Members of the U.S. Province held their summer assembly July 11-14. The kick-off for the gathering was the Province Jubilee Celebration on Monday night where the anniversaries of nine SCJs were celebrated. Click here to read more about the jubilee and here to view an online photo album from the evening.
Fr. John van den Hengel, general councilor, led the first full day of the assembly on July 12. In the morning, he shared the statistics of the congregation, showing how the face of the congregation has changed over the past 20 years and what it will look like in the future.
Comparing statistics of the congregation from 1991 to today he noted that the population of the Priests of the Sacred Heart is shifting from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere. In particular, Africa has changed from being a continent ministered to by missionaries from the north to being one whose SCJ population is now primarily African –– and much larger than before. In 1991 there were 65 SCJs in Africa; in 2011 there are 320 members (again, primarily indigenous Africans).
In comparison, Europe –– the birthplace of the Priests of the Sacred Heart –– had 1,528 SCJs in 1991. In 2011 there are 982. Overall, there are fewer members worldwide than in 1991 but since 2003 the decrease has slowed considerably; it is thought that there is now a stabilization in the number at approximately 2,200.
In planning for the future Fr. John said that it is important to look at where the students are. In Europe there are 59 students but that is only a small percentage of Europe’s total 982 members whereas in Africa, almost 40% of its 320 members are students, and in South America and Asia over 25% of its populations are students. In the future, the congregation will continue to be much more populous in the southern hemisphere.
This movement to the south is not just an SCJ trend but a trend of the Church as a whole. The north is aging and diminishing in number while the south has a younger, growing population.
While many SCJs had a sense of the changing face of the congregation, seeing the statistics made the concept more real. “I was surprised when I saw the numbers,” said one SCJ, “even though I had a sense of the changes in the back of my head. This made it real.”
Fr. John said that SCJs need to prepare for a congregation that is no longer European-centered. Culturally the congregation will be different, but also the mechanics of the SCJs will have to change. Past models of financial support need to be addressed. There needs to be considerable reflection on what it means to be SCJ in Africa, Asia and South America. The congregation developed out of a European, western-hemisphere mindset. How should the charism of Fr. Dehon and the spirituality of the SCJs come alive outside of Europe and North America?
How will the cultural reality of the entire congregation need to adapt to reflect the new reality? Not only has the face of the congregation and Church changed, but so too has its role in society. Secularity is an increasing reality, especially in Europe.
This shift from north to south, said Fr. John, is one of the greatest changes and challenges that the congregation has faced since its initial development.
Spirituality is central
Central to both the future of the U.S. Province and the congregation as a whole is SCJ spirituality, said Fr. John. “If our spirituality is central to who we are, then it is central to what ministries we take on,” said Fr. John.
He talked about the focus of ministries in other SCJ entities around the world. In South America, especially Brazil (with its three provinces, Brazil has the largest number of SCJs in the congregation), there are strong lay associate programs. “How can we pass on our spirituality to the laity?” asked Fr. John.
If it is significant that SCJ spirituality has an impact on society, then it needs to be present in society. This is one of the reasons that the congregation is investigating the possibility of having a presence in China. Although some SCJs voiced concern about overextending the congregation by starting a new venture, Fr. John said that “China is becoming one of the most powerful countries in the world; can we as a religious community ignore China when we realize its role in the world?”
He also noted that exploration of a presence in China was a decision made by the last General Chapter.
What is SCJ spirituality?
In the second half of his presentation, Fr. John talked about SCJ spirituality. If that spirituality is central to where the SCJs are and what they do, what, exactly, is it? He said that this is a question that the European major superiors have reflected on. There was an agreement on many of the basic concepts of SCJ spirituality, but a realization that how those concepts are interpreted is fluid. There was also a realization that if concepts such as reparation, oblation and devotion had various interpretations among SCJs, among non-SCJs the terms might have an even more varied meaning, or perhaps no meaning at all.
A PDF of Fr. John’s PowerPoint presentation regarding the congregational statistics is available by clicking here.
The text from Fr. John’s presentation on SCJ spirituality will be made available on the province website in the near future.
Community life and immigration
Each day of the province assembly had a different theme. As noted above, Fr. John van den Hengel spoke about the worldwide congregation, as well as SCJ spirituality, on the first full day.
Wednesday and Thursday SCJs spent more time in small group discussions. Community living –– as religious –– and the ingredients needed to develop a healthy community were the focus of Wednesday’s discussions. Commonality and cooperation, shared prayer, shared meals and recreation, hospitality and availability, communication, acceptance and accountability were all identified as “elements of a good community.”
Meeting with members of their own local communities, SCJs talked about how they can better bring these elements to life in their communities.
The Province Justice and Peace Commission presented the final day’s discussions which focused on immigration. “Our goal today is not to tell you what to do or what to think about immigration,” said a member of the commission. “Our goal is to present facts and help to educate the membership about the many issues surrounding immigration so that people can make informed opinions.”
In small groups members talked about personal experiences with immigration. Many SCJs in the U.S. Province are first-generation Americans; some are immigrants themselves. Most had stories of challenges faced by parishioners and others to whom they minister in regards to immigration. Those involved with the ESL program noted how difficult it can be to get visas for SCJs of other countries so that they can study in the United States. Getting documents for non-U.S. citizens to minister in the United States can be even more challenging.
“This was just a start in the conversation about immigration,” said Fr. Ed Kilianski, chairperson of the Justice and Peace Commission. In the months ahead the commission will continue the discussion and help the province to look at ways that it might have an impact on immigration concerns.
The assembly concluded mid-day on Thursday with Mass.
Click here to view photos from the gathering. Again, you can view jubilee photos by clicking here.
Fr. John van den Hengel’s text will be made available on the site in the near future. Members of the U.S. Province will receive an email when it is posted.
