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Aussie educators inspired by fruits of Quito IEC

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Among the Australians in Quito for the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress, many are teachers, family educators and heads of religious education in their respective diocese. 

As day three of the IEC comes to a close, two educators among the Australian delegates are embracing the opportunity to dive deeper into their faith and are looking forward to bringing this formation back to their classrooms and communities.  

She might be more than 13,000 kilometres from her classroom, but Helen Beaini’s students are always close to her heart, especially as the primary school teacher from St Michael’s in Lane Cove receives the fruits of the formation she’s been gifted with in Quito. 

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“It’s actually been really beautiful. And I was really lucky that I was part of the pilgrim group that went through Mexico. And Ecuador has been beautiful, seeing the churches, but also seeing the faith of the people here has been really beautiful,” said Helen.  

International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador. Photo: John Nguyen/Supplied.

Day 3, Tuesday, 10 September, the delegates enjoyed a talk at the first conference called “Redeemed Brotherhood in Christ,” hosted by Sr Daniela Cannavina, a Capuchin Sister of Mother Rubatto and a representative of the International Union of Superiors General. 

She revealed how, “Jesus redeems brotherhood through the listening to his Word of life and around the table of his body and blood, which make us universal, close, compassionate brothers and sisters, without exclusions and without borders.” 

“The Eucharist becomes Christ’s testament and memory of love because it transforms every relationship of imposition into freedom, of dominance into gratitude, and of indifference into solidarity.” 

Sr Daniela challenged those in attendance to “believe in and create communities of brothers and sisters redeemed in Christ that are more human, more horizontal, more Eucharistic, with the flavour of the Gospel and the Eucharist.” 

For Helen, it was a highlight of her trip so far and offered many insights she hopes to impart to her students.  

“Hearing Sr Daniela talk about being fraternal in a wounded world, what stood out to me was she spoke about thinking with your feet,” Helen said. 

eucharistic congress
Helen Beaini. Photo: John Nguyen/Supplied.

“So often we think with our mind and we think about people and how we can help them. But she differentiated it and said, we need to think with our feet. 

“We need to be on the floor, being on the ground with people and doing what we can to be the body of Christ in the wounded world.” 

Sandra Harvey, the Head of Evangelisation and Religious Education in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga, said Sr Daniela’s talk has made her think deeper about her relationship with the Eucharist of Christ.  

“I loved what she shared about the Eucharist. We’ve often thought about the table and what that means to us in terms of who’s at the table and being inclusive as part of the Eucharist,” Sandra said.  

But today she also spoke about the spaces that we leave and who are those spaces for and what we need to think about in that space.  

Sandra Harvey.Photo: John Nguyen/Supplied.

“In terms of my own faith, I think it’s really, made me think a lot deeper about the Eucharist itself and what it means to me to encounter Christ in the Eucharist.  

“I think in terms of my work, it’s really enthused me to share that with others.” 

The collective experience of being in a foreign but faithful country has also offered many unforgettable and unexpected insights. 

“Last night, we went to a parish with Bishop Daniel Meagher. It’s the same faith, same Mass, but seeing a different type of spirit. It was really beautiful,” said Helen.  

“I’m looking forward to seeing different speakers and how they preach about the Eucharist and how we can be united in a world that is broken. And I think especially as a primary school teacher, we often fall into the cracks of, ‘What can I do?’ 

“But I think hearing it and taking something back to my kids and to my community, my school, even if it’s something small, it will make an impact.” 

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