Sectors is the term used by General Government Planning to define those areas of missionary work overseen by Continental Councilors and the Secretariat of the Missions. We discussed separately those General Offices that work independently.

1. Permanent Formation Sector

The General Chapter returned to this subject several times and expressed the desire that the Congregation would be in a “state of permanent formation.” It then asked the General and Region Directorates to promote “energetic renewal of all missionaries through ongoing formation that was not just updating but an effort to revitalize missionaries through the study and assimilation of our Founder’s charism and spirit and the ideals of consecration, sharing and the missions.” (p. 54) There have been numerous permanent formation projects in the last six years; they are listed above in the section devoted to continental councilors. We concentrated our focus on the goals laid out in the Chapter: the renewal of individuals either through ad hoc programs, specific periods of personal review in our formation projects or offering the possibility of individual guidance and direction. Briefly these were our principal formation projects:
a. Course for young missionaries. This was a three-month course for those who had been ordained or perpetual professed (brothers) for ten years. To reach the maximum number of missionaries we (in conjunction with the Consolata Sisters) held three of these course: in Italian at Nepi; in English at Nairobi and in Portuguese-Spanish at São Paulo. A majority took part (ten in each course) but it wasn’t possible to achieve total participation.
The formula we used produced promising results and intense involvement of the participants. The course included study and review of individuals and the missions with a final summing up. The core of the course was understanding one’s experience of life and the missions and the creation of a personal life program that reflected our values.
There were almost as many Sisters as there were men and everyone was in favor of this arrangement – in spite of the inevitable contretemps. Final reviews were all favorable and everyone hoped that we could repeat this experiment in a few years’ time.
b. Course for adult missionaries (February – June). Even though we relaxed requirements for participation there was no significant interest and only three of these courses were held in the last six years. We did not limit attendance to those who had or were about to celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary of ordination or perpetual profession.
This course has been operative for some time and was always received favorably by those who took part. With the passage of time we have succeeded in balancing university academic content with the specific insights of our Congregation on charism and mission. In this course too we emphasized “renewal of life.”
Why was there so little participation? We were not able to study this problem in depth but on the surface it appears that personal commitments made attendance difficult (formation, teaching, Regional services). Or it could be that with the proliferation of formation projects on the individual and continental level many have already pursued prolonged formation programs.
We believe that this Chapter should provide clear guidelines on this subject lest we find ourselves appealing annually to missionaries and Regional Superiors and then canceling the event at the last minute. These guidelines should reflect the wishes of the last General Chapter which decreed “the obligation of at least three programs of prolonged ongoing formation in the course of one’s life; these programs should be chosen from amongst those provided by the General and Region Governments” (92).
c. Course for elderly missionaries. Two such courses were held in Italy – each lasting three weeks. A third course, lasting only a few days, was held for brothers in Portugal. Our elderly missionaries very much appreciated this project which provided them with a chance to share their long experience of missionary life and to learn how to live old age in a positive fashion.
By organizing courses on a Regional or congregation wide level the 2002 Inter-Chapter Meeting hoped to include as many elderly missionaries as possible in this formation experience. Because of other formation experiences already programmed it was impossible to make this course available to all our “third-age” missionaries.
There appears to be a renewed sensitivity among our older missionaries; more and more older men are seek formation experiences appropriate to their age group. They certainly know how to benefit from these courses. These courses, however, are but one of the many means the Congregation and the Regions can provide. Other methods have proved valuable: dialogue with the superior; specialized guidance when requested; appropriate spiritual direction.
d. Sabbatical Periods. Requests for sabbaticals have recently increased. There are many, really profitable ways to take sabbaticals these days. Rome still remains the preferred destination for sabbaticals. It is possible to live in our own community and frequent one of the many institutions of higher learning here in Rome. St. Anselm’s in England is the preferred destination for missionaries who work in English-speaking areas and those who need special psychological as well as spiritual help. Trips to the Holy Land have decreased because of the turbulent political situation in the Middle East – but the Biblical lands still provide a unique, intense and specifically scriptural experience. Madrid too provides many opportunities for spiritual and academic renewal.
