The calendar year 2025 ended on a high for the members of the Province converged together from different communities and mission fields at Dhyan Ashram for a three-day assembly from December 27-30. It was indeed experienced as a moment of grace for many, especially for those who put in a lot of hard work in preparation and execution. Thanks to the members of the Organizing Committee who worked together well to good effect. A good balance of sharing of fellowship and bonding blended with serious input sessions and deliberations, fun and frolic, celebrations and spiritual experiences was maintained throughout. Of course, we missed the presence of our vibrant young scholastics in common houses who could not make it due to their engagements in their respective communities. We also missed the presence of some of our veterans who are confined to the infirmary.
The specific theme around which our inputs and deliberations revolved was ‘ecological concerns’. The remote preparations through community and cluster-wise recollections, revisiting ‘Laudato si’ in its 10th anniversary through powerful presentation of points by Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, a short survey of already existing good practices in the province on ecological concerns presented by the men in the field etc., created the right ambience to receive well the presentation by our resource person Fr. John Kennedy of Madurai Province on the Conference Eco-Policy. The able presentation has inspired us and challenged us. Everyone involved in the organization and presentation made it a point to emphasize the need to see all the four UAPs in totality while integrating the care for our common home into our life mission.
The Jubilee Celebrations, felicitation of the new priest, praying with the departed in the cemetery, rediscovering the talent of the elderly in the games field, the open air meals and chit-chat around the bonfire in chilly winter weather etc. added colour and flavor to the assembly.
What is more important, however, was that as a group we were determined to carry with us “the way forward” as fruit of our deliberation, especially after a good presentation of the status of the province which ignited only relevant and meaningful interactions.
Thanks to everyone who contributed directly and indirectly for the fruitful exercise we went through.