Front Row: Mainly members of the Executive with Father Siphelele in brown
LCCLSA Newsletter
On Monday, 13th March 2023, the Leadership Conference for Consecrated Life in Southern Africa (LCCL SA) met for the three-day Annual General Meeting. Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests gathered on a crisp afternoon in the beautiful venue of Lumko Institute, Benoni. There was great excitement among the members, re-uniting and meeting new people. However, there was also a moment of sadness as members remembered with fondness and gratitude, the loss Sister
Letta Mosue who was a member of the Executive committee, but died shortly after the last AGM.
The first session was the induction of, about, 20 new religious superiors who were elected since the last conference. Christian Brother, Michael Burke (Facilitator), used images of spirals in his Power Point presentations, explaining that everything points to the centre and radiating out. This came through in the reflection process, looking at different questions which were shared in small groups. These questions helped participants delve deeper into their own experiences, looking at their physical and mental health, what energized and de-energized them, our learnings about our leadership roles. This process laid the foundation to the rest of the AGM and its Theme: Discernment in Decision Making – discernment and decision making very much part of a leader’s role. The theme is a follow up to last year’s theme of listening and they are both inspired by the Church’s journey of Synodality. It was also noted how much the role of Discernment in our countries’ leadership was lacking.
Archbishop Jwara, liaison person for the SACBC (from Durban) as main celebrant, celebrated the opening Mass. The archbishop focused our attention to Azariah’s prayer, a prayer that we as leaders can also pray. Through the opening prayer led by Sr. Mary, we were reminded of our connectedness to all that is – something so necessary in these days of major environmental and other upheavals, inequalities, xenophobia, etcetera.
The Vision Statement was posted on the wall throughout the conference, a constant reminder of who we are, what we are – being prophetic in word in action, examining critically the cultural values operating in church and society, caring for and promoting the integrity of creation, supporting and encouraging each other in our ministry of leadership. Underlying all of this is our commitment to follow Jesus Christ in faith, hope and love.
In addition to Discernment and Decision-Making, the conference covered many other important topics, i.e. Law and Consecrated Life although many terms were unfamiliar, Canon Lawyer Fr. Robert Bissell from Cape Town, really delivered it in such a way we could all understand.
Structural and functional renewal of LCCL(SA) was emphasised through revision of statistics of the individual religious and congregations in the conference as well as the work of the metropolitans and dioceses. This was aimed at creating support system among different religious congregations in different contexts and internal conditions. It was noted that the conference is celebrating 30 years since the merger of the male and religious bodies was recognized by Rome.
Father Siphelele Gwanisheni ofm, President of the Conference, the main celebrant of our closing Eucharistic celebration, reminded us in his homily, that whatever we do in leadership, compliments or criticism we may receive, is not about us, but about the office of leadership. The closing mass included the prayers for those 50 departed members of the conference who passed away since the last AGM last year. Jubilees for individuals and congregations were also acknowledged.
Gratitude was expressed by different people, Brother Mike Burke, for his creative and gentle facilitation skills, Arch bishop Jwara for his support to the members of the Conference, and to Sr. Thao Phi, secretary general, for her great organizational skills and the representatives from Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
On the last evening, during our social, all relaxed, listening to and telling stories, laughing at ourselves in the photos and video clips taken by Father Lamec Ciza. The conference was a good and successful experience, thanks to all who came from near and far for this important event.
Written by Sr Katy van Wyk OP