JOINT FORMATION ON FRATELLI TUTTI
A GRACE-FILLED GATHERING OF THE FAMILY OF MOTHER CANDIDA
“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.”
— Michael J. Fox
Even amid the uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, every effort was made to bring the Family of Mother Candida together. Sister Lynn Falsis, FI, Provincial Superior of the Indico-Pacific Province, took the initiative in organizing this spiritual formation in collaboration with the Academic and Formation Committees of the Team on Educative Action and the technical team.
The gathering was a follow-up to the event held on December 11, 2020, and was also a response to Pope Francis’ call to action in the spirit of the Global Compact on Education.
The Virtual Joint Formation on Fratelli Tutti was held on January 13, 2021, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sister Normida Marquez, FI, graciously served as the resource speaker. The event gathered around 300 participants through approximately 220 email accounts, bringing together Hijas de Jesus sisters from Japan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines; educators from the different schools run by the Hijas de Jesus; parents and alumni; friends of Mother Candida; and students.
A Formation in Two Parts
The organizing team designed the event in two parts. The first was a formation session facilitated by Sister Normida, while the second consisted of reflections shared by representatives from the participating schools, apostolic centers, and organizations of the Family of Mother Candida.
Sister Normida likewise divided her presentation into two major parts. The first was the formation proper, which included the Introduction, Clarion Call, Brief Historical Context, Clarifying Terms, Document Structure, Methodology, and Appropriation. The second part focused on reflection and ritual prayer.
A Call to Rebirth and Fraternity
Sister Normida opened the formation with a powerful reflection on the theme of REBIRTH. Drawing from literary works by Alex Elle and Robert Frost, she connected their insights with Pope Francis’ vision in Fratelli Tutti. The Holy Father reminds us that we can contribute to the rebirth of the universal aspiration to fraternity by recognizing and affirming the dignity of every human person (Fratelli Tutti, no. 8).
She then presented the Clarion Call of Fratelli Tutti: CHANGE. Such change, she emphasized, begins in hearts that are open to conversion—the conversion of men and women of goodwill who believe that “no one is saved alone” and who long for a future shaped by a culture of “we” rather than one centered on individual interests and the isolated “I.”
The Vocation to Protect
Sister Normida proceeded to the brief historical context of Fratelli Tutti, grounding it in the vision of the “vocation of a protector.” This vocation calls us to protect creation, respect every creature of God, care for the environment, and show loving concern for every person—especially children, the elderly, and those in need.
It also calls us to care for one another within our families and to build sincere friendships in which people protect one another through trust, respect, and goodness. Ultimately, everything has been entrusted to our care, and all of us share responsibility for it.
Understanding Fratelli Tutti
In the section on Clarifying Terms, Sister Normida explained the distinction between an apostolic exhortation and an encyclical. An apostolic exhortation is a pastoral document that frequently follows a synod and may express pastoral, devotional, or theological reflection. An encyclical, on the other hand, is an authoritative circular letter addressed to the Church and, at times, more broadly to “all people of goodwill.”
Moving to the Document Structure, she drew from the study of theological ethicist Kevin Ahern on the footnotes of Fratelli Tutti. These references reveal the breadth and depth of the Catholic tradition and show how its doctrinal insights engage contemporary realities and concerns.
Contemplate – Discern – Propose
Sister Normida then presented the Methodology underlying Pope Francis’ reflection in Fratelli Tutti. Drawing on Austen Ivereigh, author of Let Us Dream, she described this methodology as:
CONTEMPLATE – DISCERN – PROPOSE
Pope Francis contemplates the realities of our world in an Ignatian manner; he discerns them through the lens of the parable of the Good Samaritan; and he proposes a path toward building a civilization of love.
“ACT NOW”
Sister Normida concluded the formation proper with a reflection on Appropriation—how the members of the Family of Mother Candida might receive and live out the message of Fratelli Tutti.
She presented a creative and memorable acronym:
A C T N O W
A – Appreciate, Affirm, Appraise
C – Contemplate, Care, Commit
T – Transform, Twinkle, Thread
N – Nourish, Narrate, Navigate
O – Open, Optimize, Offer
W – Welcome, Work, Walk
With this, she invited everyone not to remain merely as hearers of the message but to ACT NOW—to translate reflection into concrete commitment and action.
From Reflection to Prayer
The first part of the formation came to a meaningful close, leading naturally into the second part: a ritual prayer facilitated by Sister Normida. After more than an hour of reflection grounded in Scripture and the Gospel, the prayer offered the participants an opportunity to quiet their minds and hearts and to enter more deeply into the presence of God.
It became a prayerful journey of going, walking, talking, listening, and finally coming before God in surrender—placing our lives and our will in His hands and seeking to unite our will with His.
Sharing the Fruits of the Formation
As the formation unfolded, many participants, moved by the Holy Spirit, shared their reflections, insights, and personal takeaways. Above all, they expressed gratitude to the Hijas de Jesus for the gift of this joint formation.
Educators, alumni, sisters, friends, and representatives of the different schools and organizations of the Family of Mother Candida each contributed a message to the large family gathered virtually. Their sharing made visible the richness and diversity of the Family of Mother Candida and strengthened the bonds that unite its members across countries and communities.
A Grace-Filled Afternoon
It was indeed a grace-filled afternoon in the life of the Family of Mother Candida, an occasion in which the presence and action of the Holy Spirit could be deeply felt.
The moderators, Mr. Alester Carreon of Manresa School and Ms. Ma. Theresa Pescadero of Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesus, expressed their gratitude to Sister Normida and to all those who shared their reflections and contributed to the formation.
Sister Lynn Falsis, FI, Provincial Superior of the Indico-Pacific Province, likewise acknowledged and thanked everyone who participated in the gathering—from the Hijas de Jesus sisters to the educators, alumni, friends, parents, and students.
She gave special recognition to Megumi Kajita of Shotoku Gakuin, Japan, who served as the Japanese translator; to the Academic and Formation Teams headed by Dr. Rodilla Tumanda of Stella Maris Academy of Davao and Mrs. Rosalie Idulsa of Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesus; and to the technical team whose work behind the scenes made the virtual gathering possible.
Beginning and Ending in Prayer
The Joint Formation on Fratelli Tutti opened with a solemn video prayer sung by Justine Tan, a junior high school student of Stella Maris Academy of Davao. The gathering likewise concluded with a video prayer performed by the angelic voices of the Hijas de Jesus Choir, organized by Mr. Levi Bayogos and Mr. Cedric Vince Gometer of Stella Maris Academy of Davao, in coordination with the music teachers of Manresa School, Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesus, and Colegio de las Hijas de Jesus.
The gathering ended with a simple yet profound acknowledgment of the source of all that had been received and shared:
“All glory be to God. In Jesus we have everything; without Him, everything we have is lost.”