Rome, Italy. From 9 am to 6:30 pm of Saturday, 17 March, a meeting between the two General Governments of the Religious of Mary Immaculate (7) and the Claretian Missionaries (8) took place in the General Curia. It’s a meeting usually held twice a year, within the intensive Council Meetings of Match and October.
This month’s dynamics was quite different. It was an Appreciative Inquiry Workshop suggested by the two General Superiors, Jolanta Maria Kafka and Mathew Vattamattam. Fr. Gonzalo Fernández, our Vicar General facilitated the workshop, a methodological approach to personal transformation and to enhance the animation and government services that both Governments render to its respective Congregation.
During the morning prayer at 9, Jolanta Maria reminded everyone of the goal of this on-going formation that deepens some aspects of the Claretian missionary charism. “It is better to learn in communion” she exclaimed.
The sessions of the morning and afternoon were divided into theoretical inputs and practical exercises, individual work and group works. They were divided into three groups during the group dynamics developed by Gonzalo himself. At 12:15, Father General celebrated the Eucharist, another moment of communion and meeting between the two General Governments, a visible sign of the friendship and fraternity of both governments. Then at 1:00 pm they shared meal with the General Curia Community.
The workshop continued until 6:30. Towards the end, an evaluation was done wherein all of them positively highlighted the relevance and importance of fraternal coexistence and shared reflection born of a deep and heartfelt communion which strengthens it. They ended up with the recitation of the Ave Maria and with the invocation of our intercessors, Saint Anthony Mary Claret, the Blessed Martyrs of the Claretian Family, and the Venerable Maria Antonia Paris.
They’d hope that this reflection continues to help them in positively carrying out their respective missionary service of animation; and for them to know better on how to carry it out with all and among all the dynamics of personal, community and congregational processes of transformation.
They will continue to learn to dream as Joel 2,28 says: “And it will happen that after this, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your children and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young people will see visions.” Yes, the dreams are fulfilled. Both Congregations of the same Claretian Family will continue this path.
