Bring • Break • Share...2021/05/01 · first profession in December 2012, and continued, page...

We Are “Here”The inaugural issue of the 2022 (2021) General Chapter newsletter is focused on the reality of the Order of the Holy Cross as described in the State of Order report (available for download on the General Chapter website: unityincharity.info).

The report seeks to describe “where we are” in the diverse cultural and societal contexts in which Crosiers live and serve. Confreres offer their reflections to add to the picture from their perspective. The articles highlight significant aspects of the current reality in specific areas.

The chapter delegates will need to understand these realities and their impact as they deliberate potential directives for the Order and its members in the coming years.

IN THIS ISSUE

State of the Order

· 2,6,7,8,9 ·

Meet the Delegates

· 3 ·

Pratista Priory and Retreat Center

· 5 ·

Bring • Break • ShareNewsletter Crosier General Chapter 1 May 2021 • No. 1

--Editor

Terjemahan dalam bahasa lokal dari dokumen utama Kapitel dan bahan lainnya sedang disiapkan. Jika sudah tersedia, terjemahan akan dikirim melalui email dan diposting online.

Nederlandse vertalingen van de documenten van het generaal kapittel en andere materialen worden voorbereid en van zodra beschikbaar beschikbaar, worden ze per e-mail verzonden en online geplaatst.

VERTALINGENEstão sendo preparadas traduções para os idiomas locais dos documentos do Capítulo Geral e outros materiais. Quando disponíveis, as traduções serão enviadas por e-mail e publicadas online.

TRADUÇÕES

TERJEMAHANDes traductions en Français des principaux documents du chapitre général et d’autres documents sont en cours de préparation. Lorsqu’elles seront disponibles, les traductions seront envoyées par e-mail et mises en ligne.

TRADUCTIONS

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2Bring • Break • Share | May 2021 | Issue 1

During the 2015 general chapter, the Order chose a mixed model of governance: either three levels (priories-provinces-Order) or two levels (priories-Order). Each province

and proprovince therefore was asked to opt for one of the two models: to become or to remain a province or to restructure into a conventual priory. During its fourth proprovincial chapter in Mulo in September 2017, the Proprovince Martyrs of Bondo opted for a three-level model and thus chose the province structure.

ProcessAlready in September 2014, the third proprovincial chapter of the Proprovince Martyrs of Bondo had adopted a long-term development plan to be implemented as a process for the proprovince to become an African province within the Order. This planning, which envisaged the request for the establishment of the province in the European province for the year 2020 (at the end of six years), provided for decisions and actions to be taken in priority and urgent matters for the future province, namely: religious life, formation, finances, leadership, staff, collaboration, apostolate. Since then (2014), an annual report and assessment of the implementation of this plan has been made by the proprovincial and his council, with the report of this implementation presented to the provincial, of which the Proprovince Martyrs of Bondo was part. In order to achieve the three priories required as one of the conditions for becoming a province, the communities of Sainte Odile de Katwa and Mboka Emmaüs of Kinshasa were developed and established as priories, in addition to that of Chipukizi which already existed as a priory.

On July 10, 2019, the proprovincial addressed a letter to provincial Peter Snijkers requesting the establishment of the province, taking into account the state of progress of this transitional

New Province, Promising Future, Ongoing Challenges By Paluku Tsongo Anselme, OSC

structure of the Order, and despite the challenges yet remaining. This letter was accompanied by the signatures of the solemnly professed members who wished to join the new province, and the draft of the provincial statutes of the new province. In response to this letter of request, the European provincial chapter of August 2019 examined the entire file in order to vote on transferring the file to the Master General and his council for approval of the establishment of the province. After consideration, deliberation and discussions, the provincial chapter voted unanimously in favor of the establishment of the Province Martyrs of Bondo.

The Proprovince Martyrs of Bondo adopted a long-term development plan in 2014 for it to

become an African province within the Order.

The provincial chapters of 2016 and 2019 had gradually transferred competences to the proprovince to prepare it to become a province: the proprovincial no longer needed to request the provincial’s agreement for the appointments of the proprovincial treasurer, the superior of a community, the director general of the ISSC-M (Holy Cross College), or the procurator of projects (director of the development office). It was now also the responsibility of the proprovincial, with the consent of his council, to approve the budget of the

continued, page 11...

