On Going Formation: Facilitation Training Practicum (I)

From April 20 to May 3, ten participants gathered at the Ursuline Sisters Convent in Rome for a two-week Intensive Facilitation Training Practicum. This diverse group included four FDNSC Sisters, one MSC Sister, and five MSC priests from seven different countries. We were fortunate to be accompanied and shaped by three experienced trainers: Wendy Bignell (a laywoman from Australia), Fr. Chris Chaplin MSC, and Fr. Gene Pejo MSC, both members of the MSC General Leadership Team.

The training was designed as an intensive, experiential learning process focused on facilitation. Over 11 full working days, we participated in six sessions each day, dedicated to enhancing our understanding and practice of facilitation through real-time experience, reflection, and group process. Instead of concentrating on theoretical input, the emphasis was on learning by doing, observing, and receiving feedback, grounding us in a leadership style that listens deeply, discerns collectively, and accompanies others with presence and care.

Our days began and ended with moments of prayer and Eucharist. On Monday, April 21, we celebrated a special Opening Mass and Ritual in the Chapel, entrusting our journey to the Spirit and to one another. A similar ritual marked our Closing Mass on Friday, May 2, during which the trainees themselves facilitated the liturgy, offering a meaningful symbol of the growth and integration we had undergone. Most mornings, participants had the option to join the Ursuline community for Mass, while our trainers joined the MSC Generalate community nearby.

_
It was a rich time of formation and transformation, deepened by intercultural and inter-congregational exchange.

A particularly profound and historic moment occurred during our training: on April 21, we received the sad news of the death of Pope Francis. As a group gathered in Rome for learning, discernment, and prayer, we were deeply moved to be present at this moment in the life of the Church. Attending the funeral Mass of Pope Francis was a humbling and grace-filled experience. Our hearts were heavy with grief but also filled with immense gratitude for the life of a shepherd who led with compassion, humility, and a deep love for the people. His legacy of integrity, simplicity, and Gospel-centered leadership will continue to inspire the Church for generations to come. During our time in Rome, we also witnessed the election of the new Pope, another powerful reminder of the Spirit’s continued guidance and the ongoing renewal of the Church.

A highlight of our community life was the social evenings with the MSC General House community on 25 April and 2 May. These gatherings allowed us to unwind, share stories, and strengthen bonds across congregations and cultures.

Each training day followed a structured rhythm:
Session 1: Practice of Communal Wisdom (CW), using the discernment method described in Communal Wisdom: A Way of Discernment for a Pilgrim Church by Fr. Brian Gallagher MSC.
Session 2: Group review of the CW session reflecting on what happened within the group and for the facilitator.
Session 3: Co-facilitation of prepared scenarios by pairs of trainees, offering an opportunity to design and lead a process with the full group.
Session 4: Review of the facilitated scenario, using the same reflective principles.
Session 5: Quads—small groups assigned to each trainer, fostering self-directed facilitation in a space with no set agenda, allowing real group dynamics to emerge and be processed.
Session 6: Accompaniment—a flexible time with each trainer deciding how best to support the growth of their group through individual or collective reflection.
Saturday, April 26, was dedicated to integrating the first week’s learning, guided by the trainers through structured exercises in reflection, harvesting, and shared insights. The final day, May 2, reflected this integration with a focus on closure and synthesis, bringing together our learning from Modules 1-4 and the Intensive Practicum of the facilitation training.

Throughout the practicum, trainees were consistently encouraged to adopt a stance of curiosity, openness, and responsibility:

· What are you sensing?
· What do you think?
· What have you experienced?
· What did you find worked or didn’t and why?

This approach cultivated not only skills but also a facilitative presence grounded in listening, discernment, and communal wisdom—hallmarks of a leadership that reflects the Heart of Jesus.
It was a rich time of formation and transformation, deepened by intercultural and inter-congregational exchange, and profoundly influenced by the unfolding life of the Church in Rome. As we returned to our respective ministries, we took with us new tools, a deeper awareness, and a renewed commitment to serve with hearts attuned to the Spirit’s movement in the community and in various ministries.

Thank you, Chris, Wendy, and Gene, for this wonderful and meaningful program. I express my deep gratitude to you. Our sincere appreciation goes to our respective communities for their support.

Sr. Cathie Mwagioidi, FDNSC (Papua New Guinea)