Become a Neighbour:

Going Forth to Build Communion

 

I am grateful to God for this opportunity to participate in the 2^nd assembly of our South Asian Delegation. It was 27^th -30^th 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