XXIInd General Chapter 2012
PROMULGATION CALLED BY GOD, SENT TO THE NEIGHBOUR, AND DEDICATED TO BE A SIGN OF GOD’S LOVE IN THE WORLD GENERAL CHAPTER Brothers of Charity
Brothers of Charity
2012
Brothers of Charity
PROMULGATION
XXIInd General Chapter 2012
CALLED BY GOD, SENT TO THE NEIGHBOUR, AND DEDICATED TO BE A SIGN OF GOD’S LOVE IN THE WORLD
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GENERAL CHAPTER Brothers of Charity
2012
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Introduction
B
eloved Confreres, Dear Associate Members,
“Called by God, sent to the neighbour, and dedicated to be a sign of God’s love in the world.” With this theme, the 22nd General Chapter of the Brothers of Charity of 2012 was introduced and initiated. A number of realities became abundantly clear during this Chapter. First of all, the fact that we are an international congregation, with growth poles in the South and in the East, and a melting pot of various cultures that find each other in the charism of charity. ‘Unity in diversity’ and ‘Cor unum, anima una’ were never before so felt as great tasks within the Congregation, and everyone is urged to give shape to this and actively collaborate. Working on unity flows over into the attention for global solidarity, which will manifest in different areas: in the area of mutual support in the development of apostolic works, in the collective search of how financial viability can be increased, and in the joint concern for a good spiritual and professional formation of all of our members. Communities in different regions grow more international, as well, and a new missionary spirit is growing in the continents with a greater willingness of brothers to be sent to bring the charism of charity to new areas. Let us remember the brothers from the very beginning with gratitude. At the request of the Founder, Father Triest, they left everything behind to attend to the poorest of the poor in Ghent. Let us also piously think of our first missionaries who gave the initial impetus to allow the Congregation to
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grow on an international level, present in 31 countries today. Our joint efforts for the further development of the Congregation on an international level is the greatest thanks that we can offer our Founder, our first brothers, and our first missionaries. The Congregation welcomes many young people into its ranks, and in it lies the great task to receive these young people well, guide them well, offer them a good formation, both spiritually and professionally. The brother vocation remains a unique vocation in the Church, and we should thank God that He continues to call these young people to totally dedicate themselves to God and the people as consecrated brothers. As a congregation, we hold the unique and urgent task to make the brother vocation known to the world and to the Church, by our words and by our lived example, so that all might understand how life-fulfilling a religious vocation as a Brother of Charity is and how he remains of great service to the many poor in society with a unique offer of charity. Therefore, it remains our task to reflect on our identity and to graft our way of life onto the pillars that are so typical of every consecrated life: being a brother of Jesus, being a brother of each other, and becoming a brother of poor, and this as a sign of universal brotherhood in the Church and in the world. Today, the Congregation has a growing number of associate members, and we should be grateful that they find in our Congregation a good framework for shaping their life’s vocation into personal holiness and dedication to the poor. At the same time, their coming constitutes a challenge to form a true ‘congregation’ with them and together find suitable forms of sharing our prayer life, our community life and our apostolate with them. We rightly heard the remark that our
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many co-workers and staff members in the apostolate should not be forgotten. All over the world, they share the care for charity with the brothers and the associate members. They are entitled to good models of love of God and love of neighbour, and, in addition to the attention for their professional formation, which they will continue to graft onto charity, it remains our duty to help them in the so important formation of the heart. To the extent that we refine our spirituality, so will it become and remain a source of inspiration for our many coworkers and staff members. The document containing the 11 motions that are presented to you as the fruit of our General Chapter is headed: ‘Christ as the unifying force in our lives’. It is meaningful to always relate everything that follows to this title, for it is indeed Christ who is at the origin of the Congregation, of our lives as brothers and associate members; it is Christ who is the motivation in our lives and who gives us strength through his grace to fully live our charism; and it is Christ who is the purpose of our lives, and that is why we want to sanctify our lives, and, by doing so, sanctify the world. The title also entails the call to deepen our spiritual life and to truly become that which we profess to be: consecrated as religious brothers and deeply spiritual people as associate members, starting from and with the charism that was given to us from the start of the Congregation as a unique gift of the Holy Spirit and through the person of the Founder, Father Triest. Our vocation and mission, dealt with in the first four motions, must always remain an externalisation of that which was given to us as a motto by our Founder: “God is love.” Only when we are full of God’s love will be able to let this love shine in the world in our mission, and let us hope that this love will guide
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our whole existence as a congregation. The next motion deals with vocation and formation, with an urgent call to fully implement the formation plan that was drafted with great care during the past chapter period. The following four motions speak of internationalisation, administration, solidarity, and the activities of Fracarita International. This is the more practical section of the chapter decisions in which the various administrations are urged to work wisely and carefully and, at the same time, remain inventive and innovative, without losing the bond with Providence, and boldly look for new ways of funding, and also encourage the new regions to increase their financial capacity. The General Chapter did not close its eyes to the painful page in the Congregation’s history and launched an appeal to ban every form of abuse with an even greater concern and resolve and particularly to preventatively create a climate of unconditional respect for the persons who are entrusted to our care. Finally, the question was raised to look into the opportunity for a possible adaptation of the Rule of Life in light of the renewed views that were developed over the past 50 years in the field of consecrated life, and in light of the deeper insight that the Congregation had with regard to its spirituality. Beloved Confreres and dear Associate Members, at the end of the General Chapter, we used four words that, in our opinion, very well reflect the spirit in which the Chapter was held: unity, solidarity, spirituality, and charity.
