Chapter Members Receive and Discuss Input on the Chapter Theme

The Chapter changed its direction from over the last several days of receiving reports. On Tuesday, members began looking at the implications of the theme for the General Chapter and Order. The first of the two inputs was given by Sr. Pat Murray, IBVM. Entitled “Today’s Social and Ecclesial Context” the presentation was followed by synodal style sharing in the small groups following the lunch break. On Wednesday, Carmelite Bishop Wilmar Santin spoke on Carmelite Missions “Ad gentes.” His presentation was followed by a reflection and discussion in language groups. On Thursday, September 18, Bishop Henricus Pidyarto Gunawan, O. Carm., bishop of Malang where the Chapter is taking place, joined the Carmelites for Mass and then gave the Chapter retreat and led the discernment for leadership.

Summaries of the presentations are below, followed by brief biographies of the presenters.

Today’s Social and Ecclesial Context
Sr Pat Murray, IBVM

Sister began her presentation by noting that the theme for the Chapter is challenging both communally and personally: You must have some sort of work to do? Our Contemplative Fraternity Discerns its Mission. In fact, she would repeat “You must have some work to do” at various times throughout the talk.

She observed that life has become increasingly polarized, and it is often hard to find the middle ground. We hear the cries of children separated from their parents along borders or the voices of migrants calling from boats left adrift at sea for days. It is a season of darkness. The winter of despair is in the eyes of the hungry, the homeless, the naked, and the thirsty.

She offered three images to spark the imagination of her listeners as they reflect on their mission today.

1) Leave the Safe House—Go forth to encounter people. “Leave your nests” as Pope Francis said. “Step out from the confines of your respective Institutes and work together at the local and global levels.”

2) Engage in Web-watching and Web-weaving—Sister quoted the Mennonite theologian and peace activist John Paul Lederach. He uses the term “moral imagination” to describe something “which calls people beyond things that are immediately apparent and visible.” For Lederach, moral imagination is “the capacity to give birth to something new” to refuse “to be bound by what the existing views of perceived reality suggest” but to seek to uncover possibilities not yet dreamed of.

3) Widen the Tent of Your Heart— The quote from the prophet Isaiah “to enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes” is a wonderful image for religious life today because it speaks of both flexibility and rootedness, unbounded hospitality and secure identity.

Bishop Santin’s first presentation was a review of the history of Carmelite missions around the world, pointing out that from the origin of the Order until the 16th century there was no missionary spirit. All pastoral and evangelizing work was carried out in Western and Eastern Europe. When the so-called New World opened up to Europeans, the Carmelites were not interested, although they did make a few failed attempts.

He presented the history of the Carmelites in Brazil and especially in the Amazon. He pointed out that one of the hallmarks of the Carmelite’ catechesis was their Marian devotion. They seemed have been patient and treated the indigenous people relatively well. Quoting Arthur Reis “The Carmelites thus achieved more results than the military expeditions, marked in blood and negatives in the civilization of the savages.” The Carmelites set up the first school in Amazonia for the indigenous children to be educated. The Carmelite “held music and singling classes, taking advantage of the catechumens’ abilities and inclinations for the arts.” Almost a third of the villages had Our Lady as their patron saint. Among the patron saints of the villages, half are Carmelite saints with an apparent preference for the Prophet Elijah. Martyrdom was a part of life for the Carmelites however, with several being killed by the natives.

Criticisms are leveled at the Carmelite missionary efforts in Brazil. Some are of an economic nature and some of a political nature. The question is asked: what made these men leave the comfort of the cities and [their religious houses] to immerse themselves in the Amazon jungles?

He then reviewed the various provinces of the Order and their contribution to establish new missions around the world.

Bishop Santin’s second presentation reviewed Church teaching on evangelization beginning with Pope Paul VI’s Evangelii nuntiandi and Perfectae caritatis of the Second Vatican Council. The 1965 decree on the missionary activity of the Church, Ad gentes, the Medellin Statement (1968), and that of Puebla (1979) were reviewed with the points that speak about religious and their responsibility for the effectiveness of the Church’s mission being highlighted. Religious are called to be prophetic witnessed in the midst of God’s people.

He then moved to review what the Order’s Constitutions have to say about the Carmelite mission, especially numbers 94-97. They call for us to share in the mission of Jesus and that ministry is an integral part of the charism. The mission ad gentes—the task of announcing the Gospel in places where it is not known—is one of the fundamental activities of the Church. He pointed out the missionary work requires a specific spirituality and a process of inculturation.

