2022 (2021) General Chapter · 2021. 4. 5. · and the implementation of the 2015 General Chapter...

Order Of the hOly CrOss

2022 (2021) General Chapter

state Of the Order

9 - 28 January, 2022Pratista Retreat Center

Bandung, Indonesia

2021 General Chapter Planning Committee: Laurentius Tarpin, osc, Master General, Pierre‐Paul Walraet, osc, Henri Paluku Muhumira, osc, Y.B. Rosaryanto, osc, Onesius Otenieli Daeli, osc, Dave Donnay, osc.

General Chapter graphic: Yulius Hirnawan Christyanto, osc

Comments, feedback, or questions can be sent to [email protected]

© 2021 Crosier Generalate

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1.0 Introduction ....................................................................... 52.0 World Context .................................................................... 6

2.1 Impact ............................................................................................ 62.2 Our Response ................................................................................. 62.3 Characteristics and Developments................................................. 62.4 Globalization .................................................................................. 72.5 Crises .............................................................................................. 72.6 Culture of Death vs Culture of Life ................................................. 8

3.0 Ecclesiastical Context ......................................................... 93.1 Pope Francis ................................................................................... 93.2 Conversion ..................................................................................... 93.3 Synodality ...................................................................................... 93.4 Misconduct .................................................................................. 103.5 Prophetic Dimension.................................................................... 10

4.0 Religious Life Context ....................................................... 114.1 Challenge of Clericalism ............................................................... 114.2 Challenge of Decline .................................................................... 114.3 Sentinels of the Dawn .................................................................. 124.4 Challenge of Sustainability ........................................................... 124.5 Formation .................................................................................... 124.6 Brotherhood ................................................................................ 134.7 Intercultural Community Life ....................................................... 134.8 Respect for our Crosier Way of Life .............................................. 144.9 Mutual Collaboration with Dioceses ............................................ 14

5.0 Unity in Charity: Bringing, Breaking & Sharing the Bread ... 155.1 Biblical Inspiration ........................................................................ 155.2 Rich in Spirituality ........................................................................ 15

6.0 Implementation: 2015 General Chapter Directives .......... 176.1 General Governance .................................................................... 176.2 The General Council of the Master General ................................ 176.3 The Extended Council of the Master General .............................. 186.4 Governance Restructuring ........................................................... 19 6.4.1 Implementation ............................................................................ 19

6.4.2 Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross (USA) ................................................196.4.3 Province of Blessed Theodore de Celles (Europe) .....................................206.4.4 Province of Sang Kristus (Indonesia) ..........................................................206.4.5 Province of Martyrs de Bondo (Congo Kinshasa) .......................................216.4.6 Priorato da Santa Cruz (Brazil) ...................................................................216.4.7 Canonical Committee .................................................................................22

Table of Contents

4 • State of the order • CroSier General Chapter

7.0 Formation ......................................................................... 237.1 Adaptation Norm on Formation Governance: Const. 23.3 .......... 237.2 Role of the Master General in Formation .................................... 237.3 Admission to Solemn Vows and Approval for Ordination ............ 247.4 Approval Assignment Directors of Stages of Formation .............. 267.5 Role of Major Superiors in Formation .......................................... 267.6 Role of Priories in Formation ....................................................... 277.7 International Formation Experiences (IFE)................................... 277.8 International English Program for Post Novitiate Formation ....... 287.9 Crosier Priesthood Profile ............................................................ 287.10 Recruitment ............................................................................... 297.11 Formation for Formators............................................................ 29

8.0 Fraternal economy ........................................................... 308.1 Education and Socialization of Fraternal Economy ...................... 308.2 Fraternal Economy and our Standard of Living ............................ 318.3 Capacity Building for Developing Parts of the Order ................... 318.4 Financial Capacities ...................................................................... 328.5 Assets of the Order ...................................................................... 338.6 Follow up of Investment Study Recommendations ..................... 338.7 Establishment of Crosier Global Development Office (CGDO) .... 348.8 Study to Assess Retirement Needs .............................................. 358.9 Fixed Assets Study ........................................................................ 368.10 Pursuing Equity in the Order ....................................................... 36

9.0 Crosier Spiritual Heritage ................................................ 389.1 Study of Key Documents ............................................................. 389.2 Celebration of 50 Years of 1967 Constitutions ............................. 389.3 Strengthening Membership in Priories ........................................ 38

10.0 Evangelization ................................................................ 4011.0 Personnel, Leadership, and Finance ............................... 41

11.1 Candidates ................................................................................. 4111.2 Personnel planning for leadership ............................................. 4211.3 Financial sustainability ............................................................... 43

12.0 Reflections ...................................................................... 4413.0 Gratitude and Appreciation ........................................... 46

State of the order • CroSier General Chapter • 5

1.0 IntroductionThe Report on the State of the Order is to help the Order, and especially the delegates for the 2021 General Chapter to understand the current state of affairs and assess the developments since the last general chapter. The information facilitates the chapter’s discernment and decision making for the spiritual and temporal wellbeing of the worldwide Order.

This report opens with reflections on the world in which we live, on the ecclesiastical‐ and consecrated life context that influence our Crosier religious life. Next the report focuses on the overall situation of our Order: the personnel situation, its financial position, formation, leadership in the areas and at the generalate level, Crosier brotherhood, local communities, and the implementation of the 2015 General Chapter directives regarding the domains of general governance, restructuring, formation, fraternal economy, Crosier spiritual heritage, and evangelization.

The State of the Order Report also highlights some challenges for the future of the Order that need to be addressed by the 2021 General Chapter.

Appendices*A. Administration

A.1 Personnel Statistics Report (including Formation Data) 2015‐2021

A.2 Necrology

A.3 Procurator General Report

A.4 General Econome Report

A.5 Archivist Report

B. Commissions and Committees

B.1 Liturgical‐Spirituality Commission Report

B.2 Formation Commission Report

B.3 Finance Commission Report

B.4 Canonical Committee Report

C. Financial Data and Temporal Wellbeing C.1 Current Financial Report (2020 audited return, 30 Sept 2021)

C.2 Order Consolidated Financial Report 2015‐2020

C.3 Fixed Asset Study Report

C.4 Crosier Global Development Office

D. Future Projections/ForecastingD.1 Personnel Demographic Projections

D.2 Financial Projections

*These are the anticiapted appendices currently planned. The documents will be made available in thr second half of 2021 via osc.news, on the chapter website, or directly to capitulars.


2.0 World ContextThe coronavirus afflicts the world. It causes thousands of deaths. It creates fear and anxiety. People are forced to live in isolation. Life feels paralyzed. Many people live in uncertainty. They are losing jobs and income to support their lives and their family.

2.1 ImpactThis pandemic transform(s)ed our lives in ways we could not imagine before. It has changed our interpersonal interactions. People are forced to stay home. The pandemic unmasked the illusion of unlimited freedom. It created a new awareness of our common humanity and its vulnerability. Covid‐19 took control of our lives. This pandemic showed the limitations and fragilities of sciences and technology. It called us to maximize the opportunities in spite of the limitations to achieve our goals and values. It forced us to promote solidarity and generosity. The pandemic challenged us to leave our narrow self‐interest behind and to take care of the needy and the most vulnerable. This pandemic can become the appointed time to revisit our way of life, of thinking, behaving, acting, and also our relating to nature. It is the moment of detoxifying nature so that damages caused by unwise behaviors and actions of human beings can be restored.

2.2 Our ResponseThe 2021 General Chapter needs to pay attention to the people who struggle for their lives and their future in the aftermath of the Covid‐19 pandemic. It is an integral part of our mission to keep hope and joy alive and to be in solidarity with those who are suffering and are distressed (Gaudium et Spes no 1). What needs to be fought against is what Pope Francis calls “the worst virus of selfish indifference”.1 Selfish indifference means that one does not care for others, because the most important person is only oneself. Our responses should show our care for the needy. We wish their lives to be fully alive. We wish to touch them through our ministries. It is important for Crosiers to witness that our way of life is valuable and necessary in this chaotic world.2

2.3 Characteristics and DevelopmentsOur world is characterized by individualism, utilitarianism, hedonism, consumerism, competitiveness, a throwaway culture, pragmatism, etc. These influence people’s way of thinking, behaving and acting, including religious men and women.

Our world is marked by an ever‐growing use of social media technology. On the one hand this is a grace. It makes our life easier. We can communicate and collaborate with so many people across geographic borders. We enlarge our horizon and perspective. We create greater possibilities for encounter and solidarity with everyone. Social media serves to disseminate the Good News and is an effective means for evangelization.

On the other hand, the development of social media technology imposes on us many challenges: international cybercrimes, online gaming, disseminating fake news that creates confusion,

1 Pope Francis, Homily on the Sunday of Divine Mercy, 2020.2 The General Chapter may have to think about concrete actions for the Order in response to the actual world situation created by the pandemic. The chapter could decide on a global recommendation and leave the details of the actions to the respective areas.


spreading pornography. Paradoxically it brings closer those who live far away but may distance those among whom we live. Because of social media, many people may feel alone in a crowd while being busy with themselves in a virtual reality.

Along with the social media technology, our world is also marked by “post‐truth phenomena”. It means that objectivity, rationality and real facts are set aside by emotional sentiment and personal opinion. An ever‐growing dissemination of hoaxes or fake news creates confusion. It becomes hard for people to distinguish between the truth and deception. Public opinion is manipulated by those who want to gain political or economic power. They disregard and devalue objective truth.

2.4 GlobalizationEconomic, cultural and political globalization, on the one hand, is a gracious sign of God. It brings many benefits for human beings: global awareness of humanity, acceleration of international movements and exchange of goods and services. Globalization can promote global solidarity and provide comforts.

On the other hand, it is a great challenge for human beings: enlargement of the social gap between the rich and the poor; extinction of and threats to local cultures and wisdom; domination of powerful groups, creating new forms of imperialism; imposition of ideas, values, systems, and lifestyle; promotion of global indifferentism because each person is concerned only for one’s interests.

“We end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the cry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own.”3

2.5 CrisesSocial injustice, violence and wars in the world remain big challenges to be confronted and a call for which all people need to be concerned.. Horizontal conflicts among tribes, ethnicities, and nations fueled by egotism, pride, and narrow perspectives are still increasing worldwide. Environmental devastation is caused by greed, overconsumption, exploitation, extraction of the capitalistic system. The economic system’s only interest is maximizing profits without concern for the environment and the rights of future generations.4 Environmental devastation threatens most the poor and the weakest. We are called to an ecological conversion. Otherwise, the future of human beings will be jeopardized.

“God forgives human beings; human beings could forgive their fellows; but nature will not forgive human beings who destroyed it.”5

Human trafficking, especially of women and children remains a great challenge for the world, the Church and religious life. Human beings are treated as commodities governed by the only rule: supply and demand.

3 Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 54.4 Pope Francis, Laudato Sì, no. 109.5 Pope Francis, Press Conference, flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines, January 15, 2015.


2.6 Culture of Death vs Culture of LifeOur world and society are marked by the culture of death that penetrates people’s daily life. The value of human beings is determined by beauty, normalcy, productivity, utility and deprived from its transcendent value. This mentality is called utilitarian and is part of the culture of throwing away.6 At times lives are considered unworthy to be continued. Human beings become the arbiter of their own life and that of others. Human life is threatened from beginning until death: by abortion, an eugenic mentality, and by euthanasia. In a culture of death, abortion is claimed as a right to terminate and eliminate the innocent fetus growing in the womb.

The stream of a culture of life flows strongly through the promotion and nurturance of human dignity and the value of everything on earth. The tension between the two streams creates a call for discernment that affects our life.

6 Pope Francis, the Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, no 18‐21.


3.0 Ecclesiastical Context3.1 Pope Francis

The life of the Catholic Church7 under the leadership of Pope Francis undergoes significant changes. Pope Francis has drawn public admiration and sparked new hope for the Church and the world. With his simple, humble and authentic lifestyle, symbolic gestures, and his courageous prophetic witness, he is strongly committed to renewing the Catholic Church inspired by the Gospel. His radical option for listening to the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth, underlines the inseparable link between the fragile earth and fragile people.8 His great concerns for the poor and the environment manifest his intentional choice for Saint Francis of Assisi as his papal name shows. Moreover, Pope Francis has evidently expressed his concerns for the family and the youth, faith and vocational discernment as important elements of the future of the Church.9

3.2 ConversionDealing with concern for the poor and the earth, Pope Francis calls for integral conversion: intellectual conversion, moral conversion, affective conversion and ecological conversion. The awareness of global ecological devastation, and the efforts to restore the damage requires holistic approaches and the involvement of all nations, their leaders and their citizens.

