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The Claretian Mission Prefects of Apostolate Meeting

Lisbon 2014 And

The 5 Continental Meetings about The Claretian Mission. Conclussions Medellín, Quezon City, Kampala, Ibadan, Bilbao

The Claretian Mission. Lisbon 2014

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INDEX FIST PART 5 Prefects of Apostolate Meeting. Lisbon, 2014 0. Introducction 7 I. Features of the Claretian Mission Style. Congregation 9 1. Centrality of the Word, particularly in reading and receiving the Holy Scripture 12 2. Missionaries in a missionary Church that is a mystery of communion. 12 3. Assuming dialogue as the place where the mission is done 12 4. Solidarity and prophetic, from the perspective of the poor and excluded Mission 13 5. Mission is always the key 13 II. The Features of The Claretian Mission Stile. Highlights for each continent

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1. America 17 2. Africa 17 3. Asia 18 4. Europe 18 III. Mission Priorities for the Congregation, in the next sexenium. Proposals.

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IV. Proposed improvements to the area Apostolate for the Congregation in the next six years

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1.Proposals about The 4 Priorities 27 1.1. Youth and Vocation Pastoral Ministry (YVPM) 1.2. Solidarity and Mission 1.3. Bible Minnistry 1.4. Evangelization through technology, Information and Communication (E-TICs) 2. Proposals to improve the organization of The General Prefecture of Apostolate 28 SECOND PART 29 Conclusions from The 5 Continental Meetings ¨The Claretian Mission¨

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Medellín, Quezon City, Kampala, Ibadan, Bilbao 1. The Claretian Mission for América. (Revised at Lisbon 2014) 31 2. The Claretian Mission for Asia. (Revised at Lisboa 2014) 34 3. The Claretian Mission for East Africa. Kampala, 9 to 15 September 2013 37 4. The Claretian Mission for West Africa. Ibadan, 24 to 30 September 2013 41 5. The Claretian Mission for Europe. Bilbao, 28 oc. to 3 November 2013 44


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FIRST PART

Prefects of Apostolate Meeting Lisbon 2014


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Conclusions Presentation At the Prefects of Apostolate gathering in Lisbon, the 38 participants had enriching sessions of dialogue and sharing. We introduce to the Preparatory Commission of the XXV General Chapter and the Congregation the documents and conclusions of our 10 days (27 July to 4 August 2014) of work during which we had: • updated the information of our Claretian Missionary ministries from around the

world, • discerned, along with lively discussion, through continental groups and plenary

sessions, the central aspects of our missionary life, • made global and continental plans of the priorities of our mission in our present and

future projects and programs.

The key to read and move forward with these plans is through the passionate and collective search that includes: • what is common and non-negotiable for all Claretians • the growing number of crises and the transformation of our global situations. • The different referent points related to our Claretian presence in 67 countries on the

five continents.

In this context, the common understandings and consensus have taken into account: • the admirable tradition of the Congregation and our strength in integrating and

overcoming the impact of the crises in the European nations and Claretian organisms in Europe,

• the aim and intent of dialogue with the poor, the various religions and many cultures of Asia,

• the search for new horizons for a popular and communal reading of the word of God and a liberating presence amidst those who are impoverished in the Americas

• the missionary leadership and direction of the Claretians in Africa in light of our growth as a Congregation, our diverse and rich cultures, our possibilities for evangelization and the conflicts within the continent,

As those primarily involved in what is proposed here, we have been seriously committed to • Live a more persuasive witness in order to energize the ministries of our Organisms

In order to do this we rely on you, brother Claretians and laypeople to share this misión with us.

• be unifiers and promoters of communion in each of the continents by sharing through E-TICs and communal programs.

For this, the Congregation will be open-minded and together explore the geographical and technological frontiers in the new Areopagus of the internet.

• motivate our local and provincial communities in a conscious, fearless, critical and creative process of participation in the preparation and implementation of next year’s General Chapter.

To achieve this, your views, ideas, dreams and your whole Claretian being are necessary.

Lisbon, August 4, 2014


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I . The Features of The Claretian Mission Style. Congregation


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NOTE The text below is a summary of the relevant section: Features of The Claretian Mission, of each of the five continental meetings about The Claretian Mission in the continent. It was sent to the Provincial and Prefects of Apostolate of the Congregation in order to receive suggestions for modifications, which were put into the text. It was approved before the meeting of Prefects of Apostolate of Lisbon 2014 and endorsed by a large majority of the assembly of prefects at Lisbon. You may examine the conclusions of each Continental Meeting in the second part of this document.

The Features of the Claretian Mission Style. Continental Meetings AMERICA ASIA EAST

AFRICA WEST

AFRICA EUROPE

A solid spirituality based on the Word of God

Mission based on the Word of God.

Centrality of the Word of God

Centrality of the Word of God (Bible)

A missionary solidarity with the impoverished and with creation.

Prophetic Mission: Passion for God and Passion for People

Option for the poor

Option for the poor

A Mission of solidarity that is singularly expressed in commitment to the poor and marginalized

A mission in communion and dialogue

Shared Mission

Shared Mission A Mission that makes us brothers, that demands we live in profound communion and to care for our fraternity as the first missionary word.

Mission in Communion

Communion for The Mission

Mission as communion

A Mission shared with other disciples of the Lord and with many other men and women

Mission in Dialogue

Mission in dialogue

Mission as Dialogue

A Mission that announces the Word in dialogue, available and prepared to go to the existential, social and cultural frontiers of evangelization

A missionary itinerancy with continuous revision of positions

Youth Ministry A Mission that is born of the action of the Spirit in us and that drives us to live in an attitude of listening and discernment


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“Claretian Missionary Style” in the unique mission of the Spirit in the Church

After the theological Congress on the mission and, supported by it, there have been missionary encounters in the different parts of the Congregation. The important reflections and experiences that were shared have been outlining what we call the ‘Claretian Missionary style’ which the Spirit gives to us and from which we feel responsible at this time. I. “Claretian Missionary Style” The ‘Claretian Missionary Style’ shows by the characteristics that define it, what are the concretization of the Claretian Missionary charism for a particular era. This ‘missionary style’ is generated in us through the Holy Spirit thus configuring our evangelizing activity, testimony and intercession in the unique mission of the Church. As Claretian Missionaries we are called to ‘read the Signs of the times’ with the aim of discovering what it is the Spirit wants of us; we read them with ‘charismatic eyes’ which the Spirit gives us to search, in community, what is the mission that he has entrusted to us. There are two movements in this dynamic of discovering the characteristics of our missionary style:

• to discern in community what is ‘most urgent, timely and effective’ in the process of evangelization according to the needs of the different times and places. • to offer an innovative evangelizing response according to what the Gospel and the signs of the Spirit are asking of us in each moment and place.

