CRA last month launched Restoring and Nurturing Right Relationships as a national resource to support Religious Institutes in their continual development of initial and ongoing formation practices and processes.
The launch, on November 21, was attended by Religious Institute Leaders, and their members and staff engaged in professional standards and formation, as well as Fr Chris de Souza, General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, and Mr Martin Teulan, the executive director of the AMPJP.
Anne Walker, Bishop Tim Norton SVD, David Leary OFM and Robert Fitzgerald OAM at the launch. PHOTO: CRA.
At the launch, the Principal Author Br David Leary OFM, shared his reflections on the publication, drawing from his own journey of formation, and his expertise as the Franciscan Provincial’s Delegate for professional standards and safeguarding, as well as an experienced pastoral supervisor, clinical counsellor and formator.
Consistent with the new emphases of Pope Francis on a formative process that is communitarian in its essence, David reflected that good formation requires a change in an entire system of thinking - silence and isolation, that have long marked formation processes, can no longer be the default position.
“The courageous breaking of silence is the beginning of a challenging formation journey to discover the true self and good and nurturing relationships. Repair after rupture, the restoring of right relationship, and the nurturing of healthy and mature relationships; this is the essence of good formation,” he said.
Three responders also made comment on the publication, sharing their own thoughts and different perspectives: NSW Former Productivity Commissioner and Royal Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald OAM; General Councillor of the Canossian Daughters of Charity, Sr Mel Dwyer FDCC; and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Tim Norton SVD.
Anne Walker, CRA’s National Executive Director said: “The Royal Commission made it clear that there was a need for a renewed understanding of formation of Religious for ministry and this publication not only meets the Royal Commission requirements but goes way beyond it to provide a best practice framework and a significant resource for Religious”.
In Mel’s response, she said: “As we grapple with the future of our formative programs, and the invitations of the recent Synod of Bishops to engage in a broad review process of our formation programs, this text serves as a beacon of light, providing guidelines as to how to give birth to a new way of formation that learns from the mistakes of the past and can move forward into the future with hope.”
Restoring and Nurturing Right Relationships can be freely accessed as a digital resource online or purchased at Catholic Religious Australia.