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.

RE-READING CONSECRATED LIFE

The penultimate module of the 29^th Sumedha Sadhana was “Re-Reading Consecrated Life” in the 7^th and 8^th weeks of the programme.

It was facilitated by Dr. Varghese Kalluvachel SDB. Dr. Kalluvachel, a Salesian of Don Bosco from the Province of Kolkatas,  has a doctoral degree in Religious Life from the Claretian Institute of Consecrated Life at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome and another in Philosophy from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. He is currently  professor of Consecrated Life at the Salesian University. 

Dr. Kalluvachel is also an alumnus of the Sumedha Sadhana programme.

This module on “Re-Reading Consecrated life” was introduced for the first time this year as part of Sumedha Sadhana to honour the Year of Consecrated Life - 2015.

Kalluvachel’s presentation of the history of the evangelical vows and of community life was found especiaslly useful by the participants. They found it a very relevant contribution towards deepening their psychospiritual integration. It led to a deeper understanding of religious life and provided inspiration and motivation to live it more meaningfully.

The last module of the Sumedha Sadhana programme – Spiritual Retreat- commenced on 25th July. This Sumedha Sadhana programme concludes on August 2. It is facilitated by Dr. Jose Parappully, the Director of Sumedha Centre.

The next Sumedha Sadhana (SS-30), the last for this year, commences on October 2 and concludes on December 3.