Formation is so fundamental to the future of consecrated life (click here to watch the recorded video)
(New Wine in New Wineskins – The consecrated life and its on-going challenges since Vatican II Guidelines #34)
How are leaders and formators called to accompany the men and women God calls to our congregations today? Consider the geo-political and ecclesial realities in this 21st century. 50+ years after Vatican II called all religious to renewal, and we are still responding!
This year CICLSAL published reflections and challenges in the form of GUIDELINES for our time. New Wine in New Wineskins invites us to look back and to look forward to the future of consecrated life.
UISG invites leaders and formators to engage in a second dialogue on formation. The first conversation was about religious life in China. This time the focus is on formation in the novitiate. Novitiate is at the heart and center of initial formation. It is the privileged time and place for the novice to discover in a deeper way God’s unconditional love for her/him and to discern God’s call to her/him personally. Its purpose is to enable a life-decision. Everything in the novitiate program is designed to facilitate this discernment.
One growing question about novitiate formation is in relation to congregational, multi-cultural novitiates.
I wonder if establishing congregational novitiates that require skills for intercultural living and novitiate courses given through intercongregational courses may be a new wineskin for the new wine of our new members!
Could it be that a renewed focus on novitiate formation may influence the program of on-going formation? Empowering all our members and communities to witness to the unity in diversity that our world needs to live in peace?
Shiji says:
I wonder if I it will be effective to have courses in online courses. I think it will help sisters who are unable to come to Rome for studies could attain skills and knowledge on formation.
Ufficio Comunicazioni says:
Thank you for your request. UISG offers various meetings online along the year. The information is on the website: Formation Calendar. At the same time, there are issues or kind of training that can be made just on site. Patrizia