Life of the Congregation (2)

Glecimar Guilherme da Silva scj
Master of scholastics

A time of Grace!  Thus, I will summarise all that we have lived during those days when we shared our experiences and our dreams concerning our programmes of the formation in our religious family. It is a great joy to meet personally all those I knew only on the basis of social networks.

A moment of Joy!… but also an appropriate time to reflect on our worries/concerns and everything that we desire to be great! A time of Thanksgiving for all the new growth that the Lord of the harvest has entrusted to us. A time to unite us in prayer as brothers who pray and take care of each other along the path of accompaniment of our young. Let us be the witnesses of the creative and harmonious power of the Gospel, even if we belong to different cultures; let our hearts and our commitments follow the same direction. In the light of shared experiences, we could state that this horizon follows the line of our commitment, our dedication and our responsibility for the vocations and for the lives that the Lord has entrusted to Betharram.

It is an experience that inspires me and strengthens me in the mission that I assume for my region. As I said earlier, we form a great team i.e. to say that as a formator, I feel myself as one who accompanies; at the same time accompanied by the other Formators. In my opinion, this characterises the unity and shared responsibility in the ministry of accompaniment. I thank all who prepared it that we could live this Kairos! I thank God and leave myself to him, under the protection of our Lady of the Beautiful Branch.

Stervin Selvadass scj
Master of scholastics

It was in fact a great joy to meet all the Formators of the Congregation in Rome. It was indeed a moment of grace; a time of enrichment to be with the Formators who have a long experience in training the young as well as with those who have short experience or those who have just entered like me.  Yes, it was a perfect plat-form where each formator could talk about his style of helping the young “to know, to accept and to improve oneself” in order “to love, to serve and to live” with the people of God as “Shepherds and servants” not as mere “public officials”. It was also a time of Grace for me to know and to understand how the Charism of our Founder Saint Michael Garicoits translated and rooted in various cultures. By coming together, I felt as if we all re-energised our “value of living together and the value of sharing together”. The creativity in leading the prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist led us always to touch the divine within us. There is no doubt to say that it was a well organised encounter which made me and each one to feel at home. The continual presence of Fr. Gaspar and Fr. Enrico and the constant attention of Fr. Graziano were much appreciated and highly valued. The celebration of the conclusion of the Year of Consecrated Life on the 2nd Feb along with our beloved Pope Francis challenged me to renew my spiritual commitment, apostolic vigour and missionary enthusiasm for God, for the Church and for the Congregation.

The different themes (like vows, accompaniment, fraternal life in community, mission and cultures, usage of the media and the modern technologies) stimulated my original desire/love to commit myself in a better way to the service of our young. It is true that we are presented with multiple challenges but we need not panic! We need not be afraid. The Formators meet reassured me that I am not alone in the world. I have rather our formation community and the other Formators to support me and to encourage me in my mission which is formation.

Jean Paul Kissi Ayo scj

When I received the notification of the Formators’ Meeting in Rome, I realised more about the importance of the service that was asked of me. I had to meet up with older priests who had been my formators, in order to pray and reflect with them about the formation. I went to this formation session to listen to and learn with others. I discovered that they had worked sufficiently hard with the means at their disposal to accompany and form the religious of the Congregation.

I also realised that formation is a vocation. The religious brother is called to pass this on, through his life and through the whole heritage of the Betharramite religious family. I was happy to see our elders who still have the same get-up-and-go and a great love for the support and formation of religious brothers. I also had the joy to see the young religious say their “Here I Am” to progress with their brothers who want to share and live out our spiritual heritage. A lot of effort has been made to improve the formation and give the maximum resources and tools. I am thinking especially of the Rule of Life and the Formation Guide (Ratio Formationis) which are treasures but also of the years of formation which are granted to the religious to prepare them better for their task. The openness towards the regions’ different cultures made an impression on me, just as the reality of today’s world does. They are aspects that have been taken into account, not forgetting or losing sight of the essence of our Betharramite religious life, the legacy left to us by St Michael Garicoits.So, it is in relying on the Grace of God that I have accepted this service that has been asked of me; I have much to learn. The year of formation that I am following in Paris, being at the Betharram base house, allows me to acquire better bearings and solid bases for my own formation in order to pass on our shared heritage.

Formators’ Session in brief

It is a good idea to let the rest of the Congregation know about the work that went on here in Rome for the last ten days during the session for the 13 members responsible for Initial Formation together with three Regional Superiors and four members of the General Council between 28 January and 7 February 2016. We started off with the “Fundamental Principles” of the initial formation programme in Betharram.

1/- An experience of God.
This experience has its source in meditation on the Word of God, together with a personal review especially in accompaniment and the daily examen. We are of the opinion that God lets Himself be known through his Word but also in the different situations which arise through the “incessant fermentation” of his Spirit which is constantly working in our cultural roots which are often the fruits but sometimes obstacles.

2/- This contemplation results in the imitation of Jesus “emptied and obedient”. The practice of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius throws a special light on the disciple’s pathway often full of the joys but also the humiliations which, even though not always sought after, are transformed into a path towards growth. The gentle touch of the formator helps the novice to see how such frustrations are a method of progress and are the necessary vigilance whereby God’s glory is first.

3/- If God’s Word is primary source then the Rule of Life and the “ratio formationis” are the special means of providing us with excellent criteria for judging the progress the novice is making and which is the major concern of the Formator. These two methods to be found in the charism of St Michael help the Formator to reach the right conclusion in the discernment of which he has responsibility; the Regional Council and the General Council depend on his judgement in order to exercise the discernment which is theirs by right.

4/- In our present day society where personal achievement, blossoming and promotion are the order of the day, initial formation means to be at the forefront of the personal development requiring freedom and responsibility. We can see for ourselves the dangers of a form of education where these two terms are not connected. Our “ratio formationis” contains these two aims.

5/- Even though it is obvious to all concerned, we often returned to the idea that formation touches the heart of the individual which is the source of an authentic conversion. Good personal judgement is necessary showing that conversion is to be found in deep seated changes “internal and external”; “disposition and position” are the themes which are dear to St Michael whose equilibrium can be found in his whole life.

6/- As Formators we were able to discuss the different points of life in our Houses of Formation: use of the different means of communication, abuse of alcohol, pocket money, rendering accounts, provisional budgets, study, legal views, preparation of reports, and constitution of dossiers. These are all matters which have a real connection with formation.

7/- Obviously, our reflexions were often backed up by points brought to our attention by statements by the Pope in his different meetings, especially the different declarations to Major Religious Superiors and the congress for the young in formation in September, as well as for the 50 anniversary of the Council document “Presbyterorum Ordinis”. The celebration of Mass on 2 February with the Pope for the closing of the year of consecrated life was a very touching moment.

Conclusion:
All our reflexions bore in mind the reality of our Congregation with all its joys and sorrows as they were raised by the Superior General in his introduction: in five years there have been 35 Final professions and the exit of 9 religious who have left the Congregation after a few years ministry. Today Initial Formation represents 30 scholastics of whom 13 have completed their theology, 14 novices and 43 postulants.

Obviously we haven’t forgotten nor hidden the vocational desert which Europe is facing just now and which doesn’t leave us indifferent.

However we had the joy of seeing 7 new Formators native of the realities of our Congregation and who came to join their 6 elders who had assisted at the last Formation Session at Adiapodoume in July 2007. These are fresh energy who have undergone preparation and who now bring a great deal of hope for the future of Betharram.

Laurent Bacho scj
General Councillor for formation