II. THE NATURE OF THE GUIDELINES
1.0 These Guidelines do not have the power of Constitutions
but they have to be taken seriously as orientations in building
good Crosier life. They will be a stimulus and a help for all
the parts of the Order and for all the confreres.
2.0 For the different Boards they are an invitation to elaborate
and to concretize the formation on the provincial, proprovincial
and regional level.
For those responsible for formation these Guidelines are a
help in formulating their formation work.
For the visitators these Guidelines can be a guide to evaluate
the vision and its realization in the Provinces, the Proprovince,
and the regions.
III. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
As a point of departure we describe Crosier Formation as follows:
a) a process of growing, of developing oneself as a Christian
in light of the Gospel.
b) with the goal to become a Crosier, who lives the Crosier
spirituality in his time and place.
c) under skillful guidance of others.
1.0 The first general principle
is: FORMATION IS
GOSPEL CENTERED.
The Scriptures are the basic inspiration for every level of
formation. They are also the goal and the norm for religious formation.
Without the Gospel we can not speak about real Crosier life.
Crosier life is one way of living the Gospel.
The candidates and the other confreres must live the Scriptures,
study them carefully and read them often in the context of their
own concrete life and the signs of the time. It is obvious that
those responsible for formation have to be well acquainted with
the Scriptures.
2.0 The second general principle
is: FORMATION IS RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.
2.1 Formation is the process in which the candidate and all
of us experience an ever deeper relationship with God. In this
process one lets oneself be formed by God, the first and ultimate formator. The Father calls each one of us; through his Son He
transforms each of us and through the Holy Spirit He works in
each of us. As our Constitutions say: "...in the years of
formation and training, the greatest attention must be devoted
to a real living of Christian faith" (Const. 24.1b).
2.2 The formation of personal faith life contains a substantial
philosophical and theological element and its continual development
first and foremost through a disciplined daily prayer life, including
regularly reading of the Scriptures. This is further supplemented
by study, lectures and on-going formation programs.
Those responsible for formation, the superiors and the spiritual
directors play an important role in this matter.
3.0 The third general principle
is: FORMATION IS A PROCESS.
3.1 Religious formation is a process, that started already
before the candidate entered. Every candidate brings along with
him a great amount of personal, religious and cultural formation.
Those responsible for formation have to take that into account,
especially the personal formation and socialization he brings
with him from his family of origin.
3.2 In the formation which the candidate has already received,
he himself has played a very active role. For a great part he
was the subject of his own formation. Therefore as the candidate
begins religious life, he continues to remain the subject of his
own formation, carrying his primary adult responsibility for his
participation in it, always in dialogue with the formators and
within the framework of the vision about Crosier life.
3.3 This process of formation and training is like a spiral,
i.e. the process is directed to penetrate always deeper into the
essence of being human and into the essence of religious maturity.
This presumes that the candidates must receive various opportunities
to grow in Crosier life.
During the years of formation, both personal and religious
maturation must be pursued in an integrated fashion, with the
human formation as the basis. So also after the initial years
of formation, every confrere has to grow constantly and especially
in being human, as well as in being a Crosier religious.
3.4 Formation in process-form presumes that we only gradually
grow into full personal commitment and availability in the Order.
The Formation means that we also gradually fully love the Order
in spite of its human shortcomings.
3.5 Formation in process-form must be capable of addressing
the fact that nobody is perfect. Regression and mistakes can and
will occur. Good formation invites us to accept and listen, hence
enabling us to grow and learn from both of these otherwise negative
factors.
4.0 The fourth general principle
is: FORMATION
RESPECTS PERSONAL UNIQUENESS.
4.1 Every candidate, every confrere is a unique person, with
his own personality, potential and limits, with his own context
of family, culture, religious and intellectual training and personal
life experience.
4.2 It is completely in line with our Constitutions that the
formation has to be adapted to the concrete unique person and
that in case of further studies and appointments those responsible
should consider the personal potential of the confrere.
