God provided us with gift of life and gift of vocation. Although we are gifted with grace after grace, seldom do we live such grace fully. By imitating Christ, one becomes true disciple who henceforth lives one’s vocation joyfully. Although God has gifted everyone with such grace, living a gifted life is not a by-product of human birth and therefore it necessitates a formation to be accompanied by or with God and human being. Our formation is an undivided process of confirming oneself with Christ, a journey of life that lasts till the last breath of a claretian (GPF 2020, 11).

           This process is classified into two parts which may be further divided into successive stages. Thus, the first part – initial formation – consists of pre-novitiate, novitiate and post novitiate stages; while the second part includes quinquennium, middle age, third age and even a fourth age for those of us gifted with longevity (GPF 2020, 11).

          The initial formation is to lay a solid foundation among young claretians towards greater integrity of missionary life characterized by responsibility, accountability and transparency (GPF 2020, 11).

          The purpose formation process is not aimed at acquiring amount of knowledge or number of skills rather transformation of oneself into Christ like missionary. This necessitates a well reflected project of life, which includes process-oriented content and actions of grace in the person. Finally, it is the holiness of the person that matters because God calls each one to holiness (EG 10). Therefore claretian formation has to involve the whole person of missionary student touching all dimensions of life like intellectual, emotional, physical, relational, sexual, moral, pastoral, charismatic and spiritual (GPF 2020, 12). This invites the formation centres to provide avenues for developing such capacities adequately. It is the human predicament that one may tend to misuse due to wounds and shadows. This demands a personal accompaniment of various instrumentalities like formators, spiritual directors, etc., who know their own struggles and become compassionate towards the struggles of others with total sacrifice to help them keep their eyes fixed on the goal their life and mission. Everything is aimed towards spiritual growth, which takes place through the discovery of our ‘deepest self ’ or the recognition of our ‘great identity’ (GE 32). Spiritual practices and Claretian virtues which our Founder narrates in his autobiography become necessary means to give oneself freely to God’s action.

          In all our effort in formation both those who accompany and the accompanied should seek the accompanying presence of the heart of Mary and the intercession of saints especially our Founder and Claretian martyrs in order to progress in our life and mission.

          Claretian formation primarily focuses on preparing missionaries towards our missions and missions at large. All of our missionaries should joyfully live the gift of their vocation (CC 58a).

          For if the conversion of one sinner is so very meritorious, how much more is the formation of fitting ministers who will in their own time become instruments for the salvation of many (CC 77)

Your Brother in Christ

Fr. Antony L, CMF