Chennai Salesians

Importance of English language in religious formation

Posted by Dominic Mathews

The Formation Commission appreciated the Common English Entrance Exam before the pre-novitiate. There was a lively discussion on how ability in the English language can be increased in the candidates, as it was an important requirement among other major Seminaries and Congregations at the national level.

The Formation Commission comprising of members - Fr. Pathiaraj Rayappan, Fr. Bellarmine Fernando, Fr. Joseph Berchmans, Fr. Bosco Augustine, Fr. John Britto Savarinathan, Fr. Chinnapparaj Desam, and Fr. Robert Inniyasi, met for the academic year 2017-18, on July 29, 2017 at Idaya Deepam in Yelagiri, to deliberate on the above.

Some suggestions were:

Whether the recruitment of candidates should start from Class VIII?

To organize a meeting of all Salesians working in formation houses to create a unified focus on matters such as giving importance to English.

To request the Provincial to address all centres to promote vocations for the candidates. To adhere to strict norms in promoting candidates at every stage.

The Commission adopted two priorities for the academic year 2017-18:

To revise the Province Formation Directory.
To formulate a policy for the involvement of the family of the candidates in initial formation.

Two Sub-Commissions were established:

One, to work on the Province Formation Directory - Fr. Bellarmine, Fr. Berk and Fr. Bosco and another, to draft the family policy - Fr. Pathiaraj, Fr. John Britto, Fr. Chinna and Fr. Robert.

The Sub-Commissions will meet as and when they need and table their documents in the Commission meeting in November.