Results of the USG-UISG meeting published: a strong request emerges to create an institutional forum for general bursars, along with a call for more training and joint actions.

A clear and shared request for greater collaboration, training, and common action. This is the main message that emerged from the meeting "The «good» economic management of a religious institute today," held in Rome on February 19, 2025, and promoted by the Union of Superiors General (USG) and the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).

The event saw significant participation, with over 450 superiors general and general bursars gathered both in-person at the UISG headquarters and online.
Following the presentation of a sample survey analyzed by Dr. Alessandro Pellizzari, participants were divided into 44 working groups with a specific task: to identify one or two priority economic-managerial actions to be implemented at an inter-congregational level. 

The results of this collective work, presented in a video by Dr. Pellizzari, outline a clear roadmap for the future of economic management in religious institutes.

The Four Priorities that Emerged from the Meeting

From the analysis of the responses of the 44 working groups, four main priority requests emerged:

• Creation of an Institutional Forum for Dialogue (70%): The most pressing request, put forward by 31 out of 44 groups (70%), is the creation of an "official' institutional place for continuous and operational discussion among the general bursars." It is significant to note that the vast majority of these (81%) specified that such a body should be created within the single association of USG and UISG.
   
• Periodic Training for Bursars (41%): In second place, with 41% of the preferences (18 groups), is the need to organize "periodic meetings and training courses" specifically for bursars. During the presentation of the results, it was also emphasized that 50% of these groups explicitly requested the involvement of lay people who collaborate in the general bursars' offices in these training programs.
   
• Joint Action Towards External Parties (20%): 20% of the groups (9 out of 44) indicated "joint inter-congregational action towards the State, suppliers, banks, investment funds, etc." as a priority. This request highlights the desire to present a united front to have greater bargaining power and representation.
   
• Involvement of the Dicastery for Religious (9%): Finally, 9% of the participants (4 groups) requested a "strengthening of the involvement of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (DIVCSVA)" to foster dialogue and training at the general bursar level.
   

Next Steps

As emphasized by Dr. Pellizzari, these requests have already been forwarded to the leadership of USG and UISG to assess their feasibility and implementation methods. For their part, the two Unions have promised to take on these requests and work to create the requested meeting and training spaces.
The results of the February 19 meeting are not just an analysis, but a true mandate that the congregations have entrusted to their representative bodies, marking an important step towards an increasingly collaborative, competent, and transparent economic management.