Divine Word Missionaries

SVD Formation

SVD Formation

MAD – Brother Formation

Based on the Handbook for SVD Formation in Madagascar
“Directives pour la formation initiale de la Société du Verbe Divin à Madagascar”.

Pastoral Immersion

After baccalaureate, the candidates are accepted to undergo a pastoral immersion for around 9 months in one of the SVD districts or houses. This is preceded by a 2 or 3-month formation in the postulancy house.

Postulancy

There are normally three years of postulancy. Clerical and brothers candidates live in the same formation house. Aside from the usual formation in the house, the postulants have academic formation in the Major seminary or in the CM formation house.

First year: the Brothers candidates follow a propaedeutic class.

Second and third year: theological formation (This might be changed into an initial professional formation, if I could convince for example to turn our house in Antsirabe as formation house for brothers with a Brother in perpetual vows as superior of the house, since that place is near a university)

Novitiate

The novitiate is either in Congo or in Ghana. Brother candidates could continue their formation in these countries or return back to Madagascar.

Post-novitiate in Madagascar

The brother is integrated in one of the SVD communities where a school or university is located and where he could be formed in his profession. A brother in perpetual vows is assigned to take charge of his formation. If this brother-formator belongs to another community than the formandus, a confrere in the same community as the formandus is assigned as on the spot Formator.

Fr. Jerry Songcog (prefect)

16 March 2011.