Diploma in Religions Formation

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Religious Life
(Tangaza University College, 1997-03) Hang'andu, Revy
In this context, Religious Life is a consecrated way of life that people choose voluntarily in order to dedicate themselves fully to the service of God. Religious life is sometimes referred to as the consecrated life. It stands at the very heart of the church as a decisive element of its holiness and mission'. Prayer, service to the community, community living, characterizes this way of life. It also demands that people living it show good witness to society around them. They should lead a simple and yet valuable kind of Christian life. In order to achieve this kind of life style, people that pursue this life follow some guidelines. These are rules that have been bound together in what I could call Religious vows. These rules are actually based on scripture. In this essay, I would like to highlight these rules or vows as they are commonly called and relate them to some aspect of scripture and the general day today living of the religious. I will make reference to the rules in the constitution of my own congregation as an example. Rules of many congregations would be similar to these. I would also like to write about how people live them out; what is good about them and how challenging they are I would also like to write about how people live these vows when they are under temporal vows and how they live them when they have attained their final vows. In order for me to come out with some concrete information. I have tried my best to conduct some interviews with people in Religious Life, mostly from my own congregation. These are people under temporal vows I have also talked to people under final vows and have tried to find out from them if they have met their expectations. I have not forgotten to talk to a few people who were once in religious life but have since left. It was good to listen to them I will also base my arguments on what the scriptures say. Religious vows cannot be lived out fully without putting them in the scripture context The writings by the Pope in "The Consecrated Life" cannot be left out also. This hide book gives an insight on the expectations of a religious person. The various constitutions of the various congregations also have expectations on the religious person. I have tried also to look at these expectations. Most importantly, I have enjoyed talking to the actual persons who have made these final vows. Have they so far met their expectations as religious? This is the big question for this essay. If they have not, where did they go wrong or what is missing in religious life?
Franciscan Penitential Spirituality
(Tangaza University College, 1998-04) Kyalo, Boniface
Penance for most people today can mean a variety of things: it is looked at as sacramental rite, acts of mortification and flagellations, as reparation for sins committed, as prayers for satisfaction or as a complete change of life. It comes as a result of one's consciousness of one's sinful tendencies and inability to do everything as one would like to, and turning to God for forgiveness and healing. Penance is a requirement for all Christians. It is an integral part of Christian life. Its purpose is to express and develop the ongoing conversion to which all the faithful are called. The term penance in Franciscan tradition is equivalent to the Biblical metanota, which in its proper understanding stands for an intimate conversion of the heart to God. It is not so much a question of doing penance but of being a penitent. It is at the same time a state of continuous being, an attitude and orientation of one's whole life. It is an answer to the evangelical call and a way of seeking evangelical perfection. It is, therefore, not seen as a simple purification for sin. It, rather, goes beyond mere purification from sin to a more profound insertion into the paschal mystery of Christ. It is a commitment. Its foundation is God, from whom, through whom, and in whom is found all pardon, all grace, all glory, for all penitents. In this long essay I am looking at penance as a way of life and not so much as a practice. I am following the biblical understanding of the term Penance as Metanoia. I have chosen this topic in order to explore this very important element in my Franciscan spirituality.
