Empowering Formators
On 19, September 2013, the Regional CRI Sikkim-West Bengal
organised a Workshop on “Religious Formation Today” at Holy Child School,
Kolkata. It was a day of introspection for the Formators of various religious
congregations’ men and women and to educate, enable and empower them.
Fr.
Jeyaraj Velusamy, Jesuit provincial of Kolkata and regional CRI president,
welcomed the formators, introduced the theme and explained the importance of
Formators’ formation. He emphasised the need for reinventing formative styles
and approaches to be effective and efficient Formators to accompany young
people.
Fr.
Michael Pandian CMF focused on issues concerning Religious Formation Today and
emphasised the need for adapting our formation to the modern youth to tap their
resources and energies. He presented an alarming situation of modern youth
exposed to socio-psycho-religious violence and problems, facing mental and
stressful environment. This he did from the biblical-religious, psycho-social
and economic perspectives.
Fr.
Pandian said, the mind and heart of a youth is craving to achieve target goals
as they are living in a competitive world. He exhorted us to offer the late
vocation educated youth and working men and women candidates a new direction
and orientation.
He
also presented a glimpse of modern youth, creating history as they achieve what
is impossible in their lives with the power of mind and determination.
He
said that different popes have laid foundations to bring youth to the heart of
the mission of the church. Finally he used a youth-building paradigm which is
known as Iowa model of 4 H namely integration of head, hands, heart and health
In
groups we discussed the nature of our youth, how we can attract and form them
and make them enthusiastic missionaries.
Br.
A.H. Alex FMS in his thought proving talk emphasized the role of Formators as
one who receives more than what he/she gives and shared a number of problems
both formees and formators face in dialogue or direction. He exhorted that
formees be given freedom to express his/her emotions, moods, fears and dreams
and urged us to be transparent, open, generous and kind to them.
Finally,
he urged us not to look at formees with a fault-finding eye, rather allow them
to make mistakes and proposed three personal accompaniment tools namely:
instilling love paradigm, Pope Francis surprising the Swiss Guard and Pay $ 500
paradigm.
In
groups we discussed the nature of our youth, how to attract them, form them and
make them daring missionaries.
Many
participants remarked that this was an eye-opening workshop. Sr. Lucy of
Helpers said that it has helped her to understand Formation in a better way.
Another FC nun agreed that the innovative formation styles need a change of
mind set of the Formators.
The
day concluded with a future plan to have a workshop on Psycho-sexual
integration for formators.
Fr
Mourlin Fernando SJ
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