Eudist Associate

Part I

Orientations and decisions by the assembly
relevant to our present situation.

 Before presenting the decisions of the assembly, the orientations and recommendations, we thought it important to recall certain factors that give a context for the implementation of the assembly’s decisions and should improve our understanding of each orientation.

1. Our present context for a better understanding of the decisions of the assembly

               1.1 Meaning and purpose of the provincial assembly

 If we were to re-read the acts of the provincial assemblies in the past, we would easily notice a shift in our objectives. Certainly in the past, we discussed the important questions of founding institutions, but we devoted much time recalling certain disciplinary measures that give a whole new community context and pursuits much different from ours. Examples: The provincial assembly in 1944 extended the evening recreation until 7:15 p.m.. At that same assembly, it was noted that no confreres should listen to the radio during recreation times without the permission of his superior. And some will remember that the rule at that time stipulated that confreres were to elect the same number of superiors and inferiors as delegates to assemblies.

 Recently, due to the situation of the Province, the assembly gave itself another objective. In addition to having our ministries and the administration of corporations on the agenda, our recent assemblies distinguished themselves even more from those of the past by prioritizing two major concerns of our time, the spiritual experience of John Eudes and the future of the Eudist heritage.

 It seems right to say that our assembly was an experience in thinking congregation for our Province. From its planning to its execution, this meeting was an experience that has created a momentum that must be seized or otherwise the orientations will be placed among the dead files.

            1.2 New presentation of Acts

 The new agenda of an assembly requires a new presentation of Acts; in addition to recording decisions on the administration of the Province, it reports on the future of the Province and proposes orientations. The decisions on administrative matters do not require study sessions; they are decisions for execution. On the other hand, the orientations will require a process of study to have them accepted and appreciated.

 We should not be surprised nor alarmed since this presentation of orientations finds its inspiration in the Constitutions. There the text invites us to go forward, to pursue our ideal that will always have us reach out beyond what we think possible.

             1.3 Close ties between the planning documents and the orientations recommended

 The planning last June was the occasion of many meetings of confreres and associates who sent reports on their choice of agenda and influenced the decisions. It was a positive process in favour of the regional communities that was noted by the chair of the assembly sessions, Denis Viel.

 In the course of the meetings, several confreres requested that this type of process be repeated throughout the regions with the Provincial Superior in attendance and that he be accompanied by one or all the members of the planning committee.

             1.4  Major challenges created by the present situation of the Province

 We are aware of the situation of our Province facing a progressively decreasing number of personnel and consequently decreasing ministries in the Church and discontinuing ministries in places where we have been very active in the past.

 The present situation in the Province obliges us to face three major challenges:

-   the survival of the Province
-   the Eudist identity
-   the involvement of the Province in various ministries in the Church in the steps of John Eudes

 Speaking of these challenges, we must understand their reality in the context of our Province. In other words, if we do nothing, if we do not find new avenues, we could jeopardize the very survival of the Province, our Eudist identity and all involvement of Eudists in the ministry of the Church in the steps of John Eudes.

 These challenges will be the underpinnings of the work sessions for the appreciation of the orientations by the assembly.

 2. The orientation and the decisions of the assembly

             2.1 The orientations

 1^st orientation: THE EUDIST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

The assembly proposes

that the Provincial Superior and his council appoint a delegate to meet with the members of the Eudist family to deepen our understanding of the Eudist spiritual inheritance provided in the recent studies of several confreres;

that research and relevancy be given to the Constitutions relative to the spiritual experience of John Eudes;

that community life plans provide time for reflection on our spirituality and Constitutions;

that we return to the Spirituality Exercises Handbook and the booklets by the interprovincial spirituality commission and that these texts be translated into English.

 2^nd orientation:   ASSOCIATES AND OTHER GROUPS

The assembly asks all Eudists and in particular the provincially appointed delegates

in the places where we are known and have exercised ministry, to identify and call people interested in joining our spiritual and apostolic family;

to structure not only the formation of leaders, both confreres and associates, but also to structure a program to teach others to form leaders;

to study the associations of other societies to discover new means that we could adapt in our society of apostolic life and to discover how priests and lay people nurture their baptismal covenant in their involvement in the apostolic mission.

