New Bibliographis

• o. Franco Imoda SJ, Gdybym miłości nie miał... Emocje i uczucia w wychowaniu i formacji (płyta CD audio), WAM 2010

Wydaje się, że po ostatnich wiekach dominacji rozumu ludzkość na nowo odkrywa zapomniany wymiar serca i jego mądrości. Stąd rodzi się oczywiste pytanie o rolę uczuć i emocji w wychowaniu, formacji dzieci, młodzieży i dorosłych. Franco Imoda odsłania przed nami subtelne powiązania woli, rozumu i serca, wykorzystując do tego nie tylko mądrość płynącą z nauki, ale także swoje bogate doświadczenia kapłana i kierownika duchowego, wychowawcy i terapeuty.

FORMATION COURSE FOR THE GUARDIANS OF CECOC

Formation Course for the Guardians of the conference of CECOC was held from 8 to 20 November 2010 in Frascati and Assisi. 43 Guardians from 11 Circumscriptions (Bielorussia, Republica Ceca, Croazia, Polonia-Cracovia, Polonia-Varsavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovacchia, Slovenia, Svezia and Ungaria) gathered together to reflect and share with each other their experiences in realizing the service of authority. The spiritual animation of the fraternity as the primary task of Guardian was highlighted very often. It is animation that permits each brother to accept the works of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Only then one can speak of a true fraternity. The moments of relfection, fraternal sharing, prayer, visit to the places that are significant to our faith and vocation, and even simply being together have brought us to the conviction that greater the love of God in us, closer the hearts unite.

...Visiting the Initial Formation Houses of CIMPCap

The other areas of collaborative formation of CIMPCap made themselves available for the visitation of the General Formation Secretary at the request of the General Minister. Thus the enriching and important visit that the Minister had announced to the Italian Provincials in February 2010 is being realized through the General Formation Secretariat.

International Reconciliation Week

We live today in a world which is strongly marked by secularization. It tends to remove God from the horizon of life and hinder discernment between good and evil. This situation makes the ministry of those who administer the Divine Mercy even more urgent, as the recently concluded Year of Priests has reminded us. The Capuchin friars, moved by the examples of their saints, feel strongly the need for greater commitment to this service in the Church. They, therefore, desire to offer an opportunity for reflection and formation to all priests on this topic. The International Reconciliation Week with its title “The Sacrament of Reconciliation in a Secularized World” will take place from 14 to 18 March 2011 at San Giovanni Rotondo, the place where the well-known Capuchin confessor, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, lived. We offer this opportunity to all Capuchins and all religious and secular priests who speak Italian, English or Spanish. The leaflet containing the information and program can be downloaded here.

Secularization and religious life

“Religious life now is undergoing a considerable pressure. It is conditioned by two aspects, I think, that deserve particular attention. The first aspect is secularization...” – reflecting on Religious Life and Secularization, writes Jean-Louis Bruguès, Archbishop and Secretary for the Congregation for Catholic Education. Read more

Spiritual Collaboration with the Second Order

“If the LORD does not build the house, in vain does the builders’ labor” Ps 127)

The spiritual collaboration of SGF with the Second Order began recently. At the request of SGF some monasteries of Capuchin Clarist Sisters from various parts of the world have shown great enthusiasm to form a “prayer rose” to support spiritually the task of the General Minister to animate the Order in area of initial and ongoing formation through SGF and UGF. At present from ten conferences of the Order ten monasteries have dedicated to pray for our intention in a day of every week (look). Thus each day of the week and all the days of the year, through their prayer, our sisters actively support us in our task of animation and formation. John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, wrote:

‘If in the planning that awaits us we commit ourselves more confidently to a pastoral activity that gives personal and communal prayer its proper place, we shall be observing an essential principle of the Christian view of life: the primacy of grace. There is a temptation which perennially besets every spiritual journey and pastoral work: that of thinking that the results depend on our ability to act and to plan. God of course asks us really to cooperate with his grace, and therefore invites us to invest all our resources of intelligence and energy in serving the cause of the Kingdom. But it is fatal to forget that "without Christ we can do nothing"’ (NMI 38).

We, the members of SGF, thank the sisters who accompany us in prayer and who remind us to execute the words of John Paul II in our works. As we thank the monasteries and the individual sisters who took the initiative, we extend our invitation also to other monasteries and individual brothers and sisters who would like to join this spiritual collaboration. “If the LORD does not build the house, in vain does the builders’ labor” Ps 127). Let us be aware of it always so as to consider our life and work as the work of God. Thanks a lot!