Pope Francis urges the Church to be the Church of and for the poor as well as the Church that goes to the social and existential peripheries to meet the poor and marginalized. He emphasizes missionary discipleship and the culture of encounter. The church Pope Francis envisions is an open and merciful Church that shows God’s love and compassion as Jesus did during his earthly ministries.

“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting, and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures.”10

He puts the logic of mission over the logic of maintenance.

3.3 SynodalityWe are grateful for the leadership of Pope Francis. He challenges us to emulate his strong commitment for renewing the Church and for taking care for the poor and for the earth as our common home. Moreover, his leadership has underlined the importance of synodality in the life of the Church, namely emphasizing an active participation of the people of God. This synodality of the Church is implemented in the method used in the synods of Bishops (2014, 2015, 2018). “Synodality” will be the theme of the Bishops’ synod of 2022. The people of God should not just play a passive role to implement all decisions made by the leaders

7 This report focuses on the context of the global Church. However, there is also the context of the local churches where the Order is present.8 See Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 187‐216 (2013); Laudato Sì (2015); and Querida Amazonia (2019). See also Pope Francis, Laudato Sì, no. 49.9 See Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (2016), and Christus Vivit (2019).10 Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 49.


of the Church. They should be involved in the decision‐making process through sincere and open dialogue and consultation. Pope Francis is implementing the inspiration of the Second Vatican Council, namely the Church as the people of God; underlining the importance of the principle of collegiality and subsidiary that call for a collegial way of decision making and for decentralization in running the governance of the Church.

3.4 MisconductOur Church has been continues to be traumatized by an explosion of sexual scandals and sexual abuse of minors committed by clergy and religious men and women. This abuse has inflicted deep seated wounds in victims and put into question the credibility of the Church as a moral and spiritual institution. Pope Francis has taken strong steps and made important decisions to restore damages and to promote the protection of minors and vulnerable adults by implementing a zero‐tolerance rule / approach for those who commit(ted) sexual abuse of minors. The master general has asked all major superiors to review policies and protocols to deal with sexual misconduct of minors by Crosiers. Each area of the Order has developed the policies and protocol.

As Church, we must acknowledge our sins and the need for serious conversion and ask God’s forgiveness. We must listen sympathetically to the painful and traumatic experiences of the survivors, help and accompany them to recovery, and – finally ‐ strive for strong commitment to prevent this horrible experience from taking place again in the future.

3.5 Prophetic DimensionPope Francis has on many occasions accentuated the prophetic calling of consecrated life through a life of the evangelical counsels and through respective ministries. In his Apostolic Letter on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life,11 Pope Francis calls all religious men and women to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm, and to look at the future with hope. He also emphasizes the important role of personal and communal discernment in the Church and in consecrated life and warns of the danger of clericalism and spiritual worldliness.12 Pope Francis accentuates this:

“Discernment is necessary not only at extraordinary times, when we need to resolve grave problems and make crucial decisions. It is a means of spiritual combat for helping us to follow the Lord more faithfully. We need it at all times, to help us recognize God’s timetable, lest we fail to heed the prompting of his grace and disregard his invitation to grow.”13

The renewal of the Catholic Church promoted by Pope Francis, has created strong opposition from the ultra‐conservative and traditionalist groups who promote restoration rather than transformation in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.

What is going on in the Church challenges us, Crosier religious, to renew our commitment, to inculturate our charism, to revisit our mission, and sharpen our awareness of the signs of the times and respond in the light of the Gospel and our charism. Therefore, the 2021 General Chapter should take into account the current reality of the Church.

11 The Apostolic Letter was issued on November 21, 2014.12 Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 93‐9713 Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exultate, no. 169.


4.0 Religious Life ContextOur religious life is not immune from challenges present in the world and society where religious life is lived out. What is going on in the society influences religious men and women in living out their identity and their mission. What is described above, both regarding the world and ecclesial context, challenges religious men and women to live out their religious vows and their mission. In this context, religious men and women are called to bear prophetic witness imbued by their mystical experiences.14 In the face of a consumerist society that overwhelms us with so many choices and offers and stimulates our instinctive desire to possess, buy and use, religious persons are challenged to cultivate a habit of discernment so that they can distinguish their needs from their wants.15

4.1 Challenge of ClericalismPope Francis reminds religious repeatedly about the tendency of clericalism and careerism. Clericalism is underpinned by a patriarchal mentality that still grows in the Church and continues to be cultivated. This mentality and domination undermine women as second class in the Church and precludes them from the decision‐making processes in the Church. Furthermore, Pope Francis calls religious men and women to be alert to the temptation of spiritual worldliness that is disguised behind an “appearance of piety and even love for the Church, that consists in seeking not the Lord’s glory but human glory and personal wellbeing.”16

4.2 Challenge of DeclineNow consecrated life is facing a great challenge of declining members in the northern hemisphere because of ageing and a lack of candidates who show interest in joining religious life. In this situation, there is the temptation to embrace the ars bene moriendi, the art of good dying.

In this context we need to foster our spirituality of the Cross and live the Paschal Mystery. Moreover, in front of human fragility we are called to keep alive hope and to discover beauty in human fragility and vulnerability in which God’s grace is abundantly at work: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12,9).

The other extreme is to just accept whoever wants to join, without proper selection and sound vocational discernment. In the face of a lack of vocational candidates for religious life, we may not give in to the temptation of adopting “an artificial fertilization method.” We should pray and ask the Lord of the harvest, to send laborers to harvest the great harvest (Mt. 9,37‐38). Our Order is not immune from this challenging situation.

14 Topics the USG and UISG addressed in their assemblies give an idea about what the current issues are in the world of consecrated life. Recent publications of the Vatican Congregation for Religious mirror contemporary realities, issues and concerns in contemporary consecrated life. An article in La Civiltà Cattolica pointed out a current problem of misuse of power and authority in particular female religious institutes and in new foundations (the problem of founders and foundresses). See: Giovanni Cucci SJ, Authority and Abuse Issues among Women Religious, in: La Civiltà Cattolica, August 2020.15 As is mentioned in “A Crosier Religious at the Moment of Solemn Profession. A General Profile”, the section on the vow of poverty.16 Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 93.


4.3 Sentinels of the DawnIn many religious institutes, including our Order, there is an ever‐growing membership in the southern hemisphere. It is, of course, good news and a sign of hope for the future. It also challenges the inculturation of religious life and of the charism of the Order into new cultural contexts. In many religious orders and congregations, general leadership is moving to the southern hemisphere.

In our Order this development is taking place too. How do we help the young generation to appropriate and cultivate the Crosier religious heritage? We need to use this small window of opportunity to equip the young generation to learn, understand, and internalize our Crosier spiritual heritage.

“Our Order has been small, is small, and will be small”17 … old, small, but indestructible. This means that the Holy Spirit has worked and continues to work in our Order. There are different situations in the Order, particularly differences between the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. These situations call the Order to implement a fraternal economy, by sharing personnel, finances, information, burdens and benefits, for the promotion of the common good of the Order.

4.4 Challenge of SustainabilityAs other small religious institutes and congregations, also we are struggling to find ways to assure financial sustainability for supporting our Crosier religious life and mission. This concern was raised at the 2009 General Chapter. The chapter mandated all areas of the Order to establish a development office. The areas that established a development office are the former Saint Odilia Province, the Province of Blessed Theodore de Celles, and the General Delegation for Brazil. The Province of Martyrs de Bondo and the Province of Sang Kristus also established their development office that must be equipped by committed and passionate personnel so that the office can run well and be fruitful.

4.5 FormationIn order to assure the sustainability of the Order, formation into Crosier religious life is a crucial priority issue. Therefore, improvement of the formation quality is a key element that consists in preparing qualified formators, the improvement of recruiting and selecting candidates, fostering personal accompaniment of formandi, improving the evaluation system, and providing holistic (integral) formation programs. In our Order, the great challenge is to prepare and equip confreres to be good formators. The role of the community where initial formation takes place is crucial.

There continues to exist an inconsistency and incongruence between what formandi were taught by their formators and what they see from the way of solemn professed bearing witness in daily life. This situation is of course counterproductive and becomes a stumbling block for formandi. The master general wrote a pastoral letter on Verbo et Exemplo (2018 Lenten Season) to encourage all professed confreres to serve as a role model for formandi in living out Crosier religious life as articulated in A Crosier Religious at Solemn Profession: A General Profile.

17 This expression was often used by Master General Martinus Manders. See: Roger Janssen osc, Oord van Helder Licht. 800 jaar Orde van het Heilig Kruis 1210 ‐ 2010, p. 276. Martinus Manders served the Order as Master General from 1889‐1899.


4.6 BrotherhoodRegarding community life and brotherhood, situations differ across the Order. Based on my canonical visitations to all the areas of the Order, I did notice that in general confreres value communal living and experience some sense of it in their day to day living. The dynamics of community life are varied, depending on the cultural context. Crosier brotherhood is expressed in different forms. The intensity and quality of the sense of belonging of the members to the community and to the Order is different. A common impression throughout the Order is the practice of confreres showing hospitality to their fellow brothers and to other people. Fraternal hospitality is a trademark of Crosiers.

What ‐‐ according to me ‐‐ needs to be improved in our fraternal community life are the interpersonal relationships, a deeper communication, the sharing of faith and of our vocational experiences, daring to challenge one another to deeper human and spiritual growth, and a practice of fraternal correction. During my visit to the Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo, and especially in the formation houses, I witnessed a wonderful experience about how they live Crosier brotherhood: during community meals information is shared, and there is no habit of speaking bad things about other confreres.

The dynamics and the vitality of a local community depend on the commitment of the leader and the members of the community. In some communities, local community chapters and common liturgical prayer do not take place because of the lack of commitment of the local leader and the members, and because of a lack of awareness of the importance of chapters in Crosier religious life.18

4.7 Intercultural Community LifeAs in other religious institutes, we experience an increase of intercultural communities. This brings great challenges to building an authentic fraternal community. In these intercultural communities, Crosiers are challenged to respect their confreres, to acknowledge and appreciate diversity, cultivate tolerance, and foster an openness to learn from one another, and appropriate the Crosier culture as a binding value that unites us as an Order.The number of intercultural Crosier communities is increasing. The Conventual Priory of the USA consists in American, Indonesian and Congolese confreres, as well as a frater from Mexico and from Brazil. The Saint Agatha community in the European Province consists in Dutch confreres, Belgian confreres, a Congolese and an Indonesian confrere, and a confrere originally from the USA.19 The community of the General Delegation for Brazil consists in confreres from Brazil, Indonesia, and Congolese. Communities in Sang Kristus consist in Dutch confreres, Indonesian confreres coming from different ethnicities and tribes, and also two Congolese confreres.This reality of interculturality enriches communities by different cultural values and customs. It makes communities look like colorful mosaics. Nevertheless, this reality also confronts us with a big challenge that requires attention. Regarding this challenge, the Generalate published the document on Intercultural Crosier Living (2018). In order to promote communication and collaboration internationally and interculturally, we can maximize the use of social media technology to keep in touch with one another as confreres in the Crosier Order.18 See Constitutions, no. 8 and 9.19 The intercultural composition of the Sint Agatha Priory has changed recently.


4.8 Respect for our Crosier Way of LifeIn some areas of the Order, especially in Indonesia, the balance between community life and pastoral ministries remains a great challenge to be resolved. The busyness of confreres who work in parishes absorbs most of their time and energies. As a consequence, these confreres involve themselves less in the common activities and observances of the religious community. This reality has been part of and continues to persist in the history of the Order.20

Our Constitutions underline the mutual support between fraternal community life and pastoral ministries outside of community:

“Since we have been called to service of the Church in and through community, we favor those apostolic endeavors which require or are enriched by community life and which in turn foster it.”21

The real problem perhaps is not on the balance between community life and the ministry of the Crosier but whether there is serious respect in each member of the Order for the Crosier way of life. Is every Crosier fully grounded in the charismatic values of the Order: community life, liturgy, chapter, hospitality, …?

