Bucci, Stefano

Change is possible. The Centro Studi Missione Emmaus: A Systemic and Transformative Process in the Church - 2025.


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In a change of era, it is not enough to implement adjustments or measures to maintain the “status quo”; it is rather necessary to “change the way of changing” in order to experience a profound conversion. Because this is also true in the pastoral field, today a paradigmatic change must be pursued and implemented. That is why the way forward is through pastoral processes. The priority is to implement learning processes before planning for a result. To put this approach into practice, the Centro Studi Missione Emmaus has developed a method and offers support to ecclesial organizations that want to bring about change. The proposed method is spiritual in nature. The ground is prepared through a significant process of discernment aimed at bringing out a shared vision called the “missionary dream”. Based on this dream, the method encourages the launch of pastoral experiments characterized by a strong discontinuity with the current experience. These experiments are then reviewed based on the lessons learned, rather than the results obtained. This approach helps both individuals and communities to “change the way they change” and encourages pastoral conversion.