Eastern Province assists Kenyan Region in next steps

by | Mar 6, 2015 | Eastern Province

map_of_kenyaBuilding on the highly successful  four-day workshop in Wise Asset Management, Strategic Planning and Grant writing attended by 120 members of the Vincentian Family, Fathers, Maloney and Agostino along with Sr. Marge Clifford, DC participated in a  Development Forum designed to facilitate the newly formed region of Kenya as it took its first official steps toward planning and asset management.
The goal of the Development Forum was to draw together decision-makers in the Congregation of the Mission from the US, Rome, and Kenya to create a focused series of discussions regarding the Region of Kenya's three main objectives for 2015-2016:
  • The Development of a Patrimony Fund,
  • Local Real Estate Investment, and the
  • Hiring of a local Director of Mission Advancement.
Forum participants included Fr. Joe Agostino, C.M. (Chair; Vincentian Family Collaboration Commission), Fr. Bob Maloney, C.M. (Project DREAM), Sr. Marge Clifford, D.C. (Professional Grant Writer), Fr. Gary Mueller, C.M. (Regional Superior), Fr. Tom Esselman, C.M. (Regional Council), Fr. Francis Wanderi, C.M. (Regional Council), Fr. Alex Isonga, C.M. (Regional Council), Fr. Joe Geders, C.M. (Econome General), Fr. Kevin McCracken, C.M. (Provincial Econome), Barb Thibodeau (US Western Province CFO),Teresa Manna (US Western Province Development Director), Sr. Catherine Mulligan, D.C. (DC Regional Superior and Project DREAM), and Sr. Liz Smith, D.C. (DC Director of Development).
In addition, we invited local real estate and development professionals including Charles Macharia (Knight Frank Realtors), Rina Hanrahan (Real Estate Consultant for Kenyan Religious Congregations), Victoria Mutiso (CORAT Africa), and Stella Maris Muleah(Fastenofer Switzerland).
The published Lines of Action of the Development Forum are summarized in the following statement:
1.  The US Western Province will:
  • Define its financial relationship with Kenya vis-a-vis a Patrimony Fund and ongoing subsidies for Kenya;
  • Assist the Region of Kenya in planning by identifying the potential content of the Patrimony Fund (total US Dollars) and any other assistance upon which the future province might rely; and
  • Continue to support the Region through its Development Office.
 2.  The Region of Kenya will:
  • Define its mission through the development of an Apostolic Plan;
  • Define the existent sources of its patrimony;
  • Delineate its projected income and expenses based on current ministries; and
  • Project future income and expenses based on the completion of its Apostolic Plan.
3.  Financial sustainability in Kenya will only be accomplished through a policy and practice of fiscally diverse income streams, including but not limited to income generating projects as well as the control of costs. 4.  Regarding Real Estate:  The purchase of real estate may be explored in the light of the Apostolic Plan in relationship to mission establishment;
  • Land will not be bought for the sole purpose of investment at this time;
  • The property at DePaul Center will not be commercially developed or sold; and
  • If there are investment opportunities in Kenya through the portfolio, they may be explored as part of the Kenyan Patrimonial Fund.
5.  The Region of Kenya will undertake the formulation of:
  • An Apostolic Plan
  • A Needs Assessment for our Apostolates
  • Parish Pastoral Plans
The hiring of a Mission Advancement Director at some point to be determined has been recommended by the participants of the Development Forum. 6.  A plan for collaboration between the Regional Council (and its Finance Committee) and the Provincial Council (and its Finance Committee) will be developed for the formulation of decisions regarding the economic future of the Region of Kenya.  This will also include increasing the capacity of the confreres in Kenya to manage their own fiscal affairs. 7.  It was also recommended that the US West Provincial Council and the Regional Council of Kenya schedule a face to face meeting of its members before US Western Provincial Assembly in 2015 to work on a mutually agreed upon statement regarding the above Lines of Action.
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Fr. Gary Mueller, C.M. Congregation of the Mission DePaul Centre P. O. Box 24749 00502 Karen, KENYA Tel: (254) 020.244.6719 Cel: (39) 0706.378.468 Check Out our Website at www.vincentian.org We are priests of the poor.  God has chosen us for them. They are our chief duty.  All the rest is secondary. --St. Vincent DePaul