A formative journey experienced in the richness of international and intercultural fraternity

From 3 to 5 August 2026, the Missionary Sisters of the Faith took part in an intensive formation programme on the theme “Serving Communion to Foster Co-Responsibility and Renew the Mission.”

These days were a precious opportunity for listening, reflection, sharing, and fraternity, enriched by the presence of Sisters from different continents and countries.

Sisters from the Samoa Islands and the Solomon Islands in Oceania; Myanmar, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam in Asia; Saint Lucia in the Caribbean; as well as Brazil and Italy were present. The Sisters from communities abroad also participated online, including one Sister from Colombia.

This diversity of backgrounds made the meaning of communion in diversity even more tangible. Different languages, cultures, experiences, and realities came together in the same desire to grow together in vocation and mission.

Christian Conscience and Discernment

The first day, Monday 3 August, was led by Fr. Giuseppe Papalettera, who explored the theme “Christian Conscience and Discernment.”

The reflection highlighted the importance of a Christian conscience formed in the light of the Gospel and capable of seeking, in the various circumstances of life, what leads towards the good and towards the will of God. Discernment was presented as a journey of listening, prayer, and openness to the voice of the Spirit. To discern means to learn to read reality with the eyes of faith, recognising what God is asking of us in the present moment.

A particularly important insight was the awareness that discernment is not merely an individual experience. In community life, we are also called to listen to one another, responsibly sharing what we experience and seeking together the responses that are most faithful to our vocation and mission.

Evangelical and Charismatic Obedience

The second day, Tuesday 4 August, was dedicated to the theme “Evangelical and Charismatic Obedience,” presented by Sr. Selma da Silva Ferreira and Sr. Goretti MA, SMF.

Evangelical obedience was explored as an attitude of listening, availability, and inner freedom. To obey does not simply mean to carry out instructions, but to responsibly welcome the will of God and actively participate in the journey of the community. Obedience lived according to the charism of the Congregation invites each Sister to recognise herself as part of a shared history and mission. Each person is called to offer her gifts, abilities, and experience for the good of the community and in service of the mission.

From this perspective, obedience and co-responsibility are not opposing realities. True evangelical obedience makes a person more aware of her own responsibility and more willing to collaborate in building the community.

Communion and Fraternal Dialogue

The third day, Wednesday 5 August, focused on the theme “Communion and Fraternal Dialogue,” presented by the Superior General, Christine Tee, SMF.

Communion was presented not simply as living together, but as the daily choice to build relationships founded on listening, respect, acceptance, and mutual trust.

In an international Congregation, this dimension takes on an even deeper meaning. The presence of Sisters from different cultures and continents reminds us that diversity is not an obstacle to communion, but can become a great source of enrichment.

Fraternal dialogue teaches us to welcome others in their diversity, to listen without prejudice, and to seek what unites us. Through this dialogue, we can learn to walk together, overcoming misunderstandings and differences while valuing the gifts that each culture brings to the life of the Congregation.

A Communion that Embraces the World

The participation of Sisters from different parts of the world, together with the presence of those who joined online from communities abroad, gave a concrete expression to the theme of the formation programme.

From the islands of Oceania to the various realities of Asia, from the Caribbean to Brazil, and from Italy to Colombia, the same vocation and the same charism united Sisters belonging to different cultures and contexts. This experience reminds us that communion does not mean uniformity. On the contrary, true communion allows different identities to encounter one another, to enrich one another, and to converge towards a common mission. International fraternity thus becomes a concrete witness that it is possible to walk together in diversity when Christ, the Gospel, and service to the mission are placed at the centre.

From Communion to Co-Responsibility

The three days of reflection brought to light a profound connection between discernment, obedience, communion, and mission. Discernment educates us to listen to God. Obedience makes us available to respond to His call. Fraternal dialogue helps us to walk together. Co-responsibility makes us active participants in the mission.

To be co-responsible means to recognise ourselves as living participants in the mission, placing our gifts at the service of the community and generously embracing what is entrusted to each one of us.

It does not simply mean sharing tasks, but sharing the very heart of the mission, supporting one another and recognising that every Sister can make a valuable contribution to the building of the Kingdom of God.

Renewing the Mission through Communion

This formative journey invites us to recognise that the renewal of our mission also passes through the renewal of our relationships.

A community that knows how to listen, dialogue, discern together, and value diversity becomes better equipped to respond to the challenges of today’s world.

The mission is renewed when every Sister feels involved, heard, and co-responsible; when personal and cultural gifts become a source of enrichment for all; and when differences are experienced not as a cause of division, but as an opportunity for growth.

The journey we have shared during these days therefore encourages us to continue walking together, with an open heart towards the universality of the Congregation and with the desire to make the beauty of communion ever more visible through our lives.

To serve communion means to build bridges between people, cultures, and communities. To foster co-responsibility means to share the mission. To renew the mission means to allow ourselves to be guided together by the Spirit towards the new realities and challenges of our time.

May all that we have experienced during these days bear fruit in our communities and accompany each Sister on her vocational journey, so that, in the diversity of our countries and cultures, we may continue to be one family, united in faith, in charism, and in service to the mission.