The first of two modules of the international Formators' Training for Good Shepherd Sisters in Asia will be held October 17-November 27, 2011 in Maryridge Tagaytay City.
The training, “A Living Story at the Heart of Good Shepherd Mission” will be participated by about 50 delegates from the Provinces of Japan, Indonesia, East Asia (Thailand, Vietnam-Cambodia, Myanmar), Northeast Asia (Taiwan, South Korea), Singapore/Malaysia, Sri Lanka/Pakistan, India/Nepal and the Philippines. Sr. Susan Chia RGS, Sr. Elaine Basinger RGS and Sr. Linda Lizada RC will be the facilitators.
This formation program will enable participants to be better prepared for accompanying women in formation as Good Shepherd Sisters.
The training was planned by the Formation for Shepherding Today Committee during their first meeting at the Good Shepherd Generalate held in Rome from September 1 - 9, 2010. The Committee was formed after the Congregational Chapter 2009 to: “ensure a holistic and relevant formation that prepares, renews and sustains for the challenge of today’s realities.”
The committee is composed of Srs. Martha Nthinga (Kenya), Teresita Figueroa (Philippines), Elvira Rodrigues (Contemplative) Southeast Latin America, and Francisca Ponce (Bolivia/Chile). Members of the Congregational Leadership Team who give focus on this area of Formation are: Srs. Susan Chia RGS, Anne Josephine Carr RGS and Ma. Teresa Pomar CGS.
During the Rome meeting, the Committee planned to organize international formation sessions and training sessions for Good Shepherd formators. It also sought to review the Guidelines for Formation in the light of the present realities in the congregation and the lived experience of the various units. The planned international formators’ training is being coordinated with the Spirituality Center in Angers whose staff will be in the Philippines for the sessions. Another objective that the committee hopes to accomplish is the organization of leadership sessions for new unit leadership team.
The first module that the committee envisioned will be held October 17-November 27 for Asia, in the Philippines; February 20-April 2 for the Americas, in Chile; and July 2-August 13 for Europe/RIMOA, to be held in Kenya.
This training uses an experiential and co-learning model. It is a process of weaving conversations to gather the wisdom in the group in discovering what we care about. Through this we learn together, discern the strengths and purpose of formation and
the changes that are needed in order to bring about a formation that is relevant for mission today.
Resource persons include Good Shepherd Sisters Clare Nolan of the Good Shepherd International Justice and Peace Office in New York, Paulina Diez and Tarcila Abano of the Spirituality Center in Angers, Donal Kirk of the Christian Brothers and Lim Mung San of the Integrative Learning Consultancy.
The second module for Asia is scheduled for November 10- December 10, 2012, also in the Philippines.
It will be recalled that the Congregational Leadership Team presented the nine Chapter Threads or the areas important to the congregation as the Directives of the 2009 Congregational Chapter are implemented. Formation for Shepherding Today is among the nine threads. Other Chapter Threads are: Spirituality- Source of Spirit and Life, Justice and Peace in Global Solidarity, Good Shepherd Partnership in Mission, Envisioning Connections, Journey of Enrichment, Mission Development, Enabling Congregational Mission and Missionary Process and Expansion.
(RK)