FIFTH CONVERSATION:
LINES OF ACTION AND OPTIONS FOR 2007
Our Missionary Project
- I believe that it is urgent that we continue deepening and try to implement certain particular aspects of our communities during 2007.
1. Spiritual deepening and renewal
- I believe that the first element to which we must commit ourselves is spiritual deepening and renewal.
- It is very important that in the communities of the Renewed Church each and every member have the experience of life in the Spirit.
- It is basic that the sacramental life be better incorporated as part and nourishment of spirituality. The celebration of the sacraments can not mean simply carrying out rituals but has to be truly an occasion of meeting the Lord and being nourished for life in the Spirit.
- It is fundamental that specific programs be organized for children and youth in such a way that they can be evangelized in keeping with their age. In most of our communities the level of participation by the young, especially young men, is very low. That is owing to the fact that traditional models are being followed and no one makes a special place for them.
- The communion is offering the “Young Christians Exodus” for the youth. The communities that want to send their youth to it can tell us, and as soon as we know we shall invite them.
- In order to ensure the future of the communities it is very important that a special place be accorded to children as well as the youth, and that the opportunity to organize themselves, express themselves, and participate, in keeping with their age and expectations, be given them.
2. The production of liturgical, catechetical and educational material
- Last year we succeeded in publishing liturgical and catechetical material: Guide for the First Communion, Guide for Confirmation, and the Liturgical Guides for the Celebration of the Word.
- In addition we finally published the booklet containing, “The Standards for Preparing and Celebrating the Sacraments” and the Scripture readings for 2007.
- We know that there are still things that we ought to improve; for example, there are some mistakes in the Liturgical Guides, and we are trying to correct them. In addition we hope to be able to publish educational guides for Baptism and Marriage, and also guides for Spiritual retreats.
- Another activity that has been implemented is the “Ministry of Discernment for Broken Marriages.” In June explanations for the procedure were offered, but as yet it hasn’t produced concrete results. We hope that next year the procedure can be better implemented. That depends on each community being organized to follow the necessary procedures. The procedure does not have a cost, but it requires a commitment to take all the steps in order to work seriously.
We would like suggestions on what material is needed and how we can improve the care and attention that is given to the communities.
3. Educational Programs at various levels
3.1. On the suitability and usefulness of continuing with itinerant education done by the seminarians
- This year the seminarians visited communities in order to offer education on an itinerant basis.
- We should like to know whether it is useful to continue this model of offering educational programs.
- We hope that we will receive ideas of how to create a better way to provide education and on what themes.
- I would personally consider that it would be better and they we ought to think about the seminarians offering, over the course of three or four months, complete courses in the places where they are invited, going once a month to each place, until the end of the course. Likewise it would be important that the participants be the same, in order to ensure continuity.
3.2 On the suitability of developing trimestral educational courses for weekends
- We would like to organize courses in the Education Center, to begin in February 2007.
- The proposal is that the courses would last three or four months.
- The participants would have to attend regularly one weekend each month (all day Saturday and Sunday until mid day).
- Each weekend a different course would be given, which means that four courses would be offered in each period.
- We would like you to give us suggestions for the themes. Those who enroll would have to attend regularly and at the end a diploma would be awarded them.
- The themes and the beginning dates for the February meeting will be announced if it is approved that we should have these courses.
3.3 On the suitability of installing the permanent deaconate in the communion.
- We would like to know whether it is seems suitable that we begin preparing to establish the permanent deaconate in the Communion.
- The deaconate is part of the ordained ministry. One is ordained a deacon for life. A deacon can not celebrate the Mass nor hear confession nor give unction to the ill. But he can baptize and witness marriages.
- The education would have to last between three and four years. Possibly one or two weekends each month.
- Theology, Scripture, Liturgy, Pastoral ministry and other material would have to be learned. The candidate would be given material to study, and then would have to pass the examinations. A specific level of prior studies would not be required for admission, but it would be necessary that candidates have the capacity to learn what is given in the courses, to read and learn the material, and then to pass the examinations.
- It would be specifically directed to leaders that the community elects and who are the coordinators of the communities.
- Each year we would be able to receive between 15 and 20 candidates and after completing the education they would be ordained. Among the candidates that the communities choose, it would be up to us to select those who can begin the education each year.
4. Pastoral vocation in the communities
- We believe that each of the communities should be aware of what the calling to be a pastor involves and should be committed to arousing interest in the calling to the priesthood and the religious life.
- There ought to be in each community or at least in each region a team charged to encourage prayers for the priests and seminarians and to promote these callings.
- The ideal is for the youth who come to the seminary to have completed their specialized studies (for a career). But if there are youth who are at least seventeen years old and who have completed the sixth of the primary level or the third of the basic and who truly want to be priests, we can accept them. In the first year they do only religious studies. In the second year, they continue studying in preparation for the priesthood during the week, and on weekends they carry forward basic and specialized study toward the standard academic diploma. The requisite is that they come to the Seminary not only because they want to learn but because they feel called to be priests.
5. The organization of Synods in the Communion and the functions for which they are responsible.
-In the communion it is very important that our mode of organizing ourselves, making decisions and continuing to grow is one that gives everyone a real voice and participation.
- To that end it is important that in due time we think of organizing the synods.
- The word, “Synod,” is the same as “Council.”
- In accord with the foundational constitution of the communion, fifty percent of the members of the General Synod of the Communion must members of the Nazareth Community and the other fifty percent must be delegates from the different regions.
- Given that we are still in process of growth, we should consider, as an interim measure, holding zonal Synods in the each of the different mission zones. These would have to have a majority presence of delegates from the regions but ought also to have a presence of members of the Nazareth Community.
- In Huehuetenango we could have two zones: one for the north and the other for the rest of the Department. Also one in Quiché, one in Alta Verapaz and Petén, one in Chimaltenango and Sololá, and another for the central area of the country.
- Perhaps the moment has not yet arrived to make a decision on this issue, but we ought to be thinking about it so that ideas can be developed during the course of 2007 and in the next Assembly it can be more definitively organized.
6. Missionary Activity
- I believe that it is fundamental that we propose to develop a very powerful missionary activity.
- In the previous conversation I laid out the basics, the style and characteristics of this activity.
- Now it falls on us to commit ourselves as fervently as possible to making it happen.
- I believe that we ought to have as our goal to reach out to every place in Guatemala where the Communion is not yet present, and to the extent possible also extend our mission to other countries. |