A strategy for the Provincial Chapter

While discussing matters regarding the formation process in the Province, this morning, and specifically asking ourselves, as to why is it that our Provincial Chapter (PC) did not carry forward the theme of the year, human rights, I realised there has to be certainly a better way to make the Chapter work for us. I was pretty much surprised by the Provincial Chapter of the Mumbai Province. Their latest issue of SDB West was dedicated to the PC. Each commission clearly spelt out what they wanted the PC to discuss and deliberate upon. And then a couple of days ago when they concluded the PC, I read on Fr Ivo's blog, the very same things. It was then that it struck me, that the confreres did not come to prepare a final document for the PC, rather they had their 'conclusions' ready. The PC was to deliberate how best and quick to achieve those conclusions the whole Province was for!! That was a great strategy. The following could be a possibility worth trying...

• Get each commission to pinpoint two or three areas of concern and possibilities of growth or focus.
  
• Collate these results, sort them out, get the whole Province (confreres) to prioritize. The preparatory session could well be made use of for this.
• Draw up the list of goals with reasons as the draft for the PC.
• The PC proper deliberates HOW to achieve those set targets.
• Set up an effective and demanding follow-up mechanism to monitor and implement the final decisions.
  

Hopefully then, we will not waste time correcting grammar and punctuation marks in the PC!!