Tuesday, October 2, 2012

SOCIALISATION OF THE 17TH GENERAL CHAPTER REGIO SVD TIMOR LESTE(4)

 
FROM EVERY NATION, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE;
SHARING INTERCULTURAL LIFE AND MISSION

Four Mission Priorities of the SVD Region Timor Leste Based On The XVII General Chapter
After a long discussion, thus the following points were decided as the four mission priorities in Timor Leste region for the period of three years.
1. Primary and New Evangelization
2. Family and Youth
3. Migration

4. Education and Research

 (The full report of the action and plan is available in a separate document. Here are the matters being raised in the discussion)

The socialization of the chapter was closed with a recollection
I.  Primary and New Evangelization
     Need to add the timeline in the action-plan table.
     The correct term is Adagium, not adigium
   Having many strategies being presented means that every parish or community may choose one from the strategies which are proposed.

II. Family and Youth 
1. A question was raised in regard to who will be responsible for the presented strategies, since there was no indication in the presented table. Response: we are responsible for the programmes and are supervised by the coordinator of the Family commission. Post meriages is corrected to Post–marriages 
2.What is our response to the increasing number of divorced families nowadays, which are excluded in the programme presented by the group? Response:  The group thinks that within three years, it would not be sufficient to address all of the problems in a comprehensive way, but we will try to accompany other families with their problems as much as possible. This responsibility belong to all of us, not only the responsibility of the Family commission. 
3. Need a further explanation of the term post-marriages. Single mother needs to be included in the strategy? A family visitation is a good pastoral activity. In the visitation we should not make preferences. The term post-marriage means a continued mentoring to the couples who have been married.
4.Need a relevant and integral preparation for married couples. This is called a short term programme, but we also need a long term programme. For instance: a girl who just got first menstruation is forced by her parents to marry even though she is not ready for a marriage. Is it possible to offer a preparatory course for young girls and boys? This point has been included in the first part of the presentation.

III. Migration: 
1. The word counselling was mentioned in your presentation. This word is very crucial; it is a life and death matter. We, SVDs, do not have the competency to undertake counselling; only the experts can do that. Response: our main aim is not to resolve their problems. We only can mentor them. Thus, the usage of the word counselling is understood in that process.
2.  Fr Ferdy agrees to form the special commission of migration in the Region as was suggested by the group. Fr regional takes the issue into consideration.
3. Fr Gaby: the focus of your strategies and objectives are about migration in Timor Leste. I would like to suggest that we also should pay attention to the migration of East Timorese in other countries. The forum takes the call. Therefore, the elected coordinator of migration needs to build up the network with other SVDs who are involved in the issue where there are East Timorese migrants.
4. The confreres who are involved in the ministry of migration should provide accurate data on the figures of migrants in Timor Leste. Response: Fr Allan will provide the data of the Filipino migrants and Fr Urbanus will provide data of the Indonesian migrants.  
5. Our concept of migration: what do we mean by migration; those who have married and lived in East Timor or does it include people who come only for a short time to East Timor? Response: the term migration means every individual from another country who comes to East Timor. In other word, it includes all who are not East Timorese citizens.
6. According to the experience of the confreres who have been working with the migrants, how many people have received our ministry, whether the number of migrants increase or decrease? Response: it is not important to count the number of people who have received our services. Our continued involvement is more important. The challenge is that we do not have detention centre to accommodate migrants. Let us be realistic to begin with the small things or group of people.

IV. Education 
1.Need an explanation of the term SMA in the presentation. Response: the target of our education is not only a formal education (SMA) but also non-formal education such us vocational trainings.
2. Building a new school? Where would be the right place for building an SVD school?  The first option is Macadiki, because the land is a property of SVD. The other option is to build it on our property in Oequsi, or at our new place in Batugade. No decision has been made because we do not have the budget yet to build a school. Fr regional asked all the confreres to certificate the land in Makadiki and (others)?
3. Information from Fr regional that Collegio Maliana will be handed over symbolically to the diocese on September 2013. The term and condition of symbolic handover are to be clarified.
4. Information from Fr Simon that a new school-house is given to SVD in Uatucarbau. The suggestion was declined because of the obscurity of ownership of the school.

AD INTRA: SHARING INTERCULTURAL LIFE

1. Spirituality
Spirituality is an integral part of our being as missionary bothers and priests. We are called to live a Trinitarian and incarnated spirituality. To fulfil this, we are encouraged to undertake spiritual activities such as: retreat, intercultural recollections, etc. In this regard, the coordinator of the commission of spirituality needs to get more information on related issues from the AJS centre in Steyl.

2. Community
Intercultural communities insist our response and attention. Our Timor Leste Region is an example of an intercultural community because we come from various countries. We are reminded to continue to live in the spirit of intercultural in our communities. Sometimes we encounter problems with confreres in the community. We are required to be able to resolve such problems in a brotherly spirit. An intercultural community is a community which cherishes and respects differences which occur at all levels. How do we live an intercultural community? We will have a workshop to enhance our understanding on the theme. In an intercultural community, we are called to exercise an interpersonal communication, conflict management, and correctio fraterna.

