I am Sr Chandrika. This is my 12th year after perpetual profession. Three years after the perpetual profession, I attended an ongoing formation programme held in our province. Last year, I attended a formation programme organized among three religious congregations. This year, my provincial wants me to attend another formation programme organized by our congregation. I have reminded her about the formation programme that I attended the previous year, yet she advises that I should participate in this one too. I feel it a waste of time attending many such programmes rather than doing the entrusted ministry.
During our discussion last month, we saw how diligent Religious are to be in continuing their spiritual, doctrinal and practical formation throughout their lives and the responsibility of the superiors to ensure that they provide opportunities for their members’ ongoing formation. To perceive a deeper understanding of the matter, let us look into the Directives on Formation in Religious institutes, Potissimum institutioni, no. 70 dealing with the special times for ongoing formation.
Key Stages
The following are regarded as particularly significant stages:
- The passage from the initial formation to the first experience of a more independent life, in which a religious must discover a new way of being faithful to God;
- The completion of about ten years of perpetual profession, when the risk of life’s becoming “a habit” occurs with the consequent loss of all enthusiasm. After a certain period, it would be imperative that one should withdraw from ordinary life in order to “reread” it in the light of the Gospel and the mind of one’s founder. There are institutes that offer their members such a period of intensifying their religious life. This type of formation is known under various titles, such as, “third year,” “second novitiate,” “second probation,” etc. This formation takes place within a community of the institute.
Sr Licia SMI
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