These two Imc theologates are having a very good and positive experience of interculturality, stated their formators. It is moreover the wish of all of us to foster the family spirit and the interculturality in all our formative communities. Subsequently, many questions came up simply because theology is the last stage of our basic formation for mission. All of us agree that the holiday pastoral experience in our parishes is of paramount importance for students of theology.
The group sharing continued its normal course with debate on student report and the formative dialogue, the spiritual direction which are among other means of the Imc missionary formation. On spiritual direction and the students report some guidelines will be issued and some light will be brought on the report or “la relazione sullo studente” said fr Paco.
During the Mass Fr Ouma, the general counsellor in charge of Africa invited all of us to follow God, love him and sere Him by serving our community.
Thanks to father Albert Kathare, the outgoing rector of philosophy in Kinshasa, who celebrated his birthday and blew his 35 candles: this was a nice way to conclude in fraternity our work during the week-long meeting..
29/05/2007 - We are at the penultimate day.
A special presentation was delivered by Fr, Paco on the year of missionary service to the Institute. Father Paco tried to summarize this new experience decided by the XI Ceneral Chapter, he then invited the formators of theology ( Kinshasa and Nairobi) to share their experience, or rather the seminarians’ experience of the service to the Institute. This experience is not a pastoral work only but it is more than that…it is a service which a temporary professed member renders to the Institute. It is important to inform and prepare in advance the receiving community. Both sides, the coming missionary and his new community, should grow in openness and readiness to the newness. Though the experiences done in Kenya and in Congo are positive so far, there is always room for improvement.
On specializations, the General Direction continues to study its feasibility. We ended our morning session with questions on the feelings of a formator after his experience, his difficulties and moments of joy.
In the first part of the afternoon session Fr Matthew Ouma underlined to us some essential points which should be considered and implemented in our formative process. They are also the expectations shared by our General Superior, the Rev. father Fiorentini Aquileo, he added.
The second half of the session consisted in giving input about the common fund, known as Cassa Comune and the psychological or rather human accompaniment, we thanked Fr Jackson Murugara and fr. Antonio Bellagamba for their inputs. It was followed by sharing in groups.
On Cassa Commune, the general council in charge of formation will implement the general chapter on this matter by publishing a brochure. It will then be distributed to all our houses of formation worldwide.
Here some observations brought by fr Matthew on behalf of Father General, they are fruits of their visits to the Imc communities.
1. Team work, to give initiation to our seminarians in this way of working, by planning together; it
fosters the family spirit.
2. Administration of the goods of the church, well used money, sharing about our economy, having input by administrators,
3. Amv, link to formation, our seminaries should keep that link and be open to it.
4. Regular communication with the General Council in charge of the continent, and also the General Secretary, by sending the right IDs of students, e-mails, cell phone numbers.
5. How to help our students to use new technologies, digital, etc use them well.
6. How to help in build the continentality
7. Good care of our liturgical celebrations as the Founder himself wanted and wished it to be done. eg, use of missal, right vessels, and neatness.
8. Questions about the inculturation of the charism, to be study, even in our seminary.
9. The formators are invited not to let the students with serious problems to go on to the next stage without finding any solution…
10. About the languages to be used by the missionaries, the seminaries should make an effort in order to implement the XI general chapter decision, and the general council is ready to help with whichever initiative on this matter.
11. Not to do everything for the students, but help them to be responsible.
2. Administration of the goods of the church, well used money, sharing about our economy, having input by administrators,
3. Amv, link to formation, our seminaries should keep that link and be open to it.
4. Regular communication with the General Council in charge of the continent, and also the General Secretary, by sending the right IDs of students, e-mails, cell phone numbers.
5. How to help our students to use new technologies, digital, etc use them well.
6. How to help in build the continentality
7. Good care of our liturgical celebrations as the Founder himself wanted and wished it to be done. eg, use of missal, right vessels, and neatness.
8. Questions about the inculturation of the charism, to be study, even in our seminary.
9. The formators are invited not to let the students with serious problems to go on to the next stage without finding any solution…
10. About the languages to be used by the missionaries, the seminaries should make an effort in order to implement the XI general chapter decision, and the general council is ready to help with whichever initiative on this matter.
11. Not to do everything for the students, but help them to be responsible.
Fr.Ghebre, the delegate from Ethiopia presided over our today Mass, he inviting formators to be models for their young confreres.
30/05/2007 - There is time for everything, time to start to finish, today his our last day.
It is the concluding time. The protagonist of the day was fr Paco, the General Consellor the charge of basic formation in the Institute.
Here are his suggestions and proposals:
1. Report on the student,
theology student, should give specific orientations on the students, capacity, inclination for probable specializations,
etc.
2. Psychological test / accompaniment…clarification to brought on the duration of the test
3. Documents which are to make the students report, CV, ID, only photocopies,
4. On the biennium on holiness, each formative community is invited to do something practical and inform the Institute.
5. On Octobre 2008 will start the biennium of interculturality, sharing about it, the experience and projects.
6. Comunication between every seminary and the General Councilor of formation.
7. Need of witness on our part as formators.
8. Community of formators to live in communion, work in team.
9. The importance of the Propaedeutic year
10. The importance of spiritual direction.
11. About future meetings, the formators are encouraged to present the report as a team, use of powerpoints when it is possible, etc.
