Approved for Use January 2001
Historical Perspective | Nature and Aim of Philippine Delegation | Members of the Delegation |
Local Communities | Delegation Community | Xaverian Charism and Local Church | Formation |
Vocation Animation | Administration and Temporalities
1.1. The origin of the Filipino foundation rests on a deliberation by the XII General Chapter (1989), requesting the General Direction to open a theological community in mission territory, preferably in Asia, should there be availability of formation personnel.
1.2. The aim of the Xaverian presence in the Philippines was thus expressed: an international theology for our students who would eventually be assigned to mission somewhere in Asia or elsewhere.
1.2.1. This aim also envisaged the possibility of taking up the responsibility of a parish to integrate the pastoral formation of the students. The parish of St. Francis Xavier was thus erected on December 3, 1992 and entrusted to the Xaverian Missionaries by the Archdiocese of Manila.
1.2.2. While willing to abide by the archdiocesan rule regarding local vocations, there was also a declared willingness to start vocation promotion among local Filipino youth and young adults when the time was deemed favorable. We began active vocation ministry in June 1995.
1.3. The international theology community began in the left oval of Maligaya Park Subdivision, June 1993. They transferred to the new location, presently Conforti Hill Mission Center, November 1993. Finally they transferred to the present location of Project 8, Quezon City, and December 1996.
1.4. The first Pre-Novitiate Program for Filipinos started on June 17, 1996, first in the left oval house in Maligaya. They transferred to the present location of Conforti Hill Mission Center, December 1996.
1.5. The first Novitiate Program for Filipinos began June 15, 1998. In the tradition of the two other formation programs, the first Novitiate began in the left oval house of Maligaya. They transferred to the present location at Conforti Hill Mission Center, along with the Pre-novitiate, November 1998.
1.6. Although the Xaverians have been present in the Philippines since January 10, 1991, the community was erected a Delegation on December 3, 1995.
2. NATURE AND AIM OF THE PHILIPPINE DELEGATION
2.1. The specific character of the Delegation is that of a community of formation and mission-vocation animation in this particular Asian milieu, in dialogue with the poor, the local Filipino culture and other religions.
2.2. Aside from formation and animation, all other commitments in the Delegation, such as pastoral and inter-religious dialogue, are seen as having value not only in themselves, but also in their relation to the primary goals of formation and animation.
2.3. The legislation that rules the regions of the congregation applies by analogy to our Delegation.
3.1. Members of the Delegation are those professed Xaverians - students, brothers or priests - who have been assigned to the Philippines by the General Direction. However, for the Xaverian assigned but not yet arrived to the country, aggregation to the Delegation takes place once he arrives to the Delegation.
3.2. On reaching his destination, the receiving community, as far as possible, will accompany a new member in the gradual insertion into the new reality.
3.2.1. Introduction to the local culture can be done through orientation programs for foreign missionaries and other opportunities when they become available.
3.2.2. Should the incoming Xaverian require English language studies, the time required will be given.
3.2.3. A period of one year will be given to newly incoming confreres assigned to the Delegation in order to begin to master the local language of Filipino. No assignment will yet be given during this period of learning the language.
3.3. On completion of the language period, the newly arrived confreres will devote time to the immediate preparation to the activity they will be requested to render within the Delegation, namely: formation ministry, vocation ministry, mission animation and any other ministry. The area of activity will be discerned in dialogue with the Superior Delegate and his Council.
3.4. All assignments in the Delegation are presumed to be a three-year terms that may be renewable, unless otherwise agreed upon with the Superior Delegate and confrere involved.
3.5. Perpetually professed confreres assigned to the Delegation will take their holidays in their home countries every three years. The three-year period is normally understood as beginning from the time of one's aggregation in the Delegation.
3.5.1. The length of holidays is three months ordinarily.
3.5.2. All those due for holidays in home countries will consult with the Superior Delegate at least three months before departure.
3.6. When one is not due for his vacation abroad, a yearly rest time of two weeks would be helpful to the individual.
3.7. For vacation abroad, non-Filipino temporary professed students, who will be spending a period of more than four years in the Philippines, can holiday in their home country once during such a period.
3.8. Professed Filipino students studying theology may vacation yearly. The length of holiday is determined in dialogue with the local superior.
3.9. As for health care, all priests, on account of their service to the local parish communities, enjoy the diocesan scheme of health care under RCAM (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila).
