At a certain
point you say
to the woods, to the sea,
to the mountains,
the world,
Now I am ready.
Now I will stop and be wholly attentive.
You empty yourself and wait,
listening...
Annie Dillard
Regional Conference for Teachers of Sacred Heart Institutions
of Asia / ANZ
January 1 - 9, 2006
Sophia College, Mumbai
Participants comments:
Kylie
Butler – Stuartholme, Austraila
This conference has enabled me to develop so many new understandings. At the
heart of them is a new appreciation of the vision of St Madeleine Sophie. Our
challenge now is to unite as Sacred Heart Educators to empower women to be
instruments of change in their communities.
Zoe
Zeman – Sacre Coeur,
Australia
One cannot count the smiles and the welcomes, the eyes full of light, mischief,
hope. But one can and must give thanks and complete admiration to the amazingly
far sighed, generous women who carry on the charism of Madeleine Sophie and on
whose path we are privileged to step. This has been a conference that brought us
together at many levels. Thank you.
Joanne
Boerth – Forest Ridge,
US
I expected to be
upset by the poverty of India – it is hard to see, but I think I have been most
humbled by the happiness we’ve encountered. This is what I’m having to grapple with.
Victoria Boulter – Stuartholme,
Australia
I can never really
know India
as those who live here, but this conference has allowed me a window to Indian
life I would not have seen otherwise. It has also allowed me to be witness to
the work of the RSCJ in Maharashtra – work that is transformative, rich and
loving. It has been incredible, divine and enriching!
Mark
Oski – Sacre Coeur, Melbourne
I have been
overwhelmed by the warmth, generosity and love of the Indian people. India will
forever by my second home, especially in my heart.
Bob
Hinckley – Forest Ridge,
US
I feel the RSCJ
especially in India need to be applauded for their work and vision in Mumbai and
surrounding areas. Their acceptance of the many paths to God has deepened my
understanding of spirituality. The work they have done at the college, the
schools, their villages and the Self Help Group programmes are models that
Governments would do well to copy.
Wendy
Collie – Sacre Coeur,
Australia
The conference has been an amazing experience. To have met and mingled with the
Indian people in a way that would not have been possible otherwise and to have
heard their stories, first hand, has been a privilege. It has been an extremely
enriching experience.
Tomoko
Nagura – Obayashi,
Japan
The conference has brought me a lot of awareness and happiness. I appreciate
what all the sisters and teachers have done for us. I’ll tell what I have seen
and done with my students and colleagues. I’ll find something we can do to live
in harmony and take actions as what the RSCJ are doing has made a deep
impression on me. People’s lives and hopes and smiles make me feel how small and
big our Sacred Heart family is.
Chris
Hannan – Kincoppal Rose Bay, Australia
I am deeply grateful to have been given the opportunity to go to India.
Attending this Conference was a profound experience. The enrichment of my
knowledge and understanding of the key religious traditions that have emerged
through the experience of the peoples of this part of the world, the gaining of
some understanding of education in countries of the Asia Pacific region and the
forging of friendships with the other participants, have been significant
experiences that will have an impact on my role as an educator and that I will
never forget. The warmth , hospitality and friendship of RSCJ at Sophia
College, in other parts of Mumbai, and in Pune, Harageon and Bhokar was truly
wonderful. I hope that these bonds of friendship will never be broken and that
there will be opportunities in the future for renewing them on a personal level.
Kim Yul-Ok,
rscj - Korea
Through this conference I have had a lot of experiences with unity and
diversity. I think the unity comes from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the
spirituality of St Madeleine Sophie. The unity as Sacred Heart Educators is like
the spine that supports us as oneness.
The diversity that I experienced about multi-culture, multi-religion was like
spices in Indian food for me. Sometimes I was not comfortable with that but I
could enjoy it very much. So now I learn that when I respect differences and
especially share our lives with others, our lives can be lived more abundantly.
Tim
Boulton – Stuartholme,
Australia
This past week has been a time of great spiritual enlightenment. It has also
given us the opportunity to witness, first hand, the work of RSCj in less
privileged communities.
Linda
Stratham – Stuartholme,
Australia
The memories from
this conference will remain with me long after I have returned home. It has been
a unique opportunity to learn about many faiths in urban and rural settings in
India.
The hard work and generous spirit of the RSCJ have been an inspiration.
Anne
Crosswell – Baradene, New Zealand
I am so grateful to
have had this opportunity to experience India from more than just a tourist
point of view. We have a lot to learn from the Indian culture and we will try to
convey some of our experiences and insights back to the people at home. What
loving women the RSCJ are, and what inspirational work they do.
Rachel
- Sook Kyung Choi
I strongly felt the
internationality of our Sacred Heart Schools. I have never experiences the
hospitality that the RSCJ here gave us and I can’t thank them enough. I could
see Indians respectful attitude toward other religions and cultures. I felt them
practice their own religion with openness and faithfulness. I’ll treasure what I
learned here and try to realize it in my education.
