Diploma in Religious Formation
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Item The Evangelical Counsels as Means of Communion Among The Carmelite Missionaries in Kenya(Tangaza University College, 2018) Ebere, Ugwoke JulianaThis Research Paper presents the evangelical counsels as means of communion. It is divided into three chapters. The first chapter explores the evangelical counsels as a means of communion as presented in the documents of the Church which comprises: the meaning and understanding of the evangelical counsels in Church’s teaching, evangelical counsels as means of building communion which is rooted in the Trinity as basis of love and communion. It also expounded on the Church as communion, Evangelical Counsels as means of communion as experienced and expressed by Blessed Francisco Palau and Missionaries’ Charism. The second chapter will deal with some of the challenges in living the evangelical counsels as means of communion, while the third chapter will be focusing on ways of overcoming the challenges. The evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience is a very important mark of religious consecration in the Catholic Church. Baptism is the fundamental Sacrament of Christian initiation which opens the door to the other Sacraments in the Catholic Church. Baptism is also the foundation on which religious consecration, through the profession of the evangelical counsels is built. The evangelical counsels further dedicate a person to God’s people in a particular congregation ratified by the authority of the Church.” In his Letters, Blessed Francisco Palau wrote to his daughters in Lerida and Aytona, he advices them to be of one heart animated by one and the same spirit. His wish is made alive in the formula of the profession of the Carmelite Missionaries; […] in union with all the Carmelite Missionaries, I resolve to persevere in my vocation, living my religious consecration in the joy of a sisterly community and in the service of the Church.” Every Carmelite Missionary strives to live a life of communion which in the core of their Charism; “to be an authentic sign of communion in the church” and our community is seen as a small Church. According to the Formation Guide of the Carmelite Missionaries, Incarnated Grace on the Way, “The call to follow Christ who consecrates us for the Kingdom is the characterized presence of the mystery of communion; the living Charism incarnated in Francisco Palau, enriched by his ecclesial experience and enfleshed in each sister who accepts and lives it in fidelity as the profile of the Carmelite Missionary.Item Community Life A Tool for Personal Growth as Lived by Carmelite Missionaries in Kenya(Tangaza University College, 2018) Kibagendi, Jackline MoraaCommunity living is a tool for personal growth, as living together has a great impact on our growth as it helps us to discover more about our weakness and strength. Interacting and sharing life in common we discover ourselves more than when we are alone. Fr. Francisco Palau the founder of Carmelite Missionaries wrote in letter 7 to the sisters in Lerida and Aytona that, how he wish that all of us be of one heart animated by one and same spirit. The ideal fraternity for Fr. Francisco Palau is to form “uniones de fraternidad” (which means unity in fraternity) whose base should be the spiritual strength that everyone offers. In the community we are able to give up our likes and dislikes for the sake of others. It is through living together that I am able to transcend and go beyond myself. Living together we become women of the spirit capable of letting ourselves be lead and then guide others with genuine love, where we desire the good of others rather than our own, we become all to all by taking care of each sister as ourselves and each day we try to overcome our limitations with maturity for the good of the fraternity and letting ourselves be helped. Palau cherished community life since living in communion with each other we become the keeper of each other. The work of formation primarily is as an inner journey towards transformation and conversion that becomes the basis of the free choice to follow Jesus in religious life. Formation is both a divine as well as a human process since the one calling the individual is God; it is also human because it is lived within the limits of a human experience both by the individual and the congregation which one enters. This means that the person has to constantly be attuned to God, the initiator of the call. Community living is a tool for personal growth, as living together has a great impact on our growth as it helps us to discover more about our weakness and strength. Interacting and sharing life in common we discover ourselves more than when we are alone. Fr. Francisco Palau the founder of Carmelite Missionaries wrote in letter 7 to the sisters in Lerida and Aytona that, how he wish that all of us be of one heart animated by one and same spirit. The ideal fraternity for Fr. Francisco Palau is to form “uniones de fraternidad” (which means unity in fraternity) whose base should be the spiritual strength that everyone offers. In the community we are able to give up our likes and dislikes for the sake of others. It is through living together that I am able to transcend and go beyond myself. Living together we become women of the spirit capable of letting ourselves be lead and then guide others with genuine love, where we desire the good of others rather than our own, we become all to all by taking care of each sister as ourselves and each day we try to