3.  Leadership
In the workshop, provincials/regionals need to provide materials on leadership. Every member is encouraged to take part on the workshop. Issues of ethnocentrism and ethnicism may be addressed in the context of leadership. A deeper reflection hopefully would help us to avoid the danger of ethnicism in the election of a leader.
4. Finance
Uncertainty will colour our finance in the future. This phenomenon forces us to be self-sufficient in the community life. Also, we are encouraged to live a simple life. Accountability and transparency are demanded in managing the finance. The generalate treasurer asked the provincials/regionals to supervise all of the financial expenses in the corresponding provinces/regions. Regarding the sick and elderly confreres: Generalate does not provide financial support for them. Each province/region needs to be creative to overcome the issue.

5. Formation
The formation team in the formation house needs to teach the candidates about intercultural life. Formation team prepares an intercultural programme in the formation house, such as the student exchange programme via OTP. The formators also prepare them through psyhco-social workshops so that they can understand better about themselves.
Brotherhood vocation: we are called to proclaim the brotherhood vocation to the people. Many people do not yet understand about the brotherhood vocation.

Region treasurer:  P. Paul Kerans, SVD
March project for SVD was granted. Many proposals was neglected by generalate. 
Finance expenses
Q: whether the money for each commission can be taken all at one times or depends on the need?
Treasurer: No problem to take the money. Do not forget to submit the receipt.
Fr Roby: Our finance is very limited.   Fr Roby suggested that it would be good if fr regional will keep the money and he, with the consent of his council, will decide money spending according the needs in our region. Response: a money expense depends on the aim written on the proposal.
Fr. Regional: According to the budget, regional has four thousands for the expense of the office affair and meetings. Information regarding: the legalize process of the land at Cristo Rei in progress but generalate does not agree to buy the land. How do we overcome the problem? Some days ago the regional sent an emergency letter asking money to buy the land. We also need a retired house which has to be closer to the hospital. Nevertheless, we should find another way to overcome the problem.
Fr Juje:  The allocation of money from generalate is for the commission of spirituality or family?
Regional: Family commission was formed after commission of spirituality. The money belongs to commission of spirituality.
Fr Kris: We should spend money according the item which was mentioned on the proposal. The generalate did not grant the budget with clear reasons
Fr Feliks: as formal provincial experienced when the generalate refused the proposal to buy a land. He asked regional and council to be wiser in spending the money. We have proposed the good programmes but we do not have money to support such programmes. It is the right time for us to find other ways earning money.
Fr Rikard: I am surprised indeed seeing the condition of our budget. However, without a big amount of money we are still alive. In the district of Viqueque, we allocate our pocket money to support the district’s life. I invited other districts to do the same thing.

Fr Regional:
A couple of weeks ago, regional with fr Lasarus, attended the meeting with the provincial of SVD Timor. The meeting aimed to allocate some funding for Timor leste Region according the number of the region’s members. The agreement which was made between the provincial and regional has been sent to Rome for approval. According the agreement, we will receive: $298.000. This mechanism needs to follow. We should be optimistic.
Fr. Ferdi: we should be optimistic. Do not lose our hope in the mission. We trust in God’s providence. In Maliana we do not receive money from diocese but we are able to manage our self.
Fr. Juje: just to affirm on the idea of self-sufficiency. Together we can do it.
Fr Ferdi: In regards to the transparency, as we are experiencing it now, where the treasurer showed the budget to all confreres, it is the first time in my life as an SVD. The shortage of money should encourage the economic team to work hard building up our economy.
Fr John: do not lose hope. Trust in God. Do not be anxious about our future. Our future belongs God. Our future is in God’s hand as written in the Bible.
 Fr. John T: we do not need to spend the money now because we are already in September. From our experience in the parish, the diocese funding can meet our daily needs.
Tresurer: if we do not spend the money, we can not make a report to Rome. The spending of the money is to be made according to the relatoriu, and the relatoriu will be sent back to Rome. If the district, for instance, does not use the money, it still belongs to the district. General asked us to be honest in spending our budget.
Fe Lasarus:  We come here to proclaim the Good News of the Lord. No matter, how much money we have, we should move on. Arnold Janssen said: money is always at the benefactors’ pockets.
September Proposal (2012)
September budget is an external requirement, that is, for the place/parish where we work and not for SVD. That is why, in the September budget, we only proposed type C and D budgets. All proposals have been sent to Rome. Please wait for the confirmation.
Contribution from the Confreres
More than half of the confreres have contributed to the congregation. The treasurer is still waiting for those who have not done so.
Visa payment
Visa payment is paid by region. But, the transports of the confrere is paid by the parish/community where he lives.
Surrounding issues
Region will not pay any money for a confrere who attends a meeting while he is on vacation.
Vacation
We should make a proposal when we decide to have a vacation every three years. Annual vacation is to be self-funded. For European confreres, the planning for their vacation needs to be made one year ahead of the actual vacation time. For Indonesian confreres, they may have a vacation for the period of one month, while non-Indonesian/Timorese confreres: two months. For those who have not taken any vacation this year, you still have a right for a three-week vacation. The one-in-three-years vacation will commence next year. (2013)
Bro Albert:  for German missionaries, their vacation is paid by German bishops.
Last Will:
Every confrere needs to state his last statement on the form provided.
Fr Andre: Information about insurance.
Treasurer:  Insurance is given only to some confreres. Every year we have to pay an annual amount of money for the insurance to the ministry of health. We do not have any insurance in Timor Leste. Some confreres got insurance from Timor province.
Fr Ferdy: I think, the last statement is important. (Kasmir Nema, SVD)