New Bibliographis

• Autores varios, Vita Consecrata, Claretianas 2010
Se trata de una nueva e interesante colección de libros de ágil formato y precio muy asequible, con temas actuales e importantes de vida consagrada. Algunos han sido ya publicados en otros volúmenes de congresos sobre Vida Consagrada o en revistas especializadas. Otros son inéditos. La nueva colección ofrece un recurso valioso para todas aquellas personas consagradas preocupadas por su permanente renovación y formación.
Aquí estan los títulos de los 8 primeros libros:
-La Vida Religiosa en Europa. Realidad actual y actitud teológico-espiritual. José Rovira Arumí.
-La espiritualidad del celibato. Mons. Juan María Uriarte.
-La escuela de la Palabra. Lectio Divina y comunidad. Enzo Bianchi.
-La era digital. Una oportunidad para la vida consagrada. Fernando Prado Ayuso.
-La idolatría de las Riquezas. Redescubrir la pobreza evangélica en tiempos de crisis. José Cristo Rey García Paredes.
-Las ocho montañas de la Vida Consagrada. Joan Chittister.
-Vivir en comunidad. Dinámicas de comunión para hoy. Fabio Ciardi.
-¿Nos interesa de verdad la formación permanente? Pedro Belderrain.

Activites in summer

After many weeks, we would like to share with you fraternally about the different tasks in animation and formation that the SGF had during this summer.

Formators Course in the Conference of CONCAM

EL SALVADOR: From 2 to 13 August 2010 about twenty formators from the Conference of CONCAM came together for the course at San Salvador. In the first week basing on the Letter of General Minister, “Let us fan the flame of our charism”, the friars discussed and shared on the formation program of their respective circumscriptions and their own experiences in this regard. The collaborative dynamism emerged in the dialogue as the potential answer to confront the formative challenges that exist in the Conference.

In the second week Br. Roel Mejía Lara OFM Cap highlighted the particular role of the formator and the urging need of the formator being accompanied. Br. Roel’s competence in the branch of psychology enriched the sessions and enabled active participation in everyone. The friars, on various occasions, expressed their view on the validity of such meetings and the need of having it periodically programmed so as to enrich the formators and to help effective collaboration among the various circumscriptions of CONCAM.

The meeting was highly interesting experience for the two members of General Formation Secretariat. The greater awareness of initial formation in the local situation mutually enriches and makes the SGF function more efficiently in its role of animation. For this we thank Br. Juan Pablo Lobos, representative of CONCAM in the International Formation Council, who was the chief promoter of this initiative.

Third Noviciate

This year the provinces of Versavia and Cracovia together organized the course of ongoing formation known as “Third Noviciate” in Assisi. From 3 to 17 August the friars from Poland lived and reflected together on theme of following Christ in the way of St. Francis of Assisi. During these two weeks they visited the places of Poverello and in a prayerful environment could grow deeper in the gift of the divine call and review the response from the part of the individual friar and of the fraternity. Highly efficient and productive was the moments of sharing that were held in every evening after the visits to various places.

The richness of the experience and its validity is not only from the enrichment received by listening and seeing, but mainly from the experience of mutual knowing and sharing that developed among the participants of the two provinces of Poland.

formation program for EACC & CONCAO

On 4 September 2010, there arrived 26 brothers from 9 countries of the large continent of Africa to participate in the ongoing formation program (Heritage Course) conducted in the English language. The participants were from the Capuchin jurisdictions of Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The course began at Frascati on 5 September with the Eucharistic celebration and inaugural address by Br. Agapit Mroso, the Definitor General for Africa. The course was enriched by the input sessions by various professors and experts who dealt on Franciscan and Capuchin charism and related topics and by the sharing and interaction with those incharge of various general offices. The course was an occasion for the participants to visit the Franciscan and Capuchin places of importance such as Rome, San Giovanni Rotondo, Monte Sant’Angelo, Assisi, Greccio, Fonte Colombo, Spoleto, Celle di Cortona, Carceri, Monte Castale, La Verna, Camerino, and Albacina.

