{"id":13511,"date":"2012-12-23T09:44:43","date_gmt":"2012-12-23T07:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mafrsouthernafrica.wordpress.com\/?page_id=1"},"modified":"2022-07-07T15:16:06","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T15:16:06","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aim of our Province<\/strong><\/p>\n

The aim of our Province is to share our common vision, namely to encourage confreres to meditate the incarnate Christ through the Eucharist and the Word of God, to live in fraternal, witnessing and welcoming communities, to live out our mission of JPIC\/ED in solidarity with the poor and to work in communion with the local Church.<\/p>\n

Our Provincial project is to realize in the next three years the Chapter directives as expressed in our Post-Capitulars Acts. The nature of our ministry within our Council is to deal with the joys and sorrows of human beings. It is also to deal with decision making that will impact many people within and outside our Province. We are called to look beyond Sector’s interests in order to include the needs of the entire SAP Province and also the Society. Our teamwork obliges all of us to respect procedures of communication and confidentiality in a spirit of unity.<\/p>\n

The Mega SAP Province<\/b><\/p>\n

In the 60s, there were about 270 confreres in Zambia and 140 in Malawi. These were BIG Provinces! Today, SAP has essentially become a Mega Province because of the size of its territory composed of four countries with its complex and varied missionary involvements.<\/p>\n

\"Antoon_Oostveen\"<\/a>Historical view. Interview with Antoon Oosveen<\/b><\/p>\n

I was Provincial of Zambia when I met Marc Angers, former SAP Provincial, who told me that we should start thinking of merging. However, this process really started when Gotthard Rosner took over from me in 2003.<\/p>\n

By and large, the confreres were not touched by it. Countries were unknown to each other. It was more a business between the Superiors of the existing Provinces. This feeling prevails up to now among some confreres. It was clear that South Africa was afraid to see a big brother like Zambia becoming a member of the family. But, the contrary was similarly true in Zambia; confreres were troubled by the new majority composed of the three other countries. As a result, under the influence of former Provincial Superior, Louis Blondel, Zambia ended up with two Sectors in an attempt to get a proportionate representation under the leadership of two part-time Delegate Superiors.<\/p>\n

What is particular with Zambia is that the Provincial resides in Lusaka and the Provincial Treasurer is at the same time the Sector Treasurer. The Provincial Secretary is also assisting the Zambian Sector in many ways. The main test is to differentiate the level of responsibility between the Province and the Zambian Sector. Now, with a full time Delegate Superior instead of two part-time, as it used to be, this problem will eventually ease.<\/p>\n

Another difficulty is to fit in and follow a bigger plan which goes beyond the frontiers of a specific Sector. The confreres of my generation feel it most while the younger ones are more flexible. But, because of the departure of younger confreres for studies in view of formation, my generation is the one holding the fort. As a consequence, the main burden is on the shoulders of the Superiors to keep the vision and animation going.<\/p>\n

Finally, knowing one another within the Mega SAP Province remains a challenge. How can we appreciate someone else\u2019s missionary work? The lack of knowledge of the reality of other Sectors is still hindering the merger of the Mega SAP Province.<\/p>\n

\"Gotthard<\/a>The beginning of the Mega SAP Province. Interview with Gotthard Rosner<\/b><\/p>\n

In Zambia, at first, the majority were very much opposed to the creation of a new SAP Province. However, the General Council was strongly pushing for it. The model of the MSOLA having one single Province for the entire continent was giving ammunition for the creation of larger structures. Then, members of the former SAP Provincial Council came to Zambia to present their views for expanding their Province with Zambia. Slowly, the consent of the Zambian confreres went through. The main arguments were to release the work of the Provincial and to reduce the administrative personnel. In the meantime, this has been proved to be a false assumption.<\/p>\n

Because of the size of the Province covering four large countries, it is not easy for the Provincial to visit all the communities. Confreres are complaining that they are losing a personal touch with him. Thus, to a certain degree, each Delegate Superior is managing some duties historically reserved to the Provincial. Fortunately, there are provisions for it in the SAP Statutes which allow decentralisation of work.<\/p>\n

It was hoped that we would come to know the other Sectors much better. For the moment, it is mainly true for those who travel to different countries for attending various meetings. But, despite its diversity and size; the Mega SAP Province is pushing us forward.<\/p>\n

The attitude of the confreres before and after the merger. Interview with Didier Lemaire\"Didier<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

There were already some concerns in the former SAP Province about the inequality among its three Sectors. The prospect of welcoming Zambia, perceived to be big, added to this worry. This is why several confreres would have liked to have the residence of the Provincial to be situated in Lilongwe, for instance. Finally, the choice of Lusaka was well accepted.<\/p>\n

