30 January 2008
L 02 / 2008
During our planning sessions in January 2008, we reviewed the visitations of the provinces, regions, and missions in AFRAM. In this letter we would like to share with you some of our reflections on the visitations. Above all we would like to share with you our joy over a new era in AFRAM, an era marked by the “coming of age” and growing self-confidence of our communities and missionary service in the zone. Our membership in the zone, especially our indigenous membership, continues to grow, and this has allowed us in the last six years to take up new initiatives in Chad and South Africa, as well as continue to take on new responsibilities in the other countries, regions, and provinces where we work. Soon the Togo/Benin Region will become a province, and Zimbabwe an independent mission. We believe that your growing self-confidence was reflected in the decisions taken at the special zonal assembly held in 2006 in preparation for the 16th General Chapter to not ask the Chapter to renew the Society’s priority for AFRAM and to propose a resolution on the attainment of self-reliance by all of our provinces and regions. Above all, we note and give thanks to God for the continuing expansion of formation programs in the zone and the consequent increasing number of African members serving in the zone as well as in our provinces and regions throughout the world.
It is in light of our awareness of this new era in AFRAM that we share with you our reflections on the social and ecclesial situation in which we carry out our missionary service in AFRAM and then highlight some areas of our religious community life that are meant to enhance our missionary service, the theme of the recent General Chapter. While we are aware that there are vast differences in the situation of societies, local churches, and our own communities across the continent, we have tried to pick up some elements that seem to be common throughout the zone, so that this letter might serve as a complement to the individual visitation protocols and an aid in reflection on our missionary life and service in the context of this new era on a zonal level.
As a subtheme for this letter, we have chosen a passage from the First Letter of John that we used as the opening meditation for our recent planning sessions: “We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete” (1 John 1:3). We share with you what we have seen and heard during the recent visitations, as we also recall that all of our missionary life and service is a sharing of what we have seen and heard, the Divine Word, so that we might all be in fellowship with God and with all peoples, and that our joy may be complete.
1.1. In many ways, the new era in AFRAM is a reflection of the dawning of a new era in the societies of the continent. The Lineamenta for the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops lists some of these positive developments: “the advent of peace in some African countries; the burning desire for peace throughout the continent,…; growing opposition to corruption; a deep consciousness of the need to promote African women and the dignity of every human person; the involvement of the laity in ‘civil life’ for the promotion and defense of ‘human rights’; and the ever-growing number of African politicians who are aware and determined to find African solutions to African problems” (7).
1.2. However, problems persist: “the infant mortality rate continues to grow; … the constant deterioration of revenues persists in some of the poorest countries of Africa; access to potable water is still very difficult for many; … the great majority of African people live in a state of want for basic goods and services” (8). Some of the countries where we work are now enjoying peace after years of civil war, but still suffer the effects of the physical and spiritual destruction of war. Some countries are enjoying considerable economic development, but that development and growing prosperity often has no effect on the lives of those most in need of it. All of the countries of Africa are experiencing a rapid urbanization, with both the positive effects of greater opportunity for individual advancement as well as the negative aspects of the breakdown of families and traditional social ties, the depopulation of the countryside and overcrowding in towns and cities, unemployment and squalor. Despite a growing sense of belonging to a nation and stability in many of the States on the continent, tribalism continues to be a problem in African politics, and, tragically, in the lives of people who have sometimes lived side-by-side for decades.
1.3. This situation renews us in our commitment to the missionary service of prophetic dialogue: to witness to what we have seen and heard, to witness to the Reign of God where all are called to equal fellowship, with the attitude of solidarity with all (especially those who suffer the effects of war, lingering tribalism, and the negative consequences of current social developments), with respect for each individual and the positive aspects of traditional culture (such as the emphasis on relationships, conversation, hospitality, and celebration) and with a love that embraces all and challenges all to take responsibility for their own lives as well as for their societies and civil life.
1.4. Concretely we might ask: What aspects of poverty and the negative consequences of social change are we called to address in our missionary service today? How can we help to address corruption? What can we do to support families? How can we help young people to dream and work towards a better society? How can we help people recover self-esteem by rediscovering their positive cultural values? How can we help awaken a sense of duty and obligation towards others? We are invited to spend time and energy in exploring answers to these questions during community meetings and assemblies, in order to enhance our contribution to the people of Africa, especially through the perspective of prophetic dialogue with the poor and marginalized, with cultures and religions.