A Case Study of the Spirituality Of The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph
(Tangaza University College, 1998-04) Aringo, Margaret
The presentation of this study is divided into three parts, as follows; Chapter One discusses the spirituality of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. It begins with the general background, then it deals with the charism, spirituality of the Institute. Chapter Two deals with the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience. Chapter Three discusses the apostolate of the sisters. It also analyses the data collected from the sisters through the use of the questionnaire. The study ends with specific references to the Franciscan Sisters by giving some reflections and observations. God is the initiator of each and every call. He has the absolute freedom to call one to himself to a particular style or type of life. God may call young women to a religious life style and therefore she is invited to live in a particular or specific religious community. The one invited to religious life has the freedom to respond to God's initiative and gratuitous call which depends completely upon God In responding to this call, the religious women exercises her humanness by seeking oneness, unity and integrity with her God. The religious is called to love God wholeheartedly without qualifications, conditions, or reservations. Today, the religious face serious challenges in responding to God's call in the world. Their identity as religious is often challenged. Today's religious men and women live in a period where most of the formal structures that had supported religious life in the past are questioned and some are also reviewed. Hopefiilly this study and reflection will help the religious restructure their purpose and place in the world. The real priorities in religious life are questioned quite seriously. The dichotomy in attitudes and the shift in values have blocked the realities of the pristine ideal. For many, a dichotomy exists between human-spiritual, individualcommunity, action-contemplation, work-prayer. But in reality, these are not contradictions. Attitudes towards poverty, celibacy, authority-obedience have changed due to shifts in values concerning human person, and evangelical life. Community dynamism calls members for openness and this offers challenges for growth towards the better. New areas of apostolate, new avenues and values are inviting the religious to review their former and traditional apostolate. The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph (FSJ), like every other religious congregation live within a technological and consumerist society filled with demands of all sorts. The difference in attitudes, shifts in values and morals, the number of members who join the congregation and those who leave, etc., tend to influence their lives, their theological stability and their inner consciousness concerning the religious identity. These factors also influence their call and response to religious life. The FSJ have based their Constitutions, with regard to their life of prayer, community life, vow of obedience and vow of poverty, on Franciscan spirituality. Since this work is a case study of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, for the primary data, the author administered a questionnaire among the same sisters plus five other Congregations following the Franciscan spirituality. She also delivered a questionnaire to another Congregation following the Jesuit Spirituality. The general background of the questionnaire gives the details on the age, related differences in Religious Profession and their level of education. The next section deals with the way the sisters live and express their charism and spirituality within their community living, vowed life and apostolate. The last section refers to the Constitutions of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. The author gathered information by herself The objective for the field study was to find out what the Franciscan spirituality means to the sisters and whether it gives a relevant meaning to their lives or offers some challenges to the living out of their religious commitment. The responses did help reflect the living of the Constitutions. This whole study is meant to promote suggestions on how best the sisters could best live their vocation in today's Church and society.
The Spiritual Motherhood of Mary in the Light Of John's Gospel
(Tangaza University College, 2005-04) Mwothiru, Jacinta
My choice of the topic: "The Spiritual Motherhood of Mary. Its Application to the Cottolengo Contemplative Sisters in the Third Millennium," was inspired by my grandmother's genuine and innocent' question: "Are you really going to get lost wholly without leaving behind an image of yourself?" This question made me ask some rhetorical questions, which have lingered in my mind since 1992, twelve years down the line. Do women cease to be mothers the moment they renounce physical motherhood to embrace religious life? C. Do they really merit the title "bitter spinsters" who have run away from family responsibilities in order to enjoy life egoistically, as my grandmother and many others say? This essay attempts to answer the above queries by trying to explore the Cottolengo contemplatives' vocation to spiritual motherhood, in imitation of Mary the Mother of God and our Mother. I have purposely chosen Mary to accompany me as my guide and model in this research, simply because she lived and continues to live her vocation to both physical and spiritual motherhood in the truest and fullest sense of the term. By fixing my eyes on her in prayer, I already have a glimpse that, had the religious women ceased to be