autumn 2002 mission update newsletter - catholic mission association
Post on 30-May-2018
216 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 1/7
Mission Update Vol. 11, No. 3
Autumn 2002
U.S. Catholic Mission Association
MISSIONERS UNITE IN PRAYER
TOGETHER WE PRAY THAT WE MAYKNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND
RESPECT THE CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL
RICHES OF THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC
GROUPS AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
PRESENT IN EVERY COUNTRY. AT THIS
DAWN OF THE THIRD CHRISTIAN MIL-
LENNIUM WE HOPE THAT THE MISSION-
ARY IMPETUS OF THE FIRST PENTECOST
MAY BE RENEWED.
United States
Catholic Mission Association
Continued on Page 3
In This Issue
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples:
Meeting .................................................... Cover
From the USCMA Director; Report on Annual
Meetings: Association of Professors of Mission
& American Society of Missiology................. 2
Washington Coalitions’ Report....................... 3
SEDOS; Thank You, Sylvia Thompson!
.......................................................................... 4
PERIODIC PAPER : Pakistan and Afghanistan: A
Fragile Peace or a Precipice .....................Center
A Missioner’s Experience in Haiti ................. 5
Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern
Europe; Book Review..................................... 6
“The Bible in a Multicultural Context” - The
2002 World Mission Institute;
Resources......................................................... 7
2002 USCMA Annual Conference and
Meeting............................................................ 8
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples:Meeting with Superiors of Missionary Institutes
Helene O’Sullivan, MM
Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe, newly appointed
Prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples convoked the
meeting held from May 27 - June 1, 2002, in
Rome. It was the first of its kind to be
convoked by the Congregation. CardinalSepe, in his address to the participants, stated
that the purpose of the meeting was to have
an exchange of experiences among the
Institutes actively involved in mission and
to offer the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples indications as
to how to go about its task.
Among the 200 present were representatives from the large international
missionary institutes and a number of superiors from small diocesan
Congregations from different parts of the world. Although the
representatives from the diocesan Congregations were not directly involved
in cross-cultural mission, they have had extensive contact with missionersworking within their countries, and thus their presence gave a truer picture
of the universality of the Church.
The first day was devoted to reports from the Continents. The agenda
focused on Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. The participants
addressed the need to include Australia, Europe and North America, as all
continents and cultures are in need of evangelization.
Each of the presentations on the Continents began with highlights of the
present mission situation, followed by signs of hope and vitality, problems
and difficulties, and proposals to stimulate greater involvement in
evangelization. The presenters clearly recognized the significant
opportunity they had in being able to speak directly to the Cardinal andBishops from the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples who were
present throughout the meeting, as well as to the missioners from other
institutes. Their analyses were comprehensive and frank and focused on
possibilities for dealing with the issues.
Three major themes emerged from the reports: inter-religious dialogue,
inculturation, and new ways of doing mission as younger churches take
up their responsibility for mission. Although these themes/issues were
already being engaged by the institutes and the local Churches, the desire
to do so more broadly throughout the church and at a more profound and
creative level, was very clear.
Helene O’Sullivan, MM,
with participants at meeting
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 2/7
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 3/7
Mission Update Autumn 2002
U.S. Catholic Mission Association Page 3
Washington Coalitions’ Report
Jubilee USA Network
Jubilee continues to support legislation that
would increase debt relief to the poorest
countries. In April, companion bills were
introduced in the House and Senate that, i
passed, would provide deeper debt relie by cutting an additional $1 billion in deb
service. These bills, the Debt Relief
Enhancement Act 2002 (HR 4524 and
S 2210) had solid bipartisan support. In
early summer, the Senate version of the bil
was incorporated into S 2525, “The United
States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS
Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2002”
This bill unanimously passed the Senate on
July 12th with less binding language than
the original bill. Jubilee is urging its
members to lobby their Representatives for passage of the House bill in hopes o
attaining the needed debt relief.
Jubilee, in cooperation with the Religious
Working Group on the IMF and the
World Bank (RWG), 50 Years Is Enough
Network, Essential Action, Center fo
Economic Justice and others are organizing
events from September 25th - September
29th around the fall meetings of the IMF
and the World Bank. These events include
teach-ins, a film festival and a debate
featuring partners from the Global South
For the 26th the RWG prepared an Interfaith
Prayer Service. A candlelight vigil at the
US Treasury Department follows. On the
28th there will be a large mobilization, rally
and march.
