Instrumentum Laboris

On 4 November 2002, the General Government announced that VIII General Chapter would be celebrated in the spring of 2004, and will have as its theme the significant and suggestive title: "To be St. Paul alive today". Starting afresh from Christ in order to be, in creative fidelity to the Founder, a Congregation that is renews and strains forward." The General Government also established the Ante-preparatory Commission. This commission immediately began work and, among other things, organized a personal survey addressed to all Paulines, inviting them to reflect on the principal themes of our Pauline life and mission, and to offer some suggestions to stimulate community reflection on the Chapter’s central theme. Some months later, exactly on 2 October 2003, the Preparatory Commission was formed and on the 7th of the same month, the Superior General, Fr. Pietro Campus, signed the letter of convocation of the VIII General Chapter which will be celebrated in Ariccia from 20 April to 20 May.

On its part, the Preparatory Commission, after having organized, classified and analyzed the materials received, now place in the hands of the chapter delegates the "Instrumentum laboris" which is no more than what the word signifies: a means, a help or an instrument for facilitating the work both prior to the general assembly and during the celebration of the Chapter itself.

In drafting this document, our work was based on the broad evangelical and charismatic resonances arising from the rich and central theme of the Chapter and on the work done by the Ante-preparatory Commission, essentially centered on the survey directed to all the members, on the stimuli of reflection for the communities and on the many personal suggestions received from many confreres from practically all Circumscriptions; and it could not be done otherwise! With the result, that side by side with this booklet, we must always have also the one containing the data of the survey, because, at least in some of their parts, both documents are interrelated, just as the premises refer to the conclusions.

Taking into consideration the triple objectives of the General Chapter: evaluate the life and the mission of the Congregation from the previous General Chapter to the present; to draw a project of life and mission for the next period; to deal with the more important matters of government, and to choose the Superior General and a government that would lead and coordinate the Institute during the coming years, our intention has been that of drafting a document that is relatively short that could really facilitate the work of the chapter delegates and would be a help in the work they have to do.

The content of the document is structured as follows:

1. A view on the world and on the Church. A quick look at the exciting socio-cultural, political, economic and ecclesial atmosphere at the beginning of the XXI century in the context of which functions the Church to which Jesus entrusted the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to all nations. We Paulines, with the Spirit of the Apostle Paul, are cooperators in this evangelizing mission.

2. The consecrated life today: Challenges and Opportunities. Various new phenomena of the culture of today, present to the religious of today serious difficulties for living in a radical way the evangelical counsels. But at the same time, they also offer splendid opportunities for developing the apostolic mission with a renewed spirit.

3. The Congregation’s journey. To understand the Congregation’s today, shortly after a hundred years from the "night of light", it is necessary to begin with a retrospective look, even if very quick, at the life of the Founder and the most significant points of our history. This is not only because "history is the teacher of life" but also because the memory of what we have lived is always a form of updating and of thanksgiving for the gift received.

4. Theme of the VIII General Chapter. "To be St. Paul alive today. A Congregation that strains forward" is the central theme that the General Government has proposed for the VIII General Chapter. This is an expression rich in biblical and charismatic resonances which all Paulines are familiar with, because these are the same words with which Fr. Alberione used to stimulate the missionary spirit of the Pauline Family after forty years of the foundation. Besides, the first three days of the Chapter will develop this theme in its deep implications.

5. The State of the Congregation. Description of the state of the Congregation, with its lights and shadows, beginning with the data of the enquiry, the reflections of the communities and the suggestions of the members, regarding the varies aspects of our life and mission. To complete the photography of the Congregation’s today, in the Chapter assembly, those points coming from the Reports of the Mayor Superiors and the Superior General will be added to these.

6. Suggestion for programming by the Chapter. Viewing the lights and shadows of the Congregation’s today put in evidence by the preceding section, the document concludes with some suggestions that may direct the chapter delegates to formulate the general objective, the particular objectives and the action lines of the Chapter’s programming for the next six years.