4.9 Mutual Collaboration with DiocesesCrosiers contribute to building the local Church through fraternal community life, common liturgical prayer, and Crosier apostolates. During my canonical visits, bishops have expressed their appreciation and support for the Crosier charism. It aligns with what is spelled out in Mutuae Relationes.22

As a religious Order, we must be firm and bold to legitimately claim the living out of our charism and to not compromise our Crosier identity with pastoral demands of dioceses or parishes.

20 See: Roger Janssen osc, The Normative Community in the Order of the Holy Cross 1210-2015; Brotherhood in the Order of the Holy Cross, 1210-2014.21 Constitutions, no. 22.2.22 See: Mutuae Relationes, no. 52.


5.0 Unity in Charity: Bringing, Breaking and Sharing the BreadThe theme of the 2021 General Chapter calls us to further implement the fraternal economy “as a concrete way of living our genuine Crosier brotherhood and shared responsibility for the common good of the Order” (2015 General Chapter Directive on Fraternal Economy). Our brotherhood, imbued and inspired by charity, binds our Order in unity, and is made manifest by “bringing, breaking, and sharing the bread”. Bread can refer to spiritual heritage, gifts, resources, concerns, aspirations, expectations, joys and sorrows, burdens and benefits … that are brought to the general chapter from all parts of the Order. “Unity in charity” will consequently promote the one identity of the Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross. The charity that is required of Crosiers is not “to glorify” areas or communities or persons but being united as one Order. What we bring comes from the same source, what we break belongs to everyone, and what we share flows from all brothers, through the people of God to our final destination, the Father.

5.1 Biblical InspirationThis theme echoes biblical inspiration. It refers to the first Christian community of Jerusalem who gathered together to listen to God’s words, broke the bread, persevered in the teaching of the apostles, put all things in common, and assured that each person got what they needed (Acts 2,41‐47; 4,32‐35). This theme calls for keeping alive unity in the diversity of the Order, as a bread made from different ingredients, in a variety of forms and flavors. The General Chapter as the supreme authority has the responsibility to assure the unity of the Order in which charity is the binding value, to safeguard the spiritual heritage and patrimony of the Order; and to make important decisions regarding the life and the mission of the Order.

5.2 Rich in SpiritualityThis theme articulates a eucharistic spirituality: bringing, breaking, sharing bread to nourish others. It accentuates the essence of love, which implies self‐sacrifice (John 15,13). This eucharistic spirituality refers to the memorable and powerful experiences of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. They were able to recognize the risen Jesus when He broke and shared the bread with them (Luke 24, 30‐31). Breaking and sharing bread means hospitality to the stranger and becomes the moment of mutual self‐revelation between the host and the guests.

The theme highlights a spirituality of communion. Each person and part mold the unity of the Order. Each person and part contribute to the life of the Order.This theme also speaks to the spirituality of the Cross. Delegates of the General Chapter will break down walls, open up horizons and perspectives, leave their comfort zones, think beyond one’s respective area, leave behind a partisan mindset, let themselves be illuminated by the


creative work of the Holy Spirit and be transformed to become a new human being. This requires self‐sacrifice, letting go, willingness to die our own ego, and fidelity to the Cross.23

A general chapter is a faith event. It is a favorable and gracious moment to bring, break, and share our bread to nourish the Order. The master general will bring and share key concerns of the Order based on his experiences of visiting all areas of the Order. Delegates will bring their bread to share it together in the General Chapter. Delegates will share with the chapter what is going on in the distinctive parts of the Order. They are invited and expected to speak candidly without hesitation or fear. Through active and humble listening delegates will first of all come to a deeper understanding. There is no hierarchy in the general chapter.24 After communal discernment, the general chapter will make decisions for the coming six years. After the General Chapter, delegates will bring, break, and share the bread of their chapter experiences and of the chapter decisions with the fellow brothers in their respective areas.

23 See John 12,24 and Constitutions 2.2.24 This statement was made during a webinar conference on “General Chapters in Times of Uncertainty. New Conversations in today’s context” (September 2020 / November 2020), organized by “Faith and Praxis for Global Leadership”.


6.0 Implementation of the 2015 General Chapter DirectivesWe have looked at various components of the context in which the life of the Crosier Order is situated. We briefly addressed the meaning of the 2021 General Chapter theme. Now we move into the main corpus of the report. First, we shall give an account of the implementation of the directives of the 2015 General Chapter.

To implement the 2015 General Chapter directives, the Master General and his council spent time for discussion and reflection, facilitated by an external facilitator, namely Sr. Christine Anderson (October 26‐27, 2015). The General Implementation Plan was presented for consultation to the extended council during the fall meeting in December 2015. As a working document, the General Implementation Plan was published in the Order in January 2016. It served as a guideline for implementing the 2015 General Chapter directives both in the areas of the Order and at the general level.

6.1 General GovernanceIn the last 35 years, the general governance has had different compositions. From 1985‐1997 the master general had two appointed general assistants approved by the general chapter (1985). The general board consisted of the priors provincial. In 1991‐2003, the master general was accompanied by two elected general assistants and the priors provincial continued to serve ex-officio as general councilors. In 2003‐2015 the master general had a council made up by two elected general councilors and the priors provincial.

6.2 The General Council of the Master GeneralThe 2015 General Chapter elected three general councilors ad experimentum. The general council gives advice to the master general, and when required consent for canonical issues, personnel matters and assignment of personnel at the general level. The master general and the elected general councilors live together in the generalate house. General councilors also function in general staff positions and assume various responsibilities, including the roles of procurator general, general archivist, general secretary, assistant to the master general for administration. Since February 2018, one general councilor serves as the rector of the basilica of San Giorgio in Velabro. Another general councilor has served – since 2015 ‐ as the appointed local superior of the Rome community, including the care for Crosier students and other students. He is also the vice‐rector of the basilica.25

Based on the experience, by living together in the same community, the master general can call for meetings at any time he needs the advice or the consent of the general council so that decisions can be made in a timely fashion. This is a benefit and a major difference with the previous general council systems. Before 2015, agenda items for the general council could mostly only be dealt with twice a year, during spring and fall. The master general then was authorized to appoint a substitute council for canonical matters related to personnel. The ad experimentum strategy allowed the governance work of the master general, where the general council was explicitly involved, to be more spread over time, at the appropriate 25 Rector and Vice‐Rector – based upon a recommendation from the master general ‐ are official assignments within the Diocese of Rome. Both confreres receive an official monthly salary as income for the community of Rome.


moments, and in the preparation for the meetings as well.

In these six years – since it was the mandate of the 2015 General Chapter – regularly the master general called upon his general council to process requests for admission to solemn vows or approval for ordinations. The requests for approval for ordinations were submitted separately from requests for admission to solemn profession. One proper dossier for deacon ordination, and – in most cases only half a year later ‐ the dossier for ordination to the priesthood. Moreover, approval requests for ordination came usually only half a year after the solemn vows of the candidate for ordination. These requests were in a good sense “numerous”, especially those coming from the Province of Sang Kristus and the Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo.

The master general and his general council served as the canonical major superior and council for the General Delegation for Brazil. Since the 2015 General Chapter confirmed the continuation of (part of) the Order in Brazil as General Delegation, the governance work was further entrusted to the master general and his general council. The ongoing availability of three general councilors facilitated this specific role of the master general serving as major superior of a specific part of the Order. The ongoing refoundation of Crosier religious life required regular impulses and decisions at the level of the major superior, being the master general. The distance between Rome and Brazil (Campo Belo) was not beneficial for the ability to effectively and efficiently deal with the needs and concerns of that part of the Order.

The general staff – the master general, the general councilors, and the general econome ‐ had a weekly meeting on Wednesday, for a full morning; and twice annually an extended general staff meeting each for about 5 days. These extended general staff meetings were always fruitful and beneficial: for staff evaluation and team building, for ongoing formation opportunities, for work at specific projects. In September 2016, the general staff met at Ariccia (outside Rome) and called upon Father Jan Peters, SJ to facilitate a first, more extended staff evaluation.

6.3 The Extended Council of the Master GeneralThe 2015 General Chapter established ad experimentum an extended council of the master general, composed of the elected general council and all major superiors. As stated in the 2015 General Chapter Relict, this council advises on issues presented by the master general and provides consent and collegial vote as prescribed in the proper law or by a general chapter. The consent of the extended council is required for the assessment of taxa (GS.42.2), the general budget (GS 42.4); the removal of general councilor (GS 37.8); and the appointment of general councilor outside of the chapter (GS 37.10).

The extended council26 has had regular meetings once a year for between 5 – 10 days. During the extended council meeting, major superiors reported on the actual situation of the Order’s life in the respective areas. They also had the opportunity to converse personally with the master general. Based on our evaluation, some major superiors felt at times less engaged in the general leadership compared with the period when they were ex‐officio members of the general council, before the 2015 General Chapter.26 The extended council is not a meeting of two groups, namely the ‘generalate team’ at one side and the ‘major superiors’ at the other side. It is the meeting of the master general with one larger group of councilors composed of both the general council and all major superiors.


During the ad experimentum period, major superiors as members of the extended council involved themselves in decision making processes through their advisory and consultative role.

The experienced challenge was not to see the extended council as being the general council with the major superiors as an “add on”. The “we” – “they” dynamics needed to be avoided as not helpful nor constructive. Although accountability is important, the extended council was not meant to function as two “groups controlling each other”. The extended council learned ‐ to a certain extent – to serve as one team in collaboration with the master general for the wellbeing of the Order. Such learning will probably be an ongoing endeavor and effort.

Given the importance of staying connected and involved with the Order wide developments, communication and collaboration between the generalate and major superiors needs to be increased both by meetings in person and Zoom meetings. I as master general recommend that the 2021 General Chapter change the Extended Council from ad experimentum to permanently established in the general statutes. In the course of these years, we have come to a better understanding and deeper appreciation for the 2015 General Chapter decision to institute an extended council of the master general, particularly since it became clearer during the meetings what this council saw as its role within the larger picture of general governance.

6.4 Governance RestructuringThe 2015 General Chapter allowed for a mixed model of governance structure, namely a two and three level structure: local ‐ general level, and local ‐ area ‐ general level. The underlying motivation for the governance restructuring in the Order is the concern of how the charism of the Order can be lived out in the best way. As I remember from the discussion on restructuring, the final resolution made by the chapter seemed to be a compromise between two and three levels of structure.

6.4.1 ImplementationTo facilitate the 2015 mandated Governance Restructuring, implementation was a major and demanding task for general governance and administration. The Generalate elaborated and provided an extensive workbook for education and guidance for the process of restructuring in each area of the Order. The workbook was translated in the various languages of the Order, to facilitate its usage, and to assure that all confreres were able to read and work with it. This module spelled out the meaning of the restructuring, the criteria of each governance structure, the process, the criteria for assessing actual realities, the discernment process engaging all members of the areas, and decision making in the provincial or pro‐provincial chapter.

In order to help confreres to still better understand the emphasis on normative community in the Order, the master general asked confrere Roger Janssen to do historical research.27

In what follows, I wish to report on how each part of the Order dealt with the governance restructuring directive of the 2015 General Chapter. The subtitles indicate the actual governance structure (ad experimentum), as a result of decisions made after the 2015 General Chapter.

6.4.2 Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross (USA)The Province of Saint Odilia, after serious discernment about the actual reality of the province, with two priories, and based on projections for the next twenty years, adopted the conventual 27 The results of his study are published in Normative Community in the History of the Order of the Holy Cross (2017) and made available for the whole Order.


priory structure.28 This structure is more suitable and evident from the perspective of the charism of the Crosier Order – as an Order of Canons Regular ‐ which is focused on conventual fraternal life in community. In response to a formal request of the 2017 Provincial Chapter, to be established as a Conventual Priory, the master general – one year later ‐ canonically suppressed the Saint Odilia Province in August 2018 in order to establish the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross in the USA. The first Conventual Priory Chapter elected confrere Thomas Enneking as Conventual Prior and elected his councilors.

