Formation Session: Project of Life Making and Internet Addiction Management

Last January 14- 15, 2021, a Formation session with the topic of making Life’s Project was facilitated by Fr. Ngoa Tshihemba, AA, here in the Adveniat house. The attendees of this activity are all the perpetual and temporary professed brothers of the territory (15 participants). On the first day, Fr. Ngoa discussed the need for the religious to have this project of life guided by the recent letters of admission to the renewal of vows sent by the Provincial. He emphasized the importance of this project with the hope that renewal and serious commitment will be done by the brothers in accordance with the direction set by the Congregation, Province, Vicariate, and their respective communities. He also shared strategies on how to work on the needed things to be included in the project. On the second day, Fr. Ngoa continued the sessions until before lunch. He clarified some issues of formation and community evaluation. In the afternoon Sr.Teresa Hien, OP, from the Galabert house shared the findings of her Master’s thesis on Internet addiction (IA). In her presentation, she gave a working definition of internet addiction, surveys of cases of IA in different countries, and the result of her study. Also, she facilitated a group discussion using questions related to her thesis. Representatives of each group presented the fruits of their discussion. In the second part of her presentation, she gave concrete situations of how religious men and women deal with the challenges of the digital age, especially its effect on people of today. Exchanges of reflection were done after her presentation. In general, the activities became successful, and hoping that its fruit will be finally seen in the coming days.