It is always a perfect start to be
aware of what one wants in the near future and the many more days to come.
Being together as a fraternity and all focused on having a better tomorrow and
also being optimistic about it, we had to lay out strategies which will guide
us through the whole of the academic life 2018-2019. The community project is
an essential feature which really defines the essence of our intentions
throughout the year.
Under the guidance of Fr. Didasio, one of the
formators, the realization of what we really want to implement this year might
just be reality and not just an illusion anymore. Using a well-defined scheme
to chaperon us through, we all satisfied the intended outcome of the fruitful
three days exercise. Focusing of the pillars of formation: Community life,
Spiritual life, Academic life, Apostolic life and Material life; strategic
planning on the way of living in this year, we believe will be well-guided. As
life is enthusiased by proper path to be followed, the systematic
categorization of the objectives of each pillar, the attitudes required to
achieve the objectives and the necessary means to accomplish the
set-objectives.
The community life objectives such as:
to be a united community with a transcendent family spirit, to be a fraternal
community of acceptance of diversity, to be a community of freedom exercising
peace and justice and to be a loving and trustworthy community will surely
guide us through. But what are the attitudes and the means to actualize these
elegant intents? Just in a list form:
For the spiritual life; to become men of
prayer, to know the Will of God through a careful discernment, to be holy as
the Father in Heaven is Holy and to strengthen our relationship with God and to
grow in faith were much supported to be better aims for this academic year. In
actualization of our spiritual life objectives; to be creative in prayer, to be
committed to prayer, to have a meditative and listening spirit and
self-awareness, fit well to be the precise attitudes needed. With serious
actions such as recollections, retreats, spiritual reading, watching spiritual
films, spiritual directions, meditation, personal prayer, devotions and
Eucharistic celebrations we believe we will be able to meet our great
objectives.
In addition, the pillar of academic
life was also worthy to be carefully strategized for. Being in a first stage of
formation which mainly is comprised by studies, to gain academic excellence, to
be academic intellectual, to acquire knowledge and skills for life and to
discover our potentialities, attain holistic transformation, seemed to have
impressed our minds to situate them as our aims of this academic year. Hard
work, academic discipline, courage, intellectual curiosity, optimism and
self-awareness are the right attitudes as we put into use the libraries,
internet, and intellectual lectures. Putting into consideration the aspect of
attending classes and time-tabling, we are all sure that we will positively
change the tradition.
Apostolic life is another great pillar
as we are being prepared to be future missionaries. In our objectives, we aim
at touching, saving souls, to be nothing but Apostles, to become more human,
and to be present to the people and give love of Christ. To have an apostolic
zeal, to be outreaching, to be merciful, compassionate, to be charitable,
generous and available in the spirit of service; are the intended attitudes.
For efficient achievement of these objectives, we all agreed to use the
necessary means like Samaritan funds, efficient means of transport, leading
services, teaching catechesis and visitations in order to meet our objectives.
We believe that, with these, we will be mature pastoral agents.
Last but not least, there came the ‘new
to us’ pillar, material life. As the noun suggests, it particularly deals with
the material things. Matters concerning material things are generally very
sensitive. As we are aware of all that, we are also invited to be vigilant
about it as it is part of what we are formed to be; men of simple lifestyle.
Systematically, we decided to have well-structured objectives, accompanied by
the attitudes required and lastly the actions to be taken in order to meet the
objectives. To attain dignified life, cultivate a spirit of consideration, to
be responsible, accountable and to acquire maintenance skills are the key
objectives aimed at for this academic year. The question of how to achieve them
is based on the attitudes such as: to be honest, accountable, considerate,
generous, to have the spirit of sacrifice, self-control and to be committed and
understanding; and the means to be used, such as: cooking, gardening, taking
care of the animals, careful book-keeping, cost-sharing and maintenance seem to
fulfil the intended purpose.
To sum up the whole process, we came up
with a theme which symbolise our goal in this academic year. This theme, ‘GUIDE
US LORD TO DISCOVER OUR POTENTIALS’, is meant to be of great meaning to all of
us in this academic year, as we strive to answer God’s call.