The 10th Regional Assembly of the Daughters of Divine Providence (FDP) in the Indian Region had 28
delegates who participated in the meeting at the Regional House in Kannur, Bangalore from October
9th to 11th, 2024. It was a moment of great joy and excitement to come together as a family under the
theme “FDP: Journeying as a Beacon of Hope”.
October 9, Wednesday
The assembly commenced at 8:40 AM with a prayer service led by the regional team, inviting all sisters to
spend quality time in the presence of the Lord. Sr. Mary Thumbalan, the vicar, opened the session by highlighting the theme of the assembly as a beacon of hope.
The sisters participated in a procession carrying lighted candles, flowers, and incense, accompanied by our junior sisters’ rhythmic steps to welcome the Eucharistic Lord.
During the hour of adoration, each sister surrendered her offerings as a sign of worship, reflecting on the journey of the disciples of Emmaus in connection with the assembly theme.
Superiors of the communities offered various symbols to the Lord, embodying our discipleship and journey towards hope.
After adoration, the sisters processed to the conference hall, holding the Bible to symbolize our pilgrimage toward Christ and the Church.
The Bible was reverently placed on a decorated table in front of the assembly logo.
The regional superior welcomed everyone and officially opened the assembly with the words from Proverbs 23:18: “There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”
The members expressed their joy and gratitude with applause, followed by the institutional anthem
“Leave it in the Hands of God,” which fostered a sense of unity and family.
Presentation of Regional and Community Reports:
Sr. Lucy Puthenpurackal presented the report from the previous assembly, allowing everyone to reminisce about the glorious moments of 2023.
Following a tea break, Sr. Shanty Panamattathil, the regional superior, presented the regional report, highlighting various activities, developments and initiatives from the past year and her visits to all communities. Sr. Reena Puthenpurackal, the regional treasurer, provided an overview of the region’s financial report, accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation showcasing colorful celebrations and events.
Message from the Mother General
In the afternoon, we held an exciting Google meeting with our Mother General, Madre Donata
Bonfini. She encouraged each sister to walk forward together in search of God’s will, emphasizing that we cannot journey alone. We are pilgrims of hope, and perseverance is a sign of hope.
As Pope Francis stated, our strong belief in the risen Christ is the foundation of our hope, ensuring that no challenges can defeat us. She reminded us of the importance of faithfulness, drawing inspiration from Mother Mary as we walk together toward hope, embodying the values of the Gospel. After her message, Sr. Shanty expressed gratitude to Mother General.
The assembly then continued with further community and financial reports. At the end of this
session, the regional superior thanked the communities for their efforts and reminded them to
prepare well for future report presentations.
The assembly then dispersed for evening vespers. After supper, we enjoyed moments of recreation, concluding the day by entrusting ourselves
to the care of Mother Mary.
October 10, Thursday
The day began in silence, overflowing with God’s blessings as we gathered for morning prayers
before the Eucharistic Lord. The Elena Bettini convent community led a beautiful Adoration
with the theme of authenticity as FDP, using a coconut to symbolize the offering from each
community that was followed by the Holy mass.
Input Session
The morning session commenced at 8:40 AM with the assembly prayer. Sr. Shanty introduced our resource person, Rev. Fr. Kuriyan Kachapalli, who began his talk with the statement, “Do not walk ahead of me, do not walk behind me, but walk with me.” He spoke on the assembly theme, “Journeying as a Beacon of Hope,” exploring various aspects of hope and how to lead an authentic life as FDP.
He encouraged us to reflect on our Constitution and the teachings of significant Church and societal figures. His insights on fostering communion within our community were particularly enlightening. After the session, Sr. Jaissamma Kappil proposed a vote of thanks, and the region presented Fr. Kuriyan with a gift as a token of our appreciation, followed by a grand lunch.
Communications by the Regional Superior
In the afternoon session, the regional superior quoted an American poet: “Unity is strength; where there is
teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” She emphasized the importance of
community life and offered practical communication strategies to build a stronger, more vibrant community, reflecting our shared values as FDP. This led to a discussion on monthly recollections, with some sisters volunteering to prepare materials.
Meeting of Superiors and Formatters
After a short tea break, we held a meeting for superiors, where they shared reflections based on provided questionnaires. The discussion allowed for sharing of experiences and challenges faced within their communities.
Following this, we had an evening vespers, followed by supper, after which formatters meeting to share their experiences and challenges in guiding the formees. Thus, a productive day came to an end.
October 11, Friday
The new day began once again at the feet of the Eucharistic Lord, where we sought strength and guidance for the day. Following the Holy Eucharistic celebration, the morning session began at 9 AM with the assembly prayer. Sr. Reena Puthenpurackal presented an evaluation based on synodal materials provided to the communities by the center.
She spoke on being transformational FDP religious for Christ and His mission, quoting Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” She emphasized the need to be rooted in Christ, represented by a picture of a tree with seven characteristics of FDP. Her insights into the core values of FDP—passion for the absolute, passion for charity, and passion for providence—deeply resonated with all.
The session continued with vocation promotion, where vocation promoters shared their experiences and challenges during promotion efforts, suggesting ideas like preparing a short video of our activities, a calendar, and promotional materials for vocation camps. The regional superior thanked them for their dedication and encouraged the sisters to maintain the spirit of poverty in using mass the gadgets like mobile, Laptop etc… After the morning session, the regional team surprised us with a lunch outing, which everyone enjoyed.
Panel Discussion
The afternoon session began at 3 PM with a well-prepared panel discussion led by the regional team. Topics included finance, administration, education, formation, pastoral care, and medical services. Each team member presented their respective topics, facilitating discussions and sharing views from each community.
Sr. Daisy spoke about pastoral ministry, emphasizing our commitment to spread gospel values to those who do not know Christ. Sr. Shanty discussed the importance of responsibility in administration. Sr. Mary
Thumbalan addressed finance, stressing diligence in managing accounts and transparency. Sr. Lucy Puthenpurackal discussed education and the incorporation of Mother Founder’s policies into our current system, particularly for the poorest of the poor. Sr. Reena concluded with reflections on ongoing
formation in today’s context, providing valuable insights.
As we approached the culmination of this significant assembly, Sr. Shanty expressed heartfelt gratitude to God and to everyone who contributed to its success, especially the regional team for their tireless efforts and meticulous planning. embracing their responsibilities with dedication and perseverance which made this assembly a resounding success. She also thanked the community sisters for their committed service and support and also the neighboring community and all the members of the assembly who made
this event a significant one.
The assembly members expressed their gratitude towards the regional superior and her team for well-organized and well-prepared sessions with the words of appreciation and gratitude by honoring them with a gamosa and a small thought as a token of love
. And then as a remembrance of the regional assembly, we all received a gift, a token of love from the region.
In concluding the Regional assembly, Sr. Shanty, the Regional superior officially declared the 2024 Regional Assembly closed, and the members responded with applause, joyfully singing a hymn
to Mother Elena Bettini.
Thank you, dear sisters, for your collaboration and generosity in sharing your potential. Together, we can face the challenges ahead and pave the way for a prosperous future in our region.