The advantage of the merger is obviously the possibility of mutual support among confreres throughout the new SAP Province, especially at the level of our four JPIC\/ED Centres. I do not see a real disadvantage emerging if not the fact that all the Sectors are still inward looking. The difficulty remains to reach a common global vision within the new Mega SAP Province. But steps have been made. The best example is the opening of the First Phase in Balaka wholly approved by all Sectors as a way forward.<\/p>\n

Slowly, the confreres come to know one another through the work of the Provincial Council, various sessions and news published in the SAP magazine Motomoto Echo. But, if I take my own case, I still know very little about Zambia as a country and a Sector. I guess it is the same situation for confreres in Zambia who never went to South Africa.<\/p>\n

Todays\u2019 situation. Interview with Timoth\u00e9e Bationo\"Timoth\u00e9e<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

We had an important meeting in 2008 in Zomba, Malawi, where most of the confreres from the former SAP Province met together for a few days. This was an exceptional gathering where the then three Sectors could present their socio-political and pastoral setup. It gave us the opportunity to know one another and to meet face to face. It was a kind of breakthrough in building a closer sense of unity. It is at that meeting that the final decision to join the Zambian Province was adopted. The main advantage was the possibility of mutual support in achieving our common mission.<\/p>\n

So far, the enlargement of the Mega SAP Province shows that we can dream together and come up with concrete solutions. We have also learnt a lot from the experience of a well-established Province like Zambia. Our only real disadvantage in Mozambique is the language. Quite often, we need to translate important documents in Portuguese. Moreover, our candidates have to learn English. But the support we get compensates this inconvenience which, in the end, is beneficial.<\/p>\n

The confreres are happy with the emergence of our new SAP Province. We have the feeling of not being isolated anymore. We are better known than before. I am sure that we have achieved more in the past three years because of the Mega SAP Province than we could have done within the former SAP Province.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/b>
\nNavigating the shifts between the old and the new SAP Province is not an easy task. Quite often, as it is said in the Gospel, the old wine is better than the new one. But, new wine, new skins! (Mc 2,22). Fear, prejudice and the unknown are contributing to some resistance for change. It is the view of the Provincial Council Members that negative perceptions will ease over time with a better knowledge of one another\u2019s socio-pastoral realities. Time will tell us also if the Mega SAP Province is cost effective.<\/p>\n

Compiled by Serge St-Arneault<\/a>, <\/b>SAP Provincial Secretary<\/b><\/p>\n

 La m\u00e9ga-Province d\u2019Afrique australe (SAP)<\/b><\/p>\n

Dans les ann\u00e9es soixante, il y avait environ 270 confr\u00e8res en Zambie et 140 au Malawi. Aujourd\u2019hui, la SAP est devenue essentiellement une m\u00e9ga-Province par la taille de son territoire compos\u00e9 de quatre pays et par les engagements missionnaires complexes et vari\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

Perspectives historiques avec Antoon Oosveen<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

J\u2019\u00e9tais Provincial de Zambie quand Marc Angers, ancien Provincial de la SAP, me dit que nous devrions commencer \u00e0 penser la fusion. Mais ce processus a vraiment commenc\u00e9 quand Gotthard Rosner m\u2019a succ\u00e9d\u00e9 en 2003.<\/p>\n

En g\u00e9n\u00e9ral, les confr\u00e8res ne furent pas touch\u00e9s par cela. Les pays \u00e9taient inconnus les uns des autres. Ce fut davantage un travail entre les Sup\u00e9rieurs des Provinces existantes. Ce sentiment pr\u00e9vaut jusqu\u2019\u00e0 maintenant parmi quelques confr\u00e8res. C\u2019\u00e9tait clair que l\u2019Afrique du Sud avait peur de voir un grand fr\u00e8re comme la Zambie devenir membre de la famille. Mais le contraire \u00e9tait pareillement vrai en Zambie : des confr\u00e8res \u00e9taient troubl\u00e9s par une nouvelle majorit\u00e9 compos\u00e9e de trois autres pays. Il r\u00e9sulta que, sous l\u2019influence de l\u2019ancien Provincial, Louis Blondel, la Zambie r\u00e9alisa deux Secteurs en vue d\u2019obtenir une repr\u00e9sentation proportionn\u00e9e sous le leadership de deux Sup\u00e9rieurs d\u00e9l\u00e9gu\u00e9s \u00e0 temps partiel.<\/p>\n

