STAFF CHANGES AT SUMEDHA CENTRE

Br. George Topno SDB is the new Financial Administrator at Sumedha Centre. He takes over from Br. Justin Lakra SDB who has been transferred to Our Lady of Fatima Church, Itarhi, Buxar.

We welcome Br. Topno and we thank Br. Lakra for his services at Sumedha Centre this past year. We wish both Br Topno and Br. Lakra the very best in their new assignments.

TESTIMONY- I AM HEALED.

TESTIMONY

I attended the 8-day retreat programme (May 21-29) at Sumedha and it was a Blessing!

I have been unwell for nearly one and a half years. Had a spine problem and could not walk. 
In January, I had a transient isemic attack, was suffering from cerebrovascular disease and 
was under bed rest for about four months. I had lost all hope and was anxious about my future 
since I was the only breadwinner in the family and was unable to work.

When the priest was talking about wilderness and desert experience, tears starting rolling.
Little did I realise that time, that it is these gift of tears which were washing away my pain and 
that my healing had started. 

During the talks which prepared us for confession, we were told that forgiveness is a DECISION. 
The short film shown, A Justice That Heals, depicted Maurine, a mother who forgave the murderer of her son and she said, "I know my Old Testament and my New Testament. What it says about unforgiveness. It eats away the marrow of your bone. I know I had to forgive. Because if I didn't forgive I would lose my mind. “This struck me. I wondered if my spine and nervous disease had anything to do with unforgiveness. 

The 6th day we fasted and took the sacrament of reconciliation. I did not know that forgiveness
would bring me healing. I do not know why I carried hurt so many years. When the priest 
was blessing me after the confession, I could feel a gentle breeze sweeping my head and spine. 
I felt light, rejuvenated, happy and peaceful. 
. 
When I returned home, my son was surprised to see a happy me who could walk. All my neighbours
and friends are surprised to see a NEW ME who is happy and healthy. 

It’s a week post the retreat.... Today my brother came to see me and was surprised to see me to brim with happiness ...I am healed, I am happy, I can walk and my insomnia has also disappeared. I am no longer anxious and worried, for I know God will take care of everything. 

I am joining back to work soon. Praise and Thank you Jesus!

Annie Crasto, Mumbai. 

(3rd from right in the photo)

Happy Birthday Arohee!

The Sumedha Community Celebrated the 2nd Birthday of Arohee, the daughter of Sumedha's main cook and caretaker Punita.

Arohee is a bundle of activity and brings much joy to the Sumedhans.

Arohee was born at Sumedha as a very premature baby, but has grown up to be a very healthy, active child. God bless her.

SUMEDHA DHYANA - AN 8-DAY SPIRITUAL RETREAT

Sumedha Dhyana - an 8-day spiritual retreat was held at Sumedha Centre from May 21-30th. It was guided by Dr. Jose Parappully, the Director of the Centre. 

There were 8 participants: one lay woman, 5 religious nuns and two novices to religious Brotherhood.

Sumedha Dhyana, a spiritual retreat designed as a desert journey modeled on the experience of Jesus in the desert (Mark 1, 12-13) provided participants an opportunity to spend time in solitude in the metaphorical desert around the Word of God to experience “Wilderness & Paradise,” to encounter their “inner demons” and their “ministering angels”, to recognise their weakness and helplessness and surrender in faith and trust (1Kings 19, 1-8) to a loving God who calls them to deep intimacy with him (Hosea 2, 16-17), to renew the enthusiasm and the passion they had at the beginning of their vocational journey (Rev. 2, 4 ), to open themselves to the healing, forgiveness and reconciliation God offers (James 5.13-15), and in this way be renewed and transformed as Jesus of Nazareth was through his desert experience.

This Sumedha Dhyana will be offered again from May 22 - 29, 2018

34th Sumedha Sadhana - A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey - Concludes

The 34^th edition of Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) concluded at Sumedha Centre, Jeolikote today (May 14,2017). There were 15 participants (11 women and 4 men) from eight Indian States and one from Thailand. This 9-week residential programme began on March 13.

Sumedha Sadhana is an inner journey in quest of greater healing and wholeness. Participants begin from where they are, looking at what is happening on their spiritual journey. They then move on to explore the psychological dynamics that affect their spirituality and integrate them in healthier ways to create more satisfying life patterns and make their ministry/professional work more fulfilling and fruitful.

There were 6 major modules in this edition of Sumedha Sadhana: Psychological Dynamics on the Spiritual journey (by Dr. Jose Parappully), Jungian Perspectives on Personality and Spirituality (by Dr. Ajoy Fernandes), Feminist and Women’s Spiritualities (by Dr. Shalini Mulackal), Yoga and Cosmic Spirituality (by Alba Rodrigues), Group Therapy (by Dr. Edison Fernandes & Dr. Jose Parappully) and Integration Retreat (by Dr. Jose Parappully).

Participants expressed great satisfaction at the quality and usefulness of the programme. Some comments:

“The programme as a whole, and the module facilitators were excellent. Happy and satisfied with everything.”

“A beautiful blend of psychology and spirituality. Well planned, well-organized and well-executed.”