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Indeed, in the years to come, we will have to spend a lot of energy on reinforcing unity within the Congregation, in light of the growth on an international level. Our charism remains the binding factor, and to the extent that we succeed in living our charism in an intense and authentic way, so will unity flourish between brothers, between brothers and associate members, between communities, between regions and provinces. Solidarity remains a great value to the Congregation, and today the need for solidarity is heard in many areas, from the financial to the reinforcement of our own capacity through more support with regard to content. The goal of solidarity will always be to give the poor and all those who are entrusted to our care high-quality care and support so that their human dignity is respected, reinforced, and possibly restored. “The 21st century will be spiritual or it will not be at all,” were once prophetic words. This also holds true for our Congregation: it must be spiritual or it will no longer be. I strongly believe that only the spiritual growth of our brothers and our associate members will enable our Congregation not just to survive but to live to the full, with good will toward God and man. “The revolution of charity must continue,” was one of the much appreciated phrase of the Chapter. If our charity is genuine, an expression of divine love and succeeding in seeing, meeting and loving Christ in every neighbour, it will remain revolutionary. Our mission as a congregation will endure and in so many places they eagerly keep looking forward for our charity to burn with fervour! As the General Administration, it is our great pleasure to promulgate these motions and declare them applicable to the entire Congregation and as a guideline, along with our Rule of
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Life and our Directoriums, to give shape to the life of the Congregation for the following six years. We ask for God’s blessing and grace, we ask for your support and prayer, and your entire personal commitment to realise that which was proposed: “Called by God, sent to the neighbour, and dedicated to be a sign of God’s love in the world.” Fraternally yours in the Lord, Rome, 21 September 2012
Bro. René Stockman Superior General
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Christ as the unifying force in our lives Through our vocation as Brothers of Charity, lived in dynamic fidelity to our charism, we proclaim the centrality of Christ in our lives. Through reading the scriptures, through receiving the sacraments, through hearing the vision of the Church, through our own experience, and through our encounter with the neighbour, the true face of Christ is revealed to us and we can live our charism in an authentic way. We are invited by God, both as individuals and as community, to grow in our relationship with him and with one another and to be a visible sign of his presence in our environment.
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1. Called by God 1.1. We must be aware that we walk and live in the
presence of God, the God who is love. We respond to the loving presence of God through a life where our prayer, work, silence, scriptural reading and meditation blend into one harmonious movement of openness to God, our neighbour and the world around us.
Motions 1.1.1. At a personal and community level we must develop our spiritual life and grow spiritually. To facilitate this, initiatives must be developed at the general, provincial and regional levels of the Congregation. Our personal growth must be supported by regional and provincial animation programmes. 1.1.2.We need to re-emphasise the importance of on-going development in our lives as consecrated religious brothers. We call on brothers to take personal responsibility for the further development of their spiritual life and to formulate a programme to allow this to happen in a consistent way. Concrete ideas in this regard are welcomed during community meetings and other opportunities for fraternal sharing. We ask regional superiors to be attentive to the quality of the community prayers (Eucharist, communion service, liturgy of the hours, adoration, recollection, annual retreat, and rosary). We need to be open to a creative approach to our prayer,
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welcoming that which animates and gives meaning to it and avoiding the dangers of routine. Our commitment to personal and communal prayer will not be confined to the allotted times on the time-table but it will also influence us in our daily responsibilities and enable us to fulfill our mission courageously. 1.1.3. The spiritual growth of our communities and of the individual brothers must be followed up and evaluated and if necessary reconsidered on the general, provincial and regional levels.