The Conventual Priory of the Crosiers in the United States has two community sites at Phoenix (AZ) and at Onamia (MN). The conventual prior lives in the community of the conventual priory, together with the members. He primarily stays in the Phoenix community site and spends about one week a month in the Onamia community site. The conventual priory holds a chapter every month by Zoom. Once a year the statute‐mandated conventual priory chapter is convoked where all members actually come together in person. There is only one annual budget for the one conventual priory, covering the two sites.

6.4.3 Province of Blessed Theodore de Celles (Europe)The Province of Blessed Theodore de Celles, established in 2000, adopted the Province structure. The implications of the 2015 General Chapter directive on governance restructuring were thoroughly studied, discussed and discerned by a provincial ad hoc committee; and, later on, together with members of the province. The 2019 provincial chapter adopted the resolution to keep the governance structure of a province until 2022, with dispensation – granted by the master general ‐ from some canonical requirements proper to this structure: the existence of three vital Crosier priory communities, the composition of the council of the prior provincial, including ‐ next to the elected vice‐provincial ‐ ex‐officio also the three local superiors of the communities of Sint Agatha, Maaseik, and Hannut.

The provincial chapter took into account the complex realities of the province. This province is composed of members spread in six different countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Brazil, with different (civil) regulations. A number of confreres do live outside of the community as filii provincialis. All members are over 65, except 4 members who are all over 45. Communities are weak because of ageing members. The provincial chapter maintained three existing communities: Sint Agatha, Maaseik, and Hannut. The same chapter re‐elected confrere Peter Snijkers as Prior Provincial and elected the vice provincial. It was resolved ‐ by the provincial statutes ‐ that the local superiors of three communities ‐ Maaseik, Saint Agatha and Hannut ‐ become members of the canonical council of the prior provincial.

6.4.4 Province of Sang Kristus (Indonesia)The Province of Sang Kristus has maintained the governance structure of a province. This province is composed of four priories and more than ten other – often small ‐ communities spread over the many islands of Indonesia: from the west part of Indonesia (Nias island and Sumatera) until the far east part of Indonesia (West Papua). There are different dynamics of ecclesiastical realities where Crosiers serve the people of God. There is an ongoing critical

28 The “conventual priory” is another – more adapted ‐ name for what the 2015 general chapter called an “autonomous priory”. The thinking through – after the general chapter and as a task given by that chapter – of the meaning of “autonomous priory” resulted in the adoption of the term “conventual priory”. The Canonical Committee has described the outcomes of this thinking process in the Consultation Workbook (June 2020) published for the whole Order in various languages.


political and religious situation in Indonesia. With these realities in the background and after serious discussion and discernment, the Sang Kristus Province, in the provincial chapter held on 15‐19 July 2019 decided to keep the province structure and elected confrere Agung Rianto as Prior Provincial and elected also his council.

6.4.5 Province of Martyrs de Bondo (Congo Kinshasa)The Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo is restructured as a province. The prior pro‐provincial of the Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo submitted an informed proposal to the provincial chapter of the European province with the request to be established as a province. The provincial chapter supported the request. The 2019 Provincial Chapter ‐ as stated in its relict ‐ authorized the prior provincial to make the decision after the completion of the documentation. The decision to establish the province was approved by the master general with the consent of the general council (see current GS30.1) on August 05, 2020.

Having received the request from the Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo to be erected to be province, the 2019 Europe Provincial Chapter supported fully the request and assigned the Prior Provincial of the Province of the Blessed Theodore de Celles to follow up on the decision of the Provincial Chapter to establish the Province of Martyrs de Bondo with the approval of master general with the consent of his general council. The master general with the consent of the general council approved the establishment of the Province of the Martyrs de Bondo and at the occasion of celebration of the centennial anniversary of Crosier presence and mission in African Content issued the decree of establishment of the Province of Martyrs de Bondo on 16 February 2021.

The first provincial chapter took place on 16‐20 February 2021 and at the Chapter Kahindo Benjamin OSC was elected as the Prior Provincial.

The ongoing challenges to deal with are the financial sustainability of the area and good Crosier leadership, as well as effective personnel planning. Leaders and members need to work at a gradual increase of local income generation. The Order in the Martyrs de Bondo area has many young members and many potential candidates. The confreres are eager and committed to live out Crosier religious life. The apostolates support their community life.

The Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo did establish three priories: Chipukizi Priory in Mulo (before 2015), the Katwa Priory (in December 2019) in Mulo, and the Mboka Emmaus Priory (in June 2020) in Kinshasa.

6.4.6 Priorato da Santa Cruz (Brazil)Since 2011, the governance of the Priorato da Santa Cruz29 at Campo Belo (MG) is structured as a general delegation for Brazil, directly under the master general (major superior).

The establishment of the General Delegation for Brazil was a temporary provision made by the master general,30 to provide governance in a re‐foundation process – starting afresh ‐ for Crosier religious life in Brazil in the context of the Priory of Campo Belo.

29 A priory outside of a province structure. The right of the priory chapter to elect its prior is suspended. The master general appoints the superior of the priorato, after consultation with the community. In other words, the Priorato da Santa Cruz is not fully entrusted with the “full governance” of the priory, like a conventual priory or a priory in a province structure. It is however the expectation that the community gradually embodies the normative way of life as in a Crosier priory.30 As outcome of an internal discussion within the general council.


The 2015 General Chapter approved continuing the existence of the general delegation for the priory community in Brazil, to support its Crosier life. The Chapter left the master general with a significant particular leadership role for a ‐ be it small in number ‐ part of the Order. The generalate has continued to provide financial subsidies and other assistance to the area.

Since a general delegation ‐ unlike a conventual priory and a province ‐ is not meant to be a constitutional governance structure for the Order,31 the master general explored other structural configurations for the Priorato da Santa Cruz at Campo Belo (Brazil).

After regular conversations with the members of the general delegation and consultation with the extended council (October 2019) it was agreed that the status of General Delegation would remain until other decisions are made by the next administration following through ondio directives from the general chapter.

6.4.7 Canonical CommitteeThe master general established a Canonical Committee, mandated to draft proposed revisions in the Order’s proper Law. The committee took into consideration the evaluations of the experiences with the adopted proposals ad experimentum (2015‐2021) and the related adaptation ad experimentum of Crosier proper law.

This entailed in particular the implementation of the mixed governance structures, adopting the conventual priory as a constitutional governance structure. The revision work includes also the development of norms and statutes for formation and fraternal economy governance. The canonical committee worked hard at the proposed revisions to the Constitutions and General Statutes. The committee has had meetings every year, since January 2018.

The draft of the proposed revisions to the Constitutions and the General Statutes will be presented to this chapter. A separate report of the Canonical Committee is provided as an appendix.

31 A “general delegation” is not foreseen as a component of the proposed mixed governance of the Order like a conventual priory or a province.


7.0 FormationThe 2015 General Chapter established a general formation commission ad experimentum. The commission is not meant to serve as a supervisor of the formators but a promoter of collaboration and shared responsibility for the Order’s governance of common formation into Crosier religious life.

The commission has worked extensively to help the master general with implementing the 2015 General Chapter directives on formation. The master general charged the commission with developing various formation instruments to facilitate initial formation and improve its quality: *a Crosier common formation program, *a template for the evaluation of directors of stages of formation, *a template for the evaluation of candidates for solemn vows and ordinations, *a Crosier Priesthood Profile.32 The commission studied possibilities for International Formation Experiences and developed the program. The commission was also charged with compiling a General Formation Handbook. In collaboration with the general finance commission, a curriculum33 for fraternal economy education in initial formation was developed and made available to the Order.

7.1 Adaptation Norm on Formation Governance: Const. 23.3

To implement the ad experimentum adopted proposal of the 2015 General Chapter, the master general ‐ after consulting the general formation commission, obtaining canonical advice, and the advice of the extended council and the consent of the general council, published a decree adjusting the norm of Constitutions 23.334 ad experimentum, in May 2016. The adapted norm reads:

The master general, with the advice of the general council, determines the common program of initial formation, as well as the criteria for admission to solemn vows and approval for ordination.

The 2021 General Chapter will evaluate the implementation of the 2015 General Chapter adopted proposal, which resulted in the adaptation ‐ by the master general – of this Constitutional norm and the development and adoption of related General Statutes.35

7.2 Role of the Master General in FormationAware of the importance of quality initial formation for the sustainability of the Order, the 2015 General Chapter authorized the master general to develop and approve a common formation program. The master general asked the general formation commission to develop a common formation program. After having consulted all formators and major superiors, and with the advice of the extended council, the master general, with the consent of the general council, published the decree to promulgate the common formation program for 32 The Profile of a Crosier Priest (January 2020) is not a separate profile. It is an addendum to the Profile of a Crosier Religious at the moment of his Solemn Profession (Fall 2006). This is to help the Order always see and think of Crosier Priesthood within the context of Crosier religious life and not separated from it.33 See: “Our Shared Responsibility for the Common Good. The Curriculum for the Development of an Understanding of Crosier Fraternal Economy in Initial Formation” (2018).34 The current constitutional norm 23.3 was suspended.35 The Canonical Committee has done further work with re‐drafting this norm, taking in account the evaluations at the end of the ad experimentum period and the feedback from a consultation in the Order. The 2021 General Chapter will discuss the proposed revisions of current Const. 23.3.


the worldwide Order ad experimentum, in December 2018. I consider this program as an adequate formation resource for the benefit of the life of the Order.

All areas of the Order need to adjust their initial formation program in line with this program. This common formation program becomes the Ratio Institutionis that binds the whole Order. It spells out the seven components of initial formation into Crosier religious life and describes the expected output and outcomes of each stage of formation. This common formation program, implemented by qualified and committed formators, who are dedicated to an intensive personal accompaniment of each of the formandi, should improve and guarantee the quality of Crosier religious life. That is the great responsibility of the Order towards all formandi: the guarantee of the quality of their initial formation into Crosier religious life.

Providing good quality initial formation into Crosier religious life and Crosier identity and self‐definition requires collaborative and synergic work. To that end the 2015 General Chapter called for collaboration between the master general, the major superiors and the priories where formation takes place. This collaboration entails shared responsibilities. The parameters of these responsibilities were set by the 2015 General Chapter and guaranteed in provisional statutory norms adopted ad experimentum by the master general.

Next to the establishment of a common and unified formation program for the whole Order, the chapter authorized the master general to approve the assignment of directors of stages of formation, to admit candidates for solemn vows, and to approve candidates for ordination, after reviewing the respective recommendations presented and submitted by the major superior.

7.3 Admission to Solemn Vows and Approval for Ordination

To assess the suitability of candidates for solemn vows and ordinations, the master general needs adequate and objective data about the candidates. The master general asked the general formation commission to develop templates for the evaluation of candidates for solemn vows and ordinations.

Since the 2015 General Chapter, the master general has been involved in assessing and admitting candidates for solemn vows and ordinations. He reviewed a self‐evaluation of the candidates, the recommendations from the formators, from the major superior, and the formation community.

A vision supporting this ad experimentum praxis entails the competence of the master general to ensure the passing on of the common charism of the Order to young confreres. This is his primary responsibility (cfr. Const. 36.1). It is important for him to be assured that a candidate is formed, and deeply committed to the life of the Crosier charism in all its dimensions, before all else through the profession of solemn vows.

The process for admission to solemn vows or approval for ordinations by the master general, includes his examination of a well‐documented dossier. The file includes evaluations and recommendations already reviewed by the major superior for his decision‐making. Provided with the specific recommendation of the major superior, the file is forwarded to the master general for the completion of the admission or approval process entrusted to him by the 2015 General Chapter. I wish to acknowledge that the submitted dossiers witnessed the seriousness and the depth of the assessment and evaluation, done by the respective formandi, the


formators, and communities. In some cases, the master general required more information from the major superior to be able to make a sound decision about the admission or approval of a respective candidate. In a few cases, the master general withheld his decision and advised the postponement of solemn vows or ordination.