4.3 Of course this formation of the unique person has to be
oriented towards becoming mature humanly, religiously and as a
Crosier.
5.0 The fifth general principle
is: FORMATION
RESPECTS CULTURE AND CONTEXT.
5.1 When a candidate enters, he comes with many blessings present
in him, such as his own family and tribal, national and continental
cultural heritage.
Our formation helps all of us Crosiers to understand, appreciate
and participate in our own and in others' cultures including the
local culture in so far as is necessary.
Only when Crosiers know their own culture, can they bring that
culture and Crosier life into a healthy and challenging dialectic-
sometimes harmonious and sometimes confronting. Only then they
can also bring one another's culture into an enriching cross-cultural
dialectic.
This supposes a sufficient critical position toward one's own
culture, i.e. to look at and judge the culture in the light of
the Gospel values and the charism of the Order so as to find what
promotes and what demotes the human person.
5.2 The local culture in which we live as Crosiers influences
and colors our Crosier life. It is the task of the different parts
of the Order to live Crosier religious life within the local culture
so that the process of inculturation occurs, giving Crosier life
its own "face" in accord with the respective cultures
involved.
5.3 Those responsible for formation should develop in the candidates
a critical posture as well as a deep concern for the needs of
their time and place. Therefore it is recommended that the young
candidates conduct their initial formation in the country of their
own cultural milieu so that they may grow in respect for their
own land and culture, rather than experience being uprooted and
alienated.
6.0 The sixth general principle
is: FORMATION PROMOTES UNITY IN DIVERSITY.
6 1 The countries where Crosiers live and work, have their
own history, their own culture and their own political and economic
situation. In our Order the confreres feel related to the different
theological movements. In our Order a big and deep diversity prevails.
Very different kinds of Crosier life have developed.
The diversity presumes a fundamental unity based on the vision
of Crosier life presented in our Constitutions.
6.2 Therefore it is important that in Formation great attention
is paid to that constitutional unity of our Order and that people
learn to live and work in a pluriform community, province, Order.
7.0 The seventh general principle
is: FORMATION IS LIFELONG.
Crosier formation is a process going on for one's whole life.
Every phase of life, also old age, has its own possibilities and
challenges. It is therefore obvious that these Guidelines not
only are enforced for the candidates in initial formation, but
for all the confreres of every age.
The provincial, proprovincial and regional Boards shall provide
programs and visions for on-going formation and see to it that
these are realized.
IV CROSIER LIFE
In the - initial as well as on-going - Formation the main concern
is to grow into a more deep and convinced Crosier life under good
guidance. In this it is of importance that the spirituality and
the main characteristics of our Order, as described in the document
of spirituality, Constitutions and the following lines, obtain
an integrated place in our daily life.
1.0 Spirituality
1.1 The Sacred Scripture and the vowed life
1.1.1 The Holy Scripture has a central place in Crosier life
and thus also in our Formation. The Scripture is the starting
point, the goal, the inspiration and the norm of our Formation.
In the Scripture we read about God's ideal, God's dream: namely
a new heaven and a new earth, where justice and love reign and
where everybody is happy.
In the Sacred Scripture we read namely in the story of the
life of Jesus Christ that in Gods view each person, his salvation
and happiness, has the central place. God remains always faithful
to each person. This conviction determined Jesus' life up to and
including his death on the Cross and Resurrection.
In the Sacred Scripture we read God's invitation and challenge
to live a life that is geared to God and people, a life of prayer,
service and brotherhood. God calls each of us to cooperate in
the establishment of his Kingdom.
In the Holy Scripture each person finds insight and inspiration
to grow toward the Kingdom of God, and to respond to his calling
to follow Christ.
Therefore each Crosier shall regularly read, and study the
Scriptures, personally and with others and try to understand God's
Word and to translate it for one's own culture and one's own time.
1.1.2 The answer of the Crosiers to God's Word is a radical
evangelical life, in which the vows have a central place.
