VINCENTIANA 58Th Year - N
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
October-December 2014 GENERAL CURIA CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION Ratio Formationis Year - N. 4 INCENTIANA th 58 V VINCENTIANA — 58th Year - N. 4 - October-December 2014 VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – SPAGNOLO 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 10:01h VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h Vincentiana, October-December 2014 Promulgation of the Ratio Formationis G. Gregory Gay, C.M. Rome, 27 November 2014 My brothers: I present to you our Ratio Formationis, completed by a Commission of confreres, and with editorial assistance for clarity and economy of style. As with all documents issued by the General Curia for the good of the Congregation, the Ratio Formationis has been created in accord- ance with our Constitutions and Statutes, specifically Statute 41.1 which states: “Each province will prepare a formation plan, which will be in conformity with the principles already established, with the documents and directives of the Church and of the Congregation of the Mission, and which responds to the various local needs” S. 41.1. The purpose of the Ratio Formationis is to put this statute into prac- tice and to assist the provinces in so doing. I am grateful for the con- freres who served on the Commission for the Ratio Formationis and who assisted in finalizing and in translating this text. I offer two recommendations to better understand and implement this document. First, I remind all who apply this document to their formation programs that the Ratio expresses what we truly are: an international Congregation. Secondly, I believe that in both initial and ongoing formation, the Ratio should promote collaboration and deeper bonds with the Vincentian Family. The Ratio Formationis is comprised of an introduction and eight chapters that cover various aspects of formation for life in the Congre- gation. They include vocational discernment, stages of initial formation of priest and brother candidates, and the ongoing formation of all confreres. However, this text is meant to be applied as a complete, integral entity. Each chapter represents a part of the whole process of the overall goals, objectives, and strategies of Vincentian formation. Therefore, with the consent of the General Council, as Superior Gen- eral, I hereby promulgate on an ad experimentum basis the Ratio For- mationis of the Congregation of the Mission for implementation in all provinces, vice-provinces, regions, and missions throughout the world. G. Gregory Gay, C.M. Superior General Given in Rome, 27 November 2014 Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h P E a u r P i b • u E s r • a M z i i s l i E t g • n M a v E E 2 RATIO FORMATIONIS CONGREGATIONIS MISSIONIS 2016 So, our vocation is to go, not just to one parish, not just to one diocese, but all over the world; and to do what? To set people’s hearts on fire, to do what the Son of God did. He came to set the world on fire in order to inflame it with His love. Vincent de Paul – May 30, 1659 (SV XII, 215) VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h Vincentiana, October-December 2014 Table of Contents Table of Contents Preamble . 11 CHAPTER 1 General Reflections and Directives for Formation . 13 SECTION 1: Goals, Objectives, and Strategies of Formation . 13 A. The Goals of Vincentian Life and Formation in their Ecclesial 000 Context . 13 B. Living According to the Five Virtues and the Goals of Vincentian Life 15 C. Living According to the Four Vows and the Goals of Vincentian Life 16 D. The Axis and Five Dimensions of Formation: Objectives of Formation 16 E. Strategies in Formation . 16 SECTION 2: Agents of Formation . 17 A. The Trinitarian God: The Primary, Transcendent, Agent of Formation 17 B. The Person in Formation . 17 C. The Visitor and the Provincial Community in Formation . 17 D. The Local Community in Formation . 18 E. The Persons Entrusted with the Ministry of Formation . 18 F. The Poor as Agents of Formation . 22 SECTION 3: Stages of Formation . 23 A. A Model for Understanding the Unity of the Stages of Formation . 23 B. The Stages of Formation and the Provincial Formation Committee 24 C. The Stages of Formation and the Advancement of Candidates . 24 CHAPTER 2 Vocation Ministry Stage of Invitation, Inquiry and Discernment . 25 SECTION 1: Goal and Context of Vocation Ministry . 25 A. The Goal of Vocation Ministry . 25 B. The Context of Vocation Ministry . 25 C. The Context of Vocation Ministry and the Phases of the Discernment 000 Process . 26 SECTION 2: The Agents of Vincentian Formation Specific to the Stage of 000 Invitation, Inquiry and Discernment . 