Introduction

Nathanael

	Overview
	History
	Formation Process
	Lay Ministry
	Selection Criteria
	Calendar

Diaconate

News & Events
 

: Nathanael - Formation Process :

The following is complementary information useful in understanding the formation process of adult lay ministry.

Purpose

The Nathanael formation process encourages an authentic response to the call given at baptism and lived according to the vision and call of Vatican II.

Candidates

The candidates are baptized men and women who have applied for the formation process and have been accepted by their bishop or his delegate. The selection process respects the reality of the local Church, the charisms of the individual and the call from God to co-responsible service within the community of believers. Preference is given to persons who wish to respond to this call. An applicant must be a member in good standing of a parish community and have a well-adjusted and stable family life. In the case of married candidates, their spouses must consent to their application.

Spouses

Spouses are encouraged to participate in the formation process as it is vital that couples grow together in their experience of family life and shared love. It is also desirable that they grow together in their understanding of the call to minister.

The Formation Process

The spiritual growth of persons who enter into the formation process is most important. Spiritual growth is a gift of the Holy Spirit and cannot be attained simply through techniques. One of the objectives of the formation process is to create an environment of peace so that all participants may become aware of their faith experience - those encounters with God that give meaning and depth to who they are and to what they do. Through in-depth growth in their fidelity to Christ, participants are encouraged to be open and ready to respond to new and deeper revelations; to allow themselves to experience an ongoing authentic conversion - the source of any true commitment to Christ and to His People. The means offered to foster this growth are:

1. The development and growth of a faith community: During the formation process, participants are encouraged to enter into a group experience through sharing. The mutual support and encouragement are essential for the understanding and appreciation of self, and are necessary for persons who serve others. As well, this experience strengthens and encourages those who deeply desire to be faithful to the gifts of God and to their own baptismal vocation. Real community does not just happen nor can it be forced. It demands conscious effort if it is to deepen and grow.
   
   The strongest experience of "community" that is Church is in the preparation, participation and celebration of the Eucharist. This sharing nourishes faith, centres our spiritual life, fosters commitment, opens us to the universal Church and the contemporary world and imbues the community with a growing concern for one another.
    
2. Theological input: Rather than a straight-forward imparting of information, the academic input is adapted to blend into the whole formation process that is centered on the growth of the whole person. The call of the committed Christian is to be a minister of the Gospel and not a professional theologian. To answer a call to ministry within the Church, as a logical extension of one's baptismal commitment, is to accept to serve the whole community of believers and the world with special attention to the poor and needy.
   
   Therefore, to be a sign and sacrament of Christ who came to serve and not to be served, the lay minister must acquire solid theological knowledge based on Scripture, Tradition, and the ongoing inspiration of Vatican II. This knowledge is necessary so that the person may question and affirm his/her commitment of service to the People of God and be able to respond to and grow with the needs and aspirations of the faithful. The individual needs theological tools that are relevant to contemporary problems and situations of the Church and world. An understanding of Scripture and Catholic doctrine are a pre-requisite to any deepening of ecclesial commitment and growth in faith.
   
   In order to better serve the community in charity and justice, serious academic input, including the study of Scripture, and formal and pastoral theology, will be offered. The participants are invited to integrate this information, to make it their own, so that it truly becomes a part of who they are and what they do.
    
3. Recorded personal reflections: Participants are the agents of their own formation. Accordingly, they will be invited to reflect on each week-end experience in order to interiorize what has been lived. In the light of the call of Christ in their life, they will be encouraged to critique their own experience and that of the group in order to identify positive and negative elements (what? why? how?). This permits a harmonious transition from doing to being, from learning to growth, from information to formation and from these reflections growth patterns emerge. To encourage this process, spiritual counsellors will be made available and the candidates will be invited to choose one to journey with them.
    
4. A retreat week-end: One of the ten weekends each year is the annual live-in retreat. The format of this spiritual experience may vary according to the desires and needs of the participants.

Evaluation

There is an on-going evaluation of the formation process and of the participants by the participants themselves and by those responsible for the program.

Nathanael Office:

622 Taché Ave.
St. Boniface, MB
R2H 2B4

Telephone: (204) 237-9851
Fax: (204) 237-9942
E-mail: rcampeau@archsaintboniface.ca or nathanael6@archsaintboniface.ca