13 May ASIAN ACI EDUCATORS’ ENCOUNTER. Manila
APRIL 29 – MAY 3, 2024
First of all I would like to thank the Lord for allowing this gathering happened. I thank each and every one who participated actively in this encounter. By the grace of God, we were able to go through this encounter gracefully with the theme “Dialogue between the Global Pact on Education and the Pedagogy of the Heart in our mission on Evangelizing Education in Asia” which designed by the team.
On the first day we began with opening prayer, where it was led by India. It was so beautiful. We were asked to carry a small candle in our hands, the light of Christ which would be our enlightenment for the encounter. The feeling of joy, hope and excitement were arising, as we enter into the hall.
The total participants of this encounter were 43 persons, which came from Japan, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Timor and Indonesia, including two assistant general and our lay collaborators/teachers. The encounter began with a profound welcoming word of Sr. Charro through video, inviting us to share our strengths in everything and in our interconnectedness as Educators. That day also we shared our Best Practices in our ACI Schools, Challenges and calls to “Magis” in each country. After listening to all the sharing, from different circumscriptions, what left in the heart were admire and appreciate on how each one carry out our educational style “the Pedagogy of Heart”, even there are challenges, but hope never stop us to give and to love.
The next two days, we were inspired by the talk of Srs. Eileen FitzGerald aci, Marcela Sáenz, aci and Margari Rivera, aci as they shared with us with different topics; Dialogue GPE – Pedagogy of the Heart, Synodality in the Educative Community and Global Compact on Education and Networking. Each one of them brought us to the new horizon of understanding as ACI Educators, in carrying out our Charism of Evangelizing in Education. Our desire to Educate the heart with and from the heart as the love that engine and moves our style of educating by sharing, listening, participating and welcoming each person/students, families and the most vulnerable/marginalize.
In our workshop or group sharing we were able to reflect on some questions like: Does our evangelizing education bring about social transformation? What dynamics occur more in the life of our apostolic spaces? How are decisions made at the center in which I participate?.., and some others more base on the topics. We recognize that there are things that need to be revitalizing, according to the context where we are, both as personal and as community.
Here are some insights that are mostly appeared in our sharing:
Empower and formation of the family as primary educators
Enhance the academic development and dignity of children
Creating space for dialogue with teachers, families and students
Putting the person at the center
Good training and formation for the teachers.
Create and update our sharing resources.
The call to respond to the challenges of our realities in the societies, and hope for the transformation, to regenerate our way of relationships, to understand our littleness, to participate and listen more for the conversion of heart.
Lastly, thank you for all the participants, who were actively participated. Thank you to all the sisters and teachers who prepared very well the presentations, the Eucharistic Celebrations, Adorations and so on. It was an enriching experience, as we listen to one another. May it all for the Greater Glory of God. AMDG
Domingas Magno, ACI
EAST TIMOR
