INFORMATION

Which of the topics addressed has further clarified your understanding of government?

The topics addressed have enlightened, confirmed or sharpened my understanding of government, especially the ones on discernment and on building a team for the service of government. I have a clearer sense about the role of our "link" and about my relationship to the General Council regarding various topics such as visits, personal issues, appointments of people for responsibilities within the province. The subject of formation was very enlightening as it touches on our whole life, and we could say that we are all in the stage of initial formation. Cristina Colás (CUB)

Since your return to the mother house, what has been the notable change you have observed?

The people! The place, the work, the environment and context are the same and yet all the people are different, new faces, new combinations which means that even those who were here before are different. It’s what gives strength and energy: continuity at the deepest level and change to meet challenges on the horizon. Mary Hinde (ENW)

Which topic did you find most personally challenging and why?

What I found most challenging? It is also the thing I found most enriching: trying to understand my sisters in the context of their own countries and provinces. It is so different when one speaks from a country under totalitarian regime or democratic system, from a developing country or a country with a long history, from a young or an aging province, from a province with 25 members or 200 members... Françoise Greffe (FRA)

How can your provincial team benefit from what you have learned?

We in our Province have already worked together as team over the last year. These sessions have confirmed the importance we have given to knowing each other, being at ease with each other and clearing blocks so that there is a constant open communication among us. Here we have shared a holistic understanding of the service of provincial authority, and the challenge is to share it with the other members in a way that continues to build us as team and is geared to the immediate tasks of government. It is important to communicate all we have received as life-giving and not as an additional burden, to know the signs of hope and not only the problems in the Province. Marie Noronha (IND)

What have you found most satisfying about this meeting?

I have experienced this meeting very positively. The organization, which was excellent, facilitated the whole process. The collegiality and teamwork among the council members was a model I hope to implement in the Provincial Council. During the sessions important matters were discussed and clarified, and new lines of information and communication were established. As participants, we came to be open and trustful with one another, and this will be of enormous benefit in future moments of contact. Maria Mullen (IRS)

What have you learned during these days?

During these days I learned that interculturality begins with the heart, that sharing in trust our limitations and our riches builds communion. I also learned that this service which is being asked of us cannot be looked upon as a parenthesis in our lives, but must be seen as an opportunity to answer God’s call with joy and generosity. Luciana Lussiatti (ITA)

What has been your most significant experience during this meeting?

To have gotten to know my peer group of provincials, the General Council and the mother house community. To have found the schedule quite oriental with enough quiet time between things. To have become aware of what I have not thought about before. To have talked about our preparation for becoming good ex-provincials. Keiko Iwai (JPN)

Which of the topics, do you think, has been the most pertinent?

For me it was "discernment" because that is what characterizes our government (Const. 141). We analysed concrete situations that will confront us in our service as provincials. Socorro Rubio (MXN)

What adjectives would you use to describe the atmosphere of these days?

Friendly &endash; welcoming &endash; cheerful &endash; serious &endash; prayerful &endash; intense &endash; free &endash; simple &endash; openness. Mely Vasquez (PHI)

What change have you experienced within yourself during this meeting?

I am more confident and feel much support in this service which the Society has asked of me. Josefina Ramos (PTR)

How have you celebrated what you have lived during these days?

During my days here I have loved our freedom of sharing and the group’s spirit of listening. Each day has been unique, but the focal point has clearly been for the General Council to prepare us as leaders. I am set to go home, to continue learning and to journey with my sisters. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. Hilda Bamwine (UGK)

COUNCIL’S AGENDA

Clare Pratt - July 14 - August 5 in the USA for vacation and the Province Assembly. August 8-29 in Uganda/Kenya for the Meeting of the provincials of Africaand visit of the Uganda/Kenya Province. August 29 return to Rome.

Jane Maltby - July 1-18 vacation and retreat in Ireland.
… July 19 &endash; August 4 in USA. Province Assembly.
August 4-12 in Canada: Province Assembly.
… 13-26 in London. August 26 return to Rome.

Mariado Górriz - July 1-August 6 in Spain:

… vacation.
… the Forum of the Youth of Europe (ESS),
… meeting of young professed and those charged YP (ESS).

August 8-28 in Uganda/Kenya for the meeting of provincials of Africa and
visit to Uganda/Kenya Province. August 29 return to Rome.

Marisa Sacerdote - July 23-30 in Spain:

… Forum of the Youth of Europe (ESS).

August 2-9: meeting of young professed and those charged with YP (ESS)

… August 9: Return to Rome for retreat and vacation.

Son In Sook - July 19-August 4 in the USA: Province Assembly.

August 4-22 in England-Wales: retreat. August 27 return to Rome.

