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The Commission for Vocations, Seminaries, Clergy and Religious is proud to report its activities which, for the past six months focused on ongoing formation of Clergy, through the new initiatives in line with the following:
Name: Awareness Programme on Priests’ Sexual Conduct with a Particular Reference to India
Purpose: To create awareness in Priests in India so as to help them live their celibate life meaningfully, in the context of the challenges of the time
Context: 1. Church’s concern in today’s context to inform and form the clergy on the topic, with an aim to enhance the pastoral credibility of the Clergy in the context of allegations of sex-abuse, especially pedophilia by clerics in America, Western Europe and India
2. An ongoing theological reflection on Church’s teachings on human sexuality and Celibate life is necessary to face the challenges.
3. Promoting Integration of priests’ pastoral and personal lives in the Social, cultural, religious and political context in India is an urgency today
A. National Convention of CDPI
90 Diocesan priests representing 128 Dioceses of India, came together for the ninth National Council of the CDPI at Navinta, Delhi, February 23-25,2011. We reflected on the theme, “Psycho-sexual integration for a happy Celibate Priestly life”. Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio to India gave the keynote address. Archbishop Vincent Concessao of Delhi and Archbishop Albert D’Souza of Agra, along with Bishop Thomas A. Vazahapilly of Mysore, Commission Chairperson for clergy, religious, seminary and vocations and CDPI Patron were also present for the inaugural function to felicitate the priests. They exhorted the priests to live integrated human life. Capuchin priest Sundar Wilson facilitated the participants to reflect on the theme with input from scientific, psychological and spiritual point of view. Being human we accept our brokenness and express our sorrow and solidarity with those who are wounded by us, we became aware of this psycho-sexual reality.
The meeting resovled the following:
• Every diocesan priest needs to grow in spiritual maturity by personal prayer life and deep encounter with God
• To be a part of a support group in order to experience community bonding and fraternity within the presbyterium
• To continually renew his priestly vision to follow Jesus
• To grow in healthy integration of psycho-sexual life
• To have a sense of joyful gratitude
• As alter-Christus needs to be other-centred in giving God’s gift to all
• To willingly accept Celibacy as a gift from God and give to others joyfully as a gift in service
• To grow in special devotion to Mary as our mother
• To acknowledge the human sexual feeling as natural and to grow in sublimation as healthy channel for creativity.
• To celebrate life and to have prosperity of mind implies trust in God, share happiness with others and be generous in everything
• To make serious efforts for healing of childhood inner wounds
• To fill himself with grace of God to share with others
• To have recourse to spiritual direction and the Sacrament of Reconciliation at regular intervals as every priest is a wounded healer extending forgiveness of God to others
• To share the learning and reflections with all the priests in the dioceses and to other people in the locality
• To form Trainers of Training at the diocesan level to deal with any problems of priests
• To develop healthy food habits and physical exercise
• To have positive self-care of every priest
• To identify seminarians who have difficulty for healthy integrated life and to request them to discontinue
The Commission thanks the Apostolic Nuncio in a special way. The interest he shows in the CDPI is significant because it is a pointer to the involvement of the Holy See in the Diocesan Priests and the CDPI which is the Association in India constituted by the CCBI is a unit of the CCBI Commission for Clergy. The thanks also the organization Church-in-Need, Germany for their support for the ongoing formation of Clergy in India.
B. Training Of Trainers for Clergy
The CCBI Commission for Clergy is proposing to conduct a Training of Trainers (TOT) for Clergy & Religious in the Background of the problems of cases of alleged sexual abuse and pedophilic misconduct by Clergy & Religious reported globally today, with an aim to form Trainers who will be available to conduct the awareness programme for Priests, diocesan and Religious, throughout India.
1. For Northern (Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab, Jammu-Kashmir) and Agra (UP-Rajasthan) Regions: It was organized at the Pastoral Centre, Agra. The Director of the programme was Fr. G. Arulraj, CSC. It was held from 1st to 4the March 2011. The total number of Trainers Trained at that first TOT is 19. The team of experts who helped the Commission to evolve the concept of the TOT were the first team of resource persons: Fr. Udumala Bala, Deputy Secretary General of CCBI, and a Moral-Theologian; Fr. Francis Guntipilly sj, Legal Expert; Fr. G. Arulraj, CSC, Executive Secretary of CCBI Commission for Family, Counseller; Sr. Rosamma, ICM, Psychologist
2. For West Region (Goa-Maharashra-Gujarat): the TOT was organized at the Navsadhana Pastoral Centre, Pune. The Programme Director was Fr. V. Louis,– It was held from 18th to 19th September 2011. 22 Priests participated in the programme.
