FAITH , FORMATION , AND VOCATION – ANY LINK?
There is an apparent disconnection between formation processes and the acquisition of faith today. Looking at some candidates for formation in our seminaries and formation houses, and at some young priests and consecrated persons who have passed through our seminaries and formation houses in recent history, one would wonder whether formation impacts or impacted positively on their faith respectively. After years of formation, many still suffer from bouts of crises of faith. Ordinarily, formation is expected to improve candidates’ level of faith. After all, formation is majorly about faith formation. Unfortunately, however, many candidates enthusiastically embrace a feeling of vocation and go in for formation, but come out with less zest and overgrown self- doubt. This raises questions. Does formation really increase faith? Or does it merely decrease it? Are we just training in apologetic rhetoric and lifestyle, in acquisitive elitism and survival tactics? This paper seeks to enquire into the relationship between vocation, formation and faith and to explain the role of formation in the advancement of faith especially in the lives of priests and consecrated persons. Finally, it suggests what should be done to make formation lead to transformation.
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