International Association of Catholic Missiologists
Third Plenary Assembly
September 1 , 2007 - Pieniężno, Poland
The Third Plenary Assembly of IACM took place on September 1, 2007, at the SVD Seminary in Pieniezno, Poland, after a conference (August 28-31, 2007) on the theme : Sharing the Good News in the Interaction of Cultures: “The Word of God grew and multiplied” (Ac 12: 24)”.
This IACM Missiological Conference was attended by 66 participants from Asia (14), Africa (10), Europe (27), Latin America (8), North America (5) and Oceania (2). They shared the fruits of their research on how intercultural relations challenge the experience, understanding and expression of the Christian faith in their particular context. The missiological implications of the actual interaction of cultures were identified and analyzed in four main areas of concern: integral healing and reconciliation, cultural globalization and asserting identity, migration, intercultural communication in the Church.
On September 1, 52 IACM members attended the Third Plenary Assembly of the Association with the following agenda :
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
In his report to the Assembly, Fr. Bill LaRousse, IACM President, offered a summary of the history of IACM since its foundation. Then he recalled the main activities of the Executive Board 2004-2007 since the Second Assembly in Cochabamba (Bolivia), giving a special attention to the steps made for financial sponsorship of the association. He expressed the gratitude of the association to nine Missionary Societies of Apostolic Life, one missionary congregation and MISSIO Aachen for the generous support given to the IACM. He shared also with the Assembly the preoccupation of the Executive Board for a redefinition of its regional representation and he proposed that this question be discussed in order to promote the growth of the association.
REPORT OF THE TREASURER
In her report to the Assembly, Luisa Melo Leyton, IACM Treasurer, presented a brief description of the financial situation of the association on August 28, 2007, before the accounting of the costs of the 2007 Missiological Conference and Third Plenary Assembly in Pieniężno. With the donations from Missionary Societies, the subsidy from MISSIO for the Missiological Conference and the fees collected since 2004, the total income has been of $71,244.20 USD. The expenses for the activities of the Executive Board (travel cost for meetings, Newsletters, publications, web site maintenance) had been of $23,387.25 USD. With a balance of $47,856.95 USD, less the costs related to the 2007 Assembly in Pieniężno (travel subsidies, board and lodging, etc.), the next Executive Board will have at its disposal around $20,000.00 USD for its first meeting, the publication of the proceedings of the 2007 Conference and other activities.
STUDY GROUPS
The study groups that were formed in Cochabamba, except one, did not really start to move on their topics. Do we want to keep this study groups? In the discussion about the study groups, the following points were mentioned :
- We should continue the thematic groups of the 2007 Missiological Conference.
- What is the vision inspiring these study groups? We could find inspiration in the Statutes (no 2) where it is question of promoting “scholarly studies of questions relating to the missionary nature and activity of the Church…”. We should also produce publications.
- It would be more practical to organize regional groups of study.
- It would be useful to have an interdisciplinary group of study (ex. in collaboration with pastoral theology).
- It is necessary to determine a goal, an expected output, an approach, a timetable.
- It is possible to continue the reflection on the theme of the conference, with discussions at the regional level, and share the results on the IACM web site.
- It may be easier to resolve the question of the language of communication at the regional level.
- On sharing our insights on the IACM web site, priority should be given to the regional groups rather than to personal articles.
- More important than the web site and its possibilities is the human factor in communication. This aspect (to know one another) could be developed at the regional level, including efforts to contact people from countries which are not represented until now. This is the main task of the regional representative.
- We should build the basic foundations of IACM at the local and regional levels. Solidifying the regional and the local is more important than whatever can be done at the international level.
- Regional communication (ex. regular information with one article and bibliography) and regional meetings, if possible, will produce fruits that can be shared at the international level.
The Assembly approved the proposition to discontinue the study groups at the international level and to promote rather study groups at the regional level.
CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP
According to the Statutes (III. 1-3), there is the possibility of corporate membership but no guidelines were ever given about the meaning of this type of membership. Should we drop this possibility? If not, should we prepare some guidelines?
The Assembly approved the proposition to keep the Statutes as they are on this topic and to move to more important issues.
NEXT IACM PLENARY ASSEMBLY
The Assembly approved the proposition that the next IACM Plenary Assembly be held in 2010.
A suggestion to the next Executive Board : a theme for the missiological conference on the occasion of this Plenary Assembly could be the question of fundamentalism.
