In accordance with the General Council’s calendar of activities, the formation session of formators, held online via Zoom on April 24 and 25, 2025, was a formative and fraternal experience. It brought together approximately 35 participants. Overall, this session was marked by active participation and rich exchanges.

However, the language issue proved to be a significant challenge, particularly for the confreres from Vietnam and those who speak Spanish. Fortunately, for the latter, one of the two talks, that of Father José Antonio, was presented in Spanish. This difficulty raises the question of learning languages common to all, particularly English and French, in order to promote smooth and inclusive communication.

Pursuing the objective of strengthening the capacities of formators, this meeting featured two briefings and a time reserved solely for sharing experiences. The first talk was given by Father Francisco Junior, General Consultor for Mission and the Charismatic Family, and the second by Father José Antonio, General Consultor in charge of International Theological Commissions and the Founder’s Writings.

   The first talk, animated by Father Francisco, sss

It focused on the specific mission of the SSS today. It offered an interpretation of our mission in the light of the Rule of Life and the work of the International Mission Commission. It highlighted the importance of remaining faithful to the spirit of the Founder and keeping the Eucharist at the heart of our mission, in a Church called to be prophetic, a promoter of unity, and socially engaged. His intervention noted that today, our mission is essentially centred around the service of the Word, the liturgy, parish animation, Eucharistic centres or spiritual formation and worship. Moreover, our Statutes offer an even broader field of action that should continue to be explored.

   The second talk, given by Father José Antonio, sss

It focused on theological formation. It highlighted the need for a theology deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, open to dialogue with the contemporary world, and derived from our experience of the Eucharistic mystery. The importance was highlighted regarding a formation that prepares SSS religious to become true witnesses and specialists of the Eucharist, in the service of the Church and in accordance with its directives.

This instruction recalled the importance of a solid theological culture, nourished by reading the official documents of the Church and the Congregation. It invited the Formators to encourage those being former to appropriate the resources, produced in particular by our two commissions: the theological commission and that of the Founder’s writings in order to interiorise properly our mission and bear witness to our belonging. Illustrating his point, Father Antonio evoked the image of the cardiologist, borrowed from Father Fiorenzo’s conference on the theme “Love must be exaggerated” (Salvi F., Love must be exaggerated. The gift born of the Eucharist. Conference given at the XXXV General Chapter, in Chicago in June 2017); this was to express the passion that SSS religious must cultivate towards the Eucharist, the object of their mission and their consecration. The SSS religious, through the Eucharist, must carry out the work that the cardiologist does to heal our world today.

   Internationality and Lay people

During these two conferences, the theme of internationality was also addressed as an essential orientation for the future of our presence and mission in the world. Participants emphasized the need for clear official documents that can give shape to efforts towards the realization of this internationality. Regarding formation, emphasis was placed on the importance of preserving our charismatic identity in its diversity in the face of current challenges. The importance of reflecting on the impact of artificial intelligence, both in mission and formation, in the transmission of the Founder’s legacy and in its use as an educational tool, was also emphasized.

These conferences also clearly brought out the need for close collaboration with lay people in the area of First Formation, as well as the need to form them so that they can effectively participate in our common mission.

   Sharing and dialogue

The second day was devoted to exchanges between participants. It consisted of personal presentations, followed by a discussion on the activities of the various houses, guided by questions proposed in advance. Once all the presentations were completed, a time for dialogue ensued. This dialogue, although challenged by the existing language barriers, was a powerful opportunity for strengthening mutual understanding.

This second international meeting concerning the formation of formators was a valuable and enriching experience. It helped strengthen the formators’ skills, foster better mutual understanding, and encourage the sharing of experiences with a view to enriching our initial formation and its tools, particularly the “Follow Me” document. It also revealed concrete areas for improvement, particularly with regard to the linguistic dimension, internationality, the integration of lay people, and adaptation to contemporary challenges.

Father Anaclet Bambala, sss
Vicar General, responsible for Formation