Listening to God in the Story of My Life

In close consultation with our Sector Councillors, the Formation Team joyfully brought together a special gathering for all FMM Sisters who made their final profession between 2010 and 2025. This two-day session, held from the afternoon of July 10th to the afternoon of July 12th, 2025, took place in the serene and refreshing setting of Good Rest Convent, Nuwara Eliya—a place where the beauty of creation seemed to echo the beauty of our vocation.

Twenty-three finally professed Sisters from five different nationalities—Pakistan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka—came together, each carrying her own unique story and mission experiences. This colourful mosaic of cultures and backgrounds was a living witness to the richness of diversity in our faith and our commitment. Each sister stood not only as the fruit of her personal journey, but as a beacon of unity—a unity that transcends borders and speaks the language of love.

Our theme, chosen by the Formation Team, was “Re-Reading of Life”—a gentle yet powerful invitation to pause, listen, and rediscover God’s hand in the tapestry of our days. The session was guided by Sr. Luvina Muthukumaru FMM, with the accompaniment of Srs. Madeline Moraes and Metilda Anthony, our two Sector Councillors.

“To re-read my life is to listen to God’s footsteps in the garden of my story. It is to live each day in deep alliance with this God to whom I have entrusted my life. Re-reading life is not simply a technique or a habit—it is a posture of the heart, a way of standing before God and before the world.”

We drew inspiration from the life and writings of our beloved Foundress, Blessed Mary of the Passion, whose deep spirituality continues to guide us. Through group discussions, sharing, and reflection, we explored the present reality of our world, the Church, our Institute, regions, and sectors. Together, we re-read our lives as a journey of growth, grace, and renewal—seeking to recognize God’s loving action in every encounter, every work, every joy and sorrow.

Looking back over our years brought us to a place of profound gratitude—for the people who have walked with us, for the communities that have shaped us, for the moments that have refined us. Gratitude, we discovered, strengthens our connections with others, deepens our joy, and transforms our perspective on both our spiritual and daily lives.

Some Sisters, who had served in distant missions in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Mexico, shared moving stories of how they lived the FMM charism in different cultural landscapes. Their witness spoke of resilience, humility, and love that crosses all boundaries. Through prayer and reflection, they met challenges with grace, becoming signs of hope and transformation in the lives they touched.As a body of FMM Sisters, we also looked forward—dreaming together about what we want our Institute to be in the next decade. Our shared vision is clear:

Women of different nations and cultures, we choose to live together in a fragmented world. We long to reveal the face of Love by being a humanizing presence among those who suffer and are on the margins. With others, we commit ourselves to caring for creation and serving peace, justice, and healing where it is most needed.

In conclusion, this gathering was more than a meeting—it was a sacred pause, a space to breathe, to listen, and to see our lives anew. We leave Nuwara Eliya with hearts full of hope, renewed purpose, and a deeper awareness that our journey is not a solitary one. We walk together, lifting one another, and carrying forward the light of our charism into the future.

May the re-reading of our lives continue to be a wellspring of wisdom and joy, drawing us ever closer to God’s dream for us and for the world.

Sr. Jude Mary Perera FMM