Now that we are preparing ourselves for the celebration of the first General Chapter of the XXI century, 90 years from the foundation of the Congregation and one year after the priceless gift of the beatification of our Founder, the Preparatory Commission wishes that this present document may truly be a help, a means, a "tool of work" which will serve the chapter delegates as the starting point for their deliberations during the evaluation of the Congregation’s today and in organizing the Chapter program for the next six-year period.

We encourage and urge the chapter delegates to attentively read this dossier as soon as they can. And not only that. With a sense of responsibility, let them underline, analyze, deepen and personally reflect on the affirmations and proposals coming from the inputs of the confreres, that are formulated in these pages. On the other hand, it is also highly recommended that the chapter delegates try to get to know the mind of the confreres regarding the topics dealt with, in such a way that during the Chapter assembly they could be the valid spokespersons of their respective circumscriptions.

Finally, the Preparatory Commission express all its gratitude to the many brothers who have participated in the enquiry which is the bases of this work, to all those who have accompanied us with prayers and have sent us abundant observations and suggestions: in a special way we thank Fr. José Cristo Rey García Paredes, a Spanish Claretian, who has drawing up this document.

Rome, March 2004.
The Preparatory Commission
    

3. THE CONGREGATION’S JOURNEY

The life of the Founder and his work, as if a retrospective look to our history – which has its great milestones in the seven General Chapters – help us to understand the road journeyed by the Congregation, from the moment of its foundation until our times. The memory of lived history is a manner of updating it and of thanking the Lord for the gift received.

Since the start Don Alberione remains to be the father who nourishes the Pauline Family on the material level as well as spiritual. He carries out his teaching role through the word and by example and he invents the Pauline charism with the concrete collaboration of his sons and daughters who come "to the house." The Pauline activities are always born of Bethlehem, that is in the most squalid poverty, but ever trustful on the divine help. The foundation of 20 August 1914 was undertaken when Don Alberione not only did not have money, but he also had a debt of 70 lire.

Everyone does everything enthusiastically and the Founder builds the "marvelous Pauline Family" transmitting to it the incredible novelty of an apostolate unexpected by the Church, making use, for the moment, of the good press understood as preaching the Word of God and a proclamation that transmits the salvation of souls.

Beside him are Can. Francesco Chiesa, his professor and spiritual director, and the first Pauline Priest, Blessed Timoteo Giaccardo. In the first magazine founded in Alba in 1918, l’Unione Cooperatori Buona Stampa, the present a theoretical presentation, aside from a practical realization, of the Pauline apostolate.

Don Alberione prays at night and during the day visits the different communities and gives meditation or classes of every kind and level. He teaches philosophy and theology to the clerics. Among the first generation of both men and women, there emerge creativity and extraordinary dynamism. If the houses became too small, transfer is done. Space is given to evermore functional machineries: the first linotype is greeted as a seat of evangelization; since there is no time to lose, trips to Berlin by air are made to buy the first rotary printing machine.

The same spirit accompanies the start of the foundations. The first, in 1926, has Rome as its objective, close to the Pope, to the Basilica of St. Paul, half-way between this apostle’s tomb and place of martyrdom. The true foundation outburst comes at the start of the 30’s, when the first missionaries leave for Latin America: Brazil and Argentina. Then follow the foundations in the Far East: Japan, China, the Philippines. Other confreres reach France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland.

The Pauline Family becomes a complete cycle production center: from authors to producers to diffusers, among whom would emerge the Daughters of St. Paul for their dynamism and industriousness.

In 1938 the charism is further enriched with other means of communication. Alongside books and periodicals, movies find their own space, with the production of Abuna Messias that wins the Venice Film Festival and is awarded the Coppa Mussolini. A large bundle of movies produced at home and reduced into 16 mm has very good success. In the fifty’s, after the repair of the war damages, the radio apostolate is born and develops without much effort. Divine help is assured. The Founder does not tire repeating the promise that the Divine Master had made to him at the start of the twenty’s in a moment of particular difficulty: "Do not be afraid, I am with you. From here, I want to enlighten. Keep a contrite heart."

