Ongoing Formation
Continuing Education

1.      Introduction – The Purpose, Scope and Objective of Formation as a Life-Long Process

In order to preach the Gospel to the poor more effectively, the apostolic purpose of the Congregation must inspire and penetrate the whole formation process (Constitution 77 and 78). This is a life-long process, which can be divided into two principal stages: initial formation, and ongoing formation (Ratio Formationis C.Ss.R. #4). This ongoing formation must be continual and progressive, and involve all the members.

The purpose of ongoing formation is to equip Redemptorists to more effectively live out the Mission of the Congregation in the contemporary world.

The scope of ongoing formation involves every member and the whole of life in a continual and progressive manner.

The objective of ongoing formation is:

·   continual self-renewal in human, spiritual, scientific and pastoral matters (Constitution 90)

·   development and adaptation of specific skills needed for the apostolate (Constitution 90)

·   personal and community growth in Redemptorist Apostolic Life (Ratio Formationis C.Ss.R., #110)

The term ‘Ongoing Formation’ encompasses the whole formative process of life and ministry in the Congregation. ‘Continuing Education’ is often used to refer more specifically to the professional and academic training which enhances that life and ministry. Normally, Ongoing Formation includes the aspect of Continuing Education – but Ongoing Formation also includes spiritual, human and community growth and formation. Both terms are used in our official documents to emphasize the lifelong process of formation for all Redemptorists.

2.      The Agents of Ongoing Formation and Continuing Education

Our Constitutions (82, 90), Statutes (084, 140c) and the Ratio Formationis C.Ss.R. (#110) insist that Ongoing Formation is the responsibility of each individual member of the Congregation, but that responsibility is shared with the local community, under the leadership and oversight of the (V)Provincial Superior.

Every member must take primary responsibility for his ongoing formation. He must keep alive the awareness that this is a life-long process which involves his personal, communal and ministerial/professional life. If he is convinced of the importance of self-renewal, he will take advantage of the opportunities which are available – in his community, in his (V)Province, and in the Congregation, as well as in the local Church and academic settings.

The Local Community must also assume responsibility for assisting in the ongoing formation and continuing education of its members. This continual and progressive formation does not take place in a vacuum, but in and through the day-to-day life, ministry and study of all the members. Community meetings, Review of Life, Monthly Retreat Days, and other opportunities must be explored by the local community.

The (V)Provincial Superior has the principal responsibility to provide for the formation of all the members. He is assisted in this task by the Secretariats for Formation and Apostolic Life. The (V)Provincial Chapter must also examine and promote the ongoing formation of the members.

3.      Dimensions of Ongoing Formation and Continuing Education

The Ratio Formationis C.Ss.R., issued by the General Government in 2003, outlines the five important dimensions of the formation process which must be addressed at each stage – including ongoing formation and continuing Education. This outline is a very important resource to all Redemptorists as they take personal responsibility for their personal growth and Redemptorist Apostolic Life. It is especially important to local superiors, Secretariats for Formation (especially those in charge of coordinating Ongoing Formation in the unit) and major superiors who have the oversight of the whole formation process.

These five dimensions form an integral whole. When planning for events, conferences, retreats, and other occasions for ongoing formation in the (V)Province, the accent may be put on one or more dimension. However, in some way, all five dimensions will most often be addressed.

The Human Dimension

The Constitutions remind us that whoever follows Christ, the perfect human being, becomes more human (Constitution 19). The Gospel of Salvation which we preach proclaims Christ the Redeemer and Lord as the model of the new humanity. Redemption affects the entire person and all human values (Constitution 6). We cannot ignore nor take for granted the importance of the human dimension of our vocation and our formative process. The formation process and personal growth of the members will take into account (Ratio Formationis #111):

·         Passages from initial formation to active ministry to the ‘third age’

·         The stages of growth as we age

·         Psychological-affective maturation

·         Physical health and health-related issues

·         Sexuality and Celibacy

·         Other areas for human growth and development, especially in response to contemporary needs and concerns

The Spiritual Dimension

Our Constitutions and Statutes remind us often that we are called to ‘continual progress through constant interior renewal’ (Constitution 40, see also 23, 41, 55). Ongoing formation will provide opportunities for us as individuals, local communities, and the (V)Provincial Community to engage seriously in this process of spiritual growth. Such opportunities will take into account (Ratio Formationis #112):

