In the Silence, We Listen: A Time of Renewal for the PJPS Family
- aanicolas9
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
On August 28, 2026, the PJPS staff gathered at St. Joseph the Worker Chapel, South Green Greenheights, for a Staff Formation Mini Recollection.
More than simply taking a break from the demands of work, the gathering became an opportunity to pause, look within, and listen more closely to where God might be present in the midst of everything that has been happening.
As a new fiscal year begins, there are many things that can occupy our minds and hearts. There are responsibilities to carry, challenges to face, decisions to make, and expectations to meet. In the midst of all these, it can be easy to keep moving without taking the time to ask a simple but important question:
“Lord, what are You inviting me to see, to understand, and to do?”
The mini recollection gave the PJPS team the space to ask that question.
Making Space for Silence
The formation began with pointers and reflection questions shared by Fr. Dom Bulan, SJ. These questions invited everyone to look back on the past few months and honestly recognize the things that have been happening within and around them.
What has been troubling me?
What has been giving me joy?
What have I been carrying silently?
Where have I experienced God?
And perhaps most importantly, what is God inviting me to do in response?
After receiving the reflection points, everyone was given time for personal prayer and processing. It was a moment to slow down and allow the noise of daily responsibilities to settle.
Sometimes, we need silence not because we have nothing to say, but because there are things within us that can only be heard when we become quiet.
As one reflection from the gathering beautifully expressed:
“The silence is the time when people are able to feel the presence of the Lord, and it is also the time to be conscious of what is happening to ourselves and the actions of others.”
In silence, we become more attentive.
We become more aware of our own thoughts, emotions, struggles, and hopes. We also become more sensitive to the people around us. And in that awareness, we create space for God to speak.
From Reflection to Conversation
After the personal reflection, the staff were divided into two groups for a conversation circle.
The conversation circle became a safe space for sharing and listening. Each person was given the opportunity to speak from his or her own experience while also learning to listen to the experiences of others.
This is an important part of formation.
We are not meant to carry everything alone.
In a mission like PJPS, where service often brings us into the realities of people experiencing difficult and challenging circumstances, the work can sometimes demand much from those who serve. It is therefore equally important that the people behind the mission are also given opportunities to pause, be heard, and be renewed.
Through listening to one another, we are reminded that every member of the PJPS family has a story. Each person carries joys and struggles that may not always be visible. Each person is also continually being invited by God to grow.
The conversation became more than an exchange of words. It became an expression of community.
Finding God in the Journey
The recollection concluded with the celebration of the Holy Mass, presided over by Fr. Martin Licup, SJ.
Gathering around the Eucharist brought the day's reflections back to the heart of the mission: God.
Our work is not sustained by our own strength alone. The mission of accompanying persons deprived of liberty, supporting their families, and journeying with communities in hope requires hearts that are continually renewed.
Before we can accompany others toward transformation, we must also allow ourselves to be transformed.
Before we can become instruments of hope, we must allow God to renew hope within us.
And before we can listen compassionately to the stories of others, we must first learn to listen to God and to the movements within our own hearts.
The Mass offered a fitting conclusion to a day of reflection, reminding the PJPS staff that every responsibility, every challenge, and every encounter can become an opportunity to love and serve more.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
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