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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
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REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR
TEACHERS OF SACRED HEART INSTITUTIONS
OF ASIA-AUSTRALASIA
1st
–9th JANUARY 2006, INDIA
VISION STATEMENT
We, the
delegates to the Conference, accept the fundamental approach to spirituality as
offered by the Conference: this entails the acknowledgement of three essentially
interconnecting modes of spirituality. Firstly, that we are called to Wisdom;
secondly, to articulate that wisdom through Devotion, ethical application and
our common humanity; and, thirdly, to accept our personal vocation to realise
actively that Wisdom in our personal lives.
Thus, we
have identified in our response the following commitment to these three
essential interconnecting modes of spirituality.
We are
called to accept this wisdom for all fellow human beings, and recognise this
Wisdom as found in each of their lives. Therefore, we are people of empathy,
appreciative of the universal Truth, broad in our understanding, having
integrity, humility and self-knowledge. This Truth invites us to share a common
purpose as Sacred Heart Educators, living lives which are reflective and
pro-active.
We are to
make real this Truth in the lives of people. We will articulate this Truth
through devotion and celebration which is made pertinent in the Eucharist and
made real through our actions. We celebrate the richness and diversity of our
common humanity through lived values, hospitality and warmth, affirming and
exploring differences, genuine sharing and generosity of spirit.
We accept
personal responsibility for our own development of spirituality. We humbly
receive the guidance of all other humans and the particular cultural contexts in
which our spirituality is made authentic. This personal journey is one of
sacrifice which acknowledges the needs of others. This journey is also creative
and life giving, as gifts made real through the pierced hearts of Jesus and
Mary.
CONSEQUENTLY,
We have
discerned the following issues which challenge us as educators of the Sacred
Heart in the Asian Pacific Region:
- A need
for greater acceptance of the many cultures within our region.
- The
rise of ideas opposed to religious values, Fundamentalism and Consumerism,
particularly in education.
-
Maintaining the Vision of Madeleine Sophie Barat in relation to the
education of both rich and poor.
- The
development of common Social Justice Goals and Programmes.
- A need
for effective communication within the region.
- A need
to develop an identity for the Region using the language of the Heart.
- A need
to develop the spirituality of the students within multi-faith contexts.
THEREFORE,
We offer the
following proposals
- That
all member networks develop a Regional consciousness and fellowship using
the language of the Heart.
- That
all member networks ensure the priority of education for values and social
justice.
- That
all member networks provide means by which the original vision of Madeleine
Sophie Barat in relation to the education of both rich and poor is realised.
- That
all member networks share resources and processes by which common goals of
Social Justice are achieved.
- That
all member networks have effective communication links with each other.
- That
all member networks commit to increasing the spiritual life of their
students utilising the resources and processes of the Region.
In order for
these proposals to become effective we suggest the following general strategies:
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A website for the Region for both staff and
students.
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Student/staff exchange programmes.
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A Regional Journal on Spirituality.
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Formation of a Regional Committee comprising of
a representative from each Network.
-
Visits from members of the Society of the Sacred
Heart which are funded by schools/networks of the region to address specific
issues of spirituality.
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Provision for an adequate budget and resourcing
of regional initiatives.
-
Communicating social justice initiatives within
the Regional networks with a primary focus on the needs of the Region.
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To collaborate more effectively with the Sophia
Commission in Rome and other initiatives for social justice within the
Society of the Sacred Heart.
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To ensure the professional development of staff
in areas pertaining to Sacred Heart Spirituality among the members of
Regional networks.
Signatures
5th
January 2006, Mumbai
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