in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, we are barely present in situations no. 1 and no. 3. Today, the clear and present challenge for our Congregation is to move from situation no. 2 to situations no. 1 and no. 3.

Disturb us, O Lord,

when with the abundance of things we possess,

we have lost our thirst for the waters of life.

We have ceased to dream of eternity

and in our efforts to build a new earth,

we have allowed vision of the new Heaven to grow dim.

According to a recent issue of Forbes magazine, “a record number of billionaires, about one new one every 17 hours, have been created during the Covid-19 pandemic.”³  Billionaires are created in good and bad times. While 6 million people have already died and still many more millions have been suffering since the outbreak of Covid-19, particularly in many developing countries, billionaires are actually doing well during the pandemic. Our own investment portfolio has registered record high returns. “It was indeed a fantastic year.” This positive result will more or less assure us sustenance for ourselves and for our mission work for the next few years to come. While we rejoice and congratulate our investment managers for a job well done, shouldn’t we think more of sharing our resources generously and working closely with those who have been severely affected by this present pandemic?

One of the great lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic is the “globalization of solidarity”. We may not be “infected but we are all affected”. We found ourselves belonging to one species called Homo sapiens. As Homo sapiens, we are the most successful among the primate species because of our brain. However, we are also the most dangerous because as a species we are capable of murder, and even much worse, of planning genocide.⁴ Likewise, we are capable of destroying our own natural environment. Our intelligence turns out to be “our weakness.” It is the source of violence, manipulation, and self-destruction. Conversely, as a species we survive more successfully than the dinosaurs, not because of our “bigger brain” but because of our bigger “heart”. Matthew Fox⁵ once argued that the “original blessing” is “more original” than “original sin.” Human beings are “blessed” from the very beginning, because contrary to the tenet: “the survival of the fittest,”⁶ we are endowed with a “bigger heart” to care for the weakest and the most vulnerable. That is what the Bible (and the Qur’an, for that matter) teaches–to love one’s neighbor. Human beings are capable of self-giving and self-sacrifice. That is the kind of morality that allowed the fledgling community of the disciples of Jesus to survive and flourish as a community of believers amidst the domination of pagan Rome.

Two thousand years ago, Christianity was a tiny, insignificant Jewish sect on the fringes of the Roman empire. Several waves of epidemic were recorded during the heyday of the Roman empire. Thousands, possibly even millions, died of unknown infectious diseases. According to sociologist Rodney Stark⁷, many Christians also died but a considerable number survived during the epidemic. While many ran away and went to a safer haven, the Christians remained in the city, took care of the sick and buried the dead, and showed much compassion and solidarity to survivors. To say the least, survival is the by-product of the Christian values of self-sacrifice and self-negation. A good number of Christians who took care of the sick acquired a certain immunity from the disease and eventually survived. In hindsight, we can conclude that Christians survived not because they were strong, healthy, and fit; but because they cared for one another.

In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, we should be “disturbed” by both the “fantastic result” of our “gains” and the “enormous loss” of lives and economic opportunities of millions of human beings worldwide. Our missionary Institute began when the Founder embarked to found a “new Heaven and a new Earth” in the far-flung mission in China despite financial constraints and meager resources. Let us be reminded of a passage in the Acts of the 15th General Chapter:

What they lacked in financial resources, they made up for with their faith and enthusiasm. Verbist, in his letter of October 20, 1867, wrote that: “our spiritual resources must exceed by far our physical ones.” The example of Verbist and the first missionaries in China reminds us that it is precisely when we are weak, small, with limited resources that we all witness to God’s power when we do mission.⁸

The 15th General Chapter explicitly states that “the loss of pioneering spirit is a major obstacle to start something new.”⁹ Taking a cue from André De Bleeker, it is not too late to recapture our pioneering spirit:

What we need now is for CICMs to undertake what few are willing to do-to be pioneers. Pioneers abandon the status quo and create a “new normal”. Pioneers have a fire in their hearts that drives them to share the Good News in challenging and difficult situations... Our memory replays our past, but our imagination pre-plays our future. Our pioneers have energized the imaginations of thousands of confreres. May our imaginations inspire confreres to undertake pioneering work once more in this century.¹⁰

