RELIGIOUS AND REGIONS IN SPIRITUAL DISTRESS - PASTORAL AND THEOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Sep 29, 2026

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A pastoral and theological presentation examines how regions described as being in spiritual distress should be understood, especially where the Gospel reaches communities for the first time and where Christianity has regressed. It discusses the interdependence between privileged and underprivileged regions, the difficulty of defining “region” in this context, and ecclesial planning constraints such as priest shortages despite population growth. It also frames religious life alongside secular clergy and the laity as one mission, with attention to the strength and mobility of religious institutes worldwide.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

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RELIGIOUS AND REGIONS IN SPIRITUAL DISTRESS

Pastoral and Theological Aspects

Defining the problem of spiritual distress

Why take an interest in men and women religious

Mobility and its theological limits

Vol.X,No.2 NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE RT.REV.MSGR.FREDERICK G.HOCHWALT REV.JOSEPH F.GALLEN,S.J. RT.REV.MSGR.JOHN J.VOIGHT REV.ELIO GAMBARI.S.M.M. REV.FREDERICK A.MCGUIRE.C.M. VERY REV.MSGR.JAMES T.CURTIN REV.WILLIAM J.DUNNE,S.J. VERY REV.MSGR.ELwooD c.voss BROTHER BONAVENTURE THOMAS.F.S.C. NEW ENGLAND:SISTER ELIZAVETTA,C.5.J. EAST:SISTER MAURA,O.P.MIDWEST:SISTER MARY FRANCINE,0.S.F. # RELIGIOUS AND REGIONS IN SPIRITUAL DISTRESSPASTORAL AND THEOLOGICAL ASPECTS The author of this article is a consultant for the Secre-tariat on the Unity of Christians,Rome,and the author of animportant work affecting the ecumenical movement.Thisbook,L'Eglise est une communion(Editions le Cerf,1962)isto be reviewed in a future Sister Formation Bulletin.Fa-ther Hamer's paper was first given as an address to the par-ticipants in an international congress of mission experts fromfive continents.The congress created a new organization tobe known as Pro Mundi Vita with an information center atTilburg,the Netherlands.The address has been translatedfrom French with the permission of the author and is pre-sented here for the first time in English. 1.Let us define the problem.I suppose that byareas"in spiritual distress"you mean both the areaswhich are receiving the Gospel for the first time,andthose where Christianity,at any given moment,hasnotably regressed.In the preparatory studies forthis congress,you centered your attention particu-larly on three countries—the Congo,Ceylon,andBrazil.But as you will understand,it is not possibleto speak about the distribution of religious in theseregions without at the same time speaking abouttheir distribution everywhere,because underprivi-leged regions are in a state of interdependence withprivileged ones,since it is from these that the need-ed personnel must be sought.Yet it is difficult to de-termine exactly what is meant by a region“in spir-itual distress.”Should the Parisian suburbs be con-sidered as such a region?Take the problem of thediocese of Versailles,for example,where the popula-tion is growing rapidly in amazing proportions,while the number of priests,already far below whatis needed,remains at a standstill. Here we are to speak of the religious,though.I will speak of them almost exclusively in view ofthe purpose of the Congress.But I also want to # Sister Formation Bulletin College and University Department The Sister Formation Conferences seek the advancement o the religious,cultural,and professional formation of Sisters,on pe-service and in-service levels. Winter,1963-64 # OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SISTER FORMATION CONFERENCE NATIONAL SISTER FORMATION COMMITTEE SISTER ANNETTE.C.5.J. REV.MOTHER KATHRYN MARIE,C.s.c. MOTHER M.PHILOTHEA.F.C.5.P. SISTER CATHERINE,D.C.SISTER M.EMIL,1.H.M. REV.MOTHER M.REGINA,R.S.M SISTER RITAMARY,C.H.M. SISTER M.EMMANUEL,O.S.F. SISTER THOMAS AOUINAS,R.5.M SISTER GERARD,0.5.F. REGIONAL CHAiRMEN SoUTH:SISTER ST.JOHN.5.5.M.N. SOUTHWEST:SISTER ROSE EMMANUELLA,S.N.J.M, NORTHWEST:SISTER M.ROSE ANNE.C.S.J. Reverend Jerome Hamer,O.P.Rome,Italy make it clear that religious as apostles cannot beseparated from two other classes—the secularpriests and the laity.We are not concerned herewith any rivalry.Quite the contrary,in fact,for allthese classes constitute the organs of the same body,and are vowed to the same mission.1 2.Why should we take such an interest in menand women religious?Because they represent asource of considerable strength,an amazing potentialof energy.The statistics speak for themselves elo-quently.Today there are 275,000 men and 930,000women religious in the world.2 Here then is a bodyof 1,200,000 persons totally consecrated to God andto His service.And this should be evaluated not onlyquantitatively but qualitatively.We are not dealinghere with just any mass of people.These men andthese women are animated by the pursuit of a per-sonal ideal which engages their whole existence. It is im

FAQs

What does “spiritual distress” mean in the article’s discussion?

It refers to regions receiving the Gospel for the first time and to places where Christianity has notably regressed. The text also raises the difficulty of defining such regions precisely.

Why does the author say men and women religious merit special interest?

They are described as a source of considerable strength and energy, supported by global numbers. The article emphasizes evaluating them both quantitatively and qualitatively.

How does the article view mobility in apostolic planning?

Mobility is considered necessary for world-wide apostolic plans, but the author warns against treating the religious life as merely an exterior, accidental aspect. Different juridical statuses and forms of stability shape how mobility can occur.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Jasmine