International Association of Catholic Missiologists

Association  internationale  des  missiologues  catholiques
Asociacion internacional de misionologos catolicos
Asociazione internazionale di missiologi cattolici

MINUTES  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  BOARD MEETING

July  22 - 26, 2008, Rome

The IACM Executive Board was held at 09:00 on July the 22nd, 2008, at the Oblate Generalate, Via Aurelia, 290,  ROME. The following members were present:

Lazar T.  Stanislaus    - President
Nicanor Sarmiento     - Vice-President
Francois Jacques         - Executive Secretary
Luisa Melo                 - Administrator
Joseph Ndi-Okalla      - Representative – Africa
Roberto Tomicha        - Representative – Latin America
Kevin Hanlon             - Representative – North America
Andrew Recepcion    - Representative – Asia & Oceania
Wojciech Kluj            - Representative – Europe
Andrzej Pietrzak cannot come for personal reasons

Prayer was led by the President.
The President welcomed everyone and took a few minutes to warmly thank the Oblate members, Nicanor and Wojciech, for arranging our stay, free of charge, at the Oblate Generalate in Rome, and for their constant hospitality in helping with different needs during our stay.

1. AGENDA: Proposed Points

Visit to Pontifical Commissions
Newsletter
Website
Publications:     Last conference Any new publication
Next conference: Theme, Place, Methodology, Finance, Organizational details, Local support
Promotion of membership of IACM (Why should one become a member?)
Promotion of regional conferences
Financial support system
Translation of the book – bioethics
Added points:
Bank account in Italy
African Synod and Missiological Symposium
Year 2010 and the Centenary of Edinburgh

2. VISIT  TO  PONTIFICAL  COMMISSIONS

            We do not want the IACM to belong to just one Vatican congregation, but rather wish to work with various ones because of our broad interests, and also to maintain our academic independence. We want to work with the official Church in both particular and universal ways. As a catholic association, it is important to introduce ourselves, to give them a sign of our presence in Rome.
            We decided that Fr. Lazar, as president, would send a letters requesting an audience with the Prefects of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP), the Council for Culture, the Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the Council for Justice and Peace (CJP). It would be very good for the Association to meet some of them. A meeting with a Prefect enters into their written records. In the end, we were able to meet with two offices: with the Secretary of the CEP, Archbishop Robert Sarah, and later with the Secretary of the CJP, Archbishop Gianpaolo Crepaldi.

3. NEWSLETTER

            Fr. Lazar reminded the group that it is important for the Association to stay in contact with the members. Last year, we succeeded in sending two newsletters: one was the Third Plenary Assembly Report, the other was for Christmas Greetings. We have to clarify the nature of this instrument. After discussion, we decided that it should simply be an update: information to the members about events, new books and theses on missiological issues. It will begin with a short message from the President. Because it is hard to collect news from the continents, the Continental Representatives on the Board accept the task of being correspondents.
            We decided to publish the newsletter twice a year:
Publishing deadline:   October 1.
                                   Submission deadline: September 1.
                                   Content:                     Introductory text from the President,
                                                                       News from our meeting
                                                                       News from the continents
Publishing deadline:   April 1.
                                   Submission deadline: March 2.
                                   Content:                     Introductory text from the President,
News from continents (150 words by continent, or 5-6 lines by item, or 2 paragraphs) 

4. WEBSITE

            Last year, the website rarely changed. It needs to be updated more often, at least once a month. It was reported that Fr. Bertrand Roy formerly had a very computer literate “webmaster” on his staff, but he now has to handle all of it on his own. We decided to contact him to see if we could offer some assistance. So, the Board mandated our Executive Secretary to talk with him as soon as possible and ask these questions to him: What’s the situation now?            Are you able to continue to work on it? Would there be any difficulties delegating work to another person? What are the technical possibilities for such a transfer of technical responsibilities (e.g., would someone be able to access and help with the site from a remote location, different from Fr. Roy’s, if the domain name and password were provided?) Where is the Canadian server located?
            (Exec. Sec. Fr. Francois Jacques contacted Fr. Roy with these questions, who answered by Email that he would be willing to transfer the website work to someone else, and sent all relevant technical information to do so. Fr. Wojciech said that he has a number of students who would be willing and very capable to work on the site. The Board agreed to appoint Fr. Wojciech webmaster, who later reported that he was able to open and work on the site with the technical information supplied by Fr. Roy.)

