Mission Mandates: A Shared Responsibility
Sr. Mariana Camezzana, Sr. Natalia Thothova, and Sr. Adriana Milamanda facilitated the sessions and engaged the participants in a reflection on mission mandates. The conversation included practical realities like the lack of sisters for rural areas and how to share sisters more effectively across borders. A key theme emerged—co-responsibility. When younger sisters are sent for experiences outside their home provinces, this investment in the future only works if the whole congregation shares in the task of accompanying them.
Co-Creative Formation: Building Capacity for Mission
Sr. Lavina Rodrigues explored the “Co-creative Approach to Formation,” addressing why formation matters so much today. The world is changing rapidly, and formation cannot be about simply passing on rules. It must build capacity. Through embodied prayer and group activities, sisters explored practical skills for this work, including:
- Using structured conversations to help sisters think and decide.
- Creating psychological safety so young sisters can take risks.
- Linking a sister’s personal gifts to the mission.
- Learning to “dance with the system”—navigating the complexities of community, culture, and religious life.
This points to the core challenge for formators today: How does one prepare sisters for an unknown future? The response is to embrace the co-creative approach. A formator’s role is no longer just to be a teacher. She must also be a companion and a guide, learning when to lead and when to step back. The goal is to build the capacity of each sister to navigate the future with courage.
