Common Vision for Formation in MSC

This is the letter Fr.Arci wrote regarding a common vision for formation in the Chevalier Family. It is so fitting for all those who are in our Union since most of us are in the formation. Chevalier Bhavan, Hridhaya Bhavan, Chevalier Novitiate and Hridhayalaya are formation houses in India. Apart from that we have a very few ministries outside such as two remote village parishes (Gangapuram and Kombayanpatti in Tamil Nadu) and a city parish (OLSH, Bangalore) and a school in Dindigul which is still blooming. Formation is still our first priority. We pray for the Formators: Fr. John Peter (Superior of Chevalier Bhavan), Fr. Joseph Christy (Superior of Hridhaya Bhavan), Fr. Tony Bolt (Superior and Novice Master of Chevalier Novitiate) and Fr. Sagayraj (Superior of Hridhayalaya and also their assistances.

Rome, January 7th, 2008
Dear Father/Brother,

As you know we as members of the Chevalier Family enjoy a common vision and charism which is lived out in a Spirituality of the Heart. In order to live and promote a Spirituality of the Heart which is shared by the religious and lay members of the Chevalier Family, we need an effective formative process. Because we consider updating formation in the light of the Spirituality of the Heart as central to the realization of our mission as members of Fr. Chevalier’s Family, we have decided, at our Tri-Generalate Meeting, to ask the Cor Novum Team at Issoudun to assist Provinces to work in the formation and development of local and regional teams around the world in the Chevalier Family. These teams will attempt to do locally and regionally what Cor Novum is doing at Issoudun.

Because of the above development, the purpose of this letter is to inform you that at the level of the Tri-Generalate a process is being started whereby it is hoped that some consensus might be able to develop around a common vision of formation in the Chevalier Family. If you have any ideas or suggestions regarding what you consider to be essential elements towards the formulation of a common vision of formation in the Chevalier Family, please send them to Cor Novum by 1st April 2008. At a later stage there will be a broader discussion involving all those who have responsibility in the area of formation. We would like to emphasize that formation in this context embraces the whole life span from initial formation to the later stage of on-going formation in the wisdom years. We also invite you, whenever possible, to enter into dialogue with other congregations of the Chevalier Family concerning formation in the light of the Spirituality of the Heart.

In the Heart of Jesus,


Narciso V. Abellana, MSC


For Mark McDonald, MSC, Superior-General