Requests for sabbaticals usually come from the individual concerned. Sometimes Regional superiors will seek a sabbatical for an individual who is being transferred or assigned outside the Region.
During the 2002 Inter-Chapter Meeting Region superiors emphasized the features they hoped to find in these sabbatical experiences. Here is what they had to say:
“ We encourage the missionaries to attend the courses provided by the Congregation. When this is not possible or if there is some other reason we propose a sabbatical that includes the following features:
- More emphasis on formation rather than academics. The sabbatical should renew the individual missionary in all his dimensions: spiritual, human, apostolic, charismatic …).
- The formation program should be worked out with Regional Superiors and the General Government. If asked, these superiors should help set up the program.
- Particular attention should be paid to studying our charism, religious life and spirituality. If the formation centers attended do not provide these subjects they should be available in a community of the Congregation” (BU 100, p. 43).
e. Direction for newly assigned missionaries. Former General Chapters have frequently stressed the importance of providing careful and up-close direction to missionaries newly assigned to a Region. They must be helped to fit in gradually and find the support they need to start their missionary service. During our visitations to the Regions we have emphasized Region Superiors’ obligation to provide this assistance. Too often superiors are forced to assign missionaries to new work without adequate preparation. Superiors may be tempted to solve difficult problems by sending newly-assigned and unprepared missionaries to a position in crisis.
Here are some of the more frequently used methods for helping newly-assigned missionaries: provide adequate time to learn the new language, visit communities in the Region, spend time living in important communities, take part in courses the local Church provides for missionaries. The 2002 Inter-Chapter Meeting offered some other working guidelines:
“Regions should establish communities that can welcome new missionaries on their first assignment.
Superiors and those in charge of permanent formation should follow these missionaries closely – visits and conversations at regular intervals.
There should be periodic get-togethers for these young missionaries. Subjects of discussion at these meetings should include: formation, sharing individual experiences, prayer and common recreation.
Guidelines should be drawn up and included in the Ratio Formationis. These guidelines should describe in detail the formation to be provided to newly assigned missionaries. The guidelines should draw freely from the positive experience of other Regions.” (BU 100, p. 45).
To facilitate the upcoming revision of the Ratio Formationis, the General Office of Formation has surveyed missionaries on their first assignment. Many of those surveyed stated that they had not received the assistance they needed to work effectively. Frequently the communities to which they were assigned were less than welcoming. We believe that the seeds of later vocation crises are sown in these first negative encounters with the missions.
The Continental Councilors and the Secretariat have been involved – especially on the continental level – in these and other formation projects. We will speak more about this in the section devoted to the work of Continental Councilors. Here we would like to cite examples of other permanent formation projects in which the General Government has been involved in one way or another.
- the semi-annual publication of Documentazione IMC which distributes to the whole Congregation themes and reflections that have come up in formation courses;
- members of the General Government have preached fifteen retreats;
- the Postulator has made vital contributions to formation – especially with his work on the Founder and his charism;
- short formation courses for local superiors on community relations, the history of the Congregation (especially in conjunction with the centenary celebrations);
- the Secretariat has prepared permanent formation study aids: lists of centers for therapy and spiritual formation sent to all Region superiors; databank of update courses of various types; Region superiors have been provided with a list of confrères available for ongoing formation sessions.
As we conclude the list of permanent formation projects launched by the General Government we certainly cannot forget the many confrères who have been awarded academic degrees or who are currently pursuing graduate studies. These are the statistics:
- 9 have been awarded a doctorate;
- 22 have been awarded a licentiate;
- 25 were awarded a licentiate at the end of their basic theology studies;
- 2 are currently working on their doctorate;
- 10 are currently studying for the licentiate.

