Orientation to Formation
Dates: October 8 - 10, 2010
Location:
Xavier Center, 23 Convent Rd., Convent Station, New Jersey 07961-0211
www.xaviercenter.org
Phone: 973-290-5100
Cost: Members $365.00 ; Non-Members $440.00
(Cost
includes tuition, room accommodations and meals)
Download Registration Form by clicking here
DescriptionOrientation to
Formation is a two-day conference for ministers of formation, members of
formative communities, and congregational leadership who serve as liaisons
in initial and lifelong formation of congregational members.
The program especially welcomes new
directors of pre-novitiate, novitiate, and temporary professed members and
those who experience themselves as new in these roles. Seasoned directors
also find the program a useful refresher as they continue in their ministry.
The Orientation to Formation program presenters are
Roman Catholic women and men religious who have many years experience in
formation ministry. They have served as directors of formation for their
congregations and as consultants to a wide range of religious congregations
of women and men.
Past participants have overwhelmingly endorsed the
program as excellent preparation for those who have responsibility in areas
of formation/incorporation and for leadership team members.
Presenters:
Maryann Seton Lopiccolo, SC
is a Sister of Charity of Halifax, who was has a background in
education and administration. She received a Masters in Religious Studies
from Boston College and a Post Graduate Degree from Fordham University
in Spirituality and Spiritual Direction which has enriched her ministry. Maryann
has worked in formation ministry for about 23 years, serving on varied
formation teams in her congregation Maryann was one of the founders
and directors of the Collaborative Novitiate for five congregations of
Sisters of Charity and the chair and treasurer of the Religious Formation
Conference Region 2 plus the coordinator of the intercommunity novitiate
program. Maryann has been a presenter for the RFC Orientation Program for
new formation directors for the last 13 years and has served as a consultant
and speaker to many congregations throughout the US. She has played an
active role in the Sisters of Charity Federation through her work in
formation. Currently Maryann is
the Episcopal Delegate for Religious in the Diocese of Brooklyn and
Past-President of the National Conference of Vicars for Religious.
Donald Bisson, FMS, is a Marist
Brother who is a spiritual director, supervisor and formator of directors.
He has been novice director, teacher in internovitiate programs throughout
North America and nine years in province leadership teams. Don has a Doctor
of Ministry degree in Spiritual Direction and Analytical Psychology from the
Pacific School of Religion at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley Ca.
Practicalities:
Schedule:
Fri Oct 8: 3:00 pm Arrival and registration; 6:00 pm Dinner
followed by Opening session
Closing of the event is Sun Oct 10 after the 12:00 noon lunch.
If you arrive by plane you may want to fly into NEWARK, NJ airport. For
transportation from and to the airport you may want to consider:
What participants have said:
"As a beginner in the formation process, I found the Orientation Program
extremely helpful. It was also an excellent way to evaluate my community's
program and get ideas."
"It is so useful for those just starting out. I enjoyed the complementarily
of male-female experience in the presenters."
"Besides being very informative, it's a source of great encouragement for
new formation directors."
Last year, I attended a Formation Orientation Conference of the RFC. I like
to call it Formation 101. It was actually a repeated attendance since I
accompanied another sister who is being prepared for formation ministry. I
took notes this time from two perspectives, two points of view, one of a
director of formation and the other as a person in leadership of our
community. As I did, I began to recognize the essential worth of leadership
to be grounded in formation....the need for leadership to be grounded within
the context of initial and on-going formation can be greatly enhanced only
through an undated experience of formation processes. (Regina Zeleznik SND)
In Congress years such as 2011, Orientation to Formation is a
Pre-Congress workshop and registration is done on the Congress Registration
form.
For more information regarding Orientation
to Formation please contact :
Yvonne DeBruin
RFC Program Director
Phone: 301.588.4938
Email: ydebruin@relforcon.org
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