Catholics for a Peaceful End to War and
Terrorism composed a first anniversary
letter, remembering the victims o
September 11th and reminding us that—in
the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.—
”Wars are poor chisels for crafting peacefutomorrows”.
Continued from Page 1
Africa
• Mission is done by Africans in a way that reflects their culture and
values: “A situation of weakness and the pure sharing of faith.” They are
in a difficult situation because they do not want to be financially dependent
on outside support and yet, people have grown accustomed to the services
that missioners have provided.
•Many Christians in Africa are joining the Charismatic and Pentecostal
Churches because they reflect the local culture and ethos. Need to look at
genuine in-depth inculturation. Islam can be both political and
proselytizing. This calls for a Christian presence that will be evangelizing
and will cultivate a spirituality of inter-religious dialogue.
• The AIDS crisis has meant that the relief of human suffering has taken
priority over pastoral care and evangelization. Some church personnel
feel that the people value the church only for its humanitarian efforts.
Asia Asia has 85 % of the world’s non-Christians. Mission will have to be
carried out by the Church as “the little flock” with the following characteristics:
• Powerlessness. Evangelization must be done from a position of
powerlessness and humility. Preach the Gospel from a position of solidaritywith the people. Be genuinely one with them in their condition of
oppression and poverty, discrimination and loss of identity, and suffering.
• Contemplation. In Asia, evangelization must not be marked so much
by frentic activity but by a contemplative presence among God’s people.
Lead people into the mystery of God through signs and symbols in
respectful dialogue. The missioner will give priority to being missionary
over doing missionary things.
• Stewardship. The approach of the missioner will be to share the faith
as a gift received from God through others, conscious of herself or himself
as merely its steward or servant, and never as its owner or master.
Latin America
• Martyrs and prophets continue to strengthen the faith of the people.
• Growing mission awareness.
• The importance of the Church’s involvement with indigenous peoples
and African-Latin American peoples was brought up in the Plenary
Sessison.
Oceania
• Missioners in Oceania are disheartened by the lack of international
support and interest in the problems facing the Pacific.
• Spiritual resources, such as access to spiritual direction, retreats, on-
going formation and workshops are insufficient due to the distance and
isolation of the islands.• The challenges facing the Church include: working towards an
ecumenism that will engage fundamentalist sects; inculturation, and a focus
on youth who are such a large part of the population.
The meeting concluded with many substantive suggestions which, when
implemented, would make a significant difference for local Churches and for
Institutes involved in mission. Another meeting between the Congregation for
the Evangelization of Peoples and Missionary Institutes (including lay mission
participation) is being planned for next year. This year’s participants were
requested to suggest the theme, time frame and format of the meeting.
Helene O’Sullivan, MM, is President of the Maryknoll Sisters. Gathering on the steps of the U.S. Capitol
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 4/7
Mission Update Autumn 2002
U.S. Catholic Mission Association Page 4
The Missionary Church in 2025!
Mission leaders journeyed to a mountain villa outside
of Rome for their annual spring gathering as members
of SEDOS, a center for documentation and research for
mission. These leaders gathered to renew their vision of
missionary church following the work done at their meetingin 2001. Their hope now was to move from dream to reality,
from vision to action—personally, congregationally, and at
intercongregational levels.
This movement was to be directed by deepening participants’
understanding and clarifying their mission in the Church of
the 21st century. Identifying consequences of this new
understanding would help to indicate appropriate methods
and praxis for mission.
Robert Schreiter,CPPS, the first of several presenters
indicated seven salient values that he drew from the groups’ previous work together. Values of greatest concern for the
immediate future of mission are: Authenticity in Our Gospel
Witness, Contemplation, Prophecy, Dialogue, Dealing with
Plurality and Diversity, the Globalization of Solidarity,
Healing and Reconciliation. Schreiter concluded the
discussion by raising the issue of formation for leadership
for institutes in 2025. He cautions that sensitivity to
intercultural communication holds a key to the future.
Globalization will remain very much on the missionary
agenda in the first decades of the 21st century. Some of
those watching the process are predicting that one of thechallenges of the coming decades will be to create a more
humane form of globalization. This means extending to a
greater share of the world’s population the positive aspects
of globalization, and a drastic reduction of its negative
effects on the world’s poor profoundly disrupting their lives.
Schreiter acknowledges the thought of John Paul II regarding
Thank You, Sylvia Thompson !
