A BREATH OF JOY: A Different Kind of Formation

These past two days have been a grace-filled experience for all of us. We were blessed to have our Mother General, Sr. M. Bernardita and Sr. M. Kanikai (General Councilor) with us for a formative program that was, in many ways, quite different from what we are accustomed to.

Usually, our formation sessions are rich with content…full of listening, reflecting, and writing. These are always meaningful, but this time, something new unfolded. The approach was simple, yet deeply transformative: less long talks, more group dynamics; less theory, more experience.

Through workshops and guided moments of sharing, we were invited to say and to receive positive words about ourselves and about one another. It may seem something small, but it touched something very deep within me.

How often do we wait until the end of someone’s life to speak the good we see in them?

How often do we keep our affirmations in our hearts, without ever giving them voice?

In these two days, we did the opposite. We spoke life. We affirmed one another. We allowed ourselves to receive goodness without resistance, without embarrassment, but with gratitude.

And I must say… it felt so good.

There was a lightness that came, a quiet joy that filled the room. As I listened to my Sisters speak words of affirmation…simple, sincere, and heartfelt, I could feel a shift within me. It was as if something heavy was lifted, and in its place came a renewed sense of peace, gratitude, and hope.

This experience reminded me that formation is not only about learning new ideas. It is also about healing, strengthening, and rejoicing in the gift of who we are. It is about allowing the Lord to touch our hearts through the love and affirmation of the community.

I am deeply grateful for this experience, for our Mother General, for Sr. Kanikai, and for each of my Sisters who generously shared their hearts. In our diversity, in our different ages and stages of life, we discovered once again the beauty of being a community that gives life to one another.

And in all of this, one truth gently echoed in my heart:

Never forget… always REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE !

You are loved. You are chosen. You are called. You are sacred. You are a temple of GOD!

May we carry this truth in our daily life, and may we continue to affirm one another….so that each Sister may walk in the light of her dignity, her vocation, and her mission.