In this last section there are certain subjects the General Government would like to submit to the consideration of this assembly. These are subjects that have been omitted from this report - or not sufficiently discussed in it. These concerns arise from situations the Institute is facing at present. We will provide a brief description of these problems along with questions they elicit in the hope that they will stimulate reflection and provide a framework for discussion.

1. Style and Methodology of Evangelization
The last General Chapters and the permanent formation efforts of recent decades have had a limited effect on the style and method of carrying out pastoral work even though this is precisely the area in which the majority of our confrères are engaged. There may be many reasons for this but we believe it is too important an element of our missionary apostolate to be ignored. The XCG urged us to face this subject courageously: "The primary task of evangelization involves constant Biblical study; we the evangelizers frequently do not allow ourselves to be evangelized and this excludes us from the faith journey on which we lead others. Too many missionaries depend on studies accomplished in the distant past. They rely on things they learned during their seminary days, things that are outdated and do not correspond to the current situation of the world or the needs of people." (p. 37).
As Consolata Missionaries we cannot shirk the responsibility of evangelizing in a style and method rooted in the charism of Allamano, and honed by a century of experience. What measures can we employ to face this situation courageously and effectively? Should the next General Chapter be dedicated to the style and methodology of evangelization - should this be its priority concern? How much space is dedicated to a study of the IMC style and method of evangelization in the formation of our young people? How can we involve our missionaries in a study of these subject? How can we arrive at practical guidelines?

2. Perseverance and Departures
It is no exaggeration to say that the statistical picture of perseverance for professed students over the last ten years is somewhat alarming. A brief overview of the situation will bear this out.
This first graph depicts students who have left during the last ten years by novitiate class:

Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Novices 26 34 35 39 21 39 31 25 26 31
Left 14 14 9 12 10 23 9 10 5 2
% left 54% 41% 26% 31% 48% 59% 29% 40% 19% 6%

This second graph lists professed students who have left in the last ten years:

Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Profess. Left 13 17 11 16 18 13 25 15 16 24

Overall figures for the last ten years: 329 novices; 193 perpetual professed; 172 priestly ordinations; 108 departures.
Why are there so many departures? As a point of departure for discussion we would suggest the following as some of the reasons for this phenomenon:
- The influence of the postmodern world make life-choices fragile.
- Cultural, religious and family background militate against life-choices that go against the grain or involve total dedication.
- The exposure of our young people to different cultural, community or religious environments during the period of basic formation can create an insecurity that is harmful to vocations in the long run.
- The faith journey is not strong enough to make the choice of ad vitam consecration. Many young people don't so much see their vocation as following Christ but as a profession.
At the basis of initial or permanent formation there must be an understanding of fidelity that recognizes it is God who moves first; the contemplative dimension of life must be cultivated; there must be growth in the ability to overcome crisis and discouragement; there must be an effort to foster solidarity with one's neighbor and with the poor.
There could be a positive side to this phenomenon of so many people leaving during basic formation. At times our young people seem more serious and honest in their consideration of life-long missionary consecration. Whether this is the result of an increased sense of responsibility or, simply, the fear of a leap into the dark is difficult to tell. Is it the fear of not being up to so demanding a vocation that holds them back or is it the simple inability to make up one's mind vis-à-vis the radical nature of a missionary vocation?

3. IMC Vocation Situation
The number of Consolata Missionaries is decreasing. This fact cannot leave us indifferent. We have a responsibility to the Institute, the Church and the missions. There are ever more fields for missionary work on all continents; Asia is opening up for our Institute; there are so many areas of missionary endeavor that need specialized personnel … To send out more and more missionaries imbued with the spirit and charism of Blessed Allamano is the only response we can make to this situation.
The question we must consider is how to reverse this decline? We suggest three possibilities.

