Claretian Formation

The objective of this survey is to learn how the formandi are living the spirituality of the word, in order to be able to offer them a formative proposal based on their own reality and the guidelines of the IMW Project.

The sections of the survey will be adapted to the stage being surveyed.

1. My first habitual contact with the Word took place:

[  ] At home, when I was a child

[  ] During preparation for my First Communion

[  ] In school.

[  ] In the minor seminary

[  ] In the youth group [or community] I belonged to

[  ] In the postulancy or prenovitiate

[  ] In the novitiate

[  ] Other…

2. I have read the following from the Bible:

[  ] All the Books

[  ] Only the Old Testament

[  ] Only the New Testament

[  ] Part of the Old Testament and all of the New Testament

[  ] Part of the Old Testament and part of the New Testament

3. From the Old Testament:

* the books I have MOST read are:

– – –

– – –

* the books I have NOT read are:

– – –

– – –

4. From the New Testament:

* the books I have MOST read are:

– – –

– – –

* the books I have NOT read are:

– – –

– – –

5. My habitual way of reading Scripture consists of:

[  ] Reading the books (both OT and NT) in a continuous fashion

[  ] Reading the books in accord with a particular plan.

[  ] Following the liturgical cycle

[  ] Picking out some verses at random

[  ] Repeatedly going over some determined texts

6. I usually read Scripture PERSONALLY:

[  ] Every day in a more or less systematic way

[  ] Every day, but only the texts of the liturgy

[  ] A few times per week

[  ] Other…

7. I believe my kind of reading can best be described as follows:

[  ] For me, Scripture represents the word that God himself addresses to me at the moment I’m reading it. I strive to activate my faith and ask what God wants to tell me, so that I can respond adequately.

[  ] Generally, I try to recall the exegetical keys I’ve studied in order to understand the meaning of the text well, so as not to lose myself in a subjective or merely pious reading.

[  ] I usually pay attention to the texts that throw light on my vocation, in that they stimulate me to live my missionary commitment.

[  ] I always try to interpret whatever text I’m reading (OT or NT) in the light of Jesus Christ, as referring to him and clarifying his mystery.

[  ] I ordinarily feel a little lost. I simply let myself be led by the resonances that each text awakens in me according to the situation I find myself in.

[  ] Sometimes I read it just for historical information or literary values.

[  ] Other…

8. The difficulties I usually have in relation to the Word are (if more than one, number the most important one as “1,” etc.)

[  ] Lack of enough biblical information to interpret it well

[  ] Tendency to individualist reading centered on my own problems

[  ] Lack of connection with my ordinary life

[  ] Superficiality when it comes to receiving and meditating on it: the texts begin to tire me at once

[  ] Other… 

9. What helps me most to read and live the Word is:

[  ] Academic study of biblical matters

[  ] Confronting what I usually do between Word and life and mission

[  ] The way in which some people I know understand it and live it

[  ] Sharing it with the community and with other persons

[  ] Other…

10. Of the different moments of the “dynamics of the Word,” I usually pay special attention to:

[  ] Reading, meditation and reception (listening to the Word).

[  ] Communicating with the rest (sharing the Word)

[  ] Liturgical celebration (celebrating the Word)

[  ] Faithful fulfillment (fulfilling the Word)

[  ] Missionary announcement through witness, preaching, accompaniment, etc. (announcing the Word)

[  ] Suffering and waiting (suffering for the Word)

11. I believe that in fact, in our Congregation, the Word:

[  ] Holds a very important place, both in theory and practice

[  ] Has been highly revalued in theory, but we have not yet integrated it sufficiently into practice

[  ] Is not valued enough; it’s just one more element of our spirituality

[  ] Other…

12. I believe that in order for the Word to truly become pivotal part of our formation, it would be necessary (You can pick various answers and, if you wish, number them by order of importance)

[  ] To foster the habit of systematic and daily reading

[  ] To draft a specific plan for each stage

[  ] To insist on its “sacramental” meaning (the Word as presence of the Risen Lord in his Church)

[  ] To use adequate means to foster a confrontation between Word and life

[  ] To do much more to intensify biblical and exegetical study

[  ] To explain what a “Claretian reading” of the Word consists of

[  ] To make ourselves more present among the poor, who are the true “exegetes” of God’s Word, since they are its principal addressees.

[  ] Other…

13. I would like to add the following: