Several religious orders in Europe have recently experienced an increase in the number of people who would like to take up a religious vocation.
The Dominican Sisters are no exception. That is why the association Dominican Sisters Europe invited ‘formators’ (people who are involved in the training of novices) to meet in Rome for some days of reflection. At the conference on 20–24 September 2018 were novice masters and members of ‘formation teams’, with participants from countries such as Italy, England, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Norway and also South Africa.
The main topic for the conference was The affective/human dimension of formation’. Lessons, reflections and discussions were led by Mrs. Anna P. Zamblera and Sr. Geraldine Smyth.
Fr. Vivian Boland was also a lecturer. He presented the topic in light of the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas, thus framing it in a Dominican tradition.
One day was reserved for a meeting at Angelicum, a seminary in the heart of Rome. There the sister formators met for a study day with promotors of permanent formation for the Dominican friars. Even though the sisters concentrated on initial formation and the friars on permanent ongoing formation, the day gave opportunities for shared reflections and a fruitful exchange of ideas.
The meeting was organized by Dominican Sisters Europe, under the leadership of its coordinator Sr. Else-Britt Nilsen and her counsel.
The formation team of Sta. Katarinahjemmet (Sr. Agnes Lalu, our novice master, with Sr. Anne Bente Hadland and Sr. Ane-Elisabet Røer) participated in the meeting. The formation team (appointed 25 June 2018) is responsible for our congregation’s formation.
Questions about vocations may be directed to our formation team.