2. Mission and Vocation Promotion Sector

The Tenth General Chapter affirmed clearly and unambiguously the central role of mission and vocation promotion (AMV) in our Regions: “Confronted with the need to clarify the rapport between mission and vocation promotion and the other activities of our Congregation, the Chapter reaffirms that they are an integral part of our Ad Gentes (cf. Const. 17). Mission and vocation promotion were a priority of the Chapter – they fall into the category of the “qualified services” we provide the Congregation and the Church.” (p. 95). The support provided by the General Government in this areas has come primarily through the Continental Councilors with the support of the Secretariat of the Missions. Since situations differ enormously from continent to continent we will discuss them separately.
√ Africa: the Chapter mandated decisive mission promotion in all the Regions. Vocation work seemed well taken care of but mission promotion was altogether absent. In response to the Chapter’s mandate the Regional Governments agreed to assign more missionaries to this work. Simultaneously new Centers of Mission Promotion (CAM) were being established. These centers added a new dimension to this work. Promotion was no longer the work of a traveling missionary. One could live, pray and study for prolonged periods in these centers. The Kenya Region distinguished itself in these efforts. It established centers in different areas. Four are already up and running and a fifth is nearing completion. The Tanzania Region is planning a center on the outskirts of Dar-es-Salaam that will offer mission promotion to the whole country.
The Tenth General Chapter asked that “these animators be properly prepared with pertinent courses that will help them to deepen the nature of mission promotion in Africa, plan the strategies to adopt, and use proper coordination among all the Regions.” (95). In their annual meetings Region superiors initiated continental formation programs for animators (mission promoters): there were three one-week encounters attended by all the IMC and MC animators. Their goal was to plan the organization of work and train the animators through conferences from experts and the sharing of their own personal experiences. At the last encounter (Iringa 2004) the hope was expressed that the next encounter would be a genuine training session lasting at least three weeks.
One obstacle the animators on this continent encountered was the extreme mobility of personnel; it was difficult to guarantee adequate preparation and continuity in this work.

√ America: The American continent continues to be fertile terrain for mission and vocation promotion even though situations existing in the various countries differ enormously. North America resembles Europe – both in its lack of vocations and its generous financial assistance to the missions.
The possibility of a foundation in Cuba was debated during the six years between 1993 and 1999. There were some collaborative efforts between North America and the Cuban Church. In the last six years, however, we have studied the possibility of establishing a foundation in Mexico – primarily for mission and vocation promotion work. We made some exploratory trips and discussed the results at the annual meeting of the Continental Regional Superiors in 2004. We are providing the Chapter with a dossier on our research in this area.
The three continental meetings of representatives of the mission and vocation promotion sector were successful. In the last meeting held in Bogotá we suggested preparing a Global Mission/Vocation Promotion Plan for the whole continent in collaboration with the Consolata Sisters.
On this continent missionaries involved in this work are few. There are some centers for mission/vocation promotion (CAM) but for the most part they are little used. There is promising collaboration with the Consolata Sisters in many Regional activities.

√ Europe: We believe everyone is aware of the problems linked to mission and vocation promotion in Europe. Our young people seem disinterested; the local Church is not very open to missionary work; there is ongoing de-Christianization. On the other hand there are some positive elements: a growing interest in volunteer work, solidarity, vitality of ecclesial movements, quest for times of prayer and attention to the Word of God.
Mission and vocation promotion in Europe has a long history; each Region has worked more or less independently either alone or in the conjunction with other national missionary projects. For some time now there has been ongoing collaboration among European Regions in an effort to plan and carry out common projects. The Sisters, too, have taken part in these collaborative efforts. The recent centenary celebrations have given renewed impetus to our efforts to work together in mission promotion on a continental level.
The two 3-week training sessions for animators organized jointly by the three European Regions are worthy of mention. They were highly appreciated especially by those who are new to this work. Meetings for those in charge of promotion in the Regions were held regularly. Together they have organized summer projects for young people from all three Regions.
For some time now our superiors and animators have been looking outside our traditional areas for possibly more fruitful terrain. Our own Regions are somewhat arid. Our primary investigations and contacts have been with the Diocese of Vitebsk in Belarus where our confrère, Father Witold Malej, is doing pastoral work. Six years ago the Bishop asked us to come to his diocese. Two General Councilors went to Belarus and were favorably impressed. Recently two Regional Superiors went to visit the diocese. The results of these visits will be made available to the Chapter assembly.

