European roots” “

Out of every 100 Catholic religious, 44 are European men and women, 30 are Americans, 18 Asians, 7 Africans and only 1 is from Oceania”: these are the data presented by Father Josè Maria Arnaiz, general secretary of the Unions of Superiors General (USG), who, together with the corresponding female organization, the International Union of Mother Superiors General (IUSG), promoted the first joint male and female religious world congress in Rome last week on the theme “Passion for Christ, passion for humanity”. At the world level there are roughly 1 million members of religious orders, of whom 200,000 men and 800,000 women. In Europe male religious comprise some 63,000 ordained religious and 21,000 “brothers”; female religious total about 366,000 (over 440,000 in all, 44% of the world total). “Up to a few decades ago, religious charism was transmitted in the recipient of European culture, for it was in Europe that the religious congregations had mainly been founded. By means of that recipient, both the Gospel and the religious culture of the various congregations then reached the other continents, and were transmitted to different recipients, varying according to the colour of skin, race, and culture of the peoples of the five continents”: that’s how Father Camilo Maccise, former Superior General of the Discalced Carmelites, who comes from Mexico, describes the relations between the “European cradle of religious life” and the new congregations that have arisen in the various parts of the world. In the view of Scottish Mother Christine Anderson, of the Sisters of the Faithful Companions of Jesus, the women’s congregations, in their service of evangelization and witness of charity especially in the poorer countries, “must be supported by the Church, in particular by the European Churches of ancient christianisation, with prayer and generosity”. “In any case – added Mother Mary Suita Kallupurakkathu, Indian, Superior General of the Sisters of Notre Dame, a congregation founded in Germany and now present in some twenty countries with 2500 sisters – today the congregations benefit from an internal exchange of gifts from all continents. For example, in my own case I have become Superior General and reconfirmed for the second term, with great attention and support by my European con-soeurs”. This “happy cultural contamination” between the various continents is confirmed by Father Anthony Mc Sweeney, an Australian who has lived for thirty years in Rome, former Superior General of the Sacramentines: “Our institute originated in France in 1856 thanks to the apostolate of St. Peter Julian Emad and then spread to Canada, whence it was transmitted to the USA, Africa, India, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as in other countries. “Our distant European roots have borne fruit, in abundance”, he confirms, “and may be seen everywhere”. A “sign” in the prison of Setubal (Portugal). “The detainees learn to mistrust everything and everyone and to protect themselves in order to survive. Their capacities of observation become far more acute. We visitors, are undoubtedly an object of their observation and it is only gradually that we succeed in establishing a climate of trust”: that’s the testimony of HENRI, of the Little Brothers of Jesus, the community founded by Charles de Foucauld, reported in the last bulletin through which the fraternities scattered all over the world communicate their own experiences. At Setubal (Portugal) Henri has for some twenty years now formed part of a group of prison visitors, also recognized by the local bishop: “We avoid asking questions about the reasons why prisoners are being detained; we try to be very respectful and also to have a capacity to listen to what they are telling us; we know, in fact, that in many cases they are people profoundly scarred by life”. “We divide our time – explains Henri – between our contacts with those who want to speak to us and who frequently ask us to carry out little commissions and a meeting in the library, for those who wish to join in, with a common reading of the Sunday’s Gospel. Out of 350 detainees, only some 30 participate in our meetings. For many it is the first time they have had any contact with the ‘Good News’ of Jesus. And for some the experience bears fruit”. “We are completely impotent – concludes Henri – to find a solution to their problems, but at times we can help them to find it. In any case, the simple fact of being there is a ‘sign’ that will become credible if it endures in time”.