Ce qui est particulier avec la Zambie, c\u2019est que le Provincial r\u00e9side \u00e0 Lusaka et que l\u2019\u00c9conome provincial est en m\u00eame temps l\u2019\u00c9conome de Secteur. Le Secr\u00e9taire provincial aide aussi le Secteur zambien de plusieurs fa\u00e7ons. La principale difficult\u00e9 est de diff\u00e9rencier le niveau de responsabilit\u00e9 entre la Province et le Secteur zambien. Maintenant, avec un Sup\u00e9rieur d\u00e9l\u00e9gu\u00e9 \u00e0 temps plein au lieu de deux \u00e0 temps partiel, comme c\u2019\u00e9tait le cas, ce probl\u00e8me sera \u00e9ventuellement att\u00e9nu\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Une autre difficult\u00e9 est d\u2019ajuster et de suivre un projet plus grand que les fronti\u00e8res du Secteur sp\u00e9cifique. Les confr\u00e8res de ma g\u00e9n\u00e9ration le sentent davantage alors que les plus jeunes sont plus flexibles. Mais, \u00e0 cause du d\u00e9part de jeunes confr\u00e8res aux \u00e9tudes, en vue de la formation, ma g\u00e9n\u00e9ration devient celle qui \u201ctient le fort\u201d. En cons\u00e9quence, la charge principale est sur les \u00e9paules des Sup\u00e9rieurs qui doivent maintenir actives la vision et l\u2019animation.<\/p>\n

Finalement, se conna\u00eetre \u00e0 l\u2019int\u00e9rieur de cette grande Province reste un d\u00e9fi. Comment pouvons-nous appr\u00e9cier le travail missionnaire de l\u2019autre ? Le manque de connaissances de la r\u00e9alit\u00e9 des autres Secteurs emp\u00eache l\u2019int\u00e9gration de la Province.<\/p>\n

Le d\u00e9but de la Province de l\u2019Afrique australe, par Gotthard Rosner<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

En Zambie, au d\u00e9but, la majorit\u00e9 \u00e9tait fortement oppos\u00e9e \u00e0 la cr\u00e9ation d\u2019une nouvelle Province d\u2019Afrique australe. Mais le Conseil g\u00e9n\u00e9ral la promouvait fortement. L\u2019exemple des MSOLA ayant une seule Province pour l\u2019ensemble du continent donnait des arguments pour cr\u00e9er de plus larges structures. Ensuite, des membres du pr\u00e9c\u00e9dent Conseil provincial SAP sont venus en Zambie pour pr\u00e9senter leur point de vue relatif \u00e0 l\u2019extension de leur Province avec la Zambie. Le consentement des confr\u00e8res zambiens se r\u00e9alisa lentement. Les principaux arguments \u00e9taient de faciliter le travail du Provincial et de r\u00e9duire le personnel administratif. Entre-temps, cela a \u00e9t\u00e9 prouv\u00e9 \u00eatre un faux postulat.<\/p>\n

De par la taille des quatre grands pays, ce n\u2019est pas facile pour le Provincial de visiter toutes les communaut\u00e9s. Des confr\u00e8res se plaignent qu\u2019ils perdent le contact personnel avec lui. Aussi, jusqu\u2019\u00e0 un certain degr\u00e9, chaque Sup\u00e9rieur d\u00e9l\u00e9gu\u00e9 r\u00e9alise quelques responsabilit\u00e9s r\u00e9serv\u00e9es auparavant au Provincial. Heureusement, il y a des clauses dans la charte de la nouvelle Province qui permettent la d\u00e9centralisation du travail.<\/p>\n

On esp\u00e9rait mieux conna\u00eetre les autres Secteurs. Pour le moment, c\u2019est vrai surtout pour ceux qui voyagent dans divers pays pour participer \u00e0 des r\u00e9unions. Mais, malgr\u00e9 sa diversit\u00e9 et sa taille, la Province d\u2019Afrique australe nous propulse en avant.<\/p>\n

L\u2019attitude des confr\u00e8res avant et apr\u00e8s la fusion, par Didier Lemaire<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

Il y avait d\u00e9j\u00e0 quelques pr\u00e9occupations dans la Province SAP pr\u00e9c\u00e9dente concernant l\u2019in\u00e9galit\u00e9 des trois Secteurs. Le projet d\u2019accueillir la Zambie, per\u00e7ue comme \u00e9tant grande, amplifia cette crainte. C\u2019est pourquoi plusieurs confr\u00e8res souhaitaient voir la maison provinciale situ\u00e9e \u00e0 Lilongwe, par exemple. Finalement, le choix de Lusaka a \u00e9t\u00e9 bien accept\u00e9.<\/p>\n

