A meeting of the Formation Secretariat of the Conference of Europe
Present in San Gioachinno in Rome on the 11th and 12th May were the Coordinator Fr. Jacek Zdrzałek, Fr. Ronnie McAinsh, Fr. Metod Lukacik, Fr. Maurizio Iannuario, and Fr. Witold Hetnar who was invited as a special guest.
The first item on the agenda was a review of the programme for the common preparation for perpetual vows which will be held in July and August in Tuchow in Poland. During this time a programme of on-going formation for our confreres in Transition to Ministry and those up to 10 years ordained will also be held.
We then discussed the project of the proposed common theologate in Rome and at present there are not enough candidates in order to get this up and running.
A pilgrimage for our formandee to the shrines associated with Saint Clement is planned for August 2018 (21st – 27th) and Fr. Witold Hetnar offered his research on the situation in Warsaw and Kraków.
Fr. Ronnie McAinsh had researched accommodation in Vienna, while Fr. Metod looked at the possibility of overnight accommodation in Tasovice. Accommodation is being arranged for 50 persons and the logistics are quite complicated.
The secretariat then looked at the decisions of the Canonical Phase of the General Chapter and tried to discern what we should present to the Third Phase of the Chapter and the Assembly in Perth in September.
The situation with the two interprovincial novitiates in Ciorani and then Lubaszova-Podolinec was reviewed.
Again we had an outline of the courses on on-going formation being offered by the Centre of Spirituality in Rome.
Finally we had a long discussion on the proposed meeting of formators which is due to take place in Trios Epis in April 2018 (10th to 12th). Whilst we did not want to anticipate the work of the next Formation Secretariat, neither did we want to leave them with much work to do and a few months in which to do it. We are therefore offering them suggestions and have proposed a detailed outline programme for the meeting.
We concluded by reviewing the work of the past five years which has been a time for blessing for all of us in the service of Formation in our Conference.
Laudatur Jesus et Maria semper Virgo.
Ronald J. McAinsh, C.Ss.R.
