Vocation Formation
- Introduction
The rapid and extensive societal, cultural, political, economic, scientific, and technological evolution has caused continual modification in consecrated life. Ministries have undergone radical redesigning. And not to mention, their way of life has also been revolutionized.
The continuous emergence of a new generation, like the millennials, is a motivation for improving the manual as we believe we could cater more to new vocations with the hope of adjusting the religious traditions to their characteristics. We believe that this new generation is also being called to spread the Reign of God in the religious state and has the capacity for spiritual growth with the proper motivation and given the right guidance.
Believing that the future of a Congregation depends largely on formation and so as a response to these radical and rapid changes, the call to revise the Formation Manual became one of the resolutions in the Second SFIC-PNP Provincial Chapter held last 2016. It states, “The times in which we are living, challenged by the influx of technology and the culture of post-modernity, ecological crisis and injustice, that is destructive of life and disfigures the face of God on earth – call for the refocusing of formation in the SFIC-PNP today.” The focus on interiorization was resolved in the 2013 General Chapter.
Amidst all these changes, religious life remains the same. The formation processes may change but its aim to “express in the person her character of wholeness in every aspect of personality, behavior and intentions still remains.” (Vita Consecrata #65). The desire to always make visible the chaste, poor and obedient Christ is her primary preoccupation.
Sowing
“What are you looking for?…”
(John 1:38)
“Lord, what do you want me to do?”
(2Celano 6)
- Introduction
God sows the seed of vocation.
The candidate is attracted to Jesus and listens intently to His words: “What are you looking for?” (Jn. 1:38) Like St. Francis, her initial response is “Lord, what do you want me to do?” (2C 6)
Vocation promotion aims at presenting the person of the Lord Jesus and the beauty of the total gift of self for the sake of the Gospel (Vita Consecrata #64). Vocational guidance is given to help the candidate reach a state of readiness to make a free choice in responding to the call of God.
- Goal
An effective SFIC Vocation Promotion Program that facilitates the discernment and readiness of a young woman to make a free choice in responding to God’s call to the religious way of life.
STAGES OF FORMATION
POSTULANCY
Germinating
“…so they went with Him and saw where He lived and spent the rest of the day with Him.”
(John 1:39)
“Whom do you want to serve, the servant or the Master?”
(2 Celano 6)
“Gaze into the mirror daily, O queen bride of Jesus Christ and continually reflect Your face in it.”
(St. Clare)
- Introduction
The soil is prepared for the seed to germinate.
The Postulant seriously begins to explore and confirm the authenticity of her call to the religious life. She makes a gradual spiritual and psychological adjustment to prepare the way for certain breaks with one’s social milieu, necessary to freely participate in her formation process. Relying not on her merit and strength, but having experienced God’s unconditional love, with full trust in God’s abiding presence, the Postulant dares to follow her heart’s desire.
Postulancy is a time for mutual acquaintance between the Postulant and the Congregation. It is a probationary period designed to assess the candidate’s human and Christian maturity that will manifest her capacity to begin religious formation and undertake progressively all the obligations of religious life. Hence, it is an opportunity provided to the candidate for continuous vocation discernment. A person-oriented formation is provided to respond to the needs of the Postulant.
- Goal
To deepen the candidate’s faith-response to the call of God in the SFIC way of life.
NOVITIATE
Growing
“We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41) …
“I will follow you wherever you go” (Luke 9:57)
“This is what I wish, this is what I seek, this is what I long to do with all my heart.” (1 Celano 22)
“Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as she desires to imitate Him” (2 Lag 20)
- Introduction
The seed of religious life begins to grow.
The call to religious life is God’s gift, an invitation to be part of His dream for humanity. The yes of the chosen one begins as she strives to gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as she desires to imitate Him (2 Lag 20)
Noviceship is a period where the seed of vocation begins to grow. The Novice has found the Messiah and desires to “follow Him wherever He goes” (Lk. 9:57). Care and nourishment are provided to allow the roots underneath the ground to grow in a quiet and hidden way. This will allow the Novice to listen to the Word for the process of transformation in Christ and exclaim, “This is what I wish, this is what I seek, this is what I long to do with all my heart” (1 C 22).
