SUMEDHA OUTREACH TO THAILAND - 1

The Director of Sumedha Centre conducted a 7-day Spiritual Retreat for the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (SIHM) of Thailand.

The retreat was held between 3 and 9 January 2016 at the Mother House of the Congregation at Hua Hin. There were 29 participants, including the Superior General, Asst. Superior General and members of the General Council.

The theme of the Retreat was "Religious Life as a Desert Journey." Topics dealt with included: Call of the Desert: Renewal of Initial Love and Devotion; Religious Life: A Journey to God; Community: Journeying Together; Wounding and Healing: Forgiveness & Reconciliation; God: Unconditionally Loving Father; Jesus of Nazareth:Compassionate on of a Compassionate Father; and, Mary of Nazareth: Mother & Disciple.

Currently, the Director of Sumedha Centre is facilitating a one-month "Psycho-Spiritual Integration" programme for 30 Sisters at Sisters Centre, a National On-Going Formation Centre of Religious Women of Thailand and Laos, at Sam Phran, about 35 km from Bangkok.

2016 SUMEDHA PROGRAMME BROCHURE

We offer our 9-week niche programme: SUMEDHA SADHANA - A PSYCHOSPIRITUAL WHOLENESS JOURNEY  - three times this year: March 15-May 16; June 1 - August 2; and September 28-November 29.

We have added three new short programmes:

Midlife, Masculinity and Mysticism: May 23-28

Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Psychospiritual Well-Being: September 1-6

Social Discrimination Stress and Psychospiritual Well-Being: September 15-20

Registration is open for all the programmes, on a "First-Come, First-Served Policy"

PROTECTION OF MINORS FROM ABUSE

The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA), South Asia, in collaboration with the National Biblical, Catechetical, and Liturgical Centre, Bangalore organized a Seminar on “Protection of Minors: Implications for Church Institutions” from12th to 15th December 2015.

The organization of the Seminar was led by the secretary of the SPA, Raja Dhonti, and former secretary, Jose Parappully and the director of NBCLC, Sagaya John.

Members of 22 congregations and dioceses participated in the four-day Seminar.

The following made presentations at the Seminar: Thangam George and Sheila Devaraj from Bangalore (Prevalence and Attitudes Toward Sexual Abuse of Children), Jose Parappully from Delhi (Protection of children from Sexual Abuses Act 2012, CBCI Policy on Protection of Minors, 2015, Healing from the Effects of Sexual Abuse), John Tharakan from Hyderabad (Ethics and Boundaries Related to Sexuality and Care of Children, Indian Laws Related to Sexual Offences) and Noel de Sa from Mount Abu (Setting Up and Following Policies and Procedures).

Even though the primary target audience was Catholic Bishops and Major Superiors of Religious Congregations, only one Major Superior attended. The participants were mostly those working with children or those involved in the formation (training) of priests and religious.