The Tilburg Seminar 2006

Key Insights, Learnings and Questions

A. Insights and Learnings from Conversation Partners

André Claessens: The characteristics of contemporary Western European culture

· The problem is no longer just poverty but social exclusion. There is also a deeper process at work: the value of persons being reduced to economic activity, productivity, profitability or utility.

· A third way seems to be emerging between communism and market capitalism – a responsible society based on voluntary ethical behaviour, open dialogue and a process of participation and a sense of belonging – a civil society in which national and trans-national NGO’s form a counter-power to governments and globalised economic systems.

· Our time is marked by a globalisation of culture, multiculturalism, individualism (a subjective-turn), secularisation and a restless quest for spirituality and meaning rather than religion (believing without belonging).

· There is need for dialogue with non-believers, an evangelisation of our culture of unbelief and indifference and a new language to communicate the gospel – all by means of the “way of love” (see document – “Where is your God?).

· Need for greater solidarity (locally and globally).

· Need to think globally and act locally.

Jan Kaandorp: Fr. Chevalier and the spirituality, history and society of 19th Century France and the importance of this for our time

· For Fr Chevalier the remedy to indifference and egoism (the ills of his time as he saw them) was in the Sacred Heart (the love of God revealed in the Heart of Christ) – a spiritual response to a spiritual, social and political problem (accelerating secularisation in the post-revolution era)

· He had a pessimistic view of the signs of the times politically and socially. The positives he saw were spiritual – an increase in devotion to the Sacred Heart.

· Chevalier was much more politically aware and engaged than he is often given credit for – a real sense of struggle/battle with his times. An ultramontanist, against liberalism and Gallicanism, dreaming of and longing for a restoration of a pre-revolution church and faith.

· In Issoudun he saw something great (even mystical) in a town that others looked down upon and had given up on.

· He had a strong commitment to the poor (within the confines of a strict, contemporary social stratification of rich and poor) – he sees a clear mission to engage the wealthy on behalf of the poor.

· The MSC crisis with the young men of the North was not only a psychological drama (that of personalities) or even an ethnic one, but one of worldview.

Jan Bovenmars: The Person of Fr Chevalier

· Chevalier’s key characteristics – Fr X Maillard MSC named: faith and trust, good steward of time, took time to relax/recreate, hospitable to all, especially the poor; Fr J Bovenmars MSC names: outstanding perseverance, love of the Sacred Heart (a fertile view that the world can only be saved by love of Christ and love of neighbour), a loving person with a great capacity for forgiveness, a great devotion to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

· We note with interest his initial determination not to take a parish but to begin a new approach to ministry in the secularised milieu of Issoudun.

Frans Van Segbroek:             Jules Chevalier and his sense of the future

· His commentary on the Apocalypse was written during hard times for him. His whole world is falling apart, something he feels very deeply. Yet he never gives up hope.

· He is uncertain of the future of the congregation and pessimistic about the religious and political future of France, yet he clings to the conviction that the love of God (in the Sacred Heart) will prevail.

· We note that amid much pessimistic writing he is also, at this time writing very optimistic texts. His commentary on the Apocalypse does not present a balanced view of his last years nor is representative of the complexity of his entire outlook in the early 1900’s.

· Despite all, he keeps faith in the Sacred Heart.

Kees Braun: The key intuition of Fr Chevalier

· Our name (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart) is a missionary programme. It is not only a question of who we are sent to, and why we are sent, but also by whom are we sent. Understanding our name in this way has certain practical implications for us immediately in the name we choose for the project in the city. We desire to realise the full meaning of our name in relation to the world and in “creative fidelity” to our tradition.

· Inculturation always begins with incarnation – the heart of mission.

· A key insight on the renewal of religious life from Vatican II (and its application to our attempted renewal of approach to MSC mission in Europe):

1. Rooted in evangelical life (Christ of the Gospels – who is he for me/us?)
2. Rooted in the spirit and aims of Jules Chevalier
3. Understanding and in dialogue with the conditions of the time and the needs of the Church

while all the time… sharing in the life of the Church and committed to spiritual renewal.