According to me the template(s)36 for the evaluation of candidates provided by the general formation commission is most helpful to assist candidates to reflect on their readiness to commit themselves lifelong to living a Crosier religious life based on the Profile of a Crosier at Solemn Vows. The template is also beneficial for formators and major superiors in their work and responsibility of assessing the readiness and suitability of candidates to profess solemn vows.

Based on the evaluation by the major superiors, the question was raised whether it would be more suitable that the authority to approve the admission of candidates to solemn vows would be with the immediate major superior. It is after all the respective major superior who has the adequate knowledge of the candidates. And the principle of subsidiarity would be honored as well.

The role of the master general, then, is to assess and assure the quality of the formation program in the areas. He is asked to confirm37 the decision made by the major superior regarding the admission of candidates for solemn vows and ordination, and he provides general policies regarding initial formation. Other questions have been raised about the canonical foundation (CIC) of the required approval ‐ by the master general ‐ of candidates for ordination.

The above reported issues were discussed in the extended council (October 2020). In line with the expectations of the 2015 general chapter ‐ the master general has for sure to have one distinctive role primarily related to the definitive admission of candidates into the Order, and at the same time ‐ in a single process ‐ assessing the suitability of the candidate for ordination.

In line with this thinking, the canonical committee (January 2021) has adapted the ad experimentum formation governance statutes. Proposed revisions of formation governance norms and statutes will be on the agenda of the general chapter.

The review process by the master general is not meant to be a mere repetition of the evaluation in the local area under the leadership of the major superior. The “confirmation” given by the master general is seen as a reassurance that the recommended Crosier frater has been adequately formed and is ready to live the Crosier charism for his entire life and is suitable for eventual ordination.

The general commission for formation did also recommend that the master general consider speaking with the major superiors one year before candidates would apply for solemn vows. This would inform the knowledge of the master general about potential candidates and his understanding of how major superiors see a formandus living Crosier Religious Life.

36 Actually, at least two templates were developed [solemn vows & ordination(s)] A future general formation commission may need to review these templates in light of the expectations of the general chapter, and the eventual adopted changes in Crosier proper law.37 The role of the master general could be seen as “confirming” *the initial formation program’s quality and *the intention of the major superior to admit someone to solemn vows. The real, most immediate “approval” of the application for solemn vows is indeed with the major superior. However, while the act of the master general may be more like a “confirmation”, the final “approval” is still at the general level.


7.4 Approval of Assignment for Directors of Stages of Formation

It is without doubt that in providing a good quality of initial formation, formators play a most significant role. With this concern in mind and in collaboration with the major superior, the master general approves the assignment of directors of stages of formation upon recommendation and presentation by the involved major superior.

The master general, to that end, needs objective information about the competencies of confreres who are assigned as formators. The major superior accompanies his recommendation of a formation director with the outcomes of his assessment of the suitability of the proposed confrere to be a good formator. To facilitate this important discernment process, the master general, with assistance of the general formation commission, developed a template for evaluating the directors of stages of formation (see below).

7.5 Role of Major Superiors in FormationWith regard to his role in formation, a major superior is the most responsible person in his area, in collaboration with the formation team, and the formation community. The 2015 General Chapter mandated major superiors to supervise the priories’ involvement and responsibility in the common formation program. It called major superiors to arrange regular meetings with priors and formators. The 2015 General Chapter implementation plan provided for an annual formal visitation by the majors superior of the formation communities.

In these six years, major superiors – as expected by the 2015 General Chapter ‐ did – when needed ‐ recommend confreres to be assigned as directors of stages of formation to the master general. Most of the major superiors did submit one evaluation report of formators to the master general. The master general did approve the assignments – or re‐assignments ‐ of directors of stages of formation based on the recommendation and documentation submitted by the major superior.

To help major superiors in assessing formators comprehensively and objectively, the generalate – as already mentioned above ‐ provided a template for evaluation of formators, developed by the general commission for formation.

Based on the experiences of the major superiors since 2015, the template needs to be streamlined.38 Areas submitted their evaluation reports once every three years.

Major superiors39 ‐ based on their responsible evaluations ‐ submitted recommendations and related documents regarding candidates for solemn vows to the master general in order to admit candidates for solemn vows. The generalate provided a template for evaluation of candidates. The template includes a self‐evaluation instrument, a formator’s assessment questionnaire, and the major superior’s assessment. The quality of the report is indeed helpful to the master general in assessing the suitability of candidates to be admitted or not.

38 Not all evaluation questions or issues in the existing template have the same weight. Some requested details distracted from what is really of importance in an assessment process of the suitability of a confrere to serve in formation.39 This paragraph addresses the issue from the perspective of the role of the area level major superior as distinctive from what is said in this report of the master general in his specific and distinctive role of admitting for solemn vows and approving for ordination.


7.6 Role of Priories in FormationThe 2015 General Chapter emphasized the collaborative role of the priories where formation occurs. This role entails living an exemplary common life and modeling Crosier life to confreres in formation. This calls all solemn professed confreres to be a role model by their daily living witness. I wrote the 2018 Pastoral Letter for the Lenten Season Verbo et Exemplo to encourage all solemn professed to be formators by their encouraging word and good example in living out Crosier religious life.

Members of priories where initial formation takes place play a formative role through sharing experiences of authentic faith, fraternal life and liturgical prayer (Constitutions no. 23.2). During my canonical visitations, I witnessed that most of the solemn professed confreres in priories give good examples. Especially in the former Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo, I noticed that solemn professed confreres serve as spiritual directors for formandi.

Almost all formation houses have partially involved their formandi in community chapters so that they can learn and experience the implementation of the principles of collegiality and subsidiarity. The formative role of the priory is also manifested in the creation of an atmosphere that is welcoming and supporting. The formation priory becomes a “school for the spirituality of communion” that can be attractive to young people.

During all my canonical visits, I felt and experienced such an atmosphere. Furthermore, the formative role of priories is evaluated and strengthened in regular communication between priors and the formation team, to share and review concerns regarding formandi and the formation process. The prior also is engaged in the evaluation and assessment of formandi.

7.7 International Formation Experiences (IFE)Values of mutuality, unity and interdependence are important in the Order. There is also a need for future collaboration in personnel and formation programs. In light of this, the 2015 General Chapter authorized the master general to develop international formation experiences (IFE).

Such experiences are to create opportunities for young Crosiers to experience the internationality of the Order by direct interaction with confreres from the different areas of the Order. This international experience of Crosier religious life should also be beneficial and helpful for the collaboration between areas of the Order. The master general assigned the general formation commission to develop the program. There were some models40 proposed by the general commission for formation.

The adopted model was that the Order would offer international experiences in Crosier priories where initial formation takes place, to give opportunities to young Crosiers in initial formation to experience a different cultural way of living Crosier life. These experiences would enable the individuals and the host priories to enlarge their horizons and perspectives in order to nurture unity in the Order and to strengthen international collaboration.

40 These models included: a program focused on an explicit preparation, one year before professing solemn vows; or a program for all in initial formation to experience the internationality of the Order; a program in cooperation with a university program; participating in a general chapter to experience the internationality of the Order …


The first edition of this program was planned to take place in the Onamia community. The difficulty to get USA visas for participants from Indonesia, Congo, and Brazil, forced us to have the program take place in the province of Sang Kristus, Indonesia (23 July – 31 August 2019).

The program was attended by 9 formandi (4 Congolese, 4 Indonesian, and 1 Brazilian). Participants have shared – afterwards ‐ their positive and joyful experiences about the abilities to interact with one another in an international and fraternal atmosphere. The program expanded their horizons. It deepened their understanding of the internationality of the Order and of the Crosier culture as it is shaped in communities of the province of Sang Kristus. Sharing and hearing about the different Order contexts of living our religious life strengthened their sense of belonging to the Order. This might positively influence their readiness for an eventual assignment in another part of the Order in case of future needs in this regard. A participant said that he could experience hospitality from different confreres coming from different communities.

Based on the positive experiences, I think this program is worth continuing. The second edition was planned in Campo Belo, General Delegation of Brazil (18 June – 31 August 2020). The preparation committee worked hard to prepare the components of the event. It was planned that 10 young confreres (1 USA, 1 Brazil, 4 Congo, 4 Indonesia) would participate. Unfortunately, this second IFE was canceled due to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

7.8 International English Program for Post Novitiate Formation

Leadership has worked at and established ad experimentum another format to shape international formation experiences, namely an International English Post-Novitiate Formation Program.41 Fitting with the Crosier identity and charism, this new program will give opportunities to young confreres in initial formation to deepen their Crosier identity and mission, to experience the international Order, to broaden their horizon and perspective, and to strengthen their sense of belonging to the worldwide Order. This program began in 2020. This program will need available and qualified personnel to serve as international formators. The 2021 General Chapter needs to think not in terms of provinces and existing areas but in terms of availability for entering the Order of the Holy Cross. The Order should see the importance and benefits in supplying the possibility of post novitiate formation in English for Crosier religious life.

7.9 Crosier Priesthood ProfileGiven the questions and concerns regularly raised around Crosier religious life and Crosier priesthood, I assigned the general formation commission to develop a Crosier Priesthood Profile as a supplement to the General Profile of a Crosier at the moment of Solemn Vows. Its purpose is to help the Order understand what the meaning is of Crosier priesthood, and in particular to inform initial formation (formators and formandi). The Priesthood profile spells out a Crosier vision of ordained ministry. That is an important motivation behind the document. It is my hope that the guidance provided by this Profile purifies the temptation to

41 The master general, with the consent of the general council, established this program ad experimentum in March 2020, by official decree. The program is running including two fraters in post novitiate formation. One of these fraters belongs to the General Delegation for Brazil.


clericalism. Crosier priests should not overlook distinctive normative aspects of our vocation to Crosier religious life by a tendency to adopt a diocesan priesthood model..

The Crosier Priesthood Profile (see also above) spells out the distinctiveness of being and acting as a Crosier Priest imbued and animated by the charism of the Order. It underlines our fraternal community life, taking care for good and solemn liturgical prayer, the importance of chapters, the principle of collegiality and subsidiarity, the spirituality of the Cross, hospitality, and the cura animarum.

This profile was published for the worldwide Order in December 2019. By internalizing and implementing the Crosier Priesthood Profile, all Crosier priests are expected to externalize the charism of the Order in their daily life and in their ministerial service.

7.10 RecruitmentA strategy to assure the quality of formation is through vocational promotion and the recruitment of the best potential candidates. The province of Sang Kristus, the Province of Martyrs de Bondo, the Conventual Priory of the USA, and the General Delegation for Brazil have developed and implemented strategies to attract young people to join Crosier religious life as a way of life. I noticed that this vocational promotion is integrated in the areas’ chapter resolutions. Local communities play a significant role in this effort.

The province of Sang Kristus developed the strategy of recruiting new members by visiting minor seminaries, inviting young men to participate in living in the novitiate house during the Easter Triduum, publishing advertisements in the national magazine HIDUP, and each community engages in the accompaniment of potential candidates.

The former Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo developed a strategy of recruiting new members through inviting young men to a live‐in in the novitiate house during the Easter Triduum and each community engages in the accompaniment of potential candidates.

The Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross developed a strategy to recruit new candidates and assigned Crosier personnel dedicated to the promotion of Crosier vocations.

The General Delegation for Brazil worked out strategies to recruit new candidates through vocational gatherings to help men to discern their vocation.

7.11 Formation for FormatorsThe general formation commission organized the Formation for Formators Online program that took place in October‐December 2020 as an alternative to the originally scheduled in‐person program that was cancelled due to the pandemic. This program was followed by formators from Sang Kristus Province, the Pro‐province of Martyrs de Bondo, the General Delegation for Brazil, and the Conventual Priory of USA. Participants gave their evaluation. According to some participants this program was beneficial, helpful, insightful as well as providing an opportunity to share experiences and ideas among participants themselves. There have been suggestions for topics for a future program. The speakers that contributed to this program were Glen Lewandowski, Laurentius Tarpin, Pierre Paul, YB Rosaryanto, Julio Resende and Yustinus Nana.