·         An incarnational spirituality

·         Intimate union of our proclamation and the witness of our lives

·         Personal and communal prayer, especially in the Redemptorist tradition

·         Daily conversion and ‘distacco’

·         Monthly and annual retreats

·         Profession, the meaning of our dedication to Christ and ‘consecrated life’, and our missionary identity

The Community Dimension

An essential law of life for the Redemptorist is that we live in community and carry out our apostolic work through community. Community does not truly exist when the members merely live together; it requires genuine sharing on the human spiritual level (Constitution 21). Ongoing Formation will foster (Ratio Formationis #113):

·         A spirit of belonging in a real way to the Congregation and the local community

·         The integration of differences in the community

·         Affective maturity and gospel friendship

·         Capacity for adaptability

·         Skills for addressing living with conflict

·         Co-responsibility

·         Hospitality and welcome

·         Skills for community meetings, leadership, planning and appropriate sharing of faith, life and ministry.

The Academic/Professional Dimension

The world in which we live and to which we are sent with the Good News of Plentiful Redemption calls us to continual renewal of our knowledge and skills for ministry. Every member must seek to give new life to his ministry, and the ministry of the community. This will involve ‘constant study of the sacred and human sciences’ (Constitution 90). This will include, but not be limited to, doctrinal and professional updating in the following areas (Ratio Formationis #114):

·         Biblical study

·         Systematic Theology, especially moral theology

·         Liturgy and the Sacrament of Reconciliation

·         Documents of the Church and ecclesiology

·         Cultural studies and ‘secularity’

·         Language studies

·         Professional and technical updating, including psychology and spiritual direction

·         Skills for collaboration/partnership with lay men and women

·         Skills for inculturated evangelization

·         Media

The Pastoral Dimension

The pastoral orientation of the whole course of training is a distinctive feature of missionary formation (Statute 058). This is as true of Ongoing Formation as it is of Initial Formation. The pastoral dimension presumes the other four dimensions already mentioned, and will take into account (Ratio Formationis #115):

·         Personal charisms in the service of the Mission of the Community and the culture and pastoral reality of the confrere

·         Creativity and adaptability, as well as fostering the ‘distacco’ necessary for missionary mobility

·         Social and ecclesial analysis which assists us to ‘hear the cry of the poor’

·         Preaching and public speaking

·         Animating and facilitating groups

·         Working in partnership with others, including lay women and men

4.      Tools and Opportunities for Ongoing Formation and Continuing Education

The Constitutions and Statutes offer a number of suggestions about the tools available for the Ongoing Formation and Continuing Education of the members. Other opportunities will certainly be discovered in different situations. Different tools or opportunities will place the accent on different dimensions of the formation process. It is the task of the confrere, his community and the (V)Province to integrate the five dimensions in a continual and progressive manner.

At the Level of the Congregation

The General Government of the Congregation offers opportunities and resources for the Ongoing Formation and the Continuing Education of Redemptorists in a variety of ways: through Secretariats and Institutes, Courses and Programs, Publications, Communicanda and other communications.

Secretariats and Institutes

General Secretariat for Formation

·   Permanent Secretary for Formation

·   Course for Formation of Formators

·   Web site

General Secretariat for Spirituality

·   Institute for Spirituality

·   Spirituality Course

·   Charism Series

·   Other publications and resources

St. Alphonsus College of Higher Studies

Accademia Alfonsiana

·   Studia Moralia

Historical Institute

·   Spicilegium Historicum

Commission for Moral Theology

·   Moral Theology Congresses

·   Promotion of Moral Theology

Other Redemptorist Institutes of Moral Theology

·   Sponsored by individual Provinces, but open to many confreres from across the Congregation.

At the Level of the Region and (V)Provinces

It is important that Ongoing Formation and Continuing Education are taken seriously by the Regions and the (V)Provinces. Initiatives can be promoted and realized through:

·   Secretariats and Commissions;

·   Workshops, Conferences and Institutes;

·   Assemblies and Retreats;

·   Publications, websites, and other resources.

The Constitutions and Statutes suggest many possibilities – and the application and implementation of these suggestions varies across the Congregation. Many Regions and (V)Provinces are now collaborating with one another on these initiatives, taking into account geography, culture, language, and other contextual concerns.