3. For the North-East Region: the TOT was held at the Pastoral Centre Shillong, from the 17th to 20th May 2011. The Director of the programme was Fr. James Thoppil, from (who later became the Bishop of Kohima. 21 Trainers took part in the programme. Fr. G. Arulraj, CSC was the coordinator of the programme.
4. Bengal, Orissa and Bhijhan (Bihar, Jharkhand & Andamans) Regions had their TOT at Progaloy Pastoral Centre from 7th to 10th June 2011. The Director of the programme wa: Fr. Soosai Manickam and 30 priests participated in it and have been trained as trainers.
Trainers in Training in Kolkata
Content of the TOT
A. The Gravity and Urgency of the Situation Today: A factual and scientific analysis of the situation today, with a particular reference to the situation in India – The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has repeatedly called the attention of the Church at large and the Bishops and Clergy in particular to this question both at the level of the Universal Church and in reference to some particular countries.
B. Doctrinal and Theological Perspective: Church’s teachings on human sexuality and together with a theological reflection for today for a positive outlook on Celibate chastity.
C. Psycho-Sexual Perspective: The dimensions of one’s psycho-sexual development and the need of psycho-sexual integration.
D. Legal Perspective: Ecclesiastical Law and procedures – Constitutional provisions on the issue for the knowledge of the law of the land
E. Integrated Spirituality: The basic requirement for living out a fruitful Celibate life in the world
The Kerala Regional Commission organized a Seminar in May 2011 instead of the TOT and about 50 participated in it. Fr. Wilson, OFM, Cap was the resource person. Forthcoming TOTs:
1. Karnataka Region TOT is to be held from the 15th to 18th November 2011 at Catholic Centre, Mysore. Fr. John Textera, the Director of the Centre looks after the arrangements and Fr.G. Arulraj, CSC, will be coordinator of the programme. Three persons from each diocese of the region are expected to be trained as trainers in the region.
2. For Andhra and Tamil Nadu-PY Regions the TOT will be held at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre, Chennai (Director: Fr. Nambikkainathan, Mob. 09444047534) – Dates: 22nd to 25th November 2011 – Programme Director: Fr. Mallavarapu Sunder, Mob. 09395544567
3. The MP and with the Chhattisgarh regions are yet to organize the TOT.
The Commission is grateful to MISSIO-Munic, who are sponsoring the TOTs.
C. Diaconate Integration Programme
Madurai Ecclesiastical Province shows the way
In the annual meeting of Rectors held in November 2008 at Goa on “Interiorization of Philosophical and Theological Formation”, it was suggested that proper time be given to candidates for the interiorization of their studies, before they are ordained as deacons and priests. While no other region of province put that into effect as a whole, except in individual cases, the Bishops of the Madurai Ecclesiastical Region had the guts to give a try to the suggestion, after listening to the combined team of Rectors of all the regional Major Seminaries (Intersem), at the TNBC meeting. The candidates of that province are ordained deacons in the month of December in their fourth year of theology and are immersed in diaconate ministry for at least a year. There are 32 deacons in their Diaconate Immersion Programme this year.Fr. E. John Kulandai, the Executive Secretary of the commission together with Bishop Antony Devota of Trichy and Fr. S. Sebastian, Rector of St. Paul’s Regional Seminary conducted an evaluation of the Diaconate immersion programme of the Madurai Ecclesiastical Province, on 19th September 2011 at the Jubilee Pastoral Centre, Palayam Kottai.
D. Forthcoming Events for Formators of Major Seminaries
1. ARMS 2011
Dates: 7th to 10th November 2011
Topic: Psycho-Sexual Integration In Formation Towards A Celibate Life
Venue: Prabhodana, Pallotine Major Seminary, Institute of Religious Studies, Mysore
Resource Persons: Fr. Felix Podimattam, OFM, Cap. : Aspect of Moral Theology
Fr. Wilson, OFM, Cap.: Psycho-spiritual aspect
2. A Programme for Spiritual Directors of Major Seminaries
Proposal: To hold a programme of formation for Spiritual Directors of Major Seminaries of India (CCBI) on the topic: “Spiritual Direction towards Psycho-sexual integration for Priestly Celibacy”
Purpose: To make the spiritual directors aware of the professional and psycho-spiritual exigencies in spiritual direction for candidates to Celibate Priestly life.
Dates: November 3,4,5 November 2011
Place: NBCLC, Bangalore
Resource Person: Fr. Wilson, OFM, Cap.
Fr. E. John Kulandai, Executive Secretary
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