Creating Structures for Community and Governance

Associate programs for short term service are usually dependent on a sponsoring institute. The continuity and structure of the group is provided for by the sponsoring institute and the associates usually are content to volunteer their time of service with a low level of participation in the long term direction and development of the associate program. The more open the program to long term service the more participation that the associates expect in the direction and leadership of the associate program. It is a challenge for Missionary Institutes with associate programs to create situations and structures which allow for participation and self governance on the part of associate lay missionaries.

In 1994 the Maryknoll Society, along with the Maryknoll Sisters, sponsored the formation of the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful. The hope at the time was to create a place within the structures of the church where the associate Laity and Diocesan Priests could participate in mission ad gentes, on a temporary basis, with their own organization. This has provided for some separation and good opportunities to participate in leadership. At the same time, even though there are associates with over fifteen years of service, continuity is a difficulty and finding associates who are qualified and willing to take up the task of leadership is also a challenge.

Since creating separate structures the challenge has shifted from building spaces of participation to creating and fashioning opportunities for collaboration and working together in mission. The existence of three Maryknoll groups, the Sisters, the Priests and Brothers and the Laity has made the coordination of existing works and the initiation of new collaborative works that much more difficult to coordinate. The hope is to move not only from dependence to independence, but to a relationship of interdependence.