May 20, 2020
Dear Conference Members, Formators and Community Leaders,
Last month we shared a resource from the UISG (International Union Superiors General) in Rome titled Suggestions to Help Discernment and Decision Making in Relation to the Appropriate Care of Candidates, Postulants and Novices During the Coronavirus Pandemic. Since then, questions and implications around the impact today’s health challenges pose for religious life and formation have grown. In a recent Zoom conference with Member Area Liaisons, participants grappled with the questions, “What are we learning right now and what is essential to pass on?”
Similar questions are arising: are we listening to the graces and wisdom of this time? What is God revealing? What is the Spirit inviting us to attend to? What is ours to do right now? What is emerging in religious life generally, and formation in particular? You may have related questions and variations on the ones included here. If you’re like us, such questions have been bubbling up in prayer and conversation over the last couple months.
Given the moment in which we find ourselves, the Conference is gauging interest in convening a national/international dialogue among formators to attend to these types of questions and discern, together, how God is calling us to respond.
To help us get a better sense of interest and how we might focus a conversation, we’re asking members to complete a brief online survey by Monday, June 8. If there is strong interest, we’ll host some Zoom conferences at a few different times so that as many people as possible can participate.
<<Click here for survey>>
We recognize that like others who continue to serve during this time, formators, too, play an essential role in accompanying those exploring the rich depths of religious life. Opportunities to connect, listen and collaborate support and enrich the work we do together.
Thank you in advance for registering your input. This feedback is critical as we engage the important work of communal listening and discernment in this unprecedented time.
May we continue to listen deeply to God’s unfolding wisdom.
Ellen Dauwer, SC
Executive Director