The first provincial chapter of the newly established Province Martyrs de Bondo took place from 16-19 February, 2021 in Mulo. Delegates to the chapter were addressed remotely by European provincial Peter Snijkers, OSC, and Master General Laurentius Tarpin, OSC, who made the formal pronouncement of the establishment of the new province.

3 Bring • Break • Share | May 2021 | Issue 1

Meet the DelegatesOnce every six years, the occasional Crosier community of a general chapter comes together and is formed in fraternity through a rhythm of prayer, social interaction, deliberation on the direction of the worldwide Order for the next six years, and the election of general leadership.

Building fraternity across the global community of the Brethren of the Holy Cross may be more easily accomplished with the advent of technology and social media, but the real work of fostering interpersonal bonds amid differing cultural norms and expectations is an ongoing task.

Building fraternity across the global community of the Brethren of the Holy Cross.

As we enter into the final months of preparation for the general chapter, the newsletter will be highlighting some of the delegates, particularly those who are general chapter delegates for the first time.

The foundation for fashioning the evangelical community of the 2022 (2021) General Chapter is coming to know one another as fellow brothers on the journey, striving to manifest unity in charity through the ways we bring, break, and share our lives as Crosier religious.

2022 (2021) General Chapter Delegates › Laurentius Tarpin, OSC (2009, 2010, 2015) (master general) › Y.B. Rosaryanto, OSC (2015) (general councilor) › Pierre-Paul Walraet, OSC (1997, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2015) › (general councilor) › Henri Paluku Muhumira, OSC (2009, 2010, 2015) › (general councilor) › › Muhindo Byanjiya Benjamin, OSC* (prior-provincial) › Tom Enneking, OSC (2010, 2015) (conventual prior) › Agustinus Agung Rianto, OSC (2010) (prior-provincial) › Peter Snijkers, OSC (2009, 2010, 2015) (prior-provincial) › › *Raphael Priyo Handiyanto, OSC › Julio César Evangelista Resende, OSC (2009, 2010) › › Roger Janssen, OSC (2015) › Joe Op de Kamp, OSC (1997, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2015) › › Dave Donnay, OSC (2015) › Alex Juguilon, OSC* › › Hadrianus Tedjoworo, OSC (2010, 2015) › Martua Leonardus Samosir, OSC (2009, 2010, 2015) › Ignatius Eddy Putranto, OSC (2015) › Basilius Hendra Kimawan, OSC (2010, 2015) › Fransiskus Samong, OSC (2015) › Riston Parlindungan Situmorang, OSC* › › Kasereka Pataya Charles, OSC (2003, 2010, 2015) › Kahindo Kighoma Jean-Marie, OSC* › Paluku Tsongo Anselme, OSC (2015) › Baloki Wata Olivier, OSC* * First time Delegate

Alex Juguilon, OSC

Before entering Crosier religious life, Alex Juguilon, OSC, 51, was trained and served as a doctor, following in the steps of his mother and father, who are both doctors. He is from the state of Ohio and was introduced to the Crosiers through Ernie Martello, OSC, in his home parish, which is the same parish as Ernie’s sister.

Alex notes that he was attracted to the canonical life and the rhythm of prayer, especially as he experienced it being lived out in his visits to the Crosier communities in Onamia and Phoenix.

He entered novitiate in 2011, made his first profession in December 2012, and



Riston Parlindungan Situmorang, OSC

(Editor’s note: Riston will be 40 in July of this year. He made his profession in August 2002 and was ordained in December 2009. He studied liturgy at San Anselmo in Rome from 2010-14.)

Since 2019 I have lived in the Pratista Priory. I was elected to the Priory council two years ago, along with Cfr. Fredy, and Cfr. Surono as our Prior. We serve all the members of the community including the novices who are part of the Pratista priory. On some occasions, during the chapter or at workshops especially for novices, I foster their liturgical sense by sharing my knowledge, experience, and thoughts about liturgy.