Our ‘Claretian Missionary style’ is not only explained by ‘doing and programming’, meaning, from the ‘options of mission’ or ‘evangelizing priorities’, but rather from what we can call ‘characteristics of our charismatic personality’. The ‘Claretian Missionary style’ brings us to discover the evangelizing options towards which the Spirit is pointing us and to configure from them our spirituality and our personal and community lifestyle. In the Style and in the characteristics that express it, they bring together the personal and community experience of God and the personal or community commitment with the missionary work. These ‘features’ of the Claretian evangelizing Style, like the options that appear in the Directory, have to be lived by each and every Claretian and has to shape each of our ministries and missionary projects. Each Claretian, community, Organism, project and missionary action has to be lived, structured and programmed from this group of characteristics that, interrelated, shape the Claretian Missionary Style. It is not a question, therefore, of asking ourselves if our evangelizing action is Claretian because it lives one, two or more of them; to live from the Claretian evangelizing Style supposes taking on all the interrelated characteristics as a ‘system of characteristics’ which lived all together, give as a result a concrete manner of interpreting the world and our vocation.


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II. The features of the ‘Claretian Missionary style’ according to the continental discernment

1. Centrality of the Word, particularly in reading and receiving the Holy Scripture. Listening to the Word of God is the starting point of our vocation and the source of our

missionary dynamism. Sacred Scripture, read and received under the guidance of the Spirit and in communion with the Church, is for us a place to find fundamental references for our mission. The Bible is perceived as a place of meeting with God, where he speaks of himself, of the People of God and about what he wants and needs from us. In Scripture we realize that the Word of God, Jesus Christ himself, speaks to us, addresses us, helps us to interpret the signs of the times and shows us the mission the Spirit wants to send us. In this way we feel and we are Servants of the Word and with a missionary spirituality firmly grounded in Scripture .

Scripture is perceived as an indispensable guide to discern the opportunities and

challenges for evangelization; it is an enlightening source for the life of those to whom we are sent. The Bible is a living expression of God's way with Humanity, and it helps us to discover and to show who is God, what does he want from his Christian communities and what would be his plan for humanity.

2. Missionaries in a missionary Church that is a mystery of communion. We are aware that we are part of a church whose sole mission given by Jesus Christ and

led by the Spirit, is to be herald of the Gospel with the life and the word. We live the experience of the diversity of life forms, ministries and charisms which the Spirit inspires in the Church and the mystery of its complementary unity as gift of the same Spirit. Within our congregation we experience the diversity of cultures, ages and gifts and we are called to be parable of communion through our community life. We are a community for the Mission. This way of living the Mission as born into a community filled with diversity, is already in itself a missionary testimony.

We want to live and develop our Claretian Mission within a Church that is communion

with brethen and with God, and so we want to live our charismatic identity, in communion, co-responsibility and complementarity with other charisms, ministries and forms of Christian life. Therefore, we understand our mission as a mission to be shared with other charisms and ministries, especially the laity, as Fr. Claret did. We commit to work for a Church that is a communion of communities, charisms and ministries for the Mission. We seek to participate in the Church's diocesan life and servicing it from our missionary charism.

3. Assuming dialogue as the place where the mission is done We understand dialogue as the process through which people are able to communicate

and understand each other vitally. To make this possible we have to know others' life circumstances and put ourselves in their place, so that we are able to understand their thoughts and actions. This dialogue is not only the condition making possible the inculturation of faith, but it is also needed for reconciliation, peace, brotherhood and teamwork. The congregational community, in its great diversity, is a privileged place to


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experience the dialogue that leads us to find new and creative ways of mission. The dialogue within the Congregation, in the Church and with all those who believe in Jesus Christ leads us to be open to a permanent discernment of our life and mission.

As Claretians we understand that dialogue must move us to promote the reconciliation

and coming together of ethnicities and cultures, other faiths and Christian denominations. Defining our mission as dialogue impels us to work with all kinds of religious or lay institutions, NGOs, governments and people of good will, with whom we share many things. Understanding dialogue as a place of Mission, also leads us into direct contact with the actual situation, the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the people of our time, especially of the poor and afflicted, to let them know that these are too our joys , hopes, griefs and anxieties.

4. Solidarity and prophetic, from the perspective of the poor and excluded Mission We feel called to set our life (spirituality, apostolic positions, missionary actions,

organization and economy) -as a person and as community, from the perspective of the poor and excluded. To make this call real we have to approach them, so we can feel the call of the Spirit to proclaim the Good News of Jesus.

We want our evangelization to be a prophetic and liberating one, in solidarity with those who suffer persecution, poverty, violation of human rights. We want to contribute to the transformation of the world according to God's plan, promoting an ethical and solidary culture that promotes human dignity and strengthens cooperation, peace and reconciliation among peoples. We are urged to go out in search of the poor and marginalized and to work so they can feel the Church as their home. For these reasons all our missionary activity, even the missionary work that is not carried out directly with them, is made "from the perspective of the poor and needy",.

Our identity as children of the Heart of Mary calls us to live our missionary

commitment “from the heart”, especially in its prophetic dimension and in solidarity with the excluded .

5. Mission is always the key We are missionaries, and this is a clear identity sign for the Claretians. Our charism in

the Church urges us to always look for new ways to reach out to those who have lost faith or who may have never have it. Missionary creativity was a characteristic of Fr. Claret we can't send into oblivion; we commit ourselves to what is most urgent, timely and effective at any time and place, so that the world may know the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our congregational community and each local community are privileged spaces of discernment for our mission, for what God wants of us in every moment and in every place, but so are, too, all the forums searching for the good and the truth. We constantly look for the signs of the times nesting the call of the Spirit, and treasure the “seeds of the Kingdom” that God places wherever He wants. We leave our communities to search for the signs of the Spirit through our contact with men and women of our time, and we must return to them to meet our brothers and discern together our Mission's course of action.


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Our missionary presence involves dialogue, contact and closeness to the people we are with. It also implies a constant openness to those who are not close, to inter-cultural, interfaith and inter-religious dialogue. We are called to work with all so that we can become “one with all” and signs of the presence of the Spirit of the Lord who makes all things new. Our being missionaries impels us to promote and establish truly missionary Christian communities that are a privileged mediation announcing and witnessing the Kingdom; to train and prepare young people who are true missionaries leaders wherever they go, or whatever their vocational call; to reach out to the poor and needy so they can feel the warmth of God and the Church. In other words, it is a call to be, like Claret, creative and dauntless bearers of the Fire of the Spirit.


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II . The Features of The Claretian Mission Stile. Highlights for each continent


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NOTE In this section are presented, once accepted the Claretian Missionary Style Traits for the whole Congregation, what we want to accentuate the Claretian Style on every continent.


