“You have been on study visits, lived communally, prayed and reflected together, and I am sure you come away with a sense of the joy, challenges, and blessedness of reconciled diversity,” said Nalwamba. “The lived ecumenical experience you have had is a microcosm of what the WCC prays for and works towards.”
The ecumenical movement is richer for having the students’ gifts, Nalwamba added. “A continual learning disposition creates room for God’s Spirit to incrementally moves us towards more just, reconciling, and unity-seeking ways of life,” she said. “Therefore, go into God’s world as transforming disciples moved by the love of Christ, who continue to learn and to be instruments of transformation in personal and church life, and in societal engagements and living gently with the rest of creation.”
Rev. Dr Benjamin Simon, director of the WCC Commission on Education and Ecumenical Formation and dean of the Ecumenical Institute, shared with students his reflections on the uniqueness of Bossey. “It is a space which invites its participants to open themselves to one another, to make the discovery of the richness of the gifts that God bestows on us in the encounter with those who are so different from us,” he said. “Bossey is what we all bring to it.”
Graduate Costantin Radu from Romania spoke on behalf of the student body, expressing profound gratitude.
“Our studies at Bossey have been a transformative experience, enriching us both professionally and personally,” he said. “Bossey has been more than an academic institution; it has been a place of profound spiritual growth and self-discovery.”
Each interaction, Radu added, felt like a providential meeting. “Bossey is truly a spiritual haven where the joy of dialogue is palpable, and the mystery of the person is deeply explored,” he said. “Here, we learn to value and respect the dignity of every individual, regardless of nationality, gender, or religion, with a sanctity that mirrors the respect God, the Creator and Giver, has for us.”
Bossey has instilled a sensitivity to each person’s issues, Radu added. “It has encouraged us to shed national and ideological prejudices, to listen and critically assimilate what we hear and see,” he said. “We have learned the importance of humility to truly work together.”
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