2.1. The new era in AFRAM is also a reflection of developments within the local churches of Africa. For example, the Lineamenta lists these developments: “the remarkable increase in Africa of the number of Catholics, priests and consecrated persons; the growing number of African missionaries in Africa and outside the continent … ; the vitality of African liturgies and living ecclesial communities; the creation and restructuring of dioceses and ecclesiastical territories; the growing role of the Church in promoting the continent’s development, especially in education, health, the struggle for the emergence of legally constituted States throughout the African continent; and, lastly, despite her weaknesses, the great credibility which the Church continues to enjoy among the African peoples” (6).
2.2. On the other hand, one negative aspect of the local churches seems to be a strong and growing clericalism. This is especially disturbing when we consider that the church has been able to grow in Africa largely through the dedicated efforts of lay catechists.
2.3. In our conversations with bishops, with parish councils, and with others during the recent visitation, it seems clear that the local churches in Africa are asking us particularly to share our characteristic dimensions and our internationality. We are known especially for our work with the biblical apostolate and mission animation, but the situation of the local churches in Africa also seems to be calling us to share more our characteristic dimensions of JPIC and communication: to work with the churches in their struggles against corruption, environmental destruction, and tribalism. The multiethnic situation of the societies and the churches where we work also challenge us to witness to the diversity and openness of the Reign of God through an authentic internationality: a true appreciation of the different gifts that we bring to the community through our cultural heritages, as well as an awareness of, and ability to learn and teach others about, the different cultural signals that so often lead to misunderstanding, and even rejection.
2.4. One further contribution we are called upon to make to the local churches today is to help them to become self-reliant. Our constitutions proclaim that, “as members of the Society of the Divine Word, we consider it our duty to proclaim the word of God to all, to bring new communities into being within the people of God, to foster their growth and to promote communion among them as well as with the whole church” (c. 102). An essential part of bringing new communities into being and fostering their growth is to help them to support themselves. While solidarity, the sharing of resources with those in need because of emergency situations or particularly important projects, is an important part of the communion between churches that we seek to foster, the new era of the local churches in Africa must entail the ability of the churches to support their normal livelihood and structural growth on their own. Our mission theory for some time already has pointed out the problems of using money from abroad to build structures that cannot be maintained by the local community, and we are more and more aware that the best contribution we can make to the local churches is not building big new structures but rather promoting lay formation and a common responsibility for mission in the local church.
2.5. The financial situation of the Society has also now made it imperative that we take to heart the conversion called for by the 16th General Chapter: “Living prophetic dialogue in regard to finances implies a really fundamental change of mentality. We need to leave behind the stereotype of the missionary as a ‘giver-of-things’ and to live as partners with the people, staying and working with them, listening to their voices and worries, not being afraid to be powerless and vulnerable” (IDW6, 75).
3.1. The recent General Chapter reminds us that our religious community life, the way that we live prophetic dialogue, is itself part of our missionary service. From the visitations we would like to offer the following reflections as a means to enhance this part of our witness in AFRAM.
3.2. Mission
Spirituality
In our missionary service we share with others what we have seen and heard, the
Divine Word. But in order to speak the Word of God in prophetic dialogue, we
must first see, hear, experience it ourselves, through our meditation and
community prayers, through bible sharing and the sharing of our experience of
God in spiritual direction, through a life lived in solidarity with the people
and our listening in dialogue, through the social and ecclesial situations in
which we live. We are called—individually, as a community, and with the people
with whom we work—to see and hear God’s word today, to discern from the present
concrete situation in which we live how God is active in our lives today.
3.3. Community in
Service of Mission
As mentioned above, especially the internationality of our communities is seen
as a positive contribution to the societies and local churches where we work.