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1. América Sugerimos, para completar este documento sínteses: 1. Centralidad de la Palabra

a. Explicitar la centralidad de la Palabra y su lectura en clave JPIC y con carácter popular y comunitario.

b. Explicitar a María como Sierva misionera que, desde la fragua, escucha y vive la Palabra.

2. En cuanto a Iglesia misterio de comunión

a. Incentivar la realización de los proyectos en Misión compartida: Fomentar y acompañar el Movimiento de Seglares Claretianos. Experiencias de misión compartida para los formandos en sus diferentes etapas.

3. Con respecto al Diálogo como lugar de misión:

a. Pedir que se programen acciones concretas: educar para el dialogo y su importancia tanto hacia adentro como hacia afuera; proyectos comunes con otras organizaciones religiosas.

b. Trabajar el diálogo con el pobre, con las culturas y con las religiones, como lo propone Asia.

c. Destacar el tema del diálogo orientador con la religiosidad popular.

4. En cuanto a la clave misionera

a. Fomentar las misiones populares con énfasis en los ámbitos urbanos. b. Destacar la atención a la opción por los pobres, de tal manera que sea transversal,

comprensiva y generadora de unidad desde la diversidad. 2. África 1. Centrality of the Word of God

a. Attentive listening to the Word of God as a source of our life and mission. b. Inculturating the Word of God as a way of making it much more meaningful to the

people. c. Proclamation of the Word of God according to what is timely, needed and urgent.

(The use of social communication media and technologies).


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2. Mission as Communion

a. The need for availability for solidarity and subsidiarity with and outside our communities.

b. Availability of missionaries for service should be emphasized c. Communion in the areas of our apostolate and with the recipients of our mission

(family, children, youth, marginalized people).

3. Mission as Dialogue

a. Promotion of intercultural, ecumenical, inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation, (Rich and Poor, Young and Old etc)

b. Fostering peaceful co-existence of people to preserve unity in diversity.

4. Solidarity and Prophetic, from the perspective of the poor and excluded Mission:

a. Preferential option and solidarity with the poor and the neglected. b. Missionaries witnessing to prophetic lifestyle.

5. Shared Mission

a. We are collaborators in the mission of God and should be open to the various joint ventures in our ministries.

b. Proper collaboration with religious institutions, laity, NGOs, Government and people of good will who share in this mission of God while maintaining our own identity.

3. Asia Asia will continue its dialogue with other religions, with cultures and with the poor. The Claretians are facing and will continue to confront the realities of poverty, marginalization and abuse in many parts of the continent. The Claretians Asia maintain its identity amid a multicultural reality of the continent. 4. Europe We appreciate the synthesis document about the claretian missionary style. We honor the intention of putting together all that has been elaborated in the continental encounters about the mission. But we have to admit that we feel closer and related to the document that the Missionary Encounter for Europe has elaborated. This is simply because there are


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some elements in the synthesis documents that are not well elaborated or loose their explicit importance and clarity.

• The action of the Holy Spirit should have been more explicated in the headings of the characteristics of the claretian missionary style as well as shared mission and the Word proclaimed and offered (not only the Word read and accepted).

• Notes from the Constitutions and other fundamental documents of the Congregation were generally missing.

• Reference to the missionary community in the service of the mission is missing. • We are asking to ourselves if there is a necessary need for a synthesis document

since there are the documents from the continental encounters. Furthermore, these conclusions from the continental encounters should be forwarded along with other documents for the pre-chapter commission and to the General Government.

Priorities • For Europe, we maintain the 6 priorities. • For the Congregation:

o Evangelization of children youth and families with a special attention to the

vocation dimension.

o Engagement with the poor, the excluded and the migrants.

o Inter gentes dialogue and evangelizing presence in areas such as the

Internet, non-believers, indifference and among the non-Christians.

Creation and animation of communities empowered by the Word of God.


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III. Mission Priorities for the Congregation, in the next sexenium.

Propousals.


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NOTE The group of Prefects of Apostolate of the Congregation agreed to propose as evangelizing Priorities for the next six years, which are presented below.


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1. A prophetic solidarity with those who are poor, marginalized, vulnerable in their human rights (MFL 58.3) and migrants.

2. Evangelization of children, youth and families with special attention to

the vocational dimension.

3. Evangelization that is centered on the Word of God that creates life,

builds Christian community and transforms the world.

4. Dialogue among people and evangelization on the internet as well as

among people who do not believe, are religiously indifferent or are not Christian.


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IV. Proposed improvements to the area Apostolate for the

Congregation in the next six years


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NOTE In evaluation of both the "four Missionaries Priorities" and the "organization of the Prefecture of Apostolate" in the current sexennium, we wanted to highlight especially that which should be improved in the next six years, after the General chapter. In the following text there are first of all input to each of the "four mission priorities" and, secondly, as regards the "organization of the Prefecture of Apostolate."


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1. Youth and Vocation Pastoral Ministry (YVPM) A. Criteria - Orientations

a. To articulate the processes of the initiation of faith in the ministry to children, youth and families (YVPM)

b. To inspire and nurture a Culture of Vocation in our formation and evangelization centers

c. To improve the relationship between those responsible for the YVPM and the various Organisms

d. To commit, as individuals and communities of Claretian Missionaries, to be very present as a testimony among young people

B. Organization

a. We propose that there will be a Secretariat for YVPM under the Prefecture of the Apostolate. This team would consist of representatives members from different conferences.

2. Solidarity and Mission A. Criteria – Orientations

a. We will implement the conclusions regarding Solidarity and Mission that came from the JPIC Encounter in Vic, Spain in February 2014.

b. To evaluate the work of our United Nations team and to strengthen them and their projects.

c. To have clear distribution criteria for the Mission Procure for the understanding and presentation of the projects.

d. To give systematic work guidelines to help those in charge of Solidarity and Mission for the organisms as well as their teams to better animate and organize.

B. Organization:

a. To implement the area of Solidarity and Mission-- Procure, Proclade, JPIC, UN-CMF-- under the Prefecture of the Apostolate

3. Bible Minnistry

A. Criteria – Orientations

a. We consider it essential to offer adequate training and specialization in the area of animation of the biblical pastoral to both Claretians as well as lay people.

B. Organization

a. To create a Secretariat for the animation of the Bible Pastoral composed of Claretian and lay representatives from all conferences


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4. Evangelization through technology, Information and Communication (E-TICs) A. Criteria - Orientations

a. To form people to be able to understand, advance and utilize the E-TICs in order to evangelize more effectively.

b. To discover and understand how to E-TICs especially the internet, not only as a tool, but as a new Continent or Place where Claretians are present to do our missionary works.

