“One of the major decisions we made at this meeting was the launching of a formation program, one in each continent, for Vincentian Family advisors or directors, and leaders, especially lay leaders. This program is meant to assist them in their role, particularly as promoters of systemic change. “
CONGREGAZIONE DELLA MISSIONE
CURIA GENERALIZIA
Via dei Capasso, 30 Tel. (39) 06 661 3061
00164 Roma – Italia Fax (39) 06 666 3831
e-mail: cmcuria@cmglobal.org
07 March 2008
To the Visitors and the Presidents of the Visitors’ Conferences
My dear confreres,
May the coming days of the Holy Week deepen our desire to conform our hearts to the heart of God!
As you may well know and read, the Vincentian Family International Heads held our annual meeting here at our General Curia for two days, from 31 January to 01 February of this year. It was a very cordial and fruitful meeting, graced in a special way by the presence of representatives from two federations of Sisters of Charity, namely, the Strasbourg and the North American. I am happy to let you know also that the matter of systemic change is being widely reflected on in the various branches and a future letter will discuss this further in view of this year’s celebration of St. Vincent’s feast.
One of the major decisions we made at this meeting was the launching of a formation program, one in each continent, for Vincentian Family advisors or directors, and leaders, especially lay leaders. This program is meant to assist them in their role, particularly as promoters of systemic change. Its first session is scheduled for February 2009 in Mexico for Latin America. Other continents will follow shortly thereafter. In the attached program description other matters are further explained, such as, the program’s background, specific objectives, themes to be covered, coordination, etc. But principally I am writing this letter to ask of you two things:
1. I ask you to support this program by sending confreres from your respective provinces who exercise the responsibility of advisors of the Vincentian Family and who can in turn give similar sessions in your own countries. Likewise, I ask you to support the lay groups in your own countries so that they are enabled to attend such a formation session.
2. Since it is a program that will take place on the level of the continent, I strongly encourage the 5 Visitors’ conferences to do all they can to make sure that these sessions receive wide publicity and to support the continental team that will be formed in order to coordinate the preparation and holding of these sessions.
The inter-continental coordinators of these sessions are the Commission on Systemic Change, chaired by Fr. Robert Maloney, and the office of the Vincentian Family here in Rome, directed by Fr. Manuel Ginete. They will be in touch with you for your suggestions on various matters, among them the possible members of the continental coordination team, venue for the sessions, dates, etc.
This program is a wonderful opportunity for member branches of the Vincentian Family to be formed together and to learn from one another in order to better serve the poor. I am very hopeful that these continental sessions become the vehicle with which we can help bring about systemic change in the lives of the poor.
St. Vincent was never content to simply give food or shelter or medicine to the poor. He always looked for ways to help them overcome poverty in all its forms in a more sustained manner. I pray that our small steps at systemic change be always guided by abiding trust and confidence in God’s goodness and providence.
Wishing you the blessings of Easter, I remain
Your brother in St. Vincent de Paul,
G. Gregory Gay, C.M.
Superior General
Tags: Featured