· Regarding the place of prayer in an apostolic missionary congregation: our missionary (apostolic life) must be imbued with a deep spiritual rootedness in Christ and our lives of prayer should be imbued with a deep missionary character.

Gerardine Doherty: Psychological aspects of a Spirituality of the Heart and a feminine approach towards a Spirituality of the Heart

· Spirituality is a deliberately chosen way of living – note the importance of choice.

· “We want to live like Jesus who loved with a human heart” (Constitutions 10) – it is not only about loving but growing towards being fully human, fully alive (Irenaeus), a holistic approach – integrated – humanised life. We cannot grow spiritually if we aren’t growing humanly.

· There needs to be a close integration of our public life and our hearts (inner life).

· For Chevalier egoism/indifference was a moral-religious problem, for us today it is more of a psychological-spiritual problem, but the solution is the same for both of us – spiritual.

· Whose hearts are we speaking of? Our hearts, God’s heart and the heart of humanity.

· People can be content to remain with closed, shut-down hearts – the challenge and task is to enable people to grow, develop their potential and find a more whole, integrated life.

· Regarding feminine aspects and issues – this is both a male and a female issue. There needs to be an integration of the masculine and feminine in each person.

· In the context of ministry, attempt to create circles of trust.

· Life is complex – it is important to remember this in the context of dialogue – life and situations are often more complex than they might at first appear. Don’t jump to quick conclusions or solutions.

Hans Kwakman: Spirituality of the Heart for our times in a multi-cultural and multi-religious context

· Pursue the ideas of open house and open heart – recognising the spaciousness in God and making it a reality in our community and ministry.

· Importance of balance and boundaries – especially in community life

· Idea of “Management of the Heart” from Indonesian Muslim world – seeking to manage behaviour from within the heart – an integration of heart and activity.

· Aspects of dialogue

§ neither authoritarian nor liberal

§ open-hearted listening – cor ad cor loquitor (“heart speaks to heart” - motto of Cardinal John Henry Newman)

§ helping each other listen to one’s own heart and the heart of the other

§ creating communities of critical conversation

§ link to ideas of Theological Reflection and Spiritual Core Nurturing and Practicum given in handouts by Gerardine Doherty.

· The image of seeds – unconditional love and life in abundance are available in the form of seeds – and they are available to everyone! The challenge is to encourage their growth, especially in persons where growth has been stunted or inhibited.

· Mission – for us should always have a heart to heart focus.

· Qualities of heart can also be tough – integrity, firmness, determination, righteousness, justice, anger, etc.

· The image/symbol of the heart as a unifying centre – link to “heart management” – when we don’t live from the heart (unified, integrated) we live according to all sorts of outside influences and expectations.

Fons Meijers: Street-Church (with the homeless in Nijmegen) and the biblical notion of Chesed (covenant compassion and fidelity)

· What is success? What does it mean to be successful in life, especially for the poor, the homeless and the marginalised?

· Chesed is only possible in free relationships of mutuality and trust.

· Crossroads project was very different to the helping organisations – there was no plan, no goals, no targets, no approval (financial) needed – a case of simply seeing how things worked out in responding to the needs…

· The central element of the self-help principle: encouraging empowerment not dependency.

· Importance of finding out the law and its implications – how you can use it – its limits and possibilities.

· Important to set clear boundaries – not giving money, not offering services, only there to be a pastoral presence, to help explore the sense and nonsense of life.

· There was a shift from a pioneering mode to a settling-down mode – the organisation became more structured, choices to be made, there was a requirement of accountability to funding agencies, more contingencies, etc..

· Regarding boundaries in community life – it has been important to realise that the criterion for setting boundaries that work is that of the weakest member of the community.

· Speak the language of experience, the language of people’s stories.