5. PUBLICATIONS

            We discussed whether we should publish articles from IACM members through another group’s journal and mail this journal to all the members. Can we develop such a relationship with Mission Today (Salesian publication - - Ceylon-Shillong) or through Sedos?
In the case of Mission Today, such an arrangement is possible, with the condition only that we pay for the postage to IACM members. However, although Mission Today is known around the world, it mostly represents Asian mission and missiology.
            Making an agreement with the second one (Sedos) will be costly (30E/European members; 35E/ non European members; 45USD; 5E for 1 copy postage). Sedos is open to publishing articles, and our members could publish their personal articles, but if they wish to use the title “IACM Member,” they would first have to submit it to the board for approval.
            To have our proper printed journal will require more effort (gathering articles, correcting, publishing, postage, possible staff). Instead of a published journal, we could simply make IACM members’ articles available on the Website. Another idea is to open doors in our Website: 1. Provide a theme, and members can then publish articles or reflections online, or 2. Provide an online space for members to put their articles on any topic in order to receive comments. We decided that Lazar Stanislaus will talk to Fr. Carlos Rodriguez from Sedos; contingent upon the outcome, if articles are submitted, Kevin Hanlon and Andrew Recepcion are the Board members assigned for reviewing them.

Last Conference’s Publication Problems
            Jim Kroeger sent us an Email describing some major challenges he faces in publishing the proceedings of the Pieniezno Conference, and ask us to consider placing limits upon the papers submitted for publication. After some discussion, we decided upon the following:
            a. We will publish all the Continental Papers. The editor and co-editor will select which one of the individual papers submitted for the groups will be published.
            b. After that they will ask authors to limit their text to 5000 words (Continental papers) and to 3000 words (group papers) as was required before, and to send them back a revised final copy.
            c. The deadline for sending back the texts will be September 15th, 2008.
            d. We will publish papers in their original language, but ask for an abstract in English of 9 to 15 lines if the paper is in a language other than English.

Any new publications
            Can the Association publish books more frequently, at least once a year? Can we select certain people who would then propose themes? Can we find the resources to publish a book a year?
            After much discussion, we decided to attempt a publication. These are the details:
            -The title will be IACM Studies.
            -Theme for 2009 publication: Fundamentalism: religious, secular and atheistic.
            -Editor and co-editor:            Andrew Recepcion and Kevin Hanlon.
            -Articles must be submitted by March 1st, 2009.
-Edition will be done on month of June 2009.

6. NEXT CONFERENCE: Brainstorming on Themes:

                            
-China challenges the Christian Mission today
-Jesus and Asian cultures and religions
-Shift in Mission management; from geography to people
-The shift of Christianity
-Towards a new Christianity of the South and the East
-Witness and proclamation of Christ and Church in a world of relativism
-Evangelization and globalization
-New aeropagus and Mission
-Christians as minorities
-Clash of civilization; Mission and religions
-Christian identity in a secular society
-Challenges of fundamentalism (including secular fundamentalism)
-Migration and Mission
-Contextual theology and Mission
-Ecology and Mission
-Justice, peace and reconciliation
-Human rights, structural poverty, marginalization and Mission
-Humanization and Mission
-New life in Jesus
-Atheism and Mission
Suggestions:
1. New life in Jesus-Christ in the context of globalization and religions
2. Revisiting Proclamation and Witness of Christ and Church
3. Towards New Christianity: Witness and Proclamation
4. The new aeropagus of Mission: Proclamation and Witness in a globalized world.
5. A new life in Jesus: Proclamation and Witnessing in the new aeropagus of our times.
After much discussion, we decided on the following as our main theme and five subthemes for the 2010 Conference:

“New Life in Jesus in the Aeropagus of a Globalized World” - (cf. Acts. 17, 22)
                Proclamation and Witness
            Dialogue and Religions
                Religious and Secular Fundamentalism
                Human Rights and Eco-justice
                Indigenous Peoples
We also suggest that authors way wish to consider new voices and emerging subjects in missiology concerning women, families, and youth.

