AMA: A new way of being together. Communion, Collaboration, Networking

With joy and satisfaction of what we have lived for ten days, we have concluded the AMA session which had as its theme: "AMA: A new way of being together.  Communion, Collaboration, Networking". 

Twelve sisters and four laywomen representing the different provinces of our Congregation participated: Bibiane (Central Africa), Marie Rachel (West Africa), Nancy (East Africa), Mercedes (South Atlantic), Césarie (Rwanda-Tchad), Alice (India), Amélie (France), Sandy (USA), Anne Marie (Europe), Ma. Fernanda (Ecuador-Mexico), Candice (Asia Pacific).  In addition to the members of the International VIVIT Commission: Youth-Vocations-AMAS: Ma. Valérie (France), Carmen L. (Ecuador-Mexico), Aline (Rwanda-Tchad), Rashmi (India), together with Gamay, part of the Ad hoc team (Asia Pacific) and Isabelle R. (General Councilor).

In an atmosphere of listening, joy and family spirit we have walked together with the following objectives in mind:

• To revisit the missionary origins of our congregation in order to nourish and give greater meaning to the AMA project.
• To share and reflect on: our collaboration with provinces, best practices, the different current AMA projects among provinces.

We emphasised the importance of formation and accompaniment of young people seeking the AMA experience in our communities.

We have become more aware of the close relationships of the AMA project, the vocational dimension and youth ministry. The community that welcomes an AMA has the responsibility of fostering a beautiful experience for them, as well as for us and for those with whom they will come into contact with.

During this session we have dialogued and exchanged many experiences and points of view.  We have been greatly enriched and have learned thanks to our internationality.  We returned to our provinces with deep convictions:

• AMA today, 60 years after its birth, remains relevant because it unites in itself many elements of our charism: option for young people, commitment to their development and growth, appreciation of their gifts and their capacity for service to the poorest, the internationality of the Assumption, the possibility of accompanying their search for meaning in life and vocation, understanding and welcoming their culture.
• We also know that young people have a wisdom that we do not want to stop listening to in order to allow ourselves to be complemented and to walk with them, thus responding to their deep needs and concerns.

As a fruit of our session, we want to share with the whole Congregation a ‘practical guide”, which we have formulated together. This guide has to be approved by the next CGP, and is intended for all provinces and communities. We hope that it will encourage us to work in a more organised, audacious and complementary way among the provinces.

We have also formed a small steering team with three laypeople: Candice, Ma. Fernanda and Sandy as well as Sr. Marie Valerie who will be the link with the Commission VIVIT. They will help to follow up on the common decisions of this session and to concretize our international work as an AMA team.

Fraternally yours,

VIVIT Commission

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