The following is a list of opportunities and possibilities.

Secretariats and Commissions on a Regional or (V)Provincial Level

·   The Secretariat for Formation might include Ongoing Formation. Sometimes Ongoing Formation is a separate secretariat or commission. It must work together with the Secretariat for Formation to be effective.

·   Secretariat for Apostolic Life can provide critical assistance and input on ongoing formation

Statute 084 specifically mentions Secretariats for Formation and Apostolic Life. In some places, these are assisted by a secretariat or commission for spirituality and/or community life. In many situations, the Secretariat or Commission for Ongoing Formation coordinates specific programs, events, institutes, workshops or retreats. However, the (V)Provincial Chapter, EPC and other bodies in the unit can offer great assistance.

Workshops, Conferences and Institutes

Workshops, Conferences and Institutes are generally devoted to developing skills for ministry, discussing contemporary cultural or ecclesial issues or updating academic training. They most often engage areas of concern such as:

·   Preaching and Evangelization

·   Aging and Health Concerns

·   Moral Theology

·   Liturgy and Reconciliation

·   Redemptorist History and Spirituality

·   Cultural and Ecclesial issues

·   Skills for Ministry (e.g. counseling, spiritual direction, conflict, etc.)

Assemblies and Retreats

Many (V)Provinces have found Assemblies (sometimes called ‘Convocations’) and Retreats to be especially effective means of community and spiritual formation for all the members. Depending on geography, size and other issues, many units engage in these opportunities on an annual or ‘every other year’ timetable. These are especially effective for fostering:

·   Personal and communal prayer

·   ‘Gospel friendship’

·   Plan of Community Life

·   Vision and direction for the Region and/or (V)Province

Sabbaticals and Renewal

Many (V)Provinces have policies for sabbaticals, and the periodic renewal and updating of the confreres. Some institutes sponsored by individual (V)Provinces offer programs and accommodations to assist in this important ministry. These institutes encourage interprovincial and international collaboration, which is a value for the whole Congregation.

Higher Studies and Academic/Professional Formation

As a (V)Province develops its pastoral plan and priorities, as well as preparing formators for its formation program, it is important to consider higher studies as a strategic part of its life. Statutes 023 and 083 encourage Redemptorists to support the Higher College of Saint Alphonsus and the Alphonsian Academy in Rome. In planning for higher studies, the (V)Provinces should consider our own institutes. This is not to exclude other options when they are more appropriate to the needs of the unit.

It is important for the overall health of a (V)Province and the Congregation that confreres are sent for higher studies on a regular basis. The choice of areas of study, as well as the academic institute and program, must be the result of a fruitful dialogue between the (V)Provincial leadership and the confrere. In many (V)Provinces, guidelines prepared by the Formation Secretariat or Ongoing Formation Committee can assist this dialogue.

At the Level of the Local Community

The XXIII General Chapter (1997) directed every community in the Congregation to develop a Plan of Community Life (PCL). Part of such a plan will promote the ongoing formation of the members of the community. The Pastoral Guide for Superiors invites every local superior to take this challenge very seriously. Such ongoing formation can involve all five of the dimensions mentioned above in an integrated manner. There are tools and resources available to help in this process. Some suggestions are listed below:

·   Monthly retreat days in common

·   Regular community meetings

·   Review of Life

·   The ‘Charism’ series

·   Fraternal sharing

·   Integration of apostolic experience and community life

·   ‘Case studies’ and reflection on contemporary situation together

·   Participation in study days in the local Church

·   Formation of partnership with lay men and women (Redemptorist Associates, Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer, etc.)

The Responsibility of the Individual Confrere

The Constitutions and Statutes, as well as our Ratio Formationis make clear that it is the responsibility of the individual confrere to assure his ongoing formation and continuing education. Of course, creative initiatives must be explored with the local community and the Provincial leadership. However, there are many initiatives in which a confrere can engage at the local level on an integrated and regular basis:

·   Commitment to personal and communal prayer, and the PCL of the community

·   Regular reading and study

·   Spiritual Direction

·   Workshops and conferences

·   Participation in the life and conversation of the local community and the (V)Province

It is also the responsibility of the confrere who has had the opportunity to participate in a workshop, conference, sabbatical program or course of higher studies to find creative ways to share this experience with his unit.

