The summer residential ForMission program took place June 3-10, 2026, at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien, Illinois. Ten women and men religious from six congregations gathered to explore the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral dimensions of formation while building relationships with mentors and each other that continue long after the session concludes.
ForMission summer session topics and presenters included:
- Ecclesiology | Being Church Today: Formation and Discernment for Missionary Communion in a Fractured Church, Robin Ryan, CP, PhD
- Interculturality | Formed by Many Worlds: Identity, Culture, and Conversion, Roger Schroeder, SVD, MDiv
- Scripture | Formation in the Bible: God’s Long, Patient Work with Imperfect People, Laurie Brink, OP, PhD
- Formation Skillset | Self-Awareness as a Formation Skill, Kevin McClone, PsyD
- Spirituality | Becoming Before Doing: Interior Freedom in Formation, Pat Bergen, CSJ, DMin
Special thanks to contact mentors Fr. Paul English, CSB, and Fr. Remi Hebert, CSsR.
"ForMission is more than a workshop or academic program, it is a community of practice where participants bring real ministry experiences, engage in theological reflection, receive mentoring, and learn alongside peers from different congregations," said Nadiya Levchenko, DMin, director of programs and initiatives for RFC. Between residential sessions, participants continue their growth through study groups, supervision, mentoring, and written reflection.
As religious communities navigate intercultural living, accompaniment of newer members, leadership transitions, and changing ministerial realities, the need for skilled and reflective formators continues to grow. ForMission seeks to respond to these realities by forming leaders who can accompany others with wisdom, compassion, and practical skill.
"Formation is not only about preparing others. It is also about allowing ourselves to be continually formed by God, community, and mission," said Nadiya. "The June gathering was one more step in that lifelong journey."
Interested in formation leadership or preparing for formative accompaniment in religious life? Registration for the next ForMission cohort will open in September 2026. The next residential session will take place in Dickinson, Texas, January 22–29, 2027, with both in-person and online participation options available. Learn more
View more photos from the summer ForMission program