Taking care of oneself to accompany the growth of others. This was the topic presented by Sister Pina del Core, FMA, on Friday 6 September, to the Consolata Missionary formators, during the on-going formation course taking place in Rome.
By Marcelo De Losa *
Sister Pina del Core was dean of the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences “Auxilium” in Rome for nine years. A psychologist and psychotherapist with extensive experience working in the field of education and formation. On January 19, 2021, Pope Francis appointed Sister Pina del Core, consultant to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
In this video produced by the Communication Secretariat, Sister Pina del Core states that “in the present context of complexity and change, formation must be rethought along the profile of the formator, who carries out a key task in the formation process, a fundamental point of reference for the future of the new generations who are approaching Consecrated Life”. According to the nun, “the profile of the formator and the formation community” are at the heart of formation.
The topic offered the opportunity to reflect on the profile and the role of the formator in his or her personal structure, and the present formation modalities. Sister Pina said: “There are special requirements for the formator, not only that of intellectual competence, but also the knowledge of his inner resources and the ability to live with his own fragilities and vulnerabilities”.
She also explained: “The formator is a key person called to understand the demands of following Christ in the mission ad gentes. Therefore, he must be clearly identified with the charism that has to be communicated to young people”.
Sister Pina also observed that “there are critical points that we must keep in mind in vocational discernment and accompaniment. The formator is not a psychologist and he should not be, but many times he finds himself operating as one. So, a great attention, discernment, prudence, care and love are required”.
On the operational level, it is important the presence of freedom in the community, to make room for decision making, discernment, and taking charge of one’s own formation; a community environment that is not too permissive nor too rigid.
Then she added: for the formator “one of the difficulties is the lack of trust in his own authority, the difficulty in believing and trusting the people entrusted to him, the danger of self-referentiality or creating dependence”.
Sister Pina then spoke about the “generative authority model. A paternity that is capable of generating the meaning of life, of helping to mature and express one’s identity. Formation is therefore transformed into a generative reality, that benefits the deepest dimension of the human being. In the generative formative process, the centre of everything is the relationship with and the care for persons, active and participatory listening, and mutual trust”.
Other aspects explored during the day were autonomy, trust, freedom and responsibility in formative communities.
* Fr. Marcelo De Losa, Buenos Aires’ CAF formator, and Fr. Jaime C. Patias, Communication Secretariat.
