“Transformed by Love, Passionate for Mission”: Province Teams Meeting 2024
From June 8 to 10, 2024, twenty-one sisters and four partners in mission who are members of the various Province Teams: Formation, Joint Formation, Restructuring, Stewardship, Integral Ecology and Leadership and Governance, gathered for a meeting at the Heart of Mary Villa Hall in Quezon City, carrying on the 2020 Chapter theme: “Transformed by Love, Passionate for Mission.”
Sr. Susan Montano, Province Leader, opened the meeting with a warm welcome and a reflective look back at the 2022 Province Teams Meeting which was held online amidst the pandemic. She introduced the meeting’s theme and objectives, emphasizing a dual focus on gratitude for past efforts and hope for future developments. The main objective was to celebrate teamwork over the past four years and prepare to embrace emerging future opportunities with renewed vigor.
Sr. Anya Borbon, who served as facilitator, initiated the meeting by encouraging participants to share their concerns and expectations. Each teams also came up with a symbol that embodied their journey in the past four years.
During the initial sharing, a collective longing for a more united and collaborative efforts among the teams was sensed and the integration of the Congregational Chapter Calls to Actions into the plans of each team was felt lacking. Listening to this prompting from the Spirit, the group redirected the meeting and revisited the Calls to Action. This led to the drawing of priorities and plans for the next two years for a more focused action.
Each one worked hard, listened harder and prayed the hardest as they come up with more realistic and attainable targets for the remaining two years, assuring as well the alignment to the Chapter Calls to Action. There was also emphasis on the importance of regular review and integration of plans.
Courageous and honest sharing especially from partners in mission, also led the group into deeper reflection of the call for just and right relationships. Beautifully prepared prayers and rituals kept everyone rooted to the source of hope that enables each one to move beyond setbacks and frustrations. Despite the difficulties brought by changes in team compositions and the reality of multi-tasking, each one is recharged, renewed in their commitment and ready to move forward.
At the end of the meeting, everyone affirmed the group’s openness and docility to Spirit. Feedback were also given for better communication of ideas in the future. All were filled with gratitude for Sr Anya for the well facilitated gathering. Everyone is looking forward to coming together again!
Since the following day June 11 is the 125th anniversary of the consecration of the human race to the Sacred Heart by Pope Leo XIII as influenced by Blessed Maria Droste, the gathering ended with this prayer of Consecration.
