Money: Power and Mission

As a main part of the Inter-Franciscan Mission program we have input from missionaries and others in important issues related to mission. Near the beginning of the program Fr. Damian Isabell, OFM spoke to us on Franciscan Missionary Methods Throughout History. He has been a missionary in West Africa for the past 37 years. He introduced us to the writings of Joseph Mattam, and Indian Jesuit and specifically to his article Efficiency and Effectiveness in Mission. (I will put a link for this article at the end.)The first part of this article I used for the title for this installment of the blog. He discusses the use of money to aid the people to whom we are sent in mission. He states that such care can create dependency, a sense of quid pro quo between the people and the missionaries. “I come to church so you should pay to build my house”, “I give you food when you need it so you should come to church”. This “donor-model” kind of mission could lead to a lack of full conversion and lead to a paternalistic style of pastoral care more akin to a feudalistic relationship between the church and the people.

Yesterday, the program was truly blessed with the visit of Michael A. Perry, OFM the General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor. He told us that we are not going on mission. He extorted us to be mission. In this regard I must eschew the whole money and power dynamic. Be with the people in their struggle and difficulties. We have so many advantages today. Many vehicles, internet access, blogs (yes, even this one), cell phone connections that link us to seemingly unlimited information and to the world. They are tools and should be considered as only tools. All these things are good but do they foster faith? I think not. Faith in Jesus grows from physical contact with Jesus. Person to person, face to face. Mattam in his article mentions that older Christians in India would comment to him that they wished for the days when the missionaries would “walk to the villages, stay with the people for a few days at a time, share their meager meal, teach them the Gospel and celebrate the sacraments.” They decry the fact that today they are “Jeep missionaries”. They may see more people in their day but the relationship is poorer because of it. A real lesson and warning. Pay attention to the outcome of the work (It's not about numbers it's about people), stay close to Jesus (Take nothing for the journey.), take my time and be mission.

I promised a close friar friend just before I left the US that I would update him on what is being said today about Mission. So promised kept. Peace ODE

Here is the link I mentioned:

http://www.sedosmission.org/web/en/?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=659&Itemid=34&lang=en