Let the memories of CICM pioneers “replay” our past. After the Founder and four companions ventured into Inner Mongolia, four confreres led by Albert Gueluy left for the mission of the Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC]) in 1888. They covered huge distances using the available means of transport through treacherous rivers, thick forests, and inhospitable terrain to preach the Gospel to the indigenous people of Central Africa. Nine CICM confreres led by Peter Dierickx landed in the Philippines in 1907 and opted to go to a vast territory in the mountainous region of Northern Luzon to preach the Gospel to the non-evangelized tribes of the Cordilleras. A good number of Dutch CICM pioneered missionary work among the Torajas in Indonesia. Jerry Galloway dedicated his whole life and his medical expertise to serving the indigenous people in the forests of Mai Ndombe, DRC. For a good number of years, CICM confreres have worked closely with the marginalized people in the United States such as the Afro-Americans, the First Americans, and Hispanic migrants. The confreres in Brazil ventured into the territories of the indigenous people in the Amazon region. In 1992, three CICM missionaries founded the Catholic mission in the vast territory of Mongolia from scratch. In Guatemala, confreres have been engaged in the missionary apostolate among the native population in Cobán and elsewhere. In Belgium, a CICM multicultural community has been doing missionary apostolate in an urban area of Deurne, Antwerp. The district of Indonesia has recently started a pastoral ministry among the indigenous people in Kalimantan. The present General Government unanimously decided to start a new missionary venture in Malawi. The first four CICM missionaries arrived there in the last quarter of 2020.

Let our imagination “pre-play” our future. Are we ready to take up the cudgels for the sake of the Batwas and other indigenous tribes in DRC? Are we prepared to work among the Dumagats of Sierra Madre, the Aetas of Central Luzon, or the Lumads in Mindanao? Are we daring enough to accept the challenge of the Prelate of Marawi (in RP) to once again involve ourselves in Muslim-Christian dialogue? Are we willing to “pitch our tent” among the secularized people in Europe? Are we bold enough to again respond to the call of Pope Francis to go to the peripheries of the Amazon in South America? Are we capable of putting into good use the new information technologies and social media for evangelization? Are we present in the new Areopagus¹¹, the cultural spaces in the post-Christian and post-secularized world that need to be permeated by the Gospel?

Perhaps, the disturbance, the rupture, and the dissonance that are made manifest in our day-to-day existence may lead us to conversion. May the Spirit of the Lord guide us in our efforts to become faithful witnesses of the Gospel in the changing world.

______________

  1 The phrase “habits of the heart”, popularized by Robert Bellah, is borrowed from Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. It simply means the sum of ideas, opinions, and notions that shape our mental habits.

  2 Acts of the 15th General Chapter, p. 14.

  3 “The magazine’s 35th annual list of the world’s wealthiest hit an unprecedented 2,755 billionaires, 660 more than a year ago, worth a total of US$13.1 trillion, up from US$8 trillion on the 2020 list. Another 63 women became billionaires, totaling 328. As a group, the women on the list are worth US$1.5 trillion, a nearly 60 percent increase over the past year.” ( www.dw.com › en › forbes-a-new-billionaire-every-17hours.)

  4 See Jared Diamond, The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee (Sta. Fe, NM: Radius, 1991).

  5 See Matthew Fox, The Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality (Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1983).

  6 It was originally coined by Herbert Spencer in 1864 after reading Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.

  7 See Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries (San Francisco, CA: Harper, 1997).

  8 Acts of the 15th General Chapter, p. 33.

  9 Ibid., p. 13.

10 “Pioneering Spirit in CICM: Brief History and Future Perspective,” unpublished paper delivered on November 6, 2018, in the meeting of the General Committee on Mission, p. 7.

11 See Redemptoris Missio, no. 37.

by Charles Phukuta, cicm 
Superior General  

The Convocation of the General Chapter

A few months ago, I sent a letter to all confreres introducing the theme and the process to prepare our coming 16th General Chapter. This General Chapter will be held in Rome, Italy, at the Centro Ad Gentes from June 4 to 30, 2023. In this month of February, the letter convoking the 16th General Chapter was sent out to all the Major Superiors of the Congregation. However, the preparation and the celebration of the Chapter is not a concern for them alone. We are all urged to be involved and to contribute to its success. But what is a General Chapter? Why is it so important? How is it connected to the whole Church, and what does it have to do with you? 

The Practice of Holding General Chapters in Religious Congregations

Holding general chapters in religious congregations is a long-standing and originally monastic practice. It can be traced back to the sixth century when St Benedict gathered the monks in his monastery each week to read and consider a chapter of the Benedictine Rule. Benedict held to the importance of each monk’s opinion being heard. The room where they met became known as the chapter room, and the gatherings themselves were called chapters. As the number of Benedictine monasteries increased, it became customary for representatives of the different monasteries to meet together for similar reading and discussion. By the early 13th century, church authorities declared that gathering representatives to review their lives was mandatory for all religious congregations.

