Creative Ministries

CREATIVE FIDELITY TO THE MISSION

3.  A Look at the Future:  Creative  Ministries

Context:

Vincent reminded us that “love is creative unto infinity.”  The ministries which we carry out for love of God and one another invite us to be creative.  Everything changes and so must the Congregation and the confreres in responding to the needs of the Church and world of our time.  To be creative is to be life-giving—our ministries should be life-giving for ourselves as well as for the people whom we serve.

Synthesis of Provincial Assemblies:

Characteristics of our Ministry:

  • focusing upon those who are not served;
  • developing a people-based strategic pastoral program which empowers the people to take responsibility and give direction for any “service”;
  • sharing our Vincentian charism with our co-workers in the mission through mutual formation and collaboration in all areas of the mission at the local and international levels;
  • developing diversified forms of community life and prayer appropriate to the current apostolate; for example, establishing prayer groups in our ministries, integrating spirituality into our programs;
  • encouraging Vincentian Spirituality;
  • collaborating with the Vincentian Family.

Whom should we serve with creativity:

  • the immigrant populations;
  • the marginalized persons: prisoners, migrants, etc.;
  • the “new poor”: refugees, displaced persons, those suffering from psychological trauma as a result of violence and armed conflict, street children, etc.;
  • those of other religious backgrounds, particularly the Muslims; there is a need to promote dialogue with Islam.

How should we minister creatively:

  • making reflection a motivating and empowering element in ministry
    • use the “pastoral cycle” (“pastoral discernment”) as a methodology in renewing pastoral  ministries:  situation analysis, theological reflection, judgment, response
  • using information and communication technology as effective means of mission;
  • developing new forms of apostolate through audiovisual means for evangelization and catechesis ; for example, making short films on the persons and passages of the Gospel;
  • learning the language of those to/with whom we minister;
  • dealing creatively and well with the process of moving on from certain works and ministries;
  • developing dynamic apostolates;
  • reinventing traditional pastoral engagements, for example with migrants, the elderly, differently-abled, poor students, slum dwellers;
  • asking ourselves: where do we put our most energetic men;
  • exploring new works of evangelization, such as interreligious dialogue, care for the environment, disaster intervention, human rights, etc;
  • valuing the past but letting go of what holds us back;
  • developing creative leadership both in the Congregation and in lay leadership
  • establishing lay missionary programs;
  • maintaining safe environments for children;
  • using new means of evangelization and catechesis which respond to the contexts and are inventive; creating ministry on behalf of the poor adjusted to the current time and place as St. Vincent did;
  • collaborating with organizations which, in some areas, have the same goal as we do (for example, faith-based groups, UN, EU, NGO’s, GO’s);
  • learning from successful organizations both within the Congregation and outside the Congregation.