overcome our limitations with maturity for the good of the fraternity and letting ourselves be helped. Palau cherished community life since living in communion with each other we become the keeper of each other. The work of formation primarily is as an inner journey towards transformation and conversion that becomes the basis of the free choice to follow Jesus in religious life. Formation is both a divine as well as a human process since the one calling the individual is God; it is also human because it is lived within the limits of a human experience both by the individual and the congregation which one enters. This means that the person has to constantly be attuned to God, the initiator of the call. Community living is a tool for personal growth, as living together has a great impact on our growth as it helps us to discover more about our weakness and strength. Interacting and sharing life in common we discover ourselves more than when we are alone. Fr. Francisco Palau the founder of Carmelite Missionaries wrote in letter 7 to the sisters in Lerida and Aytona that, how he wish that all of us be of one heart animated by one and same spirit. The ideal fraternity for Fr. Francisco Palau is to form “uniones de fraternidad” (which means unity in fraternity) whose base should be the spiritual strength that everyone offers. In the community we are able to give up our likes and dislikes for the sake of others. It is through living together that I am able to transcend and go beyond myself. Living together we become women of the spirit capable of letting ourselves be lead and then guide others with genuine love, where we desire the good of others rather than our own, we become all to all by taking care of each sister as ourselves and each day we try to overcome our limitations with maturity for the good of the fraternity and letting ourselves be helped. Palau cherished community life since living in communion with each other we become the keeper of each other. The work of formation primarily is as an inner journey towards transformation and conversion that becomes the basis of the free choice to follow Jesus in religious life. Formation is both a divine as well as a human process since the one calling the individual is God; it is also human because it is lived within the limits of a human experience both by the individual and the congregation which one enters. This means that the person has to constantly be attuned to God, the initiator of the call. The primary objective of formation is to prepare people for total consecration of themselves to God in the following of Christ at the service of the Church’s mission. Formation is a process that begins with desire to become a religious and ends with death; commitment to formation does not end. Formation has to prepare the formees to be effective in the Church so all through our lives we are undergoing formation nobody is fully grown. We continue to learn and grow daily so community life facilitates all this process towards personal growth.Item The Spirituality of Blessed Francisco Palau As A Means of Fulfilling the Two Commandments꞉ Love of God and Neighbour(Tangaza University College, 2018) Abonyi, Blessing AnayoAccording to the Holy Scripture, the purpose of God is to gather the whole of creation under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, all are brought into communion with God (Cf. Eph. 1). All creation is a community of subjects to be communed with. They need to love and be loved. We are created to love and be loved, for when we do not love, we will find our alternatives lies in loneliness, destruction and despair. Love means open arms, sacrifice, it leads to self-surrender. If we close our arms to love, we will find that we are left holding on only to ourselves. This is the problem of our world today. Many people are being denied love from their childhood to adulthood or even till death. Others are dying in loneliness, depressed, confused, disturbed, hostile or hopeless. It is our love that will heal their brokenness and their wounds. Francisco Palau experienced this love in a deeper and unique way since from his childhood; my heart developed its passion from childhood. He knew well that the supreme ideal of Christian life is to love God and to love neighbor. He knew that these two precepts of love have to be integrated in our lives: “you must always remember that perfection consist in the fulfillment of the precept of love: love of God and Love of neighbor.” He exclaimed: “God in creating my heart, breathed into it, and his breath was a law that He imposed on it, and that law says, “Love!”. My heart was built by the hand of God to love and be loved, and it only lives out of love.” The Christian life and consecrated life in particular is a call to holiness. St. Teresa of Avila has named three things that are needed for prayer and spiritual growth to be possible in life of any Christian. They are namely, detachment, humility and love. This paper concentrates only on the aspect of love and it seeks to understand the spirituality of Blessed Francisco Palau the founder of Carmelite Missionaries as a means of fulfilling the two commandments of love of God and love of neighbor. In order to capture the theme, the researcher divided the work into three chapters. Chapter one examines the Palautian spirituality of the love of God and neighbour. This chapter will explore the life, works and legacy of Blessed Francisco Palau. It presents his family background, his education, religious consecration and ordination. It also explores the influence of Blessed