In this process, various activities were planned. One of them is currently taking place: a seminar about “Mission” with the following theme: "The Mission of the Sisters of Divine Providence in Latin America. Reality and Perspectives". According to the planning made in 2019, this seminar should have taken place in Florianopolis/SC in July 2020 with the following goal: to initiate a process of revitalization and restructuring of our life and mission in a mystical-prophetic perspective, regarding the merging the provinces and the region in Latin America. Because of the pandemic, this seminar had to be rescheduled.
All communities were involved in the preparatory phase with prayer impulses, reading and analyzing a study of our mission areas and completing a questionnaire. All this contributed to reflection and prayer, as well as to the synthesis for further work of the commissions responsible for carrying out the process.
In a creative way, the networking team organized a special program for the seminar. It was divided into five parts and takes place the form of video-conferences on five Saturdays. A website has been developed for this purpose. The contents of the videoconferences are deepened during the weeks by working groups. Thus, several sisters can participate and will get to know the whole thing better, with regard to further concrete steps.
So far, three parts have been carried out: on 15, 22 and 29 August. Their contents had to do with specific themes of our Congregation in Latin America, as well as with the challenges of mission in the Church and in religious life; this included an analysis of the socio-political-theological and ecclesiastical economy in Latin America. We had the consultation of our Fellow-sisters Sr. Márian Ambrosio, Sr. Lucia Weiler and Sr. Cleusa Andreatta, also of Sr. Glória Liliana (Chairman of the Latin American Commission of Religious Life), Fr. Francisco Aquino, Ivo Lesbaupin and leaders of social movements.
The seminar is perceived and experienced as very good. It helps in the process of discernment regards the necessary changes that this process of merging requires. Ahead of us there are still two parts of the seminar, which will be carried out on 5 and 12 September. These are used to summarize the reflections of the groups and to consider on the way forward.
We would like to thank all the sisters for their significant participation in this seminar and for the solidarity of the entire Congregation. Let us go together, in fidelity to the God of the Covenant!
(The networking team)