austraLasia #3018
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!