For several years we have heard individuals speak about the 1% Campaign that has been promoted by the General Curia. What impact has this campaign had on the missions of the Congregation of the Mission?
In the 2017 “missionary appeal” letter, the Superior General, Father Tomaẑ Mavriĉ, CM, spoke about this campaign for the first time. From that time forward this 1% Campaign has become more prominent and gained strength among the confreres. For many members, to speak about sending 1% of the missionaries to the missions sounds quite insignificant … it seems to be a very small number in light of the fact that, by nature, the Congregation is missionary.
For many years the missionary appeal was dependent upon the apostolic zeal of the confreres who were willing to volunteer for the International Missions that were dependent on the General Curia. Gradually, this campaign established a concrete objective, namely, each year to seek 30 confreres who would leave for the missions ad gentes. This proposal is not intended to downplay in any way the importance of the charism or the missionary spirit that animates the whole Congregation. We understand that, by nature, we are missionaries … and the missionary reality is part of our DNA. The objective of the 1% campaign is to rekindle in all the confreres this missionary spirit while at the same time reinforcing the missions with a specific number of confreres, that is, thirty or more confreres each year.
Another aspect that Father Tomaž has highlighted in his letters is the fact that the missionary spirit of the Congregation cannot be reduced to the International Missions that are dependent on the Curia. This missionary charism is expressed in all the works in the more than ninety countries where the missionaries are present. In other words, the missionary charism is expressed and alive in the parishes, schools, seminaries and all the works in which our confreres are involved.
With regard to the missions themselves, there are various experiences: the international missions and the Regional Missions, which in accord with #78 of the Statutes of the Congregation, are established by a Province and are outside the territory of the Province. Generally, missions are established in response to the call from a Bishop or a branch of the Vincentian Family. Such missions arise because there is a specific need for a missionary presence or because of reality of poverty in a particular area cries out for our presence. There are also missions within a Province (usually in areas of great need) and there are also popular missions where are experiencing a resurgence in some provinces.
In this way we can say that the 1% Campaign cannot be reduced to a specific number but rather is a call to live and to promote a specific spirit, a missionary spirit,
In 2019, Pope Francis promulgated the Extraordinary Missionary Month and at that time Father Mavriĉ offered the Pope 1% of our members for the mission ad gentes, and this, of course, can also be viewed as a manner to reinforce the missions of our community.
In 2020, because of the pandemic, some missionaries were unable to depart for their missionary assignment and other had to delay their departure. Nevertheless, every effort was made to move forward with this plan because the poor need us. Also, Father Tomaž has stated in his letters that departure for the missions was not something that happened immediately. Rather. the confreres can begin a process of preparation for their mission, especially in light of the fact that it may not be possible for a confrere to immediately leave his present ministry because the Province has to make some type of readjustment with regard to personnel. We are aware of the fact that provinces make a sacrifice when they allow a missionary to depart for a mission. When this sacrifice is viewed from the perspective of poverty, we have no doubt that a Province will be rewarded with new vocations as a result of such a sacrifice.
In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic which we are experiencing, the Communications Office once again promoted this 1% Campaign with a series of activities and medium-term proposals. The Office utilized the various social media platforms and video conferencing in order to promote the missionary spirit among the more than 3,000 missionaries throughout the world.
We have had an excellent response during these past two years, a response that went beyond our expectations … more than thirty-five confreres have volunteered. Last year’s response and the outlook for this year give us great hope with regard to our missions. We highlight the fact that confreres have offered to become part of the international missions that are dependent on the General Curia while others have offered to reinforce the missions that are dependent on the individual provinces. New missions have also been opened. Below is a list of those countries where we have been able to provide some new personnel.
Missionaries have been sent to reinforce and/or initiate missions in: Madagascar, Hondruas, Chand, Papua New Guinea, Argentina, Cuba, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Bolivia, Suriname, the Solomon Islands, Japan, Laos, Taiwan, Russia, Myanmar, Sri-Lanka, Malawi, Ukraine, China, Colombia (San Vicente del Caguán), Chile, Alaska, Téfe (Brazil), Angola, Thailand, Rwanda-Burundi, Tanzania.
Finally, we should note that the generosity of many confreres has allowed this project to move forward. Indeed, our missionary spirit remains alive and active in many countries where the needs and the poor continue to increase in number. Many missionary places are difficult and yet as confreres volunteer for these places, our mission to evangelize the poor also moves forward.
This movement of the missionaries throughout the world, gives life to words of our Founder, Vincent de Paul, words that also became the motto for the 2018 campaign: I belong neither here nor there, but wherever God wants me to be (CCD:IX:10).
