A meeting of the Superiors General of Missionary Societies of Apostolic Life (MISAL) called by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples (CEP) was held at the Pontifical Urban College in Rome from 15 to 17 November 2007. Fifteen Societies of Pontifical Rights and six of Diocesan Rights participated in this meeting.
The Mill Hill Missionaries were represented by the General Superior, Fr Anthony Chantry MHM and the Secretary General, Fr Ivan Fang MHM. The theme of the meeting was “Mutual Relationship CEP – MISAL: Partners in Mission”. The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to evaluate and appreciate the historical, juridical and pastoral relationship that exists between MISAL and CEP as effective partners in the one and the same mission of Jesus Christ. It also provided the opportunity to think about the ways and means to strengthen this historical bond for enhancing our common missionary commitment in this new millennium.
On Thursday 15 November, the meeting started with a welcome address by His Eminence Ivan Cardinal Dias, the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. Each society representative was then given some time (five minutes) to make a short presentation on various aspects of his society. Time for clarifications was given.
Before lunch, Fr. Padhraic O’Loughlin, Procurator General of the Society of St. Columba gave some input on the topic, outlining the origin and the purpose of the regular Continental and Intercontinental meetings of the exclusively Missionary Societies of Apostolic Life held over the past years.
After lunch, the meeting continued with the participants working in four groups (two in English, one in French and one in Spanish).
On Friday, 16 November, the meeting started with the presentation from each of the six societies of diocesan right. This was followed after coffee with the audience with the Holy Father at the Vatican. By 11.30 a.m. all the participants were seated in the Clementi Hall of the Papal Apartments where the Pope receives all the foreign dignitaries and head of states, awaiting the Pope’s arrival which was scheduled at 12.30 p.m.
At 12.30 p.m. the Pope entered and Cardinal Ivan Dias proceeded to give his address.
Then the Pope addressed those present in English.
“Your assembly, - the Pope said in his address - which brings together the Superiors of the fifteen Missionary Societies of pontifical right and the six of diocesan right, bears eloquent witness to the continuing vitality of the missionary impulse in the Church and the spirit of communion uniting your members and their manifold activities to the Successor of Peter and his universal apostolic ministry. Your meeting is also a concrete sign of the historic relationship between the various Missionary Societies of Apostolic Life and the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. In these days you have sought to examine new ways of consolidating and strengthening this privileged relationship.”
The Pope then observed “One of the promising indications of a renewal in the Church’s missionary consciousness in recent decades has been the growing desire of many lay men and women, whether single or married, to cooperate generously in the missio ad gentes. As the Council stressed, the work of evangelisation is a fundamental duty incumbent upon the whole People of God... While some Missionary Societies have had a long history of close collaboration with lay men and women, others have only more recently developed forms of lay association with their apostolate. Given the extent and the importance of the contribution made by these associates to the work of the various Societies, the proper forms of their cooperation should naturally be governed by specific statutes and clear directives respectful of each institute’s proper canonical identity.”
Benedict XVI expressed his gratitude to the participants and to all the members of the different Societies of Apostolic Life for their efforts: “Today, as in the past, missionaries continue to leave their families and homes, often at great sacrifice, for the sole purpose of proclaiming the Good News of Christ and serving him in their brothers and sisters. Many of them, also in our time, have heroically confirmed their preaching by the shedding of their blood, and contributed to establishing the Church in distant lands.” Although the changed circumstances of today have led in many cases to a decrease in the number of young people who are attracted to missionary societies, and a consequent decline in missionary outreach, as Pope John Paul II said many times, “the mission ad gentes is still only beginning, and the Lord is summoning us, all of us, to be committed wholeheartedly to its service” the Holy Father underlined, urging them to, follow faithfully in the footsteps of their founders, and to stir into flame the charisms and apostolic zeal which inherited from them, “confident that Christ will continue to work with you and to confirm your preaching with signs of his presence and power ”.
Click here for the full version of the Pope’s address.
After his address, the Pope imparted his papal blessing on those gathered and an opportunity was given to each person present to personally greet the Pope.
After lunch back at the Pontifical Urban College, the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, His Excellency the Most Rev. Robert Sarah spoke on the main topic with particular emphasis on expectations, concerns, observations and suggestions from the part of the Congregation. He reminded the participants that the primary responsibility for the missionary activities of the Church belongs to CEP and undisputedly mentioned the selfless and unconditional cooperation and collaboration of innumerable missionaries, members of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life without which the results so far accomplished would not have been possible. While commending the efforts of the Missionary Societies for the “missio ad gentes”, he reminded all present of their responsibility to preserve the missionary patrimony of their respective society and to keep it operative and fruitful, genuinely adapting it to the changed circumstances and times.
In his address, Archbishop Sarah also shared the concerns of many of the Societies viz. the lack of new vocations and the increasing number of aging members and the many challenges that this situation has brought about. The responses of some of the Societies to these challenges should be respected but he went on to remind the participants that whatever their responses might be, the primary responsibility of mission still lie with the Church and therefore all missionaries, lay or otherwise, must collaborate with the hierarchy and work under their respective bishop so as not to cause undue scandal. A clear demarcation of lay and clerical members must be observed at all times so as to avoid confusion. Likewise, missionaries must be clear in their purpose when engaged in developmental and social work. Above all, missionaries must embrace a life of sanctity as the most effective means of evangelisation and Archbishop Sarah drew particular attention to the formation programmes which must be grounded in a solid spirituality. Finally, he reminded the Superior Generals of their responsibility to ensure that their members adhere to the teachings of the Church Magisterium so that full ecclesial communion is protected, promoted and defended by all concerned.
After the address, the participants had an opportunity to discuss in groups their reactions and concerns which arose from the talk.
On Saturday, 17 November, the last day of the meeting, a Closing Mass was celebrated in the Chapel of the College at 9.00 a.m.
Cardinal Dias was the presider, assisted by Archbishop Sarah and Fr Jairo Guzman, IEMY, the President of MISAL. In his homily, Cardinal Dias used the analogy of the computer and its vulnerability to describe the relationship of MISAL and CEP. The computer, though versatile, is still reliant on its connectivity to the mains for power. This meeting was such an occasion. He warned the participants of two main viruses to look out for: theological unorthodoxy and moral decadence among missionary members, and suggested that the only remedy was to remain true to the Church Magisterium.
After the Mass, at the Plenary Session, the secretaries from each group were able to convey their group’s responses.
The meeting ended with the usual word of thanks especially to Fr. Joseph Koonamparampil, an official of CEP who had been instrumental in the arrangements and logistics of the meeting.
Click here for a Report on the Meeting by Piet Horsten M.Afr
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