Many suggestions were made concerning the place where the next Assembly should be held:
- In Africa or in Asia.
- Asia: Thailand, India (would be difficult for question of visa), Philippines, Hong Kong should not excluded.
- Africa: No problem of visa in West Africa (ex. Nairobi) but travel costs may be high; in South Africa (Center of the Bishops’ Conference outside Pretoria, early reservation will be necessary and the Missionaries of Africa can help).
- It would be easier (visa, travel costs, etc.) in Western Europe.
- An important factor to consider is to have a community/institution which will receive us.
These suggestions were offered to the next Executive Board who will make a decision.
ELECTION OF IACM OFFICERS
From the Nominations Committee composed of Carlos Rodriguez Linera and Gloria Wirba Kenyuyfoon, the Assembly received the names of persons nominated to be voted on as Officers of the association. Voting at the Assembly has been by written ballot.
a) President
Nominated for President: William LaRousse, Bertrand Roy, Paul Steffen, Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj and Guy Theunis. Bertrand Roy and Guy Theunis asked that their name be withdraw from the list of the persons to be voted on.
First ballot: William LaRousse (17), Paul Steffen (11), Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj (22).
Second ballot: William LaRousse (20), Paul Steffen (3), Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj (27).
Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj SVD (India) was elected as IACM President.
b) Executive Secretary
Nominated for Executive Secretary: François Jacques, Ralph Poirel, Bertrand Roy and Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj. Ralph Poirel and Bertrand Roy asked that their name be withdraw from the list of the persons to be voted on. Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj had already been elected President.
François Jacques (Canada) was elected by acclamation as IACM Executive Secretary.
c) Treasurer
Nominated for Treasurer: Kevin Hanlon, François Jacques, Luisa Melo and Andrzej Pietrzak. François Jacques had already been elected Executive Secretary.
First ballot: Kevin Halon (15), Luisa Melo (17), Andrzej Pietrzak (18).
Second ballot: Kevin Halon (15), Luisa Melo (16), Andrzej Pietrzak (19).
According to the procedure presented previously to the Assembly by the Executive Board, if after two ballots no one has a majority, only the two top names are included in the third ballot.
Third ballot: Luisa Melo (20), Andrzej Pietrzak (30)
Andrzej Pietrzak SVD (Poland) was elected as IACM Treasurer.
d) Vice-President
Nominated for Vice-President: Keiti Ann Kanongata’a, Wojciech Kluj, Eleazar Lopez, Joseph Ndi-Okalla, Nicanor Sarmiento, Piotr Sokołowski, Paul Steffen, Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj, Roberto Tomichá and Gabriela Zengarini. Joseph Ndi-Okalla, Paul Steffen and Gabriela Zengarini asked that their name be withdraw from the list of the persons to be voted on. Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj had already been elected President.
First ballot : Keiti Ann Kanongata’a (13), Wojciech Kluj (5), Eleazar Lopez (2), Nicanor Sarmiento (16), Piotr Sokołowski (3), Roberto Tomichá (11).
Second ballot : Keiti Ann Kanongata’a (9), Wojciech Kluj (4), Eleazar Lopez (--), Nicanor Sarmiento (32), Piotr Sokołowski (--), Roberto Tomichá (4).
Nicanor Sarmiento Tupayupanqui OMI (USA) was elected as IACM Vice-President.
(15:00 – 18:00)
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
The “regional” representatives as members of the Executive Board are more like “continental” representatives. Would not this last designation be more appropriate? The vastness of the areas assigned to them constitutes a problem for effective communication and coordination. How do we define “regional” in a way that best fits the diversity of situations while respecting the limited number of members on the Executive Board? It is proposed to change the Statutes (IV. 1 and 3) accordingly. The discussion of this topic, also related to the consolidation of IACM at the regional level discussed earlier (cf. 3. Study Groups), began with listening to the experience of the actual regional representatives. Then the following points were mentioned :
- The formulation “regional representatives” can also mean “continental representatives” without a change to the Statutes.
- The number of five “continental representatives” should be included in the IACM by-laws.
Oceania as a continent should also be represented.
- The “regional” is not only geographic. Other criteria should be remembered in the definition of a region: the linguistic factor, the number of members, the importance of organizations and institutions related to mission and missiology in a specific area, the vision which inspires the promotion of IACM in an area, the presence of sponsors, some common interests of study.
- The “continental representative” should play a role of communicator between the local/regional and the international. He/she should promote regional activities and events.
