SUMEDHA OUTREACH IN DECEMBER 2014

SEMINAR AT DON BOSCO PHILOSOPHATE, KARUNAPURAM

The Director of Sumedha Centre, Jose Parappully, was the lead speaker at a seminar on “Psychosexual Integration and Celibate Maturity” at the Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram, Telengana State on 8-10 December.

About 150 students of Philosophy attended the seminar.

There were two other presenters – Jose Kuttianimattathil (Co-Editor of the book on the subject of the Seminar) and John Tharakan who has contributed three chapters to the book.

Parappully introduced the topic and made presentations on Sexual Orientation, Sexual Behaviours, Sexual Harassment and Abuse.

Kuttianimattathil presented on Human Maturity and Celibate Friendship.

Tharakan presented on Boundaries and Boundary Violations.

TRAINING OF FORMATORS, MANGALORE

Jose Parappully was invited to be part of the “Formation of Formators” training programme organized by the Conference of Religious of India at Ryshivana Retreat Centre in Mangalore.

There were about 50 participants in the training programme.

Parappully took seven 90 minute sessions, spread over two days on 12^th and 13^th December, on Mental Health and Religious Formation.

SALESIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

Parappully participated in the annual meeting of the Salesian Psychological Association at Ramanthapur near Hyderabd on 15-16 December.

At the meeting he made a presentation on the recently published DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 95^th Edition). He highlighted the changes from DSM-IV and made detailed presentation on the DSM – 5 Alternate Model of Personality Disorders.

Peter Lourdes, a Salesian priest of the Province of Kolkata, is one of the first priest psychologists in India.

Fr. Lourdes has nearly 50 years’ experience in counselling, spiritual direction, teaching and training, seminars for priests, religious and educators.

He was for several years Programme Director and Head of the Psychology Department at National Vocation Service Centre, Pune. He was the first President of the Salesian Psychological Association. Currently he has a psychotherapy practice in Kolkata.

Fr. Lourdes holds a D. Psych in Clinical Psychology from Salesian University, Rome, Masters in Somatic Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, and a PhD in Counselling Psychology from Loyola University, Chicago.

He is certified as a Massage therapist from the San Francisco School of Massage therapy.

Fr. Lourdes has been a member of the Visiting Faculty at Sumedha Centre from its very beginnings in 2003 until this year. Each year he has led two or more therapy grous as well as offering other programmes.

Peter made his religious profession on 6^th December 1944 and was ordained a priest on 5^th December 1954. The 6oth anniversary of his ordination and the 70^th anniversary of his religious profession were celebrated on 5^th December 2014 at Nitika Don Bosco, Kolkata where he currently resides and practices as a psychotherapist.

A number of his family members from Australia, Kolkata and Khargpur In Bengal  graced the occasion.

About 15 fellow Salesian priests joined him at the concelebrated Holy Eucharist and the felicitations and dinner that followed.

On the occasion Fr. Lourdes' latest book "Wow Jesus!" was released.

Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha, represented the Centre at the jubilee celebrations.