B. Organization

a. To create a Secretariat or team for E-TICs

2. Proposed organization of The General Prefecture of Apostolate A. Criteria - Orientations

a. Our coordinating structures ought to respond to insure consistency between these planned and formulated priorities and the corresponding structures for implementation.

b. The Prefecture of the Apostolate should ensure the animation, follow up and evaluation of the objectives, priorities and pastoral activities of the major organisms.

B. Organization- Structure

a. The Prefect of the Apostolate b. A Congregational Apostolate Council comprised of: The Prefect of the Apostolate,

coordinators from each continent or conference, those in charge of the Secretariats in the Apostolate

c. The Secretariats of the following areas: YVPM, SO-MI, BP,E-TICs, others? d. Each Secretariat, led by its coordinator, will have its own team for its activities with

the possible presence of lay people.


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SECOND PART

Conclusions from The 5 Continental Meetings The Claretian Mission

Medellín, Quezon City, Kampala, Ibadan, Bilbao


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NOTE The next part of this document presents The conclusions of the five continental meetings on Claretian Mission in each continent. The assembly of Prefects of Apostolate 2014 Lisbon requested be included in the document for the precapitular Commission. Some of them were modified during the meeting at Lisbon.


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1. CLARETIAN MISSION ENCOUNTER FOR AMERICA

(Revised at Lisbon 2014 Meeting) (It was not yet received last English translation)

La experiencia misionera en América nos permite identificar nuestro estilo de vida y misión en cuatro rasgos:

1. Sólida espiritualidad fundamentada en la Palabra de Dios. 2. Misión solidaria y en diálogo con los empobrecidos, la Creación. 3. Misión compartida. 4. Misión itinerante y en permanente revisión de posiciones.

1. Sólida espiritualidad fundamentada en la Palabra de Dios:

- nos hace oyentes y servidores de la Palabra en la Creación, en la vida y en la

historia de los seres humanos, con talante profético. - nos lleva a configurarnos con Jesucristo a través de la Sagrada Escritura y la

Eucaristía, y a su seguimiento integral “en el orar, trabajar y sufrir”, - nos hace vivir la cordialidad en función de la misión, a partir de la dimensión

cordimariana de nuestro carisma, - nos lleva a invitar a otros a abrazar la vocación misionera.

2. Misión solidaria con los empobrecidos y la Creación:

- nos exige un estilo de vida coherente y cercano a los empobrecidos y un

conocimiento e identificación vital con el pueblo. - nos lleva a caminar con ellos como artífices de su propia historia. - nos compromete en la defensa de la vida y la promoción de la paz y la justicia

en todas sus expresiones. - conlleva una “conversión ecológica” que nos compromete en el cuidado y

defensa de la creación.

3. Misión en comunión y diálogo: - nos lleva a reconocer que nuestra misión se lleva a cabo en comunión

profética con la Iglesia y con todos los hombres y mujeres de buena voluntad, en clave de misión compartida.

- nos impulsa a trabajar por una Iglesia en comunión de comunidades, carismas y ministerios.

- conlleva un estilo de misión en diálogo de vida y discernimiento permanente. - nos compromete a vivir en diálogo intercultural e interreligioso - implica el reconocimiento, el respeto y búsqueda en común de lo auténtico

en la evolución de la religiosidad popular.

4. Misión itinerante y en permanente revisión de posiciones: - requiere una profunda reflexión y discernimiento y exige una actitud de total

creatividad, audacia y disponibilidad.


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- conlleva el ejercicio permanente de la conversión personal y pastoral, respondiendo a lo más urgente, oportuno y eficaz.

- ha de ser ejercida sin fronteras, en misión universal. - Superando toda actitud de autoreferencialidad.

Líneas de acción prioritaria

Los rasgos de nuestra espiritualidad a partir de la Missio Dei nos invitan a priorizar las siguientes cinco líneas de acción en América, teniendo en cuenta que, en la medida que se siguen y se entrelazan, estas líneas de acción nos llevan a una verdadera y necesaria revisión de posiciones.

1. Impulsar la animación bíblica de toda la pastoral. 2. Promover la justicia, paz e integridad de la Creación. 3. Intensificar la evangelización de las nuevas generaciones. 4. Animar la formación de Claretianos y laicos/as a partir de la misión. 5. Apropiarnos de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación

para la evangelización y potenciarlas en el trabajo pastoral.

Posiciones estratégicas

Comunidades, proyectos o equipos que en todos los ámbitos del continente se dedican a: 1. Con respecto a la animación bíblica:

- creación e impulso de centros y escuelas bíblicas en todos los Organismos de

América. - Promover la lectura popular y comunitaria de la Biblia. - Trabajar las hermenéuticas específicas. - Mantener la calidad del Diario Bíblico, como proyecto estratégico de MICLA,

articulado con toda la dinámica del movimiento bíblico en el continente. - Lograr la articulación del equipo REBICLAR en el contexto de animación de las

Prefecturas de Apostolado.

2. En relación con la justicia, la paz y la salvaguardia de la creación: - Configurar el área de Solidaridad y Misión en MICLA - Concretar las iniciativas de formación, reflexión y acción profética que lleven a la

elaboración y ejecución de programas de opción por los pobres y sus luchas, y a la salvaguarda de la creación,

- Reforzar nuestra presencia en la ONU, como asistentes y consultores del Consejo Económico y Social (ECOSOC) y otras entidades relacionadas con nuestra acción misionera.

- Mantener relaciones por parte del equipo JPIC de MICLA con el equipo ONU-CMF.

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3. En cuanto a nuevas generaciones y educación: - la coordinación de proyectos de pastoral juvenil y vocacional, educación básica

formal e informal, en clave profética y liberadora. - los centros de educación superior de la Congregación, integrados en red de

servicios e intercambio.

4. Los itinerarios y programas de formación vivencial en orden a formar discípulos/as misioneros/as.

5. En cuanto a la comunicación social y las TICs:

- los espacios ya existentes y las nuevas iniciativas en el campo de las TIC’s y otro medios de comunicación social,

- un equipo que en los Organismos y la Conferencia lidere y acompañe dichas iniciativas.

6. La asesoría en clave profética y el acompañamiento a nuestra obras misioneras de acuerdo con su realidad.

7. En cuanto a la dinámica de encuentros de MICLA: - En cuanto a reuniones, establecer periódicamente encuentros de Prefectos de

Apostolado y sus equipos. - Recuperar los Encuentros de misiones. - En los Organismos, ir integrando algunos formandos con alguna trayectoria

formativa, en los equipos animadores de las diversas dimensiones.


