"CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE, "WHAT THE MEANING...???"

Initially, the words "Circle of Influence" go away in my ear.
Not because I've heard and forgotten, but because I felt I had understood. In my head has been filled with a perception that everything that exists beyond me would affect my life. It was true. However, when the words were repeated, sounds and echoes were be different. I began to sip words.

While sipping words, I remembered an experience.

One day I was bored with unity in the community, bored with my daily activities. I wanted to be alone. In boredom I tried to open the daily time table while making a note in it. It does not feel already four months I experienced living together in this community. ITL community which gives a new color in my life. Happy - hard, happy - sad, bored - full of energy. All blend into one. All that experience into a moment for me to interpret and give the value in it. The goal is to become a more mature person. Becoming personal religious faith in any event and be capable of a time when God made me.

And this is the moment where I was in a situation "bored".

Boredom when the situation togetherness becomes noticeably flat course, when there is a tendency to make judgments so as to make people afraid to act. There is no space for each person to present himself the "unique" because it is different or violate togetherness. When the "togetherness" is no longer a means for each individual to grow because of differences in perception.

That is the reality of living together.

That is the "Circle of Influence" which affects my life to act. Where is my position? When this is boredom. Bored as me disoriented. One hand there is the desire to be part of togetherness, but this brings discomfort. And on the other hand, I continue to be myself and focus on the objectives to be achieved.

That is the reality of living together.
The experience of living together, with all the colors that occur in life is a means of personal maturation. She let me in boredom, so I'm looking for a way to get out of boredom. Live now where I will set foot to stand on?

Circle of influence.

"I devoted much time and energy to change what is, in my control. Improving life and stop blaming others. "

 

LIFE IS FULL OF EXPERIENCES

By Sr. Priscilla Mauya

Life is full of experiences,

It is celebrated everyday
with new experiences
Of nature, people, gift
and responsibilities,
Life is what you make.

Life is full of experiences,

From inner being that requires,
Acknowledged and embraced.
It gets support from others and
it is ready to support others.

Life is full of experiences

That should be determination to
Experience them.

Life is often confronted with experiences

Of different interest, which requires composed 
Inner Strength,
To make right decision,
Life is full of experiences.

 

 

DISCERNMENT and COMMUNITY LIFE

By Sr. Rita Maria

As a sister, COMMUNITY LIFE is not a new thing for me and in the SPM constitutions emphasizes the importance of community life. In my reflection of this, a question for me is “to what extent  I make sense of Community   life during discernment?” When and how I can make sense of  importance of community life.

Building a true community life rooted in Jesus is not easy because it is not just a theory, but how do I get involved in it and make a part in my life. We were collected from different backgrounds and different cultures and certainly clash will often occur.  But the life of the community is not a collection of angels, but a collection of people who have a heart and feelings. So every time we need a continuous renewal

Prayer life
Liturgical celebrations should be the center and heart  of our community life, daily worship and personal prayer,  and sharing faith because often we can have divided ideas, something which is out of our minds, but it is difficult to share the faith, something that comes from our hearts.

Practice three vows:

Obedience, obedient to the will of God, listening to God who speaks to us through others
Poverty, Poverty is not a matter for discussion, but practiced, how to appreciate food and existing facilities "
Chastity, purify the heart and expand love because every person has a need for love.

 

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ITL COMMUNITY IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Sr. Delia Chikumbu

Every Christian is called to live in community as a member of the Church. Christ in His wisdom draws each disciple into that particular expression of Community which will be the best means of his or her conversion. Our way of life in this religious community is one of many expressions of the common life in the body of Christ.

We live an everyday life of mutual support and concern for each member of the community. Our core values are centered on Jesus and rooted in the Spirit of internationality. According to what has been imparted to us concerning Religious life and vows, Jesus invites us to discipleship. He leads us to a life of inclusiveness and equality where we respect and support each other.

Like other families with strong faith in God, our life is about love, hope, trust, mutual listening, mutual understanding, awareness, acceptance, compassion, maturity, respect, openness, togetherness, sharing and service to humanity. With knowledge that we are missioned by God to grow in our vocation, we spend time to gather together to practice spiritual exercises such as morning and evening prayer, Holy Eucharist, adoration and rosary. Apart from this, we share talents and resources as sisters to one another and discussing when there is any problem in the community.

With a well understanding of community life, we are aware that community life is more than living together under same roof. It’s about supporting each other’s vocation.

Our relationship is expressed through shared activities which are done as distinct teams, celebrating together during birthday, other indelible individual feasts and discussing when there is any problem in the community.

We live our life inclusively by paying attention to the needs of others. We feel it is important to share life together in the community, while still allowing each member of the community to express herself in her own way. For example we allow each member to use her own method of prayer. This is to say that; one might prefer something meditative while the other might turn to music.

