Rome (Italy). From 8 January to 23 May 2024, the Formation Course for Formators in the Sector of Consecrated Life will be held in Rome at the Pontifical Faculty of Science of Education «Auxilium», open to those who work or are preparing to work in the field of formation for Consecrated Life, with tasks of animation and/or coordination, in the various levels of formation processes.
Pope Francis, recalling the richness of the Magisterium on Consecrated Life from Vatican II onwards, calls for its actualization in today’s socio-cultural context. It underlines the necessity and urgency of formation, especially ongoing formation, encouraging the sharing of resources and charisms to foster a more attentive and targeted formation service.
Hence the need and urgency to promote the preparation of ‘quality’ formators through appropriate structures (cf. VC 66). The «Auxilium» Faculty offers its proposal, characterized by the support of the educational sciences, setting in formative perspective both contents, principles, and criteria, as well as models, processes, methods, and internships.
Therefore, the Course aims to promote the updating and re-understanding in an interdisciplinary formative key of the issues related to consecrated life; provide elements of knowledge and experience to adequately set the orientation, the discernment, and vocational accompaniment; encourage the acquisition of the skills necessary for the design, management, verification, and coordination of formative interventions; offer the opportunity of a personalized path for a rereading of one’s own experience.
Lasting 600 hours, it is divided into thematic units with a formative perspective and an intercultural approach, enhancing different disciplinary areas: biblical-theological, pastoral, sociological, psychological, juridical, communicative, pedagogical-methodological.
In addition to the lessons, there will be round tables, workshops, exercises, and sharing on the charismatic characteristics of individual Institutes.
Lessons take place from Monday to Friday, from January to the end of May 2024. The course is delivered simultaneously in classroom presence and online; in particular cases, it is possible to follow asynchronous mode.
“Formation aims to form the heart, mind, and life by facilitating the integration of the human, cultural, spiritual, and pastoral dimensions” (Pope Francis, Vultum Dei Quaerere 13).