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2. CLARETIAN MISSION ENCOUNTER FOR ASIA

(Revised at Lisbon 2014) I. Claretian Mission Style In order to situate our Claretian mission style in Asia, we opt for: 1. Mission based on the Word of God

a. As Servants of the Word in this changing world, we are called to listen to the Word and discern the challenges as opportunities for evangelization.

b. Inspired by the Word of God, we ought to be Men of holiness and integrity in life and mission by assimilating the positive elements in Asian religious and cultural traditions.

c. Exercising humble servant leadership and credibility in witnessing like Jesus.

2. Prophetic Mission: Passion for God and Passion for People

a. Option for and solidarity with the poor. b. Prophetic and liberating evangelization in solidarity with those who suffer

persecution, poverty, violation of human rights and suppression of indigenous people.

c. More incarnated presence in places where our missionaries live. d. Making our presence more evangelizing by contemplating on God’s works made

manifest in the realities of people and nature.

3. Mission in Dialogue

a. Dialogue with cultures, religions, poor, and creation (Missio inter gentes) b. Dialogue as sharing of life and faith experiences with others. c. An approach from below as the way of doing dialogue, i.e., an experience with

people and the realities of their lives.

4. Shared Mission

a. Working with persons, NGOs, civil society movements and Church-based organizations while maintaining our identity.

b. More participative, collaborative mode of missionary evangelization. c. Sharing of personnel and resources for the mission.

5. Mission in Communion

a. Communion gives rise to Mission and Mission is accomplished in Communion (Ecclesia in Asia # 24)

b. Mission as communion of persons and openness to different styles of missionary community living, according to the needs of mission.

c. As a sign of unity, community life is the power of missionary witness in the diversity of realities.

d. Embrace and live the intercultural reality as a gift.


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II Priority lines and Prioritized People Priority lines 1. Prophetic Witness and Proclamation of the Word

a. As prophetic servants of the Word we draw inspiration from the word of God in living our consecration, proclaiming the Gospel, building communities and doing our apostolate.

b. To be prophetic witness of healing and reconciliation by our own life-style and peace building in all our communities and activities.

c. Commitment to Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) especially those issues that affect the lives of the most vulnerable sectors of society (referring to minorities, migrants and marginalized)

d. Responsible use and care of creation promoting eco-justice ministries

2. Shared Mission

a. To form ourselves for the shared mission and facilitate formation for lay evangelizers

b. Involving and working together with other religious, the laity, civil society movements and organizations as partners of our mission where ever the Spirit calls us for shared mission.

3. Mass Media and Communications

a. As Servants of the Word, we make use of modern technologies (mass media, internet, etc.) and all possible means to be creative and innovative evangelizers in our times.

4. Prophetic Formation for Our Students and Lay Partners

a. To train ourselves to live in a multi-cultural, multi- linguistic areas and challenging missions

b. Acquiring skills for the promotion of social justice, peace and integrity of creation.

Prioritize people 1. Minorities, Marginalized and Indigenous People

a. Empower the minorities, marginalized (the migrants, refugees, poor, victims of war and human trafficking) and indigenous people with more dedication by conscientizing them of their dignity and rights and defending their rights.

2. Family, Women and Children

a. As unit of society and the church, families are in the verge of disintegration, spiritual erosion and moral degradation.


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b. Women empowerment is necessary for Asia as sexual harassments and abuses are on the rise.

c. Being most vulnerable to child labor, trafficking and abuse, children draw our special attention.

3. Youth

a. As the hope of our future, young people necessitates orientation amidst

globalization, secularization and consumerism.

III Strategic Positions

1. Collaborative networking with other groups and institutions working on issues like migration, human rights violation, protection of minorities and internally displaced people. (JPIC)

2. To have a centralized communication Center for Asia in order to make use of social communications media as an effective tool of evangelization.

3. Formation programs and structures that promote shared mission, dialogue and intercultural living.

4. Making Claretian presence more relevant in frontier missions among migrants, indigenous, marginalized, vulnerable sectors in rural areas and big urban poor centers.

5. Making all Claretian communities, parishes, basic ecclesial communities, schools and other institutions as centers of the Word of God.


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3. CLARETIAN MISSION FOR EAST AFRICA

(Nsambya, Kampala. September 9-15, 2013) Introduction The Claretian Mission Encounter for East Africa was held in ARU (Association of Religious, Uganda) Kampala, from 9-15th September 2013. There were 19 participants that include Fr. Miguel Angel Velasco, General Prefect of Apostolate, Fr. Emmanuel Edeh, General Consultor, Br. Robert Omondi, JPIC Director, Fr. Henry Omonisaye, Superior Delegate from West Nigeria, Fr. Joseph Kidangayil, Prefect of Apostolate from St. Thomas Province, India and different representatives from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

The first few days of the encounter were devoted to a reflection and analysis on some Congregational documents as well as a general look on the situation of the African continent. The circular letter Missionaries written by the Superior General posed reference points in considering the mission, the accompanying challenges, as well as the defining characteristics of Claretian Mission here in East Africa.

Acknowledging the importance of drawing our theological reflection from the life realities of people in East Africa, the encounter was led to take a closer look at East African context through Dr. Francis Xavier Bisasso’s presentation: Enhancing the Effectiveness, Efficiency and Health of our Organization through Strategic Thinking, Planning and Actions in order to optimize the accomplishment of our Evangelization Mission. It is in this same context that the Conclusions of the Claretian workshop in Colmenar Viejo, Spain on Theology for Mission (September 2012) highlights missionary spirituality and new evangelization as reference points in our Claretian style in East Africa. Following a process of consideration, dialogue and group discussion about the reality of East Africa, the church and the Congregation, the encounter then defines (1) Claretian Mission Style, (2) Priority Lines and (3) Strategic Positions. 1. The reality of East Africa

With the growing number of Catholics (about 42%) in the country, we can’t fail to admit that many have their faith on a peripheral level. This is explained by the many drifts from the Catholic Church to the new Pentecostal Movements/sects. Many young and frustrated Catholics have left the Church with the hope that their quest/thirst will be quenched in these new movements. On the other hand many traditional faithful whose faith is deeply rooted don’t want to mingle it with political ambitions. It is on this note that the doctrines of the Church have also failed to penetrate some of moral decisions of the government. This was long noted by the late Archbishop Kiwanuka (the first Ugandan bishop) in an effort to combat the threat of communism in Uganda and Africa, by encouraging his priests to study political principles and assist the laity to understand political affairs.

Today the Church has continued to help the society in many different areas of life.

Notably is the effort of the Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu archdiocese. He has


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been at the forefront of bringing justice and peace in the long war stricken Northern Uganda. However the populace still expects the Church to do more. Many expect the Church to speak out against the corrupt system of governance. Still many look at the Church as their refuge in many aspects starting with stability, economy, development, health and educational institutes among others.