IN MEMORIAM With great sadness we learned of the death of María Teresa Porcile on the 18^th of June in her home in Montevideo, Uruguay. She was a theologian and great friend of the Society. Many RSCJ and Alumnae, as well as other religious congregations, ecumenical and inter-faith groups have been enriched by her conferences, her writings and her friendship. Madeleine Sophie, whom she loved so dearly, has certainly welcomed her with joy!

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A REMINDER Monique Luirard (FRA) has been asked to write a book on the history of the Society of the Sacred Heart, covering the time between the death of St Madeleine Sophie and the year 2000, the bicentenary of the Society. Her suggestion about collecting information from Religious of the Sacred Heart on the years 1960 &endash; 1980, years of transition in the living of our religious life and the orientation of our apostolic activity, has been accepted. She will make contact soon with different provinces to see how this can be carried out.

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WORKING WITH CIVIL SOCIETY FOR JUSTICE AT AN INTERNATIONA LEVEL One of the Recommendations of Chapter 2000, was "that the General Council continue to study the possibility of NGO status for the Society of the Sacred Heart at the United Nations in the light of the General Council’s report to the General Chapter 2000. That they participate in the research on this topic being undertaken by a group of international congregations in Rome exploring the possibility of doing this together".(p.47) It was therefore timely that at my first meeting at the recently convened sub-group of the Justice and Peace Promotors in Rome, the Comboni Missionaries spoke of their desire to run a workshop in New York on this subject, and issued an invitation to any congregation that wished to participate.

The Workshop was organised for May 21-26, and I attended for the General Council, together with Joan Kirby (USA) and Solome Najjuka (UGK), both of whom are members of our International Justice and Peace Commission. There were 56 participants from 24 congregations, five of which already have status at the UN. The venue was Maryknoll Centre, well-placed for us to take advantage of resource personnel in New York and Washington, and to have a whole-day visit at the UN itself. The five days were well-planned, such that we had expert input, ranging from the keynote address on Globalisation, to basic information on the variety of ways in which the UN and its agencies function, as well as how NGOs work within the UN, what the possibilities are for mutual exchange, and how this all links in with the ‘grassroots’ ministries of our Congregations. These topics were presented and brought alive in the context of specific Justice or Peace issues &endash; e.g. the Debt Campaign, The Children’s Charter, and the August 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. There were opportunities for personal and Congregation-group reflection, whole-group exploration and discussion, and meetings with a range of both NGO and Governmental representatives, as well as UN officials.

During the Workshop, the following points were made :

1) The level of entry to the UN

… The primary level is with the Department of Information (DPI). This status is concerned mainly with information and communication, but also allows members to apply and attend any NGO world conference. These NGOs can also send people to the regional conferences which are the first steps in preparation for World Conferences (e.g. the one Solome attended and to which she contributed information, in Dakar, in preparation for the World Conference against Racism)

… Entry at the secondary level, with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) gives the possibility of working with other NGOs, both informally, and within a more formal structure of committees, caucuses, and alliances, on issues in which an NGO has specific competence, e.g. Women, Children, Racism, Refugees, etc. The Representatives of NGOs within ECOSOC also relate more closely with the UN itself, through mutual exchange of information with Secretariat and Departments, as well as with agencies such as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

On the DPI level, an NGO is simply responsible to disseminate UN information to a wider audience. At ECOSOC level, there is a responsibility to show how the NGO contributes to the UN through programmes, papers, attendance at UN conferences etc. NGOs entering at DPI level can upgrade to ECOSOC level of membership at a later stage.

Constantly stressed, was the need to demonstrate the existence of a good communications network, which would connect grassroots projects with each other and with a central point within the NGO, as well as with the representative at the UN:

2) Alternatives to consider in applying for NGO status

… Congregations can apply on their own. The opinion was expressed that it would be advantageous to have at least one of the representatives from the Southern hemisphere, who would directly represent those who suffer most from globalisation. There is no charge for accreditation at either level.

… It was clear that the more established NGOs e.g. The School Sisters of Notre Dame, the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Franciscans International, Maryknoll Office for Global Concern etc. are not easily open to another Congregation joining them except for intern purposes. They would appear to have more than enough to do to animate and network within their own large groupings.

… One possibility discussed, was that several Congregations might join with others, to create a new Religious NGO which would serve as an umbrella body. It was agreed, however, that it could be difficult to establish such a large grouping, encompassing Congregations with very different charisms and interests.

… Another suggestion put forward was that just one or two Congregations, might join together to form a single NGO, since compatibility would be more possible.

I was very grateful for this opportunity to understand more about NGOs and what it would mean to apply for accreditation at the United Nations. I hope that by writing this account, I can share something of what I have learnt.