 3^rd orientation:   VOCATION AND YOUTH MINISTRY

The assembly requests

that the Eudists continue their efforts among the youth, both in Canada and in the United States, teaching the spirituality of John Eudes and of the Congregation and also inviting them to become part of the Eudist family, either as associates or as confreres;

that each confrere and each associate share this concern;

that the provincial council consider it a priority to be involved in youth ministry, in involving confreres, associates and young lay people, inspiring themselves with what is being accomplished in other provinces.

 4^th orientation:   FORMATION PROGRAMS

The assembly recommends that the provincial authorities

organize Eudist formation programs to facilitate the admission of Eudist candidates provide the major superiors with documents relative to this topic before the next General Assembly.

 5^th orientation:   REGIONAL DIVERSITY IN THE PROVINCE OF  NORTH AMERICA

The assembly encourages Canada and the United States to recognize the different contexts and to continue to maintain among themselves community ties to benefit each other in spite of diversity.

 6^th orientation:   INTERPROVINCIAL COOPERATION

The assembly requests

that interprovincial cooperation be increased and the assembly takes this opportunity to thank all the confreres in the Eudist Province of Colombia for their presence in our Province.

 7^th orientation:   COMMUNITY LIFE

The assembly proposes

that, depending on needs and circumstances, the Provincial Superior, by himself or his delegates, should continue to organize regional visits;

that interregional cooperation should continue between the United States and Canada, relative to certain reports on formation and association;

that, whenever possible, modern means of communication be privileged.

 8^th orientation: THE PHILIPPINES

The assembly requests

that everyone should manifest their solidarily with this mission through their encouragement and support;

that financial support be clarified by the General Council and the other Provinces, since it is a project by the Congregation.

 9^th orientation: NEW AVENUES FOR APOSTOLIC MISSION

The assembly wishes

that the Province develop all means of involving confreres and associates in new diocesan orientations concerning evangelization and formation,

that the Province endow the associates with the special mandate to discover new fields for evangelization in which we could offer our collaboration.

            2.2 Decisions concerning

1   THE PROVINCIAL FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

that it be deemed conform to our Provincial Rules that a non-confrere of our Society be hired as assistant of the provincial bursar. This person will work under his responsibility and his duties will be minutely described.

2   THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

          that the number of provincial councillors remain the same, i.e. four;

that all confreres in the Province elect three councillors under the conditions described in the Provincial Rules;

that, on nomination by the Provincial Superior, the provincial council elect, by ballot, the fourth councillor whose term will not exceed that of the Provincial Superior;

that the provincial council will determine the length of the term

 3   THE CHAMPBOISE SOLITUDE CENTRE

that the rental of the Champboise Solitude Centre site at 1521 Route 309, at Guardian Angel, be maintained at the rate of $1.00 for the next the years (2007 - 2009 inclusively), in order to allow the corporation of this centre to organize its operational costs;

that the annual subsidy from the Eudists be paid for the next three years (2007 - 2009);

that means be found to continue the provide Eudist personnel (either through interprovincial cooperation, associates, or other means);

with the proviso that the Eudist involvement be on display

that within the next year, the corporation of the Champboise Solitude Centre table with the provincial administration a clear plan of its objectives and the means defined to attain its financial autonomy.

that the Eudist subsidy be made according to the plan presented to the provincial council by the administration board of the corporation of Champboise.

 4   PRO-RATED CONTRIBUTIONS

The assembly requested that the paragraphs 1.13.1 and 1.12 of the financial directory be amended to read:   The demand for contributions to be made to the provincial administration (Const. 169) is not only addressed to those who earn salaries, but also to those who receive pensions. The amount of this contribution will be determined and adjusted from time to time by the provincial council.

 5   ASSETS IN RESERVE

The assembly proposed that the following text be added to the Financial Directory at para. 1.3.1   “ The practice during the past years suggests that the amount of total assets in reserve should eventually be sufficient to provide for the purchase of a vehicle, when needed”.

 6   MONTHLY PENSION FROM THE SIMON MANNOURY  FUND                

The assembly decided in principle, to maintain at $1600.00 the amount paid to confreres and/or their beneficiaries, in annual pension from the Simon Mannoury Fund. An increase in the pension would be possible in special cases, on recommendation by the provincial council to the corporation of the fund.

