Dominicas de la Presentación - Capítulo General 2019

La Turena, Bucaramanga (Colombia), 07/9/2019, Sr. Ángela María Vélez Restrepo.- On this day, Sister Joana Fernandes, General Treasurer, presented the Economic Report of the Congregation to the Chapter Assembly.

In the introduction she clearly said that "Behind the economy is always the life of the sisters, of the structures, of the Congregation." The numbers express what we do, how we live and how we share ... They express the commitment of each structure and sacrifices made for the sharing ...

She emphasized the need to "administer the goods with due diligence so as not to put in danger our mission as a Congregation," as a Church call.

"As consecrated women in the church, we have the challenge of questioning ourselves on three different but interconnected levels:
- The authentic experience of our Charism at the service of others.
- The quality of our economic management for an efficient and effective organization of our communities, institutions and works.
- The testimony of ethical principles rooted in the Gospel that touch all aspects of life.

She invited to know and study the latest documents of the Church on the subject of economics:

"Management of the ecclesiastical assets of the Institutes of consecrated life and the societies of life at the service of man and of the mission in the Church" (2014)
"Guidelines for the management of assets in institutes of consecrated life and in societies of apostolic life" (2014)
"In fidelity to the Charism: to rethink the Economy" (2016)
"Economy at the service of the charism and the mission" (2018)
"Considerations for an ethical discernment on some select ones of the current economic and financial system" (2018)

What is the importance of all this? It is the question that asks Joanna, and she herself responds because "we must give the greatest possible space and a higher priority to professionalism, clarity and transparency, aspects that are indispensable in today's world. the economic led to many erroneous attitudes towards the handling of money ".

She details in her report several problems common to many Congregations that concern: "the decrease of vocations, the increase of costs for personnel in the institutions, the errors committed when administering or investing funds, the loss of control of some missions and the need of selling part of the patrimony to answer the debts.

She invited us to move towards the future, including in this journey: creative fidelity, dynamic fidelity, reflection and sharing about money, efficient management and planning, an economic vision for today's world, each of these sections with questioning reflections that raise many questions and life commitments.

Faced with this complex panorama, she tells us that it is necessary to count on the laity, "it is almost impossible to dispense with the collaboration of technicians, laypersons or members of other institutes, but it is good to remember that the ultimate responsibility for administrative, economic or The financial resources are of the Congregation and not of the other members ... " " In our work, as well as in our structures, we need clear processes of delegation and responsibility with an internal control system ... ".

Several sections make up this report, each of them sufficiently argued, with accurate data, for our understanding and knowledge:

- For the service of the common good

- Council for Economic Affairs of the Congregation.

- The Congregational Fund.

- The Structures of the Congregation

- The patrimony of the Congregation in Structures.

- Conclusions

She concludes: "Many challenges are ahead, but together we can overcome them by remaining faithful to our charism that directs our energies and work towards the one mission: the service of Charity, Divine Providence will provide, as long as we trust in Him in whom we have deposited all our confidence. "

Clarity, accuracy in data, graphics, values, timely and detailed explanations in each section, show the quality of this Economic Report and allow each capitular to know the economic reality of the Congregation in this period 2014-2018.

We can use the text of Mt 24,45 to thank Sr. Joanna, who has given an account of the virtues she has had for the entrusted mission: "Very well, good and prudent servant". 

Thank you very much Sr. Joanna for caring with care, dedication and transparency our Common Good.