The Church is expected to be very much people oriented. This is because there has been

much bureaucracy than pastoral orientation of recent. Many people expect a Church which implements her teachings that many laity today have come across in the social doctrine, a Church that is less dogmatic in her approach and more consultative in her pastoral approach. There is great expectation in the area of inculturation and African Theology, to express the faith in the real African context. There is a need for the translation of the Church documents into an understandable language to the faithful. The youth and the children need special attention from the Church. There is a need for on-going catechism not only the initial catechism. This would deepen the faith of the people, especially the young generation that is targeted by many Pentecostal preachers. To facilitate our Claretian mission style in East Africa, we decided for: 2. Claretian Mission Style 1. Centrality of the Word of God

a. Attentive listening to the Word of God as a source of our life and mission. b. Proper integration of the Word as the key in becoming authentic servants of the

Word . c. Action based on the Word and to make it relevant to the realities of daily life.

2. Communion for The Mission

a. Community Living is an integral part of our mission and it is this communion that takes us to the frontiers of the mission.

b. Community as a sign of unity and as a powerful witness in the world. c. Ability to enjoy intercultural presence in our communities as an indication of true

communion for the mission. d. Communion in the areas of our apostolate and with the recipients of our mission. e. Our Communion for the mission should elicit in others a strong faith and vocation

to all walks of life. 3. Shared Mission

a. Realization that we are all collaborators in the mission of God and to be open to various joint ventures in our ministries.

b. Proper collaboration with religious institutions, laity, NGO’s, Governments and people of good will who share in the same mission of God while we maintain our own identity.


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4. Option for the poor

a. Preferential option and solidarity with the poor and the neglected. b. Liberating and prophetic evangelization from the perspective of JPIC in the style

of St.Claret. 5. Mission in dialogue

a. Sensitivity and respect towards other Christian denominations, religions, people and cultures.

b. Solidarity with others for common good in our missionary presence. c. Pastoral Creativity as a true mark of men on fire with God’s love. d. Fostering peaceful co-existence of people to preserve unity in diversity.

3. Priority l ines 1. Empowering our members for new and existing ministries

a. To empower ourselves in our ministries: Bible, Religious life, Youth ministry, Formation and Reconciliation according to the signs of the times.

b. To establish structures for these ministries. 2. Shared mission

a. To equip ourselves for the shared mission. b. Empowering the lay people with adequate training in JPIC, Bible ministry, Youth

& Family apostolate and Religious Dialogue. c. Involving others in the mission.

3. Instruments of social communication

a. Use of instruments of social communication - Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to exercise our ministry as servants of the Word and as means to reach out to everyone in the world.

4. Improving the quality of life

a. Creation of proper avenues for education, health care and agriculture which will equip the recipients (especially the Youth) for employment opportunities.

5. Self-sufficiency projects

a. Establishing self-sufficiency projects. 6. Recipients (Prioritized people)

a. Family, b. Women, c. Children, d. Youth,


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e. Marginalized people (refugees, migrants) 4. Strategic Positions Priority 1: Empowering our members for new and existing ministries

a. Proper infrastructure for the execution of these ministries in the following proposed areas: Bible, Religious life, Youth ministry, Formation and Reconciliation.

Priority 2: Shared mission

a. Involvement of religious institutes, NGO’s, Govts and others to be collaborators in our missions. (schools, health ministry, youth ministry, working with refugees and migrants in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania)

Priority 3: Instruments of social communication

a. Instruments of social communication - Information and Communication Technology (ICT) center with proper infrastructure in different fields (internet, radio stations, publications, periodicals etc)

Priority 4: Improving the quality of life

a. Empowering the already existing educational, health care, vocational training centers and establishing new centers in our missions according to the needs.

Priority 5: Self-sufficiency projects

a. Establishing self sufficiency projects in the viable areas (such as schools, St.Claret Catholic Centre etc) and purchase of land in view of new missions.

Priority 6: Recipients (Prioritized people)

Family, Women, Children, Youth, Marginalized people (refugees, migrants)


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4. CLARETIAN MISSION ENCOUNTER FOR WEST AFRICA

(24TH – 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2013 Ibadan, Nigeria)

INTRODUCTION

The above mentioned encounter took place at the Theology house of the Independent Delegation of West Nigeria. In attendance were 16 participants from the Province of East Nigeria, Delegation of West Nigeria, Delegation of Equatorial Guinea, Delegation of Cameroon, Mission of Gabon, Mission of Ivory Coast, Mission of Ghana, Mission of North Nigeria and some members from the General Curia in Rome.

The first three days dwelt on conferences and presentations. On the first day, Fr. Miguel Angel Velasco, cmf, General Prefect of Apostolate, presented on the “The State of the Mission in our Congregation”. Following suite was the presentation on “The Congregation in Africa, Towards the future,” by Fr. Emmanuel Edeh cmf, General Consultor. The second day was dedicated to the analysis of some Claretian Congregational documents, namely: The Letter of Father General “Missionaries”, and The Guidelines and Conclusions of “Theology of our Mission”, presented by Fr. Henry Omonisaye, cmf, Major Superior of West Nigeria. On the third day, His Lordship, Anselm Umoren Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja presented the Paper “Mission and Missionaries in Africa”. There were also reports from Major Organisms in West Africa which highlighted the personnel, apostolate and projects of these Organisms. Bro. Robert Apiyo Omondi cmf, General Coordinator of JPIC in the Congregation, on his own part, gave a thought provoking presentation on the raison d’être of our presence in the UN.

In the light of these presentations, the following were deduced:

1. Reality analusis in West Africa

Reflecting on the past and present, West African Countries have some remarkable positive and negative realities that have great impact on the people:

On a positive note, the land is blessed with rich cultural and moral heritage. There is growth in population with particular reference to youth, practice of democracy in sub West African countries, sense of the family, etc. Christianity which came not more than 200 years ago has been planted in all countries in West Africa. From the Catholic perspective, there is increase in numerical strength of indigenous Clergy, Seminarians, candidates for Consecrated life, Catechists and erection of Churches. In the fields of Education, Healthcare, Social Welfare and Dialogue with Government and Civil Society, the Church has made some remarkable impacts. We cannot but say that these positive realities are accompanied by an outstanding growth in the quality of faith in West Africa.

Despite the above mentioned praiseworthy realities, West Africa is still being confronted with some challenging realities like injustice, corruption, poverty/starvation, political, social and inter-ethnic conflicts, unemployment, exploitation of the poor, mass rural-urban migration, Islamic fundamentalists, ecological issues, proliferation of Churches, and syncretism. In the same light, there is widespread Secularism, Materialism, negative use of information technology, globalisation with its default models of thought and values taking


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hold of some places where Christianity was once flourishing. Thus, the question of being relevant and effective as Claretian Missionaries in West Africa arises.