√ Asia: We must say a few words about Asia – for us this means Korea at present. After years of sowing the seeds of missionary promotion it now appears that we are about to reap an unexpected harvest of vocations. We were aware of the difficulty Koreans encounter when it comes to leaving their country and confronting alien cultures – it was even more difficult in the past. Now within the last few years Korea has witnessed enormous economic development and has become more open to other countries – if only to find new markets.
From their arrival in this country our missionaries have paid special attention to mission promotion. Our periodical and structure have always had the primary goal of mission/vocation promotion in the Korean Church. We have been very prudent in accepting young people because of the difficulty we mentioned earlier. Recently those interested in becoming Consolata Missionaries (and their number is growing) seem more motivated and open to inter-cultural experience. The new foundation in Mongolia may well provide an outlet for our promotional activities in the Korean Church.

3. Pastoral Work and Initial Evangelization Sector

We are all aware of the difficulties the General Office of Pastoral Work encountered in its efforts to provide those involved in pastoral work or initial evangelization with tools for reflection and life review (révision de vie). The General Office twice presented our confrères with a text (Ratio Evangelizationis) that met with little response. The Tenth General Chapter’s emphasis on the missio ad gentes and the need to discern the type of evangelization in which we are engaged has renewed the desire to examine this fundamental dimension of our missionary vocation and to rediscover the original charism of our Congregation. Proof of this is the positive response to the Mission Secretariat’s centenary appeal to those engaged in pastoral work to examine the “Murang’a Method” and how it might apply to our work of evangelization on different continents.
The Tenth General Chapter’s realistic judgment is still valid: “One of the priorities of evangelization consists in a constant biblical updating. Unfortunately, we do not often let ourselves be evangelized, and this fact may estrange us from the paths of faith that we propose to others. Many missionaries seem to bank on the past, and evangelize using methods which go back to the times of their studies, methods that are now obsolete and do not take into account the reality of our times and the needs of the people of today.” (p. 43). What we have accomplished in the last six years is only a first but meaningful step. We must continue with even greater energy this process of reflection, formation and comparison. Our attempt to produce a draft Ratio Missionis for this Chapter was prompted (not exclusively) by a desire to give new impetus to reflection on our evangelization.
The Regions – especially during their conferences – subjected their current evangelization activities to serious analysis and using the criteria provided by the Chapter determined what existing works should be abandoned and what new works should be undertaken. In every case discernment proved useful. There was some resistance from individual missionaries to a large extent due to age or the inability to adapt to new circumstances. In no way does this study of our missio ad gentes involve a value judgment of our past work of evangelization.
In the area of evangelization and pastoral work the Secretariat launched the following projects to support our missionaries:
- At the beginning of the six-year term a useful guide was prepared to help the Regions review the current pastoral commitments in their conferences and decide which should be kept and which should be returned to the Dioceses.
- For the hundredth anniversary of our missions the Secretariat set up three days of reflection for all missionaries engaged in pastoral work. This was successful in almost all our Regions. This three-day period involved: a review of the pastoral method being used and the criteria that govern it; comparison with the pastoral program of the local Church; consideration of our charism as missionaries ad gentes; proposals and suggestions for renewal. Both the Acts of the Tenth General Chapter and the text of the Murang’a Conference were used – with good results – by the missionaries involved in this reflection.
- Statistics on our pastoral activities in the world were updated; we used questionnaires and surveys to accomplish this.
We would like to affirm once more the guidelines of the 2002 Inter-Chapter Meeting which asked us to return to the Ratio Evangelizationis, update it and use it as a guide for the careful review of our style and method of evangelization. Moreover we are asked to seek greater unity throughout the Congregation in carrying out our pastoral programs and emphasizing our specific charism. The Inter-Chapter Meeting urged formation personnel to assist our young people in formation to learn a new style of evangelization which more clearly reflects our charism and the spirit of communion which should be its primary characteristic.

