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.

MIDLIFE, MASCULINITY & MYSTICISM (New Programme)

MIDLIFE, MASCULINITY & MYSTICISM

May  23-28-2016

Course Description

In this module we shall explore the uniquely male personality features and their development and the midlife dynamics that affect them using various developmental theories, myths and metaphors, following especially the Hero’s Journey. 

Masculine spirituality will be explored through the lens of Mark’s Gospel.

Faculty: Gerard Alvarez MA, Jose Parappully, PhD

SUMEDHA SADHANA - PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

Sumedha Sadhana

March 15-May 16; June 1–August 2; and September 28-November 29, 2016

Course Description: This 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 healthy ways to create more satisfying life patterns and make one’s ministry more fulfilling.

Course Content: Holistic, Process & Formative Spiritualities; Cosmic, Creation & Feminist Spiritualities; Religious & Community Life; Prayerfulness & Healthy Emotional Life; Midlife Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey; Identity & Vocational Commitment; Intimacy, Celibacy & Sexuality; Generativity, Stress & Burnout; Shadows & Subpersonalities; Trauma, Healing & Reconciliation; The Universe story, Jesus Story and Our Story; Core Transformation -- are some of the major topics that will be explored. Special place is given to group therapy where participants have the opportunity to face their brokenness and fears, their unhelpful patterns of living and relating and move on to healing and wholeness. The programme concludes with a spiritual retreat.

Tools & Techniques: Insights from Christian faith and wisdom traditions, various psychological theories of development, as well as experiential tools and techniques from Psychosynthesis, Intensive Journal, Expressive Arts, multi-media, prayer & meditation practices, and Sacred Scripture are used to explore and enhance one’s psychospiritual journey. (Age limit: 32-62 years)

Faculty

Ajoy Fernandes PhD (Personality & Spirituality). Alba Rodrigues MA (Cosmic Spirituality, Yoga). Gerard Alvarez MA (The Storied Word: Ours, Jesus’ and the Universe’s). Joe Mannath PhD (Sexuality, Celibacy & Intimacy). Jose Kuttianimattathil PhD (Core Transformation). Jose Parappully PhD (Psychological Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey, Trauma & Healing, Group Therapy, Retreat). M. Goretti Kanakarathinam MA (Group Therapy, Befriending Our Emotions). MC Abraham PhD (Group Therapy). Shalini Mulackal PhD (Feminist & Women’s Spirituality)

SUMEDHA CENTRE 2016 PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

SUMEDHA CENTRE

2016 Programmes

1.      (SS-28) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) - (9 weeks)

March 15-May 16

2.    (SS-29) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) – (9 weeks)

June 1–August 2

3.     (MMM-1) Midlife, Masculinity and Mysticism (A Programme for Men) (6 Days)

May 23-28

    

     4.     (NPW- 1) Neuro-Linguistic Progamming and Psychospiritual Well-Being (6Days)

September 1- 6

5.    (SDS-1) Social Discrimination Stress and Psychospiritual Well-Being (6 Days)

September 15-20

6.   (SS-33) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) - (9 weeks)

September 28-November 29

Registration is open. Please contact: sumedhacentre@gmail.com

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR!

Wishing all the Sumedhans and friends of Sumedha a very joyous and grace-filled Christmas and a new year full of God's choices blessings fro you, your families, communities and friends.

The accompanying picture presents the reality of the birth of Jesus without any of the embellished  trappings - an exhausted Mary, an anxious and worried Joseph and a frail baby born at a wayside inn/stable who does not know what is happening to him - an oft repeated human situation.