[Dialogue] Springboard Follow up Gathering

[PSchrijnen at aol.com]

There is some resonance in me with the comments from Carlos. The Order  
Ecumenical was a specific institution, a specific community in history, which  was 
gracefully called out of existence in the mid 1980's. That fact hurt. As a  
group of people we neither wanted to lead, nor be lead in a specific direction.  
We morphed into a direction-less community of people, who had similar 
spiritual  inclinations. We are now connected in new ways, through dialogues, 
internet,  occassional gatherings, specific shared engagement opportunities. However, 
when  we die, that's it. We will have gone completely out of existence, 
because we  have no regenerative function, no new members. We have become like so 
many of  these Catholic Orders. 
Of course the ICA is thriving, here in the UK and elsewhere on the planet.  I 
wish it well. 
 
Going out of existence was not part of the plan. Our definition of a  
historical order was that it would take on a specific task in history, and take  a 
lead on that. Move society on in a new direction. We stopped being able to  
decide what that task was. We stopped being able to make collective decisions.  
Joel Wrights words resounds in my ears: "If we are all deciding on our own what  
we are going to do, I am going to play golf". I am sure he said it better 
than  that, and suspect he has been doing some interesting things these last 20 
years.  He, you and I and many others, have as individuals found another angle 
on living  our lives these last 20 years. We have adapted our context,  
discerned what was needed to be done, what our families needed, what we were  called 
to do and be. And lived our lives. And through the various channels of  
communication of former order ecumenical members your lives inspire me, with  your 
struggles with choosing a specific tasks, with your struggles with the loss  
of community, and how to deal with that. I am grateful for your stories, your  
witnesses.  
 
If I lived a bit closer, I'd pop into that meeting in Abby North. I would  
love to see the fine people gathered there. I would love to hear people talking  
about their current news, their families, the worlds they inhabit, their 
pension  plans. 
 
I was part of a 'Springboard follow up gathering' this Monday morning, with  
Alize (Keith) Packard and Ann Avery. We had an excellent breakfast, where we  
talked about learning baskets, grandma's purses, leadership development, aids, 
 refugee issues. We shared our current answer to history long questions, and 
I  was inspired by Ann's and Alize's approach to life. We move forward with 
the  opportunities and resources given to us. 
 
I was part of a 'Springboard follow-up' telephone call this Monday  afternoon 
with Alan Berresford, with whom I have had the privilege of working  closely 
on a number of leadership development assignments over the last 15 years  or 
so. We are working together on a big project to enable the leadership of a  
social care agency to grasp the future boldly, in the midst of complex changes  
they are thrust into. On Monday we dealt with the design of a couple of  
difficult meetings, which are critical to that organisation and we coordinated  and 
clarified diaries and tasks to be done. 
 
I was part of a swirl of 'Springboard follow up connections' around the  
death of Jim Lindsay. Former order members connecting in the service of  
celebrating the death of one of us with dignity. I enjoyed people sharing these  
stories, and I enjoyed one of you helping me to ask the question, in a way that  
made it easier for others to contribute to this story telling. 
 
I intend to have many more 'Springboard follow up sessions'. Sometimes  there 
is this fantasy of , would it? could we? Shall we do the Common Meal? But  
when I then think about the idea of living with you guys again, I quickly get  
real. I so prefer living with Christine and my kids. I like your visits, and  
like visiting you. But not living with you. That is finished. 
 
I like the wonder of looking into the eyes of people I have lived and  worked 
with intensely. I am grateful to have walked side by side  with you for so 
long. This deep connection, I like to call it friendship,  connects me with my 
sense of purpose, with the fragility of vocation and  institutional forms. 
 
Good luck at Abby North.
 
Paul



   
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