A Renewal of the Twinning Agreement
Between
the Provinces of
Colombia and Oregon
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Oregon Provincial John Whitney, S.J. and Colombian Provincial Gabriel Rodríquez, S.J., sign the Twinning Agreement as Oregon Provincial Assisistant for Social and Pastoral Ministries, Joyceann Hagen, looks on. |
This agreement is formed between the Province of Colombia and the Province of Oregon . Its purpose is to promote, by means of new forms of interprovincial cooperation, the collaboration of these two provinces for the good of the Society of Jesus and its mission.
Our two Provinces, encouraged by Father General’s call to develop forms of interprovincial collaboration—as stated during the meeting of the Provincials of the Americas in Miami in May 2004—find in this Twinning Agreement a privileged opportunity for the accomplishment of this mission.
The Colombian and the Oregon Provinces, already engaged in joint activities to renew and strengthen their apostolic work, now commit themselves to fortify the Agreement that was first established in July 2000, working together to reach these specific goals and objectives:
During the first four years of the Agreement, the Provincials of Colombia and Oregon —as well as other members of these Provinces—have made significant visits to each other’s Province. They have participated in a variety of events. They have promoted the exchange of both students and other members of the two Provinces. In this new phase of the Agreement, both Provincials want to sustain and strengthen this type of exchange.[1]
A second level of exchange, in this new phase, centers on sharing the experiences of innovation and the acquired skills that the two Provinces discover in their different fields of apostolic activity—both in their intellectual reflections and in their practical applications and methodologies. The new phase will include the sharing of information between Formation Programs, the Commissions for Secondary and Higher Education, and the Commissions that pertain to social and pastoral apostolates.
A third level of exchange seeks to establish in each Province a regional apostolic work, in which both Jesuit ministries and those of our lay apostolic companions are integrated into one mission. Both Provinces are together learning what it means to work apostolically at a regional level, and so both desire that this agreement assist them in making significant advances in this direction.
The Regional Sustainable Development Program, inaugurated in 2004 by the Colombian Province in the southern part of that country, and the program that will be begun by the Oregon Province, are both exceptional opportunities for the this type of research and cooperation. Moreover, these two programs will be enriched by the experience of international cooperation that was begun several years ago by Seattle University in Nicaragua and by Gonzaga University in Colombia .
Each Province, independently, will determine how best to integrate, in its own region, the various apostolic areas, including spiritual formation; parochial and pastoral ministry; middle, secondary, and university education; research; social action; communications; etc.
In view of the current agreement, both the Province of Colombia and the Province of Oregon—  welcoming the support and collaboration of other provinces of the Society of Jesus who may wish to be involved —commit to share and exchange the developments and the understandings that are derived from these experiences. Additionally, insofar as it is possible, each Province will look fo r other opportunities for exchanges and joint operations.
Further, the exchanges that are promoted between students, professors, and colleagues from different apostolates—whether for research or formation, training or publicity—will seek to maximize the impact and awareness of the two Provinces, especially for the programs of regional sustainable development.
In all this, both Provinces commit themselves to the continuing exploration of new possibilities for the development of this agreement of mutual cooperation, as new opportunities for cooperation arise .
Practical and Organizational Aspects of the Agreement
- Each Provincial will create, during the summer of 2004, a committee representing the various apostolates of the Province. This committee will be entrusted with the task of developing means to promote this agreement.
- Each committee will be chaired by a coordinator named by the Provincial, who will coordinate the agreement within the Province.
- The two Provinces will agree on common and complementary strategies to raise financial support for the programs of regional sustainability and for the other activities mentioned in the agreement .
- To facilitate bilingual communication , each Province will send the text of this current agreement, in its native language, to the other Province; and each will make the necessary translations of texts received from the other Province.
- The Oregon Province will be the primary contact for the Colombian Province in all business dealings with the other Jesuit Provinces of the United States or with the U.S. Jesuit Conference.
Exchanges for Language and Special Studies
Through Seattle University and Gonzaga University , the Oregon Province will offer scholarships for the study of English. The Colombian Province will offer scholarships for the study of Spanish at Universidad Javeriana. If these students have the ability and the opportunity, they may also take courses other than those pertaining to language studies.
The Oregon Province also accepts the responsibility to secure necessary funding for Colombian Jesuits sent by their Provincial to study at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley or the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, as well as those sent to receive academic degrees in theology or philosophy from other Jesuit universities in the United States of America and those sent to other special studies programs organized by these Jesuit universities (taking into account the attachment, which explains the application process for studies in the U.S. Assistancy).The Colombian Province accepts the responsibility to raise funds for the Jesuits sent by the Provincial of the Oregon Province to study Philosophy or Theology in Colombia. Any Oregon Province Jesuit interested in these studies must meet all the necessary requirements for the selected program.
Concerning Jesuits From One Province Working in the Other
 The Oregon Province agrees to accept Scholastics from the Colombian Province who desire to make their Regency in a suitable apostolate of the Oregon Province . These Scholastics will be allowed to devote one year to English language study before beginning Regency. The decision regarding the apostolate to which a Scholastic will be missioned will be made by the Oregon Provincial, after consultation with the Provincial of Colombia. Usually, a Colombian Scholastic will have a two-year Regency, after studying English. The Colombian Province intends to establish a similar program for Scholastics of the Oregon Province.
Refuge for Endangered Jesuits. The Oregon Province commits itself to welcome any Colombian Jesuit who has to leave his country due to threats on his life, and to help such Jesuits find suitable work in the United States .
Practical Considerations for the Exchange of Scholastics, Brothers, and Priests.The host Province will have the responsibility to supervise Jesuits who come for work or study. The visiting Jesuits who are in formation will receive from the Provincial Assistant for Formation of the host Province the same attention and care given to the Scholastics of his own Province. The Assistant for Formation from each Province will also occasionally visit the men in formation in the other Province. Scholastics assigned to the other Province will follow the normal rules of religious life that apply to the Scholastics of that host Province.
Round-trip travel expenses between Provinces will be the responsibility of the Province to which the person belongs.
The Oregon Province will pay health insurance expenses for its Scholastics while they are studying in Colombia , and will provide health insurance for Colombian Jesuits studying or working in the United States .
Extraordinary expenses incurred from special trips will be assumed by the Province to which the Jesuit belongs.
Ordinary expenses—per diem, personalia, etc.—will be assumed by the host Province.
Duration and Renewal of This Agreement
This renewed agreement will be in effect for four-years from the date of its approval on 16 July 2004 , the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Patroness of Colombia. The two Provinces will review the agreement for possible revisions at least one year prior to the expiration date. The two Provincials commit to completing the revision process six months prior to the expiration date of the agreement.
Signed on 16 July 2004 , the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel , Patroness of Colombia .
V. Rev. John D Whitney S.J.
Provincial |
V. Rev. Gabriel I. Rodríguez, S.J.
Provincial
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[1] The agreements previously established between any U.S. Province and Colombia—e.g., the agreement with Xavier University in Cincinnati for two scholarships, given to scholastics to study English, will continue to be the direct responsibility of the Colombian Province. The Provincial of Colombia will keep the Provincial of Oregon apprised of these agreements and relationships.
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