2. Claretian Mission Style in West Africa. Features. (A) Mission as communion.

i. The need for availability for solidarity and subsidiarity within and outside our communities.

ii. Availability of missionaries should be emphasised. iii. There is the need for collaborative ministry with other religious, diocesans, NGOs

and experts from other areas of life. (B) Centrality of the Word of God.

i. Drawing inspiration from the word of God. ii. Inculturating the Word as a way of making it much more meaningful to the people. iii. Proclamation of the Word of God according to what is timely, needed and urgent.

(The use of social communication media and technologies.etc). (C) Option for the poor.

i. Having prophetic solidarity with the less privileged (materially and spiritually). ii. Missionaries witnessing to prophetic life style. (D) Mission as Dialogue.

i. Promotion of intercultural, ecumenical, inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation. (Rich and poor, young and old, etc.).

ii Training personnel on issues of social justice. iii Establishment of justice and equity among the oppressed and the Marginalized. iv Promotion of dialogue of life. (E) Youth Ministry.

i. Formation of youth and creation of youth programmes. ii. Promotion and discernment of vocation among the youth. iii. Preparing the youth to embrace leadership positions or roles.


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PRIORITY LINES. STRATEGIC POSITIONS.

1

Option for the poor through the activities of JPIC.

1. Establishment of self-sufficiency projects.

2. Centres for justice, peace and integrity of creation (JPIC).

3. Training of personnel on peace and conflict resolutions.

4. Putting in place PROCURE, PROCLADE and NGOs.

2

Biblical ministry.

1. Training of personnel.

2. Formation of Biblical/Retreat preaching Team.

3. Establishment of biblical schools.

4. Publishing of Bible Diaries and other relevant biblical materials.

3

Adequate use of the means of social communication and technology.

1. Setting up of social communication centres.

2. Publishing houses.

3. Song and Music Studio.

4. Radio Station and collaboration with Television Stations.

5. Training of Personnel.

4 Shared Mission. 1. Centre of lay formation and Retreat centres for the training of lay evangelizers like the Catechists, Extraordinary Eucharistic ministers and other ministers.

2. Creation of Basic small Christian Communities.

3. Formation and collaboration with lay Claretians.

5 Promotion of Youth/Vocational Ministry.

1. Establishment of youth centres for organizing youth rallies, seminars, workshops, summer youth camps and sports for social interaction.

2. Building of schools and 3. Formation of Youth team. 4. Skill acquisition centres for youth empowerment. 5. Chaplaincies.

Ibadan, 30th September, 2013


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5. CLARETIAN MISSIONARY EUROPEAN ENCOUNTER

(Bilbao, 28 October – 3 November 2013) Next to the Basilica of Our Lady of Begoña, one of the main Marian shrines of Euskal Herria, thirty four Claretian Missionaries, and one lay person with apostolic responsibilities in the Province of Portugal, met to celebrate this continental missionary encounter. Those who met belong to nine of the ten Organisms that the Congregation presently has in Europe and we proclaim the Gospel in eight countries (Belarus, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom and Russia). Unfortunately our two brothers from Germany who travelled to participate in this meeting had to turn back on the road. The Province of Euskal Herria welcomed us with great fraternity and with a spirit of service. The Superior General, Fr. Josep Maria Abella, sent us a cordial message with the reading of which we began our work. V. R. Mario Iceta, the bishop of Bilbao, came one day to greet us very warmly. In all of our discussions and conversations there has reigned a cordial and brotherly atmosphere. As in the Encounters celebrated in the other continents, our discernment has been enriched with various talks that have brought us closer to the actual situation of the congregational missionary activity and to the presence of the apostolate in the Directory of the Congregation (Miguel Ángel Velasco); to the present and projects of the Congregation in Europe (Joseba Kamiruaga); to the conclusions and the spirit of the workshop ‘Theology of Mission’ celebrated in 2012 in Colmenar Viejo (José Cristo Rey García) and the letter ‘Missionaries’ written in 2012 by the Superior General (Maurizio Bevilacqua). Robert Omondi, the congregational coordinator for Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation who participated in the whole encounter gave us two communications (one of them about our presence in the United Nations) and Emeterio Chaparro, of the Biblical Team of the Congregation who informed us about its history, its reason for being and its projects. Fr. Juan Antonio Rubio, priest director of the magazine ‘Vida Nueva’, helped us with two conferences to deepen our understanding of the present and future of Europe. The community prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist each day, prepared by the various Organisms, have also enriched our discernment. Halfway through the meeting we visited Loyola and Guernica where we reflected on the value of peace and the need to collaborate to make it a reality throughout the world. Although our encounter has centred on Europe, we have wanted to be aware of the situation of humanity, especially the poor and marginalized, and of the Congregation. We are aware, and this has been obvious in our discussions, that the Claretian Organisms of Europe are immersed in a serious process of discernment, seeking the best way to continue proclaiming the Gospel in this part of the world. Those meeting in Bilbao, together with our communities, responded during these weeks to a wide consultation on the theme set out by the General Government. Their content does not coincide in everything with the objective of our meeting. Taking them into account we have tried to keep our work on what this encounter expects: to discern what our principle features have to be that characterize the mission of the Claretians in Europe during the coming years, what priority lines of action can we set out and what strategic apostolic positions is it good


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to favour thinking of the future without forgetting the present. We have also spoken about the relevance of the other questions without which we cannot think of the future of the Congregation in Europe, such as the need to count on sufficient economic resources to sustain the Claretian life and mission throughout the world, the attention that our elderly and infirm deserve and our responsibility to those who work and collaborate with us, but these themes were not the direct object of our encounter. At this time many people associate Europe more with problems than with opportunities. The difficulties appear more relevant than the achievements and factors that invite optimism. Many Europeans born on the continent or arrived from other places have been united with the suffering and injustice in which millions of people live throughout the entire world and who experience poverty, unemployment, necessity, discrimination, the lack of hope and meaning. The divide between the rich and poor has also grown in our continent, young people with a complicated future and the elderly alone and in needy situations each time greater. The Christian communities are getting older, often feeling without energy or not knowing how to react. But there also abound signs that invite hope: the people that come with more enthusiasm and conviction to faith are also many; new acts of solidarity, civility and commitment appear and not a few people (Christians and non-Christians) contribute day after day to the common good. Our conversations have echoed this complex reality and have recalled with fondness, hope and thankfulness for Popes Francis and Benedict who in different ways have been preoccupied with Europe and have tried to inject it with the hope that comes from charity and faith. In the propositions that came from the Synod of Bishops in 2012 on the new evangelization we have found suggestive references for our search. We want to be realistic and at the same time to look to the future with hope. We are fulfilling the designs of the Father. He has called us to the Church and congregated us around the gift received through St. Anthony Mary Claret and through our Blessed brother Martyrs, to whom we also recorded our thankfulness. Animated by their example and intercession, and by the many brothers that in Europe and from her have lived as missionaries and today are a sign of fidelity in our communities, we wish to accept the invitations of the XXIV General Chapter: we want to resituate ourselves in the centre of our vocational experience, to listen again to the call of the Father and to let him guide our inner processes. We are convinced that it is thus we live out our vocation with renewed joy and meaning (cf. MFL29) and we can, together with many other men and women, especially those with whom we share a much closer journey, help the Spirit to revitalize our continent.


