Pastors, animators and administrators who care about the quality of community life

Letter of Fr. General to the Superiors on the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude Thaddeus, Apostles

Prot. N.: 0000   215/2024
Rome, 28^th October 2024
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude Thaddeus, Apostles

Missionaries of Hope in The Footsteps of The Redeemer
A YEAR DEDICATED TO FORMATION FOR MISSION
The Lord who instructs us to rekindle the gift of God that dwells within us
Const. 77-90, St. 050-085; Mt 10:5-15, Lk 9:1-6, 2 Tm 1:6

DEAR CONFRERES, SUPERIORS OF THE COMMUNITY,

Best wishes to each of you!

1. The purpose of this letter is to thank you for the valuable service you offer in animating our local communities, as well as to motivate you to continue to carry out with enthusiasm this important ministry in Redemptorist life with enthusiasm, and to provide you with a resource for reflection at meetings or retreats of local superiors of (Vice) Provinces and Regions. Being a superior is not an easy task, but it is of immense value for the animation of the apostolic life in the mission of the Congregation, a role that often goes unnoticed by both confreres and those who exercise this responsibility.
2. Local superiors (animators and local coordinators) play a crucial role in religious institutions in the service of animation. In consecrated life, the main responsibility is to respond to the Gospel and to care for persons: the confreres and the people of God, as pastors, animators and administrators (cf. Pastoral Guide for Superiors, Chapter II). “Just as the first responsibility of the Provincial is the province, so the first responsibility of the local superior is the local community and its mission. He must be Pastor, Administrator and Animator at the service of the community. His primary responsibility is to help the community to live its Redemptorist vocation to the full.” (Pastoral Guide for Superiors, Chapter IV). Therefore, the service of local superiors is not an add-on, but an integral part of the government together with the (Vice) Provincial Superior and his council. Their mission is to watch over the apostolic life of the local community, as spelt out in our Constitutions, especially with regard to the Community of Persons (cf. Const. 34-38), a Community of Prayer (cf. Const. 26-33), a Community of Conversion (cf. Const. 40-42), an Open Community (cf. Const. 43), and an Organised Community (cf. Const. 44-45).
3. Constitution 139 defines the action and the role of the local superior: “The superior of the community must first of all be a spiritual pastor and then a rector and administrator. His chief duty is to serve the community so that it may be formed and grow in Christ and that all, with united effort, may devote themselves to the work of evangelisation. He must likewise look upon himself as being co-responsible, by reason of his office, for the welfare of the whole province.”
4. I believe that we must include in our thinking the concept of ‘quality of community life’. Local superiors should constantly ask themselves: How is the health of my community? The quality of community life refers to the general well-being, satisfaction and positive experiences that confreres derive from their interaction and participation in the religious community. This includes factors such as a sense of belonging, fulfilment in the mission, community relationships and spiritual life. A healthy community is characterised by confreres with strong faith, joyful hope, ardent charity and zeal for mission (cf. Const. 20). We need to invest in our relationships with God (spiritual life), with each other (community life) and with those whom we are called to serve (our mission). Our Constitutions are an invaluable spiritual source for encouraging one another as confreres.
5. I emphasise this concept of the quality of community life, because before we speak to the People of God about community, we must live it in our own flesh and blood within our own community. That is our first missionary witness! No, We cannot forget some key aspects that influence the quality of community life: spiritual life, faith in community life, social relationships, a feeling of being welcomed in a safe and trusting environment, the creation of creative and generative spaces for life, awareness of our community identity, inclusion and diversity, effective governance, community discernment, on-going formation, ecological care of the community, and meeting outside of set times simply for the joy of being together.
6. The first group that superiors must animate are the confreres entrusted to them. The success of the mission depends on how the community is organised and how each professed member makes himself available for daily service. Thus, when a confrere carries out his apostolate, he does not only represent himself, but also takes with him the experience of his community, which can be both positive and negative. In the area of animation, the local superior must have the support of his confreres and, at the same time, on the basis of the Plan for Community life, assign tasks, provide feedback and ensure teamwork, since we are one missionary body (cf. Const. 2). It is not a question of everyone doing the same thing, but of recognising the gifts and ministry of each confrere, and harmonising diversity. Moreover, in our religious communities we do not only live together with confreres, but also with lay people who collaborate with us. In this sense, our communities are places of evangelisation and of communication of the Redemptorist charism, where we can give witness to our evangelical life to those who work, live and cooperate in our pastoral work. It is fundamental that the lay people who collaborate with us, especially those who share our mission, know both our charism and our spirituality. The community can, in turn, communicate to them our Redemptorist identity.
7. Conflicts can arise in any team or organisation, and consecrated life is no exception. In these cases, it is necessary to act with skill, and in many cases to often have recourse to experts who can help us when situations involve a confrere and the community. Beyond statements such as ‘the superior does not listen to me’ or “the confrere is always dissatisfied and does what he wants”, we need to work with charity, dialogue and firmness. In some cases, local superiors are in charge of confreres with considerable difficulties. The greatest difficulty often arises when these confreres do not ask for help or do not allow themselves to be helped. When a conflict breaks up the community, it is necessary to have recourse to the major superior, who has the responsibility to intervene.  It is essential to be clear about the role of the local superior and the role of the major superior. They complement each other but have different responsibilities that are often unknown to confreres. The principle of subsidiarity must be respected.