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1.2. Identity and vocation As believers we are called to love one another. In this love people can find a meaning in their lives. As brothers we know that this love is given to us by God without measure. This love will unite us in our life and in our work. Our vocation as Brothers of Charity will have its own particular perspective based on our specific identity. This identity is not a static thing but a dynamic process. The members of the community want to provide for each other opportunities and space to facilitate this process.
Motions 1.2.1. We call for a clearer definition of Religious Brotherhood in the Church today. 1.2.2. Our identity is linked to the Vincentian spirituality. We ask the brothers to be aware of this and to take initiatives at both personal and community levels on reflection on the writings of Saint Vincent and our founder P.J. Triest, and on our rule of life in community meetings, recollections, etc.
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2. We are sent to the neighbour 2.1. Our charism, professionalism and formation Formation, personal encounters with Christ, and an ongoing process of conversion provide the impetus for a closer following of Christ. We must become disciples and prophets and be mandated by Christ. Being a prophet urges us to make choices, choices involving the following elements: our commitment to the church; radicalism in our choices; moments when human dignity is most threatened; an ongoing tension between proclaiming the Word and denouncing injustice. The brothers and associate members are called to live our charism in an authentic way in the place where they are and with the possibilities that each brother and associate member has individually.
Motions 2.1.1. The choices we make should always focus on the emancipation of our neighbour. In the field of tension between politics and pastoral care one needs to be prudent in one’s actions. Initiatives will be taken on general, provincial, and regional level.
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2.1.2. A further study of our charism is necessary for brothers and associate members. Placing the charism and our experience of it in a contemporary context is a particular challenge. Initiatives on provincial and regional level are desired for this. 2.1.3. Professional formation for the brothers is an essential requisite to provide good care and good education. If possible, formation should be organised in their own region or province. Initiatives will be taken on general, provincial, and regional level. 2.1.4. We ask that every brother who has been nominated for a particular role should receive a clear and defined mission and preparation and a specific orientation. He must have the necessary qualities and formation for his mission. 2.1.5. Care for the elderly and sick brothers should remain a constant concern, with special attention being given to involving them in the charism as much as possible. Care for brothers in difficulties must also remain a constant concern for the Congregation. The Chapter wants to reiterate that transferring a brother with problems to another region is not a solution. The general council in consultation with provinces and regions should come up with an appropriate way of dealing with such brothers. 2.1.6. Our activities are an expression of how we live our charism. Developments within a province must be undertaken only after discernment of a local need to which the province, in dialogue, decides it can give an adequate response. As apostolic religious brothers, we should conduct our works in a professional manner, and evaluate new establishments from the point of view of human resources, consolidation, and the well-being of all concerned. General Chapter 2012 - 16
2.1.7. In all regions there should be an ongoing attention to the process of secularisation, including the opportunities and challenges arising from it. 2.1.8. Initiatives on provincial, regional and local levels should be taken to share our charism and spirituality with our associate members, co-workers, volunteers, partners, friends and others. In addition to the example of their lifestyle, the brothers will encourage their lay colleagues to discover the person of Christ in those they serve.
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3. We are dedicated people 3.1. Vows - conversion - community life The vows are at the heart of our life as Brothers of Charity and influence our mission, the way in which we shape our charism, the community, our leadership, etc. The living of our vows and our vision on the vows, as we understand and experience them as individuals and as community, are the concrete ways in which we express our consecration to God. Therefore, the development of a renewed vision on vows urges us to come to a modern living out of our vows.
Motions 3.1.1. There is a need to provide formation for our superiors. They must acquire skills in spiritual leadership. Initiatives will be taken on general, provincial and regional level. 3.1.2. Our communities must be developed on solid spiritual values. Initiatives will be taken on provincial and regional level. 3.1.3. Brothers should read the Congregational and Church documents and appropriate them. Initiatives will be taken on provincial and regional level. 3.1.4. We should take on a life of simplicity and sobriety in coping with modern technology and the scarce resources of our earth. Initiatives will be taken on provincial and regional level.