“I had come here confused, disappointed. Sumedha has given me a real push to go ahead with enthusiasm.”

 “Received to the full what I needed and wanted.”

“A deep experience of God was the highlight of my stay at Sumedha.”

“I was challenged to make a real change.”

“What is most memorable is the experience of forgiveness and reconciliation I was able to extend to someone.”

“I came here quite frustrated. I gained hope and courage. The programme deepened my spirituality. I return enriched.”

 “I found a way back to God, to the centrality of Christ in my life.”

“Every bit of the programme helped me. It was a journey from brokenness to wholeness.”

“Sumedha brought a radical change in my lifestyle. I go back with a better image of myself.”

“I gained a more positive attitude toward life.”

“I go back with a renewed focus on Jesus of Nazareth.”

 “Every event had a meaning for my life. I go back renewed, with fresh energy.”

“The programme as a whole and the calm and beautiful surroundings helped me realize ‘Life is beautiful.”

“Welcome and hospitality was excellent. Food was nourishing and delicious. Very satisfied. Staff very kind and helpful, service with a smile”

The programme was very experiential, following a 4-fold methodology of Input, Introspection, Interaction and intercession. 

There was enough time for personal reflection, meditation and prayer. Friday evenings and Saturday mornings were spent in quiet reflection, giving time for all that had been churned up during the week to settle down and integrate.

Creative liturgies integrated the days experiences and helped to deepen them.

There was also time for relaxation- recreation, movies, picnic and outings. Saturday afternoons and whole of Sunday were left free for participants to organize their time the way they liked.

Somatic meditation and/or yoga in the mornings contributed to psycho-biological well-being.

The next Sumedha Sadhana is from June 1 to August 2, 2017. Registration is open. Contact sumedhacentre@gmail.com

UNIQUE HOLY WEEK EXPEREINCE

The Sumedhans observed that they found their Holy week experience at Sumedha very special. Many of them said this Holy week was very different from the ones that they were used to. "Unique," "Special," so very meaningful" were some of the words and phrases they used to describe their experience.

Participants of the Sumedha Sadhana attended services on Holy Thursday and Good Friday at the parish church, and enriched especially the good Friday Liturgy through their singing of the Passion of the Lord.

However, they had their own Way of the Cross on Friday morning and the Easter Vigil Service on Saturday night.

At sunrise on Friday morning, Sumedhans went up the Sumedha Hill carrying a large and heavy wooden Cross. This Way of the Cross was composed by Fr. Jose Parappully, the Director of the Sumedha programme. He built it around the Word of God and made reflections at each Station of the Cross applying the Word of God to the existential sufferings of humankind. Participants took turns to lead each Station as well as to carry the Cross.

The Way of the Cross ended at the Calvary on top of the Sumedha Hill. The reflections at each station, the participants said, were very meaningful and helped them reflect deeply on human realities as they trudged up the hill.

The rest of Friday was spent in quiet reflection and prayer. Participants reflected on their one month experiences at Sumedha in the light of the Paschal Mystery.

Saturday was spent in preparing (cleaning, decorating, singing practice) for the great celebration of the Easter Vigil which began after nightfall. After the lighting of the  new fire and the new Paschal Candle, and singing of the Paschal Proclamation, participants sat in the dark in the light of the paschal candle, listening to the great stories of our Salvation History.

Fr. Parappully who was the main celebrant at the Easter , made reflections on each of the stories in the light of the members' experiences at Sumedha in the past one month.

In his homily, Fr. Parappully focused on the theme of newness and transformation that the Resurrection of Jesus represents.

The Sumedha experience of the past one month had concluded with an invitation to reflect (questions had been given) on the Galilee Song (the Sumedha theme Song) which spoke about "voices deep within my heart"  calling me to "leave my boats behind,""leave them on familiar shores," "to walk past horizons that I know," "to walk into evening shadows one more time" and to "set my heart upon the deep" and "follow you again my Lord."

Fr Parappully weaved the words of the Galilee Song into his brief reflection on the resurrection event.

Participants had written their responses to the questions on the Galilee Song and had drawn a picture giving visual representation to the answers their reflection  had provided. These were shared during the liturgy in the context of newness that they had experienced so far at Sumedha and the further newness to which God  was inviting them. The drawing were presented as their offering around the Paschal Candle, along with their prayers.

Listening to the stories of salvation history sitting in darkness around the paschal candle, weaving the Sumedha experience into the meditation on the resurrection of Christ, sharing of their experiences and the invitations they were hearing and expressed in their drawings, and offering them to the Lord in prayer and thus being fully involved in the liturgy made this Easter Vigil celebration "very meaningful" and "different" from the ones the  participants were used. to.

GOD FRIDAY AT SUMEDHA

The Sumdhans made a Way of the Cross at sunrise to the Calvary on top of Sumedha Hill.

this way of the Cross was specially composed by Dr. Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre. It focused on humanity's perennial way of the Cross, the many ways men and women and children today suffer all over the world, continuing the Way of the Cross that Jesus of Nazareth made to Calvary more than 2000 years ago.