The ongoing formation of the ?Marist Ongoing Formation Programme?
The gathering of the current ongoing formation teams – Brothers Antonio Peralta, Joaquim Sperandio, Teofilo Minga – with the secretariat of Brothers Today and the link councillors, held from July 17 – 20, was a clear sign that it is the dawn of a new epoch of Marist Ongoing Formation.
Along with the new link councillors, Brothers Óscar Martin and João do Prado, we were introduced to the new director of Manziana, Brother Joe Walton and the new member of the Secretariat of Brothers Today, Brother Ángel Medina.
The group studied the priorities of the provincials in a sondage about the future ongoing formation as well as the documents of the XXII General Chapter, such as:
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To promote and nourish Marist life in all its diversity, working towards our deeply felt desire to act as ‘one global body’ (From Call No:1)
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Reform our processes of initial and on-going formation and offer new paths at the level of the Institute and Administrative Units to care for our vocation as brothers: accompaniment, attention to each brother’s situation and stage in life. (From Principles and Suggestions- ‘In Our Vocation as Brothers’)
The group played with creative ideas that contained principles that centred us as well as the calls to be creative to respond to the emerging needs of ongoing formation as Marists today.
A three-year programme has been designed and it now waits for consultation with the Secretariat of the Laity as well as the final confirmation from the general council at the plenary in September.
There are three types of programmes:
- Stages of the brother’s life (Horizons, Mid Life, Threshold, 3rd Age)
- Mission (Vocation Animators, Formators, Community Animators)
- Themes (Emerging needs such as Spirituality)
Some of the suggestions include forming one global ongoing formation team and community which will organise more intercultural programmes, in both English and Spanish.
With greater sensitivity to the regions, some shorter programmes will be conducted regionally to permit accessibility to more brothers and lay Marists.
After the confirmation in September, the detailed programme will be published to assist each provincial in the planning of the ongoing formation for their local brother and lay Marists.
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Br Tony Leon
Secretariat of Brothers Today