01.20.2020

Initial and Ongoing Formation

After a day of mental, if not physical, relaxation the Extended Council addressed the topic of formation, both initial and ongoing. The first part of the day was dedicated to initial formation with some very interesting information and thought-provoking questions. Before the international meeting of formators in April 2019, the general council sent a questionnaire to 50 formators, both those presently engaged in formation and some who had been in this role in the past, and 71 sisters in formation, including sisters from Norway, France, Italy, India, Pakistan and Brazil. S. Marialena and Philo shared the results of the questionnaire and noted areas that need more consideration. At the end of the morning the members of the Extended Council were asked to reflect on 3 questions and then share their reflections with a few others. The questions were: “What do we NEED to change?” “What CAN we change?” and “What to we WANT to change?” all to achieve incarnating love with joy, the theme of the meeting.

In the afternoon, after a few persons gave feedback from the morning, the question addressed was how to accompany those who are leaving the congregation. Recalling what Mary Wright had said when she was speaking of canon law, the group was reminded that the congregation must ensure the dignity and safety of those who leave and also offer them appropriate assistance to begin their life anew. Reflection on this topic continued individually, with each sister receiving a copy of part of an article published by the UISG which offers strategies for young women discontinuing their formation. Then the assembly broke into small, mixed language groups to share their insights on four questions touching the reality of departures, what we can learn from them, and how we might foster warm and caring relationships in community.