Place and time
Fr. Andrew Recepcion gave a presentation suggesting spots for the next conference at several sites in the Philippines. After some discussion, the board decided on the St. Scholastica Center for Spirituality (www.ssc.edu.ph), Tagaytay City, 55 kilometers from Manila, as the site for the next conference. A Chapel, Conference Center, Library, and rooms with bathrooms are available at a very convenient price. A tour of Manila will be offered at the end of the conference. The dates are July 27th until August 2nd, 2010. Schedule:
Arrival + Orientation meeting:          July, Tuesday, 27th
Conference:                                       July, Wednesday 28th, Thursday 29th, Friday 30th,
Plenary Assembly:                             July, Saturday, 31st,
Day Tour:                                          August, Sunday, 1st,
First Departure day:                          August, Monday, 2nd,
Optional tour in NAGA City:           August, 2nd till the 4th ,,
Second Departure day:                      August, Thursday, 5th.
We will ask the Focolare community to assume the translation duties.

Methodology:
Main Papers: About speakers: we keep the same format we had previously, of having ten Continental Papers: 2 from Africa, 2 from Asia (one from Bishop Luis Tagle of Imus, in which Tagaytay City resides), 1 from Oceania, 2 from South America, 2 from Europe, 1 from North America.
Papers for thematic workshops: everyone who comes is invited to prepare a paper (in order to present in groups) to stimulate interest in attending.
Continental representatives will look for writers of the Continental papers. Continental representatives have to insist that 1.) every Continental speaker give his 5000 word paper for publication before the Conference, and 2.) the spoken address by the Continental speaker will be stated to be 2000 words. Continental representatives will act as moderators.
In preparation for General Conclusion, the Executive Board will find and appoint 5 persons to summarize the presentations; and 1 person to put together what the 5 will have pointed out.      

Schedule Details for Tuesday through Friday (Hourly):
            Tuesday July 27: In the evening of this arrival day, there will be a one hour Orientation meeting.

Finance:
            Registration fees:                   100 USD
            Boarding and Lodging:         Andrew Recepcion will negotiate and tell us later.
Organizational details and local support:
            Person in charge of the Conference:  Nicanor Sarmiento
            Person in charge of the logistics:       Andrew Recepcion

            The Executive Board approves that 2 of the Board (probably Lazar and Nicanor) will go to the Philippines to meet Andrew one year in advance to look at the organizational details and at the local support. Because our Executive Secretary, Francois Jacques, might be unable to send invitation letters and to do the Email correspondence after May 2009, the Board appoints Kevin Hanlon as Acting Secretary, from the beginning of June 2009.
            Visa: For most countries, not needed to enter the Philippines. We have to ask the Bishop or a Provincial to produce invitation letters for those countries which need one. Contact: Andrew.

7. PROMOTION  OF  MEMBERSHIP (of IACM)

-“Why should we become a member?”
-Each Continent Representative will look at the Directory, contact the members we have no news on and give us an update before December 2008.
-Can we have the Directory one year before the Congress, just to make invitations to the right persons?
-The information will be sent to Dr. Luisa Melo, who will update the Directory.
30 USD remains as an annual membership fee. Approved.
-The Application Form is not a requirement to become member. Any person  recommended by a member can be accepted by the Executive Secretary.
-We need to promote the membership and we will try to look if there are potential members or associated members. Everyone will have to promote it depending on their context and circumstances. We encourage the students in missiology, theology, anthropology, etc. to become associate members (without fees) if they are recommended by a member. In Conferences, they could be invited in for a certain talks but not as full participants. We hope that, after their studies, they will become full members.
-The President, Fr. Lazar, is invited to write to Deans of Faculties, opening doors for membership and associated members.
-Bill LaRousse and Andrew Recepcion will sit together and talk about making a brochure promoting membership; they will send it to the Board members in October.
 
