Today, Sunday, is our first rest day since the start of the immersions. Some people have taken the opportunity to spend the whole day resting and reflecting while others have taken advantage of a half day excursion to the local tourist spots and some even managed to take in a quick elephant ride.
In the evening two local groups came to entertain us. The first was held outside and was a demonstration of physical skills. The second, a display of local dancing from Kerala, was held inside. Both displays were marvellous.
More photographs are available in the photo album.

Following yesterday’s rest day, the Chapter was back at work this morning. Most brothers who were struggling with the ‘bug’ during the first week were back to good health, with one or two exceptions. There was a different energy and spirit about the place due to the absence of our wider ERN invitees, as they have returned home or commenced the next leg of their journey.

The morning reflection was based on the beheading of John the Baptist, Jesus going away on his own to pray and then coming to the disciples in the boat, walking on water.

Sessions today were based mostly on pages 90-93 of the Congregation Leadership Team Report to Chapter, dealing with the responses to the Dare to be Disciple booklet. Brothers were first of all asked to take some time alone with the data in an effort to listen deeply to what it was saying to each one. Then they were taken through an exercise in “Hearing my own thoughts”, adapted from a Quaker practice devised by Parker Palmer. Brothers then spoke to the entire group in an effort to articulate the call each was hearing from the data of the responses.

Many who spoke heard the call in terms of a deeper experience of community life, allied to outreach to and ministry with those poorest and most marginalised in our society. Brothers spoke of a call to a more relational style of community, to be fully human, to growing comfortable with spirituality and to a developing heart centredness. The call was heard and identified as being immersed among the marginalised. We will find here life-giving energy if we take the risk, allow the poor to touch us, liberating our hearts and minds.

We were challenged to embrace the stranger among us in community, and in mission, to go deeper for meaning, to take risks, to be the Edmund’s of the twenty-first century.

Constitutional Issues:
The final part of the evening session led by Edmund Garvey, Chris Teh and Wilfred D’Souza explored replacements, additions, amendments and editorial changes to constitutions and statutes. This had the effect of bringing some to life while sending others to sleep. Questions for information and clarification were invited along with comments and opinion. Voting on constitutional issues will take place later in the Chapter.

New Life in Mission:
John Burke and Edmund Garvey presented a workshop on New Life in Mission, a new approach to community in mission in the European Province. We heard an outline of the process involved in developing the initiative and how three new communities have now begun in Ireland.

Today we begin to consider all the pieces of the Congregation Story that have been presented over the past 10 days. And so we began to explore this data, to listen together and to seek together what we as a Congregation are being called to at this time of our history… into this pot goes the Immersion experience; the presentations from each Province and Region of the whole Congregation; the story of the ERI and Eco-Justice; the stories of the CRT and CLT, conversations with the wider ERN, the awareness of the resources we have, the conversations around our HIV/AIDS policy, the voices of the brothers who responded to the surveys and finally the voices of us here in Munnar.
So our “soup” has a rich mix and we begin to mix all the ingredients thoroughly, confident that new flavours will emerge and it will bubble away with freedom and openness to produce the nourishment we need at this time our Congregation history.

As our prayer began to day: “My hope is in my God; I place all my trust in God!” And so the journey began with an hour of silence and contemplation on the question: “What am I learning about this present moment of our Congregation Story?”

In twos we shared pieces of the truths we had come to, or should we say wisdom!

Altogether we met eight other brothers sharing and listening on questions such as: “What surprised/moved/concerned you as you sat in the present story of the Congregation?”, “Where do you sense hope, new life that needs nurturing in our Congregation Story?”, “What needs to die in our present reality?”
What a gift to meet eight other brothers one by one from around the world at this level of sharing.
Our day rounded off with two more listening circles, each a group of five, once again listening and sharing on the question we began the day with: “What are we learning about this present moment of our Congregation Story?”
Today has been a wonderful and wonder-filled journey of exploration together.

The focus of the previous two days had been to gather and explore data from Congregation membership, to speak our personal truths, and to hear the many truths from around the Congregation. The main thrust of this day would be to listen together to what is being said; that is, to be present to the Congregation story as it has begun to emerge. Thus, it would be a day of deep listening to one another from the heart rather than from the head.

