"Marianists and India" by Fr. Dave

MARIANISTS AND INDIA:
Dialog of Cultures, Peoples

Questions I was asked

How relate to Marianist vision & history?

How can we transcend borders?

Why India as something new for Marianists?

How be in solidarity with Indians who are poor and marginalized?

What can we do to further stewardship of such a global mission?

“GLOBALIZATION”: positives

-IN USA, AN EMPHASIS ON POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS

-Global technology, markets

-Broader horizons, culturally, socially

-Sharing our values (e.g. democracy, equality, individual rights)

-Dialoguing, so we understand more

-

GLOBALIZATION: some negatives

-IN ASIA, LIKELY EMPHASIS ON NEGATIVES, DANGERS:

-dominant market, skewed to profit (e.g. outsourcing)

-dominant political outlook, policies

-dominant ideology, focused on individual

-obliteration of local traditions

-Breaking of harmony

Marianist Perspectives

Missionary understanding of Chaminade

Title: “Missionary Apostolic”

History in Catholic globalizing mission

Need for breadth of mission

In space

In creativity, inventive-ness

In time

Transcending borders

Marianists reach 12 new countries since 1980

Global outlook clashes with limited resources

Now as then

WHY INDIA?

Marianists are one group in Church, reaching out, with others

An identity that is not unique but definite

New horizons in 1980

Vital Church – 2nd in Asia: 20 million

Highly developed minority

People interested, encouraging, inviting

Commitment to poor & marginalized

“implantation” model, rather than “foreign missionary”

2 EMPHASES

Solidarity with the poor

Greatest mass of poor on earth

Ready for solidarity, full of initiative

Go to unreached:

E.g. street-children & their families

E.g. rural people (65%) education

Development

Facilitating, enabling, taking their lead

INCULTURATION

In life-style, food, dress…..

In patterns of thought

In communication and relationships

In religious practices

In spirituality

Two-way learning

After 30 years

90 Indian Marianist priests and brothers

Average age: 30

Growing group of Marianist Sisters

Groups of Indian Marianist lay people

REDS projects touching 3000 street-children

7 rural primary-seconding schools

4 job-training centers

Formation centers for young Marianists at university level

WHAT MARIANISTS HAVE GIVEN

A few good foreign men and women

for a few good years

To get things started: “implant”

Lots of financial support for poor

A tradition of faith and spirit

A formation / education

LOTS! but

WHAT WE RECEIVE

Youth, vitality

Contact, solidarity, new awareness, friends

Becoming part of a vibrant Catholic community

Inter-religious awareness

Refreshing spirituality

New cultural awareness

New sensitivity