Graduating formators have been tasked to be shining examples for their formandi and the hope for the Church in West Africa and beyond, as well as forming morally and spiritually sound priests and religious who will form others, especially in a world which has dire need for holiness of life. The charge was given by Most Rev. Julius Yakubu Kundi, Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan during Mass held recently for the 2022/2023 session graduating students of the Institute for Formation, Du-Jos, Plateau State, at the institute chapel. Bishop Kundi encouraged the graduates, 17 in number,”To be shining examples in their ranks as people who would be saddled with the responsibility of grooming younger aspirants, novices and seminarians who will have need of guidance in their processes of discernment to the priesthood and religious life.”
The Bishop explained that the move is in line with the guiding principle of the institute, which highlights that ‘everything is formative.’ On the essence of formation in the life of both the formator and formandi, the Bishop stressed the point that, “Formation is about the most important thing in the training of ecclesiastical personnel. It is not just a venture for seminarians and novices in the diocesan, religious and cycles of the consecrated persons.” Explaining further, the Bishop said: “All the ordained and finally professed persons, all consecrated, have need of formation. The Institute for Formation, Du, Jos, Plateau State, was established to meet this demand. It caters for the ongoing formation of priests and religious.”
Rev. Fr. Gabriel Okafor, Director of Social Communications, Kafanchan Diocese, expressed the hope that the new graduates from the institute will keep shining brightly and lead the younger ones by example, as he told La Croix International that he wishes them well in their future formative engagements wherever they find themselves. Institute for Formation established in 1992 annually undertakes courses in preparing men and women for the ministry of formation. The institute managed by Sisters of the Handmaid of the Holy Child Jesus, trains those in-charge of religious and priestly formation and facilitates the integral formation of participants rooted in the internationalisation of Christian and human values to help them be effective formators in Nigeria, Africa and globally.