The day began with a gathering prayer that centered on the images of sunrise and light. As part of the prayer, each Chapter participant was afforded an opportunity to share an image of where God’s light has broken through for him during these days of Chapter. Many rich and fertile images were named as the light of Jesus and Edmund is indeed in our midst.

The first part of the morning session then focused on two questions:

- What are the guideposts (markers, beacons, lights) present in the Congregation story now?
- How might they serve as guides for our continuing journey?

The structure for exploring these two questions was for Chapter participants to meet in groups of three for an experience of active listening whereby each person in turn had an opportunity to share what he has heard during these days of gathering and exploring data, as another Chapter participant listened and reflected back what was being said. This exercise allowed for a listening at the heart level to the images that are emerging for us at Chapter 2008.

Following the morning break, a further opportunity was given to clarify and hone the images emerging. With this, Chapter participants met in groups of nine for a twofold purpose. The initial task allowed each person to again share what he has been hearing during these Chapter days with a wider audience to receive it. The second task moved Chapter participants to share with one another what they are hearing from the group as a whole. The focus question that aided these group conversations read: What is the heart of the Congregation calling out for? This exercise allowed for rich conversations of deep speaking and listening to one another from the heart.

The morning session concluded in a shared silence as Chapter participants sat together in stillness absorbing the richness of the day’s activities.

The afternoon session commenced with a plenary gathering of all Chapter participants to reflect together on the question, What vision is emerging that will guide the journey of the Congregation into the future? Thus, each Chapter participant had an opportunity to share aloud the vision as he sees it emerging. Again, this was a genuine experience of shared Brotherhood in which all listened deeply from the heart to what was being voiced, as a rich tapestry of vision and imagery began to emerge.

Following a short break, Chapter participants then responded to the question, How strong is the vision present in the group? This too led to a sharing – a sharing that focused primarily on whether or not we are ready to embrace all that comes with bringing about a living vision.

The final minutes of the day shifted focus from vision to Constitutional changes. Thus, discussion took place regarding some suggested changes in our Constitutions – changes mostly connected to the restructured Congregation and language that is representative of our new realities.

The day concluded with a prayerful reflection focused on allowing our hearts to be touched by the blowing winds of the Holy Spirit in our midst.

As day twelve began, and the chapter group continued its task of seeking together the call of the Congregation at this time, we were challenged “to invite the brothers of the Congregation to be with us as we ponder”.

The two questions posed by the facilitators were:
What are the most essential elements of a vision to guide the Congregation?
What are the implications for implementing these elements?

Brothers were, first of all, given some time alone to ponder these questions in the light of the work of the previous days. Each brother was then invited to walk with another whose opinion was unknown to him or who was of different mind. Finally, brothers gathered in groups of four or five to explore the two questions.

Elements essential to the vision were identified and communicated to the whole group. These included
• deeper, heart-centred spirituality
• relational living and quality of relationships
• inclusivity of all - brothers and wider Edmund Rice Network
• engagement with the poor on our doorsteps
• compassion for each other, the poor, the earth
• risk, daring passion, fulness of life for all
• new ways of being community for mission at the margins


During discussion in the large group on these essential elements, some implications were raised as we were asked to make “a deep exploration of what is visible to us”.

♣ it will require a new language
♣ it will be painful
♣ leadership will have to model the vision
♣ each individual will be challenged to change
♣ we will have to sit and listen and affirm each other
♣ new people will need to be invited
♣ not all will engage
♣ it will demand significant resources
♣ the vision has to be idealistic and realistic
♣ there will be implications for formation
♣ we must live what we are asking of others

During the afternoon session, groups of six were formed and each group committed to paper a maximum of five elements of the core vision as they saw it. The responses will be synthesized by Peter Dowling and Kevin Mullan.

In a ritual of blessing, Philip spoke of how “a disciple is one who stands beneath the cross and recognises what is happening. Here the two synthesizers will discover the truth in what they read. They will put it before us again in a new way”. As brothers placed their hands on Peter and Kevin, a blessing was prayed on them; a blessing of the spirit of truth and imagination and the gift of tongues to illuminate the path of writing.

