Connecting with Chile and Bolivia

UNITED IN MISSION AS SERVANTS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD

A renewed Twinning Agreement between the Chilean and Maryland Provinces

In the year 1959 the Jesuits of the Maryland Province assumed the responsibility of Colegio San Mateo in Osomo, Chile. In 1971, after twelve years of fruitful ministry, Colegio San Mateo was incorporated into the apostolic works of the Chilean Province of the Society of Jesus, and members of the Maryland Province working in Chile were applied to the Chilean Province. Since that time the Maryland Province has continued to collaborate in the Society's apostolic works in Chile with Jesuit personnel and financial resources, especially in Colegio San Mateo but also in other places. The Maryland Province has likewise been enriched by the presence of many Chileans who have come to live and study in the United States and with whom many bonds of friendship, mutual respect and common apostolic service have been realized.

At present there are three Jesuits of the Maryland Province serving in Chile in a wide range of apostolic projects. Since 1959, more than 30 young Chilean Jesuits have lived and studied in the USA and 30 Maryland Jesuits have gone to live and serve in Chile.

As we set out to write another chapter of our history together we are grateful for the many blessings bestowed over these past years by these bonds of friendship in the Lord and service of Christ's universal mission in the world. We also recognize, as evidenced by the documents of GC 34, that we find ourselves in a new moment, with new demands and with new perspectives and possibilities. We are called to be "One Church in One America" characterized by relationships of mutuality and co responsibility.

In order, then, to deepen the union of minds and hearts of the Jesuits, the Provinces of Chile and Maryland agree to renew their twinning relationship.

1 . Mutual Spiritual and Community Support

The two Provinces will endeavor to strengthen their ties of friendship in the Lord by mutual prayer, sharing in the sacraments together, and efforts to share among apostolic activities and through regular visitations of various kinds.

2. Formation and Language Study

2.1. Each Province will continue to promote the study of the other's language, especially among young Jesuits. The Chilean Province will endeavor to promote the study of English during the ordinary formation process. Likewise, the Maryland Province will promote the study of Spanish. Scholastics to be sent for a regency assignment in the other Province will be selected with special care for language background or aptitude, among other criteria, in order to better ensure a profitable experience. In addition, when Chilean scholastics are missioned to pursue special studies in Europe or in the United States, they shall spend time in the Maryland Province in order to develop proficiency in English and in order to "get to know" the Maryland Province.

2.2 During regency or studies in another culture special personal challenges may arise for scholastics. For this reason, both Provincials will ensure that regents or other scholastics of the other Province receive quality spiritual direction and enjoy a community life that will assist growth in their Jesuit vocation. This shall be carried out according to the spirit which Father General outlines in the document," Regency as a Stage of Formation (15 May 1990).

2.2.1. Each of the Provinces will take responsibility for the Jesuit scholastics which the other Province sends as they do their own scholastics, especially in all that refers to personal guidance by Superiors and Spiritual Directors and integration into community life. Each Province will also help those scholastics come to a lived understanding of the culture of the country and of the apostolic works of the Province.

2.3 Considering all that has been said regarding Ongoing Formation, we agree that, in the measure in which it is applicable and appropriate, formed Jesuits can be sent to the other Province for study and for sabbatical.

2.4 The Maryland Province will assist with the expenses of Chilean scholastics and priests who may be sent to study in the United States or in Europe for theological study, advanced degrees, or continuing education. Likewise the Chilean Province will provide for those Maryland scholastics or priests who go to Chile to study and work.

3. Assignments of Ordained Men

Out of a spirit of generosity and universal service to mission, in accord with its own demands and possibilities, each Province will offer to its members apostolic experiences in the other, for either temporary or more extended periods of one year or more, especially for sabbatical years. The Provinces will also offer the necessary level of personal support for the "visiting" Jesuits.

Over the next decade, the Maryland Province will experience ever greater demands to meet apostolic needs. This is true both within the Province, especially among the growing Hispanic population, as well as in service to the mission of the broader society. Because of its decreasing numbers, the Maryland Province will face difficulty in meeting these diverse apostolic needs. Nevertheless, the Maryland Province will continue to seek to send interested scholastics to Chile for their regency.

The Chilean Province has relatively more young Jesuits in formation but also faces constraints in meeting the demand for ordained priests, both in its apostolates and in meetings commitments of a more universal character. Nonetheless, the Chilean Province will seek to assign priests to apostolic and pastoral works of the Maryland Province, if only on a more temporary basis (e.g. as a sabbatical experience of for periods of three to four years).

4. Exchanges and Partnerships among Apostolic Works.

The Maryland and Chilean Provinces will encourage their apostolic works to develop programs of mutual exchange. With the knowledge and approval of the respective Provincial, each Province will endeavor to establish stronger links and forms of communication and exchange among its various works as outlined in more general terms below:

4.1 Parishes and Retreat Houses

In terms of pastoral and retreat ministries, both Provinces shall initiate a program of exchange with respect to the activities which are being developed in parishes, in retreats and in the Spiritual Exercises.