Our vowed life in accord with the Constitutions, further calls
us to chastity, poverty, obedience, lived out in a prayerful community
life and apostolate. Though we speak of them separately, "the
vows form but one dedication" (Const.11.5).
The candidates must be able to freely chose these vows. So
they must be well informed about their scope.
The vow of obedience
As Crosiers, we vow ourselves first and foremost to obey God
and His Holy Spirit, hence subsequently dedicating ourselves fully
to follow Christ in building the Kingdom of love.
The vow of obedience is a life attitude by which we want to
listen and to respond to the two "books of God": the
Scripture (and the Rule of Augustine, the Constitutions and the
history of the Order which are derived from these Scriptures)
and the world with all its developments and needs. We try, in
prayer and study and in conversation with others to understand
and do what God wants from each of us in our given circumstances.
With that same life stance of listening we want to integrate
also our own wills and initiatives - in order to give an answer
inspired by the Scriptures to the questions coming forth from
society - in the life and plans of the community. In listening
to both sides, in common deliberation, namely in the house chapters,
Provincial chapters and General Chapters, confreres share in the
responsibility for life and work of the community in this time.
This presumes that confreres have every opportunity to speak,
that they are invited to do so, but also that they adhere to the
agreed engagements.
Thus life in obedience to God and his people is a prophetical
sign that is calling for a deeper human solidarity, in which everyone
respected well and is dedicated to the Kingdom of God. "Your
will be done".
The vow of chastity
The vow of chastity is a life attitude by which we make ourselves
completely free for the Kingdom of God, and more specially for
the community and the mission of the Order.
As an expression of wanting to belong completely to God and
to his Kingdom and to the Order, Crosiers renounce marriage and
every relationship which hampers this commitment.
A chaste way of life means that on the one hand we know ourselves
and accept ourselves as a person who needs affective contacts,
and on the other hand give up any genital activity.
This way of life demands a great self control, maturity and
responsibility.
Chastity summons us to make ourselves completely free for a
deeper friendship with and service for God and people in society.
Thus we hope that our chaste life is a prophetic sign for both
ourselves and for those around us.
The vow of poverty
Through the vow of poverty we commit ourselves to live simply
and in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, especially the
poor, by sharing in what we have and are. We do this in the spirit
of the Scriptures and in the tradition of the Order.
Thus we hope that our living the vow of poverty is a prophetic
sign, which summons us to dedicate ourselves completely to the
Kingdom of God. "Your Kingdom come" .
1.2 Communio / Canons Regular
The next essential characteristic of our Order is that we Crosiers,
strive to become more and more a community in which the common
life, prayer and the apostolate are lived in a good balance. One
element may not exclude the other. All three must be present,
even though integrated in varying measures. This we call communio
- a life of balanced solidarity with one's confreres (community
life), with God (prayer), and with others (apostolate).
In this way, the Order lives out the ideal of the first Christians
as described in the Acts of the Apostles. This way of life also
describes our life as "Canons Regular".
1.2.1 Community life
The Rule of Augustine, our Constitutions and the tradition
of our Order stress life in common.
That is one of our highest ideals: "to live together in
unity of heart and mind toward God". (Rule of Augustine)
This means in the first place that we honestly and visibly
want to belong to the local community, the province and the Order.
Furthermore community life does mean that we really live together
with each other. Living alone is an exception.
Life in community demands from us that we share life and faith
with one another. Together we break bread and share the cup in
our daily life. It means that we are interested in the experiences,
feelings and ideas of each other, and that we give every confrere
the opportunity to express himself. It also means that we stand
up for each other, and in joy as well as in disadvantage are a
support to each other.
This same spirit we extend to the broader circle of our community,
our family, friends, cooperators and faithful acquaintances.
1.2.2 Prayer Life
Prayer - private and common - plays the most important role
in our life. In private prayer we grow in our relationship with
God, and grow in our commitment to Jesus and His mission. In our
private prayer we bring our whole life before the Lord and place
it in the light of His Word.