Br. Mauro Jöhri, the General Minister, concluded the course with the Eucharistic celebration and renewal of vows on the eve of 25 September at Frascati. In the meeting after the Eucharistic celebration the participants expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the General Minister and the Order for this great opportunity. On 27 September all the participants departed for their respective jurisdictions with great vigor and enthusiasm to live their commitment to the Franciscan and Capuchin charism

Capuchins and Ratio Formationis

Interculturality, authenticity, coherent unity and dynamism: these are the four pillars for the work of drafting a Ratio. With the Fifth Assembly of the General Formation Office of the Capuchin Friars Minor the process to improve ways of communicating the charism today has reached a further important stage. The need to begin the preliminary steps towards the realization of a Ratio Formationis Ordinis (Formation plan) was the subject of particular attention and dialogue, as requested by the Magisterium of the Church and by our Constitutions, and particularly by the present General Superiors, who have made formation a priority in their animation and fraternal service. Read more

Year of Priesthood

We have just concluded the Year of Priesthood. A year enriched by very many different programs even in the aspect of formation. In the section DOCUMENTS you have access to some materials that are the results of two significant programs: Convention on Priesthood held at the Pontifical University of Lateranum on 11th and 12th March 2010, and International Meeting of the Priests held on 9th to 11th June 2010 to conclude the Year of Priesthood.

The outcome of these two programs is really enriching source for the personal formation not only for the brothers who have received the extraordinary grace of priesthood from the Lord, but for all friars. Each of us can find real spiritual nourishment for the personal life in these conferences, homilies, presentations and sharing by the priests or lay persons. If any of you have some materials related to this area of our formation, you can send them to us so that we can publish them in our blog.

Meeting of the Formation Secretariats of the four Franciscan Orders

Rome: The meeting of the Formation Secretariats of the four Franciscan Orders (OFM, OFM Conv, OFM Cap, TOR) was held in the General Curia of the Friars Minor. The President of the Institute of Spirituality (IFS), Antonianum and the director of the Masters course for Formators in the same Institute were also present for the meeting.

The dialogue and the exchange of ideas and experiences in the area of animation for which these bodies were instituted were enlightening. The resources, challenges and difficulties faced, be it at the level of the central governments of the respective Orders or regarding the formation process of the young candidates who come from a secularized world where ‘initation’ to the values of consecretated life and to the Franciscan Spirtual heritage become increasingly more difficult.

Masters Course for Formators 2011

The Franciscan Institute of Spirituality of the Pontificial University of the Antonianum (PUA), in reply to the Reed of the franciscan family regarding the renewal of formation, suggets in a few years, a masters in formation. The following academic year, the suggestion will be opened in the English language.

Brochure | Registration Form

Animation Table

At the start of the present government of the Order, the General Minister and the Definitors had expressed the desire to have an ‘Animation Table’ which would include all the Secretariats of the Curia to streamline collaboration among the various areas of the animation of the Order.

After some preliminary meetings, Br. Helmut Rakowski organized and animated this meeting from 16 to 17 June in two phases: the first part held in the Curia in which the General Minister also participated, and the second at Frascati.

Br. Helmut Rakowski (General Secretary for the Missions), Br. Piotr Komorniczak (promoter of Solidarity), Br. Bernd Beermann (Director of Jusitice, Peace and Ecology), Br. Rocco Timpano (General Formation Secretary), Br. Prince Valiyakunnel, Br. Marek Miszczyński and Br. Piero Véliz were present for this third meeting.

Meeting each other is always great opportunity to know each other and to open up channels of communication. Communication aids coordination and the achievement of common objectives without wasting individual energies. In this way animation becomes more effective. This challenge was highlighted in the meeting and the General Minister underlined the same.

Formative Visit

General Formation Secretariat under the mandate given by the Minister General continues to visit the houses of initial formation of the Order. It is an opportunity to have a mutual understanding between the organism of general animation and the places of formation to be more attentive and generous for the formation of young friars.
Visit to the places of formation of CIMPCap started from May 04, with the visit to theological study house at Fossano in Piemonte and the house of first experience (casa di accoglienza) in Turin.

Visit to houses of formation of Peru took place from 8 to 24 March 2010 as was planned already in March last year, after a meeting with the CCB held in Brasilia from 04 to 06 together with trainers from Brazil.

The visit is a very fruitful an occasion to realize how our international fraternity invests the best for the formation of young people who want to join the Order.

We all must have hope and confidence about the initial formation because that is the "place" of our future. Formators should be encouraged for their tedious but thrilling task of guiding the young people to offer their lives to God for others, reminding them that they must take care of those entrusted to them but also must care for their personal formation.

From 17 to 31 May we will visit the Province of Emilia Romagna: Post novitiate at Scandiano, Novitiate of St. Arcangelo di Romagna, Theological Study House at Castel S. Pietro (BO).

