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Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
Last Update: 04/02/2012 |
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Tilburg, Pentecost 2005 To: Professed and Lay members of the MSC family in the Provinces of Europe. European MSC Inter-Provincial Community Dear Brothers and Sisters of the MSC family, Greetings and best wishes in this time of Pentecost from the members of the new European Inter-Provincial Community; Carl Tranter (IRL), Mark Van Beeumen (B) and Ton Zwart (NL). We write to bring you up to date with the progress of the project over the last year. It is already 10 months since the Second European Assembly, meeting in Issoudun last July, agreed the establishment of a new pilot project, subsequently endorsed by the European Provincials, in which the eight MSC Provinces of Europe would establish an inter-provincial community at the heart of a large, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic English city. In the statement published by that Assembly we spoke of the strong desire among us to be present together in Europe in a new way, as salt and light at the heart of a fast changing continent which poses ever-new challenges to our call to be missionary. As a community of preparation, the three of us have already met on three occasions; last October in Herent and Borgerhout in Belgium, during February in Princethorpe, England and this last week of Eastertide in Tilburg in The Netherlands. At the very start it was important for us to begin to get to know one another and so we began in Belgium by sharing our life stories, our experiences of mission and ministry, and reflecting on our gifts and limitations. We also took time to visit a few social ministry projects in Brussels. In Princethorpe in February we continued our reflection by trying to articulate more concretely the purpose of the project and our expectations around communal living. We spent a day visiting a new inner city parish project in Birmingham begun recently by an international community of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) where they are engaged in a mission of evangelisation of secular culture. We were very impressed with their missionary attitude, being non-judgemental of contemporary Western European culture, refusing to demonise consumerism and the other "isms" of our time, and their searching for a new language by which to communicate the basic message of the Reign of God. Our meeting with them was very useful from various points of view; it gave us some good ideas about a preparatory process, it helped clarify for us what we didn’t want to do (e.g. take on responsibility for a parish, and live in the commercial district of the city rather than a residential area), and it surfaced some useful contacts in the UK. We also walked through the city centre and visited some of the poorer, multi-cultural suburbs. Before the conclusion of the meeting we were able to define a Provisional Statement of Purpose (see below) and draw up a draft Working Covenant outlining the relationships and lines of accountability between the various groups involved in the project (the European Community, the host Province, the European Provinces and their Provincials, the Provinces contributing personnel and the General Administration). In order to be a formally erected community in the Society we have to come under the jurisdiction of some legal entity and so we agreed that the Irish Provincial should be the Major Superior of the community and that he would be accountable to PEC (The Provincials of Europe). PEC agreed to this on the condition that the European Community would be truly free to undertake the project without being drawn into other provincial commitments of the Irish Province. This last week in Tilburg we have had to take care of some practical matters; we have drawn up draft contracts between the three Provinces providing personnel and the host Province, and have prepared a budget from October 2005 – December 2006 which will be presented to PEC at their next meeting during the General Chapter in September. We have also taken time to reflect theologically on our understanding of a ministry of presence in a multi-cultural and multi-religious city neighbourhood. This has helped clarify our reasons for wanting to begin in a more economically deprived area, inserting ourselves in the heart of a community largely disconnected from the traditional ecclesiastical structures. At the last PEC meeting in February of this year it was agreed that the pilot project would last for three years and then be evaluated. However, recognising the need for good preparation it was further agreed that an extra year be given for community building, study, reflection and the patient discernment of a choice of city and type of ministry. Accordingly, and thanks to the generosity of the Irish Province, the three of us will come to live together in a small MSC cottage in the grounds of Princethorpe College in England at the end of September this year. We will use this as our base until we have selected a city and acquired a community residence. As we celebrate these days of Pentecost we are confident in the Spirit’s guidance and inspiration of this exciting new project. We also ask for your prayers and support as we prepare for the launch of the community in October. We will be in contact again later in the year with an update on our progress. We will always be delighted to welcome your suggestions, comments and ideas. As soon as we have a community e-mail address we will make this known to you. In the meantime, be assured of our prayers and good wishes for your own ministries and projects. Yours in the heart of Christ, Carl Tranter MSC Mark Van Beeumen MSC Ton Zwart MSC
Provisional Statement of Purpose We desire to be an authentic MSC community rooted in Christ and his gospel, nurtured and sustained by integrated prayer and theological reflection. Our hospitable communal living will be at the service of mission, seeking to cross boundaries and build relationships for the sake of the Reign of God. In the context of our diverse contemporary western European culture we desire to be present in a way that explores, integrates, connects and mutually empowers. Our approach to the mission entrusted to us and its ministerial expression will be underpinned by a commitment to justice and peace and the integrity of creation and an engagement in ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. As a pilot project established by our European MSC provinces we hope to provide an additional point of contact among European MSCs and a catalyst for conversation as we all seek new ways to be heart in our continent.
If you have any comments or suggestions please feel free to contact us. We very much appreciate you joining in our reflection.
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This is a joint mission of the eight Provinces of the
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Europe. |