Francisco Palau, his Works, especially his Work: “My Relations with the Church,” which portrays the Charism he left behind as his legacy. The chapter also presents a brief explanation of this Charism, his Spirituality and the Foundation of the Carmelite Missionaries. The second chapter deals with the challenges in fulfilling this commandment of love. This lead to exploring some challenges like; gossip and envy, cold- war in Fraternal living, pastoral individualism, digital worldliness, spiritual worldliness, selfishness and spiritual slot, sterile pessimism, clericalism, careerism and vain glory, business mentality, dualistic thinking and excessive rationalism and activism. The third chapter explores the possible solution in living the values of the commandment of love. To achieve this, I propose the following as important in our times: living the beatitudes, prayer and contemplation, Response to listening, knowing one self, discernment, mindfulness, smile, appreciative attitudes to others, holistic thinking, Blessed Francisco Palau’s virtues, integration of shadows, integral self- care, asceticism, fraternal living and finally imitation of Mary the Mother of God.Item Alcoholism as A Barrier to Personal and Societal Growth: A Case Study of Chisare Small Christian Community(Tangaza University College, 2019) Wambui, Sr. JaneThe purpose of this study is to search for ways and means of finding solutions as to why many people in this village spend their quality time drinking instead of working to earn a living, to face out poverty and improve their standard of living. It is aimed at helping people to reduce, prevent and eradicate alcoholism among those who drink and those affected by its effects. The people will come to know the damage and dangers brought about by alcohol abuse and refrain from consuming it. The people will stop their drinking habits by actively working hard for the family, taking care of their families responsibly, impacting knowledge and morals to their children. There will be understanding and harmony among the family members instead of quarrels and violence. Families will bring up their children with ease providing for them basic needs, quality education, feeding them with balanced diet, peaceful atmosphere, knowledge of themselves, others and God. Farmers will work with other experts in the ministry of agriculture and other successful people for better results in farming.Item Using the Constitution and The Church’s Documents as A Guideline on How to Live and Value, The Vow of Poverty as Sisters of Our Lady of Charity Kenya –Province(Tangaza University College, 2018) Moraa, EdithPoverty was actually the picture only in the 11 century as historically the last vow. In the beginning they did not feel of this vow as many rich people joined religious life renouncing wealth. They did not have the desire to amass property. They left their wealthy status and joyfully embraced the life of poverty. The story of St. Macrena we learn that the family was rich but she left everything and joined convent. The idea of renouncing the desire for wealth and to be detached from property came in 11 century. As in the case of the other evangelical counsels, canon 600 law on consecrated poverty gives theological motivations. The evangelical counsel of poverty belongs to a mystery of salvation. It is based on the imitation of Christ who, although rich, became poor for us. It entails a life of labor lived in moderation and in detachment from earthly riches, dependence and limitation in the use of disposition of material goods according to the norm of proper law of each constitution. Understanding this vow will help the sisters of Our Lady of Charity Kenya province live their life contented and help them to understand other vows (chastity and obedience). This will help them to live their vow of Chastity by opening to God, loving and serving him, helping them to relate well with others, love and serve well in the mission especially nurturing life. The vow is inviting them to respond their obedience to God, to their superiors and among themselves and those to whom they are called to serve.Item Spiritual Direction: A Tool for The Spiritual Growth of The Loreto Sisters Of Karinde Stundents’ House In Karen, Nairobi, Kenya(Tangaza University College, 2018) Ng’ang’a, Rosaline WaithiraThis paper will explore the understanding of spiritual direction among the Loreto Sisters according to their constitutions, look at the challenges they face in regard to spiritual direction, propose ways of making it effective and present a general conclusion. It will include other units taken during the spirituality course at Tangaza University College in the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation at the certificate level. It will give an overview of the researcher’s understanding of spiritual direction and how she has integrated it in her life. A variety of courses were undertaken and all were meant to transform one by integrating them for one’s spiritual growth.Item The Practice of Spiritual Direction According to The Church’s Teaching as A Tool to Foster Marianist Vocations in The Society of Mary In Togo Specifically in Kara(Tangaza University College, 2018) Baragou, Bawerima HenriThe Church through Christian writers provides us with a wide understanding of Spiritual Direction. It sets before us the adequate tools of practicing Spiritual Direction so that we may be able to lead many Christians to a deeper relationship with the heavenly Father. The church emphasizes the importance of prayer life in Spiritual Direction. It