September
15, 2005
To: All Confreres of the Congregation
From: The General Commission for Restructuring
Re: Update on the work of the Commission
for Restructuring
Dear Confreres,
The Commission on Restructuring, appointed
by the General Government in 2004, held
its Second Meeting at the National Shrine
of Our Lady of Aparecida, Brazil, from
August 29 to September 3, 2005. All members
of the Commission were present.
As requested, each member of the Commission,
with the help of the General Consultor
from each Region, prepared a Report on
his Region in preparation for the meeting.
The Reports presented focused on the functioning
of the present six global Regions of the
Congregation and included an analysis
of what in each Region serves, or does
not serve, apostolic vitality in relation
to mission, formation, finance and governance.
Existing efforts at restructuring, collaboration
and solidarity were also evaluated.
The Reports provided us with a very comprehensive
overview of the situation of the Congregation
in the different Regions and provided
us with the basis for our continued reflection
on the task of restructuring entrusted
to us by the General Government.
This reflection enabled us to uncover
the criteria necessary in making concrete
proposals to take the work of restructuring
further. The criteria provided us with
the essential guiding principles which,
we hope, will provide a framework for
the task of restructuring.
Having established the criteria, we then
turned our attention to the various Regions,
as well as the Congregation as a whole,
with a view to making proposals for each
of the six Regions. In doing so, we endeavored
to keep in mind that any such proposals
should ensure apostolic vitality and effectiveness
in a world of rapid change with changing
human realities. In effect, this meant
taking into consideration the unique situation
and specific needs of each Region.
As our meeting ended we were able to draft
an initial Document on Restructuring,
comprising the Guiding Principles for
Restructuring and the various Proposals
for each of the six Regions. This Document
has been submitted to the members of the
General Council for their deliberation.
The Commission will meet with the General
Council in Rome this coming December 19-21,
2005 with a view to moving the process
forward.
It is our intention that after
our December meeting we will be in a position
to submit a refined draft of the above
mentioned Document to the Congregation
world-wide for your deliberation and comment,
which will then enable the Commission
to prepare a final draft of the Document
for presentation at the mid-sexennial
meetings in 2006.
As a Commission we are very conscious
that the work of restructuring in the
Congregation will not succeed without
the help and cooperation of all confreres.
With this in mind, we ask for your continued
support and prayer.
With every good wish, we remain,
fraternally in the Most Holy Redeemer,
Juan Lasso de la Vega, C.Ss.R.
(Europe-South)
Larry
Kaufmann, C.Ss.R.
(Africa)
Con
J. Casey, C.Ss.R.
(Europe-North)
Guy
Pilote, C.Ss.R.
(North America)
Brendan J. Kelly, C.Ss.R.
(Asia-Oceania)
José Ulysses da Silva, C.Ss.R.
(Latin America)