3.2. I. Chapter of Consolidation (1957). This the Chapter of consolidation of the Congregation from the juridical point of view. Many times announced and postponed, also because of the post-war difficulties, this was held in Albano Laziale, from 4 to 16 April 1957. The Founder wrote: "It concerns a fine tuning, as regards the [Congregation’s] forty-three years of life. The Chapter made a good examination [of conscience] as regards its spirit, and has approved it through the Brothers representing other Brothers… the spirit, with which the Congregation is born and has grown, has received its definitive seal. The next Chapters shall have the task of letting the good tree grow, a tree planted along the stream of the Eucharistic waters: others shall harvest and the fruits will be abundant" (San Paolo, April 1957; Cf. CISP 158).

3.3. II. General Chapter (1969-1971). It is the Chapter of renewal, "special" and "ordinary" Chapter, following the dispositions issued by Vatican Council II. This was held in Ariccia in two long sessions, with an interval of one year from each other. The Founder’s presence was not continuous, but intermittent, because of his precarious health condition; in fact, he would pass away on November 1971. The preparation to the chapter was rather long (with vast surveys among the members of the Congregation) and the drafting of five "documents" proved to be laborious: after an initial phase of informative conferences and of methodology, the five commissions worked for three months for the subsequent drafts on "End and members", "Spirituality and religious life," "Apostolate," "Formation," "Government and administration." At the end, the drafts of the documents were published, translated into more languages, which were sent to the communities. In the greater part of them, during the year 1970, an intense animation, study, discussions were undertaken. The observations gathered were used for the final drafting that took place during the second session, held from April to July, 1971. For the first time, one could have in hand and utilize the concise but very rich charismatic autobiography entitled till then "Io sono con voi" ["I am with you] (the current "Abundantes divitiae gratiae suae"), and many other writings of the Founder. With these aids – plus the Council’s teachings and the teachings on religious-apostolic life, as well as the experience the Founder himself and of his first disciples had during the stage of establishing the institute – it became possible to enunciate the charismatic foundations of the Congregation. At the conclusion of the Chapter, a Commission was established with the task of drafting the new text of the Constitutions-Directory based on the contents of the Documents. The text was submitted to the General Government at the end of 1971: this was made up a doctrinal-charismatic ("Rule of Life" or true and proper Constitutions" and a juridical part (the Directory). The Congregation for the Religious appreciated the text, but did not give its approval because it wanted that the charismatic section be integrated with juridical one, making up a single text. It was ready to approve everything, but in such case, the succeeding General Chapter would not be able to modify even the Directory without the approval of the Holy See.

3.4. III. Chapter of the Constitutions (1975). This was celebrated in Ariccia from 25 May to 12 July. The most engaging work was to approve the text of the Constitutions and Directory, while bearing in mind the observations from the Sacred Congregation for the Religious and Secular Institutes (SCRIS). Furthermore, the "Program Choices" were drawn after the theme concerning the four wheels: Consecration and prayer, Vocations and formation, Apostolate and organization – also on the international level – Government and administration. The Constitutions-Directory, presented to the Holy See, were approved "ad experimentum" for nine years, according to the iter established by the documents for application by the Vatican II.

3.5. IV. Chapter of the "Pauline ideal" (1980). This took place in Ariccia on 24 February to 13 April. The celebration was anticipated for about one year because of the ailment of the Superior General, and for this reason, preparation was somehow sped up. As a consequence work started off with some difficulty. Taken as a point of reference was the Pauline "ideal," as Fr. Alberione figured it out, and starting from such a point, some priority objectives, operation guidelines (regarding consecration, community, Paulinitas, and the apostolate) as well as those moments of verification were taken. Furthermore, some changes on the Directory, based on suggestions coming from the brothers after the years of experimentation and based on two ‘motions’ (priest-brother relationship, houses of apostolate having special statutes). Then, in compliance with the disposition of the SCRIS regarding the final drafting of the Constitutions-Directory, it was asked from the General Government that a specific Commission be formed. The Constitutions-Directory was definitively approved by the Holy See on 4 April 1984. On the same year, the Seminar on "At the center is Jesus Christ, Way, Truth and Life" was celebrated.