 7   THE FINANCIAL DIRECTORY

The Financial Directory was approved, while maintaining the authority of the provincial council to make necessary amendments in the interval till the next provincial assembly.

 8   INTERESTS FROM INVESTMENTS

The assembly confirms the decision of the provincial administration to maintain the present offer made to personal accounts and to separate financial accounts when investing their monies, while paying them a rate no higher than the rate the Province receives.

 9   CORPORATIONS IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES                            

 10   RATE OF INTEREST OFFERED ON PERSONAL INVESTMENTS       

The assembly decided that the interest rate granted to investments from personal funds be maintained at 1% less than the rate to investments from separate financial accounts.

 11   SHARING THE INTEREST FROM THE CAPITAL OF THE MINISTRIES  SUPPORT FUND

The assembly approved  that the Provincial administration  share annually between ministries and donations the interest from the capital in the Ministries Support Fund, minus the increase in the cost of living assessment. This will allow the capital in the Ministries Support Fund to remain at the level of 2005, and this fund will maintain its purchasing power available for important unbudgeted items.

 12   AMENDMENTS TO THE PROVINCIAL RULES ON THE SUBJECT OF MANDATE TERMS

The assembly granted the provincial council, on the one hand, the authority to make amendments to the Provincial Rules as deemed useful regarding the renewal of mandate terms at whatever level, and on the other hand, the obligation to submit them for approval at the next provincial assembly.

Part II

 Recommendations for study sessions with various groups

 To ensure an appreciation of the orientations by the assembly, the provincial council decided to establish a program for the next three years. It is within this context that the study committee elaborated this study plan.

 We would like to invite your participation since it seems very important to us that there be close ties between the study committee and the groups concerned, communities, etc. This Part II of the presentation of the Acts contains a number of suggestions for this study that will involve each community or region.

 1.  Study committee’s choice of agenda

 Before suggesting a study plan, the study committee points out certain things that will be required. They concern the prioritized orientations, the references to the Constitutions and the possible ties with your community life plan.

             1.1  prioritizing orientations

 The study committee agrees on this choice of priorities among the orientations

 The Eudist spiritual experience

         The associates and other groups

         The vocation and youth ministries

         Community life

         New requirements for apostolic mission

             1.2 references to the Constitutions

 The study committee considers that the study sessions will be a wonderful means to appreciate our Constitutions. For example, I will point out two groups of paragraphs. Paras. 16 and 17 describe the spirit of an assembly that embodies an experience of Congregation in a definite Province. Paras. 61 - 64 speaks of a spiritual family. The concept of a spiritual family  is mentioned more and more often in the Congregations and Institutes opening doors to new affiliates under various attachments to the spiritual experience of John Eudes and to the various forms of the Eudist apostolic mission. For the study committee it is one of the new ideas to be developed in the coming years.

             1.3 adding to your community life plan

 This process should be the occasion of revitalizing the community life plan in order to re-animate the same spirit as the one while planning the assembly

2.  Suggestions for study sessions that requires local participation

          2.1 Adapt the sessions to the availability of various groups

2.2 Establish communication between the study committee and the local communities

2.3 Invite confreres and associates to discuss the role they would want to play in the second phase. Or ask those in the region, both confreres and associates, what type of study they would like to see and what involvement they would like to have.

2.4 Invent study aids

2.5 Add a celebration. Consult the spirituality handbook

2.6 Add a moment of thanksgiving for the assembly, the assembly as God’s intervention in our midst requiring a response on our part. Show those who were not delegates and remind those who were that we received a good and beautiful gift.

3. Involvement of communities and regions in the implementation of the orientations of the assembly

 Following the presentation of the Acts of the assembly, the communities and regions are invited to a reflection session at another meeting and to send a report to the Provincial Superior. The purpose is to involve as many people as possible in this study session just as they were involved in the preparation, to have these groups personally involved with the support of the Provincial administration.

 Thank you for your involvement!

 Remember that the survival of the Province and the future of the Eudist heritage are at stake!

Raymond Vaillancourt c.j.m.
Provincial Superior