While we are celebrating life in this way, we also experience challenges derived from our diversity and human brokenness.  This implies that like any other community, tension, friction and conflict are inevitable in our community too. All in all, we appreciate and thank God for our differences.

It is through these differences that we learn to be humble before Him. It is through differences that we learn more and help others better.

We feel mature and ready to take up responsibilities in our congregation and give what we have received in these six months.

 

 

START WITH YOUR OWN CULTURE BE AWARE

By Sr. Divina Pratya

Relationship to each other is the basis for change. And building relationships with people from different cultures and backgrounds, is the key to build diverse community that is strong enough to achieve a common goal.

And in order to build brotherhood and togetherness with people from different cultures, we need to build a strong and caring relationships based on trust, understanding, and shared goals.

Why? Because the trust relationship is glue the designer. At the time of the challenging issues facing the community and difficult moments, we hang in there together. We support each other to stay with the effort, even when it was disappointing. We need to reject the efforts of those who use the technique of divide-and-conquer - putting one ethnic group against another.

Each of us is like the relationship of a wheel. Each of us can build relationships and friendships around ourselves that give us the strength needed to achieve community goals. If any man builds a network of diverse and strong relationship, we can come together and solve the problems that we have in common. How to learn to understand other cultures?

By Sr. Divina Pratya

 

It may seem strange that to learn about people in other cultures, we start by becoming more aware of our own culture. Why?    
About their own culture, then we will be better at listening to others’ talk about them.
Or, if we understand how discrimination has affected us, then we might be more aware of how it has affected others.

How we build relationships with other people in different cultures?

There are many ways that people can learn about other cultures and build relationships at the same time. Making the decision is the first step. In order to build relationships with people who are different from ourselves, we make an effort to do so. Once we have made the decision to make friends with people who are different from ourselves, we can go ahead and make friends with them in much the same way as the others. Put ourselves in a situation where we would meet people from other cultures; especially if we do not have the experience of being a minority, to take risks.

 

Learning to become allies

One of the best ways to help us build relationships with people from different cultures is to show that we are willing to take a stand against discrimination when it occurs.

People will be much more motivated to get to know us if they see that we are willing to take risks on their behalf.

We also need to educate ourselves and get information so we understand the problems faced by each group and we are engaged in their struggle - instead of sitting on the side lines and watching from a distance strong friendship. This is our relationships with one another that gives meaning to our lives. Our concern for one another is often what motivates us to make changes. And build relationships with people from different backgrounds can be key in making a significant change in our community. Together, we can do it. “Community life is the same, in that it is still based on the Gospel. But it is also different, because We are different” (General Guideline ITL Program The Sisters Of Our Lady Of Amersfoort page 84)

 

 

POEM - COMMUNITY LIFE

By Sr. Mary Fanny

Community life
We want to support one another
So that each one can respond to her calling
We hope to be a sign of universal reconciliation in Christ
By becoming a community that is increasingly rooted in love.
 

Community Life

The process of growing towards it
Assumes that we are able to be together and alone
That we speak and keep silent with each other
In order that words can be understood and silence fruitful.

Community Life

We commit ourselves to a healthy living and working environment

In which there is room for being together and working together

Separation and privacy

Group conversation and individual conversation

Relaxation, free time and vacation

Community Life

We share this life in community with other people

By extending warm hospitality

By real involvement in problems close to home

And beyond national boundaries.

Community Life

By means of conversation, personal formation

Study, reading matter, art and other means of communication

We open ourselves to constructive criticism       

Information and new ideas

In order to retain a living dynamic in our community.

 

Community Life

We pray together

We listen to the word

We celebrate the Eucharist.

We receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

 

WONDERFUL LIFE WITH A DIFFERENCE

By Sr. Anselma

Community is the heart of the Trinity, and it is the heart of our vocation, as religious.

To revitalize community life, we must do the work and recommit ourselves to the Gospel mandate to love one another. We must increase our awareness and sensitivity to the challenges of our current reality, particularly of being older and having a different life style. Community life is the same, in that it is still based on Gospel. But it is also different, because we are different.

Community is a picture of a place, society and state in which every person feel that she is there as part of alliance. Each person is precious, involved in building the alliance into a new society. Community as place, means the atmosphere created to build a life together that is animated by prayer and fasting, to testify about the spirit of Jesus who let Himself be guided by the image of the kingdom of God.

As part of the society of life, we are called to be responsible jointly  to create a lively atmosphere in the community. Atmosphere that allows each person develops, mutual building and defending each other. Sharing spirit that encourage us to create atmosphere of being at home, enjoy good relationship as sisters and reconciled. We take Life of prayer and the Eucharist as our center of life.

The presence of each individual is precious, giving color in the community. Harmonious life is a longing  for everybody to create “a new heaven and a new earth”. “Our religious community is rooted in the history of God and with human being”.

We realize that we human beings are created with various differences hence we experience fight, tension, lack of peace, saturation, etc. But God created us special, in His image and equal.      With the diversity of life we become beautiful, with different ideas can be a way to broaden horizons. Differences make us think that we need  different perspectives to find a better solution.