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3.2. Associate Members We recognize that the positive relationship already in existence between brothers and associate members must be further developed in line with the Constitutions and the Statutes of Associate Members. We wish to affirm the vocation of associate members in our Congregation: All people are called by God and share in a common vocation to holiness. Based on our charism and spirituality, brothers and associate members have chosen the Brothers of Charity as the locus in which to live out their vocation.
Motions 3.2.1. The particular characteristics of brothers and associate members must be respected. 3.2.2. Where necessary, the initial and on-going formation, the orientation and accompaniment of associate members must be further developed at regional and provincial level. 3.2.3. Where the number of associate members is increasing, a regional and/or local structure will be developed in order to facilitate the functioning of the associate members in an effective and efficient way. In doing so one should be aware of the danger of over structuring. 3.2.4. Prior to the next chapter period, each level of administration has to develop a procedure concerning the delegation of the General Chapter 2012 - 20
associate members to the respective chapters. 3.2.5. The General Chapter affirms and encourages associate members in their commitment and applauds the work of our co-workers in their continued development of the charism in their daily work within the Congregation. Each region, in their cultural context, is asked to take concrete steps toward this affirmation, through meaningful decisions, dialogue, formation and application. 3.2.6. Since associate membership in most parts of the Congregation is still in its early stages of development, promotion of membership should remain largely a task at regional level using the guidance and documents already available and respecting the input of the associate members themselves. 3.2.7. At the general level a form of communication will be set up to make possible the sharing of information between representatives of associate members of the different regions. 3.2.8. The associate members and brothers should be as clear as possible about their mutual expectations and concerns.
3.3. Co-workers From the beginning of the congregation, the brothers worked together with lay persons, and there was always a good mentality in these working environments. The lay character of the congregation shaped a spontaneous link between the brothers and the lay persons. Today, on many places in the congregation, many lay persons became very
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dedicated and professional skilled collaborators and they are sharing the responsibility in the congregation for the apostolic activities.
MotioN 3.3.1. The witness of fidelity to our mission provided by so many thousands of co-workers of the Brothers of Charity around the world is a form of association that deserves a special formal recognition and inclusion in General Chapters.
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4. To be a sign of God’s love in the world 4.1. The reality of the love of God is the joy of the
resurrection. No deferred happiness for later, but a reality that is starting now. As brothers and associate members we are challenged to work here and now for the Kingdom of God. Globalization, inter-religious dialogue, and internationalization become ever more important in our world. How can we as a religious community of the Brothers of Charity give a hopeful answer to these signs of our time? We can look to the Pentecost experience for inspiration – each one can grow in one’s own identity, while still finding one another in the unity of Pentecost as a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Motions 4.1.1. The Congregation is asking each brother personally to strictly observe the evangelical counsels and community life, as signs of our consecration to God. 4.1.2. International and intercultural communities are a positive result of globalization. In these communities we see
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that the most important challenges are life in community and the mission. The new forms of community demand a greater openness by everybody, and dialogue is essential for it - dialogue with each other, but also dialogue with the Gospel which can purify the culture. New initiatives are being taken so that it becomes possible to develop international communities, which provide an answer full of hope to the signs of the times. Initiatives will be taken on the general, provincial and regional level.
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5. Vocation and Formation 5.1. The General Chapter wishes to affirm the work
done in the revision of our formation plan for the Congregation. We call for the careful and steady implementation of every part of the plan in each region.
Motions 5.1.1. We urge the regions and provinces to use all modern means of communication to promote the Congregation and encourage vocations. 5.1.2. The formation plan and the method concerning spiritual accompaniment which have been developed must be implemented. We ask the superior of each relevant community to ensure the accompaniment for the spiritual growth of the brothers. Initiatives will be taken on general, provincial and regional level. 5.1.3. We must give continuous attention to the formation of our international teams of formation. Therefore, we should organise the necessary formation sessions in line with the formation plan. Initiatives will be taken on general, provincial, and regional level. 5.1.4. We ask that special attention be given to the on-going formation of all brothers. Initiatives will be taken on regional level.
