5. DEHONIAN FAMILY (We, The Congregation)
25. 1. - By Dehonian Family we mean the whole made up of several components (SCJs, consecrated persons, laity) who acknowledge Fr. Dehon as the "Father" of their own spiritual life and are accepted by their brothers/sisters as participants in the same spirituality and mission.
- Communion of the different vocations requires a respect for their specific and diverse natures with full and complete organizational autonomy.
- Within the congregation, the first historical concretization of the charism of Fr. Dehon recognized officially by the church, our task is to make his spirituality known and to give guidance to those who are inspired by this spirituality and be guarantors of their fidelity.
26. 2. Chapter Orientation
"Considering the variety of groups that live our spirituality as lay Dehonians and considering the difficulty that some provinces have in getting such initiatives started because they have no reference points, the General Council is requested to develop a document in which in a general way the qualities that characterize lay Dehonians are laid out" (Motion 1).
27. 3. Operative Choices
- Invite lay Dehonians to organize geographical meetings to define the "profile of the lay Dehonian" and to specify the "kind of relationship" to be maintained with other components, especially with the congregation.
During the first part of the 20th general chapter representatives of lay and consecrated groups that share our dehonian inspiration were present. Through their witness they were able to show the spiritual path they are following as well as their knowledge of our congregation.
The chapter in its document (We, the Congregation in service to mission) included the theme of Dehonian Family (cf. IV, 6). In addition a motion was approved. It recommends:
- to recognize that there are several and different groups that live ou spirituality;The general administration, in keeping with this idea, has taken as its program what is said in numbers 25 - 27 of its six years program (1997-2003). As a first answer to motion 1, some elements have been stated to clarify what is meant by "dehonian family", at least as a starting point and pointed out the need to respect their specific and inverse natures with full and complete organizational autonomy. (25).- some provinces have difficulties in starting dehonian groups because they don't have reference points;
- the general counsel is asked to provide a document defining the characteristics of the dehonian laity.
To perform what is requested in the motions of the chapter concerning the dehonian laity, the general administration chose to involve the lay asking them:
- to study the "profile of the dehonian laity" and the "kind of relationships" that must exist among the different components of the dehonian family.Since you, superiors, are in contact with those groups, we ask you to invite those whom you consider as "dehonian lay" to meet and to organize, also at a national level, and then, if possible, by geographic areas, to study these themes.- to meet in geographic areas (27)
In this way we can reach the goals stated by the chapter through the contribution of the people involved.
This work should be done by the end of September 1999.
All results should be sent to Rome by the end of October 1999 to enable us to prepare a document and plan for the meeting in 2000.
The general Administration convokes the International Meeting of the Dehonian Family for October 9-13, 2000, in Rome. This is a meeting of all dehonian components and not only the laity.
Taking into account the answers already given by some provinces to the questionnaire of 25/05/98, here are some proposals:
a. General Theme:
- Dehonian family: nature, characteristics, and meaning. Criteria of membership. What are the different components and relationships among them? The role of the congregation. Presentation of the profile of each group.N.B. Several aspects: theological, spiritual, pastoral, ecclesial and charismatic,- problems, challenges and expectancies within the dehonian family. Possible fields of cooperation.
need to be better studied and related to the themes.
b. Preparation of the meeting:
- To appoint a "committee of experts" in order:What can be done in Rome: it should be better defined but, thanks to the interest of Fr. Girardi and Fr. Perroux, we believe that*to prepare a working document- the Provinces and Regions that have such groups are asked to keep contact with the counselor responsible for this in Rome:*to collect the contribution of all preparatory meetings
*to prepare all necessary for the meeting itself
*to study how to cope with the financial needs
*to define number and criteria of participation
*through the major superior or some people appointed ad hoc;*through the person who is in charge of each of these groups;
*sending information on what is being done;
*providing information on the forms of apostolate, organization, etc of the dehonian lay;
*making suggestions for the international meeting.
- we may keep the coordination of information;As for information, it is to be noted the existence of women religious and consecrated dehonians:- we may provide the conferences on Fr. Dehon and our spirituality
- we may coordinate the meeting
- we will try to clarify the contents of motion 1;
- we could think about supporting documents on the themes to be discussed.
