A five-and-a-half-month accompaniment program became a profound experience of personal growth, communion, and holistic formation for religious men and women from diverse congregations and cultures.
It is a grace for me, and for the Philippine delegation, to have completed the five-and-a-half-month Accompaniment Program for Formators at the Institute of Formation and Religious Studies (IFRS). The program was offered free of charge to women religious by the Conrad Hilton Foundation, in coordination with the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines. It began with an online class on June 24, 2025, and continued until October 24. On October 27, we started the on-site phase, which culminated on December 10, 2025. The program was attended by religious men and women from nine different nationalities, representing various religious congregations.
The course emphasized the integration of the human, spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and communal dimensions of formation. Through conferences, guided reflections, personal prayer, and group sharing, we were invited to understand formation not as a set of techniques, but as a lifelong process that forms the whole person. This holistic approach helped deepen my self-awareness, emotional maturity, and my capacity to accompany others with empathy and discernment.
A profound fruit of the program was its impact on my inner life. Being formed as a companion first required allowing myself to be accompanied by Jesus, encountering him through his Word.
The program also nurtured a strong sense of communion among participants from different congregations. This shared journey enriched our perspectives and reinforced the understanding that integral formation is a call to be sustained within community, where mutual support, dialogue, and shared wisdom are essential.
The Accompaniment Program for Formators is truly a transformative experience of integral formation, equipping future formators to accompany others with authenticity, depth, and faithfulness to their vocation.
Sr. Liza, ccv
