PSYCHOLOGY OF FORMATION

1. Introduction
In this year of Formation for our MSFS congregation it is very
important to speak about the importance of Psychology in the formation
of a candidate aspiring to become a religious or priest after the example
of the high priest Jesus Christ, because psychology will help us to
understand the mind of oneself and others in a better way and how the
mind or our thinking pattern influences our behavior and character and
how one behaves in a particular area of life. So knowing psychology better
will help one to cope up with life in a better way. From 0xford Dictionary
we will find the word psychology explaining like this, psychology is the
scientific study of the mind and how it influences behavior or the kind of
mind that somebody has, that makes them think or behave in a particular
area of life.The noun Formation comes from the Latin word formare
meaning to form, or being formed, the way in which something is
formed, or arranged. The adjective Formative means giving or able to
give form, helping to shape. 1 Fr. Philip Thomas MSFS, PhD said
Formation is a process of growing into a well-functioning member of a
group, be it a teacher, soldier or surgeon, priest or religious. The greatest
formator for a seminarian is God and the principal agent of formation is
the Holy Spirit. However, the primary responsibility for formation belongs
to formee (seminarian) himself. So a candidate to priesthood should do
what God wants. With freedom, personal choice, responsibility and inner
conviction, he must open himself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The
idea in which we are going to see here is more of Christians psychology
and psychologist like G Schner, Rogers and Van Kaam, etc.

2. The Main Aim in Our Formation

According to Rogers, To become a person means to become
oneself. Rather than being conditioned around by the expectations of
others, a person is to become himself and guiding factor is in ones one
conception of what ought to be. 2 So, the person has to form himself
through a process of becoming and the person has to develop himself in
1 Mathew Anatharackel C.M.I, Psycho-Spiritual Dimensions of Formation for Priests
and Religious, Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 2001, p. 217-218.

the direction of what he wishes to become. But as Christian we are called

by Jesus to be perfect as the heavenly father is perfect. So, the main aim
of our formation is to be like Christ, to be perfect like Christ even though
we are limited and fragile beings but still we are call to be perfect like the
heavenly father is perfect(Mathew 5:26). So as Christian more over as
religious or priest we ought to follow Christ as our role model by following
his way of life, life full of love and compassion for the poor and
downtrodden, life of prayer, life of understanding, life of perseverance
,etc.

3. Self-Formation
We can mould a lump of clay, cut a wood in any shape, or stitch
clothes in any kind of dress we want, but we cannot form a human
being. We cannot turn any one into the kind of person we want him/her to
be, this is his/her choice and right. That is why Pope John Paul II said all
formation is self formation. The individual has the freedom to form
oneself. He/she is the one who has to make decisions about his/her
vocation. Only then it becomes a personal response. Self transformation
takes place in the climate of freedom, response, accountability, selfdiscipline, Self-motivation in all stages of formation. It is an integral
formation which affects the physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and
spiritual dimension of the person, therefore the candidate needs to know
what , why and how.
As
people aspiring to become priest we should ask question to own self, why
I want to become brother, nun, priest or religious? If my aim is to become
a priest now what is my priorities? And how to make use of Gods given
talents for the glory of God? So, the study of psychology should help us
solve the problems by giving us a better understanding of own self. Some
of the qualities of self formation are: capacity to form mutual
relationships, responsible freedom, having a sense of loyalty and
belongingness, courage to take decisions, ability to be self critical,
capacity to correct oneself, trust in the other and esteem for the other,
capacity for empathy, developing social skills, respect for the elders and
being sensitive, integrate sexuality and to have healthy boundaries,
ability to relate to men and women healthily, capacity for meaningful
friendship, having self confidence and being assertive, having leadership
qualities, capacity for resiliency, flexibility and frustration tolerance,

2 Ibid, pg. 35.

interest in personal and community prayer, active participation in mission,

being pro-active.3
Psychology helps you understand yourself. It is amazing how little
you understand yourself, consider how much time you spent thinking
about yourself. A study of psychology will cause you to be less puzzled
and worry by the things you think, feel, and do.

4. Importance of Psychology
In this year of FORMATION for our MSFS congregation it is very
important to bring the importance of psychology in formation. So, here let
us focus on how psychology is very formative and helpful to the candidate,
novices, brothers, sisters, priest, religious, pastors, counselors, formators
and all people. For a person, if he wants to grow fully as a human being,
he has to strive to grow in different aspects of life like spiritual growth,
intellectual growth, social growth, physical growth and without neglecting
the psychological growth, etc., in order to become more like Christ. Even
though there is no psychology subject 2000 years ago. But when we look
at the behavior and character of Christ, we can bravely say that Christ is
the best psychologist who practice psychology every time when ever is
needed. So we too aspiring to become religious or already religious must
follow and behave like Christ the master of all psychologists in order to be
perfect like Christ. .

