Thirty seven Sisters of the profession batches 2000 to 2009 gathered at FMA Outreach, Shillong for a three-day seminar from 18 – 20 June 2022 on Embracing Psycho-Spiritual Wholeness, The Midlife Journey… A Call to go deeper. Sr. Philomena D’ Souza FMA from Bombay province with her years of experience in the field of Youth Ministry and Women Empowerment had ably guided the encounter with meticulous follow up and strategic methods, which facilitated the group dynamics and sessions all through. Sr. Elizabeth George, Provincial was present with the group in all the sessions and while concluding the programme exhorted the Sisters to live their consecration more meaningful by living up to the commitment one has assumed after being enriched by the seminar.

During the three-day seminar the Sisters explored on varied topics that would foster their self-actualization. The resource person helped the Sisters to undertake the journey of one’s own being and link it with spirituality particularly as consecrated persons. Through the various sessions on Midlife Journey, Integration of Strengths and Weaknesses, Integration of Shadow, Integration of Emotions, Praying Painful Emotions, Embracing Feminine Sexual Energies, Growing through Menopause, Discovering a Mid-life Spirituality and Generativity, a Season of Fruit-bearing the participants have come to a better knowledge of oneself and the potentialities that one holds within. Furthermore, through a series of nineteen exercises the Sisters have delved into self-introspection, which resulted into self-discovery. The group work and sharing was another platform in which the Sisters could freely share their thoughts, opinions, ideas and experiences, a healing balm in itself. The participants have come to realize that they all go through similar experiences though the intensity varies from one individual to the other. The pictorial display of thoughts from renowned psychologists made another impact on the Sisters where one could identify their feelings and find meaning in being a woman.

The last session of the seminar was a going back memory lane in which the Sisters in profession batches shared some of the nostalgic memories of their formation years which brought much joy, laughter and tons of sisterly feeling towards one another. Each Sister has taken up the journey forward in one’s personal life in order to live life to the full as they fulfill the mission entrusted to them in their respective communities.

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