My name is Sindhu Nesamma and I am a Sister Hospitaller from the Delegation of the Philippines, specifically, the Community of Shillong (India). Im going to explain you the importance of the Constitutional Review.
Multiculturalism in the context of the Constitutional
Culture refers to a social group’s set of material and spiritual assets, transferred from generation to generation to guide individual and collective practices. Because it includes language, processes, lifestyles, customs, traditions, habits, etc. multiculturalism is, in a sense, the harmonious combination of various cultures.
Broadly speaking, multiculturalism is a series of relationships and interactions that occur intentionally between different cultures to promote dialogue, mutual respect, and a desire to preserve the cultural identity of each individual and each population.
Today, we are much more familiar with the term “multiculturalism” in our Congregation than we were a few years ago. The challenge of multiculturalism was highlighted at the last two General Chapters: at the 20th General Chapter, we said, “The universal nature of the Congregation challenges us to form multicultural communities,” (n. 10) and at the 21st General Chapter, it was noted that “The Congregation is becoming increasingly plural, enriched by universality and a diversity of cultures, where the charism reveals different faces and nuances. This poses two major challenges, the need to appreciate the value of enculturation and improve multiculturalism.”
This approach presents a challenge to the Sisters Hospitallers, resulting from the Congregation’s expansion into different cultures. Each civilisation is an integral part of human existence and, therefore, an integral part of the life of the Congregation. This reminds us that there are new horizons to discover and each of us is called upon to foster genuine openness toward those from other cultures, respecting them and their cultures, accepting them Sister Hospitaller from the Delegation of the Philippineswithout prejudice, and truly welcoming their differences as a way to grow and enrich our personal and communal lives.
The gift of the Hospitaller calling requires us, at all levels, to know the history and spirituality of the Congregation, to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood, experience communion in diversity, embody the richness of the charism and identify with it in a true, emotional sense.
Furthermore, the missionary mandate of Hospitality requires that we advance boldly in the revitalisation process, updating the style and configuration of our communities so that their project and mission in life are driven by the prophetic commitment that the Church and the world expect of us. True enculturation guarantees and encourages a genuinely joyful and rewarding life of sisterhood.
