On June 10-14, 2024, almost all of the formation directors from the formation houses of the African Federation of Conventual Franciscans (AFCOF), met together in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss issues concerning formation in the Federation. Two formation directors were unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances.
The meeting was first and foremost an opportunity for the formators to share their experiences, especially with regard to guiding friars in initial formation and how that can be improved. With the facilitation of Friar Joseph KACHELEWA, a member of the General Secretariat for Formation and Vice Rector at the Seraphicum College in Rome, the formators discussed their personal experiences regarding the joys and challenges of providing guidance during one-on-one encounters and in group accompaniment. He later offered suggestions, summarizing what had been discussed, on how to strengthen one-on-one guidance for a better formative process. All of the formators agreed on the importance of regularly offering this essential aspect of the formative process, even in formation houses with large numbers of men in formation.
Friar Anthony Senanu ASUH, the Rector of student friars at the St. Bonaventure Formation House in Accra, Ghana, made a suggestion about writing the end-of-year evaluation of friars in formation. Making use of the document “Schema, General Evaluations of Student-Friars” issued in 2017, by the General Secretariat for Formation, he insisted that the evaluation should be a work-in-progress. Moreover, it should not be just about reporting on the student friars, but should instead provide feedback on their growth. He went on to say that the student friars should always be involved in this, especially regarding their self-evaluations. He concluded by sharing the model in his post-novitiate house, where the evaluation of the previous formative year becomes a tool for each student friar to draw up his “Personal Formation Plan” for the new year.
Friar Moses Kabenla ARTHUR, Director of Novices in Saltpond, Ghana, and President of the AFCOF Formation Commission, presented a draft of the AFCOF Directory of Formation. The formators then worked on the draft and made valuable suggestions that were incorporated into it. As explained last February, the revised draft of the Directory will now be sent to all the friars in the AFCOF Federation who are involved in formation, for their consideration and observations. This will be an occasion of continuing formation for them, as it was for the formation directors who recently worked on the draft. Friar Moses also presented some practical steps for each formation house in the AFCOF Federation to follow in drafting its own Directory of Formation, as is required in our legislation (Const. 133, Franciscan Discipleship 295)
The week-long program began with a moment of reflection and prayer led by Friar Anthony Bezo KUTIERO, the AFCOF Assistant General, who also gave an update on trends in the Order and some of the expectations the Order has towards formators in the AFCOF Federation, especially regarding the Federation’s large number of friars in initial formation. Friar Wayne HELLMAN, of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation in the USA, also shared his formation experiences in the Conventual Franciscan Federation. This made the formators aware of what is being done elsewhere. The program concluded with a fraternal outing, which was a light and enjoyable moment after a week of intense work.
The formators greatly appreciated the effort that went into organizing the meeting and looked forward to another meeting very soon. The formators were especially grateful for being able to share their experiences and for being made aware of certain instruments of the Order that are available to them. Moreover, they were reminded to make good use of them, especially given the fruitful results they bring in the places where they are implemented.
Friar Moses Kabenla ARTHUR, President of the AFCOF Formation Commission