In other ministries and responsibilities, I work as a lecturer of liturgy and Latin language in the faculty of philosophy, at the Catholic University of Parahyangan. In addition, in the province I am in charge of liturgy and

Meet the Delegates: Alex...

was ordained in May 2018. He has been a resident in the Phoenix Crosier community since 2017 and serves as the vocation and postulancy director for the Conventual Priory.

Alex hopes that the occasional community of the general chapter fosters a real sense of fraternity.

When he reflects on his call to service as a delegate to the 2022 (2021) General Chapter, he sees his relative newness in Crosier religious life as a gift that he brings. Though he is now over 50 (a fact that his brothers are quick to point out, given his youthful appearance), he entered the community in the U.S. only ten years ago, after many of the traumas and challenges of recent decades. He sees himself as well grounded in community life and expects to bring that sense of building community to the brethren who will gather for the work of the chapter.

It is his hope that the occasional community of the general chapter can foster a real sense of fraternity and community as it takes up the tasks and work that is needed for the life of the Order going forward.

While he sees his more recent entry as a plus, he has limited experience in international meeting contexts and particularly a general chapter. He has served as a delegate to the (former) provincial chapter and he has lived in a multicultural community, but he expects the general chapter context to be a challenge in attending to the nuances of different cultures, ways of communicating, and approaches to the chapter and its work. He realizes that the experience will be both an opportunity to share from his own experience and a time to learn and grow in his understanding of the global community of the Order and its diverse contexts.

I also am involved in the commission of the liturgy for the Bishops’ Conference in Jakarta.

I come from Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra, a large island on the western side of the island of Java. When I was a child, I already knew some priests from the Capuchins, the Order of Friars Minor, who worked in our parish for a long time and I knew some diocesan priests who worked in the seminary. From them, I saw the Capuchins’ habit when they wore a simple brown habit. Diocesan priests wore a simple white habit. One day, when I saw the Crosier habits, I was attracted to them and to consider the vocation to be a Crosier. So, the first impression that made me join the Crosiers is our habit.

The most important work of the upcoming General Chapter is how to live together in

every area, wherever Crosiers are.

When I was a seminarian, I read an article about Crosier life and ministry in “Majalah Hidup” (Indonesian Catholic news magazine). It was written by Cfr. Maman Suharman. From there, I was able to name three reasons why I came to consider Crosier religious life: living together, liturgical life, and the Crosiers themselves (confreres). For example, in that time, Cfr. Yan Sunyata was very famous and many people honored him as the rector of Saint Thomas Catholic University in Medan.




The 2022 (2021) General Chapter, like the 2009 and 2015 chapters, will be held at the Pratista Retreat Center outside Bandung, Indonesia. The center was founded by the Sang Kristus province and the local Pratista priory community in 1986. In their outreach and ministry, they seek to share the Crosier spirituality of In Cruce Salus and practice the value of hospitality. Actually there are several retreat buildings on the site: Pondok Tapa, Pratista itself (site of the 2015 chapter), Pondok Sepuluh, and Pondok Mitra. Also on the campus is Graha ILSKI (the Indonesian Liturgical Institute of Sang Kristus), where the 2009 chapter met. The meeting facility for the 2022 General Chapter will be in the newly renovated and expanded Pondok Mitra. A video of the renovated space is available on the general chapter website: unityincharity.info.

The Pratista Retreat Center is on the site of the Pratista Crosier Priory, under the leadership of prior Yohanes Surono, OSC. Besides being the community responsible for the retreat center, the novitiate is part of the Priory ministry for the wider province. Currently, there are 28 novices, 18 in the 2nd year and 10 in 1st year, under the direction of Josaphat Judho Pramono, OSC (Fredy) and with the assistance of socius Hadrianus Felianus Halawa, OSC (Felix). There is also a production site for candles, host, and wine distribution for the parishes in the Bandung diocese and beyond. They are developing a farming operation as well.

The Sang Kristus province is the host province for the 2022 (2021) General Chapter.

Founded as an area of the Order in 1927 with the missionary presence of the Dutch confreres, the province was established in 1977.

Agustinus Agung Rianto, OSC, elected in 2019, serves as the prior provincial.

There are 133 professed members in the province, including 113 in solemn vows and 20 in temporary profession.