Shu-Lan
Tsai (Vickie)
The journey to
India
truly broadened my horizons and enriched my life through the discussion of the
conference and the itineraries of visiting various temples and schools. The open
attitude and generosity of sisters toward multi-religions and the perseverance
and enthusiasm in pursuit of educating poor children and to empower women to be
independent in the rural areas fully articulate the spirit of RSCJ which will be
deeply rooted in my heart forever.
The fruitful experience in India will be fully shared back in my country. Hopefully, we will think of some ways in which we can make a difference and can be mutually enriched through more frequent interaction. Thank you very much for everything you’ve done for us and the under privileged. Sisters, you are angels from heaven.
Yuri
Obayashi - Japan
I thank all the
Sisters, teachers, staff and people I met through this conference and journey.
There are many children and women in the world. they have original and various
cultures, religions and life. They do the best they can but many children and
women are suffering from poverty, disease and violence. I think I have to tell
the students the truth. They will absolutely decide to act for children and
women. I was moved by the generous and creative spirit of the RSCJ sisters. I
want to support them as a teacher in our Sacred Heart School.
I hope to see you all again.
Audrey
Threlkeld – Forest Ridge,
US
This truly has been
the experience of life time. I am so grateful to all those who organized this
conference as well as to my school. The two realizations that stand out the most
for me are, the way we all live out the vision of St Madeleine Sophie in
empowering women, not only to be the best they can be but also to make a
difference in the lives of everyone they touch – secondly, the openness and
hospitality of everyone we’ve met and how I’ve changed as a result. This has
definitely been a reciprocal experience with the poor and marginalized.
Wei
Hsueh-ling (Shirlane) - Taiwan
I will never forget
this first-tie trip to India. Everyday there was something amazing happening to
me. I was so appreciative of everything organized during the conference. The
hospitality, the generosity and the sincerity I experiences from people of
different nationalities and beliefs are overwhelming. By the way, I was really
touched by the work that is being done by RSCJ. I realize to empower the
marginalized or the underprivileged is a very significant approach to enhance
justice and peace. I deeply believe this precious opportunity to visit India
with this group is guided by the Lord and the experience will certainly make a
difference in my life.
Maki
Hatajiri - Japan
India
– the land of celebrations.
Everywhere we visited people welcomed us with big smiles, many flowers and ‘bindi’.
India
– the land of foods
I love Indian food very much – every day I enjoyed different food – that was one
of my funs, to think about the meal.
India
– the land of diversity
Through the conference which was very hard for me at first, to understand in
English, I felt (maybe) the essence of the spirit, the importance to know one
another, to accept the differences, to have generosity and so on.
After
this, what should I do as a teacher of a Sacred Heart School!
I will have to share my fruitful experiences in India with my companions and
students.
Thank you all for everything. I’ll never forget such a wonderful time. We are
together as one family of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Susan
Ross, RSCJ – Baradene, Auckland
An awesome
opportunity full of wonder and mystery!
It is
amazing to have had the opportunity to feel part of another culture and so
generously invited to live the reality of such a very different way of life.
This was an awe-inspiring, energizing and life-changing experience which has
certainly challenged me in many ways, especially in that of needing to
re-evaluate my own reason for being.
RSCJ of the Indian Province made
the visit exceptionally special by anticipating our every need. The detailed,
very full programme was arranged with such care and exactitude so that every
moment passed without a hitch! The visits to temples, schools, women’s centres,
self help groups, slums, the Taj Mahal Hotel (for coffee!) gave us a genuine
taste of India,
the land of contrasts.
I will
always be grateful to the many who made this trip possible, to the organizers
and especially to my own province, ANZ. I will carry the scenes of the
underprivileged, the beggars, the homeless and the slum dwellers (who welcomed
us into their homes with such pride) in my heart f
orever. Most of all I will
remember their smiling, welcoming faces - the happiness that can be enjoyed when
lives are not cluttered and burdened by materialism - with the myriad possessions we, in first world
countries, consider essential to human existence!
Vivianne Child - Baradene, Auckland
My initial commitment to go to the Conference in Mumbai was made with excitment, curiosity, some trepidation, but also some doubts as to whether it was worth the time, effort and money. I expected intellectual challenge, as always with rscJ, and having already met Sister Ananda. I also anticipated some physical discomfort and possibly poor food, but I thought it would be an interesting and informative trip. How beyond these imaginings was the actuality. From the beginning, the Conference challenged, excited and inspired me. What amazing and committed women we met - many of these being rscJ. The hospitality, joy, personal sharing of faith journeys ( and wonderful food!) - energised me, and it became one of life's unforgettable experiences. It has challenged and changed me in many ways, and I am so grateful to the Sophia, Pune, and Haragaon Communities and all the others who helped with the organisiation. My soul has been touched and my faith strengthened - this India experience will always be part of me. Many thanks also to the wonderfully convivial, accepting and interesting group of delegates - it was a privilege to be one of them.