4. Brothers

The Tenth General Chapter decided that “The duties and tasks in no. 132.7 regarding the Brothers are taken over by the sectors of animation, formation, and pastoral activities, which take care of those needs for all missionaries. If some special emphasis is needed for the Brothers, these same offices will pay close attention to it” (p. 89).
The General Government has organized no permanent formation projects specifically addressed to Brothers. Yet Brothers – if few – have taken an active part in all common formation events. We have endeavored to carry out the Chapter directives on the formation of Brother candidates (p. 93) but this was not always possible; candidates for the brotherhood come with a widely diverse background in education and professional training. We regret the departure of young Brothers who have received special training (doctorate) and on whom the Congregation was counting for specific, qualified service in the missions.
We realize that not all Brothers agree with the directives of the Tenth General Chapter and would like to return to the old formation methods. We are in favor of the formula proposed by the last Chapter. It not only offers a more harmonious formation process it precludes the sad repetition of departures once basic formation including technical or profession training has concluded.

5. Justice, Peace and Concern for the Environment

According to the Acts of the Tenth General Chapter the fifth dimension of our missio ad gentes is a commitment to justice, peace and the environment. The Chapter tells us that this dimension is an “essential part of the evangelization ad gentes and of our ministry of consolation. This ministry presupposes choices and concrete gestures of solidarity towards the poor, and the commitment to carry out reconciliation” (p. 53).
The Secretariat of the Missions has actively supported the continental formation projects Region Superiors and Continental Councilors have planned in line with the Chapter’s dispositions. The primary effort was to prepare missionaries who would manage projects on a Region level. Three meetings were held on each continent. Another goal continental formation project managers set themselves was to make clear the place justice and peace occupy in our religious life and missionary ministry. The revisions effected in the Regions demonstrate the growth of a new sensitivity in this area among so many missionaries. Justice and peace are no longer a taboo subject but rather a specific and important expression of our charism as Consolata Missionaries.
We note that Regional Superiors return little to their confrères of the riches they have received and shared at continental meetings. Superiors believe that this further step when Regional delegates to meetings must become protagonists often falls short or is carried out half-heartedly.
One valuable project in which our Secretariat was a protagonist was the distribution of the Manuale di Giustizia e Pace [Handbook of Justice and Peace] in various languages. The Portuguese Region has translated and printed it. If used appropriately it can make a missionary aware of and sensitize our people to questions of justice, peace and the protection of the environment.
Our missionaries have played a role in campaigns to raise consciousness on questions of peace and justice. They have actively joined in other campaigns launched by the local Church, activist groups and movements. The Secretariat has maintained close relations and collaborated actively with the Justice and Peace Commission sponsored by the Union of Superiors General. A group of European religious congregations has established a network to raise consciousness about Africa (AEFJN) that has headquarters in Brussels. The location is close to the European Parliament and the network will promote correct, supportive policies on issues concerning Africa.
Our confrères in Colombia have launched a meaningful project aimed at creating a climate of pardon and reconciliation. The Escuela de Perdón y Reconciliación [School of Pardon and Reconciliation] is made up of Church and lay groups and is growing in leaps and bounds in Colombia, Brazil and other countries in America and Africa. As Consolata Missionaries we cannot help but support this project and collaborate in every way possible. This is a novel enterprise that corresponds to the needs of the moment and expresses our solidarity with those among whom we live in their time of trial and upheaval.
In spite of the unambiguous appeals of the Church and our Congregation a large number of missionaries are still insensitive to these concerns. The process we must initiate is one of carefully prepared local formation in the Regions. We believe that projects on the continental or Congregation level must be continued with conviction and determination.