The call to a service as general chapter delegate is a big responsibility to me because when the members chose me, I need to bring their inspiration locally during the chapter but on the other hand, I also need to think about the needs of the Order globally in the future. It’s also challenging for me because I have no experience as a delegate in the general chapter.

The gift that I would like to bring in my service is to help the commission of liturgy by sharing my experience and my knowledge about liturgy during the chapter. As a priory member in Pratista, I can be also a host here as we offer hospitality.

According to me, the most important work of the upcoming General Chapter is how to live together in every area, wherever Crosiers are. We know that each region has its own way of life which is adapted to local culture, language, society and in many other aspects. But as Crosiers, we are united and we have the same spirituality even though we live in different places. Therefore, we need to fashion a fraternal economy to address the future’s more challenging financial problems.

Meet the Delegates: Riston...



Riston is on Facebook: riston.osc.7

By Riston Situmorang, OSC, in conversation with Rosaryanto, OSC.



Formation and Spiritual Heritage in the State of the OrderBy Kavusa Mulekya Hubert, OSC

On April 1, 2021, the Master General published his official State of the Order

report in preparation for the 2022 (2021) General Chapter. What follows is my personal reflection on sections 7 (Formation) and 9 (Crosier Spiritual Heritage), based on my experience as a Congolese Crosier living in the United States.

With regard to the formation section, the key takeaway is that quality formation is critical for the sustainability of the Order. I strongly support the mission of the General Formation Commission: to serve as a promoter of collaboration between all parts of the Order. As an Order, it is of great importance to have a Common Formation Program. This will only foster our bonds of fraternity and our shared responsibility to ensure the future of the Order.

Nonetheless, as a Congolese Crosier, I would like to share some of my concerns with respect to formation. First of all, the Master General’s report states that the Common Formation Program is to be implemented by qualified and committed formators; that is the ideal. Congo has committed formation directors. However, finding qualified formators is still a significant challenge. Sometimes it is assumed that when someone makes solemn vows, he is ready to serve as formator. From my own experience, I remember being appointed as assistant formator for post novitiate right after my solemn profession, with very little preparation. Over the years, progress has been made in this particular area of training future formators, but there is still a long way to go.

My second area of concern has to do with our common awareness of being one Order. In his report, Master General Tarpin reminded us that we need to think in terms of joining the Crosier Order, not local areas. This is a great idea and it requires a radical change of mindset. When I look at the contrasts between different areas of the Order, I am tempted to think that we join our respective provinces, not the Order of the Holy Cross. For instance, Martyrs de Bondo Province has to turn away quality vocations because of lack of financial resources while Europe, the mother province, is closing priories because of insufficient membership. This situation urges us to rethink our way of living out Crosier brotherhood. Funding formation needs to be a priority for the whole Order. The future of the Order depends on how and whom we form today.

Thirdly, I support the idea of involving formandi in priory chapters. There are still places in the Order where this participation does not happen. As a result, members are not sufficiently prepared to participate in the chapter, which is the heart, the nucleus, and the unifying force of our common life (Constitutions 8.1). This is why I strongly support the call to involve those in initial formation in local chapters as part of their learning process, provided that only those in solemn vows are effective members of the chapter, with voting rights.

To think in terms of joining the Crosier Order, not only a local area, requires a

radical change of mindset.

With respect to Crosier Spiritual Heritage, I would like to highlight an important event that takes place in Martyrs de Bondo called “Journée OSC.” This event happens three times a year. After significant feast days (Easter, Exaltation of the Glorious Cross, and Christmas), the prior provincial invites all confreres in solemn vows for a Crosier study day. These study days are precious moments to discuss critical topics regarding Crosier religious life. In addition, “Journées OSC” are always a great opportunity for confreres to celebrate Crosier brotherhood.

Those in initial formation are not invited to Crosier Study Days, but in my opinion, it would be better if formandi could be involved so they could start to learn about how solemnly professed members understand and live Crosier identity and charism. Another limit is that, after these Crosier study days, there is no official communication to the rest of the Order as to what was discussed. Going forward, the Order needs to improve communication between the different areas about what we are discussing and doing. Sharing our best practices will foster our bonds of fraternity and our willingness to learn from each other as we continue to witness to the charism of the Order of the Holy Cross in our respective contexts and cultures.

