European Provincials' Conference

The Conference of European Provincials (PEC) met in Issoudun from 18th – 22nd February. The group included Provincial Superiors from each of the eight European MSC Provinces, a member of the Provincial Council from most of the Provinces and Fr. Tino Fernandez from the General Administration. Fr. Pat Courtney (Provincial) and Fr. Carl Tranter (Provincial Councillor and Secretary of PEC) attended from the Irish Province.

European Provincials' Conference

The meeting in session

The Conference of European Provincials (PEC) met in Issoudun from 18th – 22nd February. The group included Provincial Superiors from each of the eight European MSC Provinces, a member of the Provincial Council from most of the Provinces and Fr. Tino Fernandez from the General Administration. Fr Pat Courtney (Provincial) and Fr. Carl Tranter (Provincial Councillor and Secretary of PEC) attended from the Irish Province.

The members of PEC

Chaired by Ben Verberne, msc (Dutch Provincial) the meeting addressed some of the documents on finance and financial planning that had been presented at last year’s General Conference in Manila as well as a recent request from the Tri-Generalate for reflection on a common vision for ongoing formation across our three Congregations.

The Conference also received a report from the recently established Cordate Community in Birmingham, England. This is a pilot project established by all eight European Provinces to explore new ways of establishing a missionary presence in the heart of Western Europe. The report from Carl Tranter MSC (a member of the Cordate Community) generated considerable enthusiasm and much discussion about our way of being MSC in our fast changing and increasingly secular, multi-faith and multi-ethnic societies across Western Europe.

The group European Provincials is conscious not only of the changes in the society about us, but also of the ageing and diminishing numbers in our own MSC Society in Europe. Much reflection and planning is needed if we are to be able to face this challenge and opportunity together as European MSCs. This will be the theme of next year’s PEC meeting to be held in Hiltrup, Germany.

Another of the initiatives of PEC in recent years has been the European Assembly which is held every two years in Issoudun, open to all MSC from across Europe. The Conference took some time to plan for this year’s Assembly (18-22 August) which will be on the theme of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. It will include workshops exploring issues related to migration/immigration.

L-R: Fr. Andre Claessens (Belgium), Fr. Ben Verberne (The Netherlands) and Fr. Pat Courtney (Ireland) lead the celebration of Eucharist

During the Conference there was time for a brief meeting of each of the three PEC clusters (N Germany and S Germany/Austria; France, Spain and Italy; Belgium, Ireland and The Netherlands). These clusters have been working for several years to explore ways of greater co-operation and collaboration. The France, Spain, Italy cluster organised a meeting in Valladolid last November to reflect on the place of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in our spirituality and mission. The document published by that meeting is available on the General Website. The cluster involving Ireland, Belgium and The Netherlands is already deeply connected in and through the Cordate Community which comprises members from each of these three Provinces. The cluster also considered possible future collaboration in the areas of lay members of the Chevalier family and the care of ageing confreres.

All of the European Provinces have Chapters or Provincial Conferences in the coming months. Many are addressing the need to plan for the future in terms of mission, ministry, vocations and retirement.

The parish Church of Aubigny sur Nere

The PEC meeting concluded with a day’s visit to the parishes of Ivoy le Pré (the first parish Fr. Chevalier was assigned to), Aubigny sur Nère (the last Parish he served in before his appointment to Issoudun) and the Benedictine Abbey of St Benoit sur Loire, the resting place of the remains of St Benedict, patron of Europe.