Sometimes they are called pathfinders. They are the leaders out on the point—probing, finding the way, setting the scene
for others, and inviting them to participate. Over the past decade one special leader in the missison education movemen
has been Sylvia Thompson, the soon-to-retire, Director of the Columban Mission Education Office.
With a background in education, youth ministry and religious education, Sylvia came to the Mission Education Office with
many professional and personal skills. Her first meeting of the Columban Fathers was in the Philippines where she lived as
a Navy family with her husband and children.
Her ability to see the reality of mission through the eyes of teachers and students has brought great credibility to the area of
mission education. Today, Columban programs are highly recognized and valued in hundreds of parishes and schools across
the country. Mission is alive and life-giving because of people like Sylvia Thompson.
Although we will all miss Sylvia and her mission spirit, all the Columbans and USCMA staff and membership wish her and
her family, God’s blessings of health and long life.
globalization “where no one is
left behind or excluded.”
Proclaiming God’s justice is a
necessary and important part of
humanizing globalization and itseffects in the immediate future.
Schreiter suggests that the work
of reconciliation might become
one of the prinicipal paradigms
for mission in the 21st century.
He goes on to say that “the
possibility of the reconciliation
of divided and devastated societies may be one of the mos
vivid expressions of God’s Good News for the world today.”
The biblical foundation which supports this paradigm is
found in Ephesians 2:12-19 where Christians are challengedto break down the walls which divide us and put an end to
hostility by becoming citizens of the divine household.
R econciliation will have to encompass the moral
reconstruction of society so that past deeds that led to
violent conflict and to the depredation of globalization
cannot happen again. The work of justice aims at those
dimensions of society which fostered and supported the evil
Though the healing of wounds of the individual and society
are the goal of reconciliation, the message of the Pasca
mystery gives testimony to what Christian faith can bring
to a divided and fractured world. Reconciliation as a paradigm for mission speaks very much to our current time
and will likely continue to be needed in the coming decades
of the 21st century.
Information for this article is from Sedos Bulletin (June/
July, 2002) Visit: www.sedos.org for complete articles
Robert Schreiter, CPPS
Photo: Courtesy of
Dorothy Perry
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 5/7
Mission Update Autumn 2002
U.S. Catholic Mission Association Page 5
A Missioner’s Experience in Haiti“We want them to learn that ... the kites they fly cannot be for themselves alone.”
JUDY VOLLBRECHT, RSCJ, WORKED IN AFRICA FOR EIGHT YEARS. FOR NINE YEARS SHE SERVED ASASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
AND MISSION EDUCATOR FOR THE MISSIONS OFFICE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS. SR . JUDY HAS BEEN IN
HAITI SINCE JANUARY 2000. WITH THE HEART OF A MISSIONER , SHE WRITES A REFLECTION ON HER CURRENT MINISTRY.
Two and a half years ago, the Society of the Sacred Heart came to Haiti. We thought of it as a gift to our Mother
Foundress, Madeleine Sophie Barat, in honor of the 200th anniversary of our founding. It has been an opening onto
another world.
Boys walk the streets ringing a little bell and carrying shoe-shining equipment. How can they stay alive doing that, when
everyone is so poor? Who would spend money getting their shoes shined when they didn’t have money to eat? But clean
shoes are a high value in Haiti. People may have to avoid open sewers, dirty water running down the streets, piles of garbage
and vehicles coming from all directions; but, they make sure their shoes are clean before entering a building. Is it a form of
protest against all the forces stepping on them and working against them? They will not let themselves be defeated.
In the spring, the “windy season”, the sky is full of kites made from plastic bags and sticks. From the tops of building around
the city, children set their creations aloft, using all their skill to keep them from getting entangled in wires or trees. The dirty
streets are below them, and for a few thrilling moments, their dreams fly high. The kites inevitably come to ruin, but the
dreams do not. The next day new kites are made and “take to the sky”.
Haiti is a proud country, built on dreams of slave ancestors who endured humiliation, abuse and death at the hands of other
human beings, who, it turned out, were also made of flesh and blood. Masters mutilated and murdered slaves, who revolted
and murdered them, thereby demonstrating their equality and finding freedom, but it was a freedom based on oppression and
violence, a freedom in which someone is always on top of others. The others wipe their shoes and deny that they have been
stepped upon, that they are not free.