8.0 Fraternal economy8.1 Education and Socialization of Fraternal Economy

The 2015 General Chapter adopted the fraternal economy as a concrete way of living our Crosier brotherhood and our shared responsibility for the common good of the Order. The master general wrote and published the 2016 Lenten Pastoral Letter on Fraternal Economy.

To help the Order understand the principles of fraternal economy, the generalate published impulse papers that focused on the explanation of each of the principles of fraternal economy: transparency, accountability, austerity, subsidiarity, solidarity, participation, competence, collaboration, and equity.

Similar newsletters from the generalate addressed other issues related to developing Crosier fraternal economy, namely investments, data of annual generalate financial reports as a way of being transparent, fraternal economy and Laudato Sì.

History shows that the practice of the fraternal economy is not new in our Order. In response to a request from the master general, a study was made on fraternal economy in the history of the Order.42 The province of Blessed Theodore de Celles published the outcomes of this study, which were made available in English to the whole Order. A fraternal economy first of all means that all members of the Order contribute to the common good of communities and the common good of the whole Order. It means also sharing resources: personnel and finance, sharing burdens and benefits across the worldwide Order.

A fraternal economy does not mean that the Order pays for the expenses (e.g. annual maintenance deficits) of a part of the Order. The fraternal economy directs financial resources to planned Crosier income‐generating initiatives. Additionally, Order follow up will need to monitor critically the annual operations of a Crosier project or initiative, to assure success and train “local managers” to assure Crosier values of accountability and transparency.

To help formandi to understand the meaning of fraternal economy that pertains to sharing resources: personnel, finances, assets, burdens and benefits for the sake of the common good of the Order, the master general assigned the general commissions for finance and formation to develop “The Curriculum for the Development of an Understanding of Crosier Fraternal Economy in Initial Formation” (see also above). This curriculum pays attention to theories and practices of financial management and to a basic knowledge of accounting in order to understand community finance reports.

The purpose of integrating the meaning, understanding and appropriation of the Crosier fraternal economy and its principles and dynamics into the initial formation program is to help formandi to understand better the implementation of the vow of poverty and the implications of building our Crosier brotherhood in community. The vow of evangelical Crosier poverty implies the contribution of each confrere to the common good of the communities and the Order. Moreover, it gives rise to an awareness of the financial dimension of religious life. Formandi are becoming more able to be involved in reviewing the financial reports

42 Roger Janssen osc, Different structures of fraternal economy for the Brethren of the Holy Cross and the Crosiers 1248 – 1840. St. Agatha – Cuijk, 2018. In October 2018, confrere Roger Janssen osc was invited to speak about his research outcomes during the annual meeting of the master general and his extended council.


of the community and in the community processes of instilling a culture of transparency, accountability, and responsibility. The implementation of the curriculum also gives rise to the awareness in the formandi of their sense of belonging to the whole Order and strengthens their call to have a wider perspective and a broader concern.

The canonical committee in consultation with the general finance commission drafted proposed norms and statutes for the governance of a Crosier fraternal economy. These norms and statutes will be presented for decision making to the 2021 General Chapter. The fundamental principle reflected in the norms is that the assets of the Order ‐ held in the respective areas ‐ belong to the Order for the one purpose of supporting the mission of the Order. The master general has the responsibility to assure an equitable distribution of the assets of the Order.

8.2 Fraternal Economy and our Standard of LivingTo encourage the Order to engage in discussions on our standard of living, the master general wrote his 2017 Advent Pastoral Letter on Our Individual and Communal Standard of Living. He had asked the general finance commission (June 2016) to begin to explore criteria for living standards. The purpose of this exploration was to facilitate the work of major superiors to review the standard of living in their areas. The commission then shared its outcomes and observations, and provided some criteria that would lead to a fruitful discussion on the topic, and ‐‐still as a result of its conversation ‐‐ listed crucial realities that should be accessible to all communities and members of the Order: initial and ongoing formation, health care, housing, access to technology, etc.

To set one Order‐wide standard of living is difficult, given the wide variation in cultural experiences, circumstances, and income resources in each part of the Order. In that sense, our Constitutions state:

“Moreover, both our individual and communal standard of living must be adapted to the environment in which we live and work so that, by the moderation and simplicity of our life, we truly do manifest an evangelical detachment and freedom from concern about material things.”43

8.3 Capacity Building for Developing Parts of the OrderIn order to prepare and equip personnel (priors, other local superiors, and economes) for financial management, the master general asked all major superiors to identify potential members to be educated and trained in the management of finances and assets.

It would be a priority recommendation that 6 more members be trained in the next 6 years and accumulate experience. The Order’s General Econome must come from a pool of experienced finance‐asset managers.

Major superiors designed a plan for capacity building to provide ongoing formation for economes and provide ongoing formation for their council. The leadership of the former Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo assigned some confreres to advanced studies on management and informatica technology in Kinshasa and in Indonesia. The Sang Kristus Province conducted study days for local community economes.

43 Constitutions, no. 13.4.


The master general also assigned young Crosiers from among the Sentinels of the Dawn to the general finance commission, for the purpose of learning and training.

The master general, in collaboration with the involved major superiors, assigned seven confreres ‐from the province of Sang Kristus and the Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo‐ to be trained for work as staff members in the Crosier Global Development Office in the USA, while living their Crosier religious life in the Conventual Priory. In the context of the CGDO, the main focus of capacity building is on development and fundraising.

The general finance commission (June 2016) created a “Financial Management Training Overview” and identified other resources and (international) programs for formation and training in the field of finance and assets management.

8.4 Financial CapacitiesThe Brett Nicholls study (2014) described the demographic and financial trend in the Order for the next coming 15 years.44 The projections – back in 2014 ‐ indicated that around the end of the decade (2020 – 2030) 85% of the Order’s membership would be in the southern hemisphere (Indonesia, Congo, Brazil) and 15% in the northern hemisphere (Europe, United States) while 85% of the finances and the assets would be held in the northern hemisphere and only 15% in the southern hemisphere. A decreasing membership in the northern hemisphere will imply a decrease of financial resources, while an increase of members in the southern hemisphere implies increasing expenditures.

To assure the financial sustainability of our Crosier religious life and mission, we need strategies for reducing expenditures by improving an effective use of our resources and by promoting a simple lifestyle in line with our vow of poverty.45

When we emphasize a simple lifestyle, we certainly also recognize that gaining competence costs time, energy and money, e.g., computer technology and communication ability. For that, we must spend money to gain competency. We also need to create new sources of incomes.

I hold onto a wonderful impression from my visit to the Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo, and their local efforts to generate income (auto‐financement) already in the postulancy program. The postulants live from their manual work by cultivating the land and cultivating animals. Each community has income generating projects to support its daily life. Those who work in parishes do not get a fixed income while those working in a school and college get a salaried income to support their community. A school project in development is expected to become a source of income for the communities and a support for the Pro‐Province (the future province).

The Priory of Agats in Indonesia has an income generating project. A Crosier enterprise was developed to supply for the daily needs of the local people. The Pratista Priory also has a retreat center and a production unit that generate income for the priory and to support the province. Each member contributes to the community from their income. Members who work in the school, the university and the parishes get income to support the community 44 The Order, i.e. the general chapter, will be provided with a 2020 update of the demographic and financial data and projections.45 The annual Temporal Wellbeing Reports submitted to the master general through the general finance commission have shown evidence of the way the various parts of the Order have concretely worked at increasing income and decreasing expenditures.


and the province. Indonesia has significant possibilities for income generating through efforts of fundraising. The operations of the provincial development office must be strengthened and empowered. It is recommended that this Order priority – i.e., an established provincial development office ‐ be monitored annually in coming years, both by the prior provincial and the general finance commission.

The Province of Blessed Theodore de Celles and the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross generate significant income from investments.46 This income supports their lives while also the government provides social security in terms of retirement funding for their citizens. Moreover, some members who work in schools and parishes get additional income for the community. Crosiers in the USA have a strong tradition of fundraising as a main source of income for supporting Crosier religious life and mission.

As an Order we need to support the success of the above‐mentioned projects We also need to have annual reports for several years to come on how projects and initiatives are actually being managed and succeeding to generate income.

8.5 Assets of the OrderIn order to implement the 2015 General Chapter directive to conduct a study of the assets of the Order, the master general assigned the general finance commission to make a plan for studying the assets of the Order including investments, fixed assets and other assets. The investment study was processed by Mr. Steve Zielinski (ViaGem Consulting), engaging all parts of the Order. This study reviewed the investments of the Order, including the investment policies, purposes of the funds, and the amounts necessary for the respective purposes. As follow‐up of the study, the general chapter asked to develop plans and strategies for placing the assets at the service of Crosier fraternal economy. The master general was also asked to address the equitable application of the assets for the common good. The chapter added that plans and strategies could include the establishment of the Crosier fraternal solidarity fund (2015 General Chapter Directives). Further thinking and study of models for the development of such a fund is still needed.

The investment study took place in 2016 ‐ 2017. In October 2017, the outcomes and recommendations were presented at a special meeting in Rome (Ariccia) with representatives of each area of the Order. The results of the study were distributed to all areas of the Order for follow up.

The Order cannot move into the future if we spend down all our invested assets on planned budget deficits. The next master general will need to safeguard this asset for a sustainable future and therefore manage it as investments rather than as cash on hand for covering expenses.

8.6 Follow up of Investment Study RecommendationsFollowing through on recommendations from the investment study, the generalate revisited its investment objectives and moved the investments from ABN‐AMRO to ING.47 Common 46 The Winter 2019‐2020 CFE Newsletter focused on investments to initiate a process of education in the Order on the importance of investments and investment income for the long‐term financial sustainability of the Order’s life and mission.47 There were compelling reasons for a move of the investments of the generalate to a different firm: better collaboration and communication with the new investment firm; resolve the issue of funds held in liquidities while paying significant fees for uninvested money; change in risk profile; faithfulness to the investment policy statement of the generalate; decrease of the annual fees; European province investments are with the same ING firm; actually responding to a


guidelines for the formulation of an Investment Policy Statement (IPS), and a policy on Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) were developed for the Order, in response to the recommendations. Based on these guidelines and policies, the generalate reformulated its IPS, taking in account as well the common SRI policies.

The generalate explored ways to reduce expenditures by changing some policies dealing with vendors and business contracts. The generalate looked for other sources to fund some international projects: the IFE48 and capacity building programs were partially funded through grants from the Crosier International Trust for Religious Life and Service and fundraising efforts of the Crosier Global Development Office (CGDO).

The generalate twice published for the Order a summary of its annual audit report to practice the principles of transparency and accountability.49

The general econome was assigned to take initiatives with the approval of the master general. He visited parts of the Order to assist with following up on recommendations from the general finance commission.

The master general with the consent of the general council established the Crosier Global Development Office.50 Because of the difficulties to transfer funds internationally from the U.S., the generalate helps to facilitate money transfers from the Crosier International Trust for Religious Life and Service to the Provinces of Martyrs de Bondo and Sang Kristus.

The master general with the consent of the general council contracted (issued) a study to assess the Order’s retirement needs.51 The generalate implemented the recommendation in this study to establish a fund restricted for retirement for the General Delegation of Brazil as an integral part of the generalate’s commitment to subsidize that area (2011‐2026).52

8.7 Establishment of the Crosier Global Development Office (CGDO)

The investment study recommended in 2017 the establishment of the Crosier Global Development Office (CGDO). The master general with the consent of the general council established ‐ on December 20, 2018 and by formal decree53 ‐ the CGDO to assure the financial sustainability for supporting our Crosier religious life and our Crosier mission in the worldwide Order. The CGDO is located in the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross. The continuity of the CGDO requires commitment and support of all parts of the Order to supply personnel for staffing the CGDO. A CGDO think tank developed strategies to improve the productivity and fruitfulness of the office, engaging confreres in areas of the Order through the development office of their respective areas.

strong recommendation, for a long time insisted upon, from investment review committee, Steve Zielinski, and the general finance commission.48 Programs for International Formation Experiences.49 See Crosier Fraternal Economy Newsletters at cfe.crocigeri.it (under “Resources/Newsletters): Issue 11 (July 2019) and Issue 15 (August 2020). The full financial statements are also posted under “Reports”.50 See further in this report.51 See further in this report.52 To implement the Retirement Needs Assessment recommendation, the generalate already did set aside €80,000 as a beginning of the establishment of a Brazil Retirement Fund. This restricted fund will further be built up with annual contributions from the Priorato da Santa Cruz ‐ – through their budget ‐ for the members.53 See: Decree of Establishment of the Crosier Global Development Office, available on the Crosier Fraternal Economy webpage (cfe.crocigeri.it), and as an appendix to this report.

http://cfe.crocigeri.it


The CGDO director coordinates communication and collaboration with other Order development offices to promote a collaborative and synergic movement to support the financial sustainability of the Order.

