Ginete, Manuel, C.M.

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Vincentiana Volume 48 Number 4 Vol. 48, No. 4-5 Article 8 7-2004 Work Accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the 40th General Assembly 2004 Manuel Ginete C.M. Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentiana  Part of the Catholic Studies Commons, Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, History of Christianity Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Ginete, Manuel C.M. (2004) "Work Accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the 40th General Assembly 2004," Vincentiana: Vol. 48 : No. 4 , Article 8. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentiana/vol48/iss4/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Vincentian Journals and Publications at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Vincentiana by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact digitalservices@depaul.edu. Reports to the 40th General AssemblyVincentiana, July-October 2004VINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZA244VINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZAWork Accomplishedby the Preparatory Commissionfor the 40th General Assembly 2004by Manuel Ginete, C.M.Member of the CPAG 20045.VII.2004IntroductionIn his letter of 8 June 2002, the Superior General of theCongregation of the Mission, Robert P. Maloney, C.M., officiallyconvoked the 40th General Assembly, to be held in Rome, from5-29 July, with the following theme:“Our Vincentian identity today, having lived the newConstitutions for 20 years — an evaluation and threechallenges for the future.” 1In the same letter, Fr. Maloney announced the appointment ofthe Preparatory Commission (CPAG 2004), with the followingmembers:Corpus Delgado (Zaragoza)Manuel Ginete (Philippines)Jorge Pedroza (Mozambique)John Sledziona (New England)Sima˜o Valenga (Curitiba)This Commission worked in two sessions, the first in June 2002,and the second in December 2003. What follows is a brief account ofthe Commission’s tasks and accomplishment.First SessionThe Commission’s first meeting took place in the General Curiafrom 3-9 June 2002. The focus of this session was generally toattend to the major concerns of the General Assembly as listed in1 Cf. Vincentiana (May-June 2002) 126-127.Vincentiana, July-October 2004VINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZAConstitution articles 137-142, and specifically to help the provincesprepare for the Domestic and Provincial Assemblies. To accomplishthese objectives we first of all reflected on the Assembly’s theme,paying particular attention to possible guidelines on how to evaluateour appropriation of the Constitutions in the last 20 years and on theprincipal challenges the future holds for the Congregation. Secondly,we considered the points brought out in the evaluation of theimmediately previous General Assembly of 1998,2 such as theDirectory, schedule, liturgy, social activities, postulates, etc.At the end of our first session, the following had beenaccomplished: 31. Consultation Document for the use of the Domestic andProvincial Assemblies. This document consisted princi-pally of• Questions concerning the evaluation of the aspects ofour life (vocation, apostolic activity, community life,spiritual life, formation, co-responsibility, subsidiarity,active participation, and temporal goods).• Questions also on the principal changes in Church andsociety in the last 20 years, as well as questions on threechallenges for the future of the Congregation of theMission.4• A Suggested Process for conducting the Domestic andProvincial Assemblies.• Finally, some practical recommendations on thetransmission of the provincial responses to the CPAG.2. All the above accompanied our letter to the Visitors(30 June 2002), together with two suggestions, one for theCertificate of the Election of Delegates for the GeneralAssembly and another for the Presentation of Postulatesto the Assembly.2 An earlier evaluation of the implementation of this Assembly’scommitments by the provinces was made during the Visitors’ Meeting inDublin in June 2001.3 Cf. Vincentiana (May-June 2002) 128-139.4 Although the GA’s theme speaks only about an evaluation and threechallenges, the Preparatory Commission felt that we can best appreciate ourattempt at living the new Constitutions since their proclamation, andunderstand the challenges facing us, from the framework of the social andecclesial developments in this same period. We were well aware that reflectionon these changes had been done in previous assemblies and meetings.However, it seemed propitious to put our life and future again in thesecontexts. Cf. Footnote no. 3 of the Consultation Document.246 M. GineteVINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZAThe other matters on the Directory, liturgy, etc., were, for lack oftime, tabled for further study of the members, in the hope that at oursecond meeting, we would have more opportunity to discuss themand thus suggest possible modifications, where needed.Thus, the Commission understood the theme of the GeneralAssembly 2004 to consist principally in taking a close look at ourVincentian identity today, making an evaluation of it, in the light ofthe changes in society and the Church, with a view towards thechallenges that confront us at this time in our history.Second SessionOur next meeting took place, again in the General Curia, from1-11 December 2003. The date was precisely scheduled after theProvincial Assemblies, from which several matters were expected.The focus of our second session was to prepare more immediately forthe General Assembly and to attend to matters we had tabled fromour first session. The following is what the Commission did:1. Drew up the list of the General Assembly’s