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:
Thanks Tim! I think I will try to incorporate "eschew" into my vocabulary. Nice word!
ReplyDeleteI was praying that missioning theology is what you were being taught; but of course you already knew that. 10,000 blessings ... praying for you every day.
Dave
Thanks Tim! I think I will try to incorporate "eschew" into my vocabulary. Nice word!
ReplyDeleteI was praying that missioning theology is what you were being taught; but of course you already knew that. 10,000 blessings ... praying for you every day.
Dave