FRASCATI  The Fifth Plenary Session of the General Office for Formation was held from April 25 to May 1 at Frascati, in atmosphere of joy fellowship and enriching experiences. The friars of the SGF, the members of the International Council for Formation who represent the thirteen conferences of the Order and the Rector of the International College of St. Lawrence of Brindisi were present for the meeting. The preliminary phases for a “Ratio Formationis Ordinis” in the context of inter-culturalism was the theme of study. The presentations by the specialists and the dialogue with them showed the validity and necessity of this useful tool to keep the essential values of our life and to stimulate a healthy and legitimate creativity to make an authentic embodiment of charism in the present context in which the Order is.

Welcome Brothers! Peace and Joy

ROME We open this blog to communicate with you the activities of the new General Formation Office (UGF). The service of General Formation Secretariat (SGF) and the International Formation Council (CIF) and other necessary information could be shared for a fraternal interaction. We will be informing you from, our part, our program and experiences which would certainly help us in initial and ongoing formation. We request you, from your part, to share with us your impressions, suggestions and requirements so that our service would be useful and efficient. Here we are: the new SGF.

Here we are

The Office(UGF) intends to fulfill the requirements of our Constitutions 24, 5:

"Let the General Secertariat for Formation be at the disposal of the general superiors and the superiors of the different jurisdictions, providing them assistance and information that they may promote all that pertains to formation".

Here is the structure of the new UGF

Specific Task of UGF

Dear Brothers, here we present the specific tyasks of the ach offices of UGF:

• President
• Accompany and mediate between the UGF and the General Government of the Order

• General Formation Secretariat (SGF)
• Reflection and Planning
• Execution

• International Formation Council (CIF)
• Consultaiton
• Verification

DOCUMENTS

Address of his Holiness Benedict XVI to the International Union of Superiors General

• Address

Convention on Preisthood Rome, 11-12 March 2010

• Card. Cláudio Hummes, Introduzione
• Mons. Marc Aillet, La liturgia ferita
• Mons. Raymond L. Burke, Dall' Essere alla funzione
• Card. Carlo Caffarra, Sacerdozio ed Ermeneutica della Continuità
• Card. Antonio Canizares Ll., Sacerdocio y liturgia: Educación para la celebración
• Guzmán Carriquiry, Sacerdoti e Laici: il giusto rapporto
• Mons. Willem Eijk, Esperienze di discontinuità riguardante l'identità sacerdotale
• Mons. Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Celibato, castità e verginità
• Stefan Heid, Il celibato ecclesiastico– profili storico-dottrinali
• Card. Julián Herranz, Celibato sacerdotale, carisma istituzionale
• Massimo Introvigne, “Recenti” mutazioni antropologiche
• Manfred Lütz, Il celibato ecclesiastico – profili psico-spirituali
• Mons. Francesco Moraglia, Per una spiritualità del ministero
• Mons. Gerhard Ludwing Müller, Sacerdoti e cultura contemporanea
• Mons. Filippo Santoro, Dall´essere alla funzione: per la missione
• P. Antonio Maria Sicari, O.C.D., Il curato d’Ars e l’identità sacerdotale
• Réal Tremblay, C.Ss.R., Cristologia e identità sacerdotale
• Mons. Mauro Piacenza, Conclusioni

International meeting of the Priests Rome, 9-11 June 2010

• Card. Cláudio Hummes, Omelia nella Basilica di San Paolo
• Card. Joachim Meisner, Conversione e missione
• Card. Marc Ouellet, Maria, in comunione fraterna
• Card. Tarcisio Bertone, Omelia
• Benedetto VXI, Colloquio con i sacerdoti
• Benedetto XVI, Omelia

New bibliographis

• Luciano Manicardi, La vita religiosa radici e futuro. (Problemi di vita religiosa), EDB 2012 

Quale futuro per la vita consacrata? Come rinnovarla? «La crisi non impedisce il futuro, ma ne è spesso la condizione, spesso è la fucina che lo prepara affinando, bruciando, purificando, eliminando...» (dall'Introduzione). Le pagine proposte dall'autore intendono cogliere l'attuale crisi della vita consacrata come appello e come possibilità. Sull'esempio e sul fondamento della vita e della pratica di umanità di Gesù, di cui testimoniano i Vangeli, la vita religiosa è chiamata a essere anzitutto una vita umana e umanizzata all'interno delle strutture antropologiche del celibato e della vita comune. Emerge qui l'importanza delle dinamiche relazionali, della comunicazione e dell'autorità nella vita comunitaria per caratterizzare la qualità umana ed evangelica della vita religiosa. Questi alcuni dei nodi affrontati dall'autore disegnando un percorso di semplificazione e di essenzializzazione che la vita religiosa è chiamata a intraprendere.