If we focus on the differences and egocentricity we fight, while if we focus on the good things of differences, we become strong. The differences create us to strive more to learn to love others, through the differences we learn new things and  perspectives. Wise in the face of difference is a real step to be fair, respect, love, gratitude, knowing yourself and others.

The differences are reconciled and united by God in the community. As the Congregation living in God's call, we create fineness, richness, diversity, art and valuable. The process of building  community needs long time, personal maturity, clarity of mind and heart, humility, openness, courage to face the challenges and take the risk, action, creativity, confidence, responsibility, commitment as people who live in God's call.

God, I am here to serve.

Let us…… awake community with gladness, see the community in a different way, wake community with Faith, Hope, Love and Joy.
 

 

EXPOSURE IN PAYATAS

By Sr. Elis Marie

Payatas is a place in Quezon City where garbage is deposited. Conservative estimates show that about 10 tones of garbage from the Metro manila are deposited there every day. Thousands of families have built make-up houses and considered Payatas their rightful place. People there collect from the garbage whatever they can recycle or re-use, sell these and make money out of garbage.

We, the participants of the program of 'Cadre Training on Leadership in 2014-2015, on 19th-22nd January 2015 held the exposure in Payatas. We departed from Vincentian Hills Seminary, where we stayed at 08.30 am and arrived at  Payatas church at 10:30 am. On the way our hearts filled with questions. How is the Payatas situation? Where will we live? What jobs will we do? picking up garbage? sell in the market? or ...?  Our hearts were full of questions about what will happen during our stay in Payatas.

 

Personally I prepared my heart in prayer that my presence may be a blessing to my adopted family who live in the surrounding environment and I believed that God provide the best to my adopted family. I expressed that prayer every time before exposure.

Upon being in Payatas, we were welcomed by Father Emilio (CM) and several people including our adopted families. Father Emilio gave a brief information about Payatas and we were handed over to our adopted families. We stayed in those families and there were ten of them.

 

I lived in the area Violago in the family Leony Neneng Vallente but Usually called Mrs. Neneng. She is 56 years old. She is a widow with one son. The whole time she has is only to serve God and others. Mrs. Neneng is a simple person, faithful, prayerful, grateful, active in the environment and the church, in solidarity with the little people, and love to share with those who are poor and marginalized.

Through this exposure I learned a lot from a mother whose life just rely on God. She never complained. She spoke only of gratitude and love to God and Mother Mary. Thank God for this precious experience. Through them I can learn the real meaning of life.

 

 

THE DIFFERENCES ARE BEAUTIFUL

By Sr. Zita Yuniarti

“We live in a religious family connected with one another in community. We want to support one another, so that each one can respond to her own calling.” (Const. p. 25 n. 1)

Sr. Zita and Sr. Priscilla , "we are in the same spirit"

At the time I tried to sense these words, I realize that they contain consequences. One of it is that differences are there. At one side, there is the same goal in responding to God’s calling, but at the other hand, there are many different ways from each of us on how expressing our own calling. Our characteristics, our backgrounds, our human race and so on actually give big influence of responding to God’s calling. It challenges us on how to deal with the differences, and discover the beauty of them, in the reality that sometimes they potentially make a bit conflicts in building community life. 

How to interpret the meaning of togetherness properly, so we are able to create a conducive atmosphere to recognize that each of us is unique, we are completely different of each other. We do not need to be envious or jealous because of this reality. If there is something unexpected happen in community life, even any conflicts, the most significant key to change the conditions is how to “do something”, even it is a little something. It is a better way to always ask to myself, “what can I do in this situation?” instead of grumbling in unexpected conditions, complaining on bad things, blaming/wronging others, comparing myself with others, etc. Briefly, the changes we expect can be done as

So let us start it from ourselves to take initiative changing our own mind and thoughts. We begin opening widely our eyes, ears, and heart to “something new, something excited” in the midst of diversity and by then we’ll make the difference. By keep trying this kind of spiritual exercise day by day, gradually we are growing in sense of staying in our “core energy”. The more we are grounded in “my core/my inner being”, the more we stronger we are” in facing many experiences and challenges.

People have different ways in thinking, doing the works, building relationship, suggesting ideas, expressing their feelings/emotions, and so on.  When we are able to be respectful person, even appreciative one, it would be good contribution to our community life, as there is enough room/space for each other growing in the way they are, and realizing that everyone still want to grow.

It is challenging, how to deal with these kind of differences. In fact, sometimes we need to put off our own wisdom to be wiser after learning something different from others. We may be going through other pathways to find better destination out. We face many choices to discern and discover what better among the good ones, even the best among the better. Above all, as far as we open our whole being, and live our life with love, surely we will find the beauty of the differences. Therefore, we dare to say that “different is beautiful”.