austraLasia #3018
FMA East Asia gathers for a 3-year Evaluation
Under the leadership of Sr. Maria Anna Tovichian, Thai Provincial, the warm welcome given to the delegates had a festive tone enhanced by colors and music, the smiles of the Sisters and young people from the three FMA presences in Sampran. The meeting was likewise solemnly opened on February 11, Saturday evening, with the musical ensemble of blind young people and their leaders from a centre for the blind entrusted to the FMA.
The leitmotiv for the CIAO meeting was the image of a fishnet inspired by the Gospel passage from Lk. 5:5, “At your word, I will cast the nets” which guided the process of evaluation in this region three years after the 22nd General Chapter. As for every meeting of other interprovincial conferences, Mother Yvonne enlightened and enriched each day with her words which anchored participants solidly in FMA identity and its educational mission.
The participative and engaging methodology involved everyone in moments of reflection, group work, assembly sessions, sisterly sharing and recreation. A pilgrimage tour to some of the historic churches in the Chao Phraya river district gave participants a glimpse into the rich Thai religious and cultural tradition, and a first-hand experience of creative attempts to inculturate the Christian faith in this predominantly Buddhist soil.
All these experiences were a foretaste of an “abundant catch” for the FMA Institute!
FMA East Asia gathers for a 3-year Evaluation
by Sr. Imelda Barattino FMA
SAMPRAN-BANGKOK: 17 February 2012 -- “Choices, steps, best practices”, but also “difficulties, resistences” and “future perspectives” were the recurring expressions amongst the 32 who took part in the 3 year evaluation meeting of the Interprovincial Conference of East Asia (C.I.A.O.) at the FMA retreat centre, Ban Than Phraphorn, from Feb. 11-16. The Provincials, Superiors of Pre-Provinces and two delegates, represented the Sisters from Myanmar-Cambodia, China, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Timor-Indonesia and Vietnam. Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General, and four General Councillors, Sr. Alaide Deretti (Missio ad Gentes), Sr. Giuseppina Teruggi (Social Communications), Sr. Lucy Rose Ozhukayil and Sr. Carla Castellino, (both Visiting Councillors), accompanied the Sisters in their process of evaluation. Sr. Teruggi was also the point of reference for the CIAO meeting.Under the leadership of Sr. Maria Anna Tovichian, Thai Provincial, the warm welcome given to the delegates had a festive tone enhanced by colors and music, the smiles of the Sisters and young people from the three FMA presences in Sampran. The meeting was likewise solemnly opened on February 11, Saturday evening, with the musical ensemble of blind young people and their leaders from a centre for the blind entrusted to the FMA.
The leitmotiv for the CIAO meeting was the image of a fishnet inspired by the Gospel passage from Lk. 5:5, “At your word, I will cast the nets” which guided the process of evaluation in this region three years after the 22nd General Chapter. As for every meeting of other interprovincial conferences, Mother Yvonne enlightened and enriched each day with her words which anchored participants solidly in FMA identity and its educational mission.
The participative and engaging methodology involved everyone in moments of reflection, group work, assembly sessions, sisterly sharing and recreation. A pilgrimage tour to some of the historic churches in the Chao Phraya river district gave participants a glimpse into the rich Thai religious and cultural tradition, and a first-hand experience of creative attempts to inculturate the Christian faith in this predominantly Buddhist soil.
All these experiences were a foretaste of an “abundant catch” for the FMA Institute!
