At the end of the one-week seminar, “Formation of Formators,” held in CRI House, Delhi,
the most frequent suggestion was: “It should have been longer. We learnt so many useful things; we wanted to learn more.”
After the seminar for superiors we conducted in Trichy for seventy-five local superiors, most wrote how impressed they were by the competence of the resource persons, the lovely atmosphere created, the meaningful common prayer and the chance to meet and make friends with religious from other congregations.
We send to every participant all the handouts the resource persons wanted to share, the group photo and the contact details of every participant, so that those who want can keep in touch later.
A common refrain is: This seminar should be offered to all superiors, all religious, etc.
The Indian Church has many highly qualified and competent resource persons. Each religious order does not, and cannot. It is common sense, therefore, to share resources and learn from the best.
We have another great advantage: Compared to secular organizations, we can get accommodation, food and the use of good halls without spending much. Our resource persons share their expertise with other religious generously, expecting no high remuneration; some even do it free.
The anonymous written evaluation that follows every seminar shows, without any doubt, that the participants find the experience very useful. In fact, one of the questions is a general assessment of the programme, with 5 options to choose from:
- Excellent: One of the best programmes I have attended;
- Good: Came up to my expectations;
- Fair: Mostly satisfied;
- So-so: Partly satisfied;
- Not really satisfied.
The largest number choose 5. The next biggest group choose 4.
A training seminar is not simply a set of lectures by someone standing on the stage. It is a total immersion experience that should touch both mind and heart, which they can, hopefully, duplicate in their communities. Hence the creative and meaningful common prayer, the loving and joyful atmosphere, the insistence on mixing, a movie linked to the topic of the day, chances to intervene and clear doubts. We also make sure to get competent and inspiring resource persons whose expertise enlarges our knowledge and whose life and way of relating inspires. Life, after all, is not just clever theory. Living with and learning from inspiring and wise persons matters much more than mere book knowledge.
India has the world’s largest number of religious, and, even more significantly, the largest number of young religious. This is our real wealth—not buildings and bank accounts. It is crucial to have visionary leaders who really lead and help others to blossom, and formators under whose care young religious can really get healed and grow into fine persons.
Besides the one week seminars (for superiors, formators and mid-lifers), we also have shorter programmes for young religious and one day mini-seminars on “Self-Care for Care-Givers” which are open to all. This last programme attracts large numbers of religious. The last one, held at the Joseph Vaz Centre in Old Goa had nearly 200 participants. The one in Indore had 210.
Apart from what participants learn from the sessions, these programmes bring religious together, and promote greater unity and collaboration among religious orders. After all, each of us joins a religious order, not to become fans of our founders or foundresses, but to follow Jesus more closely. We have far more in common than differences. We may differ on small, secondary points, but all the essentials we pursue are the same.
So, while we have the numbers, and a significant number join us, it is wise to come together, learn from the best among us, share our physical, human and spiritual resources and move from religious jingoism and pettiness to a more universal outlook. As we come closer, mutual support and collaboration in important and pressing issues will also be easier and more effective.
Fr Joe Mannath SDB
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