Kavusa Mulekya Hubert, OSC, is assigned to the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross for service in the Crosier Global Development Office (CGDO). He resides at the Phoenix, Arizona site.


Over the past six years, more Crosiers have become familiar with the Crosier International Trust in the United States, particularly with the establishment of the Crosier Global Development Office (CGDO). The State of the Order report references the role of the Trust in facilitating the transfer of funds from the United States to Africa and Indonesia and the funding it has provided to the Generalate for projects like the International Formation Experience (IFE) (see p.34). As trustees of the International Trust, we want to provide additional information for the Order membership and especially the chapter delegates.

This article will describe the origins of the Trust. A future issue of the Crosier Fraternal Economy newsletter will outline where the funds come from, what their purposes are, how the Trust functions in relation to other Crosier entities, and recent developments.

In 2013-2014, two civil structures, the Crosier International Trust for Religious Life and Service and the Continuing Care Trust (for funding retirement expenses of members), were set up in the Crosier Province of St. Odilia, now the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross. The decision to start the trusts came after discussions among Crosier leadership and in consultation with civil and canon lawyers and the general leadership of the Order. The aim was to determine the most prudent ways to manage limited financial assets for sustaining our life and mission in light of changing demographics and ongoing legal expenses due to sexual abuse cases.

The aim was to determine the most prudent ways to manage limited financial assets for

sustaining our life and mission.

During the provincial leadership of Tom Carkhuff from 1999 to 2011, we responded to the immediate challenges of the sexual abuse crisis in decisive and substantial actions. Among the many things Tom did, he helped the Crosiers attend to the victims and the trauma they experienced with compassion and responsibility, he removed perpetrators from ministry and placed them on restriction as required by the U.S. bishops’ protocols, and he pursued policies and

practices among the membership to prevent future abuse and promote sexual health and accountability.

In 2011, with the administration of Tom Enneking, the Crosiers continued this necessary response. We also began to consider future possibilities for the Crosiers in the U.S. We had completed a study of our different assets. We received the recommendation to consider establishing charitable trusts to preserve funds for retirement of elder members and to provide resources for Crosier life and service in other parts of the Order outside the U.S. Other religious orders and non-profit groups use these civil structures to set aside assets that are restricted for particular purposes in order to manage and preserve them for the future.

The proposed Constitutional norm on Fraternal Economy (8-3.2) makes a clear distinction between the canonical and civil approaches to the material assets of the Order. Canonically, all assets of the Order belong to the Order, while civilly, the assets belong to separate entities. The International Trust is a Crosier civil entity and the funds in the Trust are Crosier assets, with Crosier control and oversight articulated in the legal documents of its establishment. The purpose of the Trust is to support Crosier life and service outside the United States.

Fostering International TrustBy Trustees Jerry Schik, OSC, Kavusa Mulekya Hubert, OSC, and Dave Donnay, OSC

A future issue of the CFE Newsletter

will outline how the Trust works and from where the funds in the Trust come.


A new General Chapter of the Order of the Holy Cross is

fast approaching. This is an unique opportunity to evaluate the journey that our communities and provinces have taken, to re-read our mission in the light of the Crosier charism and to establish commitments to respond to the challenges of the present time. In this direction, the documents in preparation for the Chapter collaborate for that purpose, recognizing first the present reality, so we can identify the challenges and thus weave solutions in view of a greater fidelity to our religious vocation.

In this sense, the State of the Order, in a very lucid way, offers a precise look at the multiple realities in which we live. Very pertinent is the format in which the document inserts the Crosiers within the broader social and ecclesial context. We are not an isolated island in the world, but we appreciate the advances, dilemmas, and social and ecclesial crises of our Church and world within our communities.

The paradoxical nature of contemporary society described in the State of the Order, with its continuous conflict between advances and setbacks, shadows and lights, indicates much of what the Crosier community in Brazil has been experiencing for the past ten years. Between conquests and defeats, successes and errors, efforts have been made to rebuild the presence of the Order on Brazilian ground.