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5.1.5. The screening of candidates should be conducted in line with the formation plan. Initiatives will be taken on regional and provincial level. 5.1.6. We ask the Congregation to include in the formation plan attention to associate membership. 5.1.7. When a brother applies for renewal of profession or for perpetual profession serious consideration must be paid to the views and opinions expressed by the local and regional councils where he is residing. 5.1.8. The General Chapter calls for the intense and sustained involvement of regional superiors, or their delegates, in the dialogue, and planning for professional training and study of their brothers. For certain regions, the issue of recognition of certificates should be addressed for the benefit of the regions.
5.2. International Institute Canon Triest In order to sustain the initial and ongoing formation in our congregation, in 2000 the International Institute Canon Triest was founded. Both on the spiritual and professional level, this institute develops programs, alone or in collaboration with other trainings institutes and universities and organizes several formation houses. These programs are first of all destined for our brothers, but also co-workers and other groups can benefit them under specific conditions. The general chapter affirms the activities of the International General Chapter 2012 - 26
Institute Canon Triest in line with the financial means that are available and totally in line with the mission of the congregation.
Motions 5.2.1. A clear framework should be set out which defines what formation the International Institute Canon Triest provides. Initiatives will be taken on the general level. 5.2.2. The management of the IICT, the report of its functioning, and the financial policy should be transparent. The General Administration will report on this during the annual meeting of the general council with the provincial and regional superiors. 5.2.3. The aim of the IICT is the formation of our own brothers, co-workers and associate members. Other participants outside the Congregation must pay the real cost of this formation. 5.2.4. An annual budget must be fixed beforehand and the contribution of the different regions must be determined in consultation with the regions. Initiatives will be taken on the general level. 5.2.5. The further development on provincial and/or regional level and the establishment of an inter-regional expertise pool in the sectors in which the Congregation is active, depends on the fulfillment of the four above-mentioned motions. Initiatives will be taken on the general level.
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6. Internationalization The internationalization in the congregation is a new reality and is growing very fast. We have to see it as a positive evolution with new changes for growth and exchange. The composition of international communities is becoming in the actual church and society a new witness of fraternal love. Thanks to the internationalization, regions with less vocations can be supported in order to continue their apostolic activities with the presence of brothers. Also new initiatives can be taken in countries where the congregation is not yet present thanks to the possibility that some brothers from abroad can be sent.
Motions 6.1. To enhance the internationalisation of our mission and apostolate, we ask the Congregation to promote the missionary dimension and the internationality of our communities, for example, by setting up a group of representatives from all the provinces to develop a vision and guidelines for the internationalisation of our communities. 6.2. As internationalisation is now a new challenge for our Congregation, the General Chapter encourages brothers to prepare themselves to be open and ready to answer the needs
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in different places. The Chapter asks the Congregation to endeavour at all times to prepare adequately the brothers who are to go on mission to other countries. Formation is organised for brothers and associate members to make possible a dialogue between cultures and nationalities within the Congregation. Initiatives will be taken by the general, provincial, and regional levels. 6.3. Any request made to a regional superior for a brother to transfer to another region to meet the needs of the apostolate should always be considered by him in consultation with the brother and the relevant other regional superior. This may include, but not be limited to: readiness for the task, length of stay, recognition of diploma(s) and cultural sensitivity. Special attention is called for in difficult situations. Structures of regular evaluation are needed to assess positive movement in regard to the above proposal.
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7. Government, structure and subsidiarity Subsidiarity is a core principle of the administration of the Congregation and manifests itself in the leadership, in functioning as a team, in transparency and in open dialogue.
Motions 7.1. We ask for the correct implementation of the principle of subsidiarity at each level of the Congregation in line with the Constitutions and the General Directorium. The General Chapter asks that the General Administration take up its task in a most serious way to monitor the growth and complete development of the Congregation, making decisions with great care and prudence only after substantive dialogue. Structures of regular evaluation are needed to assess positive movement in regard to the finalised motion. 7.2. We ask to clarify the role or the special mission of the general assistants. It would be best for the assistants to have a responsibility according to a theme, and this in harmony with the role of the provincial and regional superiors. Initiatives will be taken on general level. 7.3. The concrete way of working of the provincial superior is discussed in the provincial council in consultation with the general council and in line with the Constitutions and the General Directorium. This role has to be evaluated in the course of the mandate and if necessary, to be adjusted. Initiatives will
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be taken on the general, provincial, and regional level. 7.4. The General Chapter calls for a study of all the decisionmaking structures in the Congregation, including external Congregation-related bodies, with a view to a possible overhaul of their organisational and operating structures to ensure increased mutual dialogue towards collective discernment for their future direction. The General Chapter calls for the general council to assume an active role in this process. 7.5. The provincial superiors, as major superiors, must be involved in an active way in the policy of the Congregation. Initiatives will be taken on the general level.
