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I think the only one who isn't an alien in the group here is Vincent.
All the rest of us are aliens, we're aliens. It's not bad, We just need to accept that we're not from around here
But at the same time, just because there's a blockage somewhere
in the discussion between us, it doesn't mean that we can't rise above it. That's why I would like
that, despite all this, you can all have hope, that you can see yourselves
rising above this blockage. That's the most important.
All that we've done so far (and it's not over yet), is to first, put a finger on the
difficulty that can exist in intercultural relationships. That's the first thing.
The second thing is to become conscious of the fact that we, ourselves, are actors in the blockage.
We suffer from blockage, but we are also actors in that same blockage.
Both are important. It's not just one way; we suffer from it, but we are also actors in it.
It's exactly that: in the group discussions, you discovered that you really
don't hear each other that well, because you're from different cultures.
Then, the last thing is to know that all culture is relative. That's really what we want to recognize,
and that's all I want to leave with you. That implies humility in regard to our culture.
We can't be in a position of dominance in regard to our brothers, just because we think
our culture is superior to the other's culture. No. We must keep a little reserve of relativity
in regard to our culture, because our culture can be enriched by the other's. And
our culture can enrich the other's. See? There's a certain exchange. It goes both ways.
Yesterday, we saw, when we discussed culture shock, we saw the places,
the zones where it is clear that we don't understand each other. Remember, that was
yesterday. These zones can be called meta-categories. Meta-categories for understanding a culture:
our culture and the culture of the others. What are these meta-categories?
You've got time, space, concept of the family, concept of the individual, or of the person,
they're all zones or spaces where we can definitely understand each other better
and come together better, in order to discover who we are, and who is the other.
I have not opened up the religious question with you. We haven't spoken much about the
bible, or the church. Let me tell you, we'll get there in due time. This first session
has been for laying out certain foundations, human foundations. The second session, which
will be next time, will focus on analyzing, in light of what we have seen here, and trying
to understand for ourselves, our pastoral practices, our interprovincial behavior,
the mission of our province. That's what it will be next time,
and it is certain that next time, I'll speak less, and you will speak more.