The CGDO works at finding funding for priority projects: for example, the school project of Butembo, the new priory building of Phoenix, the Crosier mission in Papua, supporting generalate projects, and the retreat center Pratista II.

It does not mean that CGDO can provide all funds for priority projects. The CGDO can grant partially, and the rest must be supplemented by fundraising efforts by development offices established in by the different parts of the Order. In other words, the CGDO is not able nor expected to raise all the funds needed to sustain priority projects. There is a presumption of local development efforts as well.

In order to assure financial sustainability of the worldwide Order, the General Chapter needs to endorse the CGDO and eventually establish a general development commission to advise the master general regarding strategic planning for supporting financially the mission of the worldwide Order.

Another recommendation could be an ad experimentum development committee which meets twice in the coming six years, for the purpose of development cooperation (communication) and stimulus. It is the responsibility of leadership to implement the directive of establishing and monitoring routinely Order development efforts. The master general should include annual planned development priorities among/by engaged leaders.

8.8 Study to Assess Retirement NeedsThis study was commissioned by the master general as follow up on a recommendation from the Crosier Investment Study. As such it was not a directive from the 2015 General Chapter. The study was conducted by Mr. Steve Zielinski (ViaGem Consulting, Inc.). The results of this thorough study and its straightforward recommendations have been communicated to major superiors for appropriate follow up.54 Each area of the Order is expected to allocate and restrict funds for the purpose of the continuing care of our elderly confreres, now and for the long‐term future.55

In summary, the retirement picture for each area of the Order looks as follows:

• Europe and the U.S. are not yet fully funded, but well on their way to providing for their retired confreres.

• The Congo Fund of the European Province will provide adequate retirement funding for the current confreres in the province, but additional savings are needed for new members in the future.

• As the Crosier religious life re‐founding efforts continue in Brazil, plans for the future care of elder confreres are in process. In 2018, the Priorato da Santa Cruz established a

54 In October 2018, the master general and his extended council formally endorsed the implementation of the recommendations included in the Retirement Needs Assessment study.55 The October 2019 Issue of the Crosier Fraternal Economy Newsletter was published for the Order, dealing with “Planning for Retirement”. The Newsletter expands on the Retirement funding initiatives and the work the Order is doing to provide for the care of our confreres as they age. Webpage where Newsletters are uploaded: cfe.crocigeri.it (under Resources/Newsletters).



retirement fund utilizing funds from the Brazil subsidy held at the generalate. Annually, the Priorato will contribute from its operations to assure sufficient funding, including any new Brazilian members. These invested funds will supplement the government pension for our Brazilian confreres when they retire. The Priorato is further adopting a Retirement Policy. This policy articulates its vision for aging and retirement as Crosiers. The policy states the value and commitment to setting aside funds now and how it intends to do so as a community.

• Indonesia has designated funds, but they are not adequate to provide for the increasing number of confreres reaching retirement age within 25 years. So, additional funding is needed.

8.9 Fixed Assets StudyHaving obtained a clearer picture of our human resources and our investments, also the fixed asset resources of the Order needed to be more extensively examined and assessed. It is a work in progress.56

Based on a recommendation of the 2014 Brett Nicholls Study, which included an initial listing of fixed assets for the different areas, the 2015 General Chapter mandated a more focused study of the fixed assets, in particular their utilization and purposes for the life of the Order.

The fixed asset study aims at developing and compiling a comprehensive, general‐level database and inventory of the fixed assets of the Order, including their current status and projections for the future. The study is to provide a common language, criteria, and approach to fixed assets and property across the Order and among its leadership. Another hoped for outcome is the enhancement of the capacity of leaders and economes in property management and planning.

The fixed assets study is currently being conducted by Mr. Steve Zielinski involving all parts of the Order in assessing the scope and purpose of their fixed assets, for the sake of improving effective use and management. A progress report was presented during the meeting of the master general and his extended council in October 2020. A further report will be made available to the leadership of the Order and the General Chapter as the fixed asset study is completed.

8.10 Pursuing Equity in the OrderThe already mentioned Brett Nicholls Study recommended (see pp. 9‐10) the creation of “a Global Fund within the Generalate, to be managed by the General Council, with assistance by professional investment managers, the Finance Commission and older more experienced members of the Order who would mentor the younger members.” The recommendation also included some proposed strategies for the establishment, the growth and management, and the use of such Global Fund.

As part of further follow‐up decisions and projects based on the expected outcomes of the Investment and Fixed Asset Studies, the 2015 General Chapter did not exclude the possibility for the leadership to take into consideration the establishment a Crosier Fraternal Solidarity Fund as a strategy for placing the assets of the Order at the service of Crosier fraternal economy and for addressing the equitable application of the assets for the common good.

56 The April 2019 Issue of the Crosier Fraternal Economy Newsletter was published for the Order, with an Introduction to the Fixed Asset Study. At cfe.crocigeri.it (under Resources/Newsletters)



From the Crosier Investment Study however, it became clear that the concept of a Crosier fraternal solidarity fund, did not currently invoke common understanding or universal support in the Order. Leadership concluded not to pursue such a fund at this time and to formulate other strategies to address the need for more equitable sharing of Order resources. One specific key strategy is the Crosier Global Development Office which seeks to equitably distribute assets through fundraising initiatives.


9.0 Crosier Spiritual Heritage9.1 Study of Key Documents

The master general asked the General Commission for Liturgy and Spirituality to develop impulses for local chapter study, reflection and discussion on the Conventual Liturgy and the Conventual Eucharist; the Spirituality of the Cross, Intercultural Crosier Living; and Mission and the Cross. Given the actual challenges, these documents could be the opportunity to take into consideration suggestions done by the commission. Talking about our Crosier spirituality, the commission suggested in Negotium Crucis, the practice of conversation, recounting stories as a way to deal with experiences of stress . The commission suggested justice and fair treatment among confreres as a remedy for misunderstandings in intercultural communities. In the document Mission and Cross, the commission spelled out some complaints from confreres regarding the lack of commitment and heroic spirit, the commission also gave areas where Crosiers must act to bring back a mission rooted in the spirituality of the Cross.

9.2 Celebration of 50 Years of 1967 ConstitutionsIn order to celebrate the 50th years of 1967 Constitutions, the General Commission for Liturgy and Spirituality provided a process for a spiritual reading of the Constitutions. The master general asked the areas of the Order to organize a celebration of 50th years of Constitutions consisting in study day on the Constitutions, spiritual exercise focused on the Constitutions. Sang Kristus conducted the study day on Constitutions involving most members of the Province and two bishops (Mgr Anton OSC and Mgr Anicetus Sinaga OFMCap) in June 2018. Conventual Priory of USA also carried our reflections on Constitutions: spiritual reading of Constitutions conducted by Confrere Glen Lewandowski. Europe Province published some articles on Constitutions in periodical Kruis en Wereld.

It remains a significant concern – in relation to our Crosier Spiritual Heritage ‐ to call the next generation of Crosiers (“Sentinels of the Dawn”) to take on a common responsibility and leadership for cultivating our heritage, in the footsteps of and supported by “the old generation” of confreres. The work done by the Commission for Liturgy and Spirituality in this area is of significant help in the cultivation process. Cultivating our Crosier Spiritual Heritage should be / become a structured ordinary ongoing formation target, most particularly for the younger Crosiers, now often “absorbed” and “spent” on apostolic activity.

9.3 Strengthening Membership in PrioriesMajor Superiors were expected to develop plans to increase the membership in priories in order to strengthen and improve the quality of living out Crosier religious life. Plans were expected to be reported to the master general through the annual Spiritual Well Being report. The increasing of membership of local communities is aimed to improve the quality of Crosier religious life making manifest the charism of the Order. The commitment of leaders and members is the key of vital and dynamic local communities.57

57 This issue of strengthening and increasing membership as part of a 2015 general chapter directive, and a goal to work at, needs to be seen in the context of the Crosier Spiritual Heritage directive, given the fact that the priory chapters were considered the prime context where the cultivation of the Crosier Spiritual Heritage should be situated. It is in other words a local chapter exercise. These were the goals to work at: to situate the cultivation of our spiritual heritage in priory chapters; and to study the key documents of our spiritual heritage in chapters. (Implementation Plan, p. 30).


The master general asked the major superior of Martyrs de Bondo to develop local communities to be established as priories as integral part of preparation of establishment of the Crosier area as a province. The Pro‐Province of Martyrs de Bondo decided that Katwa Community (in Mulo, North Kivu) and the community of Kinshasa (the country’s capital city) would become priories and submitted the decision to the master general for final approval, which was given by official decree on December 8, 2019 and on June 24, 2020.

A statistical overview of how the vitality of normative Crosier religious life in priories was strengthened through the assignment ‐ by major superiors ‐ of members between 2015 and 2021, will be made available in an appendix to this report.

How this has been worked out concretely was communicated in the annual Spiritual Wellbeing Report. Another task ‐ given in the implementation plan ‐ was that area chapters would work at norms, policies and plans to safeguard the vitality of normative Crosier life in priories.

Theodore de Celles Located in reredos, Crosier Village Church

Crosier Community of Phoenix, Arizona Iconographer: Karen Bennett

Photographer: NKF Fine Art Photography


10.0 EvangelizationIn order to implement the 2015 General Chapter directive concerning evangelization, the master general asked each local community to develop an Evangelization Plan pertaining to the proclamation of mercy and hope; a response to economic inequality (inequity) and ecological integrity; fostering a sense of belonging among those who are marginalized in the Church, especially the sacramental life (see: Evangelii Gaudium, no. 47); increasing our communal involvement for the well‐being of the poor; engaging in interreligious dialogue and collaboration. Almost all local communities developed and submitted their evangelization plan.

During the canonical visitations, the master general with his councilor reviewed the implementation of the local community’s evangelization plan. Evangelization deals with proclamation of mercy and hope, especially through the homily and the administration of the Sacrament of penance (USA, Indonesia, Europe, Congo, Brazil); caring for those who are marginalized and empowering the poor through the development of community projects, providing scholarship (in Indonesia and Congo), providing integration immigration or citizen classes for migrants (with the goal to integrate in the USA), interreligious dialogues (especially in Indonesia in the midst of a Muslim majority), and care for environment are being carried out by local communities in Indonesia, Congo, Brazil, USA and Europe.

Evangelization means also the sharing of the Crosier Charism (brotherhood, the spirituality of the Cross, hospitality, common liturgical prayer) to people whom Crosiers serve and to Crosier Associations and Crosier Friends: MITRA group, Les Amis des Croisiers, the Companions of the Cross, the Associatie van het Heilig Kruis, the Amigos da Santa Cruz, .... There are efforts in some communities to associate lay people in any social action they undertake. The aim is that a continuation of the actions is assured in case Crosiers are no longer involved because of moving elsewhere or other reasons.

During canonical visitations, I noticed the enthusiasm and engagement of people in one or another way associated with the Order, as named above. The members of these groups contribute to the Order in various ways. Crosiers – assigned to lead and accompany these associates – provide education and training for them so that they have a deep understanding of the charism of the Order and to adapt and live it out in their daily life.

Evangelization also includes sharing personal experiences of encounters with Jesus (Evangelii Gaudium), sharing the experiences of faith and vocation among confreres in community to mutually enrich, inspire and support vocational life. These conversations are to be planned and encouraged as an ongoing way of fashioning evangelical community. In that perspective, each local community was expected to look for suitable means for personal sharing of faith and vocational struggling and wrestling. An important element in evangelization is the individual testimony. During the visitation in Indonesia the majority of confreres raised the importance of evangelization through the example of life.

