Eudists consider formation to be lifelong.  A candidate’s formation begins long before he seeks admittance in the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.  It was nurtured since his birth especially in the family and the parish.  Many life experiences and studies, formal and informal, have helped him grow as a person and as a Christian.

His specifically Eudist formation begins when the prospective candidate makes contact with a Eudist and begins to know the Congregation through a local community. After a period of mutual getting acquainted, the person asks to join the program of initial formation.  This period of initial formation is called “probation” and is the heart of the preparation for the definitive act of incorporation by which a man makes a lifetime and permanent commitment to the Congregation.  However, Eudists consider that their formation is ongoing for the rest of their lives.

Because the Congregation of Jesus and Mary is a society of apostolic life, its members take no vows and wear no special habit.  The formation is similar to that of a diocesan priest.  There is no postulancy, novitiate, or other things associated with religious life.  Special emphasis is given to the ministry of the community and its members. One of our mottos is “Together for the Mission.”  In that sense, community life is important  because it supports each member in his apostolic and spiritual commitment.  The following is a brief outline of Eudist formation:

There are many ways that a man comes to know about the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.   It may be through personal contact with a Eudist or one of our Sister communities, through a brochure, a poster or a website, or through a vocation campaign. Sooner or later, he will begin a process that leads to knowing better the Eudists through a local community.  Through a contact person, he will be invited to spend time with the community through regular visits or possibly an extended stay in the community. This enables him to know the Congregation better by seeing first hand its lifestyle and mission.  In turn, the community comes to know better the prospective applicant.  This process of “mutual acquaintance” has no time limit and is determined on a case to case basis.  It concludes when the man is ready to seek admission to the Congregation and the local community is ready to receive his application.

“Probation, so called by Saint John Eudes himself, is the initial period of formation in the Eudist way of living. Its principal purpose is formation to apostolic life in a community context.  This period lasts at least four years and is lived entirely within Eudist communities” (Constitutions 69)

We use the traditional name “probation” to describe the period of initial formation for Eudists even though the connotation of the word in English may seem negative.  It is really an apprenticeship to the Eudist way of life.  A candidate seeks admission to the community of formation after he has been recommended by the local community.  His request is accepted by the provincial superior of the North American Province.

During the time of probation, formation focuses on the four areas outlined in the Post-Synodal Pastoral Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (PDV) of Blessed John Paul II. This includes human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, and pastoral formation.  In addition, being a Society of Apostolic Life, we add community formation. In the Philippines, beginning with the academic year 2012-2013, our house of formation is located in Quezon City.  The candidates join this Eudist community made up of the Director of Formation, the Vocation Director and a Spiritual Director.

In most cases, candidates in probation are pursuing the regular studies required by the Church of candidates for the priesthood.  Usually, they are assigned some apostolic ministry to help them become good shepherds.  Their spiritual formation is guided within the community as well as with the help of a personal spiritual director.  Regular days of recollection and an annual retreat are important times of spiritual formation in community.  Various workshops for the community as well as personal guidance and counseling help candidates mature as human persons.

Just like every Eudist community, the formation community develops what is called “a community life plan.” At the beginning of each academic/pastoral year, every community determines what will be its community activities and its daily community routine regarding time for prayer, liturgy, study, apostolic involvements, and other aspects of community life. Since the members of the community participate in the development of the community life plan, all commit themselves to its execution.

The Eudist Constitutions indicate that the period of probation “includes a special period of approximately one year reserved for more intensive Eudist spiritual formation.”  In some ways, it is similar to what a religious order might call a novitiate.  The formation directory spells out the goals of this “special time.”

• It is an opportunity for the candidate to receive a more systematic formation in the spiritual teaching of St. John Eudes and the 17th century French School of Spirituality.
  
• It is also a time for the candidate to learn more about the history of the Congregation.
  
• The candidate has the opportunity to become more familiar with the local Church of the country in which the special time takes place.
  
• It is a privileged opportunity for the candidate to discover the importance of working in cooperation with the local Church.

This special period of formation can occur any time during the years of probation.  It may take place here in the Philippines (as it did in 2010-2011), or in any of the other countries where Eudists serve.   In 2012-2013 a special time of Eudist formation will be held in France.  During the “special time,” the participating candidates take a year off from their studies so that they devote their full attention to the aspects of formation outlined above.