In later centuries, attendance at general chapters became limited to those holding leadership positions, and it was only after the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) that the style and outcome of general chapters changed significantly. In recent times, it is customary for all the members of a congregation to be involved in the preparation stages of the chapter. They have the right to send wishes and suggestions for consideration by the chapter. As one friend told me, a general chapter is like a big family meeting or a papal conclave without the white smoke. It consists of a series of meetings where representatives of a whole religious community discuss the central aspects of their way of life and make important decisions. 

The General Chapter in Our Constitutions

Article 110 of our Constitutions states: “The General Chapter seeks to renew the apostolic thrust of the Institute and to encourage its members to be faithful to their religious missionary vocation.” Our present life and mission should be animated by the power of the Holy Spirit; animated by the same ardor with which our predecessors let themselves be imbued by the original inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Without this missionary ardor and capacity for renewal, the Congregation would be unfaithful to its mission.

Accordingly, on the occasion of our 16th General Chapter, we are urged to reawaken our specific charism and take up our path with courage.1 Our Constitutions specify the framework to arrive at this goal. The General Chapter evaluates the state of the Institute. It makes an effort to recognize the missionary needs of the world (see). Considering the state of the Congregation, the Chapter makes an effort to recognize the missionary needs of the world and the concrete demands these needs impose on the Institute (judge). The General Chapter will also have the task of formulating proper guidelines and making the necessary decisions (act) based on the outcome of our discernment process.²

Thus, the whole Congregation confronts itself with the Word of God and the demands of the Gospel, our missionary goal and the challenges of the world, the expectations of the people of our time, and the aspirations of our confreres. Two attitudes are crucial in this process: availability and collaboration to bring to fruition the promptings and the projects of the Spirit.

Many of us could easily be tempted to say, “the Chapter is not my problem; it’s the concern of the Provincials and the delegates.”  However, the preparation and the success of the Chapter are not a matter for them alone. Each confrere is to be involved and to contribute to its success. The participation of all the confreres in the preparation makes the Chapter representative of the entire membership of the Congregation (Const., Art. 109).

Our Constitutions and other documents describe who we are, our mission, and how to fulfill it. However, our lived experience is not always in harmony with the ideals of our documents. Therefore, the General Chapter does not have to spend itself on analyzing our CICM vision. It must question itself based on the facts of our lived experience. In addition to essential topics such as Initial Formation, Finances, and Religious Leadership, we sent you three memos focused on some situations that merit particular attention: Spirituality and Mission, Reconciliation as a Gift from God and a Missionary Task, and Interculturality as Witnessing. Our reflection on those situations led the participants to the special meeting of the General Government to choose the theme of Witnessing to the Gospel in a Changing World for our 16th General Chapter.

The 16th General Chapter as a Spiritual Event

As I said at the beginning of this reflection and in my convocation letter, the 16th General Chapter is a spiritual event. Therefore, the first action to be activated is that of prayer: gathered around Mary, in prayer, attentive to the voice of the Spirit (Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4). Let us allow ourselves to be inspired by the attitude of our Patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary: trust, fraternal solidarity, and an open mind will help us attain the goal of the General Chapter: “to renew the apostolic thrust of the Institute and to encourage its members to be faithful to their religious missionary vocation” (Const., Art. 110).

The 16th General Chapter is for us a time of rekindling the fire of the original CICM charism and sincere search for God’s will for the future of our CICM mission. So, in our preparation, we should reflect honestly on how we are living out aspects of our charism, as well as our CICM spirituality and mission; how we make known God’s merciful love to our brothers and sisters to whom we are sent. In other words, the General Chapter is a time to ask ourselves: what does God ask of us CICM at this moment in the Church? What do God’s people ask of us, CICM, today? Who are the poor today? What does evangelization mean in the Church today?

As we prepare for the General Chapter, may we continue to witness to the Gospel by the integrity of our faith and the holiness of our life. As we seek the mind and heart of God, we humbly pray, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that our Chapter may be a profound work of the Holy Spirit and be life-changing for each one of us. 

_________________

1 Redemptoris Missio, # 66

2 CICM, Constitutions. General Directory, Roma, 1988, Art. 110.

by Silvester ASA, cicm 
General Councilor  

“Moral Imagination” has been employed in the worlds of peacebuilding and community organizing since 2005. John-Paul Lederach, a world-renowned authority on peacebuilding, defines moral imagination as the “capacity to imagine something rooted in the challenges of the real world yet capable of giving birth to that which does not yet exist.”¹ According to Lederach, an innate ability to weave a web of inclusive relationships is critical to realizing peace in a peaceful realm.²  He furthermore contends that moral imagination reveals itself in boldness and creative fidelity, which contribute significantly to the success of the peacebuilding and change processes.³  Moral imagination is also an artistry of networking and collaboration combined with optimism, patience, courage, creative fidelity, and risk-taking. Surprisingly, as an artistry, moral imagination permits serendipity to play a key part.⁴

