Person-Centred Approach in Religious and Priestly Formation
Keywords:
formation, priestly formation, growth in personality, person-centred formation, personal experience, genuinenessAbstract
In person-centred formation the focus of attention is on the candidate. This approach suggests that religious or priestly formation is first and foremost a caring of individuals and not passing on of knowledge to a large group. It is a process of assisting the individual to grow through an evolving personal experience. The Person-centred formator’s role is rooted in being, not doing. The major task of the formator is to provide a climate of safety and trust, which will encourage formees to reintegrate their self actualizing and self-valuing process. Congruence or genuineness is the most basic of the attitudinal condition of a formator. The formator’s unconditional positive regard leads the formee to grow in positive self-regard which leads to further growth in personality.
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