3.10. The local house where they reside will finance the health care of temporary professed students.
4.1. We believe that our strength and apostolic efficacy are rooted in the depth of the communion in our local communities that we are building daily. In this perspective we commit ourselves to walk together toward a constant conversion, accepting the other with his values and limitations, in order to confront so and ourselves enter into a free dialogue with brothers of different ages, formation backgrounds and nationalities.
4.2. Aware that our frailty and egoism are the roots of our sufferings and difficulties, inspired by the apostolic example of the mutual and constant charity, we commit ourselves to base our lives on the command of Christ: Love one another as I have loved you.
4.2.1. Concretely we express our love by being aware and appreciative of each other's cultural values. The reference point, however, remains the best of the local culture.
4.3. Recognized official languages of our communities are English and the local language.
4.4. The smooth and efficient running of a community is in part based on the respect of each role. Each community has an assigned person as superior who is entrusted, by the Superior Delegate and his Council, with the task to animate, coordinate and guide the brothers. The community bursar, and other priests in the house assist him.
4.5. To pursue the goals of our program of community life, each community prepares its own Project of Life to regulate the internal life of the group and to organize apostolic activities in keeping with our charism and the social milieu where it is located.
4.5.1. This communal project establishes specific values, moments of prayer, times of meetings, planning, evaluation, study, relaxation, and social events and agreed upon priorities within the time frame of a year.
4.5.2. The community's Project of Life is setup at the beginning of each academic/pastoral year, possibly with the Delegate Superior, or a member of the Council. The local community assesses it at regular intervals and at the end of the year.
5.1. The Xaverian Delegation of the Philippines is an international community. While fully aware of the challenges an international community presents, we wish to stress and love the gospel values and the cultural interchange they offer, of our unity amidst diversity.
5.2. The life and activities of our Delegation are animated and directed by the Superior Delegate, in collaboration with his Council.10 The Superior Delegate assumes the animation and promotion of the spiritual, doctrinal and apostolic life of the brothers as a priority task. The brotherly attention to the persons constitutes his first and principal duty. He dedicates to each community the time that is necessary to help it plan, realize and assess the project of life it has chosen.
5.3. The General Direction appoints the Superior Delegate and his three councilors for a period of three years after consultation with the perpetual professed members of the Delegation.
5.3.1. The Delegation Council meets monthly or at least six times a year.
5.3.2. The role of the Vice Delegate and Council members are to assist the Superior Delegate through a collegial and brotherly sharing of the role of leadership.
5.3.3. Ordinarily, the role of the superior of a community and that of the Superior Delegate is separated.
5.4. A Delegation Treasurer will oversee the management of the funds of the Delegation and other financial matters pertinent to the entire Delegation.
5.5. Two ongoing committees are established to monitor and develop the major commitments of the Delegation. They are the Delegation Formation Committee (DFC) and the Delegation Vocation and Animation Committee (DVAC).
5.5.1. The purpose of these two committees is to act as consultors to the Delegation Superior and Council and to provide support and assistance for the formation and vocation teams in their ongoing work.
5.6. To foster co-responsibility and dialogue at the level of delegation, all the perpetually professed members assigned to the Delegation will gather in a Delegation Assembly. Together they will plan and evaluate the direction of the Delegation as consultation for the Delegate Superior and his Council.
5.6.1. The temporary professed will choose one perpetually professed confrere to represent them at the Delegation Assembly.
5.7. A Plenary Assembly will also be held for all professed members (temporarily and finally professed). It is seen more as a moment of brotherhood, spirituality, rest and theological-pastoral deepening in a perspective of inculturation.
5.7.1. Non-professed seminarians may be invited at the discretion of the Superior Delegate and Council.
5.8. The Delegation Assembly is held yearly. While the Plenary Assembly is held at least once during the term of an incumbent superior.
5.9. Consultation for the nomination of the Superior Delegate and his Council takes place before the last Delegation Assembly prior to the end of office of the presiding superior. This is so that the names of the new superior and council may be announced at the final Delegation Assembly of the incumbent superior.
5.10. There are other, more informal times throughout the year we can take advantage of in order to get together, especially our congregational feasts of November 5 (Founder's Day) and December 3 (Feast of St. Francis Xavier).
5.11. We will seek membership in national and diocesan bodies to better express togetherness with the local church in carrying out our prophetic role.
5.12. The process of electing a representative of the Delegation to the General Chapter, and his substitute follows the Directory of the General Chapter.