In the slum and market areas of Port-au-Prince today, mountains of rotting, vermin-fested garbage clog the streets. Aftermonths of complaints, they are still there, and growing. Are they perhaps a symbol of the people who live and try to eke ou
an existence there?
A few blocks away, the gleaming white palais national , with manicured lawns and flags flying, has American helicopters
flying overhead to protect the head of state. Inside, a boy from the slums is president, and is trying to keep his kite from
foundering.
In Verrettes, a town three hours from Port-au-Prince, a child of ten cries, “Manman! Manman!” behind a coffin built by his
older brother for their mother, dead of typhoid, whose alcoholic husband also has six children by another woman. Today the
older brother and another sibling have returned to Port-au-Prince, while Jeff and his younger brother stay with their father
and the other “madame”. They go for days without food. They want to go to school.
Otonyel, a wide-eyed boy of seven, who had refused to speak when camp began two weeksearlier, smiles shyly and lifts his Timoun T ét Ansanm tee shirt to show us how full his stomach
had become.
It is in Verrettes that we have come to live and share life with the people of Haiti. We have
chosen to work with the children, and through them with their parents. A group of young
people from the parish work with us, teaching us much about Haitian culture in the process,
and learning about non-violence and children’s rights. We have begun to build a Center for
Timoun T ét Ansanm, where there will be room for the children to play as they learn about the
gospel, caring for the environment, hygiene and health, music and dance, art and crafts, math
and reading. We want them to learn that they do not have to step on others in order to be free,
and that the kites they fly cannot be for themselves alone.
Judy Vollbrecht, RSCJ,
with Rev. Peter Phan
Haiti is a proud country, built on the dreams of slave ancestors.
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 6/7
Mission Update Autumn 2002
U.S. Catholic Mission Association Page 6
Book ReviewSAINT FRANCIS by Marie Dennis and art by John August Swanson. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2002.
Built around a visual biography of twenty-four drawings that capture the key elements
and events of St. Francis’s life, Marie Dennis adds excerpts from the The Little Flower
of St. Francis and writings of Thomas of Celano before presenting her own reflections
on the contemporary implications of Francis’ life.
The book is one that everyone can sit with in prayer. The reflections and the inspiring
and reflective art work can be used individually or collectively for hours of reflection
and meditation. SAINT FRANCIS achieves its goal of inviting the reader “to encounter
a holy man that is still relevant to our own” lives as an example of courage and teacher
of faithfulness. By Kevin Day
Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern EuropE
It has been the practice of the Catholic Mission Forum to have a presentation on areas of mission at each of its
meetings. In May we were privileged to hear Msgr. George Sarauskus share from his vast experience of the
Church in Central and Eastern Europe. We deeply appreciated his insights and his concern for our European
brothers and sisters. What follows is a summary of some of the main ideas shared with us. The article is drawn
from materials on the web site: www.usccb.org/aidtothechurchincentralandeasterneurope .
A Faith Ever Ancient
Ever New
Together We Can Build the Future
For three generations Roman Catholics in Central and
Eastern Europe endured the atheistic political climate
of communism. During some seventy plus years their
churches, monasteries and seminaries were closed or
destroyed; their priests, religious, and lay people sent to labor
camps and prisons where many died of hunger, cold, or
grueling work; their ecclesiastical activity and charitable
works forbidden. Everything seemed to be leading to theextinction of the faith and the death of the Church.
On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, soon afterward
Solidarity in Poland gained a foothold and communism weak-
ened—historical turning points benefitting both Christian-
ity and the Churches in Central and Eastern Europe. Early
efforts at bringing back to life the stream of faith that had
been forced underground concentrated on the compelling
needs of the moment: re-
building confiscated
churches, constructing new
worship spaces, reorganiz-ing parishes, refounding
seminaries, training cat-
echists, establishing Episco-
pal Conferences, creating
media services, publishing
religious and catechetical
and liturgical materials.
Current Challenges for an Ancient Faith
TRAVEL DISTANCES TO SUNDAY MASS
The high point of the weekly activity in the Vladivostock
mission is Sunday Mass. Only since January of 1994 has
Mass been held again in the Catholic church. Usually wel
over 100 people attend, though many of them must trave
for two hours or more on public transportation to get there
INFLUENCE OF NON-CHRISTIAN SECTS
Non-Christian sects are actively seeking converts who do
not know anything about Catholicism and who are openly
insulting toward Christianity. All are making inroads among
the young who do not have enough information to make an
informed decision about the truth of Christian beliefs. In
order to spread the Truth and offset these errors, resources
and personnel are needed.
