SUMEDHA OUTREACH AT NVSC, PUNE – “Immensely Useful.”

 Dr. Jose Parappully, the Director of Sumedha centre at Jharmari, Punjab, was invited to facilitate a training workshop on the “POCSO Act 2012 and Helping Survivors of Sexual Abuse.” The Workshop was held at the National Vocation Service Centre (NVSC), Ramwadi, Pune from October 28 to November 1, 2024.

There were 41 participants – 16 male and 25 female -- from different parts of the country. This workshop was part of a 9-month training programme for Formators (Trainers of Candidates to the Priesthood and Religious Life).  NVSC is an institution under the auspices of the Conference of Carbolic Bishops of India (CBCI).

Topics covered in this Workshop included: Personal and Professional Boundaries and Boundary Violations, Prevalence Rates of Child and Adult Sexual Abuse in India and in the Catholic Church, Effects of Sexual Abuse on the Survivor, The POCSO Act 2012 and Church Laws on Sexual Boundary Violations, and Pathways to Healing and Recovery.

The methodology included: Inputs with relevant Case Studies, Videos and Songs, Reading and Sharing of Related Texts in Small Groups, Sharing and Discussion in Macro Groups, Introspection Exercises and Journal Writing."

Feedback from the participants show that they benefitted immensely from the Workshop. Twenty seven of the 39 who provided feedback, 27 gave a perfect 10 on a scale of 1-10, one indicating “Very Little Useful” and 10 indicating “Immensely useful,” and four gave a Nine."

Some Typical Comments:

• ·         “I have had such a wonderful workshop for the first time. The workshop enlightened me in so many ways. I gained lots of knowledge on various issues. I liked the methodology of this course. You were to the point, systematic and clear and open for clarification. I enjoyed freedom to express what I wanted to say.”
• ·         “This workshop was really useful for me, because it was so much informative… The way you explained, was really good. Your way of methodology. Explaining each topic, making me share in the smaller group and bring it to the larger group were much appreciated.”
• ·         “So many of the topics were eye-openers for me. Few of the things presented I was ignorant before.”
• ·         “Questions for introspection and group discussions together with participants of both sexes helped to have a sharing in depth and to get to know issues from different perspectives.”

• ·         “I had sometimes wrongly judged people and now I can grow as a compassionate and understanding person towards those who suffer emotionally. The classes gave me lot of awareness about the intensity of people’s traumatic experiences, which opened my eyes not to become a judge over such people.”
• ·       “The workshop increased my knowledge and gave me understanding how to deal with the persons who have experienced abuse without judging but helping the person to come out of it to live fully with happiness. It increased my compassion towards the victims.”

The next Sumedha Outreach Programme is at Ernakulam, Kerala. It is a residential training workshop on the topic “Growing Toward Psychosexual and Celibate Maturity.” Details and contact information on the workshop is given in the brochure below.

SUMEDHA OUTREACH AT RAIPUR, CHATTISGARGH

Dr. Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre was invited to facilitate a six-day workshop on “Midlife Dynamics and the Spiritual Journey” at the Provincial House of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross of the Mid-India Province at Raipur, Chattisgarh.

The workshop was held from January 10-15. Twenty-seven Sisters of the Province participated.

The content of the workshop included: Awakening to Midlife, Midlife Dynamics, Midlife Transformational Processes, Psychosexual and Celibate Integration at Midlife, and A Spirituality for the Post-Midlife Years.

The workshop was much appreciated by the participants. Almost all had similar comments about the workshop:  An immensely useful workshop; it provided us an understanding of our experiences and helped to make sense of them; we were able to come to know many things we were ignorant about; the methodology followed was very helpful; we are happy we had this opportunity.

SUMEDHA OUTREACH IN NEW DELHI

Dr. Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre, was invited to facilitate two programmes in New Delhi.

The first was for the Community Leaders of the Congregation of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM), and the other organized by the Secretary of the Conference of Religious (CRI), Dr. Joe Mannath..