5.13. Archives of the Delegation Direction and the local communities are to be kept in accordance with Vademecum.
6. XAVERIAN CHARISM AND LOCAL CHURCH
6.1. A charism knows no cultural boundaries. In a land blessed by God with many local missionaries both lay and religious, we strive to offer to the local Filipino Church the richness and uniqueness of our identity as Xaverians: the charism of Blessed Guido Maria Conforti.
6.2. As missionaries working in the Filipino Church, we will work for a true acculturation and inculturation in our milieu, and we will keep an attitude of generous service in accordance with the options of the local church.
6.3. We strive to live the community dimension of our charism in all the undertakings the local church entrusts to us. This ideal of fraternity and common life has in itself a significant value of witness and an evangelizing force.
6.4. We opt to carry out our apostolic service in a missionary context, especially where the less privileged majority are fighting for their survival and liberation.
6.5. Mission animation-vocation activities are part of the regular pastoral commitments of each community.
6.6. We foster and welcome a diversification in the services rendered to the local church, especially in those areas best suited to our vocation ad gentes.
6.7. Accountability of our Services to the Local Church: Any Xaverian community or confrere directly involved in a non-Xaverian institution or activity is accountable to the authority of that institution for that particular activity. However, accountability to the Xaverian congregation is required under the following circumstances:
6.7.1. Appointments, transfers and removals are under the jurisdiction of the Delegate Superior and Council, in dialogue with the local authority of the institution.
6.7.2. The Superior Delegate is to be informed of changes in the commitment or work of the community or confreres involved.
6.8. We commit ourselves to missionary initiatives that help enable the local church's mission obligation toward non-Christians.
7.1. Formation is the main thrust of our Delegation. We aim at an incarnate formation that strives to live the life struggle and destiny of those to whom we are sent, leading to a freedom of spirit and mind that makes us capable to adjust our responses to diverse needs of times and place.
7.2. The stages of formation of the Delegation are: Aspirancy-Philosophy, Postulancy, Novitiate, Theology and On-going Formation.
7.3. Aspirancy, Postulancy and Novitiate take place in Maligaya at the Conforti Hill Mission Center.
7.4. Aspirancy is an initial period before Postulancy. This time is to accommodate the different education needs of students who are eligible to enter. It is compromised of a period that allows seminarians to complete college and philosophy requirements. If these requirements are already in place at entrance, an introductory year is provided instead. This period is for:
7.4.1. Third and fourth year college students and college graduates who have not completed philosophy.
7.4.2. Those who have completed college and philosophy requirements and have yet to complete the introductory year.
7.5. The Postulancy, as a time of immediate preparation to the Novitiate, lasting one year for those who have completed both college and philosophy requirements, or the introduction year of Aspirancy.
7.6. The Director of Aspirancy, Director of Postulancy, and Novice-master make up a Formation Team in pre-theology formation, keeping in account that Aspirancy/Postulancy and Novitiate are separate and distinctive programs within one dynamic community.
7.7. The acceptance of candidates to the Aspirancy is the responsibility of the formation team of the seminary concerned with the Pre-novitiate and Novitiate.
7.8. The Novitiate takes place after the candidate has completed the Aspirancy and Postulancy.
7.8.1. The necessary application, report of the formation director and other evaluations are submitted to the Superior Delegate and Council as established by Canon Law.
7.8.2. The Superior and Council admit candidates to the Novitiate. This stage is twelve months in length.
7.9. The International Theology Formation Program takes place in the community of Project 8. This is the regional theology program of the congregation in Asia.
7.9.1. The Formation Team of the Theology Community should be made up of possibly three confreres and be international in makeup.
7.10. The Delegation Formation Committee (DFC) helps the Delegation Council and Formators in carrying out their responsibilities in the area of formation. It comprises all those assigned full time to formation.
7.11. The Superior Delegate and his Councilors oversee the entire formative process, from vocational accompaniment through ongoing formation.
8.1. Grateful for the gift of the Spirit to share our Xaverian charism with the Filipino Church, as individuals and as communities, we are committed to express the urgency of sharing our vocation and encouraging missionary vocations by looking for ways and means to promote all forms of mission service, and particularly a lifetime commitment to the Xaverian Family
8.2. The Vocation Team is the reference point for those making inquiries. They also assist each community to encourage and follow up contacts in their local areas.