6. Lay Missionaries

The Tenth General Chapter initiated consideration of lay missionaries forcefully. The Chapter wanted to approach the entire question of lay people and their collaboration in our missions before concentrating on Consolata Lay Missionaries (LMC). The Chapter’s appeal was addressed to all our missionaries and represents a change of mentality. We were asked to be less clerical, more open to dialogue and more receptive to the contributions of lay people. At this point the General Government is in no position to judge the concrete effect of the Sagana Chapter’s appeal on the life of missionaries. We know that this subject has been debated in all Regions. Regional Conferences have examined this topic and it has featured in the Secretariat’s three-day study conferences for missionaries in pastoral work. We know that the process of “changing a mentality” is necessarily long and difficult – we can only hope that this process will continue. Many missionaries are still not able to distinguish between lay volunteers (development collaborators) and Consolata Lay Missionaries. Others look with suspicion on this renewed interest in Consolata Lay Missionaries – as if it represented an alternative to the vocation of Brothers. Many missionaries are more interested in the work lay volunteers can perform than involving them in pastoral work where Consolata Missionaries and Lay Missionaries share the same charism of Blessed Allamano.
The General Government has been primarily interested in producing Statutes that reflected Chapter guidelines and the new situations we face in the Regions. This is no trivial effort – we have already held six meetings on the Regional and continental (Europe) level. We have produced several draft documents. The fourth draft is what we are presenting to the Chapter today. Lay workers and their directors from the three European Regions have been engaged in this process.
The Secretariat’s work went through the following phases:
- analysis of the situation of lay missionaries in the Congregation;
- contact with lay groups (especially in Europe);
- joint work with lay people on: Consolata Lay Missionary identity; the necessary structure; links between Consolata Missionaries and Consolata Lay Missionaries – shared charism; spirituality and mission;
- editing version A and sending it out to the Congregation;
- editing version B which incorporated observations from the Congregation, especially with regard to “association” and “autonomy”;
- incorporation of new ideas and reactions from lay people and the General Government into the new version C which was then submitted to the Inter-Chapter Meeting;
- faced with the text of version C many Consolata Lay Missionaries expressed misgivings;
- the Turin (August 2004) meeting presented an excellent opportunity to take stock of our progress and address remaining areas of disagreement that required further work.
We believe that much as been accomplished with the Statutes – even if we have not entirely succeeded in reaching consensus among Consolata Missionaries and Consolata Lay Missionaries. Any conclusions we reached on the Statutes at this point would be premature and could jeopardize the relationship between the Lay Missionaries and the Congregation. We suggest that the Chapter examine what we have accomplished in the last six years in this area (Statutes), encourage the continuation of this work, emphasize and clarify certain fundamental, basic issues concerning the Statutes.

7. Office of Hospital Management

These few lines will describe how this office for our hospitals (Gambo, Ikonda and Neisu) began and how it ended. It was conceived by the former General Government to raise funds and recruit personnel for our three hospitals. It was established in 1998 under the direction of Father Livio Tessari. On March 17 of the following year the General Government drew up bylaws that listed the areas of competence, goals and responsibilities of the office. After three years of work the General Council examined what had been accomplished, sought the opinions of the Regions involved and decided to terminate the office at the end of 2001. At the same time the responsibilities of this office devolved on the Regional representatives of vocation/mission promotion.
This endeavor was born in good will and was an effort to assist our hospitals in troubled times. It did not produce the hoped-for results in spite of the hard work of the individual in charge.

D. Relations

1. With the Regions

We believe that there was never a lack of fraternal openness and appropriate relations between General and Region Directorates – even when opinions differed. For our part we always felt at home during visitations and the bonds of brotherhood supported us when we had to confront serious or painful problems. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Regional Superiors and their Councils for their understanding, assistance and support.
At the urging of the last General Chapter, the General Government made an effort to establish closer, more intense and more uninterrupted relations with Region Directorates and those in charge of Regional Offices. Proof of this effort is our extensive correspondence (greatly facilitated by modern advances in communications). As we said above there was some uncertainty about who should speak for a Region in the General Government. With the passage of time both we and the Regional Governments reached an understanding in this area.
Our relationship with each other became one of rapid and punctual communication. On only rare occasions were we forced to seek information already in circulation but not been sent to us by those directly concerned. This was not caused by bad faith but by procedures not yet completely understood.
There is still a difficult problem in the area of communications: how can we best use modern means of communication (telephone, e-mail, traditional mail, messaging) alongside with visits and one-on-one conversations. It is becoming increasingly difficult to gather and organize all the documents concerning a specific or long-standing issue. Moreover a change of people involved in a given discussion can complicate the process of archiving and retrieving information. If this question is not adequately addressed it will in the future present serious problems for research in the history of the Congregation.

