from Alwyn Sequeira
for Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SM)

Mangalore, Oct 6: The 8th National Conference of Catholic Psychologists was held at Rshivana, Ranipura here recently.

Almost 80 psychologists from all over India participated in the conference. All in all there were around 40 priests, 30 religious sisters and around 10 lay people. Bishop Aloysius Paul D'Souza of Mangalore inaugurated the conference by placing a lighted lamp on the globe.

In his presidential address he invited the participants to become integral healers.

Dr K Kumar, head of the department of Clinical Psychology of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal delivered the key note address.   'Psycho-Spiritual Integration' was the main theme on which three speakers spoke in the days that followed.

On the first day Fr Wilson OFM Cap, director of Anugraha Institute of Counselling, Dindigul presented a paper on Psycho-Spiritual Integration. On the second day Sr Dr Marie Eugene AC, assistant superior general of Apostolic Carmelite Sisters from Bangalore presented paper on Psycho-Sexual Integration and on the final day Dr Lavina Noronha spoke on Psycho- Social Integration.
 
An outing for the participants was organized in the city. A cultural glimpse was provided by the students of Karnataka Kala Kendra at Sandesha and Sparsha Counselling Centre, Bikarnakatta here.
 
On the last day of the conference, the constitution of the Catholic psychologists, and the ethical code was approved by the members and a new executive body was elected from among them. Fr Dr Jose Parapully was elected as the first president of this association and Fr Atul as the Bursar and secretary whereas  Sr Elizabeth was elected as the member of the executive body.
 
Finally Fr Alwyn Sequeira OCD, the convener of the 8th National Catholic Psychologists' Conference thanked all participants for making this conference a grand success.