As Crosiers, we have always treasured the common prayer of
the Church. So we wish to nurture in our candidates the ability
to celebrate the common prayer in a creative, alive and relevant
way - inculturated as need be.
The celebration of the liturgy is a major source of our on-going
spiritual formation. In order that it build our faith and the
faith of the people we serve, we give special attention to preparing
and celebrating liturgies well.
1.2.3 Apostolate
Our relationship with God in prayer calls us to His Word in
His Son Jesus and subsequently to his mission, the basis for our
apostolate. Jesus' basic mission is to realize the Kingdom of
God among all peoples (Mt. 28:19-20 & Constitutions 21.1)
by becoming a community which truly mirrors the Good News (Constitutions
22.1). Consequently, community life becomes our most immediate
apostolate as well as the basis from which we minister.
The candidates shall receive professional training in the apostolic
ministries, acquiring the mentality of a real apostle. Special
apostolic and pastoral training programs are to be built into
the overall Formation program as integral parts of that program.
These training periods are to be well prepared, guided and evaluated.
1.3 Spirituality of the Cross
Next to the Scriptures and community life the Cross is the
third central element of our spirituality. We have been called
to be Christ's followers. Consequently we chose to call ourselves
'Christians'. As members of the Order of the Holy Cross, we call
ourselves 'Crosiers'. Clearly therefore, the Cross occupies a
central place in our daily life.
"Our profession is a specific act of dedicating ourselves
to follow Christ in his total and free devotion to others which
reached its completion on the Cross" (Const. 11.2).
1.3.1 In Scripture we read that Jesus went the way of 'communio',
a way of faithful solidarity with God and with the people.
Nothing was able to draw Him away from this faithfulness, not
even the death on the Cross, to which "the world" condemned
Him. He was obedient to God and to the people even unto the Cross
(Phil. 2: 7-8).
Crosiers are radically faithful in their commitment to God
and his people.
"We wish to see our fidelity to the Cross most especially
in our apostolic presence where human and religious needs call
out to us" (Const. 2.3).
1.3.2 But see: He lives! He is alive! Death has passed Him
by (Pascha). God remains faithful, remains close, also in death.
His Spirit gave Him power to rise from the death and to renew
his presence with the disciples. Neither suffering nor death have
the last word, but joy and life.
Crosiers want to grow in their conviction that God's Spirit
also gives them the power to continually to be able to rise from
suffering, misfortune and grief. Crosiers want to be men of hope.
1.3.3 The Cross has become the symbol for much of human suffering
which proceeds from lack of love, injustice and force. But this
Cross also does not have the last word. Here too Christ, who conquered
death through his
Cross, can be a source of hope and joy, of life and resurrection.
And therefore the Cross is also a symbol of victory of life.
Crosiers want to help conquer all causes of suffering by a
deep solidarity with the suffering people and by sharing with
them their own hope and joy.
"We realize that the Cross is the embodiment of a life
lived in that love which goes forth to embrace the whole world.
To be a brother to all people is to live under the sign of the
Cross-bearer" (Const. 12.3).
1.3.4 Because this mystery of Cross and Resurrection, the Paschal
Mystery, is the central element of our Crosier life, it should
be recognizable in our daily life.
In community life it will inspire us to greater faithfulness
to our confreres. It will give us the energy to face and conquer
other problems and conflicts within the community, the Province
and the Order.
In prayer life, especially in the liturgy, this mystery shall
often be reflected upon and celebrated. The Exaltation of the
Cross is an important feast for us.
In the apostolate we Crosiers pay great attention to the needs
of others. By accompanying them in their need, by showing our
solidarity with them, and by proclaiming as well as living the
Paschal Mystery we try to give them hope and new energy to live.
"Our desire is to follow Christ, who give himself completely
on the Cross, by giving ourselves totally to the needs of others
so that indeed 'the Good News is proclaimed to the poor' [Mt.
11.5]". (Const. 22.3).
