By Ms Angeline Lobo for BISMumbai

On 29 and 30 July 2023 the Parish of Our Lady of Dolours, Wadala, had an orientation and training programme for the newly elected Parish Pastoral Council, at Don Bosco, Lonavla. The Parish Priest, Father James Nigrel, organized this two-day programme to help the newly elected leaders to understand their calls and their responsibilities.

The Parish Pastoral Council comprises Ex-Officio members, the leaders of Small Christian Communities, and the representatives from different cells and associations of the Parish. Mr Melwyn Sequeria and Mr Reuben Fronteiro, trainers in the Archdiocese of Bombay for Parish Councils and Small Christian Communities, were the facilitators for the two-day programme. In the initial sessions, topics like Leadership, Team Building, and Conflict Management in both general and parish contexts were dealt with. The various aspects of a good leader and the role of a leader in building up a team were done presenting Jesus as an ideal example and the true source. 

A detailed session was taken on the constitution of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). It was on helping the new leaders to realize that they are the Light of the Parish Life and that their primary role is to be a strong bridge between the Parish Team and the Community. The trainers very ably guided and prepared the whole team to understand their call, their responsibilities, their accountabilities and the challenges ahead of them. With all this background the PPC was guided by the animators to analyse and visualize the Parish they want to make.

The animation programme also included some interactive sessions with the community at Don Bosco, Lonavla. On the first day, the team visited a therapeutic Rehab Centre, Maria Ashiana, which had its origin in Shelter Don Bosco, Wadala, Mumbai, in 1998, to address the problem of substance/alcohol abuse among street children. Father Xavier Devdas, in charge of Maria Ashiana, enlightened the PPC on the significance and importance of the centre. On the second day, the team had an interactive session with the aspirants. Father Blany Pinto, the Rector of Don Bosco Lonavla, spoke of the ministry undertaken there and allowed the aspirants to speak about their formation and interact with the team. 

The PPC agreed that the whole animation was an enriching experience. It was a moment of coming to know each other and building the team stronger for the greater glory of God. They also expressed that the sessions were informative, and they now have a broader perspective of their ministry, which is interesting and challenging.