Moral imagination is essential in establishing and maintaining peace. But, in our quest for more constructive community living, I believe we may benefit from Lederach’s marvelous work and appropriate moral imagination. One might reasonably wonder how this relates to CICM community life. To answer this topic, I propose that we look at the terms internationality and multiculturality, which have been commonly used in our everyday language for decades. The fact that we came from many nationalities and cultural groupings demonstrates that we are international and multicultural. This is stated explicitly in Article 1 of the CICM Constitutions, which states that “the Congregation is an international religious missionary Institute.” In 2010, the CICM General Government (GG) published a document titled “Guidelines for Multicultural Living in CICM,” which it hoped would become “a tool that will help all the confreres (to) live better this gift of multicultural character in our dear Congregation.”⁵  Furthermore, the 15th CICM General Chapter referred to “our universal and multicultural brotherhood” as an efficient way of vocation animation.⁶  In addition, while assigning formators to Initial Formation Communities, the current GG takes into account internationality and multiculturality. 

Internationality and multiculturality have undoubtedly become a part of our everyday life. However, the same may be true of every other place on earth. When you enter an airport like Chicago’s O’Hare, you are surrounded by international and multicultural people. Indeed, we cannot rule out the prospect of an intimate encounter taking place in such a public setting. However, without wishing to pass judgment on anyone, we might estimate that contact among people in such a space is likely to be superficial. For example, you can have a cup of cappuccino at a Starbucks at O’Hare International Airport without having to consider if the coffee beans are fair trade. The love symbol, on the other hand, is prominently visible on the surface of your cappuccino. You also do not have time to wonder if the person pouring you such a rich coffee is a Lakota or a Latin American, European, or Asian immigrant who happens to live on Chicago’s South Side, or “a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother.”⁷

But, if you do ask yourself these questions about the social location of the individuals you meet and they lead you to a whole new way of understanding reality and inspire you to behave with empathy and compassion, you may have just crossed the threshold of interculturality owing to your moral imagination. One may be living in an international and multicultural environment where everyone is striving for peaceful coexistence and conflict avoidance at all costs. Internationality and multiculturality are, after all, realities that may be taken for granted. However, in an ideal-typical intercultural setting, everyone strives to “enter a mutually enriching and challenging relationship of understanding, acceptance, and care–to the point of sharing worlds of meaning in the deepest sense–with a person of a culture different from one’s own.”⁸  Therefore, we would leave our comfort zones in intercultural living to celebrate our diversity and uniqueness and be challenged and enriched by our encounters with holy different others.

“But, if you do ask yourself these questions
about the social location of the individuals you meet
and they lead you to a whole new way
of understanding reality and inspire you
to behave with empathy and compassion,
you may have just crossed the threshold
of interculturality owing to your moral imagination.”

The story of Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24,13-35 exemplifies moral imagination in its purest form. The two despondent disciples could have just ignored the apparently curious stranger and returned to their mundane lives. However, they opted to engage fully with the stranger and let moral imagination take its course. Because of their providential encounter with a stranger on the way, Cleopas and his companion finally understood everything correctly. Whatever the case may be, the truth is undeniably apparent. Our meeting with a stranger, as well as our readiness to use our moral imagination, can help us (re) discover our true calling and deepen our relationship with the risen Lord. The outcome of such an encounter is what is so unique about it. Cleopas and his companion were re-energized by their encounter with the Stranger, who turned out to be none other than the risen Lord, and they rushed back to Jerusalem exuberantly to tell others about it.

CIFA receives the visit of two General Councilors in November 2021 (Cameroon)

Like Cleopas and his companion before their encounter with the resurrected Lord, some of us may get tired of hearing about internationality and multiculturality. But I believe many more are like Cleopas and his companion after their encounter with the risen Lord. Many of us continue to be grateful for our Congregation’s international and multicultural nature despite our flaws. This is only the beginning of the intercultural journey. The open-ended invitation remains for us to let our moral imagination flow freely and let our encounters, with the holy different others, challenge and enrich us mutually. When this time comes, I hope you have just finished your coffee at O’Hare and left a hefty tip for the person who served you. For Christmas pasalubong to your community, don’t forget a pack of andouillette or a bottle of Johnny Walker of any label. Rejoice, for when you get home, your choice of mosselen-friet or Argentinian beef served with Moutarde de Dijon or couscous and okra, complete with bangus and piri-piri sambal, will be waiting for you. 