mothers, had they renounced their vocation to motherhood, they would not only be the most unfortunate category of people on earth, but they would also merit everybody's pity. The title "bitter spinsters" would really befit them. That of the religious women, however, is a motherhood that is realized at a different level, at the spiritual level. This however, does not mean that renunciation of the physical motherhood is not demanding. Actually, our current Pope John Paul II underlines lucidly that which it entails: "Renunciation of physical motherhood which can involve great sacrifice for a woman, makes possible a different kind of motherhood: motherhood according to the spirit."2 Through this study therefore, I want to deepen my knowledge of our sublime vocation (as Cottolengo contemplatives), to spiritual motherhood, in order to savor its sweetness and to grow in greater appreciation and love of it, because as the axiom goes: "The more we know, the more we love." It is my humble intention too in writing this paper, to be able to present to my people — in a balanced but convincing way — the truth that the renunciation of physical motherhood in order to consecrate one's life to God, does not impoverish or suffocate one's life in sterility. If truth be told, such renunciation for such a noble cause elevates one to a motherhood that is far superior,3 by virtue of one's spiritual union with God. The method that we will use in writing this essay is descriptive, analytical and synthetic. This research paper is composed of four chapters. The first chapter looks into the divine motherhood of Mary, as the background against which we will study Mary's spiritual motherhood. Her spiritual motherhood springs, as it were, from her divine motherhood. In chapter two we will present a synthetic analysis of Mary's spiritual motherhood in the light of John's gospel. We will make ample use of John's Calvary episode (JnI9:25-27) in which Mary features eminently as a spiritual mother. Chapter three reflects on the spiritual motherhood of Mary as experienced in the "Little [louse of Divine Providence," taking as our point of departure the life history of St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo — the founder of the above-named "opera," and his personal experience of Mary's spiritual motherhood. This will zero in on a brief consideration of the active response that is expected from God's and Mary's children — beneficiaries of Mary's maternal love, care, protection... name them. Finally, chapter four will be a concrete demonstration of how the Cottolengo contemplative sisters realize their vocation to spiritual motherhood, following in the footsteps of Mary, their model and teacher. This essay closes with a general conclusion in which the ideas from the four chapters are recapitulated. The ideas and insights that make up this essay are taken from the rich mines of Sacred Scripture, Magisterium, sound and reliable literature on the topic, Cottolengo's spirituality and personal reflections. Lastly, I have decided to focus my attention on the Cottolengo contemplative sisters in the third millennium for the simple reason that we are "products" of our time: a time tarnished by individualism, materialism, secularism..., all attitudes that bespeak in very human terms, efficiency and productivity. Thus, whatever and whoever does not bring in profit is excluded. This exclusion may go to the extent of moral extermination or at most, even taking one's life. Thus, the figure of a mother4 makes a world of difference, in a world and culture of death as the one we are living in. This is because she sows seeds of life wherever she finds herself
The Formation for Discipleship in the Congregation of Saint Theresa Sisters of the Child Jesus in Bukoba Diocese-Tanzania
(Tangaza University College, 2005-10) Stanislaus, Regina
The purpose of this study is to know more about formation in general so as to do well in my mission of trying to present to future members of the congregation of St. Theresa Sisters of the Child Jesus the real picture about formation. I also would like to present to them the life of our founder for the purpose of discipleship in the congregation. The basic reason why I want to focus on formation for the discipleship in the congregation of St Theresa Sisters of the Child Jesus is to establish its relevance in the life of the sisters, to deepen their understanding and appreciation about formation for discipleship. This is through enumerating the stages of formation and finally presenting its relevance in the congregation. Hence, it is my hope that at the end of my work I may deepen the understanding and appreciation of proper formation for discipleship among our members. The intent of this long essay is to present to future sisters the concept of formation for discipleship in the congregation of St Theresa Sisters of the Child Jesus of Bukoba Diocese, Tanzania. This work is divided into four chapters. In the first chapter I will present the historical background and the development of the St. Theresa Sisters of the Child Jesus and the life of the founder. The second chapter will be dedicated to the integration of formation and the charism/ spirituality of the congregation. In the third chapter I will focus on the call and formation discipleship in the Gospel of Mark. The fourth chapter deals with the important role of the formator. The fifth chapter gives general conclusions. The primary sources of this work are periodical literature, various people interviewed at different stages, the Constitutions of the St. Theresa Sisters of the Child Jesus, and my own experience and others as acknowledged in the text.

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