SOM 2015: Setting Sail - Outreach

The School of Mission now enters into the Outreach phase. This year too, we have divided ourselves into two teams: one reaching out to the North Island and the other team going to the South Island.

We are grateful to God for the open doors and opportunities to serve His people across this land: Wellington, Stratford, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Westport and Reefton.

The South Island will depart by ferry to South Island early Saturday morning (13.06.2015) heading to Christchurch while the North Island will begin at St Francis de Sales Parish, a parish in Wellington on Sunday (14.06.2015).

During these times, we will be running parish seminars, visiting schools, colleges and making house visits, meeting parishioners, engaging with youth - some of the ways we would share the Joy of the Gospel.

We thank you for your continuous prayerful support and ask you to continue be part of this journey of SOM 2015 as we begin this Mission in this land of New Zealand. May the Lord's Spirit be our Guide and Protection. May His Words be shared, Love be experienced and Glory be manifested to the greatest.

School of Mission 2015

Duc in Altum

SOM 2015 : Week 12 - Catholic Church

This week we looked at the Catholic Church,her history, the church and the Sacraments. The speakers of this week were our very own ICPE priests – Fr Tony Alex, Fr Francis D’souza and Fr Alliston Fernandes.

Fr Tony began the week by sharing with us the incredible history of the church, explaining to us how she has evolved into the Mother church we have today.

Fr Alliston explained to us the concept of Church and her mission. In particular, we looked at the characteristics of the Church through the four major Marks of the Church being One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.

Fr Francis beautifully explained the importance and the depth of each of the seven Sacraments. We learnt that the Sacraments are an extension of Christ into our time and that God’s grace is showered immensely through the Sacraments.

The church still stands as a mystical body of Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit throughout history and has overcome many obstacles along her path. Today, we recognize the enormous treasure that she is and are proud to be part of this Universal Church.

Testimony by Jeanne (Malaysia)

This week, I realize that the Church is the Mother Jesus has given us. Human, but wise and loving. Whatever Jesus did in His time, He is still doing today through the Sacraments of the Church. How great is His love for me that because I know through experience, He provided me with these beautiful gifts that help me experience more of His love.

Testimony by Jerome (India)

I am so blessed to be part of the Catholic Church, with a rich history of 2000 years. A church truly led by the Holy Spirit. A church that really knows what she is doing.

SOM 2015: Week 11 - Discernment

The participants of School of Mission 2015 this week head into another important week of their school. This week’s topic is on Discernment. The speaker for the first five days was our very own priest in the mission-Father Francis. He started off the week by explaining the essentials of making a good discernment.

Beginning with a quick history of the Ignatian way of discernment that we as a mission follow,he spoke about the attitudes that one who discerns must possess He included some practical techniques used in the process of discernment.

Father Francis ,through some group dynamics and the use of art work, the participants were encouraged to tune into hearing the voice of God and surrendering to his holy will.Next, through the use of Scripture, he showed them how one could hear God's voice.He explained the errors that could arise in the process as well.The participants were then invited to consecrate their lives before the Blessed Sacrament.

On the last day of the week, the participants heard the teaching by Father Kevin on 'Discernment in the Church'. The paerticipants saw the important role the Holy Spirit plays in the processof discernment and the need to submit to His promptings. The highlight of the talk was the fact that all of us are greatly loved by God and from the knowledge of being loved by Him,we can discern and do God's will.

Testimony by Bibiana Francis (Community Experience 2014-2015) from Malaysia

This has been an amazing and insightful week as Fr. Francis and Fr. Kevin spoke on discernment. I found the practical experiences and examples that he gave to be very helpful in my own journey, as well as to see errors I may have committed in my process of discerning His will for my life. The other thing that touched me was that the key to knowing God's will for me is to be in a living and loving relationship with God, trusting that He has a great plan for me. I need not worry about anything because He is Father and He will take care of everything and all I need to say is my 'yes' in faith!

SOM 2015 Week 10 - Worship, Catechism of the Catholic Church & Divine Will

After a week of restful break, we resumed the School with teachings on the topics of Worship by Derek Chong, Catholicism of the Catholic Church by Fr. Carl Telford and Divine Will by Tony Hikey. When we know who we are in God and who God is to us, worship will come natural to us.

The first three days of the week, Derek taught us on the topic of Worship. That in order to fully worship God, we need to discover our identity. When we recognise who God is to us through all He has done for us we would naturally be grateful for all that He has done for us. It is in this heart of gratitude that we are free to worship God.

Next, we had Fr. Carl, a Marist priest for 37years, who enlightened us on a treasure of the church that is often overlooked which is Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). Fr. Carl gave us an introduction to the CCC and insisted that to be effective evangelisers, we need to not only know about our faith, but to develop relationship with God as well. The CCC help us to encounter God through the teachings of the mother church handed down over the years through various sources.

Last but not the least, we had Tony Hikey, a lay minister from Manchester, UK, who spoke to us on Divine Will. In order to respond to God’s will, we need first to encounter God and to have a relationship with Him through sacred Scripture, teachings of the church ad to have complete trust in Him knowing that we will be in good hands.These teachings gave our participants new and profound insights on who they are, how God sees them and how to respond to His will. We will go more in depth on how we can know God’s will for us and how to respond to His will as we enter into another amazing week on the topic of Discernment by our very own Fr. Francis D’souza. We hope that you continue to keep us and especially our participants in prayer.

God bless.

Testimony:

I came to realise that worship is a process in man's self-realisation, which must be regarded as an essential act, without which a whole realm of human life would remain atrophied. ~ Patrick, Nigeria