Transfigured

THIRTY-EIGHT young folks from Chinatown's Transfiguration parish are on retreat today and tomorrow here at Mother Knoll. They will be chaperoned by two adults and their pastor, Fr. Ray Nobiletti, M.M.

Mr. Anthony Ma organized the retreat. An ever-elusive vocation prospect, Anthony was a winner of this year's Explore My Mission contest for his video on community service. The prize was a 10-day visit to our mission in Brazil, where, if he was bitten by the mission bug, he has yet to show symptoms. But I digress...

Today's retreat comes on the heals of both the larger Korean retreat last weekend and also of the grumblings of some Maryknollers about not getting through the food line quicker. In its favor, the Trans group is smaller although they do have a smaller student/chaperone ratio than the Korean group. (1 to 20 vs. 1 to 5!) Of course, absent any drama, they won't have the opportunity to go around to the tables of Maryknollers in the dining room and introduce themselves to the missioners, even if it's to say, "Sorry we woke you up in the middle of the night (or afternoon, as the case may be.)"

Still, it is mine and others MKers contention that, inconvenience aside, these groups bring energy, vitality and life to our home. They fulfill our vocation. If we can no longer go to the missions, we can still bring the missions to us.

Sign of Jonah

As I have the honor of being the celebrant at today's "leftover" Mass before our retreat begins, I thought I might as well share my reflections with all y'all on the gospel passage Luke 11:29-32.

Jesus says, "This is an evil generation..." Why? Not because it was corrupt. Not because it was violent. Not because it was greedy. But because it sought a sign. A sign of what? A sign of God's blessing and approval for what Jesus had to say.

In Jesus' words are an implicit accusation of spiritual blindness. He threatens them with the "sign of Jonah." Other gospels redact this to include the story of the big fish as prefiguring Jesus' three days in the tomb. But in Luke's gospel it's more blunt.

The Ninevites, non-Jews, responded enthusiastically to the preaching of Jonah. The Queen of Sheba, a non-Jew, traveled great distances to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Jesus is greater than Jonah and Solomon and, if his people don't recognize God in Jesus' words, the Gentiles will.

By Jesus' standard we ask ourselves: Is Maryknoll an evil Society? Not because we are corrupt. Not because we are violent. Not because we are greedy. But precisely because our spiritual blindness prevents us from recognizing and acknowledging the presence of holiness and goodness in our own country, in our own church, in our own Society and in our own members. Maryknoller are used to looking for, expecting and discovering God in outsiders; we just have difficulties seeing God in ourselves.

So many visitors and guests (i.e. non Maryknollers) comment how peaceful, holy and good it is to visit our Center—the very things we either ignore or take for granted. The sign of Jonah!

May this week's retreat open our eyes to the holiness of the person sitting next to us in chapel, at meetings and at meals.

On the other hand...

AS PROMISED earlier today, here is the full text of Fr. John Kaserow's arguments against the Petition to Suppress yadda, yadda.

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Gentlemen,

I hope that action is not taken on this proposal, and that the current process of election continue. As much as I disagree with the decision of the Congregation in Rome (I, in fact, voted for Br. Wayne), I don't think a "rush" into this proposal would be in the best interests of Maryknoll. Besides feeling "intuitively" that it would not be a good move, I offer the following.

1. This is not a decision for the US Region alone. It would have consequence for the whole Society of Maryknoll, just as forming the US into a Region some years ago did.

2. Several years ago, Robert Schreiter, at Catholic Theological Union, gave us a presentation on Globalization. He enunciated a basic principle regarding "religious" communities that I thought very wise: "As religious communities enter into diminishment, their rate of bureaucracy increases." Thus, the new proposal would move us—at least here at Maryknoll, New York—into an additional level of hierarchical authority. That is, besides the current structure of Regional Superior, Pastoral Minister, and Local Coordinator, we would substitute an "Administrator, for Regional Superior, and then add a General Council member to the "threesome." Following on Bob Schreiter's principle, we would then have a new level of bureaucracy. (I leave aside the fact that we also have the Superior of the Retirement Community who on occasion enters into the process, and the General Council as well). Any Maryknoller who has tried to work through a decision-making process here at Maryknoll, is aware how difficult it is, at times, to negotiate who needs to have the final say in a matter at hand. I don't think the proposed structure would assist membership in negotiating their responsibilities here, but could possibly add to a new propect of frustration. It might be more fruitful to discuss our diminishment as a Society, rather than using energy to discuss, hurriedly, a new structure.

3. I will not be present at the entire US retreat, because of another commitment, but to allow this proposal to become a discussion point at a retreat would—in any stretch of the imagination—become a dominating dynamic in the retreat. Has this been been discussed with the Retreatmaster?

4. What is the "rush?" What is the "hurry?" This matter—if deemed important—might best be discussed at a Regional Assembly as a future structural possibility. It would include—as part of the discussion—an evaluation of the "experience" of the US as a Region.

Peace,

John Kaserow

Petition successful!

THE PETITION TO SUPPRESS the U.S. Region, suspend the voting, name a Council member superior and appoint Wayne as Administrator has succeeded—in getting everyone upset and talking. Hey, at least they're talking about things other than sports and colonoscopies (see post for Sept. 8 "Omnia Maryknoll in duo partes divisa est.")

I have no idea what the results were, as only a few guys cc-ed me. But I know of at least six who signed and sent it in and another six who vehemently opposed all or part of the petition. Everyone agreed on the unseemly haste of the vote. Some want it suspended, others to proceed.

John Kaserow sent a lengthy rebuttal to the petition (but I still disagreed with him!) which I shall post later today. He belongs to the group that doesn't think next month's retreat the appropriate venue for the regional discussion this situation demands. He argues it will only subvert (my word) the retreat atmosphere. He's right. However, whether we allot time for this discussion at the retreat or not, unless the balloting produces a clear winner this round (and I still don't think it will), it WILL be a topic of discussion and on everyone's mind.

That being said, I know Br. Jim Zullo (the retreat director) well. If he is given a heads-up on what is bubbling beneath the surface, it will dovetail perfectly with his retreat structured around the Emmaus experience.

And so, the pot having been stirred, my work for now is done.

REMINDER: MARYKNOLL CENTER HAS NO ELECTRICITY FROM 8:30 to 4 P.M. TODAY AND NO LANDLINE PHONE SERVICE. (ST. TERESA'S AND OTHER BUILDINGS NOT EFFFECTED.)