Journey Towards Inner Freedom

From the 7th to the 18th of January, 28 priests and one archbishop attended a seminar for their on-going formation. The participants came from different dioceses in Papua New Guinea and there were a few priest from some religious congregations.

The seminar was organised by the Catholic Theological Institute of Port Moresby. Fr. James Uravil, svd, the President of the Institute was the main coordinator of the seminar.

Sister Desneiges Giroux, fdls, a former missionary in the diocese of Daru-Kiunga and Gilles Cote, s.m.m., bishop of the diocese of Daru-Kiunga facilitated the seminar.

Through a dynamic process calling for their active participation the participants were guided to go deep inside themselves by becoming more aware of themselves and their environment, making good use of all their senses, looking at their feelings and emotions and finding what is the force behind all their decisions.

They were taught about the vital human strengths, the pursue of a goal, the hope, the will, the competence, the fidelity and the love that are behind all the good actions and achievements of a person. They also learned about the signs or indicators that the vital human strengths are alive.

We also ventured into the domain of the psychic energies and the participants were asked to look at what energy is moving them into action. A person can be either moved by the mobile energy (libido – searching for satisfaction, pleasure, unable to cope with delay – the domain of the feelings, emotions, sexual drives, etc.) or the bound energy (being paralysed by prohibitions, rules – feeling boxed-in and feeling unable to contribute positively to the life of the group) and finally the autonomous energy (the domain of the vital human strengths leading to free and responsible decisions). They learned how to harness the mobile and bound energy with the autonomous energy.

This journey inward is about becoming more aware of our feelings and emotions. We spent a lot of time reflecting on this and look at a method for the management of our feelings, especially the management of anger. Towards the end of the course the participants had two sessions of the sources of their stress as priests and we helped them to look at a way to manage their stress.

Precious time was given to each participant to look at his development or stages of growth as a person, following the 8 stages as presented by Erik Erikson. For most of them if not all of them it was the first time to look at their life in such a manner and all of them learned a lot about themselves as persons through that exercise.

Six sessions were given for reflection on the psychosexual identity and history of the participants. That exercise also proved to be very beneficial to all the participants. Two sessions were given on the differences between men and women and how to work harmoniously together in ministry.

There were personal reflection, small and big groups sharing and some open forums during the seminar.

The evaluation was very encouraging. The seminar was much appreciated by all the participants. They expressed that it was needed and that they are now equipped with tools to seriously continue their journey towards inner freedom. This experience will help them as persons and as priests. Their wish is that many other priests from the country will have the occasion to live such an experience.

At the end of the very intensive seminar both the participants and the facilitators were exhausted but energized for a better future.

+ Gilles