26 A. The Inquirer – Discerner – Applicant – Under the Action of the Holy 000 Spirit . 26 B. The Vocation Director . 26 C. The Associate Directors and the Vocation Committee . 26 D. Other Persons in Formation . 26 SECTION 3: The Objectives and Strategies of Vocation Ministry and of the 000 Processes of Inquiry and Discernment . 27 A. The Invitation Phase: Strategies for Promoting Inquiry into the Vin- 000 centian Vocation . 27 VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h 6 / 314 Table of Contents B. The Vincentian Axis: The Image of a Vincentian to be Presented to 000 Inquirers . 28 C. Human Formation for Inquirers and Discerners . 28 D. Spiritual Formation for Inquirers and Discerners . 29 E. Intellectual Formation for Inquirers and Discerners . 29 F. Apostolic Formation for Inquirers and Discerners . 29 G. Community Formation for Inquirers and Discerners . 30 SECTION 4: The Process for Application and Admission to the Pre-Internal 000 Seminary Program . 30 A. Profile of Discerners Acceptable for Admission to a Pre-Internal 000 Seminary Program . 30 B. Role of the Discerner in the Application Process for Admission to a 000 Pre-Internal Seminary Program . 32 C. Role of the Vocation Director and the Admissions Team in the Appli- 000 cation Process for Admission to a Pre-Internal Seminary Program 33 CHAPTER 3 Formation at the Stage of the Pre-Internal Seminary . 35 SECTION 1: The Goal and the Context of Vincentian Formation at the Stage 000 of the Pre-Internal Seminary . 35 A. The Goal of Pre-Internal Seminary Formation . 35 B. The Various Contexts of Pre-Internal Seminary Formation . 35 SECTION 2: The Objectives and Strategies of Vincentian Formation at the 000 Stage of the Pre-Internal Seminary . 36 A. The Vincentian Axis . 36 B. Human Formation . 37 C. Spiritual Formation . 38 D. Intellectual Formation . 39 E. Apostolic Formation . 40 F. Community Formation . 41 SECTION 3: Profile of Candidates Completing Each Phase of Pre-Internal 000 Seminary Formation . 42 A. Profile of the Candidate Completing the Orientation Phase of the 000 Pre-Internal Seminary . 42 B. Profile of the Candidate upon Completing the Entire Pre-Internal 000 Seminary Program . 43 CHAPTER 4 Formation at the Level of the Internal Seminary . 45 SECTION 1: The Specific Goal and the Context of Vincentian Formation at 000 the Level of the Internal Seminary . 45 A. The Specific Goal of Vincentian Formation at the Level of the Inter- 000 nal Seminary . 45 B. The Context of Vincentian Formation at the Level of the Internal 000 Seminary. 45 VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h Table of Contents 7 / 315 SECTION 2: The Objectives and Strategies of Vincentian Formation at the 000 Internal Seminary Level. 46 A. The Vincentian Axis . 46 B. Human Formation . 49 C. Spiritual Formation . 50 D. Intellectual Formation . 51 E. Apostolic Formation . 52 F. Community Formation . 53 SECTION 3: Profile of the Seminarian Completing the Stage of Internal Se- 000 minary Formation . 54 CHAPTER 5 Formation During an Internship Year . 56 SECTION 1: The Specific Goal and the Context of Vincentian Formation 000 During an Internship Year . 56 A. The Specific Goal of Vincentian Formation During an Internship Year 56 B. The Variable Contexts of Time and Location of the Internship Year 56 SECTION 2: The Objectives and Strategies of Vincentian Formation During 000 an Internship Year . 57 A. The Vincentian Axis . 57 B. Human Formation . 57 C. Spiritual Formation . 58 D. Intellectual Formation . 59 E. Apostolic Formation . 59 F. Community Formation . 60 SECTION 3: Profile of the Intern Completing the Internship Year . 61 CHAPTER 6 Formation of Brothers at the Post-Internal Seminary Level . 62 Introduction . 62 SECTION 1: The Identity of a Brother . 62 A. The Identity of the Brother in the Church . 62 B. The Identity of the Brother in the Congregation of the Mission . 63 SECTION 2: The Specific Goals and the Context of Vincentian Formation 000 of the Brother at the Post-Internal Seminary Level . 64 A. Specific Goals of the Brother’s Formation at the Post-Internal Semi- 000 nary Level . 64 B. The Context of the Brother’s Formation at the Post-Internal Semi- 000 nary Level . 64 SECTION 3: The Objectives and Strategies for the Formation of the Brother 000 at the Post-Internal Seminary Level . 65 A. The Vincentian Axis of Formation . 65 B. Human Formation . 66 C. Spiritual Formation . 67 VINCENTIANA 4-2014 – INGLESE 3ª BOZZA – giovedì, 18 dicembre 2014 - 09:17h 8 / 316 Table of Contents D. Intellectual Formation – Theological and Professional . 69 E. Apostolic Formation . 70 F. Community Formation . 71 SECTION 4: Profile of a Brother Completing the Stage of Post-Internal Se- 000 minary Formation . 72 CHAPTER 7 Formation at the Level of the Major Seminary .