Brazil: PANAM Seminar – Transformational Leadership

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Every organization needs good leadership to carry out its mission. Aware of this, SSpS missionaries are investing in the formation of their leadership teams in the Americas, at the seminar on transformational leadership.

Transformational leadership is the theme of the Panam Seminar

For Missionary Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), leadership is a necessary service for the good functioning of mission and, to be carried out effectively, requires formation. With the purpose of better preparing its members, the Congregation is holding the 1st SSpS Formation Seminar for Provincial and Regional Leadership Teams at the Panam level in São Paulo from April 28 to May 3.

Attending are the members of the 11 SSpS provincial and regional leadership teams of the American continent, a total of 43 sisters, including two representatives of the Congregational Leadership Team from Rome: Sisters Margaret Leslie Hansen and Maria Cristina Avalos. Missionaries from Chile, Bolivia, Argentina (Misiones, North and South), Paraguay, Mexico, Cuba, the United States, Brazil (North and South) and Italy are present.

The seminar opened on Sunday with the celebration of Mass and it continued with group dynamics so that all the participants got to know each other. The afternoon was dedicated to the deepening of the Word of God that inspired the event: “You give them something to eat” (Mk 6:30-44). Sisters Heloíse Matos, Maria de Fátima Marques and Brother Paolo Delucca, from the bibliodrama team, energized the encounter with group reflections, sharing and dancing.

During the week, the leadership teams will reflect on transformational leadership, addressing aspects such as teamwork, planning and organization strategy, conflict mediation and vocational culture, among others.

According to the coordinators of the seminar, the objective is to favor a training space for the provincial and regional teams, in which it will be possible to experience teamwork based on the experience of communion in the light of the Trinitarian spirituality, characteristic of the Congregation.

Sister Maria Percila Vieira, coordinator of the Panam coordinating team, explains that, in addition to deepening the theme, “the seminar is providing the sharing of experiences, the exchange of information and the rapprochement between the teams of the different countries which will favor joint actions for the future.”

For General Councilor Sr. Maria Cristina, the seminar “is a source of energy to continue to build communion within the communities”, especially in this year in which we experience communion within the Congregation in preparation for the next General Chapter. She also highlighted the openness and commitment of the sisters “to seek to grow and bet on life, to defend and to build life.”

Sister Margaret adds that with so many responsibilities and decisions that need to be made, leadership teams often do not have the time to meet and listen to each other. Thus, the seminar “is an opportunity to be together as Panam teams, to feel mutual support, to question each other and to seek other ways of collaboration”.

Summarizing the progress of the seminar, Sr. Maria Cristina affirms: “We really feel the dynamics, the presence of the Holy Spirit among us, through joy and enthusiasm among all, so we are very happy.”

Among the activities planned, there is also a pilgrimage to the National Basilica of Aparecida, on May 2, when they will have the opportunity to experience a little of the faith of the Brazilian people. The seminar will close on the 3rd. The next day there will be an assembly of provincial leaders to elect the new Panam coordination team.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid gap=”3″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1557219769473-8715fd55-7a62-4″ include=”11981,11979,11977,11975,11973,11971,11969,11967,11965,11963,11961,11959,11957,11955,11953″][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDda5zcKb98&feature=youtu.be” align=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf1Y4ftQcqM&feature=youtu.be” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]