3.6. V. Chapter of the Pauline Mission (1986). For this Chapter, the theme chosen was the following: "Raise a process of participation to the renewal of the Pauline mission, in order to respond to the current challenges of evangelization, in view of vocations." As frame of reference, the pontifical exhortation "Evangelii nuntiandi," on the tenth anniversary of its promulgation, was assumed. A dense "instrumentum laoris" was prepared. It comprised a series of texts from the aforementioned exhortation plus other texts drawn from our Chapter Documents, 1969- 1971, and a broad questionnaire that had to be studied and replied to on the community level. With the results received (coming from 89% of the communities and 93% from the members) the chapter delegates sought to draw a diagnosis of the Pauline evangelization, taking consideration as well the principal challenges, and they drew four priorities for the action plan for the six-year period on various levels: general, circumscription and local: a) To deepen the charism in the community; b) to impress an integral and ongoing formation, decisively oriented towards our mission; c) to encourage enculturation; d) to assume the vocation dimension as an element of personal and communitarian growth, indispensable for a vocation proposal. As a natural development of the theme of the mission, in 1988 was celebrated the Seminar of Pauline Editors. And in 1990, the "Ratio Formationis" was published. In 1991, the CIDEP (Centro Iberoamericano de Editores Paulinos), was established, a body of coordination of the apostolate in the Spanish and Portuguese languages.

3.7. VI. Chapter of Communication (1992). The preparation consisted above all in a survey regarding the theme, "The Pauline, man of communication," to which 68% of the members responded. The replies were tabulated in a numerical-statistical as well as interpretative reading. In his state of the Congregation report, the Superior General presented a broad view of our Pauline history, with proposals for the immediate future. The study Commissions drew three priorities and their consequent operation guidelines on all levels (general, circumscriptional, local) around thee three themes: a) The Pauline, a man of communication; b) A community of communicators; c) The only mission, to communicate the Gospel. Among the tasks entrusted to the General Government were as follow: 1) Indicate directions for the apostolic coordination on the national and international levels (the General Government immediately seen to this with the document ("A proposte della 3^a priorità" (Concerning the 3rd Priority), 16 December 1992); 2) The organization of an International Seminar on Formation effectively celebrated on 12 to 23 October 1994 (The acts and the final document were published on 19 March 1995); 3) The drafting of the Handbook of Authority (published on 19 March 1996, after the basic text was approved at the Inter-Chapter in Caracas, Venezuela, on May 1995 and effective "ad experimentum" from 1 May 1996); 4) The organization of an International Seminar on "Jesus, the Master" (celebrated from 14 to 24 October 1996; the Acts, "Jesus Master yesterday, today and forever" was published in February 1997).

3.8. VII. Chapter of the universal Mission (1998). Last to be celebrated in the 20th century, this General Chapter had the peculiarity of having been presided by a Pontifical Delegate, Msgr. Antonio Buoncristiani, Bishop of Porto and of Santa Rufina. Conflicts that arose within the Congregation had provoked the intervention of a Pontifical Delegate. The celebration of the Chapter manifested the predominance, in our Institute, of a strong sense of unity, and at the same time of the awareness to deepen and re-read today the complex reality of the charismatic heritage left us by the Founder. The four priorities and the corresponding operation lines drafted during this Chapter reflect this commitment of deepening, cohesion, integrality and relevance. After having examined the congregation’s reality and the expectations of the Church and of contemporary society under the light of the Chapter’s theme, "Our parish is the world", the General Chapter took to itself and proposed to carry on and execute the general objective: "To assume decisively the universality of our mission, by above all accelerating a change of mentality and attitudes among the members." All through the Chapter, implicitly or openly, this basic postulate of dynamic fidelity prevailed: every renewal must begin from persons, from their mentality, from their formation.

3.9. VIII General Chapter (2004) "To be St. Paul Alive today. A Congregation that strains forward". In this history of General Chapters and taking before this theme, we ask what is the will of God in the journey of our Congregation for the next six years.