Sumedha Outreach - Retreats.

Director of Sumedha Sadhana, Jose Parappully, facilitated two spiritual retreats recently.

The first from December 4-9, 2016, was for another group (he had done a group earlier in October) priests of the archdiocese of Bhopal. This time there were 34 priests. The theme of the retreat was “Priest: Mystagogue & Doctor of the Soul.” This retreat was held at Jesu Ashram, on the outskirts of Bhopal City.

The second retreat from December 29, 2016 to January 2017, was for 54 sisters of the congregations of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian sisters) of the Province of Guwahati.

This spiritual retreat was designed as a desert journey modeled on the experience of Jesus in the desert (Mark 1, 12-13). It  provided the participants an opportunity to spend time in the metaphorical desert around the Word of God to experience “Wilderness & Paradise,” to encounter their “inner demons” and their “ministering angels”, to renew the love, the enthusiasm and the passion they had at the beginning of their vocational journey (Rev. 2, 4 ), to recognise their helplessness and surrender in faith and trust to a loving God who calls them to deep intimacy with him (Hosea 2, 16-17) which in turn leads to transformation of their self and their ministry in powerful ways (1Kings 19, 1-8).

Participants of both retreats described these retreats as “different” from what they had been used to and found them very useful. What they found most helpful was the atmosphere of silence and solitude that was created and the time they were able to spend in personal prayer around the Word of God, according to the themes of each day.

A similar retreat is offered at Sumedha Centre in May 2017. Registration is open. Contact sumedhacentre@gmail.com

RETREAT FOR THE RECTORS AND LEADERS OF THE SALESIAN PROVINCE OF GUWAHATI

The Director of Sumedha Centre, Jose Parappully, animated the annual spiritual retreat of the rectors and leaders of the Don Bosco institutions in the Salesian Province of Guwahati, Assam from 13th to 19th September. 

Parappully had done the same last year as well.

The  retreat was based on the theme of the 27th General Chapter of the Salesians held in Rome from 22nd February to 12th April this year - "Radical Following of the Gospel." Parappully was a delegate at the General Chapter.

There were 36 participants.

The  following are sentiments expressed by the participants at the conclusion of the Retreat:

"We thank God for this wonderful experience, for some of us a profound experience, a felt experience of God during these days of retreat, encountering God 'as we are'. 

A wilderness and paradise experience, confronting the demons of our lives and feeling the closeness of God, a burning bush experience, vine and branches experience.

As leaders of communities we are asked to be seekers of God, passionate pilgrims of the absolute. It was a call to shed our cultivated appearances and superficial securities.

We say, a school or college or a Parish is as good as the Principal or Parish Priest. Now, after this retreat, that a retreat is as good as the preacher. The preacher (Fr. Jose)  was excellent. He put us into the right mode, he created the atmosphere, the climate and he knew exactly what the desired objectives were for this retreat.

Fr. Jose, a Salesian who is convinced of his life, and believes in what he says, who walks the talk, who has a passion for living life to the full, who does not shy away from saying what needs to be said and says it with diction, clarity and stress wherever needed. 

Here are some impressions of the participants of the retreat:

1. Januarius Sangma: The preacher combines many essential elements for a fruitful retreat very well: well prepared reflection talks, animation at Eucharist and adoration and lots of time for personal reflection and prayer. Insistence of solitude and silence was really helpful. As leaders, the retreatants showed admirable maturity and seriousness.

2. Joe Almeida - It was thought-provoking - inviting to living GC 27 and bring about a change in our way of living salesian life.

3. Joseph Teron - This is a truly deep Salesian Retreat. So rich in input and deep in reflections!

4. Charles Sangma - In the light of GC 27, the retreat was excellent and the preacher really wonderful, who understood the minds of two Rector Majors Fr. P.Chavez and Fr. Artime.

5. Marcus Lakra - good, inspiring knowledgeable about salesian way of life and living. It was really good. Fr. P.O. Jose - excellent in delivery, makes people think - what and how a salesian should be.

7. KJ Thomas - Powerful, convincing, competent, well-prepared presentation of the radicality of salesian life, mission and governance by animation.

8. Johnson Parackal - very well prepared talks with great content, insights and reflections helped me make a good retreat and very well delivered too.

9. MC George - In his typical salesian approach, powerful messages were passed on with a smiling face and gentle persuasion. 

10. Emmanuel Marangar - Retreat was a unique one for me. The preacher excellent, well-versed with the Bible. He has a profound knowledge on the GC and Church's Teachings.

11. Abraham Kanattu- The preacher was convinced and passionate about the subjects he dealt with.

12. Milon Narjary - It was touching and evoking in the heart.

13. K.O. Augustine - It was so convincing that we get convinced.

14. Albert Tyrniang - Meticulous preparations of presentations, Mass and Adoration

15. Barnabas Mardi - Presenting the most up to date knowledge about the congregation.

16. Denis Sangma - Thought-provoking, forceful, fruitful and up to the point.

17. CA John - Excellent Job - well prepared talks on relevant topics presented with passion and conviction.

18. Stephen Mavely: You strike the right chord all the time...every time!

(Collated and presented by by John Parankimalil)

SUMEDHA OUTREACH AT DON BOSCO UNIVERSITY AND MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

Director of Sumedha Centre, Dr. Jose Parappully, was invited to conduct two workshops recently, one at Assam Don Bosco University and the other at Don Bosco Management Institute, both at Guwahati.