• Lécrivain, Philippe, Vita religiosa in tempo di crisi: un rischio e un'opportunità, EDB 2012 

La vita consacrata è un modo di vivere il Vangelo sulla scia di un fondatore. Partendo da questi due riferimenti - Vangelo e mandato del fondatore - l'autore ricostruisce come e con quali intenti sono emersi, lungo la storia del cristianesimo, i tratti tipici che caratterizzano la vita monastica e religiosa. Individua le ragioni teologiche e storiche che hanno prodotto i grandi modelli, spirituali e giuridici, che così fortemente hanno caratterizzato il cattolicesimo occidentale. Colloca, infine, questi modelli nella crisi presente, per individuare motivi di attenzione, ragioni di speranza, prospettive su cui costruire. Egli giunge quindi a concludere che la vita religiosa, così come lo stesso cristianesimo, non è in crisi a motivo della nequizia dei tempi, ma perché, chiamata a superare se stessa per ritrovare le grandi intuizioni fondatrici, fatica a conformarsi a Cristo in modo nuovo nella forza dello Spirito. Vera e propria teologia fondamentale della vita consacrata, il volume costituisce un punto di riferimento nel ripensamento di quest'ultima per l'oggi e guardando al futuro.

• Cozza, Rino, Voglia di vita evangelica. Nuovi modelli di vita religiosa, EDB 2012 

La vita consacrata fatica a pensarsi e proporsi in modo nuovo, soprattutto in Occidente. Ma essa rimarrà viva solo se saprà non farsi paralizzare da un'identità predefinita, se saprà rispondere alle aspettative dell'attuale società, che dai consacrati si attende di vedere il riflesso concreto dell'amore di Cristo per ogni persona e della sua attitudine guarente, attraverso forme che portino anche pienezza di umanità. Il volume non si ferma all'analisi e alla denuncia, ma aiuta ad aprire il cuore alla speranza, indicando nuovi cammini possibili, segnalando in particolare alcune scelte: vera e profonda attenzione ai segni dei tempi, condivisione carismatica con i laici e fraternità che si fanno carico di una nuova uguaglianza e di una nuova libertà, fuoriuscita dalle solite prassi istituzionali di governo e di amministrazione.

• G. Javier, La crisi della seconda età. La vocazione religiosa alla prova, EDB 2011

"Perché a 50 anni, nel momento in cui una persona può gestire nel modo migliore la propria vita, si sperimentano in modo tanto acuto le ansie del proprio tempo? Perché la sensazione di aver donato il meglio di se stessi a un ideale sembra esigere un sacrificio troppo grande?" Da esperto formatore, specialista delle problematiche della mezza età, l'autore offre uno strumento dedicato ai consacrati quale aiuto per affrontare questioni psicologiche, esistenziali e spirituali che si agitano dentro di loro e favorire percorsi di soluzione.

• A. Cencini, Formazione Permanente: ci crediamo davvero?, EDB 2011

«Mi sono reso sempre più conto, nei vari contatti col mondo presbiterale e consacrato, anche fuori d'Italia, di quanto l'idea di formazione permanente fosse e sia ancora piuttosto vaga e nebulosa, povera e ambigua, parziale e superficiale, più legata alla sociologia che alla teologia.... Ecco forse perché la cosa stenta a decollare e divenire prassi abituale e universale, per quanto se ne parli». Le pagine del volume espongono il vero senso della formazione permanente, la sua ragion d'essere e la funzione essenziale. Per rendere la vita dei presbiteri e dei consacrati sempre più ricca e matura.

• Enzo Bianchi, Po co i jak się modlić, Edycja św. Pawła, 2011

Czy możecie szczerze wyznać, że nigdy nie mieliście problemów z modlitwą? Trudno się do tego przyznać, gdy ma się wrażenie, że dotyczy to tylko nas. Książka Enzo Bianchiego, założyciela Wspólnoty Monastycznej z Bose, odkrywa przed czytelnikiem całą praktyczną wiedzę o tym, czym jest modlitwa, po co mamy się modlić i jak się modlić, aby nasza modlitwa była miła zarówno nam, jak i Bogu.

