So
the growing preoccupation, apprehension and dissatisfaction regarding the
identity of capuchin life and authentic witness is genuine. It sends a message
that there is a need to formulate a model of formation which addresses the
requirements of current environment or develop a concept of formation with sense
of the local conditions, a consideration of the local practices, a participation
and input of other players. If you all agree with me, we could simply replace
the wording of the theme to read “Formation of brothers with Jesus of Yesterday,
Jesus of Today and Jesus of Tomorrow.”
Many
of the challenges arise out of divergent views of reality and their
applications. There has always been a war of perceptions attributable to lack
of knowledge on each other’s world view. There is a basic contrast of the
African way of organizing reality and the European way of organizing reality.
Perhaps the contents and perceptions herein will help to identify possible
areas of conflict, to recognize such conflicts and work through them, to develop
a positive appreciation that the cultures can enrich each other. Most of all I
hope it can help to smooth some of the tensions that arise at times between the
two divides.
On
account of the globalization of systems and values the world is going through;
Africa faces similar challenges in terms of meaning, values, depth, creativity
etc. Europeans have been great at some aspects of the human journey. But they
neglected other aspects i.e. of those other human groups in other parts of the
world have nurtured and developed. To think that human progress and development
have to follow the European model as the best, only indicates how deep and
insensitive this ignorance of humanity can be.
The declining moral probity,
inordinate materialistic tendencies and individual drive for socio-economic
independence and other observable misdemeanours affect the quality of formation. Is it a situation attributable to a breakdown
in family? The final product of formation, the friar, manifests traits that
call to question what happens in the formation centres and why certain obvious
shortcomings are getting rampant by the day: The
accumulation of personal wealth, power, flamboyance and quest for influence are
seen as a measure for successful priesthood. There is no doubt that the consumer
oriented society of today that encourages the young to intensely seek
after a well-being is built on the matrices of individualism, materialism, and
hedonistic interpretation of the human life is a big challenge to formation,
fraternal living and ministry. Such an
orientation totally negates the idea of sacrifice and commitment to spiritual
and religious values. Just as we see societal crisis of values so are our fraternities
today, we observe a crisis of values; insincerity, dishonesty, absenteeism from
regular common programs, unauthorized outings or returning in the compound in
the wrong hours have become common place. Courtesies, respect and fraternal
communication and exchange of ideas continue to decline among the friars.
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