Working groups, group 14

We are en route together, leadership and membership. Leadership can count on a strong motivation and the commitment of their sisters and brothers as they move forward. The experience of subsidiarity leads to growth in responsibility of all the members. The unity of our congregations undoubtedly comes from our common vision, but it is supported by close relationships, often informal, between members and leaders, which create ties and break down barriers. We experience collaboration in mission, in decision-making, in all our seeking together, . . .

And yet, it is difficult to give each individual their place, to recognize each person in their specific role. There is much work to be done so that women might be given their rightful place in our societies, so each woman might claim her God-given role. This is more difficult in some cultures than in others.

A healthy relationship with authority is not a given. The thirst for power, personal blocks, and difficulties with some groups drain energy. To come to decisions as a group is a difficult art: How can the group move away from polararizations? When should one let go of an idea for the good of the whole? Sometimes we wonder where the Spirit is in our discussions. To articulate a common project together with a personal project is often an adventure. Leaders must often make decisions which will be displeasing to some or hurt someone.

Our structures are time-bound and transitory, so we want them to be supple and able to be changed so they are a source of life for the group. To adapt our structures we need to be creative and open to changing our mental schemas, for example, our notion of stability. To work to transform our structures is to join together in an ongoing process which requires patience and an openness to different cultures.

Our congregations are, above all, spiritual entities marked by faith in God and faith in the members. We need to believe in our sisters and brothers and not consider them a threat to our authority. It is to our advantage to encourage dialogue and use processes which favour participation and a certain closeness between leaders and members. In such a context leaders will take up their true role as animators rather than being simply administrators. They will be free from bureaucracy and able to focus their energies on their prophetic role: to free the Spirit which is seeking to trace new paths in the congregation and to articulate the vision of the group to lead them toward their evangelical mission. Leaders are also called to respect the experience of each individual and help the members share their wisdom.

Sharing of information is essential for an apostolic body, but this means that every member has access to the same information.

Leaders need to give the means for ongoing formation and to encourage this. Otherwise we risk becoming too settled in the status quo.

We are called to open new paths of collaboration, be it with other congregations or with laity, to create networks and to move outside the walls that enclose us. Perhaps another form of solidarity is open to us since there are some congregations that are severely limited in their choice of apostolate because they lack adequate financial resources or adequate personnel.

We believe in the value of small projects which can be carried out and whose impact can be verified.

We recognize that leadership needs space, space for living, for relaxing, for enjoying life. If this is lacking leaders will be unable to support the enthusiasm of their sisters and brothers, to be an example of this enthusiasm, so necessary for mission. Groups also need to give space for welcoming the unexpected and imagining the new.

We are at the service of the whole and we know that if love and creativity join hands, our journey will be stimulating and fruitful.



	GROUP 14 68 Participants: 31 nationalities, 66 congregations LEADERSHIP AND AUTHORITY We are en route together, leadership and membership. Leadership can count on a strong motivation and the commitment of their sisters and brothers as they move forward. The experience of subsidiarity leads to growth in responsibility of all the members. The unity of our congregations undoubtedly comes from our common vision, but it is supported by close relationships, often informal, between members and leaders, which create ties and break down barriers. We experience collaboration in mission, in decision-making, in all our seeking together, . . . And yet, it is difficult to give each individual their place, to recognize each person in their specific role. There is much work to be done so that women might be given their rightful place in our societies, so each woman might claim her God-given role. This is more difficult in some cultures than in others. A healthy relationship with authority is not a given. The thirst for power, personal blocks, and difficulties with some groups drain energy. To come to decisions as a group is a difficult art: How can the group move away from polararizations? When should one let go of an idea for the good of the whole? Sometimes we wonder where the Spirit is in our discussions. To articulate a common project together with a personal project is often an adventure. Leaders must often make decisions which will be displeasing to some or hurt someone. Our structures are time-bound and transitory, so we want them to be supple and able to be changed so they are a source of life for the group. To adapt our structures we need to be creative and open to changing our mental schemas, for example, our notion of stability. To work to transform our structures is to join together in an ongoing process which requires patience and an openness to different cultures. Our congregations are, above all, spiritual entities marked by faith in God and faith in the members. We need to believe in our sisters and brothers and not consider them a threat to our authority. It is to our advantage to encourage dialogue and use processes which favour participation and a certain closeness between leaders and members. In such a context leaders will take up their true role as animators rather than being simply administrators. They will be free from bureaucracy and able to focus their energies on their prophetic role: to free the Spirit which is seeking to trace new paths in the congregation and to articulate the vision of the group to lead them toward their evangelical mission. Leaders are also called to respect the experience of each individual and help the members share their wisdom. Sharing of information is essential for an apostolic body, but this means that every member has access to the same information. Leaders need to give the means for ongoing formation and to encourage this. Otherwise we risk becoming too settled in the status quo. We are called to open new paths of collaboration, be it with other congregations or with laity, to create networks and to move outside the walls that enclose us. Perhaps another form of solidarity is open to us since there are some congregations that are severely limited in their choice of apostolate because they lack adequate financial resources or adequate personnel. We believe in the value of small projects which can be carried out and whose impact can be verified. We recognize that leadership needs space, space for living, for relaxing, for enjoying life. If this is lacking leaders will be unable to support the enthusiasm of their sisters and brothers, to be an example of this enthusiasm, so necessary for mission. Groups also need to give space for welcoming the unexpected and imagining the new. We are at the service of the whole and we know that if love and creativity join hands, our journey will be stimulating and fruitful.