The inheritance of Dutch missionaries, the presence of Crosiers in Brazil is recognized for its fruitful apostolic commitment, but also for its limited vocational fruits. In the past decade, the small group of Crosiers who returned to Brazil from Rome in 2011 has been energetically striving to build an authentic community that evangelizes, but also awakens and forms new members for the Order. Paradoxically, the attentive and realistic look at this short ten-year journey allows us to recognize real advances and persistent challenges.

An attentive and realistic look at the ten-year journey

of re-founding in Brazil allows us to recognize real

advances and persistent challenges.

As a positive point, it is important to highlight the enthusiasm and dedication undertaken by the small group of Crosiers in the radical, and sometimes naive, search to build a normative Crosier community with

Growing Pains: Refounding in Brazil By Júlio César Evangelista Resende, OSC

Brazilian flavor. A huge effort has been made in vocational activities and in formative work, to help young people to consider Crosier consecrated life. The conventual liturgy, open to the people, also stands out as an inspiring light of this journey along with the efforts to live an apostolate incorporated in the conventual context.

The assertive response of the community in Brazil to the Order’s impulses around the fraternal economy and responsibility in the management of human and financial resources are also a highlight. Responsible management of collaboration with Dom Cabral School, the establishment of the fundraising office through “Amigos dos Crúzios”, and the careful work with the budget, auditing and accountability indicate the precious value of the community in Campo Belo.

On the other hand, there are limits that have been obstacles to the community of ‘sentinels of the dawn’ in Brazil. An honest approach

indicates that a common vision is still lacking in the understanding of what it is to be a Crosier. In initial formation, the community can struggle with internal dynamics that help to form new members in a mature way. In addition, the complex realities of personal issues faced by formandi today make it difficult to assimilate the Crosier charism.

The formative process encounters limitations

Members of the Priorato da Santa Cruz, Campo Belo, along with Peter Snijkers, OSC, and Tiago van Winden, OSC, from the province of Blessed Theodore de Celles.



Brazil Refounding...

Júlio César Evangelista Resende, OSC, recently moved to the Crosier house in Belo Horizonte with José Cláudio Nilton, OSC, and the two newly professed fraters, where he will serve as post-novitiate formation director and pursue an ongoing formation program himself.

As noted in the report, the current reality we face in the world includes many crises, not only the pandemic, but also poverty in many societies

where Crosiers live. The General Chapter has to decide how it will meet these crises and direct the areas of the Order to do so as well.

There are crises in the Order too. We have vocations, especially in Asia and in Africa, but adding more members from these areas requires decision making to supply the necessary funding and quality formation. In the Sang Kristus and Martyrs de Bondo provinces, they need to become more properly Indonesian and Congolese Crosier areas respectively, recognizing and articulating their cultures, and considering, then, how they can inculturate our Constitutions in that context. Inculturation is a good issue for all members to understand better in order to give witness to a real brotherhood. Every part of the Order has to

know and understand the other parts. To do this, we need a better understanding of their cultures; therefore they need to be encouraged to name the special characteristics of their respective countries. All of us, then, can understand much better the variety within the unity of the Order.

The chapter is the heart of community life. The next chapter has to stress the spirit and role of the local community chapter; this is needed in both small and big communities. This spirit was stressed in the preparation for the 1967 chapter and its role was established in the Constitutions in special terms. Until then the general and provincial chapters were the important ones; since 1967 the community chapter is far and away the preferred one; it is the cornerstone of the community and the real place of brotherhood. This was and is a Copernican revolution. However, the different cultures have different ways to live the community chapter: In Indonesia, Yan Sunyata saw the Musyawarah as a form of chapter, which included discussion and deliberation. This reflects the local manner of leadership too. In Congo they know the Palaver, discussion and deliberation. In the U.S.A. they have a monthly conventual priory chapter.

The local community chapter is the cornerstone of the community and

the real place of brotherhood.

Referring to intercultural communities, the master general gives in his report some description of these communities. It is a pity he did not mention his own community in Rome. So, he could share out of his experience some examples of the possibilities and the difficulties of such communities.