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8. Finances and solidarity The financial situation of the Congregation is quite serious. In these precarious financial times spending continues to outstrip income in many areas of the budget. In order to ensure the ability of the limited congregational resources to provide for needs into the future, it is essential that we make decisions in favor of consolidation over expansion. We must look seriously at areas where the budget can be reduced or how the Congregation can increase its income through well-planned and risk-free income generating activities which are conducted always in line with the structures as legally established in our Constitutions and Directoriums. We also need to see if it is possible to eliminate certain expenditures on the level of the General Administration and other organisations associated with the Congregation, as well as in individual provinces and regions. The principle of solidarity is wide and includes many forms of mutual support. We stress the fact that solidarity within the Congregation from north to south and from west to east must be continued in an unabridged way. Together we carry the responsibility for the spiritual and material wellbeing of the Congregation.
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The Chapter further asks that the provinces which rely on solidarity from other regions to function put in place measures that will empower them and enable them to be self reliant in the near future. Initiatives on general, provincial and regional level are required.
Motions 8.1. Solidarity between all parts of the Congregation must be constantly promoted by the major superiors and the general council and maintained and strengthened by all the members. To this end the major superiors will ensure that fully participative structures are in place to facilitate this solidarity in the development and resourcing of all aspects of the Congregation’s life and mission. 8.2. The general government must set up a permanent financial commission composed of experts and brothers. The brothers will be in the majority and the general bursar will have a key role; there should be brothers involved from all provinces. The commission will have an advisory role for the general council and must have a total overview of the financial means of the Congregation: General Administration, regions and provinces, international and national organizations, NGO’s and the apostolic works. The commission will make concrete recommendations for decisive action to the General Administration, following the specific tasks enumerated by the motions of the General Chapter of 2006. The present financial situation must be urgently addressed and a financial reform plan must be developed. Regular evaluation of the progress General Chapter 2012 - 34
of these efforts by both the General Administration and the financial committee is mandated. 8.3. We ask that for each province and for each region a budget should be made and that steps are taken to make each region and province self-sufficient. Initiatives will be taken on the general, provincial, and regional level. 8.4. The General Chapter asks that there be informationsharing in regard to possibilities for fundraising. The data should be collected centrally and made available to regions as required. 8.5. The Chapter requests that a new way of calculating the brothers’ contributions to the General administration be found. If there are regions which are able and willing to contribute more than they do now, they could come forward and do so. It is no longer possible to increase the amount because the regions are struggling to settle payments as they stand.
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9. Fracarita International In order to find new ways for fundraising, and also in order to represent the congregation on the international forum, Fracarita International as international foundation was created. With this new structure, the Congregation likes also to increase the involvement of the different regions in the development of the apostolic projects. Selfreliance is an important objective for the further development of the Congregation worldwide. The General Chapter affirms the activities of Fracarita International and likes to add the following motions.
Motions 9.1. We ask the Congregation to develop further Fracarita International in line with the Congregational structure; mindful of the significant structural changes that have taken place in the Congregation with the creation of the new provinces and regions and the ongoing development of associated bodies such as limited companies and NGOs since the beginning of the new millennium. There is a need to clarify the duties of its executive committee, regional coordinators, etc.; to present its complete financial report from its beginning until now; to appoint its staff members in consultation with the provincial and regional superiors; to establish regional management teams of the apostolate; to advise regions in the development of fundraising and income generating activities; to focus on
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cost-reducing projects, and to further develop regional and provincial project bureaus. A committee on structures should be set up to review these changes. The Structures Review Committee should be composed of brothers from the ‘North’ and ‘South’ and of external experts in the field who will carry out their work in consultation with the regional, provincial and general administrations and make recommendations to the next annual meeting of the general council with the provincial and regional superiors. 9.2. The General Chapter affirms the accomplishments of Fracarita International in the training of regional coordinators and guiding the identification of potential funding sources. The General Chapter asks that the aim and purpose of Fracarita International be clearly defined and focused on fundraising in support of the projects of the various regions of the Congregation and the advocacy role that it plays at the level of the United Nations in the name of the Congregation. Other functions wider than these aims and not clearly in line with these aims should be discontinued. This will necessitate a restructuring of the organization, following significant dialogue among the various sectors of the Congregation. 9.3. Where NGOs and such other bodies are intended to function across regions, provinces and the Congregation as a whole they will only be set up after wide consultation with representatives of the membership of the Congregation and professional advice from trusted experts. The relationship of such bodies with the different levels of the Congregation will be clearly defined and agreed in advance of the creation of such bodies. General Chapter 2012 - 38
9.4. No commercial enterprises are to be undertaken in the name of the Congregation or its related entities without rigorous study and wide consultation regarding the associated risks.