8.2.1. The Vocation Director may be partially prepared for this task by participating in the orientation program of the archdiocese and its ongoing modules for vocation directors, under the auspices of the Archdiocesan Vocation Office (DVP-GMA), as well as other programs that help to prepare formators and animators.
8.3. The Vocation Team encourages new contacts and follows interested men who may be considering entrance in our congregation. He attempts to get to know the candidates and their families' as well as possible before their application through accompaniment and vocational discernment.
8.4. The Vocation Team presents candidates to the Admissions Board in an appropriate time before the two moments of entrance to the Aspirancy, January and June yearly.
9. ADMINISTRATION AND TEMPORALITIES
9.1. We believe that evangelical poverty is a sign of the Kingdom and a way to share the reality of the people we wish to serve. Because of this we propose a simple community lifestyle that inspires our members and personal way of living, a style of being in mission and our close relationship with the local church.
9.2. Temporal goods are not entrusted to us for our own exclusive use, but they are to be used for the needs of a wider ecclesial and human community. We can show this solidarity in different ways, depending on the needs and possibilities of different places and communities.
9.3. Although it pertains to the Superior Delegate to oversee and promote an authentic style of poverty according to our mission charism, the administration of the Delegation's temporalities is entrusted to the Delegation Treasurer, nominated by the Superior Delegate and his Council.
9.4. The Delegation Superior has the specific role to guarantee a certain equality of lifestyle and financial responsibility of the various communities. He promotes authentic witness to poverty in keeping with our missionary charism.
9.5. At the local community level, the local superior and treasurer have specific roles in the management of temporal goods.
9.6. We are dependent on the General Common Fund for our economic needs in many respects. Other sources of income are private donations, both from outside and within the country, masses ad mentem registri and ministry.
9.7. Each community will strive to develop its own income, as well as encouraging local contributions to our mission as one way to participate in mission with us.
9.7.1. Whatever income a confrere acquires, under any title whatsoever, belongs to the community to which he belongs.
9.7.2. Transfer of temporal goods from one community to another is within the competence of the Delegation Direction.
9.8. Whatever is entrusted to a Xaverian for a particular entity belongs to that entity.
9.8.1. A separate fund administered by the Delegation is provided for special projects that are intended for purposes outside the needs of the communities.
9.8.2. All requests for funds from individual confreres either outside or within the Delegation require the endorsement of the Superior Delegate. A written letter of this endorsement accompanies all requests.
9.9. Separation of goods demands separate administrations.
9.9.1. Each community has its own administration, along with a separate administration for the Delegation.
9.9.2. Whenever a Xaverian administers temporal goods not belonging to the Institute, the latter administration is to be kept separate from that of the Institute.
9.10. There is a call for accountability at all states, not only in extraordinary expenses, for which written permission of the Delegate Superior or corresponding authority is required.
9.10.1. No Xaverian is to seek offerings for the realization of a particular project unless the said project has received the approval of the competent authorities and of the Delegate Superior.
9.10.2. To the aim of safeguarding the interests of the confrere and the Institute, any Xaverian who administers goods on behalf of a third party is to give the Superior Delegate, for his information, a copy of the economic report destined to the body in whose name he acts as administrator.
9.11. All confreres are periodically informed on the state of finances of the Delegation.
9.12. The bursar of each community will submit the yearly financial reports of the communities and projected budgets for the following year to the Delegation Treasurer.
9.13. A summary report of the whole Delegation is made by the Delegation Treasurer who submits this, along with the report of projected budgets for the new year to the Superior Delegate and Council for approval.
9.13.1. The financial report and budget report of the Delegation is presented in August of each year, since the fiscal calendar runs from July 1 to June 30.
9.14. The financial report and budget projection for the new year is to be submitted to the Delegation Treasurer, who presents it to the Superior Delegate and Council, as soon as possible following the close of the fiscal year.
9.15. Periodically a meeting of bursars may be called to study particular issues and to follow and guide the progress of the Delegation in financial matters.39
9.16. The Delegation Treasurer accounts for all donations that do not have a specific intention for a local community, donations from FOCOGE, mass intentions ad mentem registri, and contributions from the Longoni Fund for formation purposes.
9.16.1. Donations to specific confreres are disbursed to those confreres for the use of their communities through the Delegation Treasurer.
9.17. Application for funds for the year to General Direction is made through the Delegate Superior and his Council.
9.18. All matters not covered by local norms are by analogy covered by the General Directory for Temporal Goods (DGBM) and the General Common Fund Statutes (FOCOGE).
