At the Knoll Gathering 4/26 - Collaboration is the way.

Article by Mary Ryan-Hotchkiss, Co-editor of NSFA

At the April 26 “At the Knoll” Zoom gathering, ably led by Cordelia Ontiveros, the Maryknoll Committee of 12 (CO12) talked about their exploration of the future of Maryknoll. Presenting members of CO12 included Sr. Ellen McDonald MM, one of the founders of the Affiliates, Fr. Joe Healy MM now in Kenya, Sami Scott, Maryknoll Lay Missioner in Haiti, and Ann Carr, former Maryknoll Affiliate Board Chair. The 12 shared how they started their journey together and then how the Synod on Synodality called by Pope Francis emphasized all of us are journeying together. The CO12 emphasized collaboration, and that Maryknoll is a prophetic voice journeying with those on the margins.

 “Collaboration is the way we stay alive.”

(Susan Gunn - Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns)

In breakout groups we responded to Ann Carr's questions:

1. What is your vision of collaboration?

2. How would you like to see it lived out in Maryknoll?

Chat feedback from the breakout rooms included:

· Collaboration is becoming comfortable with each other, building relationships, trusting, respecting, then contributing energy. We are seeing more collaboration and trust among and within the entities.

· Act like a synodal church, collaborate equally, recruit and go to mission together, walk together: example once a month PTR (pastoral theological reflection) followed by a meal together

· Collaboration on different levels—small groups of Maryknollers working locally together, on a more macro level events such as these where we share ideas. Importance of deep listening. Resurrect Maryknoll’s beginnings of stress on family spirit.

· Evolving, hard listening, sharing resources of entities, partnership.

· Love to learn from, appreciate and celebrate with other cultures….others in general. Collaboration is communion, a sacrament.

· Deal with rapidity of decline and where are those young people?

· Keep the Chinese Catholic people in our mission collaboration as we move forward in Participation, Communion and Mission.

· Be in dialogue with those who are seeking a way to achieve the goals of communism. Some are seeking from the Christian tradition a way to deepen the moral basis of the goal of socialism.

The discussions continue At the Knoll and at Maryknoll zoom meetings. Where do we go from here? Join the conversation.