On December 23 in Rimont, Brother François-Xavier, Prior General of the Congregation, solemnly and gratefully announced the signing of the decree promulgating the Ratio Formationis Congregationis Sancti Johannis. The joy of this event was followed by a Mass of thanksgiving.

A text defining initial and continuing training

The result has been an immense amount of collaborative work, which has kept the Congregation busy over the last 6 years; the last 3 years more intensively, with the creation of numerous sub-commissions and work sessions at Conventual, Vicarial, Pro-Provincial and General Chapters, in which all brothers have had the opportunity to participate and contribute. Under the guidance of a solid team, exchanges between the brothers and numerous outside contributors and the Church followed one another.

According to Brother François-Xavier, the promulgation of the Ratio Formationis is an important milestone for the Congregation, but it is destined to be taken up again once the Constitutions have been recast, so it is not a final completion, but it does provide very good guidelines for the initial and ongoing formation of the brothers. It is a helpful text for all brothers to take stock of any aspect of their personal formation. Finally, it is a very timely tool at a time when Houses of Formation are being founded in various places (France, Mexico, Philippines, Togo, USA): a key tool for ensuring the unity as well as the diversity of formation in the Congregation.

For Brother Jean-Polycarpe, head of the Commission that carried out the Ratio Formationis project and General Head of Formation, this promulgation is the culmination of a long process that began with the work of the formators and the reflections of all the brothers who wanted to advance in their vocation, their formation and their personal formation. This step invites and encourages the Community to set out on formation and to continue to advance along the path begun by the Ratio Formationis project itself. The Provincial Chapters at the beginning of 2023 appointed Provincial Formation Officers who, together, are already continuing to move forward on this path of ongoing formation.

In a few words, Brother Jean-Polycarpe concluded these years dedicated to work and exchange with all the participants:

“How beautiful is our vocation! We received an incredible gift. Let’s not be afraid to welcome it, to say what is beautiful in it, to value it and to keep moving forward to conform ourselves more and more to God’s will”.

Brother Christian’s testimony

“As I listened to the presentation of the Ratio Formationis (of which I had read a small part of the first drafts), I was struck by the fact that it was a great work involving consultation with many brothers (60) in all the Vicariates, with 12 sub-commissions composed of brothers ‘from the grass roots’, who we wouldn’t have thought of spontaneously and who were able to express everything they ‘had’ to say about formation in our Community.

I was delighted to note that the commission meetings were fine moments of formation, fraternity and communion, even (and above all) if the text had to be revised over and over again, receiving the right criticism and reformulating it. All this was done in line with the General Chapter; a truly synodal attitude. I also think it’s great that you didn’t hesitate to call on other congregations, women religious from our Community and from other communities…

Finally, thanks to Brother Jean-Polycarpe and all those who worked closely with him, with drive, audacity, tenacity, perseverance, mutual listening, competence and the search for truth. All this work will nourish the brothers, sometimes provoking salutary revisions of life, producing fruit for the Community. Thank you for everything. Entrusting to the Virgin Mary and to Saint John the reception and implementation of this document.”