This magazine reaches all the Catholic bishops of India and every major superior of religious orders, as well as thousands of religious communities and an increasing number of well-educated lay women and men.
The main responsibility of a religious superior—bishop, provincial, local superior, parish priest—is not administration, but animation.
Details of administration—financial matters, property dealings, salaries, bank accounts, …–are better left to experts. One becomes a religious or priest, or is then appointed to a position of leadership, not for one’s expertise in accounts and putting up buildings, or doing marketing and banking.
In church settings, a superior’s main role is animation—dealing with people in a Christ-like manner, helping people on their inner journey, creating loving communities, reaching out the weakest and most forgotten, helping younger members to become humanly and spiritually mature. It would be sad and a terrible let down, if a community superior, provincial or bishop were good at money matters and material constructions, but poor or deficient in helping people reach the goals for which they are members of the Church or of a religious order or priesthood.
This, unfortunately, happens—more frequently than it should. As an experienced priest-psychologist once told me, “If I am putting up a building, and want information on bricks and cement, there are many priests and religious who can advise me on this; but if I have a problem of faith, or some other spiritual struggle, it is hard to find a priest or religious who can help me with this.”
Animation is the heart of the matter—not putting up or maintaining buildings or investing money cleverly.
A key element of animation is what is called “accompaniment.”
This includes what goes by such names as counselling, spiritual direction, confession, manifestation of conscience, chat with the superior, etc.
In simple and direct terms: We choose to be part of the Church, or join religious life or the priesthood, not just to teach maths and English, or be a doctor or nurse or social worker, or maintain accounts and properties. These activities can be done by anyone. They do not require faith in Jesus, or a spiritual life, or, much less, celibate community life.
We belong to the Church, or join special groups within it, to get closer to God, to live as God wants us to, and to share His compassionate love with others. This involves growing into mature human beings—loving, genuine, happy, responsible, creative—and keeping Jesus as our model.
This type of growth and ministry requires accompaniment. We need inspiring people to whom we feel free to open our minds and hearts, share our most beautiful dreams and most shameful or painful secrets—and receive, not condemnation, but compassionate help for healing and growth.
This is, in fact, the main work of what is called formation. Formation is not mere teaching, or filling the minds of the young with good ideas. It involves creating a loving and joyful atmosphere where a young person can grow up into a mature and Christ-like adult, helped by good example, opportunities for growth and, especially, chances for loving and competent accompaniment.
This issue is devoted to this important—and often neglected—aspect of formation and other animation ministries.
When we were born, our parents and other family members “accompanied” us twenty-four hours a day, seeing to our every need. We were totally dependent.
As an adult, I am the one mainly responsible for my growth and happiness. But I need help. I need people to whom I can turn with complete confidence, and share my inner world, and learn to take wise decisions, correct defects, overcome weaknesses, realize my potential.
When hold a position of leadership or authority, my main duty is to accompany those in my care, lovingly, joyfully, patiently, and with a certain degree of competence.
This accompaniment has different levels and forms. Read the cover story and see.
Fr Joe Mannath SDB
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