The General Chapter has engaged in thoughtful discussion about the current state of the Order and the future Order we envision, one that is responsive to the needs of both the Church and the world. While doing that discernment, the Chapter members will consider who are the suitable candidates to lead the Order in the future, individuals who can effectively implement the decision made by the General Chapter. These are the two areas he addressed. In this first part, Bishop Henricus offered some ideas related to the theme of the Chapter and the summary of discussions on the Instumentum laboris.

The documents make it clear that the Carmelite charism, as a gift from God for the Church and the world, is a reoccurring theme. The letter of convocation underlines the close connection between charism and our apostolic works. As the Constitutions say “Our ministry as Carmelites is, therefore, an integral part of our charism.”

The Magisterium repeatedly teaches that religious life is an extraordinary gift to the Church and the world. Religious men and women become a precious gift to the Church and the world, not only because of their spiritual union with Jesus Christ in the evangelical counsels but due to their embodiment of a specific charism that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon their respective religious institution.

History shows that most religious orders were born to respond to real needs of the times. Many orders came about as a reaction to specific situations in the Church and society. A charism that is not in line with the needs of the times is less attractive to people. Therefore, our apostolic works must both preserve our charism and to see what the needs of the Church and society are.

The bishop stressed that we must work contemplatively, fraternally, and prophetically in the midst of the people. He then went on to outline what each type of work would involve. He then entered into a presentation on discerning our apostolic work for the future. He encouraged us to maintain works that are in line with the Order’s charism but also to encourage scholarship in Mariology and the Bible. He offered a table indicating that in both the XIV and XV centuries at Paris and Oxford, the Carmelites led in providing commentators on the Scriptures.

Bishop Henricus started by reminding us that we believe that through this General Chapter the Holy Spirit will choose some of our brothers to leadership roles in the Order. He then outlined two working definitions of religious leadership: the capacity and will to rally people to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence and, secondly, a person with a God-given capacity and with God-given responsibility who is influencing a specific group of God’s people toward God’s purpose for the group.

Christian leadership uniquely blends natural and spiritual leadership, combining human talent with the work of God’s grace. He then went through examples in the Scriptures of God’s “calling” leaders forth—specifically Moses, Jesus, and Paul and the need they each had for self-preparation.

Religious leaders should have a clear vision with a common goal. The ultimate goal for all religious leadership is to lead God’s people to their God and to achieve the purpose God has set for them. Using the example of Jesus, Bishop Henricus stressed that a religious leader must clearly know the shared vision but also be able to convince their followers of its importance. Only those who truly see their shared vision and believe it to be a worthy value will persevere.

A religious leader must also nurture their followers. Citing several authorities on leadership, he concluded that leadership is no longer seen solely as an effort to move subordinates to pursue a common goal or make subordinated carry out orders. A religious leader prioritizes the humanity of their subordinates.

Leadership is about influencing others. So, they need authority. Highlighting the ten leadership models that St. Paul described were used according to the situation and the spiritual maturity of the congregation. If a leader is called by God to represent God, then he must depend on God who sends him. We see this is Moses, Elijah, Queen Esther, Judith John the Baptist, Jeus and the apostles as well as many others. Their strength lies in their prayfulness.

The remainder of the time was spent on Nehemiah as a model leader—as the biblical story contains many of the qualities of a religious leader. Nehemiah faced enemies (repeatedly) but he relied on God’s power and not his own strength. A good leader doesn’t rush but studies the situation. Another of Nehemiah’s leadership skills was involving many groups, including families. He did not listen to those mocking him but stayed on task. As a leader, one must endure criticism, obstacles, and enemies. True leaders are resilient.

Bishop Henricus concluded expressing the hope that his reflection on biblical leadership might contribute to the reflection of the members of the Chapter in their election of the government of the Order for the next six years.

Bishop Wilmar Santin, O. Carm., is the bishop of Itaituba, Brazil, appointed in December 2010 and installed in April 2011. He is a native of Paranavaí and a member of the German Province of the Order. He served six years as General Councilor of the Order for Latin America and Commissary Provincial of Paranavaí from 1990 to 1995. From 2005 until 2008 he was prior of Centro Internazionale S. Alberto (CISA) in Rome.

Bishop Henricus Pidyarto Gunawan, O. Carm., is a member of the Indonesian Province, having been born in Malang. He is of Chinese Indonesian descent. His brother Antonius, also a Carmelite priest, died in 2015. He studied Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and received his doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, both in Rome. He continues to teach Scripture at the Philosophical and Theological Institute of ‘Widya Sasana’. He was nominated bishop of Malang by Pope Francis in June 2016.