2. With the Consolata Missionary Sisters

Our last General Chapter and that of the Sisters issued a heartfelt appeal to the two Congregations that they strive for that “higher unity” of communion, collaboration, respect and trust that should characterize a family of “brothers and sisters” who share the spirit of our common Father Founder. Over the past six years we believe that significant progress has been made. On all levels there is a new atmosphere of openness, mutual acceptance, fraternal support and willingness to work together. Not just the two General Governments that have been meeting faithfully every six months to plan, review and organize formation projects for both our men and women but in the Regions too there has been widespread collaboration on all levels. We have never failed to talk to our Sisters during visitations and when possible with their Regional councils. All our continental permanent formation meetings have been attended by equal numbers of men and women missionaries. This has contributed to the personal growth of all involved and increased our interest in fraternal collaboration in missionary work.
Some current projects are symbolic of the progress we have made in this area: the new foundations in Mongolia and Djibouti; working together in the Shambo mission (Ethiopia) and the La Tagua mission (Colombia); plans to establish a foundation among the natives of Venezuela. In all these cases we have witnessed not just a willingness to help each other out – as befits brothers and sisters – but a joint effort in planning and execution at every step. This meaningful complementarity does not undermine the identity of each congregation but rather exalts and perfects it. We are able to offer trained service and greater life-witness to the missions. When there is mutual good will this sort of collaboration is both possible and abundantly fruitful.
We believe however that this sort of commitment is not eagerly embraced at all times and by everyone. The fact that both our Chapters are being celebrated at the same time and in the same city can make closer links possible and help perfect what we have already achieved in the area of collaboration and sharing. Our blessed Founder can only smile on our efforts to improve our fraternal spirit and mutual collaboration.

3. With Bishops Ordinaries

Relations with the ordinaries of our dioceses is generally the province of Region Directorates. Some bishops are happy to visit our General House for discussions and exchanges of information. These meetings help us understand the situation in local Churches from the ordinary’s perspective. During our canonical visitations to the Regions in America and Africa we almost always meet with the bishops. This is rare, however, here in Europe where we live.
We have kept up the custom of not discussing issues with ordinaries without the presence or knowledge of Region Superiors. This seems the best policy to preclude interference on our part in situations and issues with which we are not really familiar.
We feel the need to appeal once more that contracts with ordinaries be properly written, punctually renewed, carefully studied in situ, and signed by both contracting parties. Appropriate formulas have been prepared by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples that can serve as models for writing up these contracts. These contracts are guarantees of clear relationships with ordinaries; they facilitate the planning and carrying out of restructuring and work changes.

4. With Missionary Institutes and other ecclesiastical agencies

In the city of Rome there is a wide variety of projects for mutual collaboration between Missionary Congregations and agencies sponsored by the Church or other religious congregations. We try to collaborate actively with the following agencies:
- Sedos: an open discussion forum for all Institutes of Consecrated Life interested in a global understanding of the missions. It encourages research and provides information through its bulletin, website, public conferences, work groups and an annual study seminar.
- AEFJN: established and supported by missionary and religious institutes; since 1988 it campaigns for more just and supportive laws and economic programs between Europe and Africa. It has its headquarters in Brussels and outposts in other European countries. With the support of its members the AEFJN promotes concrete actions on behalf of Africa.
- The Justice and Peace Commission: was established in 1974 by the male and female Unions of Superiors General. Its purpose is to make men and women religious sensitive to questions of justice, peace and the environment. They do this through information, exchange of ideas, study meetings and various campaigns.
- Misna: is the mission news agency. It is supported by the Combonian, Consolata, PIME and Xaverian General Governments and Provinces of the Missionary Institutes working in Italy. It depicts itself as the Voice of Those Who Have No Voice. It pays special attention to the problems of the southern hemisphere and the younger Churches. In its ten years of life it has reached a broad audience. Its three versions (English, French and Italian) are accessed more than 100,000 times a month.
- Ad Gentes Group: arose spontaneously out of discussions among the members of Missionary Congregation General Curias. For some years now it has been engaged in studying subjects of common interest.
- Union of Superiors General: this group was born in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council. Its goal is to strive for an appropriate form of consecrated life in the heart of the Church and of the world through an mutually profitable exchange of ideas among those who live the consecrated life. It is an agency of leadership, research, dialogue and reflection. It holds two annual study assemblies and manages other projects.