Noviceship provides time and space for the Novice to be rooted not only in the Word but in the spirit and charism of the Congregation. It is a gradual initiation into the SFIC way of life towards a personal commitment to Christ and His mission.
The canonical year of Novitiate provides continuity of process from Postulancy. It is a time for deeper processing of personal issues, for further clarification of one’s motivations, for discernment of an authentic vocation to the consecrated life and for cultivation of values and the integration of the call-response reality.
The second year of novitiate prepares the Novice for her First Profession to a life of service, in imitation of Jesus Christ, especially among the marginalized and dispossessed, service to the poor sectors in society and with the SFIC local communities.
- Goal
A Novice is prepared for First Profession as an SFIC committed to the person of Jesus Christ and His mission.
JUNIORATE
Flowering
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life and we have believed and we have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69)
“Go, repair my house which is falling to ruin.” (2 Celano 10)
“. . .remembering your purpose, and always looking to the beginning, hold what you hold, do what you are now doing and do not cease. . .” (2 lL Ag, 11)
- Introduction
The plant begins to flower.
The Juniorate is the period of formation from the First Profession to Perpetual Profession of Vows. It is a period set aside to deepen one’s commitment in faith to Christ and His mission.
“How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” (Is 52:7)
The Junior Sister’s vocation can be strengthened and nourished as St. Clare tells Agnes of Prague: “But because one thing is necessary I bear witness to that one thing and encourage you, for love of Him to Whom you have offered yourself as a holy and pleasing sacrifice, that you always be mindful of your resolution…always seeing your beginning. What you hold, may you always hold, what you do, may you always do and never abandon.” (2 1L Ag, 10-11)
The five years of temporary vows are designed to allow the Junior Sister to live her fidelity to Christ and the Gospel, to the Church and its mission, to religious life and the SFIC spirit and charism, to humanity and to the signs of the times.
These realities are actualized in the Junior Sister’s immersion in the mainstream of SFIC local communities. Fraternal Life in community will serve as a school of reality, co-responsibility, mutuality, respect and minority. It will sustain and deepen her SFIC identity as she daily lives the spirit and charism of the Congregation. In the spirit of evangelical conversion, the context, content and process of formation focus on interiorization towards witness of life, taking into consideration inter-culturality and the effects of social media and globalization.
Her commitment to Jesus Christ and His mission is further enhanced in her active participation primarily among the marginalized and dispossessed to give shape to the Reign of God: a reign of justice and peace among people, for the whole of creation. (SFIC Constitutions, SB 2:93-95)
- Goal
A Junior Sister who is nourished and strengthened in her identity as an SFIC and in her personal commitment to Jesus Christ and His mission “in the footsteps of Mother Teresia van Miert, St. Francis and St. Clare, and under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
INTENSIFICATION
- Introduction
The Intensification Year is a period of intensive preparation prior to Perpetual Profession of Vows. It is a time of prayer and contemplation; for deeper appreciation and valuing of God’s gratuitous gift of religious vocation and one’s response. It is for the deepening of one’s understanding and living of the SFIC spirit and charism and for strengthening one’s offering of self in view of making a lifetime commitment to Jesus Christ and His mission.
This year of withdrawal from full time apostolic involvement allows the Intensifier to review, clarify, and interiorize the learnings and experiences during the earlier years of initial formation. It further provides her the opportunity to give the needed attention to areas in religious life that still have to be strengthened.
This period of intensification ends with a thirty-day directed Francis-Clarean retreat.
- Goal
A Junior Sister is ready for a lifetime commitment to Jesus Christ and His mission through the SFIC way of life.