1. Be more attentive to the formation of our students. We have no desire to return to the old question of how long the novitiate should last - even though novice masters agree that the novitiate comes to an end at the very moment it is beginning to be effective. The last four General Chapters have discussed the possibility of adding a second year to the novitiate but decided to stay with the current practice. All that is left for us to do is concentrate our efforts on reinforcing other stages of formation - especially be strengthening the seminary formation teams. We would create a better framework if those responsible for formation would "persevere" in this service. We could also discuss the possibility of sometime during formation exposing students to direct missionary work.
2. Help young missionaries in the transition from formation to missionary work. Frequently during this transition individuals suffer traumatic experiences that cause them to close in on themselves and become isolated to the point that they leave the Institute and sometimes abandon their vocation. Possible causes for this turn of events are: the time between finishing formation and beginning missionary work is sometimes disproportionately prolonged; the first assignment to a region does not take into consideration the need for guidance and the gradual introduction to the apostolate; local communities do not always provide a positive welcome to the newly assigned; the reduced number of missionaries in some Regions leave young people feeling alone and unassisted; regional permanent formation programs do not provide satisfactory responses to the needs of these missionaries.
3. Greater emphasis on mission and vocation promotion. This will only be possible if we have the courage to re-structure our commitments. We must study the possibility of better distribution of current mission and vocation promoters in the Regions of the Institute. We should not exclude the possibility of intensifying vocation work here in Europe - we spoke about this earlier. Obviously all of these aspects require further study and clarification.

3. The challenges of being international.
The Institute is becoming ever more international. It is changing its physiognomy, color, scenery and environments. It is being blessed with new recruits from different cultures and countries. The new generations of Consolata Missionaries no longer come from the traditional areas that provided vocations in our first hundred years. Ethnic and cultural pluralism within our communities is ever more apparent. The way we live and the nature of our missionary work will change very soon. The more insightful see this as a re-founding of the Institute.
How do we face this new reality? We must be willing to accept the challenges that arise from this growing international character even when they cause tension and conflict. We must guide this change already in progress with tact, patience, dialogue and confidence, without paternalism and without losing sight of the authenticity of our charism.
What are the paths that can make this changeover easier? Here are a few:
- We must prepare attentively the Institute's future leaders; we must realize that the future is already upon us - in all areas and on all levels. We must transfer responsibility to our confrères without involving them prematurely in situations that are too demanding or desperate.
- We must speak frequently about the charism of our Founder and the spirit of the Institute. We must welcome with interest and enthusiasm the new ways of expressing this charism and spirit our young people propose. We must make an effort to create communities that are genuinely international, where the free exchange of ideas and mutual respect are possible.
- Our international formation communities are ambivalent: we should make an effort to create an environment where young people can grow in this "new spirit" and where the Institute can experiment with all those values that will sustain our future life.

5. Ad extra
The XCG emphasized repeatedly that we are obliged by our vocation to go beyond territorial, cultural and even religious borders to every corner of the earth to proclaim the Gospel in the outposts of the missions (Cf. EN 69)" (p. 19). We believe that this is the clear and express will of our Father Founder and the constant tradition of our Institute and must be preserved - even as the frontiers of the mission are changing.
The demands of work in one's Region of origin sometimes make it difficult to apply this principle; many missionaries are obliged to remain in their native Church. The General Government is committed to making it possible for all missionaries to work abroad especially those on their first assignment. The General Government is appealing to all Regional Superiors to help them in this effort - especially when they are planning personnel transfers. We ask every missionary to be ready to leave his own country - especially when he is being asked to leave his home Region for a second time.

The General Government's overview of what is going on in the Institute and what has been accomplished in these last three years since the XCG must now be compared and completed with what has been happening in individual regions. Our report is not the last word. We hope it will launch a collaborative effort that will:
- reveal the "true" face of the Institute striving to carry out the spirit and guidelines of the Tenth General Chapter;
- recognize new challenges in the midst of the obstacles and accomplishments of these past three years;
- provide new impetus to our missionary apostolate in the years ahead of us before the Eleventh General Chapter.

We hope that at the end of our work we can say to the Institute what John Paul II so courageously said to the whole Church: "Let us go forward in hope! At the beginning of this new century, our steps must quicken as we travel the highways of the world. Many are the paths on which each one of us … must travel, but there is no distance between those who are united in the same communion, the communion which is daily nourished at the table of the Eucharistic Bread and the Word of Life… May the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany us on this journey" (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 58).
Rome, October 7, 2002

Father Piero Trabucco, IMC
(Superior General)
Father Antonio Bellagamba, IMC
Father Norberto R. Louro, IMC
Father Aquiléo Fiorentini, IMC
Father Jean André Benedetti, IMC