Mieke Vrints: Living a Spirituality of the Heart as a young lay person residing by choice in a lower-class neighbourhood

· Mieke was struck by the openness, hospitality, inclusion and partnership in her own journey with MSCs.

· She made a deliberate choice to be in a place where no-one else chooses to be.

· It has been important to find ways of spending time with the people in the neighbourhood (using the laundrette, the cyber-café, etc.).

· Don’t be quick to judge without first taking time to look and listen.

· Not judging does not mean not acting.

· A key insight has been that of Jean Vanier’s: the importance of fecundity rather than productivity… often we are too quick to look for results. Mieke’s advice: don’t have too much of a plan or project – allow yourself the luxury of wasting time with people.

· Involve middle class youngsters – arrange for some sort of exposure, possibly from a nearby parish.

· Know your own feelings, and talk the language of feelings – identify with feelings of others. This language is more accessible that that of theory.

· Language – use stories, speak of experience not theory.

· Have clear boundaries in ministry and in community life.

Nico Tromp: The heart of God in Exodus 3

· What does God see, hear and know in the neighbourhood? What do we see, hear and know in the neighbourhood? (Refer to God’s knowledge of a situation, his will to do something and reasons for acting in many of the biblical accounts – New and Old Testament).

· God/YHWH is present to God’s people (especially in suffering). Yahweh is near, faithful, loyal, a verb, active, dynamic, future tense, constant, unpredictable, relating, personal, mysterious, revealing but holding back, ungraspable, surprising…

· Note the importance of partnership for God (needs Moses).

· Note also the importance for Moses of an awareness of signs of God’s presence (burning bush).

· The mission of Moses starts from reality - the reality of the suffering people. Social analysis is important.

· Presence without judgement.

· Who are we? Who is our God?

· Key aspects in the text: identification, authorisation, legitimation. These are key aspects for us also in the neighbourhood.

B. Questions and Issues remaining for our project

Emerging from our day of conversation with Mark McDonald MSC - see accompanying notes from the conversation with Mark by clicking here.

Identity

· Who are we in the neighbourhood? Who are we there for? Whose are we?

· Choice of name for the project that captures our mission.

· Identification, authorisation, legitimation.

Presence

· Importance of a passion for the place and the people.

· Undertake to live simply – according to the style and standard of the neighbourhood – recognising that our way of life will be a way of connecting to the people.

· Importance of a thorough social analysis of the neighbourhood.

· Link to spirituality of the heart – a deliberately chosen way of living.

· Promoting greater human integration – more fully human, more fully alive.

· Witnessing to the spaciousness in God.

· Spending (wasting) time.

· Importance of the use of language

Contemporary Characteristics

· Indifference and egoism – what are the characteristics of these qualities today?

· Individualism, fragmentation and isolation.

· Social redundancy.

· How create communities of inclusion, circles of trust and communities of critical conversation?

Dialogue

· How foster dialogue at different levels: cultural, spiritual, social, political, inter-religious…?

· Importance of beginning with listening and fostering listening hearts.

· Heart-to-heart – coming to know one another’s hearts.

· Importance of pastoral-theological reflection for us.

Ministry

· Importance of boundaries – Who are we? Who are we for? What/who are we not?

· The use of money in ministry – need to take care that money does not corrupt or contaminate pastoral relationships.

· Commit to self-help models of ministry.

· Patience – resist pressure to get sucked in, to rush to commitments, etc.

· Take care with whom we choose to associate and ally ourselves.

· Commit to engage someone to accompany/supervise us in the project – reflection on ministry.

Community life

· Need to spend time getting to know and understand one another better

· Need to spend as much time on community-building as on project preparation

· Prayer time to be opened up to others, while retaining space for ourselves.

· Commitment to do Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator test together and share on results.

· Commitment to engage a facilitator for community-building work.

· Learn to speak more of the language of feelings together

· Importance of paying attention to boundaries and expectations – especially regarding the degree to which the house will be “open” to visitors.