Formation of those with temporary vows

17. The Instruction Potissimum institutioni, referring to the norms of the Code(⁶¹) and to the requirements of formation of religious in temporary vows, indicates the fundamental lines and offers appropriate indications about the objectives and program of studies.(⁶²)

Every institute, according to its own plan of formation, has “the grave responsibility of providing for the organization and duration of this period of formation, and of furnishing the young religious with favorable conditions for a real increase in their donation to the Lord”.(⁶³)

a) In this phase also, inter-congregational initiatives are designed to promote the training of young religious in relation to their consecration and the deepening of their spiritual, doctrinal, and pastoral formation, with particular attention to the history, theology, and mission of consecrated life, and to their pastoral preparation. This is especially so for institutes which are unable to provide for their needs in other ways.

b) In particular, in order to respond better to the demands proper to this phase of formation, inter-institute initiatives of collaboration should be mindful of the characteristics and circumstances of life of those professed of temporary vows.

In fact, the time of temporary profession is characterized as a propitious moment for the maturing of an intimate relationship with Christ(⁶⁴) and the maturing of a faith-filled vision of the world, the Church, and history. It is a time for committing oneself to the kingly, priestly, and prophetic mission of the People of God. It requires, in a kind of sapiential integration, both a study of theological disciplines and a deepening of the biblical foundations of a vocation to the radical following of Christ. To this must be added adequate knowledge of the means and steps which lead to human and Christian maturity. Thus, this phase of formation continues the study of Sacred Scripture and other theological subjects such as Christology, ecclesiology, Mariology, moral theology, and the theology of history, and the additional fields of spirituality, ascetical theology, and human sciences, which contribute to a maturity in Christ of the human person,(⁶⁵) should also be included.

c) Because community life, right from the beginning, should disclose “the essential missionary dimension of consecration”,(⁶⁶) and because this stage is characterized by the apostolic commitments taken in the name of the community, courses in catechetics and pedagogy, especially for pastoral work with youth, will be of great value. Apostolic commitments require a deepened knowledge of some themes of the ecclesiology promoted by the Second Vatican Council, e.g. the pastoral collaboration of religious with priests and lay persons under the guidance of the Pastors,(⁶⁷) the law of the Church, the missio ad gentes, ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue,(⁶⁸) the relation of the Church to the world, the social and political duties of Christians and the specific responsibility of consecrated persons in this sector.(⁶⁹) All these themes should offer a solid foundation for the pastoral and missionary action of the Church-mystery and communion in the New Evangelization. In this phase of temporary profession, it will be helpful to deepen the charismatic contribution by which the various institutes share in the mission of the Church.

d) Such goals can be satisfied by the specialized centers of study which will be considered in Part III or by initiatives or courses which are more accessible, whether by reason of the level of studies, or the basic level of courses offered, or the short duration of the commitment.

Inter-institute collaboration has particular importance in initiatives or courses which help prepare for perpetual profession.(⁷⁰)

For initiatives and courses in this phase also, the formators should be involved in the programming, execution, and evaluation. This involvement can become a stimulus for their own renewal in view of their responsibility as well as a reminder for all to respond more effectively to the expectations of the young.

e) Religious who attend other centers of study, especially civil centers (universities, academies, etc.) in order to study the humanities or engage in other scientific or technical studies can find in the inter-institute centers the possibility of integrating their formation, especially by courses in theology and pastoral studies.