--------------------------------------

1 John Paul Lederach, The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace (Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005), p. 29.

2  I am appropriating Eric Law’s terminology, ‘Peaceful Realm.’ Eric H.F. Law, The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb: A Spirituality for Leadership in a Multicultural Community (St. Louis: Missouri, Chalice Press, 1993), p.3.

3 Lederach, The Moral Imagination, p. 5.

4 Lederach, The Moral Imagination, p. 19.

5 CICM, Guidelines for Multicultural Living in CICM (Roma, 2010), p. 3.

6 CICM, Acts of the 15th General Chapter (Roma, 2017), p. 5.

7 Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb,” Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem, ’The Hill We Climb’ – Harvard Gazette

8  Stephen B. Bevans and Roger P. Schroeder, SVD., Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2011), p. 72.

by Jean-Gracia ETIENNE, cicm 
General Councilor  

The title chosen for our reflection is in line with the preparation of our 16th General Chapter, which will be held in Rome in June 2023. “Witnessing to the Gospel in a Changing World” is the chosen theme for this Chapter. “Spirituality and Mission” was chosen as one of three themes to inspire our reflections in the following months at the extended General Government (GG) meeting in July 2021. As religious missionaries of the CICM, let us meditate on this theme together.

Who are we? What is our Common Mission in Today’s World? What are the Demands that this Mission Places on Each of Us?

According to the confreres who wrote the Commentary on Chapter I of the CICM Constitutions, this chapter describes the Congregation’s essential characteristics. In this chapter, the elements that define the identity of CICM are described: missionary and religious vocation, tasks, and spirituality. The data that identify the Congregation and situate it in the Church and the significant difficulties that its members encounter and seek to answer as CICM religious missionaries are provided in Articles 1 and 2 of our Constitutions that introduce this chapter. Finally, Article 2 of our Constitutions provides the choices that define the CICM Congregation and the essential attitudes that each member should embody throughout their lives. Thus this article is regarded as the Congregation’s missionary manifesto.¹ Is this, however, clear to all members of the Institute? Do they all live it in the same way?

Historical Tension between the two Dimensions of our Vocation: Missionary and Religious

In the course of the Institute’s history, some members have perceived themselves to be more missionary than religious in carrying out their mission. Some have openly affirmed this. Others have demonstrated this through their daily lifestyle. General Chapters and Superiors General have made efforts to encourage all members of the Institute to obey the rules of our Constitutions. We can recall what the 13th General Chapter said regarding this topic recently. In fact, after observing some members of the Institute failure to practice their religious missionary life, the Chapter stated:

We define ourselves as religious missionaries. Yet, for many of us, the missionary aspect of our life seems to prevail over its religious dimension. At best, there is a tension. If worst comes to worst, we tend to choose one over the other. Should we choose between the two? The Chapter states that it is not a matter of choice at all. We are missionaries and religious. Religious life with its obligations is our concrete way as CICM to collaborate in the Church’s mission. Missionary commitment and religious consecration are meant to enrich each other and not to oppose each other. Both should be integrated harmoniously on the level of the individual and the community.²

Therefore, the Institute’s members were encouraged by the 13th General Chapter to improve their religious lives in order to deepen their missionary spirituality.

Observation of the Extended GG Meeting as a Preparation for the 16th General Chapter of 2023

The GG organized a meeting in Nemi, Italy, from July 19 to 24, 2021, as part of the preparations for the Institute’s 16th General Chapter. As consultants, four more confreres attended the meeting. Participants in small groups discussed the Institute’s recent past (15-20 years), current realities, and dreams for the next 15-20 years at the start of the meeting. In addition, participants considered Initial and Ongoing Formation, Leadership, and Finances in their reflections. The purpose of these exercises was to identify significant changes and transformations in the CICM mission and to discern the orientations to be given to the next General Chapter to respond more efficiently to the challenges of the present and the future.

The participants identified some beneficial outcomes that the Congregation has been able to achieve in the last 20 years to better participate in Missio Dei, thanks to the orientations of the General Chapters, the publication of important documents, the restructuring, and the commitment of the Institute members in various fields of the mission among other things. The members of the Congregation generally do their best to accomplish their mission, either Ad extra or Ad intra. As a result, in their mission fields, concerns about members’ lack of missionary zeal are uncommon.  However, we must continue to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ with renewed vigor. For, as St. John Paul II emphasized: “Proclamation is the permanent priority of mission. The Church cannot elude Christ’s explicit mandate, nor deprive men and women of the ‘Good News’ about their being loved and saved by God.”³

