With the aim of renewing our charismatic identity of listeners-servants of the Word, Fr. Gonzalo Fernandez, the General Prefect of Spirituality, invited the mayor organisms of the English Speaking Claretians to organize “The Forge”. As response to this call, 18 claretian missionaries from 6 organisms (6 from the province of Bangalore, 4 from Chennai, 2 from Saint Thomas, 3 from North East India, 2 from Nigeria and 1 from Sri Lanka) came together during the months of July – August 2007 at Claret Nivas in Bangalore, India. Fr. S. Jesu Doss, CMF member of the CSC team from Vic was the animator of this first Forge in English.
The presence of the major superiors of India on the first day, encouraged the participants of the Forge experience: on 1 July Fr, Augustine Mundiath CMF, the provincial of St. Thomas province presided over the Eucharistic celebration; after the Mass, Fr. Xavier Manavath, CMF the provincial of Bangalore addressed us with a message on the importance of the Forge in the on going formation.
During these two months the participants actively participated in the dynamisms of the four stages of this process: Quid Prodest, Patris Mei, Caritas Christi and Spiritus Domini. The dynamics of the first weeks, centred on the Quid Prodest, helped them to be aware of themselves and encouraged them to commit themselves in the following stages. The daily practice of the Lectio Divina contributed to affirm the Claretian identity towards the Word of God. The ten days of retreat in the Benedictine monastery in Kengeri, revitalized their experience of God and their missionary vocation. The dynamisms of the third stage of Caritas Christi, with its congregational aspects helped them to realize and deepen the living aspects of the evangelical counsels and community life. The final stage of Spiritus Domini concentrated on our special vocation as Servants of the Word of God.
The process of personalization through out these four stages helped them to draft the personal projects to keep burning the fire of the forge in the daily missionary life. On 31 August we completed this experience of reinitiation in our claretian identity with a thanks giving Eucharistic celebration.
