schogujsj09

Formation commission meet -- 10^th January 09

Agenda:

1.      Share about the work as a PCF.

2.      Ask the formation commission members to share their work in utilizing the 35 directives in their respective sectors.

3.      Share about the policy that endorsed in the Shillong PCFS’ meet as regards to use of gadgets, mobile, computers..etc

4.      Ask commission members to suggest new names for training of formators.

5.      The work of vocation promotion.

6.      The intensive English course in the summer for the second year pre-novices.

Decisions arrived at the meeting:

            The members of formation commission met on 10^th January 09 from10.30 a.m to 1.00 p.m to share the initiatives taken in various sectors of formation to help the process of assimilation of GC 35 and also reflected how best we could carry on the process of assimilation in a sustained manner. The  members present for the meeting were Fr.Keith Abranches,Fr.Aubrey Fernandes, Fr.Royston Fernandes, Fr.Irudayaraj, Fr.Stany Pinto, Fr.Vincent Saldanha, Fr. Ambrose, Fr. Alex Thannipara, Fr.Dinsh Braganza, Fr.Alpesh Macwan, and Fr.lawrence Dharmaraj.They also admitted that the work done in this area of assimilation of GC 35 was very poor. In the light of GC 35, our present formation policies related to use of gadgets and budgets of the scholastics were evaluated. The pastoral and regency years of formation were reviewed.

A concern was raised as regards to the intellectual formation and the faith formation of the scholastics. Some tend to be preoccupied with careerism in the society while some others do not take the intellectual formation seriously. A pertinent mark was made to the formators to look into the formation of scholastics to develop a sense of sacred while participating in the ritual worships. The vocation promotion and the intensive English course in the summer for the 2^nd year pre-novices  are to be continued as usual.

The commission members were in agreement to the practice followed by the present provincial.

·        Regency is for two years. (The 2^nd year could be in a different place. Normally the regency is to take care of the school-boarding and the non-formal regency could be considered as per requirement)

·        Pastoral experience is a must for the new priests ( exception could be made if the need of the province requires a person for some other mission)

·        Generally Gujarati juniorate is mandatory for all the scholastics.

·        Retreat directors course could be considered for the students of theology.

·        Minimum of six months experience in the pre-novitiate is a must for a candidate prior to joining the novitiate.

The commission meeting ended with a Magis note by commission members volunteering to run programs such as “summer- growth lab”, “summer English courses” and “an orientation program for the regents”.

Fr.Lawrence Dharmaraj s.j (PCF)