Divine Word Missionaries

SVD Mission 2000

Province
Reports
for
the XV
General
Chapter

Contents

Presentation
Four Zones
AFRAM
ASPAC
EUROPA
ESP
GBR
GE-
GEN
GES
HUN
IRE
ITA
NEB
OES
POL
POR
ROM
SLO
SWI
URL
PANAM
Statistics
Index

en Español

SVD Publications
Generalate
Rome
1999

EUROPA ZONE

1. A New Continental Awareness

The SVD Provinces in Europe have been growing together over the past 15 years. They have learned to overcome their separation and to come together in their "shared home in Europe." The fruits of many meetings and assemblies on the continental level can already be tasted: they have learned to know each other better, they have developed a sense of belonging together, and they have opened avenues of mutual cooperation.

This change came about at roughly the same time when the ideological and physical walls which had divided Europe for years had finally broken down. The European Synod of Bishops in 1991 described this radical change in the European arena as "almost a miracle."

The Churches in Europe are once again able to meet with the Churches in the East, long a subject of persecution. Together they are learning to face the challenges which confront Europe: the process of secularization and its effects on morality; the new evangelization, relationship of the Church and State, the division among Christians, regionalism...

2. SVD Mission IN and FROM Europe

As the SVD provinces in Europe experienced these changes they also began to question themselves, what should our task be in the European context. Because of this questioning, they have developed ideas regarding the role of the SVD both in Europe and from Europe. The Assembly of Provincial Superiors in Roscommon in 1990 made a declaration which marks a historical turning point in their search for an answer to such questions: The SVD is in Europe not only to act as an agency sending missionaries ad gentes to other continents — there are many missionary situations in Europe itself which merit the attention of the SVD as a missionary Society.

Because of this, the General Chapter of 1994 expressed the vision of the EUR Zone thus:

"The Society of the Divine Word in Europe, challenged by the reality of secularization, the opening up of Eastern Europe, the modern migration of peoples, and the decline of religious vocations, turns to the entire Society with the following request..To do justice to the mission situations in Europe, the European zone asks for the international cooperation from the other zones of the Society..."

The answer from the other provinces was quick and spontaneous.

3. Zonal cooperation in Practice

In order to outline more clearly their presence and their work in the complex reality of Europe today, the 13 European provinces and the Ural Region are following a program of regular meetings. Several projects they have initiated are the fruit of mutual cooperation on both the interprovincial and intercontinental levels. These initiatives are mostly to be found in the area of formation, social communication, care of migrants, etc.

Because they have come nearer to each other, the European provinces are now in a position to situate their particular activities within the indispensable framework of a united Europe.