However, while reflecting on what needs to be changed and what has been lacking in the everyday lives of Institute members, it was noted that there was a lack of intense spiritual life, faithfulness to religious vows, and reconciliation among the members, among other things. Following this observation, the participants in the extended GG meeting felt compelled to return to the fundamentals of religious life: fidelity to vows, prayer, contemplation, reconciliation, and community life. This observation, among other challenges, inspired the theme for the next General Chapter:

Witnessing to the Gospel in a Changing World. In this context, witness entails proclamation, lifestyle, and presence because, in many cases, this

is the only way to be a missionary.4  It is also in this perspective that His Holiness Pope Paul VI declared: “It is therefore primarily by her conduct and by her life that the Church will evangelize the world, in other words, by her living witness of fidelity to the Lord Jesus – the witness of poverty and detachment, of freedom in the face of the powers of this world, in short, the witness of sanctity.”⁵

Since we have chosen to talk about spirituality, it seems necessary to us to define it.

What does Christian Spirituality Mean in the Catholic Context?

We choose to believe that the proper feature of spirituality is its historical incarnation, which leads us to call or define it as a tangible and visible form that every Christian offers to the action that God in Christ performs in him through the Holy Spirit. Spirituality is thus more practical; it is concerned with the experience that the Christian expresses and embodies in the unique religious sociocultural context that defines a person’s daily home. Thus, spirituality can be defined as a historical way of understanding and living the Gospel message, according to the faith and life of the Church, or as a style of living the Gospel in a given situation.⁶

More broadly, it might be regarded as a reformulation and rearrangement of key aspects of Christian life in light of “today,” concrete realities in which we must live, and concrete services we are called to provide.⁷  Furthermore, spirituality refers to the various ways of living specific to the stage of life or the religious family in which one is called to perform the Sequela Christi; it also asks us to speak of the spirituality of individual people, owing to the idea of uniqueness.⁸

Some Elements of CICM Spirituality

We limit ourselves to recalling the approach of the 14th General Chapter of the Institute on this question. In fact, in attempting to assess the quality of the personal and community religious life of the members of the Institute, the 14th General Chapter inquired: “Has our religious missionary life improved over the past few years?” The Chapter Capitulants contemplated the theme of CICM missionary spirituality in order to respond to this question. This spirituality was described as the “lifestyle of a person who is committed to live as authentically as possible all the consequences of discipleship of Jesus and membership in CICM every moment of his life and in all his relationships.”⁹

Second, the Chapter explains that the CICM missionary spirituality includes five pillars, which are based on articles 1 and 2 of our Constitutions, namely

1. dedicated to the Incarnate Word under the title and patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary…

 2. Sent to the nations to announce the Good News…

 3. Through the consecrated life…

 4. By being men of prayer and…

 5. In a Fraternal Communion.¹⁰

Furthermore, the Chapter acknowledges and appreciates the efforts of each confrere to sustain an ongoing personal relationship with the Lord in their daily life. It also stressed the members of the Institute’s perception of their identity as religious missionaries and encouraged them to keep their vows.¹¹ This is a whole life program that each of the Congregation’s members is called to integrate into their daily lives.

Some New Elements that Were Added to these Five Pillars of CICM Missionary Spirituality by the 15th General Chapter

The 15th General Chapter sought to examine, among other things, the charism of the Institute with a renewed vision while allowing itself to be inspired and strengthened by the missionary works of our Founder and his first companions. Thus, the Capitulants decided that “rootedness in the missionary tradition of the Church and in the original charism of our Founder, a renewed audacity and evangelical creativity, and a daring and optimistic vision of the future – will determine our missionary presence in the years to come.”¹²  However, this Chapter recognized that many obstacles hinder the process of the Institute’s members realizing their missionary goals. Furthermore, it acknowledged that one of these impediments is an exaggerated concern for the Institute’s members’ survival, work, and activities.¹³

For this reason, the Chapter expressed its desire to foster a positive attitude among Institute members in the coming years, encouraging them to see themselves favorably and be proud and grateful to God for becoming CICM missionaries.

Putting Christian, Religious, and Congregational Spirituality into Practice

We would like to emphasize the need to daily put Christian spirituality at the service of the charism of our Institute and our mission by quoting canon 673 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law: “The apostolate of all religious consists primarily in the witness of their consecrated life, which they are bound to foster through prayer and penance.” We take note of the Supreme Legislator’s link between our apostolic actions and living witness. As previously stated, we must continue to seek out and help our brothers and sisters. Meanwhile, we engage in the Church’s apostolates, focusing on the witness of our lives, which are nourished by prayer and penance. The image of a journey of building illustrates the dynamic of growth in each of our spiritual lives as we work toward full self-realization. Growth takes on the meaning of work, fatigue, and constant exercise as a journey and a building, accomplished by each in radical devotion to his being a new creation in Christ.¹⁴

For greater effectiveness and sustainability of this ongoing struggle, we must help each other in this process because canon 602 of the 1983 Code tells us that the fraternal life proper to each Institute unites all the members into, as it were, a special family in Christ. It is to be so defined that for all it proves of mutual assistance to fulfill their vocation. The fraternal union of the members, rooted and based in charity, is to be an example of universal reconciliation in Christ.

