PROVINCIAL
CONGRESS 2003
PROVINCIAL
CONGRESS 2003
‘Behold I make Everything New’ (Rev. 21:5) – Towards a Transformed Fransalian Community
The
Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS - also known as Fransalians), South
West India Province, had their 5th Ordinary Provincial Congress at
Vinayalaya, Malleswaram, Bangalore from 6th to 10th
October 2003. The theme of the Congress was, “Behold I make everything
New (Rev 21: 5) - Towards a Transformed Fransalian Community.” The
Province of South West consists of the two states of Kerala and Karnataka in
India, the two countries of Tchad and Cameroon in Africa and the Mission in
Philippines.
The focus of the Provincial Congress was Renewal and transformation in the consecrated life and mission of the Province. An intense preparation was initiated, three months prior to the event, through discussions and reflections on personal and Apostolic community levels. For further considerations and deliberations during the Congress, four areas of prime concern were identified, viz., Consecration, Community in life and Mission, Formation, and Administration. Very Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, the Superior General of the Missionaries in his message said, “the Provincial Congress is a personal invitation to each confrere to receive the grace of renewal and commitment and thus to be effective instruments in God’s hand for the transformation and regeneration of the world”.
The Provincial Congress
was an occasion for all of us to evaluate the quality of our religious life, to
receive new direction and to initiate concrete programmes. Rev. Fr. Jean Paul
Fournier, Provincial of France-Suisse Province, in his keynote address reminded
us that there exists no real commitment and fruitful ministry without an ardent
love for God which is expressed in our religious consecration.
In our Vision Statement
we affirmed that we resolve to be a Transformed Fransalian Community.
Our religious profession is the starting point of the daily transformation of
self. It is a process of becoming new every day. We
want our communities to be
renewed as communities of integration that will inspire missionary thrust and
generosity, transforming us to be prophetic in our life and ministry. We are
committed to strengthen our apostolates with a long-term plan and objectives
integrating innovative programmes for the benefit of the poorest of the poor.
To realize this vision the provincial congress has drawn up action plans at various levels with a time frame. This includes drawing up a programme of life for personal growth, establishing a mission oriented theological formation centre, revitalizing the basic human communities, constituting a renewal team in Karnataka for preaching mission, undertaking social betterment programmes for the people living in the neighbourhood, constituting a social forum, initiating a process of networking between our centres, ecclesiastical organizations, government agencies and other secular organizations etc. We are deeply conscious of the youthfulness and the immense potentialities of our province. We are therefore determined to immerse ourselves into the mission of the Church both at the Local and at the Global Level by our renewed commitment to our missionary charism and the traditional apostolates. We as a province family look forward to a “second springtime” through the transforming power of the Spirit.
During
the Congress a new team of Administration was elected to assist Rev. Fr. Jose
Parappillil, the Provincial. Fr. Antony Mookenthottam was elected as Provincial
Councillor and Admonitor. The other Councillors who were elected are Fr.
Mathew Kozhuppakalam, Fr. Jose Kumblolickal and Fr. Antony Swamy. Fr. Mathew
Mamala was elected as Provincial Bursar.
VISION STATEMENT OF PROVINCIAL CONGRESS 2OO3
“Behold I make everything new” Rev. 21.5
We, the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales of South West India Province, assembled at Vinayalaya, Bangalore, 6-10 October 2003, for the Fifth Ordinary Provincial Congress having prayed and reflected together resolve to be a Transformed Fransalian Community. Our religious profession is the starting point of our intense daily transformation of self. It is a process of becoming new every day.
We, as a Province Family, have become deeply aware of the challenge of this ongoing spiritual renewal as an urgent and pressing self-confrontation that we may grow in holiness and zeal to be effective missionaries in the world of today.
We have recognized that as a province community we need to immerse ourselves into the life and energy of God Himself in order to make everything new towards a Transformed Fransalian Community. All of us need to experience a daily transformation of ourselves in Jesus Christ through the marvellous action of the Holy Spirit.
