I made a presentation at the 4th Theological Symposium held at Don Bosco Utume on 30th March 2015. The two-day symposium has as its theme: Consecrated Life and the Life of Youth. The annual symposium this year commemorates the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco – the Founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco, hence the focus on youth. It is also a contribution to the Year of Consecrated (Religious) Life.
My presentation brought together three elements: youth, conversion, and religious life.
Using emerging data from psychology of religious conversion of youth, the first part of the paper states some underlying patterns in conversion. The second part applies those patterns in understanding the dynamics of spirituality youth who join religious life. Attachment Theory is much used in the analysis. Implication of secure attachment and avoidant attachment on gradual and sudden conversion, and their possible impact on religious life is discussed.
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Religious Life
Religious Life – Father Savio’s Fate
“Father Savio was a hard worker, great builder and a good religious.” This is how the provincial would have ended his eulogy at the funeral of Fr Savio.
Fr Savio had built several churches in the missions, and supervised even the construction of a formation house. He was not just a supervisor in these construction sites; often he worked in them himself. He was a six-footer with a well built physique -he could carry two cement bags on either hands and go up the stairs. He could drive long distances without any food or drink. Every one in the province praised him as a self-sacrificing Religious.
He said his prayers, whenever he was in the house. When he could not join monthly recollections – everyone knew Fr Savio was busy. Often he did not celebrate daily mass; sometimes he exercised his baptismal priesthood. When it was his turn to preside at the community Eucharist, he was more […]
Religious Life – The Active Ants
There was once a colony of ants. The colony was divided into many units, and each unit had its leader and the colony itself had its own leaders. Every unit was known for its hard work and tremendous activity. Since they worked hard some were always tired and sick, so others had to work harder. They worked so hard that they had no time for reflection, evaluation and planning. They always consoled themselves dreaming of the day when they will have enough ants to accomplish all their work. But that day never came. The new recruits always filled gaps. Their numbers never increased because of the situation that they had created for themselves some died (after all, isn’t true that ants do die?), others got sick and still others dropped out of the colony.
It is not that the ants were little devils. They always said their prayers (problem was perhaps they only said prayers!), they obeyed their rules (they were […]