Ordo Fratrum Minorum Capuccinorum PT

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updated 11:54 AM UTC, Mar 20, 2024

You are Beautiful People…!

"You are Beautiful People ...!" Looking at more than 1350 Religious Formators from all over the world, gathered at Paul VI hall, on 11th April 2015 Pope Francis said this with a warm smile. It was a great moment for the formators to experience the presence of a 'World Formator' that is our Pope, who walks his talk as they gathered together to reflect about 'Living in Christ according to the form of life of the Gospel'. He invited the Formators to become truly loving like a Father and Mother in the family of faith. This seminar, conducted from 7th to 11th April 2015, to mark the year of Consecrated Life, brought together several congregations together to reflect about the formative challenges and new ways to make the formation relevant.

blogsgf 150429 02Cardinal Joao Braz Card de Aviz, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, invited the religious to "look at the past with gratitude; live the present with compassion and embrace the future with the hope." All through the congress there were moments of deeper reflection, inputs on various topics related to religious formation, sharing of experiences, silent meditation after every session, celebrating of our brother/sisterhood in groups, it was also amazing to see each formator trying to reflect, witness his/her charism in and through their very persons and expressions. Arch Bishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo Ofm the Secretary of the Congregation, kept the group alive with his humour filled animation and called to share the bread of faith, vocation, joy, weakness and accompany the formees.

blogsgf 150429 01The Formators felt the need to work together with various congregations and have shared initiatives than confine to one's congregation alone. It is a reality that some congregations/formators are in tune with the Spirit of the Gospel ( as reflected by the call of Pope Francis) and in touch with the social reality they are living in; they are constantly realizing the need for renewal. And at the same there are also congregations/formators who are lost in their one sided reflections (that lack updating), emotional wounds and limited worlds. The invitation of the Divine Spirit was to be open to the call of God and listen to the world that wants spiritual, sensible, human, compassionate and witnessing religious. We need to know our history, have contemplative base, and come out with new answers drawing inspirations from the Holy Spirit. To which group we belong? Let us remember that we religious are beautiful people ...! And let us become a blessing ...!
You will find full details of the International Congress for Trainers in Consecrated Life in this link: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/anno-vita-consacrata/index_anno-vita-consacrata_en.htm