A total of 66 Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres of the Philippine Province composed of Superiors from the local communities, members of the Provincial Administration, and the Formation Team gathered on May 6, 2026 for the first of four days of Formation of Superiors. With the theme, “SPC Superiors: Nurturing the Call to be Discerning Leaders in the Community,,” the assembly aimed at assisting the Superiors, with the grace of God, to grow in inner freedom through holistic formation rooted in their vocation and identity, so that they may become more effective and discerning leaders in community and mission. It was a day of journeying in prayer, reflection, and introspection. The day began with an Opening Liturgy followed by Welcome Remarks by Sr. Emily Louise del Castillo, SPC, Provincial Superior. The first input was given by Sr. Auralita Intal, SPC on Baptismal Call and Vocation Stories. Participants were given time for personal reflection, nurturing a deeper connection with God and self, as well as spiritual conversations in groups. In the afternoon, the plenary session continued based on the group sharing, where the Sharer deepened the discussion with her topic on Self-Awareness and Inner Freedom. The final input of the day was on Generative Listening and Speaking and was delivered by Sr. Maria Consuelo Celis, SPC. The day culminated in Vespers, a sacred moment of communal prayer and spiritual grounding, guiding participants through a synthesis of the day’s experiences toward personal growth, discernment, and contemplative living.
FORMATION OF SUPERIORS
2026
On Day 2, Most Rev. Rafael Cruz, D.D., Bishop of Baguio gave inputs on Personality Styles, Conflict Management, and Stress Management. Armed with sound psychological principles, peppered with sense of humor, relatable stories and experiences and personality and projective tests, Bishop Cruz and co-facilitator, Mr. Juan Roderick Perez, II, helped the SPC Superiors identify their own tendencies and better understand their behavioral pattern and how to handle disagreements and stress in a healthy, mature, and balanced way. This allowed participants to appreciate differences in others and reflect on how personalities affect interactions and relationships. At the day's end, the Superiors offered their learnings and interactions during Vespers. Supper and the free evening provided time for personal reflection, rest, and community bonding among the Sisters.
The Formation of Superiors on Friday, Day 3 May 8, centered on discernment in the life of a leader and discernment in common facilitated by Fr. Ramon Bautista, SJ. In his sharing, Fr. Bautista emphasized the importance of listening attentively to God, self, and others in making decisions through Ignatian Spirituality. During the half-day session, the Sisters were led to realize that an authentic and discerning leadership requires inner freedom, prayerful reflection, and openness to the movements of the Spirit. Personal prayer and reflection in the afternoon allowed the participants to internalize the points for prayer and connect them with their own experiences. This was followed by Spiritual Conversations and a plenary session where insights, experiences, and learnings were shared in an atmosphere of prayer and attentive listening. The day concluded with Vespers, gathering everyone in prayer and gratitude.
