Divine Word Missionaries

SVD Mission 2000

Province
Reports
for
the XV
General
Chapter

Contents

Presentation
Four Zones
AFRAM
ASPAC
EUROPA
PANAM
Statistics
Index

en Español

SVD Publications
Generalate
Rome
1999

THE SVD IN THE FOUR ZONES

he Society of the Divine Word has gone through a process of considerable geographical expansion during the last 20 years. Meanwhile, its numerical growth, though very strong, has not kept pace with the increasing requests for missionary service. This geographical expansion has introduced an accelerated process of cultural diversification within its ranks.

Thus, the Society, just like many other religious and missionary congregations, is searching for practical ways and means to express the internal unity in the lives of each member, even though they are living in different geographical areas and in different cultures as a result of the Society’s external expansion. During the 1970's the Society started to form practical groupings which are exercising a great influence on the life of the Society. These groupings have come to be known more commonly as "Zones."

The growth of the zones has been for the most part a spontaneous one, following the pattern set by the Church on different continents. The 47 Provinces and 7 Regions of the SVD throughout the world have come together into separate clusters, organizing the Society into four zones. Arranged in alphabetical order, they are: AFRAM (Africa/Madagascar), ASPAC (Asia/Pacific), EUROPA (Europe) and PANAM (the Americas).

The reasons for this new development can be traced back to the missionary objectives and tasks of the Society, namely:

• to search for common strategies for the inculturation of our lives as religious, for the process of formation and the different apostolates, within a specific geographical and cultural context.
• to foster mutual cooperation among the provinces and regions in areas of common interest.
• to share concerns and programs of actions in the context of the local churches within a particular continent.
• to facilitate communication to and from the Generalate to the Provinces and Regions.

The activities of the zones are determined by the statutes of each zone. These statutes are so written that they are in line with the directives coming from the Generalate in order to assure unity of action in the whole Society. The 1994 Chapter has this to say:

"The zonal assembly, made up of provincials together with the zonal coordinator and, if the provincials consider it necessary, the secretaries for the different areas, is the forum for leadership and animation on a zonal level."

In order to strengthen the ties of cooperation between the zones and the Generalate, the four zonal coordinators report personally to Rome every year during an extended meeting with the members of the General Council.

Although this zonal structure is a relatively recent development, the experience of the zone as a whole has been found to be positive. The zonal structure has been accepted as a platform for communion and participation in the life and mission of the Society. The tendency to close oneself within one's own little world is a danger which can threaten the Church as a community. More than ever, a missionary congregation is called upon today to keep itself open to the worldwide mission of the Church, to the universal dimension of God’s kingdom, of which the Church is a sign and sacrament. In this Church there can be no frontiers and no social classes. The numerous plans which the zones have put into practice through the years have certainly contributed to launching the Society effectively on the path toward greater communion and participation.