Conclusion
To be able to live the ideals of a Gospel centered life,
communio and the spirituality of the Cross we have
to mirror the example and the person of Jesus in ourselves. And
we have to be united with Him by strong mutual bonds.
Our spirituality is a Christ-spirituality, which calls upon
us strongly to a serious 'sequela Christi'.
Those responsible for formation have to watch that the candidates
grow continuously in following the way of Jesus. The entrance
to the way of Jesus is the Gospel and a deep personal relationship
with the Lord through prayer.
2. Other characteristics of the
Order
2.1 The democratic character of the Order
Two principles play a critical role in shaping this characteristic
of our Order, namely 'collegiality' and 'subsidiarity'.
2.1.1 The first principle, 'collegiality', has a central position
in our Constitutions (Const. 7.4 & 7,5) and has much to do
with communio. It means that everyone within the community in
one way or another has to take responsibility. It does mean that
each one has a right to speak and to make use of that right and
that each one is obliged to follow the decisions and agreements.
This makes 'belonging to the community' very concrete.
2.1.2 The second principle, 'subsidiarity' (Const. 7.3) determines
how we speak of the social structure of our Order in the Constitutions.
The local community takes the primary position, then the province
and finally the worldwide Order community.
Primary responsibility lies in the lower community. The higher
levels have the functions to help, to inspire, and if needed,
to correct as well as give direction. We have to be aware that
democracy ultimately includes a fundamental personal responsibility,
which may not be shunned.
2.1.3 The candidates and all the confreres have to nurture
a healthy idea about what this democratic character of the Order
means and also what the principle of collegiality and subsidiarity
implies.
To make this more concrete yet, the candidates have to be trained
to participate and conduct community chapters in a constructive
way. May they understand the community chapters to be the most
important forum for dealing with key issues of community life
and apostolate.
This demands that the candidates and all the confreres form
themselves into mature and responsible men.
2.2 Closeness to people and hospitality
The Crosiers are known because of their closeness to people.
This characteristic certainly has its roots in the strong community
spirit which goes beyond the borders of one's own monastery and
toward the laity.
The candidates and the other confreres like to practise a great
openness to the people of the broader community (family, friends,
cooperators, partners, parishioners, students) so that they can
be inspired by them and even corrected.
As a red thread, hospitality runs through the Order in the
past as well as in the present. Of course hospitality will be
viewed and practised differently in the different parts of the
Order. There are certainly limits to hospitality, demanded from
community life itself.
The candidates and all the confreres should cooperate so that
in the Order a good 'culture of hospitality' develops.
2.3 Open to the signs and the needs of contemporary Church
and Society
2.3.1 Those who want to be close to the people, and want to
be hospitable, will be involved in the weal and woe of the people.
That too is characteristic of Crosiers.
Crosiers are open to the developments and the needs of the
Church and the society of their country, of their culture, of
their time. They are open to this by reading about it, by making
studies about this, by speaking about this with confreres, especially
in the house chapters.
2.3.2 People may expect from Crosiers that they find an answer
to the signs and the needs of the time from the side of the Scriptures,
from their spirituality of the Cross and their feeling for communio.
This can be: a great solidarity with the people in need or a prophetical
critique of their own culture and Church and society.
Sometimes this demands from us that we do not fear difficult
tasks, but that we courageously fight against injustice and evil.
In this way the candidates are helped to become men who dare
and are able to participate in this struggle.
2.3.3 In accord with our spirit as described above, we further
acknowledge that our formation in general is undeniably conditioned
by the demands of the times and the culture. Moreover, we chose
to make critical and appropriate use of present-day elements,
so that our formation is relevant. The formation program has to
prepare the candidates for this time and people. Our candidates
must be able to promote the good elements of their own culture
as well as of the developing modern global culture, while also
daring to take a critical stance toward those same cultures (Const.
26.1).
Closing recommendation
All the above characteristics have to be kept and cultivated.
The candidates and the young confreres are to continually develop
and integrate them into their lives, while the older confreres
consider and reflect about them over and over again in their own
on-going formation.