The final, formal part of the day dealt with a proposal to look at a new structure for Congregation leadership. The proposal focussed on the number of brothers on the CLT and whether some could be part-time. It also focussed on the location for the CLT and the possibility of lay collaboration on the team. Relevant constitution and canonical information was given to the group. After some discussion, and hearing from CLT members past and present, it was agreed to retain the current situation of a Congregation leader and four councilors, all in full-time leadership.

As the evening draws to a close, some brothers and groups of brothers have gathered in quiet corners to prepare for a celebration/social on Sunday evening in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day. Declan Power, Dan Casey and Pablo Keohane and the organisers-in-chief for the event.

Friday in Lent : Wash me into freedom, O God! (Psalm 50)
Reconciliation will be the prayerful theme of this day. There is a feeling today that we are moving deeper into what the call of this Chapter may be, both in terms of naming the vision and the leadership which will take us forward into the vision.
Today’s work will be around coming to some common understanding of what is emerging as our call. The soup has been bubbling away for the past few days of listening and sharing, naming and refining.
What, as a Chapter body, will we author going forward into the next six years? How will we bring this home to our own Provinces? How can this Chapter enable us in this task?
“The essential elements of a Guiding Vision” document is the core document put into our hands today. From the mix of the pot, these have emerged as core to what we want for ourselves as a Congregation into the next six years. What is our heart response to these elements?
It has been quite a struggle among us as we grapple with what has emerged, with seemingly important elements not being named.
Today has been a watershed! We sat firmly in our own confusion about our vision. There was no absence of feeling and struggle, confusion and passion as we strove to refine the message we are receiving.
Reconciliation enfolded the day. A moving celebration acknowledging both our personal and our communal sinfulness moved us, in the late afternoon, to a new level of companionship, brotherhood, humanity and solidarity.
It was from this sacred space that we listened to a Message of the Spirit in our midst that came from our writers, Tony Hempenstall and Mark McDonnell, who had spent the afternoon in prayer, reflection and listening to what was emerging from the powerful vision of the morning.
Truly a Spirit-filled day….

Today’s gathering ritual invited Chapter participants into an experience of heart-centered prayer that focused on an awareness of God’s presence in and among us. This contemplative prayer allowed for silence and stillness to fill our minds and hearts as we became aware of our bodies and breathing. As part of the prayer experience, Barry Lynch led us through a guided meditation that aided our awareness of the presence of God not only in the Chapter room, but beyond it as well.

Following a reflective reading in which an emerging vision for the Congregation was shared, the primary focus of the morning session was to explore both an individual and a Congregational response to the emerging vision. Thus, the morning was divided into three parts:

- Significant time was given to each Chapter participant to reflect on the question – What change (deepening) are you being called to make in your life?
- Significant time was given to gathering in groups of three for a sharing of individual responses to the above question and then to explore together the question – What response might the Congregation be called to make?
- Significant time was given to a plenary session that explored the question - What is the daring disciple’s response in the call to the Congregation?

Each sharing allowed Chapter participants to further explore where the Spirit is leading us as a Congregation at this time in our history. The morning was filled with wisdom and insight.

Before breaking for lunch, Francis Hall on behalf of the planning committee gave an overview of the process for nominating brothers to the offices of Congregation Leader, Deputy Congregation Leader, and General Councilor. The process allows for each Chapter delegate to nominate two brothers for the office of Congregation Leader, two brothers for the office of Deputy Congregation Leader, and four brothers for the office of General Councilor.

Following the afternoon break, Chapter participants gathered in the main meeting room for the celebration of Palm Sunday Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word focused on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and included a sharing that centered on the purpose and key characteristics of team leadership today. The Liturgy of the Eucharist focused on bread and wine as gifts of creation that would become the Body and Blood of Christ.

After the distribution and reception of Holy Communion, Philip Pinto called on Chapter delegates to reflectively and prayerfully submit in writing their nominations for Congregation leadership. The Eucharistic celebration concluded with a sharing of God’s peace as Philip and the nomination counters left the room with the group’s blessing.

The day concluded with dinner followed by all delegates returning to their rooms, so that Philip could approach those receiving nominations to the offices for Congregation leadership.