Promotion  of  Regional  Conferences
Asia:               May be in Macau.
Topic: China Evangelization.
May boarding and lodging be free? It will be costly for members.
The question is: how to collect the money for that?
Europe:          There is a resistance because already exist a lot of little national associations and missiologists groups.
North-America:        There is not enough interest.
South-America:        Possibility of sending an invitation to members after Aparecida and CAM-3 to analyze these events and develop a common point of view.
Africa:           Warm invitation of the African Representative(IACM) to the African Missiological Symposium in Yaoude from November the 13th to November 17th, 2008 in preparation of the African Synod (2009).

8. FINANCIAL  SUPPORT  SYSTEM

How can we increase our financial resources?
-It seems necessary to develop a strategy.
-Intensify the collection of members dues.
-Is it possible for the Treasurer to send a letter to every member who has not paid the annual fees, thanking them for past support, but asking now for continued help? He could stress that we need to both update the website and support members who wish to come to the next conference but may need some assistance. We unanimously approved.
-Andrzej Pietrzak will try to put the instructions/details of how to send dues on the website.
-Are there some business opportunities; for example, to publish a  book?
-At the next Plenary Assembly, point out the institutions which can help us: We already receive donations from 10 very well established congregations, Missio helps us; Why don’t we try to ask the Knights of Columbus; is it part of their goals? (Nicanor will provide the postal address; good to mention that at least three missiologist priests are members of the Knights.).

Bank  Account  in  Italy
-We are uncomfortable with the actual accounting system: sub-account of the SVD bank account in the USA. The Board asks Kevin Hanlon to have contact with the La Salle Bank for clarifications:
            -What about the service charges: is it monthly? Is it when there are big checks? As a charity       organization, with more than $30 000, should we pay charges?
            -Have they online banking? Is it accessed from Europe?
            -Can we see the picture of the checks, just to know who sent each one?
            -Is a Saving account available to our organization? Which interest rate?

            As far as opening a Vatican Bank account, we have to receive an approval by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. According to a letter we got from the Secretariat of State, our association has to be first recognized at the diocesan level, at least in one diocese.
After a long discussion, we unanimously decide that Nicanor will contact and try to convince a bishop he knows to recognize us. Joseph and Wojciech will do so too. Then, at the next Plenary Assembly, we will look at the results.

9. Additional Topics of Discussion

Book on Bioethics
            We received and discussed a request to publish a book on bioethics, but concluded we do not have the resources at this time to do so.

African  Synod
            What is the role of the Church in an African society in search of salvation, hope and life? “The Church in Africa – Reconciliation, Justice and Peace” This is the theme of the next African Synod. This Lineamenta and questionnaires highlight the endeavors of the African Church. The Synodal experience and the Post-Synodal exhortation should lay down the markers for the Church’s continued evangelization in the African continent as a whole. (Joseph Okalla)
            After the Missiological Symposium in Yaoude, there will follow a Meeting for African Theologians from November the 17th to 21st, 2008, as a major step to the Second African Synod. “You are the salt of the earth… you are the light of the world” (Mt 5. 13-14). Fr. Okalla invited all the members of the board to participate either in person or by submitting papers.

2010 – Edinburgh (Centennial of World Council of Churches)
            There is an open invitation on the WCC website. Sedos was contacted. What we should do as a Missiologists association? The meeting will be held in Edinburgh from June 2nd to 6th, 2009. The main theme is Witnessing Christ in the world of today. There is a lady from Switzerland appointed to represent the Vatican. The first thing to do is to contact her and ask her what is the best thing for us missiologists to do. Lazar will write to her.

Concluding Prayer by the members.
The Meeting ended with a prayer on July, Saturday 26th, 2009. Later that evening, Dr. Melo hosted the group at her house for a delicious meal.

Lazar Thanuzraj Stanislaus SVD  
IACM President  

Francois Jacques
IACM Executive Secretary