V AGENTS OF FORMATION
1.0 The Triune God
1.1 God is the first agent of the formation. He calls each
of us and sends us His Spirit, who works in us. Jesus transforms
us and is our model for religious life.
1.2 Each Crosier therefore must be responsible - responding
primarily to God's Spirit within; responding to the deep interior
longing for Abba (Rom. 8,15-16).
2.0 The Church
2.1 The Church is the second agent of formation. Throughout
the ages she has obtained many deeply-religious experiences and
also inspiring insights into the faith.
These insights and experiences are important directions for
everyone who is in formation and who wants to grow further in
the Crosier life.
Therefore the candidates and the confreres should regularly
read, study and discuss with one another the documents of the
Church, not only those of Vatican II and the Congregation of Religious,
but also those of the local church community.
3.0 Every Crosier
3.1 Every Crosier has the lifelong task (beginning with initial
formation) to be the one responsible for his own formation and
then also for his confreres' formation, in the light of the Gospel
and Crosier life.
3.2 To be responsible for one's formation means to seriously
and wholeheartedly participate in and utilize the various means
of formation: prayer, reading, reflection, discussions, and still
other programs. It also means being open to the formation directors
and to those who by word and deed model a healthy and happy religious
life.
3.3 Our Constitutions speak also about the responsibility of
the candidate:
Our community may expect of the candidate:
· that he be willing to test himself by what Christ
in the Gospel expects of him, and that he listen to his fellow
human beings to understand what they call on him to be and do,
in frank dialogue with the community in which he lives;
· that he be willing to take up his life and work seriously,
in accordance with his aptitudes;
· that he be able to develop in himself a sensitivity
to the presence of God manifested in people and things, in the
Church and in society;
· that he work to achieve a genuinely human community
life with others, so that he is open to their appeals and ready
to integrate himself into the community's rhythm of life;
· that he make an earnest effort, after a reasonable
time, to decide whether he will join our community. (Const. 25.1)
3.4 We want especially to point to the responsibility which
the candidate exercises when he makes his profession and receives
the different ordinations.
These decisions have to be made in complete freedom.
3.5 The candidates too have to make their own contribution
to the community, as people of their own time and culture. The
superiors and the communities are expected to take seriously this
contribution and to integrate this in the religious community.
In our Constitutions we read: Our formation and training
must be based ...on an attentiveness to what the candidate can
contribute to us even from the beginning (Const. 24.4b).
3.6 Also the talents of the candidates should be taken into
consideration as much as possible for further studies and for
appointments, always however considering the common good.
Our Constitutions state clearly: From his side, the candidate
may expect of the community: that he be given opportunity to discover
and develop his own aptitudes, and, if at all possible, to use
them; that his formation and training be realistic and honest,
attentive to personal values, well organized, and adapted to his
concrete situation and capacities (Const. 25.2).
4.0 The communities
4.1 In accordance with the structure of our Order the greatest
responsibility for formation lies with the local communities,
especially the communities which are involved in formation.
In the Constitutions we read: It follows that the communities
in which candidates prepare themselves to join our Order must
be particularly conscious of their great responsibility. They
must be prepared to share with these young men an experience of
genuine faith, communal prayer, collegiality and subsidiarity.
Reflection on this responsibility always must remain a regular
task in the chapters of these communities (Const. 24.2) .
The local community must create the atmosphere so that living
together, believing and praying together and working together
are possible and also provide the means for physical and spiritual
health.
It is very important that the young confreres and the other
ones have a peer group in the local or provincial community. It
is also very good that the young confreres participate in intercongregational
programs and that they have the opportunity to experience an intercongregational
peer group.
4.2 The provincial, proprovincial and regional-wide communities
must take seriously their task regarding formation and training.
They should function in a supportive and subsidiary manner with
the local community and they should speak regularly about formation
in their provincial, proprovincial and regional Chapters, as well
as during the visitations.
