the curia informs - Passio Christi

THE CURIA INFORMS
MEETING OF THE GENERAL CURIA
WITH THE REGIONAL COORDINATORS
FOR RESTRUCTURING
The Superior General, Fr. Ottaviano D’Egidio
and the General Curia met with the Regional
Coordinators for Restructuring from 5 to 7 May,
2008 in the “Santa Cruz” Passionist Retreat House of
the SANG Province in Las Presas (Cantabria), Spain.
Those present were: Fr. Ottaviano D’Egidio,
Superior General, Consultors Frs. Denis Travers,
Clemente Barrón,
Luis Alberto Cano,
and Luigi
Vaninetti.
R e g i o n a l
Coordinators: Frs.
Eulogio Cordero
Martínez (CII),
Leone Masnata
(CIPI), Michael
Ogweno Yogo
(CPA), Nicholas
Postlethwaite
(NECP), Joseph
Jones, (IPCM), -
Jack Douglas, C.P.
(PAUL) secretary-,
Joachim Rego
(PASPAC),
Ramiro Ruiz, C.P.,
Secretary General;
Marco Pasquali,
C.P. and Dennys Cruz, C.P. (CORI) interpreters. Also
present were the moderators of the next General
Synod: Sister Christine Anderson and Mr. James
Urquhart.
Fr. General began the meeting by welcoming those
present and then briefly stated the goal of this meeting:
Determine how the Synod should be oriented; be
convinced that the road already traveled in this
process of Restructuring by means of study as well
as decision-making allow us to more clearly envision
the goal toward which we are moving; and
state that the moderators of the next Synod will
assist us in furthering this process and that by reading
the responses to the proposed plans we may be
better able to understand and to plan for the future.
James Urquhart, who will be the moderator of the
Synod, has invited us to study the development of the
proposed plans. He was able to study 21 of the 40 plans
that were presented to the General Curia.
He reminded those present that the work of the
coordinators has been important and that now it is our
Fr. Eulogio Cordero Martínez (SANG)
responsibility to study and understand what has
taken place as well as review the results that were
submitted, the possible strategies and where this
process is heading. Furthermore, they were asked to
consider that the cultural experiences embodied in
diverse contexts will help us to think as a congregation,
to assume an international mentality and to strengthen
the same. By
working together
we will be able to
achieve the goal of
this process, i.e.
mutual interdependence
and
common planning
for the sake of our
Life and Mission.
He referred to the
work that has
already been
undertaken by the
Coordinators
which has been
done and described
in these reports. It
is important for all
Members of the General Curia and the Regional Coordinators of us to understand
this process, how it
has been designed
and how it has developed, and to briefly report on what
has taken place: how the process began and how it is
proceeding.
Several difficulties were cited such as the various
languages, the scarcity and aging of the religious;
financial difficulties in some areas; in other areas, the
diminution of the number of religious; and the lack of
vocations. Some questions were raised: How should
we proceed with these processes How is the
Congregation envisioned What kind of Congregation
do we want Those present also tried to discern at
what level we are currently situated in order to be able
to know what decisions or plans will need to be
addressed at the Synod. Additional questions and concerns
were raised in order to explore, analyze and better
clarify what yet needs to be done and planned.
During the discussion several points were made that
were already raised within the Conferences: some
spoke about the amalgamation of the provinces within
a region; of the relationship with others in order to better
understand the process; a clarification between
8
July 2008 - PIB n. 17