• M. Garzonio, Serce kapłana. Wychowanie uczuciowe i emocjonalne prezbiterów, Wyd. Bratni Zew 2011

Książka dotyka ważnego problemu życia emocjonalnego prezbiterów - kapłanów, zakonników i zakonnic. Osoby te często stają w obliczu wielkiej samotności, bezsilności i wyobcowania. Książka pokazuje, że uczuciowość i emocjonalność przynależą do normalności życia, a umiejętność nawiązywania kontaktów jest niezbędna dla zachowania równowagi w życiu każdego człowieka, stanowiąc tym samym zapowiedź pogody ducha zarówno w relacjach z innymi jak i życiu parafialnym.

• Cucci Giovanni, Maturità dell'esperienza di fede, Elledici 2010
Questo libro tratta la problematica della possibile maturità dell'esperienza di fede dal punto di vista filosofico, psicologico e spirituale. Scopo del lavoro è di aiutare a fare chiarezza circa il percorso di vita della persona, riconoscendone desideri ed eventuali ostacoli o ambiguità, tenendo presente in particolare tre finalità fondamentali: descrivere il soggetto nel suo sviluppo affettivo, cognitivo, relazionale; notare se esso sia consapevole delle sue aree problematiche, valutando le relative capacità di autocontrollo; mostrare i possibili riflessi nell'esperienza spirituale e nella sua rappresentazione di Dio.

• Kijas Z. OFM Conv, Życie zakonne. Turystyka czy pielgrzymowanie, WAM 2010

Wejrzenie w naturę zakonnego powołania, szczególnie we współczesnej kulturze, wydaje się trudne. Jego właściwy sens zdoła odczytać wyłącznie ten, kto wierzy. Tylko wiara objawia treść powołania i tylko ten, kto wierzy i szuka ciągłego pogłębienia swojej wiary, jest w stanie podjąć powołanie. Jak ma je realizować współczesny zakonnik / współczesna zakonnica?

Książka stanowi próbę odpowiedzi na to pytanie, próbę odczytania na nowo – w kontekście dzisiejszego świata – istoty zakonnego powołania. Jest zredagowanym na nowo zapisem rekolekcji, które zostały przeprowadzone przez autora w 2010 roku dla sióstr sercanek w Krakowie

• o. Franco Imoda SJ, Gdybym miłości nie miał... Emocje i uczucia w wychowaniu i formacji (płyta CD audio), WAM 2010

Wydaje się, że po ostatnich wiekach dominacji rozumu ludzkość na nowo odkrywa zapomniany wymiar serca i jego mądrości. Stąd rodzi się oczywiste pytanie o rolę uczuć i emocji w wychowaniu, formacji dzieci, młodzieży i dorosłych. Franco Imoda odsłania przed nami subtelne powiązania woli, rozumu i serca, wykorzystując do tego nie tylko mądrość płynącą z nauki, ale także swoje bogate doświadczenia kapłana i kierownika duchowego, wychowawcy i terapeuty.

• Krzysztof Wons SDS, Sens Życia. Powołanie i wybór, Wydawnictwo Salwator 2010

Dobre lub złe wybory nie są wynikiem losowych sytuacji, dziełem przypadku, szczęśliwego trafu czy pecha. Są owocem dobrego lub złego rozeznawania. Największą sztuką nie jest sam wybór, ale rozeznawanie, które do niego prowadzi. Co jest potrzebne do dojrzałego wyboru - o tym mówi książka.

• Josu Mirena Alday, I beni dei consacrati a servizio della missione, Ancora 2010

«Non si può intraprendere un processo di rivitalizzazione di un Istituto religioso senza prestare una particolare attenzione all’uso evangelico dei beni, al modo cioè di acquistare i beni, alla loro gestione finanziaria, alla quantità di beni che vengono accumulati, all’uso cui si destinano il patrimonio e il denaro e al modo in cui si condivide ciò che si possiede. Riuscire ad utilizzare le risorse economiche a vantaggio della missione e nel rispetto dei valori evangelici è una preoccupazione importante che riguarda l’identità religiosa oggi e la credibilità della testimonianza che si offre» (dalla Presentazione).

Si tratta di un libro molto attuale, interessante e che pone seri interrogativi. Particolarmente indicato per gli economi/e generali, provinciali e locali, nonché per ogni persona di governo di un Istituto di vita consacrata.