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1. Characteristics of the Claretian Missionary Style in Europe We have received a gift of the Spirit that gathers us in a communion of life for the missionary proclamation of the Word (cf. CC4; MFL16). With this gift we have been entrusted with a mission within the one mission of God and of Christ throughout history by the Spirit and of which the Church is servant (cf. MFL58). In the Europe of today we feel called to proclaim the God of mercy living this gift with radicalism, joy, realism and humility, highlighting the following characteristics: [1] A Mission that is born of the action of the Spirit in us and that drives us to live in an attitude of listening and discernment. - that cultivates with special care the theological and mystical dimension of our life (cf. MFL54). - that is nurtured in a special way by the Eucharist and the Word of God, listened to, prayed, discerned, shared and offered to others (MFL54.1, 59). - that generates in us passion and enthusiasm, that strengthens us to confront the difficulties and invites us to face the future with hope and illusion and makes us proactive and protagonists in this moment of history which we are living. (cf. CC 53, 63; MFL 29, 48) [2] A Mission that makes us brothers, that demands we live in profound communion and to care for our fraternity as the first missionary word. (cf. MFL16; Synod 2012, Prop. 50) .- that invites us to commit ourselves again to the community (cf. MFL 16-17, 56) and to cultivate the bases of missionary fraternity: profound and respectful communication, caring service and attention, co-responsibility and fraternal correction. - that, discerned in community, brings us to exercise the ministry entrusted to us in such a way that we all feel committed to it and at the same time that each of us carry it out as a work taken on by the community and feel sent by it. (cf. CC13; MFL57) - that it animates us to invite others to embrace our vocation, favouring an openness and welcome in our community life. (cf. CC58; MFL19,60) - that it drives us to share with the people prayer, work and sociability - that it develops from provincial and inter-provincial projects [3] A Mission shared with other disciples of the Lord and with many other men and women. - that calls us to accept its consequences in our spirituality, community life, formation process, apostolic activity, vocation ministry, government and economic institutions. (cf. PTV36-37; MFL58.4) - that invites us to strengthen ties with all the baptized living our charismatic identity in communion, co-responsibility and complementarity with other charisms, ministries, and forms of Christian life. (cf. CC6; MFL4,22) - that animates us to collaborate closely with all who anticipate the coming of the Kingdom, Christians and non-Christians (cf. CC46), ready to join activities not led by ourselves. - that asks us to insert ourselves and collaborate actively in the local Church from our own charism and identity. - that leads us to incorporate the laity into our teams and positions of responsibility for the different positions and apostolic endeavours.


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- that drives us to promote the creation and revitalization of Christian communities as the privileged channel for the proclamation of and witness to the Kingdom. (cf. CC47) [4] A Mission of solidarity that is singularly expressed in commitment to the poor and marginalized. - that has to configure our whole life (spirituality, personal and community life style, apostolic positions, missionary activity, organization, economy, etc.). - that urges us to go in search of the poor and marginalized and to work so that they feel the Church as their home. (cf. MFL58.3; Synod 2012, Prop 50) - that drives our service for justice, peace and the defence of the integrity of creation as an expression of our contribution for transformation according to the design of God. (cf. CC46; MFL61.7) - that invigorates processes of social intervention that help people to discover and develop their capabilities and to participate more actively in society. - that promotes an ethical and solidarity culture and strengthens the cooperation with less favoured peoples. (cf. MFL65.9) [5] A Mission that announces the Word in dialogue, available and prepared to go to the existential, social and cultural frontiers of evangelization. (cf.Synod2012, Prop15) - that invites us to dialogue in every area: community, congregational, intra-ecclesial, ecumenical, inter-religious, inter-cultural, faith-culture, faith-science, etc. (cf.MFL56.2,56.7,58.2) - that comes closer to each person with mercy and with a friendly disposition to the encounter and offers the Gospel with courage and respect. (cf. MFL 61.2) - that invites and accompanies everyone in the encounter with God of Jesus Christ and to the discernment of their own vocation. (cf. MFL 19, 60.3) - that invites us to respond with creativity to the challenges of the mission, which demands a professional and continual preparation on our part. (cf. CC56;MFL12,14,61) - that demands the inculturation of the charism and each Claretian into the local culture with a global perspective. (cf. MFL 56) 2. Priority Lines of Action

1. Evangelization of children, youth and families with special attention to the vocational dimension. 2. Commitment to the poor, marginalized and migrants 3. Dialogue and evangelizing presence in areas of unbelief, indifference and non- Christians. 4. Creation and animation of Christian communities motivated by the Word of God 5. Promotion and qualification of agents of evangelization. 6. Evangelizing presence on the Internet. 3. Strategic positions related to the area of the Apostolate

1. Education centres with a clear pedagogical, missionary and evangelizing programme. 2. Missionary and Samaritan parishes, committed to their neighbourhood. 3. Claretian communities and apostolic positions in situations of poverty and exclusion. 4. Specialized provincial and interprovincial teams and presences in shared mission in three areas : (i) management and charismatic animation of our own apostolic


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endeavours, (ii) service to other Church works and projects and (iii) front line and first proclamation.* 5. Training centres for agents of evangelization . 6. Mission Procures, NGOs and foundations that support the mission work of the Congregation * Several of our Organisms have or have had 'teams' in recent years. The term usually refers to two or more Claretians (full or part-time), sometimes joined by a layperson, to which is entrusted the performance of an important task. Currently, several Organisms have teams for children, youth, vocation ministry and others have teams dedicated to issues of solidarity and mission, the itinerant missionary evangelization, the direction and coordination of schools or family ministry and the formation of the laity. Sometimes the teams organize activities that bring together people from various places of an Organism, others make themselves available temporarily or periodically at a certain place to animate activities related to their field of activity. This Missionary Encounter considered the apostolic structure of a 'team' to be especially valuable and suggests the possibility of creating specialized teams in all three areas mentioned. It believes it to be equally very convenient to consolidate the work being done in Europe with children, youth and vocation ministry and the training and formation of teachers linked to us that seeks to ensure the evangelizing identity of our schools.

Bilbao, 3 November 2013


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