PCI-FORMATORS’ MEET 2023
After the General Chapter XXIV as well as the pandemic, the PCI-Formators team had the opportunity to gather together for a physical meeting of three days from 14 to 16 October 2023. Sr. M. Sahaya Sangitha Rani FMA, the National Coordinator for formation organized this meeting at the Provincial House of Sacred Heart, Bangalore Province (INK). 22 Sisters belonging to the seven Provinces working in formation team arrived at the Provincial House by afternoon of 13 October and started with Mass at 18.45 to set tone for the meeting. In the homily the celebrant spoke elaborately about the spirituality and the formative style of St. Teresa of Avila, whose feast we would be celebrating shortly.
Rev. Sr. Lucy Rose Ozhukayil, the Provincial of INK Province, gave the welcome speech, during which she welcomed everyone for this meeting of grace. Sr. Sangitha read out the message of Mother General, Mother Chiara Cazzuola FMA, in which she reminded the gathered Formators of the words of GC XXIV: “In order to achieve a meaningful presence today, it is indispensable to invest in formation, on which the quality of life of the Institute and the fruitfulness of its mission depend.” She wished them to live these days profoundly, to be able to walk together to identify the choices necessary for a formation that will have an impact on the lives of the people entrusted to them. After the message of the Mother, the message of Sr. Nilza de Moraes FMA, the General Councillor for formation, was screened. She reminded the formators of the need to form oneself in order to form others, by quoting the words of Pope Francis: “There is no vocational crisis where there are consecrated persons capable of transmitting, by their witness, the beauty of consecration: And witness is fruitful.” After the message of Sr. Nilza, the novices presented a short message-oriented choreography to illustrate what is real accompaniment. This set the participants to begin the meeting.
Rev. Fr. Bosco Ponthakkan SDB, who is a psychologist, formator and at present rector of the Kristu Jyothi College, the Theologate in Bangalore, was the resource person for the animation. Fr. Bosco’s entire two days seminar was on Formation Ministry: A Spiritual Accompaniment. The first day he dealt with the following sub-topics: vocation discernment, new skins for fresh wine: trends in formation ministry, and criteria for discernment of vocations. He spoke about the nature and signs of discernment, the persons responsible for discernment and the different aspects involved in it.
The entire three days meeting concluded by expressing words of appreciation and gratitude to Sr. Sangitha for organising this enriching meeting. In the afternoon a short outing was arranged to Kristu Jyothi College as well as Don Bosco Degree and PG College, where the Rector, Fr. Bosco and the community offered Tea and snacks. They then visited the neighbouring SDB community – Visvadeep. Then the participants proceeded to Bannerghatta, where they visited Don Bosco Renewal Centre and the Skill Training Centre run by the Salesians. This was followed by a visit to the Salesian Sisters’ community, where they had a delicious supper prepared by the Sisters with much love. At the end of their visit, the community offered surprise gifts too.
All these days were moments of get-together among themselves as well as with the neighbouring communities. On the first day, Auxilium Welfare Centre invited the participants for tea and snacks, while on the second day had Tea in the Novitiate community. Thus, the familiarity and Salesian family spirit was extended and strengthened among each other as PCI. Added to the days of enrichment, there was sharing of responsibility too since the prayer moments were animated by different provinces in a creative way and made everyone feel one with the Almighty Father. The meeting concluded in a tone of enrichment, satisfaction, gratitude to each other and God for making it realized.
