On Friday, 27 June, the Superior General, Fr. Alain Mayama presented report, guiding the delegates at the Enlarged General Council 2025 to revisit the foundational principles of leadership and governance in our Congregation, reflecting on their evolving relevance in today’s intercultural and global context. Rooted in Vatican II and reaffirmed by the 1968–69 General Chapter, the Congregation adopted a decentralized model where subsidiarity, participation, and co-responsibility shape authority. The General Council ensures unity, animates solidarity, and supervises fidelity to the Spiritan charism, while circumscriptions are tasked with local implementation of Chapter directives.
However, shifting realities within the Congregation—along with recurring governance challenges in some circumscriptions—highlight the need for renewed investment in leadership quality. As Spiritan presence expands across diverse cultures and contexts, the call becomes ever more urgent: to harmonize a shared vision across the Congregation with the necessary autonomy that enables each circumscription to authentically inculturate the charism of our Founders.
Drawing inspiration from Fr. Libermann and previous Chapters, the report underscores that Spiritan superiors are not merely administrators, but pastoral leaders—facilitators of mission, communion, and discernment. Leadership is a temporary service entrusted in confidence, calling for humility, collaboration with councils, and openness to synodality. A spirit of fraternity and shared leadership is crucial, particularly in avoiding authoritarian tendencies.
While the General Council has a coordinating and supervisory role (SRL 198.1), the vitality of the Congregation depends greatly on the collaboration of Superiors with their Councils. Unfortunately, some Circumscriptions experience governance breakdowns due to overly hierarchical models, insufficient consultation, or inexperience. The report stresses that true Spiritan leadership must avoid authoritarianism and prioritize discernment, shared decision-making and care for community life.
The report notes that superiors should strive for consensus, include all Council members in discussions—especially the reserved voices—and always remain anchored in the Spiritan charism. The quality of leadership directly impacts the Congregation’s capacity to carry out its mission and live out Chapter decisions effectively.
A significant section of the report addresses the present reality of transition and refoundation across most circumscriptions, driven by demographic shifts and new expressions of mission, especially in the global South. In response, the General Council has launched leadership development initiatives, including webinars and planned programs for new and current Superiors. These cover spiritual, administrative, and financial aspects of leadership, preparing Superiors to handle their responsibilities with competence and care (BG II 138).
Nevertheless, the report expresses concern over emerging issues: inexperienced leaders struggling to collaborate; electoral processes focused more on succession than vision; ill-prepared transitions between administrations; and unplanned reception of vocations without sustainable strategies. Many circumscriptions now depend heavily on the General Council for routine administrative matters, including financial management and personnel support—areas intended for local governance.
Against this backdrop, there is a growing appeal to centralize certain key responsibilities within the life of the Congregation. These include, notably, the area of formation and the appointment of Superiors in smaller circumscriptions that exhibit limited leadership capacity or evident signs of religious immaturity. In such cases, a consultative process for selecting Superiors, as provided in SRL 165.1, may prove more suitable than proceeding with elections (SRL 165.2), ensuring greater oversight and pastoral prudence.
Ultimately, the report calls for a renewal in Spiritan leadership—one that is participatory, discerning, and spiritually grounded. Leadership is not only administrative skill but a vocation of service, aimed at upholding mission fidelity and fostering Gospel-rooted fraternity.
Recent General Chapters have emphasized strengthening the General Council’s authority to meet growing responsibilities in formation, finances, and governance. Bagamoyo II reaffirmed this need, empowering the Council to ensure compliance with the Rule of Life, the Guide for Spiritan Formation, and Chapter decisions. Persistent noncompliance by some superiors has prompted the Council to consider disciplinary measures, including monitions or removal. Amid shifting leadership models, the Council urges a new style of leadership—spiritually rooted, context-sensitive, and collaboratively governed. Tailored leadership training programs are recommended to support circumscriptions in rebuilding capacity and fostering fidelity to the Spiritan charism and mission.