However, we need to ask ourselves whether our internationality isn’t sometimes
little more than mere tolerance, rather than a real appreciation, even
celebration, of diversity. International living cannot be left to good
intentions, but must be worked at, including the use of input and training in
recognizing cultural signals and in the dynamics of cross-cultural
communication. Such courses or workshops should be a part of our initial
formation, as well as part of the introduction of new missionaries and other
forms of ongoing formation for all of us. In the increasingly individualistic
societies that are a consequence of urbanization, our communities are also
called to be witnesses to traditional values of family, relationship,
conversation, and hospitality. Despite the demands of our various apostolates,
the call to witness to these values invites us to make participation in
community functions—meals, prayers, community meetings, celebrations—our
priority.
3.4. Leadership
in Service of Mission
To a large extent, the quality of our community life depends on those called to
the service of leadership. Our leaders are called to sacrifice their time and
their own projects in order to care for our communities: to foster a spirit of
brotherhood and commitment to our missionary service, to enhance collaboration
through the preparation of fruitful community meetings and the promotion of
dialogue, to see to the good stewardship of our common resources. In this they
are called to be witnesses to the kind of political and ecclesial leadership
needed in the societies and local churches where we work.
3.5. Finances as
Commitment to Mission
The push to attain self-reliance is one indication of the new era in AFRAM and a
positive contribution that we are called upon to make to the local churches in
Africa today. As mentioned above, it involves a fundamental change in mentality
regarding the way that we conduct our missionary service. We must be careful not
to rely too much on investments or income generating activities; these can be
part of the solution towards financial self-reliance of our communities, but
they must be undertaken with prudence and in consultation with those who have
the expertise in this area that we do not have. Rather than placing our trust in
the security that these kinds of investments seem to promise—a security that has
all too often proven to be false—we are called to trust in the generosity of the
people with whom we work, and above all to trust that God will provide what we
really need for our missionary service.
3.6 Effective witness against corruption also calls us to be accountable and transparent in all our financial dealings, and to live the simple life style called for by our vow of poverty. The General Chapter stresses that, “all of our confreres must have some training in administration and accounting” (IDW6, 79). We need to make this a part of both our initial and ongoing formation in order to practice good stewardship, as well as enhance financial accountability and transparency.
3.7. Formation in
Service of Mission
We witness to each other as much as we witness to those we encounter in our
missionary service. Our own personal commitment to lifelong “growth by the power
of the Holy Spirit into unity with the Incarnate Word of the Father and into a
missionary community comprising members from many countries and cultures” (c
501) is the most effective witness that we can give to each other, especially to
our younger confreres in initial formation. It is for this reason that the 16th
General Chapter reminds us that, “formation is a concern for all provinces, and
it is an obligation for all confreres and communities. The overall situation of
the mission and the community life of a province should contribute to a climate
that is favorable for formation” (IDW6, 89). The flourishing of our formation
programs in AFRAM, and the perceived need to open new programs, is another sign
of the new era in AFRAM for which we give thanks. But it also calls us all to
recommit ourselves to the formation of our younger confreres through the
authenticity of our religious community life in service of mission.
3.8. Throughout the zone we noticed a great interest in pursuing higher studies. While the interest in further education is indeed commendable, we should remember the distinction between advanced studies and ongoing formation. Advanced studies are undertaken to prepare a confrere for a specific specialized task, and this should be weighed against the real needs of the province and the Society. In contrast, all confreres are encouraged to participate in the Nemi renewal course and periodic local workshops or short courses as part of our ongoing formation. Here we are invited especially to make use of programs offered by the local churches and associations of religious, to the extent that these can help us in our mission in the provinces, regions, and missions in the zone.
We invite you to make use of this letter for reflection together in our communities and formation houses, in conjunction with a similar letter written after the visitations six years ago. We feel that many of the suggestions made there are still valid, and thus worth considering again. Once more we give thanks for what we have been privileged to see and hear during the recent visitations in the provinces, regions, and missions of AFRAM, to what is being accomplished through the grace of God and the power of the Spirit in ushering in a new era for the peoples and local churches of Africa, as well as for our SVD communities in the AFRAM zone. In this spirit of gratitude, let us recommit ourselves to discerning how best we can fulfill our call to missionary service in AFRAM today, and how we are called to live prophetic dialogue in our communities and with the people with whom we work.
Fraternally in the Divine Word,
|
Antonio M.
Pernia, SVD |
Emmanuel Kofi
Fianu, SVD |