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 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, 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