By Sr Juliet Khasoane, Unit of South Africa
On May 20, I graduated from the St Anselm Institute in Rome with a diploma in Higher Education in Human Development, Leadership, Formation, and Community Building.
Through this year-long psycho-spiritual journey in Christ, I have deepened my awareness of how my emotions are a gift and how those with negative energy can be a stumbling block in my relationship with God and with other people.
Through the wisdom I continue to acquire during the healing of my woundedness, I continue my journey to become a better person – the person that God created me to be.
At the graduation, in a speech of thanksgiving on behalf of all students, I spoke about how along the way, through the many lectures, group work, and skills learned, we witnessed how we have been growing in good and healthy relationships. I recalled how when we all arrived at St Anselm, we were welcomed by the slogan ‘Come as you are’. We all came as we were but we are all going away different!
I feel privileged to be one of three students who were invited to return to continue the second year of the course, which will commence this September; by the end of which I will have developed the skills to facilitate groups. This will be a great support at the ministry when I work with women and children who have been exposed to severe woundedness.
Opportunities for formation in community life, spiritual life, education, and human development have been the cornerstones and pillars of my religious formation – each playing a unique role and continually transforming me into a better person.
When I allow myself to be open to transformation, positive energy is created that connects with those around me – my sisters, partners-in-mission, and the girls, women, and children who I work alongside in my ministries.
I value how our Calls to Action have influenced my initial and ongoing formation and encouraged me to develop a deeper understanding of my awareness of the evolving universe and, in turn, my understanding and experience of God. This has stimulated my awareness of communicating with God through nature – something which has nurtured my relationship not just with God and nature but with all people with whom I come into contact.
One aspect I am particularly grateful for is how my initial and ongoing formation as a sister within Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd has helped me to develop a deep sense of belonging to our unique Congregation within the Church and of our special role: that of our mission of reconciliation.
As I continue my journey to be formed in Christ, I am ever grateful to my community of sisters in South Africa for giving me these transformative opportunities for ongoing formation.
