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PLANNING
CONVOCATION

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1. Correspondence
2. Dialog with confreres &
--- the Planning Committee
3. Schedule
4. Programs
--- - Tuesday June 15
--- - Wednesday June 16
--- - Thursday June 17
5. Facilitator/Presenters
6. REGISTRATION

CONVERSION--CONVOCATION 99 THEME

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CONVOCATION '99
Congregation of the Mission
Eastern Province

On the first day Joe Levesque will offer reflections on how our Province has lived Vincent's "Way" especially in the past nine years. After discussing his observations, we will hear material presented by Father Bryan Massingale at the recent meeting of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Pope John Paul II has specifically asked us as Vincentians to look to underlying causes and long-term solutions to poverty. Indeed, since the Second Vatican Council, religious communities "have come to understand that devoting their energies to the cause of human rights advocacy is not something foreign to their mission or purpose." Massingale's talk describes the fundamental shift or "turn" that is required to do this and provides a soul-searching analysis of obstacles to making this turn. He concludes with a description of the steps needed to surmount these obstacles.

The second and third days of our convocation will look at the same issues in terms of our life as members of the Congregation in collaboration with the wider Vincentian Family in our area.

Sr. Gertrude Foley, who spoke so well two years ago at the first Vincentian Visioning 2000 Conference at St. Johns, will look at how other branches of the Vincentian Family have attempted to move to corporate conversion. Next a panel including Charlie Plock [Suzanne Beaumont] and Jim Maher and other family members will share how their contact with poor led them to deeper conversion. On the last day Vie Thorgren, who received such high marks for her presentation at our October Gathering, will help us reflect on aspects of conversion across the life cycle of the Vincentian vocation.

Taking a cue from the very positive experience of having guests at the General Assembly, we will be inviting representatives from each of the branches of the wider family - St. Vincent de Paul Society, Ladies of Charity, the Sisters of Charity (New York, Halifax and Convent Stations), the Trinitarians, the Vincentian Service Corps, and the Companions of Vincent.

We will also be treated to Brother Augustine Towey and Sharon Watkinson performing their very successful dramatic readings from the letters of Vincent and Louise. Bob Gonzales, who helped us last Fall in Plainsboro, will once again serve as facilitator.