For general governance, with a general chapter and election every six years, it may be advisable to have intermediate chapters every three years. The needs and questions arising in the world and Church go ever faster. Is this feasible and affordable? In the next six years the best confreres from anywhere in the Order need to be contributors to general governance, for the finance commission, to become experts for the Order as a whole, and to become the leaders of the future.

In fraternal economy, in order to reduce expenses, the chapter should investigate the possibility of more meetings

continued above...

Thoughts on the State of the OrderBy Lambert Graus, OSC, emeritus master general

in helping the formandi to freely embrace the Crosier consecrated life project. Notwithstanding this, here too there can be the subtle poison of individualism, so present today, that hinders the renunciation of personal projects in view of a common project such as being a Crosier.

Finally, amidst these lights and shadows, joys and uncertainties, the Crosier mission in Brazil has continued with the unconditional support of the Order as a whole. General leadership, within its means, spares no effort to support us. The other areas of the Order have also cooperated through Congolese and Indonesian confreres who are present as assignati or by welcoming our confreres in the formative process in the United States. Thus, hope is constantly renewed in us, not as an illusion, but as a renewing force to continue our mission in the lands of “Santa Cruz”.



By Dave Donnay, OSC, in conversation with Alex Juguilon, OSC.

Alex shares about his vocation story on the Crosiers’

YouTube channel (Crosiers1210):

Alex Vocation Story

Considering the agenda of the chapter, he sees the area of fraternal economy and the efforts to build the capacity of members from around the world for taking up the roles of service and leadership as critical. The experience of working in the Crosier Global Development Office (the CGDO is located in the Conventual Priory) has impressed on him that communication and coordination among the areas of the Order is a critical initiative for the sustainability of the Order into the future, both in terms of training and formation as well as in financing Crosier religious life.

The second agenda item that he highlights is the need to prepare formators to effectively safeguard the spiritual patrimony that we have inherited and faithfully adapt it to our current context. As he is involved in recruitment efforts and initial formation of new members, he is aware of the need to prepare members who are solidly grounded in our charism. Formators need to know the Crosier way of religious life and communicate what we offer to the Church and world. He is grateful for the work of the General Formation Commission over the past six years as we work at fostering unity and commonality in our programs of initial formation while respecting legitimate diversity and subsidiarity.

Lastly, he endorses the plan to incorporate the conventual priory structure into the Order’s Constitutions through the proposed proper law revisions and the completion of the ad experimentum period opened by the 2015 General Chapter. He has lived the reality of what it means to be a conventual priory in the United States area in the past three years. He believes that this structure works for the membership in the U.S. to sustain and foster the charismatic gifts of Crosier religious life. He understands

that the proposed changes establish the possibility of mixed governance and that this structure may not be the one in other areas or circumstances.

As the general chapter approaches, Alex is excited and honored to be called to this role of service for the life of the worldwide Order and its ever-ancient, ever-new charism for the Church and world. He is looking forward to meeting, learning from, and working with confreres from around the world in these efforts.

Meet the Delegates: Alex...

Alex with postulants in Phoenix, Easter 2021.

CHAPTER PRAYER

God of unity and charity, You sent your Son

into the world as a sign of your love for all humanity. We ask that Jesus continue to show us how to be brother to

one another.

May we imitate him in bringing, breaking and sharing

the bread of life.

God of unity and charity, Your Son sent your Spirit of

love and wisdom into the world.We ask that this same Spirit guide our Order, especially the members of the General Chapter.

May we be wise and courageous in bringing a clear vision of a robust brotherhood

and steadfast ministry.

God of unity and charity, You send Crosiers into

the world to be witnesses of community life and service.

May the fruits of the General Chapter be enriched through the diversity of our cultures, that all may experience that unity and charity to which

you have called us.

We pray this in Jesus Christ, Amen.

https://youtu.be/BcAf_x7tDhs


proprovince, to determine the number of candidates to be admitted to the postulancy and to the novitiate, and to confirm the election of a prior.