is the key to foster the relationship with God. Praying in Spiritual Direction helps to deal with resistances and discernment on the paths of Christian life. The spiritual dialogue aims to bring down the directee, the spiritual son, into the depths of one’s heart, in order to see what is going on in one’s thoughts and inclinations. This first part will present a wide definition of the Spiritual direction and its practices following the teachings of the Church.Item The Virgin Mary As A Model of Consecration for The Carmelite Missionaries in Kenya(Tangaza University College, 2018) Mwebe, Gloria NakimeraConsecrated life cannot be lived fully in the Church except in the light of Mary’s virtues, as Mary is regarded as the best model of following Jesus, which is the essence of religious life. Christians have gazed on the Virgin Mary over the centuries as an important icon in the Catholic Tradition and in a call to holiness. Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, she has been venerated as the glorious Mother of God. She has also played a vital role in our own redemption by her great ‘fiat’ to God’s message (Lk.1:38). Thus, we entrust ourselves to her maternal protection, for her to introduce us into the mystery of ecclesial communion and in the divine plan of salvation . The presence of our Lady pervades the whole history of Carmel. In Carmel she is mother and lady, protector and confidante, model and ideal of the consecrated and contemplative life. Carmelite missionaries are born out of this Marian tradition. The founder, Fr. Francisco Palau saw Mary as the perfect type of the Church; he called her, “Mary the Mother of God is the most lovely, perfect type of the Church.” We see her reflected in the reality of the mystical body, as a communion of love and continuous presence of the Holy Spirit that brings together all the members in prayer and drives them, with God’s grace, to apostolic service.Item An Exploration of Prayer as The Means of Spiritual Growth in The Carmelite Missionary Congregation, In the French Speaking Delegation Africa(Tangaza University College, 2018) Villaute, Celia PanadesJesus Christ is the Son of God, “the word, and the word was with God and the word was God” (Jn 1:1). This form of relationship between the son and his father Kept Jesus all the time in contact with his Father during his life. “The joy of the Gospel fills the heart and lives of all who encounter Jesus. With Jesus Christ Joy is constantly born renew.” Our meeting with Jesus in prayer, “lights up in us its original beauty, the beauty of the face on which the father’s glory shines” (Cf. 2Cor4:6). Since the beginning of Christianity Religious life has been central in the life of the Church. And all men and women religious and consecrated lay people, are called to share in the mystery of the savior” Therefore all religious men and women are invited to imitate the life of Christ Jesus who lived the life of prayer according to the will of God His father. Prayer in the life of Jesus was the way of indentifying Himself to the father, the way to be in constant communication and union with His Father. And it is through prayer, that all reli-gious men and women are invited to enter I relationship with God and with others. It looks as it Carmelite Missionaries are losing little by little the essence of living there different dimensions in the balance way. There are neglecting their prayer life with the excuse that “work is equal to prayer.” Therefore, the main focus of this study is to find the reason why it has been a challenge for the Carmelite Missionaries religious to live this balance in their daily lives and to see some of the elements contributing to these challenges. The study will also try to make suggestions on how the Carmelite Missionaries would overcome these challenges so that they can be able to live a balanced and effective, joyful religious life. It will also show that em-bracing faithfully prayer in a particular way can lead to the spiritual growth of those who practice it.Item Vocation Animation as An Instrument for Enhancing the Mission of The Franciscan Missionaries of St. Joseph In Kenya(Tangaza University College, 2018) Shilwatso, Bibiana ShiosoOur late modern society witnessed precipitous changes that have affected every society and institution. These transformations are evident in the sweeping changes that occurred in the post-conciliar Church. While some of these changes had brought much-needed adaptations to the modern world for the Church, others have been less desirable. Among these are the decline in the number of candidates to the priesthood and consecrated life and the departure of many consecrated persons despite years spent in ministerial service. These continuing phenomena have been a source of understandable concern even for Pope Francis: “We are facing a ‘haemorrhage’ that weakens consecrated life and the very life of the Church. The abandonment of consecrated life worries us. It is true that some leave as an act of coherence, because they recognise after serious discernment that they never had this vocation; however, others, with the passage of time, have less fidelity, very often many years after their perpetual vows.” This challenge urgently calls for prayers and serious discernment among the People of God. We are all called to collaborate in God’s plan of making him known to all the corners of the world. The vocation crisis is a wakeup call that as servants we cannot call others but by our prayers and dedication in the mission, we attract others to the beauty of this way of life.