From November 28 to 30, 43 sisters from the European province gathered to deepen one of the General Chapter's guidelines: the care of fraternal relationships.
Convened by the province's formation team and accompanied by the provincial government team, we enjoyed a weekend of fraternity, simplicity, good humor, and depth.
Alfonso López-Fandos accompanied us throughout the entire Saturday session, and as he said in his presentation, he managed to unite the human and the spiritual, as both dimensions constitute us and allow us to be what we want: women who dedicate themselves with everything they are and have, with everything they carry, and also with the needs we recognize in ourselves.
Alfonso proposed 4 ingredients for forming healthy and holy communities, a principle he reiterated often. These ingredients are: an emotional climate that nourishes affections through knowledge, esteem, and trust; sincere communication that is not anchored in roles that prevent understanding; leadership that facilitates each person expressing the best of herself and doing good for others; and a mission that is only embodied if it permeates the three ingredients mentioned above.
We learned that when we allow ourselves to feel, we not only connect with emotions, but we desire to order them following Jesus' example. If our communities are "nurturing," they will be able to attend to personal needs, the needs of the sisters, and the needs of the community itself, helping us in its co-responsible construction.
After the workshop with Alfonso, the sisters who wished to went for a walk, and some went to see the center of Madrid, already decorated for Christmas.
Sunday was a day when we gave each other the gift of presence. After morning prayer and the Eucharist, we were able to meet in small communities to give ourselves space to get to know each other and express important aspects of our life and vocation that, sometimes, rushing doesn't allow us to do in community. We gifted each other listening, time, attention, and the affection of those who know they are treading on sacred ground. We concluded the gathering with a moment of synthesis, offering one another insights for continuing to walk together.
A gathering like this has been a richness and a simple, precious expression of fraternity, open to all who wished to participate, where we could experience living in security, affection, and freedom. Thank you.