Superiors of the Xaverian Missionaries Gather from Around the World

Dear Friends,

Superiors of the Xaverian Missionaries, gathered from eighteen countries worldwide, came together in Tavernerio Italy, near Milan to look at the global situation of the mission efforts of the congregation. At the writing of this blog we have come to the half way mark of our meeting, six days in. All of the Xaverian Missionaries pictured above represent around 800 priests and brothers working in Africa, Asia. Latin America, Europe and the USA. 

In the first day we held a one day retreat led by Fr. Angelo Manfredi who just completed a major study on our Founder, Blessed Guido Conforti who will be canonized a new missionary saint of the Church October 23, 2011. His insights into the life of Conforti within all of the issues he faced as Bishop of two dioceses and the founder of a new religious missionary congregation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

In the following two days we again welcomed Father Franco, a priest and psychologist who has done extensive work with victims of sexual abuse. We focused particularly on issues surrounding clergy sexual abuse and how we can insure the safety of young people in all of the missions where we serve. Because of the work done in the USA, our work was of particularly interest to the assembly. Our policies and procedures for the protection of young people was shared with all of the regional superiors.

After two days and half with Fr. Franco and our own discussion on the matter, we proceed to hear the regional reports, beginning with our missions in Africa and then moving to Asia and the Americas. After listening to their reports the assembly had an opportunity for questions and discussions. There are many things that could be said about the experience of our missions today. Today we are much less involved in building, doing more outside of the parishes we founded, and are searching for new orientations in many missions. Our younger, local missionaries also are bringing a new energy and focus to our work where a number of our men, working for many years, are aging.

Today is Sunday, July 24 and we have a day of rest before proceeding with reports from Italy, Spain, and Scotland on Monday. More to come.

Fr. Carl Chudy, SX