• Tonino Cantelmi - Pasquale Laselva, La vita consacrata come risposta ai problemi del nostro tempo, Art 2010Dinanzi ai mali del nostro tempo - narcisismo, ricerca di sensazioni, ambiguità - la vita consacrata rappresenta una risposta concreta. Oggi, la persona consacrata, attraverso l'incontro reale con l'altro e la proclamazione di valori più grandi - come l'amore oblativo e la fedeltà, rappresentate da una chiara identità - è, non solo testimone della potenza emancipatrice della sequela di Gesù, ma rappresenta quel sano modello di vita, di fratellanza, tanto necessario in questa società.

• Kard. Tomáš Špidlik SJ, Perełki Ojców Kościoła, Wydawnictwo Księży Marianów Warszawa 2010"Jest to jedynie garstka perełek, którą każdy sam sobie nawlecze na nić swojego osobistego życia" - mówi o swojej nowej książce znana postać Kościoła czeskiego i powszechnego, kardynał Tomáš Špidlík (1919-2010). Zastanawia się w nich nad podstawowymi aspektami życia chrześcijańskiego: za punkt wyjścia obiera przy tym wypowiedzi wybitnych osobistości chrześcijańskich, którym tradycja przyznała honorowy tytuł "Ojców Kościoła". Ojcowie ci nie ograniczali się tylko do teoretycznego poznawania prawd teologicznych, ale zawsze pytali, jakie mają one znaczenie dla życia duchowego. Także Špidlík dociera w swych rozważaniach do jądra spraw, dotykając naszej żywej teraźniejszości. Powstało dzięki temu ciekawie skonstruowane inspirujące spojrzenie na duchowość pierwszych wieków chrześcijaństwa, które zadowoli każdego, kto pragnie się duchowo odświeżyć i dokształcić.

• Pardilla A., “The Christ of Formation”. Biblical and Theological Manual of Formation to Religious Life, Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2010

“The Christ of Formation” is a great manual for formators, a precious “vademecum” for those who are called to serve as superiors in the religious life and a secure guide for those who want to deepen their identity as a consecrated person in the light of the Holy Scripture and of the Magisterium of the Church.

• Autores varios, Vita Consecrata, Claretianas 2010

Se trata de una nueva e interesante colección de libros de ágil formato y precio muy asequible, con temas actuales e importantes de vida consagrada. Algunos han sido ya publicados en otros volúmenes de congresos sobre Vida Consagrada o en revistas especializadas. Otros son inéditos. La nueva colección ofrece un recurso valioso para todas aquellas personas consagradas preocupadas por su permanente renovación y formación.

Aquí estan los títulos de los 8 primeros libros:

-La Vida Religiosa en Europa. Realidad actual y actitud teológico-espiritual. José Rovira Arumí.

-La espiritualidad del celibato. Mons. Juan María Uriarte.

-La escuela de la Palabra. Lectio Divina y comunidad. Enzo Bianchi.

-La era digital. Una oportunidad para la vida consagrada. Fernando Prado Ayuso.

-La idolatría de las Riquezas. Redescubrir la pobreza evangélica en tiempos de crisis. José Cristo Rey García Paredes.

-Las ocho montañas de la Vida Consagrada. Joan Chittister.

-Vivir en comunidad. Dinámicas de comunión para hoy. Fabio Ciardi.

-¿Nos interesa de verdad la formación permanente? Pedro Belderrain.

• Teresa Olearczyk, Pedagogia ciszy , Wydawnictwo WAM, 2010

Powstanie tej książki jest przejawem potrzeby dociekań możliwości tkwiących w ciszy jako potencjalnie nośnej kategorii dla teorii i praktyki pedagogicznej. Prezentowane rozważania stanowią swego rodzaju punkt wyjścia do opisu ciszy i wykorzystania jej w procesie dydaktyczno-wychowawczym oraz formacyjnym. Warto podkreślać, jak znacząca jest obecność ciszy w procesie wychowania, szczególnie w sytuacji wszechobecnego hałasu i narastającej nadpobudliwości dzieci i młodzieży.

• Jan Paweł II, O modlitwie , Wydawnictwo M, 2010

O modlitwie to książka-przewodnik oparta o wybór tekstów Jana Pawła II. Papież wprowadzał wiernych w tajniki życia duchowego zawsze z pozycji świadka i człowieka żarliwej modlitwy. Przewodnik omawia różnorodne rodzaje i sposoby modlitwy. Wiele tekstów papieskich jest wprowadzeniem w podstawowe kwestie życia duchowego: wartość modlitwy; modlitwa jako fundamentem życia chrześcijańskiego, modlitwa jako słuchanie, modlitwa jako źródło światła i mocy, modlitwa wspólnotowa i osobista, modlitwa w rodzinie, modlitwa a asceza, modlitwa a wiara, modlitwa nieustająca, modlitwa a miłość, modlitwa w cierpieniu, Duch Święty i modlitwa. Papieskie teksty przypominają o podstawach i zasadach życia modlitwy ich uważna lektura może przyczynić się do ożywienia duchowego.

