Formators are lay members or members of the federated institutions who collaborate in the direction of the section and the formation of its members. They are principally dedicated to spiritual direction, preaching, offering formative activities, directing teams or groups, or directing apostolic activities.

They are directed by the section director in their ordinary responsibilities. The section director must ensure that they receive proper training and accompaniment in carrying out their function. Rule of Life 36

The section director is entrusted with directing and developing the life of their section for the good of its members and the fulfilment of its mission “to give glory to God and make the Kingdom of Christ present in the hearts of all people and in society” (SRCF 7). Each section director aims to build and support a vibrant community of apostles by welcoming new members, helping each member develop and grow, organizing the members to allow for team life and the personal accompaniment of each, forming committed and authentic Christians imbued with the Regnum Christi identity, and helping them to work effectively in their apostolic activities.

 

As a section grows, the demands of this mission eventually surpass any single section director’s time and talents. Regnum Christi formators are leaders within the section who support the section director with the gift of their time and gifts, and often with specialized talents or skill sets the section director may lack. Their apostolate is at the service of other Regnum Christi members’ identity and mission.

 

While most Regnum Christi formators work within sections, the following generally applies as well to those who serve directly in service of the locality or the whole territory.

 

 

Regnum Christi Formators in General

 

• Section formators are typically appointed by the section director. Even when members of the consecrated branches are assigned as formators, it is still up to the section director to specify their role within the section, set year-to-year priorities and expectations, and determine who they report to within the section. This clarity of roles and responsibilities facilitates teamwork and builds mutual trust and understanding.

 

• Section formators take on a special love and responsibility for Regnum Christi as a whole – section, locality and territory: They contribute to the development of the annual section plan and assist in carrying it out, holding one another mutually accountable and identifying areas that need support, adjusting or celebrating.

 

• They identify opportunities for collaboration with other areas of their own section, other sections, the locality as a whole, the territory, and with the local Church.

 

• They proactively identify potential formators and help train and accompany them.

 

• They imbue every aspect of section life with Regnum Christi identity and mission.

 

• They encourage a culture of vocation fulfilment for each and every member, collaborating with those working in vocation promotion locally and nationally.

 

• They live out and foster communion by their presence at section events such as spiritual exercises, RC renewal weekends, key locality moments like Holy Week missions or Regnum Christi Day, and territorial events like formators conventions and other formation and sharing opportunities.

 

• Section formators typically assist their section director in one of the essential elements of section life – accompaniment, team life, apostolate, spiritual life, and formation – or in other key areas such as the section leadership team, communications, collaboration with the locality and with the local Church, growth and administrative stability.

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Specific Types of Regnum Christi Formators

 

There are many and varied formators within an RC section. Regnum Christi formators include but are not limited to the following roles:

 

Section director’s council

The section director has a council which is formed by at least four lay members of Regnum Christi… The section director is aided by the council in making decisions, and asks for their consent or opinion as established in this Rule of Life or in secondary codes. RL 34§1,3

 

Team leaders

The team leader has the mission of directing and encouraging the life of the team and accompanying each member on their journey of sanctification, their process of formation, and their growth as an apostle. RL 30§3

 

Group leaders

The section director can organize the teams into groups when it is appropriate for reasons associated with formation or apostolate, or when the number of teams makes it necessary. Groups are led by group leaders who are appointed by the section director, taking into consideration the opinion of the team leaders. They are appointed for a term of up to three years with the possibility of renewal. RL 31

 

Section chaplains 

The section usually has a chaplain appointed by the territorial directive college of Regnum Christi. The section chaplain fosters and promotes the liturgical and sacramental life of the section and collaborates in the spiritual formation of the lay members, while respecting the section director’s authority. RL 35

 

Spiritual directors 

Lay members of Regnum Christi seek regular spiritual direction as a traditional means offered by the Church for spiritual growth. Through it, they learn to discern God’s will and to embrace it with love. RL 12

 

Apostolate directors

Apostolic programs are institutional initiatives of evangelization that ordinarily depend on the sections of the associated laypeople and are part of their life. SRCF 46

 

Members of the section leadership or work team 

Formators who work immediately alongside the section director in their task of directing and developing the section as a grouping of teams and groups that fosters prayer life and integral formation, the family spirit of Regnum Christi, the invitation and welcoming of new members, accompaniment, apostolic action and a healthy economy. RL 32§1