TOWARDS THE REFOUNDING OF THE CHARISM

IN NEW FORMATIVE ITINERARIES

The question of the charismatic refounding (Cr) understood both as the retrieving of the essentials of consecrated life (CL) and as the reinterpretation of the original spirit within new cultural contexts, is closely linked to the initial formation and requires special attention. To a great extent, the refounding process begins with the new generations or in any case needs their contribution; it could also be adopted as the style and content of the initial formation itself. Moreover, we could say that, today, a formative journey could only be such if it derives from the actualisation of the religious charism (RC) and gives the individual the capacity to live the same gift of the Spirit. In other words, without the charismatic refounding, the charism (Cr) would remain a mere repetition devoid of imagination and passion, or would approve the kind of person who has been "trained " to do what other people do, or to "sing the same song"…..

We will now look at some of these concerns or criteria underlined by the process of the charismatic refounding (Cr) in the formative itineraries today.

We will present them in a sequence which, in my opinion, would be good to follow as an ideal, even within the dynamics of formation namely: from the fundamental, psychological and theological catechises on the charism, to the realization that the problem of the charismatic refounding, (Cr) is basically a problem of permanent formation.