The master general assigned the General Commission for Liturgy and Spirituality to report on the status of Crosier Evangelization to the 2021 General Chapter. This commission has played a significant role in the process of implementing the Evangelization directive.


11.0 Personnel, Leadership, and FinanceOur Order is a small group. The decline of members in the northern hemisphere continues. In the last six years 42 confreres passed away. The growing membership in the southern hemisphere can be considered a promising sign.

Total membership as of March 2021: 316 (264 in solemn profession and 52 in temporary).58

11.1 CandidatesIn the period of 2015 – 2020 the Order accepted 106 novices (Sang Kristus 60, Martyrs de Bondo 37, General Delegation 6, and Conventual Priory 3). Of those 106 novices, 39 left before profession of solemn vows. There are various reasons for why these formandi left the Order: novices or fraters decide to leave; formators at times encourage formandi to leave; in other circumstances, fraters are not admitted to profession 58 Further demogrpahic breakdowns and future projections, including initial formation data and by area, will be included in the appendices.


or renewal of profession. Our efforts to improve our initial formation programs, as directed by the 2015 general chapter, need to be continuously and seriously considered.

The Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross has for the moment one candidate59 in post‐novitiate formation, and one postulant. Leadership works hard and in strategic and planned ways to look for potential candidates. Since 2012, the province of Blessed Theodore de Celles has been without formandi. This situation challenges the 2021 General Chapter to think further about the future of Crosier religious life in Europe and the USA. Can a vital Crosier presence be assured for the long‐term future, and how?

There is strong interest in many young men to join our Crosier religious life in the Province of Martyrs de Bondo, RDC. Nevertheless, this area of the Order is marked by financial constraints with an influence on the possibility of increasing the number of potential candidates to be admitted for initial formation.60

According to the newly drafted norms and statutes related to the fraternal economy, it will be the task of the master general to review formation budgets. In case the budgets would not be adequate ‐ e.g. for reasons of financial constraints ‐ it will be the responsibility of the master general to see how to provide for sufficient funding for formation in an area can be provided.

During my canonical visitations, I noticed that almost all directors of formation are full time. Only full time formators have adequate time and sufficient energy to form, accompany, and train their formandi. It remains an ongoing concern for each part of the Order to identify, prepare and equip confreres to serve as formators when the Order calls upon them for this crucial ministry and service.

11.2 Personnel planning for leadershipQuality leadership for the local and global Order is also a significant challenge. As an Order we are facing an uneasy situation. We do not easily find suitable and capable members to be leaders in our Order, at the local, provincial and general levels, because of the limited pool of personnel.

Crosier personnel is a significant resource and precious asset of the Order, which needs ongoing careful attention in light of fostering the quality and depth of our Order’s life and mission. The master general has called major superiors to develop a personnel plan for the short, middle and long term to anticipate and respond to the personnel needs of the Order at national and international levels. It would be beneficial that each part of the Order maps out the current personnel situation and identifies the present needs and ‐ in as far as possible – also future needs in terms of personnel. This mapping of needed personnel will help in developing capacity building programs for equipping personnel according to the needs of the Order. Personnel planning impacts financial planning, including the necessity of looking for and investigating other income generating projects.

Not all parts of the Order are yet sufficiently familiar with strategic personnel planning. Unfamiliarity may delay the work to be done. Leadership is aware of the benefits of having such a plan developed, in place, and regularly updated.59 As already mentioned above, one confrere from the General Delegation for Brazil joined the Order’s ad experimentum English international post‐novitiate program hosted by the conventual priory of the Holy Cross.60 By the former Belgian Province, through the FOKA fund, and ‐to cover the short‐fall ‐ through the strategy of Interprovincial Solidarity, and since 2000 by the European Province Congo Fund, significant annual financial assistance is provided, also for initial formation in the Province of Martyrs de Bondo.


11.3 Financial sustainability61

Another pressing challenge to be confronted is the financial sustainability for supporting our mission as an Order. The financing of general governance and administration relies mostly on annual taxa raised from the parts of the Order. The annual taxa is calculated according to an equitable system, and annually reviewed and approved by the master general with the extended council.

Major contributions still come from the Blessed Theodore de Celles Province and the Conventual Priory of the USA. The decline of membership in those two areas will gradually influence the taxa income of the generalate, as already projected by previous studies, e.g. the Brett Nichols Study (2014).

The province of Sang Kristus ‐ through its own ministry and outreach programs ‐ can financially support the life of the Order in its area. The Province of Martyrs de Bondo and the General Delegation for Brazil are still struggling with their own needs, getting annual subsidies from the European province or from the generalate. The Province of Sang Kristus with the largest membership, has potential sources to be developed, and is expected to contribute more to the worldwide Order. The hope is that the Crosier Global Development Office will play an active and effective role in providing additional resources to financially support general governance and the parts of the Order in need. It is my hope that the 2021 General Chapter endorses the further development and plans of the Crosier Global Development Office.

The Crosier fraternal economy as a concrete way of living out genuine Crosier brotherhood and shared responsibility for the common good of the Order seems to be relevant and becomes the sign of hope.

61 Further financial data and projectons, including by area and in relation to the resources available for general governance, will be provided in the appendices.


12.0 ReflectionsTo be in general leadership for six years has been for me a gracious moment and golden opportunity to contribute to the worldwide Order. It has been a precious time for ongoing formation by experiencing so many occasions to meet with confreres in different areas of the Order. Moreover, during these six years I have learned a lot to deepen my understanding of the charism of the Order, to improve my leadership skills, and enlarge my horizon and perspective. I came to understand more the realities of the worldwide Order: its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Through visiting all areas of the Order, I noticed the enthusiasm of young members and their creativity in expressing their spirit of youngness. I am proud about the faithfulness, simple lifestyle, and perseverance of elder confreres in living out their Crosier vocation, and their engagement in community life regardless of their physical fragilities. They are a role model of commitment to Crosier religious life.

I observed how many confreres are fully and generously committed to serve the people entrusted to their ministry. As a consequence, these confreres are less engaged in the common activities of community. This phenomenon could jeopardize our Crosier religious life.

I appreciate the generosity of the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross and the Province of Blessed Theodore de Celles showing concern for the needs of their fellow confreres in other areas of the Order, by offering opportunities to young confreres coming from developing areas of the Order to increase their capacities in formation, leadership and financial management as a way to live a Crosier fraternal economy.

I am grateful for the willingness and generosity of the Province of Martyrs de Bondo and the Province of Sang Kristus to offer their confreres to strengthen other areas of the Order: Brasil, USA, and Europe. I witnessed an openness, warmness and hospitality to these confreres coming from other areas of the Order. I consider this an expression of genuine Crosier brotherhood and of the unity of the Order. Our Order is small.

In these six years of service, I could meet personally with almost all confreres in all areas of the Order. I felt sincere support from major superiors through their encouraging words and helpful ideas and even in their challenging reactions. All of this is a consolation for me and a reason to say “thanks be to God”.

The most challenging and sometimes depressing moments that I struggled with, and even made it difficult for me to sleep, were related to dealing with personnel issues. I am very sad for the many confreres who passed away in the last six years. Poor responses to whatever the generalate offered also made me feel disappointed. All of these are desolations and also great challenges.

Another concern is that financial constraints and lack of personnel become a hindrance to starting new projects. For example: beginning a new foundation in another country, international programs that involve many participants from the whole Order. Still another challenge is dealing with one’s attachment to one’s comfort zone that hinders any needed change, because change could shatter and disturb that comfort zone. Unless we liberate


ourselves from self‐defense mechanisms, change will not happen. The resistance to changes comes from the mechanism to protect one’s own private interest. This situation is often caused by a lack of Crosier mysticism: spiritual depth and religious motivation.

The other challenge concerns leadership at any level: courageous, bold and strong leadership does not please everyone. To challenge other leaders and members is not easy because one could face furious reactions and resistance. There is the temptation to compromise and doing business as usual. As a consequence, nothing is changing.

Another challenge to deal with is indifferent and apathetic behaviors and attitudes in our Order. It could happen because of disappointment and a feeling of not being involved in leadership.

The most challenging issue is dealing with the crisis of mysticism in Crosier religious life that impacts the way of thinking, behaving, acting and treating people and dealing with material goods. Pope Francis calls this phenomenon “spiritual worldliness”.

We are living in a digital era thanks to the advancement of social media technology. This could facilitate and accelerate the international communication and encountering. Unfortunately, the access to social media technology is not equal in the Order.

The declining and ageing membership of the European Province raises a concern about the future of a Crosier presence in the European continent. This concern will be addressed by the 2021 General Chapter, also in light of the keeping up and preservation of the historical and spiritual heritage of the Order in Europe. Otherwise, our original roots will be uprooted and lost.


13.0 Gratitude and Appreciation On this occasion of presenting the Report on the State of the Order, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my former Crosier masters general Lambert Graus, Rein Vaanhold, and Glen Lewandowski (and others who passed away). Their leadership provided significant grounding work for a clearer vision on the charism of Order and its values. They sharpened the Order’s focus on fraternal community life by strengthening local communities, on the Order’s common liturgical prayer life expressed in the celebration of the liturgy of the hours and the daily conventual Eucharist, and the Order and Crosier presence apostolates.

I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the general councilors Yohanes Berchmans Rosaryanto, Pierre‐Paul Walraet, and Paluku Muhumira Henri, and the major superiors who ‐with the general councillors – formed the Extended Council: Peter Snijkers, Thomas Enneking, Basilius Hendra Kimawan, Agustinus Agung Rianto, and Paluku Tsongo Anselme. I’m grateful for their strong commitment, wisdom, and hard work; for their patience and diligence to implement the 2015 General Chapter Directives. Without their commitment and hard work, I could not have done what had to be done.

I am grateful for the skillful and gifted confreres Steve Henrich and Dave Donnay who in these six years ‐serving as general econome‐ managed the assets of the Order by good and wise stewardship, in order to support our mission.

I want to thank all chairmen and members of the general formation commission (Yohanes Berchmans Rosaryanto, Thomas Carkhuff (+), Kermit Holl, Julio Cesar Evangelista Resende, Kahindo Kighoma Jean Marie, Agustinus Agung Rianto, and Yustinus Nana Sujana), the general finance commission (Steve Henrich, Dave Donnay, Pierre‐Paul Walraet, Frank Boomers, Herbert Ngazi, Alexander Arya Sasongko, Herry Sailan, and Raphael Priyo Handyanto), the general commission for liturgy and spirituality (Henri Paluku Muhumira, Bob Rossi, Hadrianus Tedjoworo, Riston Situmorang, Patrick Bonte, and Mumbere Sirikivuya Aristide), and the canonical committee (Pierre‐Paul Walraet, Glen Lewandowski, Daniel Ward osb, Dave Donnay, Mbusa Machozi Olivier, Franciscus Samong, and Postinus Gulo) who worked passionately to help the master general with implementing the chapter directives.

I am grateful also for the collaboration of the Major Superiors (Peter Snijkers, Thomas Enneking, Basilius Hendra Kimawan, Agung Rianto, and Anselme Tsongo Paluku), local superiors of the General Delegation of Brazil, Julio César Evangelista Resende and Raphael Priyo Handianto, and other local superiors for their part in the implementations of the 2015 General Chapter Directives.


I express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all members of the Order: for your commitment and willingness to give the best of your abilities to live out Crosier religious life so that the charism of the Order is alive through your living witnesses.

I also express my gratitude and appreciation for the 2021 General Chapter planning committee (Pierre‐Paul Walraet, Yohanes Berchmans Rosaryanto, Henri Paluku Muhumira, Dave Donnay, Onesius Ote Daely) and the local organizing committee under coordination of Onesius Ote Daely, who are devoting their energies, committed work and dedication to prepare all needed so that the General Chapter can take place. Last but not least, I am grateful for the Sang Kristus Province and Pratista Priory for their service as the host of the 2021 General Chapter.

May we be able to listen to the Holy Spirit and his creative works and open our heart and our mind to surprises of God in our lives and in our Order. As the General Chapter we are responsible for safeguarding the Charism of the Order and assuring the sustainability of the Order.

Rome, 1 April 2021

Laurentius Tarpin, O.S.C.

Master General

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