8. One of the aspects that has been considerably weakened for a while in our communities is community discernment. We tend to forget this valuable element. In our Constitutions, the term discernment appears on four occasions: in dialogue with the world and the questions of today’s human being, discerning the true signs of God’s presence and his plans (cf. Const. 19); in the search for God’s will as a community and the role of the local superior (cf. Const. 73,2°); and in the areas of vocation promotion and formation (cf. Const. 80,83). The lack of community discernment may explain why many confreres perceive mission as something individual or follow personal or private paths. For community discernment to be possible, a conducive environment is needed: community meetings or gatherings, clarity on the topic to be discerned, trust, dialogue, personal and communal experience of God, prayer, alignment to the orientations of local Assemblies, Provincial and General Chapters, and openness to the Spirit. Decisions must be taken in conformity with our Constitutions and Statutes, in harmony with the Congregation, while at the same time considering the demands of the present moment, the local needs and the challenges of each particular context.
9. Another aspect that should not be neglected is effective communication, a vital element of leadership. Local superiors should communicate to the confreres the information they receive from the (Vice) Provincial, Regional and General Government, programmes, orientations and events relevant to the life of the Unit and the Congregation. There are some confreres who seem to live in their own world and show little or no interest in Redemptorist life. Local communities are not islands; on the contrary, they are part of a missionary body called the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. It is therefore essential that the local superiors be aware of what is going on in the life of the Congregation and in the (Vice) Province/Region. Encourage the confreres to read daily Scala News as well as the Newsletter of the (Vice)Province or Region. This is one way to help them become more involved in the life of the Congregation and the (Vice)Province/Region and to strengthen their sense of belonging.
10. We know that ongoing formation is an aspect that needs to be improved throughout the Congregation. The year dedicated to formation for mission is an incentive. However, the local communities can provide time for ongoing formation in their community meetings, based on local pastoral needs, consecrated life, and relevant issues in the Church and in the world today, in order to better understand contemporary culture. When drawing up the Plan for Community Life (cf. Plan for Community Life (2019), it is possible to include specific moments for ongoing community formation on themes that can support the confreres in their mission. It is essential that local communities have a Plan for Community Life and access to the documents of the Congregation and that a space is created to study them in community meetings. Why do some confreres study the documents of the dioceses and participate in their formation programmes, but often do not take part in the formation programmes offered by the (Vice)Provinces/Region, the Congregation? If the (Vice)Province/Region does not offer these opportunities, the confreres have the right to claim them.
11. The local superiors, together with the bursar and the community council (in larger communities), are responsible for the management of the goods of the community. In this area, it is crucial to foster a culture of transparency in the administration of our resources. Although we do have many sources of income, our resources come from the generosity of the People of God and, on many occasions, from the widows’ mite (cf. 1 Kgs 17:12-13; Mk 12:41-44). It is therefore essential that the local community is aware of the administrative aspects of the community. Community meetings are the appropriate space to inform the confreres about the administrative and economic situation of the community. Knowing how much we receive, how much we spend, and what we spend it on helps us to live in harmony with the exercise of poverty (cf. Const. 61-70) and with our simplicity of life, as well as to involve everyone in the administration of the goods of the Congregation.
12. The issue of safeguarding must be on our agendas. While much emphasis is placed on the issue of sexual abuse, we must also consider that there are other types of abuse in our midst: abuse of power, of conscience, spiritual and economic abuse. As a Congregation, we must foster a culture of care for others, which includes our formandi, confreres, co-workers and our partners in our mission. When we speak of care, we are referring to the creation of an ecology in our human relationships, based on the Gospel, which impacts both our personal being as well as our relationships and creates an environment of trust. It is about caring for each other both individually and as a community. Taking care of our spiritual, mental, bodily and relational health is fundamental if we are to fulfil our mission.
13. Finally, the Congregation is undergoing a process of Restructuring for Mission. This is a new time, guided by the Spirit. The Congregation does not belong to us; it belongs to the Lord, and the Spirit stirs its movement from our synodal bodies, the General Chapters. If the Congregation were to keep the same face as the one founded by St. Alphonsus, it would have already disappeared. Today we are the face of the Congregation, and we must do all we can to ensure that it fulfils its mission. What Congregation do we want for the future? Restructuring is an ongoing phenomenon in the Church, in all religious congregations and in the commercial world as well. It is impossible for a confrere to be unaware of this reality unless he is completely disinterested in the affairs of the Congregation. Today’s world demands that we change if we are to respond creatively to our mission. Therefore, it is essential that superiors encourage the confreres in this direction and the need all have to be aware of the decisions of the last three General Chapters in this regard.
14. Dear local superiors, I thank you once again for the valuable service you render to the Congregation. I encourage you in this mission entrusted to you! It is important to remember that we are not supermen, but people with weaknesses and virtues, joys and sorrows, human beings of flesh and blood. Do not neglect your own physical, mental and spiritual health. Take care of yourself with regular medical check-ups. Encourage your community members to do the same. We take care of people and, to do so, we need to care for ourselves as well. Do not be discouraged in this mission entrusted to you. May Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, St. Alphonsus and our Redemptorist Saints, Martyrs and Blessed give you the strength to carry out this mission, so that we may be Missionaries of Hope in the footsteps of the Redeemer.

Fraternally,

Fr.  Rogério Gomes, C.Ss.R.
Superior General

Original: Spanish