Participants of the interprovincial gathering in Techny, Illinois
A New Creation
by Jean Giesige, Director of Communications for the Cincinnati Province
Members and Companions who took part in the
interprovincial gathering in Techny, Illinois, at the
end of September knew when they walked into the
meeting room that they had been assigned to a par-
ticular round table. That much was set up ahead of
time. At each table, they had been grouped with in-
tentional diversity: some younger, some older, some
from the Cincinnati Province, some from the Kansas
City Province, a Companion where possible. Table
leaders had been appointed ahead of time as well, to
eliminate that awkward moment when no one wants
to take charge.
Beyond that, all were free to roam and sit and
eat and worship and visit and joke and share stories
wherever they pleased. It was at that point that Fr. Ken
Schnipke, c.pp.s., who’d been responsible for scout-
ing locations for the meeting and so was tracking how
it was going, noticed a curious phenomenon: “I was
watching—and at the meals, and at socials: all were
intermixed. There was never a table of all Cincinnati
members or all Kansas City members.”
Or maybe it wasn’t a curious phenomenon. Maybe
it was just a natural occurrence when family gets
together. Because by the end of the week at Techny,
the members who were there averred that they would
work toward a future together.
The statement that came from the gathering
proclaimed that the two provinces “are being called
to create a new reality for the Congregation in the
United States,” and that “this new creation, in the form
4 • The New Wine Press • November 2017
of a single province, will provide us with the energy,
creativity and vitality to share our spirituality in our
changing context.”
The how, when and where of all that have yet to be
determined, though the two provincial councils will
meet November 7 in Liberty, Missouri, to continue
the conversation. But the who and the why were
identified at Techny. The who is everybody: mem-
bers, candidates/seminarians and Companions. The
why is because after many years of talking, of com-
bined efforts that sometimes succeeded and some-
times did not, after a profound realization that the
mission supersedes provincial boundaries and when
allowed to stretch and grow can kindle a fire in every
heart, it’s time.
“This gathering was about exploring what’s pos-
sible,” said Fr. Joe Nassal, c.pp.s., provincial director
of the Kansas City Province. “We’re framing this as a
new creation rather than a merger. We’re talking about
starting something new, which will be the great chal-
lenge. We’re not simply putting two provinces together.
It’s a new creation: that’s the language we have to keep
focusing on.”
The prospect of something new is what is bring-
ing light and energy to the dialogue, added Fr. Larry
Hemmelgarn, c.pp.s., provincial director of the
Cincinnati Province. “If, in bringing the two provinc-
es together, all we’re doing is combining administra-
tions, that’s not all that exciting,” he said. “What it’s
really all about is how do we best use our resources,