ANNUAL GENERAL BODY MEETING(AGM) OF THE SOCIETY OF SISTERS OF ST. ALEX
ANNUAL GENERAL BODY MEETING(AGM) OF THE SOCIETY OF SISTERS OF ST. ALEX
20th August, 2017
WELCOME ADDRESS
President sr. Faria Barretto
Good afternoon my dear sisters and a very warm welcome to you all. At the outset I wish to thank each of you for making it possible to attend this AGM. I also grab this golden opportunity to acknowledge all the good that you do and the significant responsibilities which you hold. I count on each of you to affect a change.
You are the Leader of your respective Community. To be a leader is not a matter of pride and prestige. It is matter of service, of love and of mercy. We are called to be different from others in order to be able to serve. Certainly there are always difficult moments to experience, difficult situations to handle and tough persons to deal with. But with prayers everything gains new meaning. St. Paul says, “God works all things for good, for those who are called according to his purpose and we are all called by God.” God has a purpose for you and for me. Each of you is precious and very important.
In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl, , the one who passed through human hell of Nazi concentration Camp says, “Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By love we are enabled to see the essential traits and features in the other person; and even more, we see that which is potential in the other person.”
Mother Theresa saw the face of God in every human person. It is easier to hate and condemn others than to empathize, love and have mercy. Our Beloved founder Msgr. Herculano Gonsalves, seem to have been telling the sisters time and again ‘DIE TO SELF’. We die small deaths every day in our struggle to live with others who are different from us. Only with God’s grace can we face these deaths joyfully. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
People want to do things that they have never done before and go to places where they have never been before. But they cannot do this alone. They need someone to lead them and show them the way. That is where the role of a leader comes into play, whether it is in politics, religion or in the corporate sector.
What gives meaning to our community life are two core realities: faith and love (Mercy). We need to act with love. A word, a gesture, a gift; a moment of listening, etc. can be very meaningful if filled with love. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.” Albert Einstein. “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miracles in the common” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. To thank the Lord for the wonder of each person’s being is a wonderful thing to do. We have every reason to love others and be merciful because God has been always merciful to us.
“Cultivate a pleasant quality of voice
Be simple, direct and sincere.
Frequently replenish your lungs with air
Open your mouth well
Avoid loud talking
Favour the low keys of your speech.
Use the best language at your command
Cultivate honesty in your expression
At the moment of speaking don’t try to dress up your thought in fine language.
Take the first word that comes to your mind because usually that is the word that will best express your meaning.” Grenvile Kleiser
No trouble of this world is lasting. There was an Eastern king who lived centuries ago. His life was filled with problems too numerous to list. One morning he gathered his wise men and asked. ‘Can you create a motto or phrase that will help me through my times of distress?” He gave them rules for creation of the motto: “It must be brief enough to inscribe on my golden ring. It must apply to every situation. It must work in good times and bad. It must be valid for every circumstance.” The wise man went away for more than a month. When they returned they presented the magic phrase to the king. Here it is! “This too shall pass.’
There are 3 Categories of fishes. The first, the tiny fish that become food for the predatory fish, the second, the shark, that swallow other fishes and third, Dolphins that are helpful. They know how to swim and stay alive. As animators let us learn how to swim and stay alive. The best way to inspire people to a superior performance is to convince them by everything you do and by your constant attitude that you are wholeheartedly supporting them.
God bless us all.
