FORMATION ENCOUNTER

UNIQUE FORMATION MEDIATION

Last August 24 - September 6, 2016. We the formators' team of East Asia Province gathered in Quezon City Formation house with the special aim to study, share and draw some guidelines for our plan for formation. We are blessed to be accompanied by our General Prefect of Formation "Sr. Jolanta Kafka, RMI. We are very thankful to her for sharing her very self, time, energy and knowledge with us. She is facilitating the encounter and helping us to realize and learn some method in doing the formation.

Sr. Jola guided us with the inputs on formation entitle UNIQUE FORMATION MEDIATION by Fr. Amedeo Cencini. We are truly enriched by his thoughts and we agree with him that to educate always means participating in the creative and constructive action of God; it is something that regularly extends over long time, means letting oneself continually be scrutinized by His eyes and by His Word, or the constant courage to pull out one's own truth without being satisfied with sincerity.

Formation is the way of living the vocation in process. It is explicitly formative in which one is integrating what she is learning to be capable of responsible and free surrender to God

We took time to listen, reflect and learn from each other experiences. With  that we come to realize and perceive our common struggles and hopes as we  accompany our young sisters in formation. We are strengthened by the fact that the Spirit of the Lord continues to guide us to live the presence with enthusiasm and to move forward with confidence not so much because we have come out with the drafts for the formation projects but simply because God is calling us to collaborate with him.

 

 

 

In the middle of our busy schedules of studying and reflecting on formation works, we took time to refresh our mind and body by visiting Manila ocean park. 

 

 

Towards the end of her visit, Sr. Jola also took time to have days encounter with our postulants and novices. She shared with them about the characteristics of the personality of our founders.

Our heart felt gratitude to God the giver of our life and Claretian vocation. Our sincere thanks to our Mother Provincial who has given us this opportunity of encounter. And special thanks to Sr. Jolanta for lovingly and patiently teaching and guiding us in elaborating the plan for formation for our East Asia Province.

happy foundation day

EXODUS

EXODUS’ experience

 

A journey always gives meaning. Last 23th of July, we (Claretian brothers and sisters) did a hiking to Mount Merapi. The theme of hiking was Exodus and led by Fr .Gusti Supurt, CMF. The hiking begun with a contemplative dance called “Eretsh”. This dance is an initiation to the Promised Land. Before we left the house, we’re asked by Fr. Gusti to write down a word that could express our deep desires and reactions as if we’re about to leave the place where we are and starting journeying to the Promised Land. It was interesting. Not only that, during the journey, we also had the “ritual of baptism”. In this ritual, our co-journeyer would read for us our own messages we had written while pouring the water upon us. I felt blessed at that moment. I celebrated my vocation, I thanked the Lord for the vocation I have. A journey we passed through was an eye-catching view. We passed by rivers with a fresh air, green plants, cliffs, and twisted roads. We tired somehow but it’s not extinguished our heart desire to continue the journey. We stopped several times, sitting and listening to the simple novel of Jusuf’ story when he had sold by his brothers. The story was made alive and surely each of us could catch the meaning. Finally, we arrived in a place we called Sinai. Over there, we could look down, we could look back all the traces we have been through. I wondered at the natures, how it speaks a lot to me. It reminds me of the Creator, gives me inner peace I could not ever explained, and once again it ensures me of one thing I have to cherish of all times that my Creator never stops guiding me. I’m being renewed and surely God also ensures His presence. I could only reach the place I have to because of Him. Post-having lunch and short resting, we continued the journey until the place we called promised land. Personally, I find this was a great experience and unforgettable. How this experience took emotionally my feelings, struggles, joys, and even the commitment.. I praise the Lord for “He has made known to me the path of life.”  And I love to walk Him at all times.

                                                              By : Sr. Ucha Henakin

 

 

 

 

VOCATION PROMOTION

JOGJAKARTA-INDONESIA

AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE

By Marselina Maru

On July 2 & 3, 2016 we had the opportunity to join some other Congregations in the program of Vocation promotion in Wisma Salam, Jogjakarta. The participants consisted of some grade school students, Junior and senior High school students from different Parishes together with their parents and some Coordinators who helped to animate the program itself. 

The purpose of this program is to help or assist the children in realizing the seeds of Vocation within them. We also hoped that there would be participants interested to be religious or to embrace a life of celibacy. Yet, the desire of the participants to be religious or to be priest was really lessened. Nevertheless, the spirit and desire to serve others and the Church are still alive within each person. It was found out through the simplest sharing and activities that we had done with the participants.

Eventually, we realize that this program was really meaningful for us because through it, we were able to know directly the reality of the decrease of vocation in Religious life. We are challenged also to look for the “better responses” that we can offer to the reality of our world today so that the spirit of service through Religious life will be increasing and attracting for the young generations.