Healthy Multi-Ethnic Formation of the Religious Candidates

Abstract

In a modern Indian religious community, which is a melting pot of various cultures and traditions, Christy Varghese CHF delineates strategies for a healthy multi-ethnic formation of the religious candidates. As the number of vocations to religious life diminishes, the mono-ethnic religious congregations are forced to welcome and invite candidates from various cultures and become multi-ethnic groups, which demands a greater challenge both in formation and in ongoing formation. Those religious communities who have initiated the multi-ethnic communities struggle to cope with the different cultures and traditions coming together. For the sake of these communities, she suggests few creative ways and means to maintain healthy multi-ethnic communities in the future, especially in the missions. Beginning with the recruitment, initial stage, novitiate and post-novitiate stages of early formation, she foresees the possible struggle that a candidate can undergo. She also speaks of the role played by the community and the formator who is to be a role model. From practical tips such as the use of common language, she wanders into the higher objectives of the community like vision, mission and charism of the community. Spiritual direction given at this stage is a great emotional assistance, which would lead the formees to face challenging ministries with personal responsibility. She also looks at the ongoing formation where various virtues come to play their roles. She ends the reflection with a few practical recommendations for innovative formation. In conclusion, she notes that some of the probable solutions to the problems arising in the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural communities are in changing the motivations and in living as alter Christus and having shift in the formation of candidates especially in the field of affective maturity.