The second day of the XXII General Chapter started off with a faith-sharing on the Gospel of the day, from Luke 4:16-30, part of which says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor.” Connecting the whole gospel with the process of the previous Congregational Council in 2022 and coming here to the general chapter, they richly shared on what does this gospel mean to them and what is God telling them at the beginning of the general chapter.
To encourage interaction and make the atmosphere comfortable for each one and to know more about each other and form relationships, a getting-to-know-you activity was facilitated. This time, they were led to share personal information on their vocation story and present apostolic ministry. They also shared their hopes and concerns in coming to the general chapter.
The facilitation team slowly took the sisters’ awareness on some of the mental models or the chapter-in-mind that they might have and how this mental model might carry them through the on-going chapter. After which, the sisters are facilitated to leave the role that they are holding before they come for the general chapter so that they would be able to cross that path from being an elected delegate or an ex-officio delegate to taking on the role of a capitular.
The next half of the day was spent on getting ready or setting up the “open market” – a strategy designed by the team facilitation. Rather than hearing unit reports, the capitulars are invited to go out, visit the “open market” prepared by each unit and seek information about them. They are to ask questions, take notes and particularly be attentive to the number of communities, demographics, key apostolates and other elements that would help the capitulars sense the life of a particular unit, in the world around now and into the future. A mixture of words, figures and drawings, objects and or symbols would be as easy to understand as possible.
The day rightfully ended with a Holy Eucharist presided over by Rev. Fr. Nicolas Espinosa, SVD.
21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership
On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....
20th Day: XXII General Chapter_ Welcoming the Holy Spirit to be the guide for this day of discernment
Today’s gospel, from St. Luke (verses 1-3), lists the names of the women accompanying Jesus along with the apostles. In the faith-sharing session, the capitulars were led to reflect on their attachments which prevent them from hearing the names that God sees as those...
19th Day: XXII General Chapter_ Salvatorians are blessed with the private audience with the Holy father, Pope Francis.
Today will be a day to linger in our memories for a long time. We had an important and intimate encounter with Pope Francis, who closely models what Jesus wishes for all Christians, particularly religious, to follow with fidelity and courage—listening to His voice in...
18th Day: XXII General Chapter_ May the Salvatorians be attentive to the creative Suprises of the Savior.
The gospel of the day from St. Luke, chapter 7, verses 31-35 guided the capitulars as in relation to the on-going general chapter, each one is asked on what messages we might not be hearing or responding to? With this disposition, the general chapter proceeded. The...
17th Day: XXII General Chapter_ Deep into the Salvatorian key elements.
The morning started with a faith-sharing in groups on the gospel of today, from St. Luke, chapter 7: 11-17 and also from the first reading of today, from 1 Corinthians 12: 12-14; 27-31. They were led to reflect on these two beautiful readings of today in relation to...
16th Day: XXII General Chapter_ Go beyond the familiar and take a risk of the unknown.
The capitulars started the day with faith-sharing from the gospel of St. Luke, chapter 7 verses 1-10, where the centurion being from a foreign nation is recognized as friendly to Jewish people and Jesus recognizes the great faith outside Israel. The general chapter’s...
15th Day: XXII General Chapter_ Recalling our Salvatorian Foundation at the Chapel of St. Brigida
Today was a significant day for us as we visited the site of our Salvatorian foundation, the Chapel of St. Brigida, co-patron of Europe. Sr. Natanaela Szczurko gave us explation of this place and its historical importance to our Salvatorian family. Here, our founder,...
14th Day: XXII General Chapter_God’s works can only prosper in the shadow of the cross.
“The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, and the text of today’s Gospel, leads us to a statement that accompanied Blessed Francis Jordan throughout his life and which he even wrote in his spiritual diary (I/163): God’s works can only prosper in the shadow of the...
13th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day before God in stillness and silence
The capitulars reflected on the gospel of the day from St. Luke, chapter 6 verses 39-42. “Taking out the plank in our own eye first”, is an illustration of not forgetting our one’s tendency to be self-righteous, a reminder that all ungodliness is a cause for concern,...
12th Day: XXII General Chapter_God knows the direction He wants us to take; we only need to place our trust in Him.
At the start of the 12th day, the capitulars gathered once again for faith-sharing and reflected on the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter 6, verses 27-38. The Gospel is filled with challenging verbs that pertain to attitudes, and at this juncture of the general chapter,...