Both workshops were on “Personal Growth.”  The one at Don Bosco University (November 27-29) was for students of the Counselling programme and of Educational Management programme. It focused on “Growing Toward Emotional and Interpersonal Maturity.”

The one at the Don Bosco Management Institute (December 2-3) was for the second year MBA students. It focused on “Emotional and Interpersonal Management.”

Both workshops had the following topics with some variations: Self-Awareness, Emotional Maturity, Enhancing Interpersonal Relationships, Assertive Communication and Behaviour and Conflict Resolution.

A four-fold process of Input, Introspection, Interaction and Interiorization was followed to explore these topics and use the insights gained to grow in personal and interpersonal maturity.

Both groups found the workshop immensely useful for their present and future.

The following comments represent typical reaction from the participants:

“This workshop has helped me to think of aspects of my life that I never thought of before. I have learned to see myself in a new light and have started appreciating myself a lot more. I have developed a stronger self-image and a wider perspective on life in general. I really feel there was a lot of change in me and my outlook towards life”

SUMEDHA OUTREACH IN SEPTEMBER

Sumedha Centre did two Outreach Programmes in September enabling many more to benefit from the Sumedha Centre’s expertise.

The first was a Psychospiritual Retreat for the Rectors, Parish priests and Leaders of Communities of the Salesian Province of Guwahati. Fr. VM Thomas, the Provincial who had earlier attended a spiritual retreat facilitated by the Director of Sumedha Centre, Jose Parappully, wanted the leaders of his Province to have a similar experience.

The retreat was held at the Salesian Provincial House, Guwahati between 8 and 13 September. The retreat was presented and experienced as a “desert journey” – as “wilderness” and “paradise” (Mark, 1, 13). 

The last two days focused on the role of the Salesian Rector/Leader of Community as a “Centre of Unity” and as “Animator of Community.”

Ample time was provided for the retreatants to experience God through Sacred Scripture

The retreatants were very appreciative of their retreat experience. One veteran missionary observed: “In my 62 years of Salesian religious life, this was a most unique experience.” Another simply said, “After several years, I made a really good retreat,” a sentiment shared by others.

  

The second was a Seminar on “Psychosexual Integration and Celibate Maturity” held at Kristu Jyoti College Bangalore on 23 and 24 September for the staff and students of the philosophy and theology departments of the college and for the students and staff of Viswadeep Institute for advanced theological and catechetical studies. There were about 300 participants.

This seminar also was facilitated by Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre. Parappully is the primary editor of the best selling two volume book bearing the same title as that of the seminar.

Participants expressed great satisfaction about the way the topic was dealt with and found it very useful. 

“An extremely useful seminar,” observed one participant summing up the sentiments of others as well. “The topic was handled in a very commendable way.”

SUMEDHA OUTREACH TO THE BRAHMAPUTRA

Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre, was invited to facilitate a workshop for the Major Superiors of religious congregations – Provincials and Generals – of the North Eastern region.

The theme of the two-day workshop was “A Mature Spirituality of Today.” The workshop was held at Don Bosco Institute on the banks of the Brahmaputra river in Guwahati on 14-15 May. Thirty four Major Superiors participated.

The keynote address at the workshop was delivered by Most Rev. Thomas Menamparambil, Archbishop Emeritus of Guwhati. He spoke of a Missionary Spirituality of Involvement and Encounter.

Parappully took three sessions of 90 minutes each on the two days. He traced the development and shifts in paradigms, from Dualistic-Mechanistic to the Holistic-Ecological and their impact on spirituality.

The Dualistic-Mechanistic paradigm dominated during the Modern Period, roughly from 1600 to 1950. This is the period in which most currently surviving Catholic religious orders and congregations were founded. He showed how the spirituality of these orders and congregations were influenced by the Dualistic-Mechanistic paradigm prevalent during that period.

Parappully went on the describe the developments in the sciences, especially in Quantum Physics, that undermined the Dualistic-Mechanistic paradigm and which led to the emergence of a new paradigm, namely, the Holistic-Ecological, which is influencing every sphere of life today.

He described 17 characteristics of a spirituality that the changed paradigm calls for. He presented solidarity and communion as the heart of this holistic-ecological-cosmic spirituality.

Participants observed that the workshop had helped to clarify, deepen and expand their understanding of spirituality. It provided them, they said, practical tools to incorporate this new spirituality into their daily lives. They also commented on the excellent quality of the inputs as well as the tools and techniques used in the workshop which made it a very meaningful and exciting experience for them.

The workshop was organised by VM Thomas, the National President of the Conference of Religious of India with the help of the Executive members of the Regional Conference of Religious of the North East.

Parappully will be facilitating another workshop – on Revitalization of Religious Life – for the Major Superiors of the region in September this year.