ON-GOING LEVEL I
Bearing Fruit
“Whoever remains in me and I in Him will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.”
(John 15:5)
“I am the herald of the Great King.”
(1 Celano 16a)
“Confidently rejoicing and lightheartedly tread carefully along the path of blessedness”
(2 Lag. 13)
- Introduction
This is the time of bringing forth fruits.
This level covers the period from the Perpetual Profession of Vows to the 24th year of religious life. These words of Jesus: “Whoever remains in me, and I in Him will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me” (Jn. 15:5) become a constant refrain for an on- going conversion to the personal life of Jesus.
It is a time of bearing fruits by sharing gifts and talents through fraternal life in the community and through the varied ministries of the Congregation. The Sister on this level continues to proclaim that she is “the herald of the Great King” (1C 16a) and is “confidently rejoicing and lightheartedly treading carefully along the path of blessedness”.
- Goal
The SFIC Professed Sister, who, through a continuing process towards inner conversion, transformation and wholeness, is progressively conformed to Christ at the service of the Church’s mission.
ON-GOING LEVEL II
Ripening
“I have found Him whom my heart loves. I will hold Him and will never let Him go.
(Song of Songs 3:4)
“I have done what was mine to do, may Christ teach you what you are to do.”
(2 Celano 214)
“Look upon Him who became contemptible for you, and follow Him, making yourself contemptible in the world for Him…gaze Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him.”
(Second Letter to Agnes of Prague, 19-20).
- Introduction
Ripening is growing towards full human and Christian maturity, interiorization, authenticity and witnessing.
This level of formation starts from Silver Jubilee to the 39th year of religious life. Here, the Sisters continue to experience the emergence of the real self and the challenge to integrate all the polarities of their life with these words: “I have found Him whom my heart loves; I will hold Him and will never let Him go.” (Song of Songs 3:4) It is also during this period that they are further drawn into creative solitude: to journey inward and to live out the Paschal Mystery poignantly, experienced in the period of midlife transition and spirituality.
The focus of Level II is to generate life by passing on to the younger Sisters the Gospel/Francis-Clarean values, SFIC spirit and charism by sharing their God-given talents. This facilitates the Sisters’ understanding and acceptance of the advent of the aging process. Hence, she is able to say: “I have done what was mine to do, may Christ teach you what you are to do” (2C 214).
In the spirit of evangelical conversion, the context, content and process of the on-going formation program will focus on interiorization towards witness of life, taking into consideration inter-culturality and the effects of social media and globalization.
- Goal
The SFIC Professed Sister who, through a continuing process of conversion, is progressively growing towards a more authentic living out of her commitment to Jesus Christ and His mission, evidenced by a joyful acceptance of the aging process towards the fullness of life.
ON-GOING LEVEL III
Harvesting
“Do you really love me?… Lord, you know everything,
you know well that I love you… ‘Follow me.” (John 21: 15:19) “My God and My All.”
(Little Flowers of St. Francis 2)
Love enfolds…it is no longer I that live, but Christ who lives in me I am secure in the Lord.
(Prayer of St. Clare)
- Introduction
Harvesting is celebrating the fullness of God’s grace.
This Level starts from Ruby Jubilee until the final stage of a Sister’s life. During this stage, the Sister realizes more than ever what is real, essential and indestructible in life. She contemplates her response to these words of Jesus: “Do you really love me?… Lord, you know everything, you know well that I love you… ‘Follow me.” (Jn. 21: 15:19)
This is a period of self-emptying, gratitude, wisdom, peace, and celebration leading to the positive integration of life and death towards the fullness of life and union with the Triune God with the prayer “My God and My All” (LFl 2).
- Goal
The SFIC Professed Sister, who through a continuing process of conversion and transformation, is progressively growing towards a more authentic living-out of her commitment to Jesus Christ and His mission and a joyful readiness for the coming of Sister Death which leads her to fullness of life and the eternal union in love with the Triune God.