Agreement has been reached between the Government agency, Irish Aid,
and the representative group for Irish missionaries, Misean Cara, to
continue to support missionary projects into the future.
The strategic plan and memorandum of understanding agreed between
Misean Cara and Irish Aid sets out a ‘guided pathway’ to support
congregations in planning for succession and managing future development
initiatives.
Both parties agree that development projects should:
- meet good international standards,
- be aligned with gospel values for the transformation of society,
- place an emphasis on justice and the practice of human rights and the fullness of life for all.
News of the agreement is contained in the newly published report on
what was reputed to be the biggest ever missionary conference in Ireland
– the Mission Today & Tomorrow conference.
The report’s editorial recalls Minister Joe Costello’s acknowledgment
in his speech that the Irish Government sees missionary groups as key
actors in development.
“A complicating issue might be the transition in control of these
groups from Irish to indigenous/locally based leadership. But as was
spoken at the conference by an African Sister, whilst the nationality
might be different after transition, ‘the inspiring values and guiding
principles of the missionary approach to development remain the same’ as
during the decades when Irish-born religious created such a unique
legacy in service to the poor,” Editor, Mags Gargan, stated.
On the Government’s part (through Irish Aid) new guiding principles
of partnership will need to be developed and be rooted in international
precedents.
The religious congregations’ part is to urgently build and further
the capacity of local missionaries overseas to meet all challenges
including partnership with the Irish State.
The transition is already very far advanced with many religious
communities, according to Matt Moran, a member of the Conference
Organising Committee and the Board Chairman of Misean Cara.
He explained that at the moment there are about 1,500 Irish
missionaries in the field compared to 6,000-7,000 in the 1960s and early
1970s. The numbers of Irish missionaries is declining by over 10% every
year.
“The planning has been there. Some congregations are very far
advanced and have very few Irish in the field. They are still working
there with indigenous or local people,” he told CatholicIreland.net.
He cited examples such as the Holy Ghost Sisters who have only one
white Sister in some countries in community with local sisters or
missionaries from other countries.
There are Bon Secours missionaries from Brazil working with a few
Irish in South Africa.
Many of the indigenous Sisters are highly
qualified with surgeons, gynaecologists and professionals in their
numbers.
Many of the speakers at the conference were African and they spoke
from their own experiences. Matt Moran and the organising committee hope
that the report and the talks and feedback will be used as a resource
by missionary communities in planning their own futures.
“Somebody who wasn’t there at all, and who is at the other side of
the world, if they take this and read it they get a very good
understanding of what the various speakers said over the two days and
the feedback given by the discussion groups among the participants.”
“Normally a conference is held and it is a one day wonder and
everyone goes away happy and that is it,” he said. “It is up to each
congregation to take the report and speeches interpret them and apply
them themselves. Because there is a big transition going on as the
numbers of Irish (missionaries) go down.”
The international conference entitled Mission Today & Tomorrow was held in All Hallows College in Dublin on 5 – 6 June.
It was part of The Gathering 2013, and was a collaborative project
involving All Hallows College, Misean Cara, the Irish Missionary Union,
and Kimmage Development Studies Centre.
The conference was attended by over 200 delegates from Ireland and
overseas. During the conference a book – ‘Sustainable Livelihood
Approach: A Critique of Theory and Practice’ – was launched.
Texts of presentations are available from:
and www.kimmagedsc.ie.
Audio versions are available to purchase in CD format from Eist Audio Productions on www.eist.ie.