Psychology is very much helpful in formation because it help us to

understand others. It helps us to understand why do people do the things
they do? How to get that way? Why they behave in this way or that way
and not this way or that way?4 So, if we can understand others better we
will be able to help them in a better way just like Christ. So with the help
of the formators, the community and the Holy Spirit the candidate should
try to become like Christ and become a Christian who is able to monitor
and regulate ones own and others feelings and emotions, who is able to
confront anyone who commit a mistake in order to help and teach people
the correct path even though he has to
face
the uncomfortable
situations, who always contributes when required, especially towards the
3 . Philip Thomas Msfs. The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Formation,
Bangalore, 2016.
4 Ibid, p.3.

poor, the needy and the humble, who is able to use his values to guide
decision making, who is always aware of the emotions of oneself and
others, who has overcome power hungry [it means to seek power for
ones own interest and always have personal agenda and always want to
be recognized by others], who is self- confident because he has a strong
sense of ones own self worth and capabilities, a Christian whose courage
comes from the certainty of his love for Christ, a Christian who has a
strong conviction and always takes up challenges even in difficult and
dreadful moment, who went plunging ahead or stepping as a leader to
lead the people to God, who is able to justify his decision or actions,
unface by opposition and cannot easily pressure even by worldly pleasure
or enemies, who has lots of talents and believing it and make use of them
to glorify God, who is able to delay gratifications in order to pursue his
goals, who has a strong control to avoid temptations and bad habits, who
follow good management of time, who take control of his moods or state
of mind, who practiced stress management techniques with the help of
prayers and meditation, who is trustworthy, frank, honest, humble,
consistent, reliable and authentic, who takes responsibility in fulfilling
obligations, ever punctual, careful in doing work and self disciplined, who
keeps promises, who handle changes and challenges, and well adapt to
any situations in life, no matter how difficult his situation was, who takes
initiative and ready to act on opportunities, who persists in pursuing
goals despite obstacles and setbacks, who senses what others feel and
open to listen and sensible to the needs of others, who understands better
and develop others spiritually, physically, mentally and psychologically
etc. A Christian who respects and relates well to people from different
background, who is well versed-in communication skills and able to deal
with difficult issues straight forward, who is able to handle difficult people
and tense situations with diplomacy and tact, who leads by his good
examples nurturing good relationships, able to collaborate, sharing plans,
information and resources, promote a friendly atmosphere, etc.
According to G Schner, formation is matter of individual
development for Christian perfection. It may be described as a
psychological development, or socialization in a particular ecclesial
community with the help of the Holy Spirit. 5 Yes to say Christian Perfection
it also means the perfection of the Holy Trinity (perfection of God the
Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit). As it was said in the Bible
Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. So, we too in this year of
formation let us strive for Christian perfection or Christs perfection and
let as imbibe the nature and character of Christ, like love, mercy,
compassion(especially in this year of mercy and compassion), gentleness,
5 Mathew Anatharackel C.M.I, loc. Cit., 218-219.

simplicity, honesty, punctuality and openness, etc., with the help of the
Holy Spirit because if we trust in our own power alone we will reach no
where and we will end up in failure, even in psychology we need the
psychologist to help us so as candidate and religious we need the help of
the Holy Spirit.
As religious and candidates we should learn a lot if we want to
become a better and good priest or religious. So, Rogers considers human
development or formation as a learning process. He said there should be a
sufficient freedom for the person to learn and response to their inner
guidance. Formation, therefore, is a matter of insight, rather than a
supplying answers or interpretation. 6 Yes formation is a learning process;
so, we should be eager to learn a lot what is good as long as we live in this
world with an open hearts, minds and freewill and also to response to the
Word of God and prompting of the holy spirit and act according to it. The
Word of God and the prompting of the holy spirit can come to us in
different ways, may be in the voice of conscience or in the form of good
person or superiors, formators, pope, bishops, priests, brothers, sisters or
while reading or listening the scripture.etc,. So let us open the door of our
hearts, minds and ears and listen to the voice of God as it was said in the
Bible, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with
me. He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I
myself conquered and sat down with my father on his throne.(Revelation 3:20-21). So, take some time to enter in to the ease of deep
relaxation. Psychology has given us so many tips to help us how to relax
by listening to the good musical instrument and allow oneself to enter in
to a deep calm or by thinking and reflecting of the past positive
experience, etc.
According to Van Kaam, Formation is the developmental dynamic
essence of human life. 7 and Pope John Paul II also says that, Religious
formation is a lifelong process, involving discernment of the capacity to
live a consecrated life in a given in state and the accompaniment of that
consecrated life as it evolves.8 So, the psychologist Van Kamm and Pope
John Paul II sees formation as the gradual development of the whole
person day by day, a process in which the person is always emerging and
never static. The experience of the candidate are deepened, and
6Ibid, p. 218.
7Ibid
8Ibid

developed and integrated with in new horizons, and this process happens
not only during the year of formation but throughout the whole of
religious life. So, any candidate should not think that after they become a
priest or religious they will live a good life, since formation is a gradual
development. So, what we have to do is to develop a good character day
by day. So, let as build our good and ethical character and nurture day by
day that we may be able to live in holiness peace and hormony with
everyone.

6. Conclusion
So, the main aim for our formation is to become Christ like or to be
perfect like Christ or the heavenly father is perfect as it was said before.
In mentioning about the importance of psychology in formation does not
mean that other formation like spiritual formation, intellectual formation,
social formation and pastoral formation are secondary or less important
but all formation is very important for the growth of the individual
especially for a candidate who want to become a religious or priest
because the people will always expect a religious or priest to be living life
after the example of Jesus Christ to become more humble and generous,
to be more merciful and kind, to be lovable
compassionate and
understandable like Christ. Yes, God has not call perfect people to work in
his vineyard, and human being it self is known for imperfection. So, even
though one is not perfect as the heavenly father is perfect one should not
be discourage because all of us are call for perfection day by day and we
should be satisfied with the improvement we make day by day to reach
perfection because God loves those who strive for improvement and
perfection in spiritual growth, psychological growth, intellectual growth,
and social growth, etc.