SOCIALISATION OF THE 17TH GENERAL CHAPTER REGIO SVD TIMOR LESTE (3)

 
FROM EVERY NATION, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE;
SHARING INTERCULTURAL LIFE AND MISSION

Presentation From the Congregational Leader of  SSpS
Fr Alan presented  the material at the socialisation
1. Mission is not only a task of one or two persons but of working together with many people.
2. As brothers and sisters, we should continue to work together in doing mission in the future.
3. Defending the role of women in the Church and in the public life of the society is one of the core missions which are seriously taken by SSpS.
4. SSpS is working with women who are living under oppression.
5. Commitment to work for the victims of and others who are affected by HIV/AIDS. It is important for us that we work without money but with God’s providence. We begin our work with compassion, because they also have capabilities to participate in doing mission.

Lay Representatives
           AFRAM-Ghana: Mrs Helen Koryo Dzikunu
    There is a centre called: FOS friends of SVD, which main programme is to pray for SVDs. They are also working together with SVD.
     The aim of the centre is to provide support for SVD’s missionary work.
     The majority of the members are women. 
ASPAC: Mr Tyrone R. Cimafranca - PHC
     They formed a group called: the XVD Association,
     Their activities are: fundraising to support SVD’s projects, and praying the rosary regularly.
     The perpetual Rosary Movement (PRM)
     The Lay society 
 PANAM: Mr Arturo Meneses – Mexico
     They formed a group called: Missionary Auxiliaries do Verbo Divino, which is a group based on theology.
         EUROPE: Sr. Markus Woettki - German
     They formed a group called GRUP: maz; Missionar in auf zeit.
     The motto of the group is: living with others – praying with others – working with others.

Pope’s visitation
The visitation was supposed to take place at the Vatican, but it took place in Nemi instead. Fr Superior General gave a copy of the general chapter’s materials to the Holy Father.

The Election of Superior General
The election process began with the superior general’s presentation about the criteria to be a superior general. Also, Fr Barlage shared his experience as the previous superior general. Thus, a free day was given to the capitulars prior to voting. After the election of the superior general, the council members were elected. Hence, the composition of the new generalate council is:
Superior General: P. Heinz Kuluke,SVD
Vice: Fr Robert Kisala, SVD
Members:
1.      Br. Guy Mazola, SVD
2.      Fr. Gregory Pinto, SVD
3.      Fr. Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD
4.      Fr. Arlindo Dias, SVD
5.      Fr. Jose Antunes, SVD

Question time:
Fr Domi: What message did Holy Father address to SVD on his visitation in Nemi?
Regional: The visitation in Nemi reminded himself of an important event many years ago, as a theologian attending the meeting to draft the document of Ad gentes, which was done under the leadership of SVD’s Fr superior general at that time. As a young theologian, Fr superior general at that time came to help to form the document. Moreover, he praised and thanked SVD for showing the spirit of internationality in its membership.
Fr. Stanis:  In the meeting of provincials/regionals in Dili, was there a relatorio about the mission in Indonesia and East Timor?
Fr. Regional: No special relatorio was made by provincials/regionals. Only fr Superior has the right to produce a relatorio. We still have the present relatorio which was published in 2002. Every confrere is encouraged to read it. That relatorio is a summary of report from the provincials/regionals.

Fr. Paul: what were the issues being discussed when the Indo-Leste Capitulars met the general treasurer?
Fr Regional: The  meeting was  made out of the chapter’s agenda. The aim of the meeting was to ask about the shortage of financial resources to the formation houses in Ledalero and the Novitiate in Kuwu-Flores-Manggarai. The response from general treasurer is: generalate does not have enough money to meet the financial shortage.
Fr Juje:  Is there any revision on the constitution and how are the zones progressing recently ?
Regional: No revision is made. It has been done in the previous general chapter. The progress made in each zone was presented earlier.
Fr Rikard:  Did the issues of primordialism and nationalism appear in the election of the superior general?
Regional: It seemed to be so. This is quite normal at the election of the superior general. The lobbying was moderately done.
Fr. John Suban: what was the impression of the capitulars about the present general chapter?
The general chapter this time is quite different from the previous ones. The process and the schedule were well organised. There was not much discussion on theology compared to that in previous general chapters. The discussion was focused on the action and planning. Moreover, all capitulars took part actively in each session. Among the reports, the least interesting one is the report by the commission of education and formation. Also, the general chapter at this time was unique in the way that we talked more about the practical realities. (Kasmir Nema, SVD)