-There are women religious inspired by our charisma:
-There are religious who in the past were in touch and still feel near to us: Servantes du Sacré-Coeur de Saint Quentin, Soeurs Victimes du Sacré-Coeur du Namur. Those are remembered in Fr. Dehon's Spiritual Testament.
- some congregations founded by scjs that need some kind of aggregation (Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Aliwal North)All those have their own identity, organization and autonomy, but share with us the same charism and spirituality. They would like to specify better the communion with us. What to do about this?- There are some secular institutes (CM, IR)
- Other forms of consecration (consecrated virgins).
I. A PORTRAIT OF THE DEHONIAN LAITY
The purpose of this "reflection guide" is to help the various lay groups who have some type of relationship with the SCJ congregation or its individual members, to "define" their own position in view of a possible membership in the Dehonian Family.
By the term Dehonian Family we mean the whole of the diverse components (scj, consecrated men and women, lay people) who acknowledge P.Dehon as the "father" of their own spiritual life and who recognise one another as brothers and sisters because they participate in the same spirituality and mission. (cf. The project "We the Congregation in the service of the Mission 1997-2003", n. 25).
The variety of groups known to us represent a great wealth, but it is also the source of some confusion. The following questions are not meant to offer solutions, but rather to highlight some problems and topics that require your response and solutions.
"Reflection guide".
1. Why do we call ourselves laity?
2. What characterizes the Christian laity?
3. In order to call ourselves "Dehonian laity":
a) Is it enough to belong to any kind of group that has a constant point of reference to some Dehonian reality?4. What is necessary for a group to be considered Dehonian?b) Is it necessary to belong to such a group?
c) Is a periodic, temporary choice sufficient, or is a permanent option necessary?
d) Is it enough "to work with" the Dehonians? Or to have known the Dehonians? &endash; or to
have studied with the Dehonians?
e) Is it enough to share the Dehonian mission, and not its spirituality?
f) Is it enough to share the spirituality, and not the mission?
a) What would be their typical interests?5. In the group:b) What would the formation process consist of?
c) What type of activities would it give priority to?
a) What reference is made to Fr. Dehon's "spirituality" and "mission" in the Church and in the world?6. In your group:b) What are the Dehonian values that can distinguish the life-style of a layman or woman?
c) What does the Dehonian laity have to offer and to say to the Church and the world today?
d) How is your group inserted in the local Church?
a) What is the aggregative/associative "process" for membership in the group?7. Is the group growing?b) What is the group's function in regard to its insertion into the single Dehonian Family?
c) Is there some kind of statutes or procedural document?
8. Dehonian laity and the SCJ:
a) What type of direction do you expect from the SCJ?9. Who then is a "Dehonian layperson"? Describe his or her identity in brief.b) What kind of atmosphere does your group enjoy in its relations with the scj?
II. RELATIONS AMONG THE LAITY AND RELATIONS WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DEHONIAN FAMILY
1. What type of mutual knowledge and relations exist among the various groups of Dehonian laity:
- In your country/nation?2. What type of concrete initiatives of collaboration do you already have or want to have?- In your continent?
a) What is the situation now?b) What should it be like?
3. What type of autonomy and co-ordination exists among you regarding:
- Lay leadership?4. How can those who live the Dehonian spirituality without belonging to a group find a way to become part of the Dehonian Family?- Planning?
- Organization?
- Finances?
5. With the other members of the Dehonian Family:
a) From the viewpoint of organization, what relationships exist?Is there already collaboration among the various groups?- What is the current status?b) In what areas:- What is to be desired?
- What would you like to propose?6. With the SCJ Dehonians:
a) What are your expectations from the SCJ congregation:7. What concrete proposals would you suggest to create a growth in communion among the various parts of the Dehonian Family?- At the local level?b) What role should the SCJ have in the Dehonian Family?- At the provincial level?
- At the general level?
(e.g: Dehon Day &endash; Feast of the Sacred Heart &endash; various guides&endash; a prayer manual, - etc.)
8. Is there a "Joint commission" (SCJ consecrated men and women/ and laity) in your area?
- What types of informational outreach is there?9. What are your expectations of the International Meeting in 2000?- What kind of formational materials?