Rome (Italy). From 18 March to 1 April 2023, the Formation Sector of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians organized a first session of online meetings by linguistic areas for the Formators with the aim of listening to them, gathering their challenges and opportunities in the field of mission.
The invitation was addressed to the Formators of the pre-Aspirantate, Period of Assessment and Guidance, Postulancy, Novitiate, and their respective assistants, the Provincial Coordinators of Formation, the FMA who have been formators in recent times, and also the Provincials to welcome their precious experience. About 266 formators from five continents participated in the meetings lasting a good two hours, including work in small groups, coordinated by the Councilor of the Formation Sector, Sr. Nilza Fátima de Moraes, together with her Collaborators.
In line with GC XXIV and in response to the call for synodality launched by the Church, and keeping in mind the Global Educational Pact, the Sector wishes to build a network of formators to create a space for listening and exchange and to continue to deepen the formation processes together of the FMA Institute in the contemporary world.
The online meetings were therefore an exercise in listening, getting to know each other, and sharing the common mission, in the awareness that, although it will not be easy to face all the challenges that emerged during the meetings, some were common to all the groups.
In a spirit of simplicity and fraternity, the formators expressed themselves underlining the rather complex situation of the young women who arrive in formation houses. Above all, there was a lack of knowledge of those in formation – origins, families, culture, identity, wounds – which does not facilitate their accompaniment, the process of vocational discernment and personalized formation, and yet every situation requires starting from needs, history, culture, reality, talents, and points of vulnerability of each one.
The accompaniment of indigenous vocations or native peoples, but also of young people who come from lesser-known cultural contexts, also requires a good level of inculturation of the formators, in order to better interpret their motivations. This would require more time for accompaniment and therefore an extension of the formative stages for some. Formation communities should also be open to the context and ready themselves for intercultural relations with the environment and to intergenerationality.
Sometimes the young people arrive with little cultural background, unmotivated to take seriously what their choice requires. As a result, they have difficulty learning the language, little spirit of sacrifice, and weak faith. It is therefore important, in certain contexts, to refine the acceptance criteria. Finally, it emerged that some formators do not have enough time to be trained and updated.
The formators showed interest and appreciation for this first meeting session, a real moment of ongoing formation. Indeed, it was noted that in order to respond to today’s challenges and formation needs, it is necessary to assume the identity of FMA centered in Christ, capable of evangelically interpreting the rapid changes of the world and of history, with a heart that is ecclesial, humble, full of compassion and tenderness, without denying their burdens.
After taking on the task of re-reading the current Formation Plan: Rooted in the Covenant, in view of its updating, the participants said goodbye, entrusting themselves to Mary, the Presence that intuits and foresees, so that we may learn from her to wisely accompany the new generations. An appointment was made for meetings in April.