12. The General Councilor of formation. To appoint a team of formators for Africa, which will act as the continental council of formation.
2. Psychological test / accompaniment…clarification to brought on the duration of the test
3. Documents which are to make the students report, CV, ID, only photocopies,
4. On the biennium on holiness, each formative community is invited to do something practical and inform the Institute.
5. On Octobre 2008 will start the biennium of interculturality, sharing about it, the experience and projects.
6. Comunication between every seminary and the General Councilor of formation.
7. Need of witness on our part as formators.
8. Community of formators to live in communion, work in team.
9. The importance of the Propaedeutic year
10. The importance of spiritual direction.
11. About future meetings, the formators are encouraged to present the report as a team, use of powerpoints when it is possible, etc.
12. The General Councilor of formation. To appoint a team of formators for Africa, which will act as the continental council of formation.
All formators were invited to write their evaluation of this meeting, which
will help to prepare future meetings.
Since everything had begun with prayer, this meeting of formation in Africa ended also with prayer. In fact it was during the Eucharistic celebration presided by rev. father Cellana the Imc Superior of Kenya and concelebrated by all the formators.
Fr Cellana was grateful to God, to the Institute, the region of Kenya who felt honoured once more to hold such a meeting and the formators who are doing this great service to the institute and the church and to the host centre that is Bethany house.
Fr. Franco talked about continuing the communion experienced in the past few days, of togetherness in discerning, in sharing and in planning new ways, in bringing new hope. Every one should be committed from the seminarian to the formators, the family, the local church, educators, should be involved in the process of formation. He reminded the formators to be humble, gentle and firm in their ways of doing things. You are the delegate of the Institute. Your life is to be characterised by sobriety, justice and piety. You are to render great service to the Institute and include all of us with you.
A big word of thanks to our novices of Sagana for their nice songs and the rest of the liturgy they prepared, a word of gratitude to fathers Salemi and Ichiloi for guiding our prayer today, thanks indeed to Fr. Cellana for being so cose to us all..
We are also greatful to fr Masino, to Paul and the workerss of Bethany house they made our staying in Sagana easy and enjoyable. Kanimambo, asante sana, totodindi bino botondi, muito obrigado, muchas gracias, grazie mile, thank you Very much indeed to all, including Fr. Pendawazima for being the “official driver” of the meeting, as well as the secretary with Fr. Murugara.
{mosimage}
Carissimi fratelli,
Alla fine del nostro incontro continentale della formazione di base per l’Africa a Sagana, voglio in nome di tutti i formatori Imc in Africa ringraziarvi per la vostra fraternità e specialmente per il vostro sostegno spirituale, voi avete pregato per noi, avete celebrato le messe per un buon risultato di questo raduno famigliare del continente.
Questa è per noi formatori Imc in Africa un segno visibile dell’appartenenza alla stessa famiglia.
Da parte nostra ringraziamo Dio per averci dato il Fondatore beato G. Allamano come padre, per darci una famiglia unita attorno la Consolata. Auguriamo a voi tutti un buon cammino. Sempre con questa sfida di cercare di “fare bene il bene”.
Per i formatori Imc in Africa
Since everything had begun with prayer, this meeting of formation in Africa ended also with prayer. In fact it was during the Eucharistic celebration presided by rev. father Cellana the Imc Superior of Kenya and concelebrated by all the formators.
Fr Cellana was grateful to God, to the Institute, the region of Kenya who felt honoured once more to hold such a meeting and the formators who are doing this great service to the institute and the church and to the host centre that is Bethany house.
Fr. Franco talked about continuing the communion experienced in the past few days, of togetherness in discerning, in sharing and in planning new ways, in bringing new hope. Every one should be committed from the seminarian to the formators, the family, the local church, educators, should be involved in the process of formation. He reminded the formators to be humble, gentle and firm in their ways of doing things. You are the delegate of the Institute. Your life is to be characterised by sobriety, justice and piety. You are to render great service to the Institute and include all of us with you.
A big word of thanks to our novices of Sagana for their nice songs and the rest of the liturgy they prepared, a word of gratitude to fathers Salemi and Ichiloi for guiding our prayer today, thanks indeed to Fr. Cellana for being so cose to us all..
We are also greatful to fr Masino, to Paul and the workerss of Bethany house they made our staying in Sagana easy and enjoyable. Kanimambo, asante sana, totodindi bino botondi, muito obrigado, muchas gracias, grazie mile, thank you Very much indeed to all, including Fr. Pendawazima for being the “official driver” of the meeting, as well as the secretary with Fr. Murugara.
{mosimage}
Carissimi fratelli,
Alla fine del nostro incontro continentale della formazione di base per l’Africa a Sagana, voglio in nome di tutti i formatori Imc in Africa ringraziarvi per la vostra fraternità e specialmente per il vostro sostegno spirituale, voi avete pregato per noi, avete celebrato le messe per un buon risultato di questo raduno famigliare del continente.
Questa è per noi formatori Imc in Africa un segno visibile dell’appartenenza alla stessa famiglia.
Da parte nostra ringraziamo Dio per averci dato il Fondatore beato G. Allamano come padre, per darci una famiglia unita attorno la Consolata. Auguriamo a voi tutti un buon cammino. Sempre con questa sfida di cercare di “fare bene il bene”.
Per i formatori Imc in Africa
P. Symphorien Fumwasendji
