2. Claretian Seminar LEARNING COMMUNICATION TO GROW IN COMMUNION

3. The road to communion “We tell you what we have seen and heard, that you may be in fellowship with us, and us, with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. We write this that our joy may be complete.” (1 Jn 1:3-4)

4. What we have seen and heard We tell you That you may be in FELLOWSHIP with us And us with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 42 3 +

5. 1 What we have seen and heard = Our experience of the Word of Life

6. What we have “touched” with our hands

7. 2 We tell you = We communicate our personal experience to others

8. We do not hide the light but we show it

9. 3 That you may be in FELLOWSHIP (Koinonia) with us = The communication of faith produces communion

10. Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est

11. 4 And us with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ = Communion unites one another and with God

12. The fruit of COMMUNION is JOY

13. How can we learn to COMMUNICATE “what we have seen and heard” in order to live COMUNNION?

14. The attitudes for dialogue 1. Unconditional acceptance 2. Authenticity 3. Empathy

15. 1. Unconditional acceptance All human beings are humanly acceptable, although they are not ethically irreproachable

16. 2. Authenticity I must be the person that I am, not the character or the role that I play

17. 3. Empathy It is not a matter of sympathy but rather of placing myself in others’ place to see things just as they see them

18. 012345 SilenceCourtesyInformationOpinionFeelingsCommunion The thermometer of communication

19. NOTICE EVALUATECOMMUNICATE How to deal with feelings?

20. NOTICE Learning to “give name” to our own feelings

21. I’m OK. Are you OK?

22. EVALUATE It is not a matter of saying whether they are “good” or “bad” (feelings are not judged).

23. To evaluate means to inquire whether a feeling: + Helps me grow as a human being - Destroys my self- esteem and my security ?

24. COMMUNICATE To communicate means to share our feelings with other people

25. When I communicate my NEGATIVE feelings, they lose their destructive power

26. When I communicate my POSITIVE feelings, they are reinforced instead

27. Are we willing to improve our COMMUNICATION in order to grow in COMMUNION?

28. This is one the most urgent challenges to COMMUNITY LIFE today