Sanyasa, the only Institute of Consecrated Life in India, organized a three-day Congress on ‘Communion for Mission - Joyful Fraternal Religious Community for God’s Kingdom’, which began on the 2nd of February 2017. The seminar began on the very day dedicated to consecrated life, at 9:00 a.m. with an enthronement of the Word of God followed by prayer and lighting of the lamp and declaring the opening of the Seminar. Fr. Arul Jesu Robin CMF, the director of Sanyasa gave an overview of the seminar. About 200 men and women religious participated enthusiastically and benefitted immensely from the seminar.

Renowned men and women religious spoke on “Communion for Mission” from various aspects. There were papers presented on the themes like “Mission-shaped Communities: Biblical Inspiration”, “Anthropological and Theological Traits of Mission-shaped Communities”, “Founding Vision: The Essence of a Religious Community”, “The Importance of Eucharist and the Word of God in Religious Communities”, “Formation for Fraternal Life in Community”, “Challenges for Living together and a Way Forward”, “Intimacy and Friendship in Religious Communities”, “Compassionate Care for the Elders, Sick and Difficult Members of the Community”, “Joyful Community Life – The First Apostolate”, “Authority at the Service of Fraternity and Mission”.  The speakers challenged the participants to start afresh to make the religious communities a mission-shaped community and be partners of the Holy Spirit.  

The Congress posed many challenges to the religious: awareness that we are in the era of the Holy Spirit; conformation to the person of Christ; fueled in the charism of the founder; making the community life a celebration. It also gave time for interactions between many young religious whole heartedly participated in it. On the final day, there was also panel discussion in which many questions raised by the religious were answered by resource persons. The Congress came to an end on 4th February 2017 with the solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr. George Panthalanickal, CMF, the Superior and Secretary at Sanyasa.

In collaboration with Sanyasa, Fr. Xavier Manavath, CMF, the Rector of Claretian Seminary, Malleswaram, Bengaluru organized a one day seminar on the same theme on 29th January 2017 at Malleswaram itself. Above 150 religious participated and appreciated our effort in offering quality service for the ongoing formation of the consecrated persons of India.