The Formation
“The primary objective of the formation process is to prepare people for the total consecration of themselves to God in the following of Christ, at the service of the Church’s mission. Formation should therefore have a profound effect on individuals, so that their every attitude and action, at important moments as well as in the ordinary events of life, will show that they belong completely and joyfully to God. Since the very purpose of consecrated life is conformity to the Lord Jesus in his total self-giving, this must also be the principal objective of formation”.(Vita Consecrata: 65)
Every member of SJSM goes through the following steps of Formation:
- Come & See’
- Aspirancy
- Candidatcy
- Postulancy
- Novitiate
- Juniorate
- On-Going formation
After going through the first three stages – the basic stages of formation, an aspiring candidate who desires to become a religious in SJSM has to go through a probationary period for one year to discern her vocation and then prepares for the novitiate. The aim of the novitiate is to introduce the novice to the holy vocation proper to our Institute. She has to learn the Charism and the spirituality of our congregation as well as our way of life. Together with those responsible for the novitiate the novice may discern her calling and in freedom decide whether she can accept a life according to the evangelical counsels and follow our Lord Jesus Christ as a religious. After having duly finished the novitiate the novice may be admitted to temporary Profession. The duration of temporary vows covers a period of six years. The formation started in the novitiate is to be continued in juniorate. After six years of Temporary Vows a sister commits herself perpetually. .
On-Going Formation
The formation of the sisters does not end with the final commitment. They are to continue their spiritual, theoretical and practical education and renew their professional knowledge. “None are exempt from the obligation to grow humanly and as religious; by the same token, no one can be over-confident and live in self-sufficient isolation. At no stage of life can people feel so secure and committed that they do not need to give careful attention to ensuring perseverance in faithfulness; just as there is no age at which a person has completely achieved maturity;” (Vita Consecrata: 69)
Consecrated Life – A Commitment or Challenge?
Consecration literally means ‘to set apart to the service of God’, dedicate and devote one’s life to love God and His Church. It’s a way of seeking holiness and a faithful response to God’s grace. We as the consecrated persons are to align ourselves with God’s plan. I believe that consecrated life is a commitment to God with courage to face the challenges of this world and not a confinement in the convents. Hence the consecrated persons are supposed to be active like Martha and contemplative like Mary. A consecrated person is called to bring God’s love and his son’s mercy to the humanity.
“Christ invites some people to share his experience as chaste, poor and obedient …….. to be totally conformed to him. Living in obedience, with nothing of one’s own and in chastity, consecrated persons profess that Jesus is the model in whom every virtue comes to perfection.” (Vita Consecrata: 18)
Consecrated life is a gift of God to a person through the Holy Spirit to live a life following the example of Jesus. A consecrated person offers oneself to the mission of Jesus Christ being faithful to the divine call, in unconditional love through consecration of mind, body and heart. He or she draws the inspiration from Jesus Christ by participating in the Holy Eucharist for the Eucharistic celebration is nothing but the culmination of Jesus’ consecration.
Instead of the institution of the Eucharist which three synoptic Gospels faithfully describe to us, the Gospel according to St. John recounts to us the very moving scene of‘the washing of the feet.’
The Eucharist expresses to us in a ritual manner a gift which involves the whole person of Jesus until his suffering and death on the cross. Washing the feet expresses exactly the same thing to us through the concrete and simple gesture of fraternal service in which Jesus becomes a servant, ‘the least of all’.
Every consecrated person is invited therefore to imitate this Jesus Christ, to love as he loved, to forgive and to be compassionate as he did to the woman caught in adultery, to the paralyzed man and to his own disciples especially who betrayed and denied him. Above all, every consecrated person is expected:
- To be gentle, humble and meek like Jesus, to bring comfort to those who are burdened.
- To give drink to those who are thirsty.
- To give food to the hungry.
- To welcome strangers and refugees.
- To care the old, widows, orphans, sick and poor.
- To visit the prisoners.
- To become sign of joy looking forward to the new heaven and the new earth.
- To transform self and strive to become Christ-like, should be able to say like St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2: 20)
“The consecrated person is capable of a radical and universal love which gives him or her the strength for the self-mastery and discipline necessary in order not to fall under the domination of the senses and instincts.” (Vita Consecrata: 88)
The ‘pioneers’ of consecrated life teach us the spiritual combat, the combat of light, as St. Paul calls it; this leads us to the freedom to which we have been called by Jesus. Consecrated persons are embodiment of “BEAUTITUDES”:
- They are poor in spirit and are meek.
- They hunger and thirst for righteousness.
- They are merciful and pure in heart.
- They are peacemakers..
- They are ready to be persecuted for the sake of justice and righteousness.
- To visit the prisoners.
They are ready to be persecuted for the sake of justice and righteousness. Those who set apart themselves to serve God proclaim the Gospel through their lives; the Gospel of love, joy, peace, truth, justice, mercy and compassion. They are salt of the earth and light of the world. They are able to love their enemies, following the example of Jesus. They give alms, pray and fast not to be recognized by the world but they do these in secret that the heavenly Father knows them and rewards them. They store up treasure not in this world but on heaven. They do not worry about tomorrow but trust upon the divine providence. They constantly take effort to observe the Golden Rule: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.” They follow the two great commandments:
- “Love the Lord with all heart, soul and mind” and
- “Love the neighbors as yourself”..
They are vigilant and are well prepared to encounter the bridegroom with oil for their lamps, keeping it ever ready to burn - the oil of faith, trust and hope. Those who dedicate and devote their lives for God and his people, build their houses having foundation on Rock, for which Jesus is the corner stone. The world expects and looks at the consecrated persons as ideals with all the above said virtues and qualities and these are the challenges set before us, to please God and to pacify the suffering humanity. Let me end up with the valuable verses of St. Paul that are appropriate for the consecrated men and women:
“Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Live peaceably with all.” (Rom 12, 11 – 18)
Sr. Shobha Stanly
Congregation of the sisters of St. Joseph of Saint Marc,
22, Avenue Foch,
Colmar 68000
France