5.      Specific Areas for Special Attention

There are several areas which require specific attention for the Ongoing Formation and Continuing Education of Redemptorists. These should be areas of particular concern to the whole unit, and most especially, to the (V)Provincial Superior, the Chapter, and the Council.

Formation of Formators

The Formation of Formators is a specialized area of great concern in the Congregation. The Constitutions and Statutes give some general guidelines, including the careful selection of formators, the adequate training they require for their ministry, and the importance of training all those involved in teaching or pastoral preparation of the candidates in Initial Formation.

The Formation of Formators will be more readily achieved in those units which give the necessary attention to the ongoing formation of all the members. However, there are specific specialized areas in which formators need to be trained.

Programs are available in many regions of the Congregation for the general formation of formators, usually through academic institutions. Secretariats for Formation oversee programs for the specific Redemptorist formation necessary for formators. The preparation of able formators to oversee Initial Formation of candidates to Redemptorist Apostolic Life requires careful planning on the part of major superiors and their Councils, with the advice of the Formation Secretariat.

The same guidelines apply to those who will teach in seminaries or supervise the pastoral preparation of Redemptorist candidates. It is important to the life of the Congregation that the (V)Provinces send confreres to engage in higher studies on a regular basis.

Formation for Leadership in the Congregation

We live and minister in an increasingly complex world, amid diverse cultures and societies. The ministry of leadership at the Congregational, (V)Provincial and Local level has also grown more complex and difficult. Many confreres are expressing a need for more adequate formation for leadership.

The General Government has worked hard to provide resources to help with this need. These include:

·   The Pastoral Guide for Superiors and The Directory for Superiors

·   The Course and Program for New Major Superiors at the beginning of each triennium

·   The focus on leadership in the Spirituality Course offered by the Institute for Spirituality.

Some Regions and (V)Provinces have also developed resources to help with this formation, including:

·   Workshops for new Superiors

·   Conferences on Leadership sponsored by Conferences of Religious or other institutes

·   (V)Provincial workshops on leadership issues for the members

·   Collaboration with Dioceses, other religious, etc. on workshops on particular areas of leadership formation, such as facilitating meetings, dealing with conflict, partnership with laity, co-responsibility, financial administration

There is an increasing need for greater collaboration and sharing of resources across the Congregation. Recent Visitations by the General Government have stressed the importance of this area of ongoing formation.

Constitutions and Statutes: Appropriation and Integration

Redemptorists live Apostolic Life according the spirit and norms of the Constitutions and Statutes. Much effort has been made to help each confrere and community appropriate and integrate the Constitutions in a personal way. There is still much work to be done. This is an area of ongoing formation which we cannot neglect, and resources are available to help each confrere, community and (V)Province in this important dimension of our life. These resources include, but are not limited to:

·   The new edition of the Constitutions and Statutes, with topical index

·   The ‘Charism’ series (three volumes, based on the first three chapters of the Constitutions)

·   The Charism of the Redemptorists in the Church: A Commentary on the Constitutions by Santino Raponi, C.Ss.R.

In addition to these resources, many (V)Provinces have sponsored workshops on the Constitutions for their members, as has the General Government.

It is important to note that personal appropriation and integration of the Constitutions by each confrere, each community and unit is also a life-long process. It requires reflective reading, dialogue with the experience of ministry and community, and conversation with other Redemptorists.

Formation for International Collaboration

There is a growing international collaboration in the Congregation. This is strongly encouraged by the General Government, with the support of recent General Chapters, and by the Commission for Restructuring.

International Collaboration requires a conversion of attitudes and a high degree of adaptability, as well as particular skills. Formation for such collaboration must include:

·   Formation for international communities. Experience teaches that such communities require careful preparation and planning. This will usually require a period of preparation together before embarking on the project itself.

·   Learning new languages. Language study and immersion experiences in another culture and country not only assist in developing one’s linguistic ability, but will also expand one’s cultural horizons.

·   Study and experience of different cultures, as well as deeper study of one’s own culture.

This formation for international collaboration can be assisted by:

·   Collaboration in pastoral ministry, even for a short period of time.

·   Sabbaticals and renewals in an international setting.

·   Immersion in cross-cultural experiences.

·   Colloquiums, conferences and workshops on particular themes.

·   Exchange of personnel between units.

·   Participation on the different Secretariats and Commissions of the General.