{"id":15220,"date":"2026-07-28T07:16:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T05:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/?p=15220"},"modified":"2026-07-28T08:49:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T06:49:45","slug":"voices-from-the-third-transformational-leadership-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/voices-from-the-third-transformational-leadership-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Life That Radiates: Voices from the Third Transformational Leadership Session"},"content":{"rendered":"

From July 12 to July 26, 2026, 75 sisters from different parts of the world gathered at the Motherhouse in Angers, France, for the third Transformational Leadership Session<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Continuing the journey begun by two earlier groups, the session invited participants to deepen their self-awareness, strengthen their capacity for relational and prophetic leadership, and reflect on how they are called to serve during a time of transition within the Congregation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Through prayer, personal reflection, intercultural sharing, formation activities, and pilgrimages to places connected with St Jean Eudes<\/strong> et Sainte Marie-Euphrasie<\/strong>, the sisters explored leadership not simply as a responsibility, but as a way of being rooted in faith, authenticity, relationship, and service.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pour Sr. Marie Sanou<\/strong> from Burkina Faso, the words of Ecclesiastes\u2014 \u201cHe makes everything beautiful in its time<\/em>\u201d\u2014captured the spirit of the experience. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to grow alongside sisters from across the Congregation as members of one family of faith.<\/p>\n

At the heart of her journey was a renewed awareness of her identity and of the ways God had been present throughout her life. Reflecting on both joyful experiences and moments of disappointment, she recognized the gifts that had gradually been planted and nurtured within her.<\/p>\n

\u00abI feel a deep desire and the capacity to be like the sun, spreading its rays everywhere<\/em>\u00bb, a-t-elle confi\u00e9. \u00abI feel invited to awaken this hidden desire so that I may become a leader who carries life within herself and allows it to radiate around her<\/em>. \u00bb<\/p>\n

Her reflection highlights one of the central insights of transformational leadership: the capacity to bring life to others begins with an honest encounter with oneself. Leadership emerges through recognizing and accepting one\u2019s experiences, gifts, vulnerabilities, and potential.<\/p>\n

This interior journey was strengthened by the intercultural character of the gathering. Despite differences in language, culture, and experience, the sisters discovered a deeper sense of belonging<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u00abThis session also connects me with each of my sisters through our shared joys, challenges, and dreams<\/em>,\u201d Sr. Marie said, \u201cas members of one body despite our linguistic differences<\/em>. \u00bb<\/p>\n

\"\"That experience of belonging was also central to Sr. Nilushika Fernando<\/strong> from Sri Lanka. Under the theme \u201cBlessed to Receive, Called to Give<\/em>,\u201d she reflected on the abundance of God\u2019s love<\/strong> and on the responsibility that accompanies such grace.<\/p>\n

\u00abMy heart has been asking God a simple yet profound question: \u2018Lord, why do you love me so much?<\/em>\u2019\u201d she wrote. Her prayer was accompanied by the words of Scripture: \u201cFrom everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded<\/em>\u201d (Luke 12:48).<\/p>\n

\"\"For Sr. Nilushika, this became both an expression of gratitude and a challenge: if God had entrusted her with love, grace, and opportunity, how could she respond with greater generosity?<\/p>\n

Her visits to Caen and Ri, places connected with St. John Eudes, deepened this reflection. A musical presentation in Caen brought to life his spirituality, creativity, and missionary zeal, while his commitment to leading people toward God through love and compassion offered an enduring model of leadership.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

She was also moved by an artwork representing the reunification of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity and the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00abIt beautifully expressed the unity of our shared heritage, charism, and mission<\/em>,'' a-t-elle confi\u00e9. ''It reminded me that we are called to continue this legacy with faith, courage, and hope.<\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n

For Contemplative Sr. Sybella<\/strong> from Brazil, the pilgrimage to Noirmoutier became an encounter with the origins of St. Mary Euphrasia and with the roots of her own vocation.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00abThe pilgrimage to the island of Noirmoutier was much more than journeying to a place<\/em>\u00bb, a-t-elle affirm\u00e9. \u00abIt was an encounter with the origins of St. Mary Euphrasia, a woman of profound faith, admirable courage, and a universal heart<\/em>. \u00bb<\/p>\n

Walking through the places where Rose Virginie Pelletier was born and spent her earliest years allowed Sr. Sybella to reflect on the beginnings of the woman whose vision would later shape the worldwide Good Shepherd mission.<\/p>\n

\u00abI felt that I was walking through the roots of the charism that today sustains my contemplative vocation and mission<\/em>,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

The simplicity of the island, its silence, sea, and landscape created a space for prayer and contemplation. Learning about the exile and dangers experienced by Rose Virginie\u2019s family also renewed her appreciation for the courage and trust in Providence that would characterize St. Mary Euphrasia\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

\u00abIn those places filled with so much meaning, I understood that holiness is born from fidelity to the small inspirations of God and from the courage to respond to his call<\/em>\u00bb, a-t-elle d\u00e9clar\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Although each sister experienced the session differently, their testimonies reveal a shared movement: from self-awareness toward service, from receiving toward giving, and from personal vocation toward deeper communion with the Congregation and our global mission.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The third Transformational Leadership Session affirmed that leadership capable of transforming communities and ministries must first take root within the leader<\/strong>. It asks for the courage to listen, the humility to continue growing, and the generosity to allow one\u2019s gifts to become life-giving for others.<\/p>\n

As Sr. Nilushika expressed: \u201cHaving received so much, may we always be ready to give even more<\/em>. \u00bb<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From July 12 to July 26, 2026, 75 sisters from different parts of the world gathered at the Motherhouse in Angers, France, for the third Transformational Leadership Session. Continuing the journey begun by two earlier groups, the session invited participants to deepen their self-awareness, strengthen their capacity for relational and prophetic leadership, and reflect on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[116,117],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motherhouse","category-spirituality-center"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/p4_main.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15220"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15234,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15220\/revisions\/15234"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}