On 8 June 2026, sixteen participants in the English-language Training in the Practice of Group Facilitation presented their testimonies and received certificates during an online graduation ceremony.
The graduates joined from the Philippines, Indonesia, Senegal, Cameroon, the United Kingdom, Rome, Namibia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Australia and other regions. Community members and friends also attended to support and celebrate with them.
The ceremony opened with the song “Moving Forward with the Spirit”. Each graduate was then invited by the trainers to offer a three-minute personal testimony. They reflected on what had surprised them most about themselves during the fourteen-week training, their key learnings and their hopes for the future as facilitators.
Across the testimonies, several common themes emerged. Participants spoke of overcoming initial fears and doubts, growing in confidence and self-awareness, and recognising the importance of deep listening, reflection and self-evaluation. They described facilitation not simply as a set of techniques, but as a way of being present, patient and connected with others.
Some emphasised empathy, cultural sensitivity and the creation of safe and inclusive spaces in which people can speak freely. Others reflected on learning to face their own vulnerabilities, recognise assumptions and welcome diverse perspectives. Several connected these insights with the spirituality of accompaniment and with their mission in religious life, parish ministry, safeguarding and community leadership. Many recognised the significance that Spirituality of the Heart has in shaping what we do as facilitators.
One participant described discovering a natural capacity to connect with people through movement and presence, while another spoke of moving from a focus on individual performance towards interconnectedness and communal wisdom. Facilitation was described as a formation of the heart, rooted in spirituality and expressed through service.
A reflection on Mount Carmel and the meaning of Carmel as “garden” became a metaphor for spiritual life. It highlighted that presence precedes technique, that silence can be sacred work and that facilitators are themselves part of the systems in which they work.
The graduates expressed a desire to continue developing their skills and to use them in service of their communities. Among their hopes were supporting brothers and sisters in ministry, contributing to future training programmes and one day offering the programme in French for French-speaking members in Africa.
Each graduate acknowledged the significance of the learning journey and encouraged the others to apply what they had learned. Their testimonies conveyed gratitude for the programme and for its impact on their personal, spiritual and professional growth.
All participants lit candles to honour their learning and their new roles as facilitators. After each testimony, the group held the speaker in silence as a gesture of recognition and support.
The trainers then addressed the graduates. They reflected on their own experience of accompanying the group and expressed gratitude for the opportunity. They stressed that learning is a lifelong process and that listening lies at the heart of good facilitation. They also recognised the commitment of the participants, who completed the programme despite demanding schedules, and expressed the hope that the training would be translated into additional languages and made available to more people.
The trainers — Marife Mendoza, Carol Dyer, Gene Pejo and Chris Chaplin — presented certificates to each graduate, confirming they had met the requirements and standards of the training. Formal certificates are to be sent to the graduates by post or through other appropriate means.
Congratulations to the 2026 graduates: Lloyd Mendoza, Didier Mbela Bongoy, Tiến Minh Nguyen, Faustina Choi, Bram Tulusan, Clement Obiorah, Doreen Hendricks, Margaret Bob, Glacidalva Iolanda dos Santos, La Edi Theodorus, Maria Monica Kaha, Joni Astanto, Alexander Ezechukwu, Carol Sompotan, Clotilde Ngom and Georges Diabone.
The ceremony concluded with a blessing offered by the trainers over the group, followed by the song “Woman of the Sacred Heart”. Afterwards, participants continued the celebration with their local communities and friends, as well as online, sharing congratulations and virtual drinks before saying goodbye. A video recording of the ceremony was made available to participants.
Thank you to all who have been involved in the 2026 Training.
