In letters 29 and 30, the Superior General told us about the opening of the new International Juniorate in Granada. The celebration will take place tomorrow, September 24 at 5 p.m. Spanish time.
In view of this event of great importance for the entire Congregation, we spoke to Sônia Regina Rosa FI Counselor who is in charge of the area of Formation of the Daughter of Jesus in all stages.
What is the Juniorate?
The Juniorate is the time of formation after the novitiate that begins with the taking of the temporary vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. It is an important stage in the itinerary of those who wish to join the Congregation. It will last about six years and its main purpose is to help the juniors to continue to learn and grow in their vocation until they are definitively incorporated into the Congregation through perpetual vows and to prepare themselves through study and experience to better serve in mission.
It is the longest stage of the beginning of formation and in the Congregation we have it in two stages :
- In the first stage, which can last from two to three years, the juniors will live in the juniorate house, accompanied by the Mistress of Juniors and a formation community, and will dedicate themselves to theological and pastoral studies and apostolic work .
- In the second stage, they will be sent to a community where they will share their apostolic life and mission, accompanied especially by the local superior, and dedicate themselves to other professional studies.
What is the main reason behind the opening of the Grenada International Juniorate?
In the Congregation, for some years now, in discerning the need for a new location of a formation house, specifically for this stage of the juniorate, whenever possible, we have been prioritizing two elements that seem to us fundamental for a better preparation to be at the service of the mission in today’s world: conditions for theological-pastoral studies and the experience of internationality. At this moment, Grenada offers us the possibility to participate in this International Juniorate. We are pleased to have the presence of junior sisters from the West and the East; a new step that fills us with hope and gratitude.
What benefits will it have for juniors in terms of experience and personal development?
We believe that the benefits will surely be reaped along the way, since opening ourselves to a new stage of formation, to the challenge of inserting ourselves in a new reality, new knowledge, languages, cultures… also helps us to grow in the attitude of filiation and fraternity proper to our charism and to broaden our vision of our world and the many complex challenges that we have to face today as consecrated persons at the service of humanity.
Why is it important for them to learn Spanish, English and Theology?
For the same reality of the Congregation that today finds itself with an ever growing body in different places, realities, cultures and also in the world that continues to expect from us, women in the Church, a better preparation to be at the service of the mission, from the great centers to the corners and geographical and existential frontiers.
How will you contribute to the growth and strengthening of the Congregation globally?
The fact that we are able to make this stage of formation possible for a group of sisters from such different cultures and that together they can find ways to overcome the difficulties and to begin new forms of relationships and coexistence, fraternity, tolerance… surely we will already be achieving this growth and strengthening of the Congregation at a global level.
How do you think this decision will affect the Congregation’s mission in the future?
Everything that helps us to broaden our vision, widen our hearts, grow in theological and pastoral knowledge and foundation, walk with others, share dreams, forge hope, will certainly make a difference in the mission of the congregational body in the future.
What is the expected impact on the mission and work of the Daughters of Jesus after the formation of the young women at the International Juniorate in Grenada?
We trust that a formation experience at the international level will help us to better serve the mission, make us always more available to go where the Congregation and the Church need us, open and sensitive to others, more passionate about Jesus and ready to give our lives for the Kingdom.