The programme for the PBVM Sisters was held at the Navjivan Renewal Centre, on the campus of St. Xavier’s Senior Secondary School on Raj Nivas road, New Delhi, from 15^th to 20^th October, 2018.

There were 11 participants, including the Provincial, Sr. Miriam Attel.

The programme was titled “Transformational Leadership for Religious Community Leaders.” It began with an exploration of Religious Life and Community, the context in which the participants were called to exercise Leadership.

An understanding of Transformational Leadership – Qualities of Transformational Leaders, Practices of Transformation Leadership, and Leadership Skills -- was then presented and explored. Participants had the opportunity to assess themselves using Leadership Questionnaires and Inventories.

The film “1492 – Conquest of Paradise” which deals with Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the Americas, was used to highlight various dimensions of transformational leadership.

The programme ended with an exploration of the “Spirituality of Leadership,” presenting Moses as an inspiring Transformational Leader.

All the participants found the workshop immensely useful for them. Some Comments:

“The inputs, exercises, ratings, reflection time, times of integration and interiorization were very good for application to our lives… Your facilitation process was excellent, never felt tired.”

“It really helped me evaluate my way of functioning as a leader.”

“An excellent work/workshop conducted. Thank you.”

“Input was very enriching. Each session was a little mirror where I could see myself/my behaviour/my actions at a deeper level. In other words these 6 days were very effective.”

“It has been immensely practical.”

“Immensely useful – 10!”

The second programme was held at the CRI House, Masigarh, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi. Dr. Parappully facilitated two days (October 21-22) of this seven day workshop on “Formation of Formators.”

There were 23 participants from different religious congregations in charge of initial formation.

Dr. Parappully focused on “Psychological Dimensions of Formation,”  “Sexual Boundary Violations” and “Healing from the Effects of Sexual Abuse.”

All the participants of this programme too, found it very useful for them. “It provided us clear notions and goals and helped us to be better equipped to carry out our role” was a common observation.

SEPTEMBER OUTREACH PROGRAMMES

September was a month in which Sumedha Centre did a number of Outreach programmes.

Bhopal

The first was a programme entitled “Psychosexual and Celibate Challenges for Priests at Midlife and Beyond” for the priests of the Archdiocese of Bhopal facilitated by Dr. Jose Parappully, the Director of Sumedha Centre. This programme was held on 6-8 September. Twenty six priests attended.

Bangalore

The second, also facilitated by Dr. Jose Parappully, was held at the Vidyadeep College in Bangalore on 10-13 September. This programme title “Midlife Dynamics and the Spiritual Journey” was attended by 38 Women Religious from five different Congregations. The programme was organized by the Conference of Religious India.

Madurai

The third was a training programme in Psychological Assessment conducted by Dr Jose Parappully for members of the Salesian Psychological Association and Conference of Catholic Psychologists. This programme was organized by the Salesian Psychological Association, South Asia at the Pallotine Institute for Lay Leadership, Research and Animation (PILLAR) at Madurai. There were 18 participants.

The feedback from participants of all three programmes was overwhelmingly positive.

Sumedha Outreach at Assam Don Bosco University

Dr. Jose Parappully, director of Sumedha Centre, was one of the two invited resource persons at the Staff Enrichment Programme at Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati. The other resource person was Dr. George Palamattam, the Director of Siloam, Shillong.

The programme was entitled: Developing a Growth Mindset... for Navigating Change." It was held at the Azara campus of the University on 5-6, July. There were 120 members of the teaching staff and the Management present. The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Stephen Mavely, the Vice Chancellor of the University.

Dr. Parappully focused on "Enhancing Institutional Excellence Through Creativity and Innovation."  Dr. Palamattam focused on "Growth Mindset."

The staff found the two days' programme - content and process- immensely useful and relevant and has evoked enthusiasm toward navigating change.

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.”