Become a Neighbour:
Going Forth to Build Communion
I am grateful to
God for this opportunity to participate in the 2nd assembly of our South
Asian Delegation. It was 27th -30th of December 2020. Due
to Covid-19 pandemic, the assembly couldn’t meet directly. It was online
meeting. All the participants from Sri Lanka gathered in Claretian Missionary’s
Minor Seminary at Kattuwa, Negombo and from India gathered in Antonia Paris
Nilliya, Mysore. Srs. Jolanta and Petronile, accompanied and guided the
assembly from Rome. This was an enriching and different experience and at the
same time, I felt the deepening my belongingness to the congregation.
I
was touched by the theme of this Assembly,
“Become a neighbour: going forth
to build communion”. This shows our desire to be a good Samaritan. Each one
of us is invited to deepen our relationship becoming a neighbour to one another
and go forth to build communion in our delegation and in the world. The report
of the governance also has given the clear picture of our delegation. There are
many achievements these three years and on the other side, there are lots of needs
to be tackled. Mainly some points were reflected from the reality of the report
by individually and group and then shared in the common room, like, formation,
pastoral vocation, administration, revision of apostolic work and relationship.
The working
document for this assembly is very enriching source for the growth of the
delegation near future. It is reflecting not only the reality of the delegation
but it covers for all the reality of our mission in the world. From this we have drawn some decisions
commonly. I felt that, how the Spirit of God is leading us and drawing us
towards one family and one heart, as the desire of our foundress. This is a
sign of forming the communion among us and among the people with whom we share
our life and mission.
This document
requires us to commit more and focus on the mission where we encounter our
neighbour as the Samaritan encountered and showed mercy towards the wounded
person. I could see the enthusiasm in each one in the assembly and contributed
their part for the growth and development of the life and mission in the
delegation.
The Assembly
also invites us to examine and discern the will of God in each movements of our
life. Therefore, each one of us is responsible for building communion among us
and in the society where we are inserted. We are also called to part take in
the new missionary going forth towards the wounded, marginalized, poor, needy
etc.
I believe and
pray that, God always with us to guide and care for us. With faith, hope and
charity, I entrust our delegation to our Blessed Mother, continue to journey
with us and help us to find each person as our neighbour and build communion. May
our plans and discernments go along with God’s desire.
Roshani Miriam
Fernando