DecisionThe entire file was thus transferred to the Master General and his council by the European provincial. On August 18, 2020, on the feast of Saint Helena, patroness of the Order of the Holy Cross, the Master General with the consent of his council, approved by an official decree, the establishment of the Province Martyrs de Bondo. In this decree, the Master General notably underlined the importance for the future province of reviewing and adapting the draft of the provincial statutes, a serious discernment in view of the elections of the leadership of the new province, the concern to train the leaders in all levels (superiors, treasurers, formators), and a leadership that will know how to collaborate with the Generalate and the European mother province.

Blessings and ChallengesAs the newly established province enters into this new stage, it celebrates its blessings, including confreres committed to live our Crosier Religious

life in priories, Crosiers who are able to serve the Order wherever they are needed, many young people who are attracted to our Crosier Religious Life, and developed ministries, like schools, Holy Cross College, the Listening Center, and parishes to serve the people of Congo.

Strengthened by these blessings, the Crosiers face a number of challenges as well, including financing its life as it currently depends on support from Europe and the U.S., young, inexperienced leaders, and many formators who are not trained specifically for the service of formation.

With the whole Order, the Congolese confreres celebrate the achievements that have brought them to this moment of becoming a province and pray that the good work begun in them will continue to grow and mature in the years to come.

Muhindo Byanjiya Benjamin, OSC, was elected as the first prior provincial.

A future issue of the CFE Newsletter

will focus on the Crosier school in Butembo.

Model of the new school under

construction on the campus of the St. Helena community in

Butembo.

Phase 1, the Administration building and Library, was completed in 2020.

Phase 2, the main classroom

wings, began earlier this year, 2021.

New Province...

Paluku Tsongo Anselme, OSC, served as prior proprovincial from 2014-2021.


Bert Graus Thoughts...

Meet the Delegates: Two further first-time delegates share their ideas and reflections on the work of the chapter, the gifts they bring, and the challenges they anticipate. Instrumentum Laboris: The next step in the preparation process is the publication of the working document of the chapter, which is scheduled for the first part of May. Confreres share their reflections, ideas, and possible initiatives in response.

Online Preparation for Delegates: With the postponement, the extended council recommended that an online program be considered to foster a better understanding of the main preparatory documents among the delegates and other interested members. An update of what is being planned will be provided.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF BRING • BREAK • SHARE

Bring • Break • Share IS PUBLISHED BYMaster GeneralCrosier GeneralateVia del Velabro 1900186 Rome, [email protected] EDITOR: Dave Donnay, OSCEDITORIAL BOARD:

General Chapter Planning Committee

Laurentius Tarpin, OSC Pierre-Paul Walraet, OSC Henri Paluku Muhumira, OSCY.B. Rosaryanto, OSC Onesius Otenieli Daeli, OSC Dave Donnay, OSCPhotos Credits: Congo Chapter, Benjamin: Zawadi Jean-Marie, OSCButembo school (3): Malula Gaston, OSC

The next issue of Bring • Break • Share

is scheduled for early June.

Send submissions to [email protected].

Deadline for the June issue is May 28

Bookmark the General Chapter website and return here for the latest news and documents related to the upcoming General Chapter.

There are 6 main headings on the homepage, linked to different sections that will be updated regularly. The links there are to documents, translations and other resource materials: Lineamenta (soon to be changed to Instrumentum Laboris), State of the Order, Delegates and Periti (separate pages for each), Proposed Proper Law revisions, Chapter Topics (other resources related to the chapter agenda).

unityincharity.infoCHECK OUT THE GENERAL CHAPTER WEBSITE!

is because in the future the tasks of the Master General are growing, especially regarding formation and the admission to final vows and ordination. When the master general visits at least twice, he is better acquainted with the culture and the members of that part of the Order.

Lambert Graus, OSC, served as master general from 1982-1997. He resides in the Crosier community in Maaseik, Belgium.

online: chapters and visitations. Moreover, all of us have to reflect on our expenses and compare them with the expenses of our respective societies. I think this is a must because our income will fall in the west and rise in the south. Different studies have been made about this issue.

The current expectation of a general visitation every six years should be changed to every three years. This




Bring • Break • Share...2021/05/01 · first profession in December 2012, and continued, page...

Documents

Transcript of Bring • Break • Share...2021/05/01 · first profession in December 2012, and continued, page...