Third Order Regular of Saint Francis

RATIO FORMATIONIS

Rome - General Council - TOR - 2001

GENERAL INDEX

          INTRODUCTION - LETTER OF PROMULGATION

         Presentation
           Abbreviations
           Purpose of the Ratio formationis of the Order
           Structure of the Ratio

Part I.
      THE IDENTITY OF THE THIRD ORDER REGULAR

              A.    Religious Life
              B.     Charism of Saint Francis
              C.     Charism of the Order

Part II. 
FORMATION AT THE LEVEL OF THE ORDER AND PROVINCE

         Interdependence between identity and formation
             A.    Structures at the level of the Order
                     Ratio formationis of the Order
                     Ministers
                     The general director of formation
                     The General commission for formation
                     Collaboration between provinces

            B.     Structures at the level of the province
                    The Ratio formationis of the province
                    Provincial formation director
                    Provincial prefect of studies
                    Provincial commission for formation
                    Advanced degrees

Part III.  
VOCATION MINISTRY AND COMPANIONING THE ASPIRANTS

           A.    Description
           B.      Objectives
           C.      Content
           D.     Agents
                        Each friar
                        The Local Fraternity
                        The candidates in initial formation
                        Provincial Vocation dorector and his assistants

        E.      Norms and methodological guidelines
                    The provincial plan for vocation ministry
                    The fraternities for receiving aspirants
                    Minor seminary and similar structures

Part IV.   
INITIAL FORMATION

          A.     Objectives of initial formation regarding all the stages
                    Human formation
                    Christian Formation
                    Formation in the charism of the Order
                   Formation in fraternal life
                   Apostolic formation

       B.      Agents of formation
                   God and the person
                   The fraternity in the formation house
                   Directors

        C.       Methodological principles
      D.       The Phases of initial formation
                 1. POSTULANCY
            a)     Description
            b)    Admission to the postulancy
                    requirements for admission
           c)     Objectives
           d)     Content and methodological guidelines
                   Human formation
                   Deepening of Christian formation
                   The Charism of the Order
                   Knowledge of fraternal life and of vocation apostolate
                   Discernment

              e)   Agents
                   The postulant
                   The fraternity in the house of postulancy
                   The director of Postulants
              f)    Procedural norms
            

             2.    NOVITIATE
             a)    Description
             b)   Admission to novitiate
                   Requirements for admission
            c)    Objectives
            d)   Content
                     Continuation of Human formation, Spiritual
                     formation and Initiation to the religious life
                          Formation in the charism of the Order
                          Formation in fraternal life
                          Apostolic formation
                          Preparation for temporary profession
             e)     Agents
                    The Novice
                    The fraternity in the novitiate house
                    Director of Novices
             f)      Procedural norms
                    Leaving the Order during novitiate
                    Temporary profession

          3.   THE PERIOD OF TEMPORARY PROFESSION
            a)    Description
            b)    Objectives
            c)    Content and methodological guidelines
                        Human formation
                        Deepening the religious consecration
                        Formation in the charism of the Order
                           Experience of fraternal life
                    Formation in theology, the works
                           of mercy and professional training

                          Studies
                          Reflection on one's experiences

           d)   Agents
                     The friars in temporary profession
                     The fraternity in the formation house
                     The director of the temporary professed

           e)  Procedural norms
               Solemn profession
                   Candidates for sacred orders

Part V.   
ONGOING FORMATION

           A.       Description
           B.       Objectives
           C.       Content
                    Spiritual formation
                    Community formation
                    Theological formation
                    Apostolate and professional formation

       D.      Agents
                   Each friar
                   The Minister Provincial
                   The provincial formation director
                   The local fraternity
        

          E.       Methodological guidelines
                   Times of ongoing formation in the province and in the fraternities
                   Periods of ongoing formation in the life of the religious
                   Suggestions concerning forms and means of ongoing formation
                   In the Order
                   In the Province
                   In the life of the religious
        Interdependance of initial and ongoing formation

APPENDIX

            Biblography of material for formation in the charism of the Order