2020 is a year we will not forget. Accepting this year – and its pandemic --  has meant rethinking the way we relate to people as suggested by our Chapter Direction  “Transformed by the Risen Christ, we incarnate the Gospel, welcoming all expressions of Life”. At any rate, our Area Assembly also took a completely new form, as evidenced by its title: “Zooming in on care”. In fact, we were called to set aside festive meetings and hugs, round tables and meeting rooms decorated with a theme to have our first ‘web’ assembly.

This transformation opened us to new opportunities. We could in fact benefit from the presence of many Associates who in the past were unable to participate because of work, family obligations or distance, and we entered the communities and homes of all those present. Everyone, in fact, arranged their own "station" by creating a symbol to refer to the care of our common home: we admired corners filled with flowers, small spaces dedicated to prayer with images of Mother Frances, candles and colourful drapes.

Accepting this challenge led to rethinking the timing and methods of our meeting and we decided to prioritize certain aspects: 

• Sharing life: each SFP community along with the local Associates creatively presented (through videos, prayers, photographs...) how we lived through this time and how we are trying to turn it into a time of care.
• Formation: we had a conversation with Prof. Leonardo Becchetti, an economist, about the prospects of an integral economy in a time like the one we are experiencing. The dialogue revealed the importance of taking on lifestyles in line with responsible consumption as well as the ability to learn and work in new ways. The logic of a concern for people besides self and family  emerged in strong connection with our charism, where restoring dignity to people and taking care of them, enabling them to feel useful, assuming an attitude of self-giving -- all in a cycle that continually generates new life.
• Space for reflection: the Sisters had a session of listening and conversation with Sr. Licia Mazzia, Sr. Wilma Molinari and Dr. Helen Harrington regarding the ongoing Congregational Study, while the Associates met with Sr. Giannica Selmo on the theme "Reflection on the Charismatic Family and the relationship between Associates and Sisters".

These days, I was particularly touched by the incentive to "join those who are generative", that is, the ability to team up and bring out reflections, knowledge, creativity, novelty, and action. 

I acknowledged that this is the way to seek creative solutions in situations where limits and obstacles seem to prevent life from growing. I do wonder however, about which may be for us the best ways to "join the generative". I was also struck by the spontaneity of our conversation and the desire to engage in dialogue, despite the limitations of a screen used to bring us together and to separate us.

This raises the question of how we may continue using online platforms in the future to weave nourishing relationships and reach those who, for many reasons, cannot move from home.
I am grateful for the newness of what we experienced together “Zooming in on care”!

Sr. Mara Bellutta, Sfp

Published: July 21, 2020