L\u2019avantage actuel de la fusion est clairement la possibilit\u00e9 de soutien entre confr\u00e8res de la nouvelle Province, sp\u00e9cialement au niveau de nos quatre centres JPIC\/RD. Je ne vois pas de r\u00e9el d\u00e9savantage si ce n\u2019est le fait que tous les Secteurs sont encore \u201cintrovertis\u201d. La difficult\u00e9 d\u2019atteindre une vision globale dans la nouvelle Province demeure. Mais des pas ont \u00e9t\u00e9 faits. Le meilleur exemple est l\u2019ouverture de la premi\u00e8re \u00c9tape \u00e0 Balaka, approuv\u00e9e par tous les Secteurs et consid\u00e9r\u00e9e comme une avanc\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

Les confr\u00e8res arrivent lentement \u00e0 se conna\u00eetre par le travail du Conseil provincial, par diverses sessions et par les nouvelles publi\u00e9es dans le magazine SAP Motomoto Echo. Mais, si je prends mon cas, je connais encore tr\u00e8s peu la Zambie comme pays et comme Secteur. J\u2019imagine que c\u2019est la m\u00eame situation pour les confr\u00e8res en Zambie qui n\u2019ont jamais voyag\u00e9 en Afrique du Sud.<\/p>\n

La situation actuelle, par Timoth\u00e9e Bationo<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

Nous avons eu une importante r\u00e9union en 2008 \u00e0 Zomba, Malawi, o\u00f9 presque tous les confr\u00e8res de l\u2019ancienne SAP se sont r\u00e9unis pendant quelques jours. Ce fut une rencontre exceptionnelle o\u00f9 les trois Secteurs d\u2019alors purent pr\u00e9senter leur situation sociopolitique et pastorale. Elle nous donna l\u2019occasion de nous conna\u00eetre et de nous rencontrer face \u00e0 face. Ce fut un grand progr\u00e8s sur le chemin d\u2019une meilleure perception de notre unit\u00e9. C\u2019est \u00e0 cette r\u00e9union que la d\u00e9cision finale de s\u2019unir avec la Province de Zambie a \u00e9t\u00e9 prise. Le principal avantage \u00e9tait la possibilit\u00e9 d\u2019un soutien mutuel dans la r\u00e9alisation de notre mission commune.<\/p>\n

Jusqu\u2019\u00e0 maintenant, la r\u00e9alit\u00e9 de la m\u00e9ga-Province d\u2019Afrique australe montre que nous pouvons r\u00eaver ensemble et trouver des solutions concr\u00e8tes. Nous avons aussi beaucoup appris de l\u2019exp\u00e9rience d\u2019une Province bien \u00e9tablie comme celle de Zambie. Au Mozambique, le seul vrai d\u00e9savantage est la langue. Assez souvent, nous devons traduire d\u2019importants documents en portugais et nos candidats doivent \u00e9tudier l\u2019anglais. Mais le soutien re\u00e7u compense cet inconv\u00e9nient qui, \u00e0 la fin, est un b\u00e9n\u00e9fice.<\/p>\n

Les confr\u00e8res sont heureux de l\u2019\u00e9mergence de notre nouvelle Province. Nous ne nous sentons plus isol\u00e9s. Nous sommes connus plus qu\u2019avant. Je suis s\u00fbr que nous avons r\u00e9alis\u00e9 davantage ces trois derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es du fait de la m\u00e9ga-Province que ce que nous aurions pu faire dans l\u2019ancienne Province.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

Naviguer sur le changement entre l\u2019ancienne et la nouvelle Province d\u2019Afrique australe n\u2019est pas facile. Assez souvent, comme c\u2019est dit dans l\u2019\u00c9vangile, le vieux vin est meilleur que le nouveau. Mais, \u201c\u00e0 vin nouveau, outres neuves\u201d (Mc 2, 22). La peur, les pr\u00e9jug\u00e9s et l\u2019inconnu provoquent des r\u00e9sistances devant le changement. L\u2019opinion des membres du Conseil provincial est que les perceptions n\u00e9gatives s\u2019att\u00e9nueront avec le temps et une meilleure connaissance des conditions socio-pastorales de chacun. Le temps nous dira aussi si l\u2019existence de la m\u00e9ga-Province d\u2019Afrique australe vaut le co\u00fbt.<\/p>\n

Compil\u00e9 par Serge St-Arneault<\/a>, <\/b>Secr\u00e9taire provincial de la Province d\u2019Afrique australe.<\/b><\/p>\n

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Aim of our Province The aim of our Province is to share our common vision, namely to encourage confreres to meditate the incarnate Christ through the Eucharist and the Word of God, to live in fraternal, witnessing and welcoming communities, to live out our mission of JPIC\/ED in solidarity with the poor and to work […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13511","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13511"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14800,"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13511\/revisions\/14800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mafrsaprovince.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}