This year's annual Provincial Assembly at Hinsley Hall had several new features.

Last weekend 28 FMA were joined by 10 members of the Salesian Family who were led by Sr. Kathleen Taylor an FMA from Ireland. Sr Kathleen facilitated the weekend and helped us explore how to make the message of our recent XXIII General Chapter theme: Broaden your Horizons, be with the young missionaries of hope and joy become a lived reality!

A poem by Margaret Wheatley, which was presented to the group's reflection, in some measure, sums up the focus of our work:

We rise or fall by the choice we make,
It all depends on the road we take,
And the choice of the road each depend
On the light that we have, the light we bend,
On the light we use
Or refuse,
On the lives we live by,
And from which we die.

We worked hard to see what Prophetic Choices we felt challenged to make against the three main areas chosen by the Chapter:

• A personal encounter with Jesus,
• Walking WITH the Young
• Missionaries of Hope and Joy

Reflecting on the icon of Emmaus painted by a Brazilian sister, we allowed the scripture from Luke to guide and accompany us in our deliberations. We were led through a process which demanded reflection, discussion and frank exchanges. Eventually, we were able to prioritise the Prophetic Choices we felt we needed to work on, here in the UK for the next few years. We also looked at one practical way to make these Choices a lived reality. It took a good deal of hard work but we feel that together we have broken the ground which we will continue to work on.

It was not all hard work ! We did have plenty of time to catch up with the news and lives of each other. The lovely setting of Hinsley Hall and reasonable weather made the whole event a really energising occassion! Having Fr Michael Cunningham celebrate mass for us made our tiem together extra special.

We left Hinsley Hall, our hearts burning within us and we set our immediately to "broaden our horizons with the young and be missionaries of Hope and Joy!"