Therefore, each of the community’s members will challenge the model of a society that does not provide justice to all of its members and prevents openness to God in the name of his or her religious and community vision. In this context, our religious superiors have a vital role in their communities to foster a conducive environment for each member’s religious, human, and social development.

Furthermore, without wishing to enumerate and examine the various qualities required for the exercise of leadership in this specific context, we believe it is important to recall the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life’s luminous words in its Instruction on the service of authority and obedience:

Persons called to exercise authority must know that they will be able to do so only if they first undertake the pilgrimage that leads to seeking the will of God with intensity and righteousness [...] Persons in authority must act in such a way that the brothers or the sisters can perceive that when they give a command, they are doing so only to obey God.¹⁵

In the end, the only way to develop trustworthy relationships within our religious communities under the guidance of a Superior who sincerely aspires to serve humbly is to be open to God, others, and the future.

Finally, we must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us at all times so that we can boldly and bravely carry out our vocation and mission in the Church and in the world, which is full of challenges. In other words, regardless of our calling or mission, we can accomplish nothing without Christ. As with the vine and the branches, we must always remain connected to Him.

Let us put our complete trust in the Holy Trinity at all times and in all places. We should not be discouraged by the problems we shall face along the journey. Instead, we must renew our commitment to the Church of Christ’s spiritual and apostolic gifts. On the road to a more prosperous and brighter future!  

___________________

1 Cf. CICM Constitutions. Commentary, Chapter I: Our Institute, second edition, Rome, 2007, p. 5

2 Acts of the 13th CICM General Chapter, Rome 2005, p. 14.

3 Encyclical letter Redemptoris Missio, #44

4 Cf. Stephen B. Bevans & Roger P. Schroeder, Constants in context. A Theology of Mission for Today, p. 353. Orbis Books, Maryknoll, 2004.

5 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, #41.

6 Cf. Carlo Laudazi, L’uomo chiamato all’unione con Dio in Cristo. Temi fondamentali di teologia spirituale, Teresianum OCD, Roma, 2013, p. 9.

7 Cf.C. Garcia, Corrientes actuales de espiritualidad, p. 7. Cité par Carlo Laudazi, L’uomo chiamato all’unione con Dio in Cristo. Temi fondamentali di teologia spirituale, p. 9.

8 Cf. Carlo Laudazi, Op. cit. p. 9.

9 William Wyndaele, quoted in the Acts of the 14th CICM General Chapter, Rome 2011, p. 8.

10 Acts of the 14th CICM General Chapter, p. 8.

11 Cf. Ibid., pp. 9–10.

12 CICM, Acts of the 15th General Chapter, Rome 2017, p. 13.

13 Ibid., pp. 11 and13.

14 Cf. Carlo Laudazi, Op. cit., p. 17.

15 Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, “The Service of Authority and Obedience. Faciem tuam, Domine, requiram. Instruction” in https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20080511_autorita-obbedienza_en.html, (october 4, 2021)

by Jozef MATTON, cicm 
General Councilor  

There have been consultations for either the appointment of Provincial Superiors or Provincial Councilors in all of the Provinces during the last few months. Some of the Provinces will still have consultations for the appointment of their Provincial Councilors at the end of the year.

We all know that these are not elections. In this regard, articles 91 to 93 of our Constitutions are clear. Consultations are a way to have all the confreres participate more actively in the life and governance of their Province.

Each confrere has the opportunity to explain to the General Government how he perceives his Province’s situation: who can lead the Province or collaborate in its governance as Provincial Superior or as a Councilor and why. Many of the confreres who participate in the consultations do so in this spirit.

Fallowing the appointments, a member of the General Government summarizes the contributions recorded on the consultation ballots of the confreres who took part in the consultations in that Province. He then submits it to the new Provincial Government as a working tool during their term of office.

Many confreres point out the location of the Province’s lights. They also indicate the shadows, the challenges, and the concerns. Finally, they note what the Provincial and his Council must address during their term in office!

Nevertheless, I am curious how many confreres consider what they can do to help solve or improve situations that they have identified. Sometimes, one gets the impression that the Province is only the business of the Superior Provincial and his Council.

