A professional membership network for people shaping and leading formation for mission, has launched today, creating space for connection, collaboration, and renewal. Source: Catholic Mission.
Formation is central to the Church’s life, and the formation.org.au network aims to support those who are providing formation for mission working in boardrooms, staff rooms, parish communities, and across all of the Church.
“Inspired by the Gospel and the needs of our time, the vision for formation.org.au is to be a permanent platform for dialogue and connection for all people who are engaged in formation for Mission,” Lana Turvey-Collins, the lead facilitator of formation.org.au, said.
“Across the many and varied parts of the Church, deep thinking is taking place around the future of formation for mission. Important questions are being asked, not only operational as who and how, the questions go deeper to the heart of what it means to be a missionary Church.”
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge explained: “Formation in the Christian life is something that God does. It’s God doing the work and we cooperating with God in all our programs and all our networks.”
Archbishop Coleridge said formation was lifelong.
“I can never say that my formation is complete because God has never finished with me. I remain a work in progress,” he said.
The formation.org.au network emerged following the Plenary Council and Synod on Synodality processes, both of which emphasised the need for renewed and integrated approaches to formation for mission.
According to Sr Monica Cavanagh, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, “We know there’s a lot of good formation that happens, but it’s not integrated or held in a common place.”
formation.org.au seeks to create that common place – a national network that supports and connects formators across ministries and sectors.
Through community-building, mentoring, roundtable dialogue, case studies, shared wisdom, and learning opportunities, the platform offers a range of resources and forums for growth.
“If you are thinking of joining this network,” Archbishop Coleridge says, “what I would say to you is: you’ve got nothing to lose and potentially a great deal to gain. You will lose nothing, and you will gain a great deal – and that will be good for the whole Church.”
Details: www.formation.org.au.
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Something New and Exciting is Forming (Catholic Mission)
