June 1, 2020

Our next Accompaniment and Solidarity gathering is Thursday, June 4, 2020 at noon Eastern Time, 11 am Central Time, 10 am Mountain Time, and 9 am Pacific Coast Time. Please REGISTER for the meeting.
 
The agenda follows:

1. Opening Prayer
2. Agenda Building – What do you want to talk about?
3. Future of Accompaniment and Solidarity – A Conversation and Deliberation
4. Global Solidarity – Update
5. Digital Mission Appeal Update

 
Conversation – 21 mission folks came together for last week’s meeting.
 
There were some new faces to the group, and time was given for them to introduce themselves. The group shared prayer and then built its agenda. One of the communities requested information on several countries where they are in mission – Bolivia, Brazil, Jamaica, and Mozambique. There was interest in continuing the conversation about global solidarity. The group wanted an update on the
Digital Mission Appeal.
 
Mike Gable shared the conversation about global solidarity. Fr. Dave LaBuda, MM is updating a Catholic Update written by Marie Giblin (June 2007) on solidarity. Joan offered some perspective from Solidarity in South Sudan. Don offered two references to solidarity in Pope Francis’s Joy of the Gospel. Bob Mosher shared that some have used the parable of the Good Samaritan as the scriptural foundation for solidarity. Fr. Francis offered “interdependence” as another word for solidarity, lest solidarity is something the dominant group does to the weaker group. The question was raised, what would it be like if the missionary community came together and issued a common understanding of global solidarity within the context of the U.S. Church? The second question was: who is the audience? Some of the answers are: first and foremost, us, the network of missionary communities. Second, the Bishops who wrote Called to Global Solidarity (1997), church leaders, and the faithful. Don recommended a writing group to develop a common understanding on solidarity and then a resolution to the USCMA membership at the September Membership Meeting for adoption.
 
The participants shared what they knew about the four countries in the chat box. A lot of information was shared about Jamaica. Don mentioned that USCMA has country pages to promote global solidarity. He will update the Jamaica page with the information shared.
 
Leo Shea invited the group to pause and remember Sr. Janet Carroll, MM on the first anniversary of her death. Sr. Janet was a leading figure in the missionary efforts in China.
 
The update on the Digital Mission Appeal: USCMA has signed an agreement for four “sprints” to promote mission and raise funds for mission. USCMA members have received an email inviting mission sponsoring organizations that want to participate, and opportunity to participate.
 
Joan closed the meeting with a prayer to the Holy Spirit in anticipation of Pentecost.