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10. Abuse The Brothers of Charity promote human dignity in every situation and wish to prevent any instance of abuse especially to children and vulnerable adults in our care. The General Administration of the Congregation has made significant strides in addressing the issue of abuse that has confronted us. A most important document has been developed with a structure for ensuring a response in justice and charity. The General Chapter wishes to affirm the work of those who have prepared this policy document and strongly emphasizes the duty of implementation on the regional level in every region of the Congregation. The General Chapter underscores the importance of prevention in the total programme in each region. This necessarily implies standards of behavior expected of brothers and co-workers in our apostolates and our religious houses.
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Motions 10.1. The General Chapter asks that the document ‘The protection of children and vulnerable adults from abuse” will be the official document of the Congregation relating to the issue of abuse and therefore implemented throughout the Congregation. 10.2. We want this document to be revised and adapted from the point of view of the victims of abuse. 10.3. A delegate of the General Superior, specifically a general assistant, shall be appointed who will do the follow up of the protocol related to the abuses in different provinces and regions. 10.4. There should be more awareness concerning sexual maturity, orientation, and balance in the selection of candidates. During the formation of postulants, novices, and young brothers, sexual growth and learning how to deal with one’s own sexuality and the sexuality of others should be given special attention, so that a clear attitude can be adopted against all forms of abuse. The topic of ‘sexual abuse’ as such should also be examined thoroughly. 10.5. The brothers should grow more aware of the great and positive value of their life of consecrated celibacy and of living the vow of chastity. By contrast, they should also understand what the consequences are of a balance of power toward subordinates and what permanent damage abuse can cause. 10.6. Clear procedures should be drawn up on how to deal with brothers who are accused of sexual abuse and what the attitude of the Congregation should be when the abuse has General Chapter 2012 - 42
been proven: Will they be sent away, or will they remain in the community with the necessary protective measures, guidance, and restrictions? 10.7. Where a brother has been accused of sexual abuse but not prosecuted he must be withdrawn from the apostolate, placed under supervision and his movements restricted and monitored while the matter is being investigated by the Congregation. The continuation or otherwise of the sanctions will depend on the outcome of the investigation. 10.8. Clear procedures which are in line with the Congregational document on “The protection of children and vulnerable adults from abuse� should also be developed for staff members in the apostolate who are accused of sexual abuse, in line with the legal provisions in place in every country.
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11. Constitutions and Directorium The General Chapter affirms that the actual Constitutions are written with a deep theological and spiritual ground. The whole new vision of Vatican II about the consecrated life was translated in a most adapted way towards our congregation. After 50 years, some new notions are developed, especially through the Synod on consecrated life and the exhortation “Vita consecrata�. Also the context of the Congregation changed, especially on the international level, and deeper insight in the charism, especially through the writings of the Founder and the spirituality of Vincent de Paul was growing during the past years. The General Chapter asks that these new elements can be taken as reference for our Constitutions.
Motion 11.1. A commission will be established to study whether or not the inspirational part of the Constitutions should be rewritten in line with the internationalisation of the Congregation, Vincentian spirituality, and the new nuances and insights into the charism of our founder. Issues raised by the Social Doctrine of the Church and other relevant Church documents such as immigration, gender issues, justice and peace, will also
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be taken into account by the commission in its deliberations. If the commission considers it necessary to re-work the Constitutions, it will make a concrete proposal as to how this can be done, bearing in mind the work that has already been done to highlight inconsistencies in content and translation.
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