SOCIALISATION OF THE 17TH GENERAL CHAPTER REGIO SVD TIMOR LESTE DILI, 5-7 SEPTEMBER 2012 (1)

  FROM EVERY NATION, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE; SHARING INTERCULTURAL LIFE AND MISSION 

The socialisation of the SVD’s 17th General Chapter was officially started with an evening prayer with the community. The Regional Leader, Fr Gaby Koten, SVD, delivered his welcoming speech to all of the SVD confreres who were present. He, then, gave an overview of the program and the process of the meeting. The Regional Leader briefly presented the profiles of the Chapter’s attendees according to the corresponding zones. The Composition of the Chapter from the respective zones consists of: Aspac: 14, Europe: 22, Afram: 14, Panam: 28, observers: 4. Number of staff who assisted the chapter: 20. The total number of the Chapter participants who have voting rights is 118. 

The Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony was integrated in a Mass which was celebrated by the Superior General, Fr. Antonio Pernia, SVD. The Mass was started at the front yard of Nemi, with a procession entering the Chapel. The Bible and symbols representing each zone were carried in the procession. The logo which represented each zone contained a symbolic meaning. In particular, the logo for Asia-Pacific represented the diverse cultures and beliefs across the nations of Asia and Pacific. Moreover, the Indonesian participants of the Chapter sang a Communion hymn during the opening Mass. Following the Mass, the Superior General lit the Chapter’s candle, which was then carried in a procession with the Bible into the Chapter’s Meeting room. 

The materials which were presented on the second day of the Chapter were focused on the global and overall growth of SVD by the Superior General. In his presentation, he highlights that SVD is ranked the 7th among the religious congregations in the world in terms of the highest number of members. This shows that SVD is indeed the largest male congregation in the world. However, statistically, the size of the membership of the congregation has decreased. 

The total members during the period of 2006-2012 is 6102, reaching its highest number of 6105 (in 2010), and going down to 6015 (in 2012). However, the membership of SVD in each zone: Europe: 1787, Panam: 710, Aspac: 3310, Afram: 295, which add up to the total number of 6102 world-wide. According to the 2006 report, half of the SVD members belong to the ASPAC Zone. 

Relatorio from the Superior General Statistic of SVD’s Membership by Nationality: Indonesia has the highest number of 1485 (24,6%), followed by India: 928 (15,4%) and Polandia: 542 (09,0%). Philippines: 531 (08,8%) German: 385 (06,4%) Vietnam: 285 (04,7%) USA: 196 (03,2%) Ghana: 153(02,5%) Brazil: 148 (02,4%) Argentina: 106 (01, 7%)

Missionary Commitment
 Strength:

• Overall, SVD has a strong missionary commitment, especially in challenging frontier areas.
• More SVD missionaries are willing to go out of their home province than to stay in their home province.
• Every Province/Regio is taking up a prophetic dialogous mission. Weakness:
• Earlier returned missionary phenomena. There are many factors, but commonly there is a lack of orientation which results in culture shock.
• Spirit of individualism has weakened the collaborative spirit in the mission.
• Some members of SVD are leaving the priesthood. E.g. In 1951-1970: 681 men; in 1971-1990: 412 men; and in 1991-2010: 140. And those who are in nulli staioni (no status): in the period of 1991-2010 has increased to 120 men compared to the previous two periods in which there were 12 and 100 men, respectively.
• Resignation of SVD members is mainly caused by certain problems which were not able to be resolved by the individuals.
• Other causes are the spirit of secularism, consumerism, individualism, and activism in the present era of globalisation

  
  Weakness:     
  

  • Earlier returned missionary phenomena. There are many factors, but commonly there is a lack of orientation which results in culture shock. 
  •  Spirit of Individualism has weakened the collaborative spirit in the mission.Some members of SVD are leaving the priesthood. E.g. In 1951-1970: 681 men; in 1971-1990: 412 men; and in 1991-2010: 140. And those who are in nulli staioni: (no status) in the period of 1991-2010 has increased to 120 men compared to the previous two periods in which there were 12 and 100 men, respectively. 

  •  Resignation of SVD members is mainly caused by certain problems which were not able to be resolved by the individuals.
  •  Other causes are the spirit of secularism, consumerism, individualism, and activism in the present era of globalisation. (Kasmir Nema, SVD)