Indeed, the Superior Provincial and his Council bear responsibility because the confreres have their trust in them by proposing them as possible leaders. However, the confrere’s responsibility should not be confined advising others!

Some Examples

• During consultations, several confreres express concern about

the temptation, if not the risk of depending on or favoring the confreres of certain nationalities. Is it only the responsibility of the Superior Provincial and his Councilors to make efforts to improve fraternity in an entity or a Province? Who is to blame for this predicament? The Superior Provincial? This scenario is promoted or even created by the confreres who are members of that District or Province. What criteria were used to recommend this or that confrere for Superior Provincial or Councilor? Is it because of his characteristics? Is it because he is a good friend of mine, or because we get along?

Articles 48 and following, under the common title “In Fraternal

Communion,” are clear! Art 50.1 explicitly states:

Each one helps to create a climate of mutual respect and trust in which we can share our experiences with one another. We will truly be brothers, particularly toward those experiencing difficulties.

Many beautiful texts and recommendations for fraternal life in our Provinces and Congregation can be found in the Guidelines for Multicultural Life in CICM. It is beneficial to read them and, more importantly, to put them into practice in our everyday lives. And this is not only the responsibility of the Superiors and their Councils.

Tsimba Ngoma Edouard, the former Superior General, in the introduction to the Guidelines for Multicultural Life in CICM that were published in 2010, wrote:

Many of our General Chapters have discussed the topic of internationality. The 13th General Chapter of 2005 affirmed that “our multicultural character has become an integral element in the identity of CICM. Confreres should receive this gift, value it, and make every effort to integrate themselves into this reality of the Congregation”. The present document will be, I hope, a tool that will help all the confreres to live better this gift of multicultural character in our dear Congregation.

• A few Provinces are experiencing financial difficulties. And many times, we have read in the comments on consultation bulletins that the Superior Provincial and his Council must handle this problem and do everything possible to improve management. They must even take strict measures against confreres in the event of fraud or other forms of cheating.

Has the confrere who wrote this thought about how he manages money and how is his lifestyle? Has he considered whether he is overly demanding? What has he done to counsel a confrere when he notices that he is not living up to the requirements of religious life?

Perhaps, our formation in religious life does not prepare us enough to manage the assets of a community, a Province, or an Institute responsibly. A Treasurer is assigned to each level of an Institute, and his primary function is to manage material goods. However, this does not imply that he is solely accountable for the financial well-being of a given entity.

The General Guidelines for Financial Administration contain an entire chapter entitled Co-responsibility in the Administration of Goods and in Our Financial Policy.

In No. 15, we read the following about co-responsibility in financial matters:

Co-responsibility in the administration of goods and in financial policy goes hand in hand with subsidiarity. We must realize that we are all co-responsible for the financial support of the Institute and its works, so that each of us can feel upheld by his confreres. This presupposes a responsible attitude of each one with regard to the task entrusted to him personally, to his community, his Province or Autonomous District, and to the Institute as a whole. It also presupposes that all be concerned about carrying out our common options in an ever-better way.

I could give other examples since life, and indeed religious life, has many sides.

Being a religious missionary in the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is not a solitary game for one’s interest or profit. It is instead a collective commitment to announce the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, let us not put the burdens on the shoulders of others and take the benefits as our own.

All Together Responsible

When we profess our religious vows, we are saying, in one way or another, that we commit ourselves to live a life shaped by the requirements of religious life in the Congregation. Religious life is therefore lived not as a solitary life but at the service of the common mission entrusted to the Institute in view of the realization of the Kingdom of God. And by accepting the vows, the Institute commits itself to work together with this confrere so that he can live in fidelity to his missionary-religious commitment. Thus, we are responsible for one another in view of a common mission.

I have written this before in another article: We are here for the mission, not the mission for us. (Cf. Chronica, No.5, September 2019, p. 201.)

On the occasion of the first profession or the renewal of vows, we can read beautiful texts expressing the will to live the requirements of religious life and the mission. However, unfortunately, the reality shows things to be quite different.

We have beautiful texts. Many of our Documents are truly unique and serve as references and models for many other Institutes.

If we were willing to live in depth our common commitment as missionaries and religious as our Documents speak of, we would avoid many of our problems and difficulties in our communities, our Provinces, and our Congregation. Cor Unum Et Anima Una. 

“The choice of our leaders follows a discernment process that can be improved and become more participative. The provisions of the Constitutions (Art. 91) and the General Directory (Art. 91.1) remain the basis of our discernment. It should never be equated with a democratic election where membership of a group of interests would take precedence over the human and spiritual qualities of the confreres we propose for leadership.”

Acts of the 15th General Chapter, p. 18