MMAF General Assembly--May 2000

MMAF General Assembly 2000

Friday / 12 May 2000
Today is the official gathering day for those participating in the 2000 MMAF General Assembly. Everyone was asked to arrive before the informal supper which was the only event scheduled for today. Some of those who arrived early used the time to prepare presentations to be made next week.

Preparing for the Asia area presentation
Charlie Dittmeier, Pat Capuano, and Billy Doerner preparing the Asia area presentation in the third-floor solarium.
Opening night dinner
Getting reacquainted and catching up at the informal welcoming dinner at Bethany.

Saturday / 13 May 2000
Today was another basically free day for people to work on presentations for the assembly and read the many documents sent out beforehand. At 6:00 PM we gathered for supper and then went to the chapel for an opening liturgy. Following that was a quiet wine and cheese social in the basement dining room.

Remembering our ancestors
Our formal opening began with supper at 6:00 PM at Bethany followed by a ritual in the chapel. We began in the corridor outside the chapel where we had processed past the photographs of all those who have gone before us in the lay mission program. Sr. Euphrasia Nyaki, MM, led us with a candle.
Entering the chapel for the opening liturgy
Masankho Mbanda is our facilitator for the assembly. He is also a story teller, drummer, and dancer. Here he leads us in a song for entering the chapel for the second part of our opening ritual which also included a telling of dreams for the assembly and a sharing of bread and wine.

Sunday / 14 May 2000
Today was the first full day of activity for the GA 2000 participants and was a retreat day led by Marie Dennis, the head of Maryknoll's Office of Global Concerns in Washington, DC.

Mothers receiving flowers
Today was Mother's Day and all the ladies received a flower. Here Lisa Rodriguez receives one from Jim Petkiewicz. a retreat session
Marie Dennis (in the red dress), a well known advocate and activist in the justice and peace field, led our one-day retreat.

A small group discussion
Masankho Mbanda participates in a small-group discussion with Billy Doerner and Joe Regotti.
Sr. Mary Lou Teufel and Charlie Dittmeier talk about the old days together in Hong Kong at a dinner at the Sisters Center.

Visitiing at the Sisters Center
Mary Mallahan Hicken with one of the older sisters in the retirement section of the Sisters Center where we visited to get in touch with some of Maryknoll's history and roots. Our closing liturgy
Jim Noonan from Cambodia was priest celebrant for the liturgy to close the retreat day.

Return to the GA2000 home page
Return to the Assembly at Stony Point--Week 1 page
Return to the Assembly at Stony Point--Week 2 page
Return to Charlie Dittmeier's home page

Friday / 12 May 2000 Today is the official gathering day for those participating in the 2000 MMAF General Assembly. Everyone was asked to arrive before the informal supper which was the only event scheduled for today. Some of those who arrived early used the time to prepare presentations to be made next week.
Charlie Dittmeier, Pat Capuano, and Billy Doerner preparing the Asia area presentation in the third-floor solarium.	Getting reacquainted and catching up at the informal welcoming dinner at Bethany.

Saturday / 13 May 2000 Today was another basically free day for people to work on presentations for the assembly and read the many documents sent out beforehand. At 6:00 PM we gathered for supper and then went to the chapel for an opening liturgy. Following that was a quiet wine and cheese social in the basement dining room.
Our formal opening began with supper at 6:00 PM at Bethany followed by a ritual in the chapel. We began in the corridor outside the chapel where we had processed past the photographs of all those who have gone before us in the lay mission program. Sr. Euphrasia Nyaki, MM, led us with a candle.	Masankho Mbanda is our facilitator for the assembly. He is also a story teller, drummer, and dancer. Here he leads us in a song for entering the chapel for the second part of our opening ritual which also included a telling of dreams for the assembly and a sharing of bread and wine.

Sunday / 14 May 2000 Today was the first full day of activity for the GA 2000 participants and was a retreat day led by Marie Dennis, the head of Maryknoll's Office of Global Concerns in Washington, DC.
Today was Mother's Day and all the ladies received a flower. Here Lisa Rodriguez receives one from Jim Petkiewicz.	Marie Dennis (in the red dress), a well known advocate and activist in the justice and peace field, led our one-day retreat.
Masankho Mbanda participates in a small-group discussion with Billy Doerner and Joe Regotti.	Sr. Mary Lou Teufel and Charlie Dittmeier talk about the old days together in Hong Kong at a dinner at the Sisters Center.
Mary Mallahan Hicken with one of the older sisters in the retirement section of the Sisters Center where we visited to get in touch with some of Maryknoll's history and roots.	Jim Noonan from Cambodia was priest celebrant for the liturgy to close the retreat day.