4.3 In last instance the General Board and the General Chapters
exercise their responsibility. Their main task is that of giving
inspiration to the Provinces, Proprovinces and Regions and to
all the confreres.
During the general visitation the visitator will evaluate their
vision regarding their formation program.
5.0 The superiors
5.1 The local superiors and their council.
The local superiors of the formation communities shall, in
organizing daily life, take into account that there are novices,
clerics and young brothers in the house. In general they shall
take care that the confreres responsible for formation are not
so overburdened that there is little or no energy and time for
prayer, reflection and study. The superiors should consider themselves
as spiritual leaders within their own communities.
5.2 The provincial and his board
The final responsibility for the formation and training in
the province lies with the provincial and his Board.
They should take care that formation and training, the initial
as well as the on-going, occupy an important place in their policy.
They have the grave duty to appoint for the initial formation
truly qualified confreres for that task and to watch that these
will be formed and prepared well for their task and that they
are sufficiently free for their task.
It is also of great importance that there is regular contact
between the provincial and the formation directors.
Of course, the latter have their own responsibility, delegated
by the provincial.
6.0 The spiritual director
6.1 It is good that all the confreres, especially the young,
share their personal spiritual journey with a personal spiritual
director. By "spiritual director" we mean someone who
is well versed in his own spiritual life, as well as in spirituality
in general. He is able to help the candidate discern well the
call of God. He, as well as other formators are only mediators.
The actual work takes place between God who calls and the confrere
who is being called.
7.0 The formation director
7.1 The formators must be men of a deep human maturity, faith
and a love for the Order. They must have the ability to relate
well to young people and must have common sense.
The formation directors should be aware that formation is their
first and most important ministry and that they continually prepare/upgrade
themselves for this task. They must train themselves well in spirituality
(prayer life and religious experience), in group dynamics and
other human sciences, especially psychology.
In carrying out this ministry, the formators must process well
the Gospel and the Constitutions, enabling the candidates to hear
God's voice therein. They should introduce the candidates to these
Guidelines and other documents regarding the goals and programs
of their formation.
They must give themselves to this task out of love for the
candidates and for the Order, frequently bringing the candidates
before God in their prayers. They should respect the uniqueness
of each candidate and evaluate their process of formation seriously.
They must dare to challenge the candidates and in doing so
always keep in view the good of the Order, the Church, society
and of the candidate himself. To ensure all the above values,
the director will serve himself and his candidates well by regular
meetings together for evaluation and coordination.
VI. VlSlON AND PROGRAM IN EVERY
PROVINCE,
PROPROVINCE AND REGION
1 According to our Constitutions (24.3) every province, proprovince
and region has to write its own vision about formation and formulate
it into a program.
In these very Guidelines, we wish to point out the need and
duty to follow them.
Therefore the General Board earnestly requests to compose a
general vision about formation and to formulate the goals, objectives
and programs for the different stages of formation.
The drafting of objectives shall facilitate the realization
of the goals. These goals and objectives can further serve as
criteria in accepting candidates for novitiate, for temporary
profession, perpetual vows and ordinations.
2 It is obvious that besides the Constitutions, the provincial
and regional statutes and these Guidelines, the appropriate and
helpful cultural elements must be taken into account.
Through this, the unity as well as the diversity in the Order
are promoted.
3 The initial and on-going formation takes place on two levels.
First of all the issue at stake is that every candidate and every
confrere - priest as well as brother - grows and continues to
grow toward a deeper level of living the Crosier spirituality.
This spirituality is the basis of the unity among the confreres,
among the priests and the brothers, among the provinces. Because
of the unity it is important that the spiritual formation for
every one in the Province and the Region as much as possible moves
into the same direction: supervision, study - namely a good theology
- and prayer.
Furthermore one prepares oneself by study and practice in order
to be able to do one's task - be it priest, teacher, cook - as
well as possible.
4 We provide, by way of suggestion, the following, possible
division of the entire formation program for Crosier life.
