The theme for this years eCourse is Words of Wisdom, Words of Grace.

To download flyer, click here

Our own experience attests to the power of words. Words of wisdom, words of grace spoken to us long ago may have lodged deep within, becoming a font of courage and inspiration in our own lives. In our current ministry as vocations directors, mentors, and formators, we desire that the words we speak offer

wisdom and grace to those discerning a felt-call to religious life. Words of Wisdom, Words of Grace is an opportunity to explore topics relevant to vocation and formation alongside formators

from a variety of congregations. Sessions will be held on ZOOM and will include input, conversation, and small group discussion.

Dates and Topics

18 June - Introductory session Optional for those who have attended in previous years

25 June & 17 July - Home Is Where We Start From: Family Dynamics & the Formative Process (2 session)

Home is truly where we start from! These two session will explore how family experience (e.g., parenting styles; rules, roles, and rituals; sibling relationships, etc.) shapes a person throughout their life. The more aware discerners and those in initial formation are of these early family experiences, the more readily they may notice their influence as they explore their felt-call to religious life.

13 August - Intergenerational Living: From Generation to Generation

Religious Life has always been intergenerational, yet the generations were more equally distributed across membership. Today, in light of the “longevity revolution” of the 20th century a large segment of those living religious life are over 60, while many in initial formation are much younger. Religious life is uniquely poised to intentionally embrace intergenerational living, making it a defining characteristic of its way of being in the world; choosing to make intergenerational relationships integral to its mission from “generation to generation.” In this session we will explore topics such as – fostering a culture of intergenerational living; intergenerational living as “relational learning”; and intergenerational solidarity – blessings and challenges.

17 September - Strengthening Skills for Accompaniment

One-on-one accompaniment of those discerning religious life is essential. Strengthening skills for this type of work is ongoing. This session will explore skills valuable to vocation and formation ministers, such as identifying and using accurate empathy, recognizing signs of acculturation stress, and working with silence. Each of these skills sharpens the minister’s capacity to better discern, along with the individual, their felt-call to religious life.

Time

9:30 am QLD/NSW/VIC/TAS

9.00am SA

7:30am WA

Duration

2.5 hours for each seminar online

Registration and Fee

$300 for the series - same price as 2023

Click here to register: https://events.humanitix.com/words-ofwisdom-

words-of-grace

Enquiries

Gillian Lee, CRA by ph: 02 9557 2695

Email: secretariat@catholicreligious.org.au

Our Facilitator: Mary Pat Garvin RSM

Since 1994 Mary Pat Garvin, RSM, Ph.D. has ministered both nationally and internationally in vocation and formation ministry, explicitly focusing on the education and training of vocation and formation Ministers. Mary Pat has published numerous articles on vocation discernment and the formative process in Horizon: Journal of the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC), InFormation Magazine published by the Religious Formation Conference (RFC), Human Development, as well international journals dedicated to vocation and formation ministry. Mary Pat has served on her congregation’s general leadership team and in 2017 she was the recipient of the Religious Formation Conference’s “Penet Award” for her contribution to formation ministry both nationally and internationally.