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Orientation to Formation

Overview - 2023 Dates Scheduled! 

Orientation to Formation (OTF) is specifically designed for formators, mentors and persons in elected leadership who attend to new members as they make their sacred journey. It provides an overview of the opportunities, gifts and challenges embedded in the ministry, an introduction to the range of resources available to the formation minister, and the opportunity to connect and share wisdom, insights and best practices with presenters, RFC staff and each other.

This year OTF will be offered as a 4-week online experience via Zoom. Participants will meet from 11 AM to 2 PM central time each of the four Tuesdays in October (October 3, 10, 17, 24, 2023). Some brief preparation materials will be sent in advance of each session. The online time together will consist of some additional input on specific topics, focused conversation in small groups, some large group sharing of insights, and suggestions for deepening the experience following the session. All participants will be encouraged to establish a pattern of ongoing individual and peer group supervision. Presenters for the various modules as well as RFC staff will be available for conversation and consultation with participants. There will be an optional fifth week (October 31, 2023) offered for elected leaders.

For the program guide, click here. 

  • Week I: Formation Ministry Today
  • Week II: The Art of Accompaniment
  • Week III: Relationship/Community: Locus of the Formative Journey
  • Week IV: Religious Life: Ever Ancient, Ever New
  • Week V (optional): Elected Leaders Relationship to Formators and Their Ministry

Facilitators

Mary Pat GarvinMary Pat Garvin, RSM, PhD is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. She holds a doctorate in psychology from the Gregorian University where she was on the faculty from 1994-2001. Since 2001, Mary Pat has taught for Seton Hall University and worked with national and international conferences of Religious, as well as Religious congregations throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. In 2017 she received the Mary Emil Penet, IHM Award from the RFC in recognition of her contribution to the ministry of initial and ongoing formation for women and men Religious in North American and internationally. Mary Pat is a Fellow in Human Formation with Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her research interest is the interplay of spirituality and psychology in the promotion of a healthy and holy living of Religious Life.

Paul Michalenko Paul Michalenko, ST, PhD is a religious Brother with the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity. He has served as Novice director and coordinator of his congregation’s international vocation and formation programs while serving on the general council. He taught at the Institute of Religious Formation for 17 years and was director of that program for six years. Paul has served as a facilitator and organizational consultant to many church and nonprofit groups over the past thirty-five years. He has worked with women’s and men’s religious congregations, facilitating reconfiguration processes, assemblies, chapters, pastoral planning and other transition processes.


Tuition

Four day package
Member rate: $275
Non-member rate: $375

Optional fifth day for leaders (any elected leader can participate, do not need to participate in prior 4-week series):
$75 for members;
$125 non-members

Five Day Package
Member rate: $350
Non-member rate $450
 

Register Online

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The Religious Formation Conference (RFC) is a national Roman Catholic organization serving religious institutes of women and men with programs and services for those in the ministry of initial and lifelong formation, and general congregational membership.

Animated by God’s vivifying presence, the RFC will stand at the forefront of discerning the formative horizon of the emergent in religious life. In concert with members and collaborative partners, the Conference will lead in the areas of initial and ongoing formation and the professional preparation of formators.

RFC Logo.

1525 E. 53rd St. | Suite 716
Chicago, IL 60615
Phone: 773.675.8362
Email: rfc@relforcon.org

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About RFC

About RFC

Mission, Vision, Values

Board of Directors

Staff / Contact

Membership

Congregational Members

Member Areas

Partners & Collaborators

Get news & notes

News Blog

Travel to/from

Privacy Policy

Programs

Attend a Program

ForMission

Program Cost and Payment
Dates and Location

ForMission 2.0

Life Commitment

Program Cost and Payment

Compromiso de Vida

Orientation to Formation

Program cost and payment

Webinars

Workshops

InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate (ICCN)

Together

Program Advisory Committee

Member Areas

Scholarship Funds

Calendar

Cancellation Policies

Congress

Congress 2023

Congress 2021

Congress 2019

Congress 2017

Congress 2015

Congress 2013

Congress 2011

Resources

Resources Portal

Webinar Recordings

Workshops & Presentations

InFormation Bulletins

Annual Reports

Scholarship Funds

News Blog

Online Store

Cancellation Policies

Members

Become a Member

Member Areas

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