We want our communities to be renewed as communities of integration that will inspire missionary thrust and generosity, transforming us to be prophetic in our life and ministry.
We commit ourselves to renewed fidelity to our daily spiritual exercises both at the personal and community level according to the spirit of our Constitutions.
We reaffirm that community life is an essential element of our consecrated life. We shall therefore strive for a unified vision and mission for all our communities.
We recognise the urgent need to reaffirm the function and goal of religious authority in our communities. We are committed to make our local communities more vibrant under the animation of Local Superiors transforming our communities into a real fraternal fellowship.
We are convinced that our formation programme should be more mission oriented in order to equip ourselves for the mission and ministry in line with our charism.
We are deeply conscious of the youthfulness and the immense potentialities of our province. We are therefore determined to immerse ourselves into the mission of the Church both at the local and at the global level by our renewed commitment to our missionary charism and the traditional apostolates. We are also open to extend our presence and ministry in Kerala and Karnataka to as many dioceses as possible.
We are committed to reinforce our communities and missions in Africa and in the Philippines with more personnel and resources.
We pledge to continue our pastoral ministry in Europe and USA participating in the process of New Evangelisation and Re-evangelisation.
We whole-heartedly commit ourselves to collaborate with the Franco-Swiss Province and other provinces where the scarcity of personnel is acute and in great need of our assistance.
We are aware of the urgent need of a paradigm shift in our educational ministry from “maintenance to mission” as to make our educational institutions the effective agents of evangelisation.
We are committed to strengthen our social apostolate with a long-term plan and objectives integrating innovative programmes for the benefit of the poorest of the poor. Apart from the traditional pastoral ministry we resolve to enter into diverse forms of apostolates reaching out to the most deprived and the marginalised.
We acknowledge that the administration of our temporal goods calls for a spirit of poverty, simplicity and detachment animated by the principle of justice, spirit of service and true love for the Congregation and its mission which calls for transparency and accountability at all levels.
We as a province family look forward to a “second springtime” through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
“Towards a Transformed Fransalian Community”
a. Each confrere draws up a personal programme of life by 30.11.2003
b. Each community prepares a community time-table and gets it approved by the provincial latest by 30.11.2003 and displays it on the community notice board
c. An annual action plan to be prepared by each community latest by 30.11.2003 ensuring regular community meetings with presentation of budget and statements of accounts. A copy is to be sent to the provincial.
2. Formation
a. Establish an Institute with a mission oriented theological formation programme
b. Organize mission oriented training programmes like language courses and training in preaching for scholastics during holidays.
c. Send more personnel for training in formation
d. Send more scholastics and priests for specialization in various ministries.
a. Revive the Pastoral Forum
b. Open Family Counselling Centres
c. Involve Formation Personnel in Parish Ministry
d. Involve scholastics and seminarians in Parish Ministry
e. Introduce Saint Francis de Sales in Parish Ministry
f. Revitalize the basic Christian communities/Human Communities in our parishes and missions in Karnataka
g. Constitute a renewal team and develop a centre for renewal ministry in Karnataka
4. Education
a. Implement the Pastoral Plan with regular monitoring by the Education Forum
b. Organise training programmes for Correspondents before the academic year 2004-2005
c. Organise training in personnel management for the Principals before the academic year 2004-2005
d. Send personnel for Educational Management Course
5. Social Apostolate
a. Each Local Community is to undertake at least one project for the social betterment of the people living in the neighbourhood.
b. Organise programmes in the province level on Social Analysis, Research Methodology and Sustainable and Integrated Development etc.
c. Constitute a Social Forum at the province level by 31.12.2003
6. Administration and Financial Management
a. Revitalise Finance Committee
b. Constitute a Local Superiors’ Forum
c. Introduce a time-bound internal audit of all units in the province.
