From July 15-20 of this year, the formators of initial formation of the Order met in the city of Bogota, Colombia.
Under the theme “Accompanying the way back to the heart”, the participants reflected on different aspects related to the service of accompaniment in the different stages of initial formation.
Religious from the 4 religious provinces 4 religious provinces that make up our Order.
Coming from 12 different countries, 29 formators who accompany the different stages of initial formation, from vocation ministry to the year of pastoral and community insertion, including aspirants, postulants, novitiates and simply professed, attended the meeting.
The majority of the formators and those who accompanied the participants are directly responsible for formation; however, several priors of the houses of formation were also present.
Five main objectives
The objectives of the meeting were summed up in five words: to share, to know, to consolidate, to understand and to build. To share among the companions vocation and mission, experiences and intuitions, difficulties, joys and hopes. To know more deeply the guidelines for formation proposed in the new Formation Plan of the Order, entitled “Redi ad cor”. To consolidate a new style of formation that has been worked on for several years now. To understand some of the inner dynamics of the candidates who come to our houses of formation.
And to build a work plan among the formators for the coming years.
The topics discussed at the meeting were the following: companions who are accompanied, the new formation plan “Redi ad cor”, pilgrims who sing and walk, formation for discernment and the report as a tool for the accompaniment of the vocational journey.
The first three topics were presented by members of the General Secretariat for Initial Formation. General Secretariat for Initial Formation.
The last two topics were developed by Daniel Portillo, a diocesan priest from Mexico, a qualified expert in psychology and formation in seminaries.
Courage and hope
The last day of work was the occasion to put forward different proposals that will allow us to continue to make progress in initial formation.
The focus of attention is placed, above all, on formation in the Augustinian Recollect charism, the elaboration of new pedagogical instruments for the accompaniment and internalization of the new Plan of Formation “Redi ad cor”, as well as the constant improvement of this until the moment of its institutional officialization.
The Recollect Province of Our Lady of Candelaria was the host of the meeting.
It went out of its way in details that made the meeting “a joy”, as the Prior Provincial of this province, Jose David Niño, augured in the opening Eucharist.
The sharing of faith in the daily Eucharist gave a special touch to the meeting.
Juan Pablo Martinez, Vicar Provincial of the host province, gave a message of encouragement and hope at the closing Eucharist.
“Let yourself be accompanied and work as a team.”
At the end of the meeting, the President of the General Secretariat for Initial Formation, Fabian Martin, thanked all those who made the meeting of formators possible and remarked on the words of the Prior General, Fr. Miguel Angel HernandezHe addressed a video to all the participants: Let yourself be accompanied and work as a team to give solidity to the initial formation.
In a fraternal, joyful and jovial atmosphere, the formators were grateful for the opportunity to delve into the evangelical and charismatic implications of accompaniment in initial formation.
And with confidence and hope, they acknowledged taking a step forward in the commitment to form themselves for the service of accompaniment.
And this was reflected in a message from the participants to the entire Augustinian Recollect family.
