MISSIONARIES OF THE SACRED HEART

25TH MSC GENERAL CONFERENCE

Sacred Heart Retreat House
BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA
September 24 to October 4, 2019

DAY 02 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)

The 2nd day brings us to the topic on the New Directions in Leadership. Br. Mckee takes the cudgel of inviting the
participants to have review of what happened at Day 01. Challenging everyone to search out in their hearts if there
were things that remain; quite a number shared that they were affectively touched by the process. The symbols were
powerful for them especially the “bowl” where it was made as a vessel for water, symbolizing the Heart of Jesus.
Some others came into reflection that there is a need to challenge the membership to move from the comfort zone
and start to live in view of the future because that is the vision and the envisioning. In terms of the length of quality
sharing, one found it a bit short and needing much time since it is a personal sharing we are to listen. In sum, the first
day process as it aimed at making everyone to welcome on-board, many saw it that it can be replicated in their
respective provinces, benchmarking from it.
Br. Mckee introduced the directions for the day which is on leadership. The need for leadership is greater. For us,
leadership is oriented to mission. Somehow, there is the existential fear on leadership, the taking up of a role as a
leader. It will be easy that as a leader, as they were all leaders in convocation for the congregation, engage in what
Fr. Abzalom, MSC as maintenance leadership.
Leadership in view of the movements of the Spirituality of the Heart. (Exploring the “MY LEADERSHIP.” The
leadership focus is the respective leading of a province, union, section).
1. ENCOUNTER
The participants were led to reflection examining their type of leadership in their particular province. They have seen
what were those helpful and unhelpful. They seemed to recognize what were those things that cause connections
and disconnections. And what are those particular invitations for them given the state of affairs. The reflection helped
them to discover the consistencies as well as their inconsistencies and values in leadership. What were those
lifegiving? Indeed, their reflections where bombarded with many substantial questions like: How willing I am to go
beyond maintenance leadership? How willing I am to take up the role of a leader? If we are thinking systemically,
haven’t we the role of it too? This require a lot of listening deeply and honestly. The new paradigm is participating in
the process which can lead everyone to transformation and a deep contemplation of the experience.

Br. Mckee took note on the sharing of each one after the buzz session:
o Everyone needs support from each other. Even leaders are not self-sufficient.
o Everyone has to engage in the transforming process so as to open up new possibilities and
listening attitude is requirement.
o We have to be aware of our own vulnerabilities.
o There is a need to take care for the leaders.
o Leaders have to have time for intimacy with the Lord in view of the tons of works before them.
o There is a need for leaders to have an open heart, to listen and not just hearing so as build
confidence.
2. INTIMACY

Fr. Chaplin introduced the image of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart reminding us that she is the one who
leads us to the Heart of Jesus. He invited everyone to go to the next level, hoping that there is something
emerging, an invitation. This sense of invitation to something that is MORE. What seems to be emerging is
the MORE: these are invitations which may be difficult and hard to surmise. It is listening to NEW
INVITATIONS for everyone in leadership.

The participants were again engaged to a reflection activity. This time it is an “EMMAUS WALK” where they
tugged along anyone whom they have not engaged with these few days of coming together. This time they
were asked to see leadership in a congregational level. By thinking in a congregational level, they create
and push more the horizons; to see each one not only belonging to a federation of unity but to see it as a
whole. They are to make system thinking works where the totality is more than the sum of its total. The
leadership is becoming global and have to think globally. What does the whole desire?