Superiors, DOWs reflect on synodality and province commissions

On : 2022-03-03

A two-day meeting of superiors, DOWs and coordinators of province commissions was held at Ashirvad, Bangalore on March 1-2. The meeting began with the presentation by Fr Shantharaj T. on synodality.

In his presentation, Fr Shantharaj said that synodality is a call for conversion with the triad of participation, communion and mission. “Leadership through synodality is towards collaboration, cooperation and co-responsibiity,” he said.

Fr Shantharaj also brought insights from the personal conversion of Pope Francis, especially his Cordoba experience which had made a deep impression on the Pope. Pope Francis defines himself as a sinner and knows that he also has gone through conversion moments. “It is in this context that the Church through synodality seeks to be bottom up or goes to the periphery,” Fr Shantharaj said.

Later, the assembly spent time in adoration and spiritual conversation, before coming for a plenary session.

Thereafter, it was presentation time for various commissions. As many as eight commission coordinators of the province made presentations about their work in the last one year. The whole exercise was in the mode of fruit gathering, with a healthy discussion that followed after each presentation.

After the presentations, Provincial Fr Dionysius Vaz made a presentation of the letter of Fr General to JCSA. He said that Fr General had called upon Jesuits to be universal with a focus on synodality, inter-ministerial collaboration and restructuring. Towards the end of the second day, Fr Vaz also addressed the gathering. He called upon the commission coordinators to be proactive. He also discussed with the members on various issues concerning the affairs of the province. He asked suggestions to respond to recent issues such as anti-conversion act and hijab row. Many came up with different insights and suggestions.

Earlier, on the evening of the first day, Ashirvad community hosted a dinner for the members with an pleasing ambience spread on the terrace. Superior Fr Arun Louis led from the front roasting omelettes for one and all.