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Reimagining Charity

Reimagining Charity. Cabrini Leadership Conference April 26-27, 2009 Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown, New York. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow…. Movement into a Renewed Vision. Where are we going in this conference?

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Reimagining Charity

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  1. Reimagining Charity Cabrini Leadership Conference April 26-27, 2009 Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown, New York

  2. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow….Movement into a Renewed Vision Where are we going in this conference? We seek to develop new forms of charity that are creative and imaginative, that will be more effective today in our different social and cultural contexts and our new spaces of missionary involvement. P. 15 General Chapter conclusions, 2008

  3. CHARISM A particular manifestation of God given to an individual or group for the good of the world • St. Francis Assisi: to follow Christ, the poor man…total simplicity and humility. • St. Dominic: to follow Christ, the Truth…life of study, preaching, educating others, finding Christ in knowledge. • St. Frances Cabrini: to follow Christ, passionate lover of humankind and to become bearers of that love in any work which needs to be done.

  4. CabrinianCharism….. Particular manifestation of the face of Christ in the world: • Passionate • Risk taking, Bold • Flexible • Clinging firmly to hope • Loving the poor and voiceless • Willing to make God’s love incarnate day after day

  5. CabrinianCharism….. Particular manifestation of the face of Christ in the world: Earth is crammed with heaven And every bush afire with God. Those who see take off their shoes, The rest sit around plucking blackberries Elizabeth Barret Browning, Poet • Based in a personal relationship with Jesus and in warm human relationships; • Given for the good of the world; • A charism is not something that flies around like an angel; • You, today, are part of that face of Christ which we are co-responsible to bring to all of our works.

  6. What was Cabrini’s Vision? The Institute of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as indicated by its title, has as its purpose the spread of the reign of Jesus Christ throughout the earth. The mission of the Institute is worldwide evangelization – to inflame all people with the love of Jesus Christ without distinction of race or nationality, embracing everyone be they rich or poor, educated or uneducated. We hope to extend our outreach to the ends of the earth. Cabrini, 1901 Circular

  7. Past and Present Moments of Living the Charismand Vision

  8. The Love of Christ - Four Wells of Living Water Education Social Service Spiritual Service Health Care

  9. The Charismatic Moment The Institutional Moment Still meeting needs More stable More infrastructure Survival can become more important than service Financial situation can easily become primary and only bottom line • Serving needs of the time • Serving unmet needs • Flexible, mobile • Passion, daring, courage • Outside of comfort zone • Service more important than survival • Financial situation important but not primary

  10. What is happening to our wells today? Is the constant creative action of God able to move freely with the living water of the Spirit?

  11. The call of the General Chapter2008 -2014 The call of the General Chapter which is put forth in the Conclusions of the Fourteenth General Chapter is a call to remember again who we are and to bring that remembrance fully to the social and cultural contexts in which we are living.

  12. Today we are called, sisters and laity together, to develop new and creative forms of charity that will respond Passionately and Swiftly to these challenges… • The cry of the poor and excluded • The suffering of the children and elderly at risk • The disintegration of the family and disorientation of the youth • The tragedy of so many of our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters • The exploitation of women and human trafficking.

  13. The Call of the General Chapter:……to move into new spaces of missionary activity wherever life is most threatened. Cabrini Senior Housing Seattle

  14. What compels us to take these risks? Even to be foolish? The Horizon toward which we strive: Which values are foundational in striving toward that horizon? • To be bearers of the love of God today • To be in living relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit • In relationship with those without voice, without choice, vulnerable • Business –financial? • Success and power? • Survival? • Christian? • Cabrinian?

  15. Guided by the CabrinianCharism Education Are we looking outside the window? • Who is being educated? • Are the poor, the voiceless being • educated by Cabrini? • Is our focus the best and the brightest • and/or those who are in trouble? • What is success in the Cabrinian educational • context?

  16. Health CareAre we looking outside the window? Who is being cared for? Are the poor: those without voice, without papers, without citizenship being cared for? Is our focus competition for clients and/or those who live outside the system?

  17. Guided by the CabrinianCharism Social Services Are we looking outside the window? Who is being given service? (Those who can’t find help anywhere else?) Who is caring: for the poor elderly; the undocumented; the children of the undocumented; those being trafficked; orphans who have become a burden to their families and neighbors?

  18. Guided by the CabrinianCharism • Spiritual Services • Are we looking outside the window? • Who is being given service? • Those who can afford to pay for time off for reflection? • And/or also those who cannot afford our services. • Is the word of God being shared with staff, with patients, with clients, with boards? • Are we simply business enterprises or is the creative action of God running through every Cabrinian work?

  19. What is the call to Cabrinian Leaders CEO’s, Board Members, Managers? To CO-RESPONSIBILITY and to that HOPE which comes from a living, daily relationship with God…. Co-responsible in Prayer: • To enter into the constant creative action of God in every Cabrinian work means to live a reflective and prayerful life. • In the Exhortation of John Paul II The Church in America, n. 29, he says: Prayer….is the duty of every Christian. Jesus Christ…warns us that without Him we can do nothing…

  20. What is the call…? God’s calling Co-responsible in Discernment: • A desire to know the preferences of the Heart of Jesus which comes through prayer and scripture reading, reflection • A desire to know among the goods which can be chosen which is most in line with the Cabriniancharism, the directions of the Church.

  21. What is the call…? Hello Here I am Co-responsible decision making and strategic direction planning based on knowledge of the: • Social and cultural context in which you live and work; • Conclusions of the General Chapter; • Cabrinian Missionary Identity.

  22. One more look at Cabrinian Missionary Identity Which values and graces of the charism should guide us as we plan for the future? • A life which includes Prayer and Scripture • AMerciful Heart • Missionary Courage • Passion • Daring, Boldness • Swiftness, Immediacy • Mobility • Flexibility

  23. Our Goal as each work looks at strategic directions…. Reimagining Charity A Passionate and Intelligent Love for today’s world…

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