Over the past few months, we have interviewed all the new Provincial and Delegation Teams, asking the same questions to get an overview of future actions to be implemented. To close this series, we spoke with the Provincial Team of India.
In this interview, we delve into the team’s perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing their Province in the context of spiritual, ecological and community renewal. Following the conclusions of the Chapter, the provincial leaders share their plans and strategies for moving away from outdated approaches and making room for creative initiatives that promote growth and sustainability within the Vedruna Family. This dialogue addresses key issues such as community life, sustainability, balancing prayer and work, and fostering a synodal culture, all while facing the challenges of the contemporary world.
1. Faced with the most challenging realities of your Province, what strategies has the new Provincial Team proposed to face them and sow life as part of the Vedruna Family?
The present poitical senario and the Government: by keeping ourselves updated with the requirements and demands on time, proper documentation, and conducting Training programmes for sisters on the same topics.
Sustainabilty: by looking for local donors in order to sustain the communities and mision, plan the budget well and stick to it, work in collaboration with others where we do not need to invest much on infrastructures and to send sisters to work in other institutes .
To maintain a proper balance between prayer and work/ prophetic life witness: by encouraging the sisters to go through ongoing formation programmes, accomapniment for healthy/ quality community life .
2. In the light of the proposals emerging from the Chapter, what specific aspects do you think your province could leave behind to make room for new initiatives and renewal?
- Individualistic approach in community living and apostolates.
- Compartmentalized style of functioning in our missions.
- Old mental structures ,” it has always been this way.”
- Complacency and lethargic way of living.
What are the main objectives that the provincial team intends to achieve during this new period, in response to the needs and challenges identified in the Chapter and the provincial reality?
To deepen into the integal and ecological spirituality, recreating our communities with threads of synodality and encouraging creative mission through ongoing formation. To work towards favorable structural changes which will foster and promote sustainability.
4. In the current context of the degradation of our common home, how do you plan to address environmental challenges as a Province and what specific actions could you take to contribute to sustainability?
- To strenghten in our schools the drive “go green commission” to initiate no plastic zone .
- Encourage giving saplings, instead of flowers to guests, dignitaries during celebrations.
- Conscious use of natural resources, electricity, water etc.
- Join with like minded people to promote the care of Common home.
How do you plan to facilitate an open and constructive dialogue among the different communities and members of the Vedruna Family in your Province, in a way that promotes a synodal culture?
- We are given an opportunity to express our opinions in our province gatherings and community meetings. Decisións are made after hearing all the sisiters.
- The entire province gets involved in preparing the Province project.
- Encourage communication , active listening and dialogue in comunities and mission places.
