Our schedule changed a little now that the retreat section of our gathering has ended, and our focus turned toward the mission vision and mission activity of all of us in Maryknoll Asia South.
During the morning session we worked part of the time in small groups, each group bringing together people from different charisms with Maryknoll and from different countries in South Asia.
After that part of the agenda, representatives from the four different charisms (branches of Maryknoll) gave reports about their groups. Tom O’Brien spoke for the brothers and priests.
Then it was time for our second-to-last lunch together.
In past years the kitchen staff served ice cream only on the last night of our stay, but this year we have had ice cream almost every lunch.
The first item of business after we returned after lunch was a report on the UN climate change meetings. Larry Radice attended this year’s meeting.
Then it was time to evaluate the agenda and our discussions at this MAS meeting today. Kevin Conroy served as a mobile sign throughout the room.
Another task for today was to choose the speaker for our gathering in 2021. We have to book speakers two years in advance in order to get them.
A tradition at the retreat house is to have a special meal on our last night here. Somewhere along the line, the meal got moved to tonight, and after we had eaten, we offered small gifts to the kitchen staff who have fed us very well this week.
Within a few minutes of leaving the dining room, we began our talent show, another tradition. Monica, one of our China teachers, and Rodrigo Ullao teamed up for a song in Spanish.
The sisters from East Timor led some of the watchers in a native dance from their mission country.
