Pastoral
Approaches
to strengthening
Right
Rela*onships
14 priests and religious men and women attended the week long
Workshop entitled ‘Pastoral Approaches to Strengthening Right
Relationships and Integrity in Ministry’ at the Dominican Friary,
Henderson, Solomon Islands. The workshop commenced on the
30th July and concluded on the 3rd August 2012. Dr Elizabeth
Reid, Br Paul O’Keeffe and Sr. Ailsa Mackinnon rsm were the
animators and facilitators of the workshop.
The workshop opened with the Eucharistic celebration, celebrated
by Archbishop Adrain Smith sm, Archbishop of Honiara. He
encouraged the participants to embark on a journey essential for
ministry. He had words of encouragement to the participants and
invited the priests and religious to share their thoughts and feelings
throughout the sessions and the discussions.
The workshop, put together for bishops, congregational leaders
and Rectors of Formation to provide an avenue to discuss issues
relating to pastoral approaches to strengthening right relationships.
It was to assist the participants in their responsibility as they guide,
mentor, minister and admonish those who have a vocation and to
enable them grow as human beings while honouring the virtue of
chastity. “The ultimate objective being to ensure that there is joy,
fulfillment, serenity and integrity in ones vocation”, stressed
Elizabeth Reid, coordinator of the workshop, who together with
other facilitators has conducted workshops in Papua New Guinea.
Workshop objectives - To assist the participants:
To better understand how, in the words of Christus Dominum,
participants might guide, mentor and minister their priests,
religious and seminarians towards finding joy and exercising
integrity in their religious life
To strengthen the skills needed to guide, mentor, minister to
and admonish those under their care, in situations of right
relationships and integrity in ministry and also in their spiritual
growth and human development, and
To strengthen understanding of how to work with the CBC
PNG & SI guidelines on Right Relationships in Ministry and to
support each other in this work.
Skills strengthened include:
Giving constructive feedback - Introspection and self-
knowledge - Listening actively - Hearing the truth being
spoken - Asking questions to stimulate thinking - Conversing
on difficult issues - Developing empathy - Handling difficult
issues
Dwelling and reflecting on their own personal experience the
participants were guided to reflect and strengthen ways of relating
to priests, religious and those in formation.
“I found the workshop very beneficial for me and my work. The
animators were pleasant, friendly and highly knowledgeable about
the issues of Right Relationships in this part of the world. Above
all, I value the skills they were able to draw out from us I order to
help us in relating and dealing with people under our care. During
a very full week, we as a group, put together and practiced the
different ways of being a leader in our community. The multiple
Participants and animators at the programme
practice sessions were interesting, enjoyable and at times
draining, but through it all we learnt from one another and
strengthened each other to face typical problems and deal with
issues that may arise in our work as leaders,” commented Fr.
David Galvin sm, Superior, Marist Fathers and Brothers.
The workshop had time set aside for reflective prayer and sharing
that gave space for the participants to share their inner feelings
and thoughts. Case studies and challenging situations were
explored from which valuable lessons were learnt. Guiding
principles were presented and policies discussed. At the end of
each day, a relevant movie of human interaction and positive
thinking was screened at the Don Bosco, Henderson.
“I was a reluctant beginner on the first day. However, I quickly
saw this was a great and important workshop for the Church in
Solomon Islands. There are difficult issues involved and we were
given some key skills to address
these. The general thrust was
positive and preventive. It was an
excellent and crucial workshop”,
said Fr. Greg Walsh, Superior and
lecturer at the Seminary.
“The workshop has taught me to
be more compassionate and care
for the person in need. It has
been wonderful to attend this
Participants in discussion
workshop as I can now assist and help the members of my
congregation”, said Sr Anna Ngosana dmi, Superior of the
Daughters of Mary Immaculate.
“The workshop was good and I do hope it will be given to all
bishops, priests, religious, seminarians as well as the laity. It will
be good if we can teach it as a subject at the Seminary and in
Religious houses” said Fr. Japhet Manebusa, professor at the
Holy Name of Mary Seminary.
Sentiments of gratitude and thanks were expressed by the
participants as they bid farewell to the animators. “The word
‘Thank you’ cannot suffice how grateful we are for this week of
experience. Thank you for accompanying us to discover deep
within us the grace of joy, peace and serenity for us to be
effective in our mission”, said a smiling Sr. Cora Torollo ma,
formator and teaching at the Seminary. Fr. Henry Paroi op, was
thanked for the coordination and the wonderful arrangements
right through the programme. The participants are grateful to
CARITAS Australia for the support received and then now return
back to their communities eager to put the policies and principles
into practice.
Brief biographies of the Animators:
Dr. Elizabeth Reid
Dr. Elizabeth Reid has worked extensively with the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and the Solomon Islands.
She has facilitated a number of seminars on social justice and development themes for the bishops of PNG and
SI, as well as for CEPAC. She has facilitated workshops for priests and religious of many of the dioceses of PNG
on the HIV Pastoral Ministry. From these workshops the need to strengthen pastoral approaches to right
relationships emerged as a critical issue. Elizabeth trained in philosophy, ethics and philosophical theology and
works as a development worker. She is an adviser on Social Justice and Social Development to Caritas Australia.
Br. Paul O’Keeffe fsp
Brother Paul O'Keeffe fsp is currently Deputy Congregation Leader of the Patrician Brothers and a member of his Province Leadership Team. Paul's
background is in Education and Formation and prior to returning from Papua New Guinea in December 2010 was Novice Master in Aitape, Sandaun. He
has also been Provincial and dealt with Professional Standards issues within his Congregation and in an educative role as a Formator.
Sister Ailsa Mackinnon rsm
Sr. Ailsa Mackinnon is the Executive Director of Mercy Works Australia. She is also the Vicar for Religious in the Diocese of Parramatta. Her experience
in the area of Professional Standards has been to deal sensitively with matters within her Congregation as they have arisen and to give advice to others
who may have experienced difficulties. She was previously the Leader of the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta.
TAVUR
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The
newsle.er
of
the
Salesian
delega8on
of
Papua
New
Guinea
and
the
Solomon
Islands
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