• Życie duchowe - Jesień 64/2010, Między skrupułami a cynizmem , Wydawnictwo WAM

O tym, jak przekraczać skrupuły i cynizm, piszą w najnowszym numerze "Życia Duchowego" między innymi: Piotr Aszyk SJ (Skrupuły - moralna buchalteria), Stanisław Morgalla SJ (Ponad skrupułami i cynizmem) i ks. Dariusz Jastrząb (Spowiednik wobec skrupułów). Ks. Stanisław Haręzga w artykule pt. Dawid i Judasz, na przykładzie tych dwóch biblijnych postaci, ukazuje zdrowe i chore poczucie winy, które albo człowieka ocala, albo prowadzi go do śmierci. Leon Nieścior OMI przedstawia natomiast rady i wskazania dotyczące samooskarżania się, jakie można znaleźć w starożytnej literaturze ascetycznej. Ks. Alfons Skowronek zastanawia się, na ile polityka jest troską o dobro ogółu, a na ile cyniczną grą ludzi władzy.

• Piraino G., Gli Istituti di vita consacrata tra formazione integrale, disagio e crisi d'identità, in Laurentianum 51 (2010), 63-118

Il fatto che la vita consacrata vive oggi la crisi d'identità non è tutto nuovo: se ne parla dovunque. L'articolo cerca di approfondire quali possano esserne le cause e cosa si possa fare per uscirne; invita a pensarne in termini di prevenzione e non solo delle azioni immediate. Meno impegnativo risulterebbe il riflettere sulle situazioni problematiche come eccezionali ma un atteggiamento del genere non porterebbe ad un rinnovamento della vita consacrata. Prendere invece consapevolezza dei problemi, dei disagi, delle crisi, tenere sempre in considerazione prima di tutto la persona che soffre, diventa impegno e responsabilità. Questo è il ruolo della formazione.

• Pardilla A., Il Cristo della Formazione. Manuale biblico e teologico di formazione alla vita religiosa, Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2010

Il Cristo della formazione è un ottimo manuale per i formatori e le formatrici, un prezioso "vademecum" per quanti sono stati chiamati al servizio dell'autorità nella vita religiosa e una guida sicura per tutti quelli che nelle varie tappe della formazione sentono il bisogno di approfondire, alla luce della Sacra Scrittura e del Magistero della Chiesa, il senso positivo, soprattutto cristologia, della loro identità.

• Zas Friz De Col Rossano., Presbitero religioso nella Chiesa. Saggio storico-teologico d’interpretazione , EDB 2010

L'autore è mosso dal desiderio di indagare la differenza tra il presbitero secolare e quello religioso e di verificare se, nel momento in cui si definisce il carisma religioso, il sacramento dell'ordine si riduca a una dimensione secondaria. Scopo del saggio è inoltre abbozzare una concezione pluriforme del ministero ordinato che appaia pertinente sotto il profilo teologico, pastorale e canonico. L'intento è quello di contribuire all'evoluzione della concezione del presbitero nella Chiesa italiana affinché, conservando l'unità sacramentale, si rispettino le differenze che nascono dai carismi ecclesiali riconosciuti dalla Chiesa. Nell'affrontare il rapporto storico e teologico tra ministero ordinato e vita consacrata, la ricerca prende avvio esaminando la letteratura prodotta nel post-concilio sull'argomento, chiarisce poi lo sviluppo storico della figura del presbitero religioso nella Chiesa, offre una riflessione teologica sul ministero ordinato e il carisma della vita religiosa in rapporto all'attuale teologia del ministero ordinato e infine verifica quanto sviluppato nei capitoli precedenti alla luce del documento della CEI sulla formazione del presbitero in Italia (2007).

• Walter Kasper, Servitori della gioia. Esistenza sacerdotale - Servizio sacerdotale, Queriniana 2010

Il libro è una testimonianza dell'autore in occasione del suo cinquantesimo anniversario dell'ordinazione sacerdotale: «… sono stati anni ricchi di cambiamenti non soltanto nella mia vita… bensì anche nella vita della Chiesa in generale e, non da ultimo, nel drammatico decorso della storia del mondo». (Card. W. Kasper)

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