We began the stage of getting to know and evaluate our situation by means of Sr. M. Antonietas resumé of the Congregations journey from our 9th General Chapter up to the present.
Observing that to contemplate the journey we made with the grace of God means taking into consideration the socio-ecclesial context in which our itinerary developed and was implemented, the Superior General then pinpointed several of the leavening agents, transformations and contradictions that characterize this season of humanity: the speed with which change is taking place, favored by digitalization; a planet reduced to the dimensions of a huge town square in which everyone knows everything but in which new walls are also being built; the conflict between civilizations and religions; a liquid existence in which values have lost their consistency and in which an excessive subjectivism is emerging. But in spite of this, she said, the modern age is also showing signs of new life in the form of a growing awareness of the value of the person and his/her fundamental rights; greater sensitivity to the issues of justice and peace; the search for a new economic order on the international level; sensitivity to religious and mystical experiences; solidarity
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In this complex and challenging situation, the Catholic Church is becoming aware of the fact that she is a minority in an indifferent world. But to be in the minority does not mean to be insignificant. What countstoday more than everis to live according to the Gospel and to witness to Christ.
Although our Congregation is decreasing in number, resulting in a precarious personnel situation, our missionary spirit is flourishing. In fact, in the past 3 years about 40 FSPs left their own circumscriptions to carry out the mission ad gentes in other lands. Furthermore, 16 years after the launch of our Missionary Project, our most recent foundations have reached the point of apostolic consolidation and many have been blessed with vocations.
In this time, as a result of redesigning our presences, some of our circumscription boundaries have been readjusted through the transformation of several communities dependent on the General Government into Delegations. In fact, the Congregation has just launched its new East Asia Delegation, formed by the Delegation of Taiwan and the communities of Macau, Hong Kong and Vietnam. The East Asia Delegation has been entrusted with the Institutes China Project. Another Delegation recently set up is that of Southern Africa, made up of our communities of Johannesburg and Durban (South Africa) and the two in Maputo (Mozambique). We also hope to soon launch a Central European Delegation, consisting of our German Delegation and the communities of Prague (Czech Republic) and Warsaw (Poland).
After a rapid survey of our situation, Sr. M. Antonieta reviewed the Congregations journey over the past 3-year period with regard to various areas of our life. She spoke about a spirituality that improves the quality of our relationships and unifies our life, an integral and ongoing formation aimed at the growth of the Pauline apostle, and an apostolate carried out in the spirit of a shared mission.
Spirituality. In the last three years, important ecclesial and congregational events took place that helped us to live our faith more dynamically: the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God (October 2008) and the consequent publication of the Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini; the year dedicated to St. Paul (June 2008-June 2009); the process of redesigning our presences, which touched every aspect of our life; and the deeper reflection on the Constitutions that we recently initiated. However, Sr. Antonieta said, we feel the need for a methodology that will allow us to better assimilate the content we have received so as to move toward unity of life, which is the fruit of a process of assimilation and discernment, and also a fruit of prayer and openness to the Lord.
Formation. In our Congregation too, she said, formation is a complex reality that reflects the problems and challenges associated with the radical changes taking place in society, in family life and in the cultural sphere. We also face challenges linked to our formation intermediaries, that is to say, our formators, communities and apostolic situations. All these challenges can either favor or impede the process of assuming the Pauline identity. The Congregations various initiatives (the International Seminar for FSP Formators, the annual Course on the Charism of the Pauline Family, the Charism Tour Course, university studies and specializations in Rome and abroad, etc.) have all proven to be very valid ways of improving the quality of our members formation.
Apostolate. Globalization, todays new technologies and the culture of the digital age all offer the Pauline apostolate extraordinary opportunities to proclaim the Gospel to everyone with the heart and mind of Paul. But they also offer enormous challenges that can be adequately met only if we face them all together and from a solid spiritual-cultural foundation.
In fact, relaunching our mission is a daring and urgent imperative, proposed by our 9th General Chapter as a revision of the apostolate in the light of the charism. The prominence of the Word of God in our choice of content, the improvement of our diffusion centers, the centrality of our receivers, collaboration on different levelsall these are basic elements of the Integral Project of Evangelization that will be the object of our Continental Meetings for the Apostolate and Administration programmed for 2011 and 2012.
In the afternoon, knowledge of our Congregations situation was expanded through the report of Sr. M. Gabriella Santon, Bursar General, who first presented the worldwide economic situation and then focused on our own.
In 2010, she said, one billion, twenty million people in the world suffered hungerthe highest number ever recorded. In todays crisis situation, the use of economic resources for the good of our mission is an important concern that touches upon our personal identity and the credibility of our witness. But this crisis is also a golden opportunity for us to reflect on our administration and on the way we are living poverty, the hinge of Pauline life.
It is an opportune moment in which to ask ourselves: What should we do to ensure that our activities are productive enough to allow us to continue to support ourselves and carry out our mission in every place and nation?
The Alberionian solution is to have great faith in Divine Providence and, at the same time, to organize ourselves, that is to say, to combine our strengths and increase solidarity among ourselves.
As Sr. Gabriella said, we must have the courage, humility and wisdom to create alliances that will allow us to grow together and to rise above difficult structures and the market. Alliances that are based on a unity of intentions so as to respond in an adequate way to the needs of humanity; alliances that will prevent our weaker circumscriptions from getting discouraged and that will lead us to live in a spirit of communion and mutual support, rekindling the sense of belonging to the Congregation that has always been one of our primary features.
An important element in coming to a better grasp of the overall picture of our Congregation is the information to be shared in these days concerning the journey of each of our circumscriptions. These sharing sessions will take place first in small groups, where the sisters will be divided by continent, and then in the general assembly.