SHORTAGE OF PRIESTS
It took exactly ten years for the Roman Catholic church in
the Asian part of Russia to produce a native, Russian priest
In June 2001, Vladivostok native and member of the parish
of the Most Holy Mother of God, Yevgeny Peregudov, age
28, was ordained to the priesthood for the diocese of Eastern
Siberia.
The above situations are but three examples of problems
that cannot be overlooked today, eventhough the word of
God is again free to be preached throughout Central and
Eastern Europe.
Eastern Europeans Expressing
their Faith in Procession
From the Bookcover
Art by John August Swanson
8/9/2019 Autumn 2002 Mission Update Newsletter - Catholic Mission Association
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/autumn-2002-mission-update-newsletter-catholic-mission-association 7/7
Mission Update Autumn 2002
U.S. Catholic Mission Association Page 7
“The Bible in a
Multicultural Context”
The 2002 World Mission Institute, “The
Bible in a Multicultural Context”
sponsored by the Chicago Center for
Global Ministries and the USCMA washeld this past April in Chicago.
This year’s Institute began with a
moving performance of the Book of
Revelation by David Rhoads of the
Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago
and included presentations representing
several perspectives—three of which
were the African American perspective
by Dr. Clarice Martin of Colgate
Divinity School, the Asian one by Dr.K.K. Yeo of Garrett Evangelical
Theological Seminary, and the African
one by Dr. James Okoye of Catholic
Theologocial Union.
Father Pablo Richard also addressed the
participants with a multicultural study
of the Book of Revelation as a source
for a new vision of the Missio Dei. He
spoke of moving from a prophetic vision
to an apocalyptic vision of the Kingdomof God, from a mission of denunciation
of evil and hopes of societal
transformation to creation of new
visions, new communities and new
values within the present order.
The Chicago Center for Global
Ministries (CCGM) was established in
1993 and describes itself “as a common
venture of Catholic Theological Union,
Lutheran School of Theology of
Chicago, and McCormick Theological
Seminary (PC/USA) to facilitate
theological education for ministry and
to further scholarly research from the
perspective of globalization and the
church’s catholicity.” Next year the
Institute will be held again in April and
will focus on “faith and national
allegiance”. Senator Paul Simon will
be a speaker.
Resources
THE URSULINE SOPHIA CENTER
A wholistic center, sponsored by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland
and rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
provides sacred space, programs and services
that foster growth and health in body, mind, heart, and spirit.
CONTACT: THE SOPHIA CENTER AT: 440 - 442 - 4160
WEB SITE: WWW.URSULINESOPHIACENTER .COM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CATHOLIC NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE (CNVS)
The newest chapter, “Organizing Effective Retreats for Volunteers and
Missioners in Formation”, in CNVS’s Mission Handbook of 104 pages,
includes 84 pages of very practical appendices such as sample schedules,
promotional ads, letters, evaluations, prayers, activities, retreats and more.
Cost: $10.00 plus $2.00 for regular shipping
CONTACT: EUNICE PECK OF CNVS AT: 202 - 332 - 6000 EXT. 18
WEB SITE: WWW.CNVS.ORG
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
MARYKNOLL CROSS-CULTURAL SERVICES
“Assisting International Priest/Religious”
Accultuation Program November 10 - 15, 2002, Maryknoll, NY
Designed to foster skill that will enhance the
International Priests/Religious missionary service in the U.S.
“An Outreach to Those Seeking to Minister
Across Cultural Boundaries”
Residential Program January 14 - February 12, 2003, San Antonio, TX
Offers participants invaluable tools to assess, discern and prepare for
cross-cultural work in the U.S. and overseas.
CONTACT: CROSS-CULTURAL SERVICES AT: 914 - 941 - 7590
E-MAIL: CCS@MARYKNOLL.ORG
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2003 WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY R ESOURCES
Posters, Daily Scripture & Prayer Guides,Ecumenical Worship Guide and Art Work.
Black and white versions may be printed directly from
The Graymoor Ecumenical & Inter-religious Institute’s web site.
Color versions are available at a small cost.
CONTACT: GRAYMOOR ECUMENICAL & INTER -RELIGIOUS INSTITUTE
FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE ATONEMENT
R OUTE 9, BOX 300, GARRISON, NY 10524-0300
WEB SITE: WWW.ATONEMENTFRIARS.ORG
top related