- An other proposal was made in relation to the number of members on the Executive Board. It concerns the membership of a “Financial Administrator” in the Executive Board according to the Statutes (cf. Statutes IV. 1.). It was proposed to eliminate the reference to this position in this article and to modify it in the article about the Treasurer (Statutes IV. 2. d.).
Following this discussion, the Assembly approved the proposal to modify the Statutes IV. 1. as follows: “The leadership of the IACM shall reside in an Executive Board composed of the President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, and a number of Continental Representatives”.
The Assembly approved also the proposal to modify the Statutes IV. 2. d. as follows: “The Treasurer shall be in charge of receiving and disbursing of the funds of the Association, sollicit membership dues and perform other duties of a financial nature. A financial administrator may be appointed by the Executive Board to assist the Treasurer”.
The Assembly approved finally the proposal to modify the Statutes IV. 2.e. as follows: “The Continental Representatives shall promote the objectives and activities of the IACM in the continents. Each continent will have regional groups organized according to their needs for networking. The Continental Representatives will communicate the apostolic experiences, activities or concerns of these regions in meetings of the Executive Board as well as in other instances”.
PAYMENT OF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE
How to facilitate the payment of annual membership fee? How far the actual Directory, with a list of over 400 members, is faithful to the reality when only a small proportion had paid the annual membership fee? Should we drop the name of a person from the list of members if his/her membership fee had not been paid for a period of time (ex. three years)? The following points were mentioned in the discussion:
- Although the Directory does not correspond to the reality, we should not exclude anybody.
- The difficulty to send the money should be considered.
- Members attending the Assembly should be invited to pay their annual membership fee for two or three years in advance.
- To transfer money for individual payment of membership fee is expensive. Common transfer from one region would be better, if the continental representative could collect the fees.
- Members of a region can make a pledge to their continental representative to pay the annual membership fees of two or three years at the next Assembly.
- For some members, the cost of annual membership is too high. There is the suggestion that they replace this payment by an other contribution (ex. an article or a service to the IACM).
- The inaccuracy of the Directory is a problem of contact with the members. It should be revised at the continental level. Why do we keep addresses which are not exact anymore? Addresses could be updated with the help of the continental representatives.
IACM WEB SITE
The IACM web site can be an instrument of communication and collaboration among the members if different persons (according to the regions, the languages, etc.) work on it on a regular base. For coordinating this work, a webmaster is necessary and the Assembly approved the proposal that Bertrand Roy continues to act as webmaster of the IACM web site. He accepts this task with the condition that each continent should have a correspondent through whom he will receive information, articles, documentation, etc.
CONTINENTAL REPRESENTATIVES
For the choice of the Continental Representatives, the participants had a meeting in their respective continental group. They chose the following Continental Representatives who join the IACM Officers to form the Executive Board of the Association:
Africa : Joseph Ndi-Okalla (Cameroun)
Asia : Andrew Gimenez Recepcion (Philippines)
Europe : Wojciech Kluj OMI (Poland)
Latin America : Roberto Tomichá Charupá (Bolivia)
North America : Kevin J. Hanlon MM (USA)
Each continent will also have a correspondent for the IACM web site : Africa (Gloria Wirba Kenyuyfoon and Guy Theunis), Asia (Andrew Recepcion), Europe (Piotr Sokolowski), Latin America (Roberto Tomichá) and North America (Kevin Hanlon).
IAMS
Jan Van Butselaar, Executive Secretary of the International Association of Mission Studies (IAMS), gave to the Assembly the latest information about the next conference of IAMS. It will be held in Hungary on August 16-23, 2008, and the theme will be: Human Identity and the Gospel of Reconciliation. For more information, he invited the participants to visit the IAMS web site: www.missionstudies.org. On this occasion, IACM President expressed his gratitude to IAMS for having hosted information about IACM on its web site.
CONCLUSION
This Third Plenary Assembly of the IACM was closed with words of orientation by Lazar Stanislaus Thanuzraj, newly elected IACM President. Remembering the need of collaboration between Catholic missiologists which inspired the foundation of the IACM as a service to the missionary Church, he invited the members to contribute actively to the growth of this Association, particularly at the regional level. He expressed the gratitude of the Assembly to the members of the former Executive and also to the SVD Province of Poland and the community of the SVD Seminary at Pieniężno for their warm and generous hospitality.
William LaRousse, MM
2004-2007 IACM President
Bertrand Roy, PMÉ
2004-2007 Executive Secretary