The doors of the assembly hall were opened wide to welcome 26 participants who have come from 25 different countries in four continents. They all have come from very different situations and have experienced very different realities in their respective countries.
16 FebruaryThe doors of the assembly hall were opened wide to welcome 26 participants who have come from 25 different countries in four continents.  They all have come from very different situations and have experienced very different realities in their respective countries.   PARTICIPANTSGENERAL COUNCILLORSMargaret MULDOON                   Superior GeneralBernadette TAURINYA                 Vicar for the ContemplativesAna Maria ALCALDE                    CouncillorKumudine DASSANAYAKE            CouncillorColleen MOORE                          CouncillorMicheline KENDA ESUNEWELE   CouncillorMarian MURCIA                           Councillor – BursarMaria Carmen VILARDELL           Councillor VICARIATE COUNCILLORS Françoise Daigneault                  CouncillorLorenza Ponnanwila                    CouncillorMaria  Dolores Sanzberro            Councillor – Bursar LEADERS OF PROVINCES, NETWORKS AND DELEGATIONS Kinga BARTOS                         PolandTere BECK-                              Network – Latin AmericaMª Angeles BERÁSTEGUI       SpainViolette BOUFFARD                CanadaAquinas CYRIL                        PhilippinesJacquie DORMHEL                  South AfricaAndrée GASPARD                   Network – Belgium / France / ItalyÁine HAYDE –                          Britain / IrelandLatha LAWRENCE                   IndiaYolande MATHIAS                  Sri Lanka – JaffnaAugustina MPURU                 LesothoYvette MUNDELE                    CongoAgnès ONGWISA                    Cameroon – ChadMaria Theresa PERERA          PakistanFrancisca PERERA                   Sri Lanka – Colombo A very creative ice-breaker helped them to connect with one another and share their hopes and desires for this Council meeting.  The hopes expressed were very similar.  They were:·    To contemplate and enter more deeply into the “new vision” in order to discover the meaning of our charism today and how to live it and promote it in the respective units.  ·    Enter more deeply into the meaning of co-responsibility; look at the reality of their respective contexts and seek lights on how to live as a united Family.  ·    To choose life by allowing ourselves to be surprised by the spirit; re-read our charism at greater depth so as to discover new forms and new ways, open ourselves up to new mentalities and live our charism with courage and commitment.  ·    Share life experiences; be renewed together, encourage sisterly and life-giving relationships so as to kindle the fire that already is lighted.   Indeed Margaret’s opening address alludes to these same desires expressed by the assembly. Document In outlining the programme, Michelin, using the diagram below, situates the group in the space between one General Chapter and the next.    After a brief pause, the group united in prayer to mark the opening of the Council meeting.  The prayer was carefully prepared and was based on Hindu spirituality.  In an atmosphere of silence, the group became aware of the positive energies within each one, of the wonderful harmony of the human person and our connection with God.     In the afternoon, the participants came together in assembly to receive guidelines for the reflection which was to follow.  They were asked to:  1.     Pinpoint the events that have marked their lives and to which they have given most attention. 2.     Look at what needs greater attention in the future.  First there was a time for personal reflection and then they met in continental groups.  The day ended with a review of what they had experienced during this first day of the Council meeting.