India has about 130,610 religious—not counting members of secular institutes—and the world’s largest number of seminarians and young religious in formation.
In the so-called “First World,” young religious are scarce. The average age of Sisters tends to be 74 or so. In India, instead, the average age is much, much lower—47.7 years. Our problem is not lack of candidates. Our challenges lie elsewhere—right selection of candidates, adequate formation and a shortage of well-trained formators.
I also hold the view that much of what goes under the name of “vocation promotion” is actually a search for “hands for work.” Religious own and run institutions, and are generally unwilling to entrust key posts—especially leadership roles and financial decisions—to lay persons. Hence, there is the pressure somehow to get candidates to do the work. If staffing our institutions becomes our core concern, then, integral formation is bound to take a back seat. That is, we may want physics teachers, principals, accountants, nurses, administrators and other unpaid workers, but we may or may not be keen on helping a young man or woman to discern what God seems to want him or her to be or to do. We may be keener on getting them qualified for jobs, rather than help them to become inspiring, Christlike, service-minded disciples.
In the so-called formation houses, a staff member may simply be a professor (as can and does happen in seminaries), with no training or little interest in formation work. Among non-clerical religious orders, a smarter Sister or Brother may be sent to get qualified to be principal, while a less gifted one may be assigned to formation work.
Why do we recruit? If it is to get some work done, none of the jobs we do requires celibacy or daily prayer, or retreats, or spiritual direction or even faith in Jesus. Anyone with even average education and common sense can do most of what we do.
If, instead, we mean what we publicly profess and advertise, and truly want to help young people to get closer to God, live the Gospel, take Jesus’ example and teachings to heart, and build a world of truth and love, we need more than buildings, titles, timetables and text-books. We need inspiring people whose lives show younger people what it means to take Jesus seriously and whose evident concern is service of the least rather than a concealed or open lust for power and money. Living with, and guided by, such persons, a young man or woman can discover the best in oneself, pick up a taste for simplicity, genuineness and compassion. They will long to do hidden work among the poor rather than sit in posh chairs and air-conditioned offices seeking favours from the powerful.
Such transformation in interacting with adults who are religious not just by title, but by conviction and character does happen—though on a much smaller scale than what is needed and what our brochures and celebrations claim.
If you have been blessed to live with people whose transparent goodness and passion for serving are contagious, you will know what religious formation is. It often begins in the family, in which sincere, self-sacrificing, faith-filled parents give children a taste for what matters before God.
May what we refer to as formation help young men and women become the best they can be. May none of them feel that they became worse after joining. (Such cases, sadly, do exist!).
This issue of Magnet has a close look at what formation is, who are responsible for it, how to go about it, and what kind of a person would make a good formator.
It carries interviews with five experienced formators, who enrich us with their wisdom and suggestions. The psychology column is on the emotion health of formees.
The other features are as relevant and heart-warming as ever—managing finances in a true spirit of religious poverty; a visionary pastor who brings hope to prisoners; modern martyrs killed for no crime of theirs; how superiors can and should play win-win games; a young sister’s vocation story; a young woman’s journey from pain and shame to joyful fidelity; the heroism of a man who spent thirty-seven years in jail for a crime he did not commit; gripping movies about courageous women; a layman doing marvelous media ministry; a canonical clarification on roles; church documents on formation.
Tell us what you think. Feel free to agree or disagree, of course!
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July 1st is Doctors’ Day. We wish all doctors the very best in their life and service. The Indian church has over one thousand Sister Doctors. We know that many of them are doing fabulous service, especially in the remote and forgotten parts of our country, where the money-minded will not go. Many other medical professionals too do admirable service in various parts of the country—and, of course, around the world.
May MAGNET help our thousands of readers in India and overseas to see essentials more clearly, live our commitment more joyfully, and reach out to those near and far more effectively.
Joe Mannath SDB
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