ex-officiomembers, elected delegates and their substitutes, the lasttwo from the Minutes of the Provincial Assemblies andconfirmed by the respective Visitors themselves.52. Made a synthesis of the Responses (to the ConsultationDocument) from the Provinces. A copy of this was sent lastApril to the Visitors and delegates, by e-mail as well asregular post, which hopefully you have with you. Asindicated in this document, we have (perhaps for the firsttime in quite a while) a perfect submission rate from 46Provinces, and 5 Vice-Provinces and, additionally, repliesalso from the International Missions in Papua NewGuinea, the Solomon Islands, and from the StudentAssembly of the Northern Zone of CLAPVI. More thansimply a tabulation of data, the synthesis affords us aclear view of the hopes and joys, the aches and pains ofliving our Vincentian identity in this vastly changed worldof ours. As I am sure you have all experienced, readingthe synthesis warms our hearts at the prospect of aCongregation, struggling, yet fully committed to Vincent’scharism, on behalf of the poor.3. Wrote a draft of the Documentum Laboris for the 40thGeneral Assembly. After reflecting on the provincial5 From December 2003 up to June 2004, there have been changes in thislist, primarily due to the appointment of new Visitors.247Work Accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the 40th G.A. 2004VINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZAresponses, the Commission set out to draft a WorkingDocument. You also have a copy of this sent last April. Ata later time this week, Fr. John Sledziona, a member ofthe CPAG 2004, will make a presentation on thisdocument.4. Put together the postulata for the Assembly. There are 30postulata submitted by provinces and individualconfreres. The indications we sent to the differentprovinces seemed to have helped since most of thepostulata arrived in the appropriate form, without theneed to search for these in the Minutes of the ProvincialAssemblies themselves. The special Commission respon-sible for the postulata will make a presentation at theappropriate time during the Assembly.5. Revised the Assembly Directory. As in the preparation forthe 1998 Assembly, the Superior General and his councilhad earlier looked through all the suggestions on it fromthat previous Assembly and, shortly thereafter, came upwith possible amendments to it. The PreparatoryCommission discussed these and other suggestions. Acopy of the proposed Directory for the 40th GeneralAssembly (2004) was sent earlier. This same will bepresented by another member of the PreparatoryCommission, Fr. Corpus Delgado. For the changesintroduced to the Directory of 1998, the Assembly’sapproval will be sought.6. Drew up a proposed schedule and agenda for the Assembly,including the elections of the Superior General, the VicarGeneral, and the other Assistants General. In doing so,the Commission took into consideration the discussion ofthe theme, talks on specific topics by invited guests, aswell as the needs of the continental groups. We have triedto balance work with leisure. We are well aware, ofcourse, that the General Assembly, being the supremeauthority in the Congregation,6 has the final say on how itorganizes its work. Fr. Jorge Pedroza, another member ofthe CPAG 2004, will present the schedule later.7. Made suggestions on other matters like liturgy, translation,social activities, personal information sheet, etc. A numberof the recommendations from the 1998 Assembly mademention of the need to have meaningful liturgies, efficienttranslation, and more time for formal and informal6 Cf. Constitutions, 137.248 M. GineteVINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZAfellowship among confreres from different countries.Some of these are already being carried out and are nowin place in the Assembly’s schedule. Fr. Sima˜o Valenga ofCPAG 2004 will brief us on liturgical matters in a shortwhile.ConclusionAs we conclude the task entrusted to us as the PreparatoryCommission for this Assembly, we wish:First of all, to express our gratitude and appreciation to Fr.Robert P. Maloney, C.M., our Superior General, and his council, fortheir confidence in our capabilities, their total availability when weneeded advice, and their openness to our suggestions. Our thanks tothe special commission from the Curia, composed of Frs. Jo´zefKapus´ciak, Jose´ Marı´a Nieto, and Elmer Bauer, and their staff, whocollaborated with us in communicating to the provinces thedocuments, and facilitating the retrieval of their responses. Ourgratitude as well to all the confreres at the General Curia for thewarm hospitality they afforded us during our two sessions.Secondly, we wish to recognize and express thanks for thevaluable cooperation of the Visitors and the confreres of eachprovince and vice-province for meeting the deadlines we had set andthus making our task easier and our reflection enriching.Finally, we wish all of you fruitful work that will inspire all theconfreres in the Congregation and motivate us to bring closer toreality the vision of our Father, Vincent de Paul. It has been adistinct privilege for us, members of the Preparatory Commission, toundertake this task in service of the entire Congregation. We havepresented to you our work, and we trust you will find it worthy ofyour kind attention.On behalf of the CPAG 2004, once again, thank you.249Work Accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the 40th G.A. 2004VINCENTIANA 4/5-2004 - INGLESE July 13, 2003 − 2a BOZZA

Work Accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the 40th General Assembly 2004

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Work Accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the 40th General Assembly 2004

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