4.1.2 The Maryland and Chilean Provinces will seek to form new relationships between parishes or retreat houses. These arrangements will seek to build bonds of solidarity between American and Chilean Catholic faithful through experiences of cultural immersion or for social analysis and spiritual reflection.

4.2 Institutions of Higher Education

During the period of the agreement we will seek to either continue, expand or form one twinning agreement between Maryland Province universities and the Universidad Alberto Hurtado of Chile. This might include joint degree programs, exchanges at a research and teaching level or student exchanges.

4.3 Secondary Education

During the period of the agreement we will seek to establish cultural and apostolic exchange between Maryland Province secondary institutions and Chilean Province secondary institutions, including those member schools of the Ignatian Network in Chile. Such relationships might include student academic exchanges of one semester, faculty exchanges of one year, and short term experiences of cultural immersion, social analysis and spiritual reflection or longer tern exchanges of lay personnel.

4.4 Lay Collaboration

We will seek to make it possible that the experience of twinning will also extend to lay men and women who share our spirituality. For example, we will encourage a relationship between Ignatian inspired volunteer programs, Christian Life Communities, the Colleagues Group of the Maryland Province and among other similar organizations. (During the last years there have been more than 14 JVI lay young people who have served in Arica).

5. Fundraising and Economic Assistance

5.1 Each Province will give to the members of the other the same economic treatment as its own members.

5.2. The Maryland Province recognizes that the Chilean Province has certain priority needs that might be met through fundraising in the Maryland Province. In collaboration with the Development Office, the Maryland Province will make periodic efforts to raise funds for the apostolic works of the Chilean Province, especially those which directly benefit the poor. As in the past, all funds will be transmitted to the Chilean Provincial for final disbursement. lf economic realities allow, the Maryland Province will assist the Chilean Province with an annual financial contribution.

5.3 The Maryland Province will also assist wherever possible to identify opportunities to raise funds for the Alberto Hurtado University. The Chilean Provincial will authorize and approve all other fundraising efforts undertaken in the Maryland Province on behalf of Chilean Province apostolic works.

6. Communication between Provincials

6.1 In order to encourage better understanding and to create more adequate programs, the Provincial or his delegates will make periodic visits to the other Province.

6.2 Both Provincials will maintain a fluid communication so as to concretize decisions and to propose new initiatives within the spirit of the Twinning Agreement.

6.3 The two Provincees will also exchange periodic greetings, news of persons, events via print and intemet newsletters, electronic mail and through other publications and media.

7. Duration and Renewal of the Agreement

This Twinning Agreement will last for five years. The terms of the Agreement will be revised by both Provincials at the end of five years from the date of its signing. At that point the accord may be reaffirmed in the same terms or in new ones as seems most appropriate for the greater glory of God.

APPENDIX

Some practical agreements between the Provincials of the Chilean and Maryland Provinces that will help implement the Agreement "United in Mission as Servants of Christ in the World".

1. To promote better understanding and to formulate adequate programs, the Provincials, and other members of the curia staffs, will make periodic visits to the other Province.

2. Both Provincials will strive to formulate, as soon as possible, the details of procedure for the areas mentioned in the Twinning Agreement and for other which might arise, thus furthering their mutual dialogue.

3. Jesuits of the Maryland Province who work in Chile will continue "applied" to that Province. lf someone wishes to be transcribed, the normal procedure of the Society will be followed.

4. In the case of regents, they will be treated "AS IF' applied, although juridically they are not. In the event of a Provincial Congregation they will exercise their right to active and/or passive voice in the Province of their origin. If a Provincial wishes the return of one of his members to the Province of origin, the other Provincial and the interested party will be informed at an opportune time.

5. With a view to their personal well being and that of the Province, those Maryland men who work in Chile will be permitted to visit their Province every three years, always counting on the approval of both Provincials.

6. In order to take a sabbatical of one semester or of one year, a man who works in the other Province should have the approval of both Provincials. The means of financing sabbatical periods will be decided by both Provincials on a case by case basis.

7. For trips to their Province, whether for periodic visits, updating, etc., the trip home and initial personal expenses will be paid by the Province to which the subject is applied, and the returns trip will be paid by the home Province.

8. The Jesuits who work as applied to the other Province will make a financial contribution to the "Arca for the Sick and Aged" of that Province, to a sum which will be set in common agreement between the Provincials. In case of illness, the expenditures will be covered by the Province to which the subject is applied, in the event that the infirmed Jesuit is treated in the territory of the Province to which the infirmed Jesuit is applied.

9. The room and board, and personal expenses will be paid by the Province in which the Jesuit is located, and not by the home Province.

We, the Maryland and Chilean Provincials, commit ourselves to implement the twinning agreement, "United in Mission as Servants of Christ in the World".

VRev. Guillermo Baranda Ferrán S.J.
Provincial of Chile

VRev. Timothy B. Brown, S.J.
Provincial of Maryland

Date: Santiago, Chile, July 19, 2004