We publish in this issue of Documentation IMC the texts of the main presentations and comments given during the first days of the course organized by the General Office for Basic Formation and Studies for IMC Formators, which took place in the General House between June 28 and July 16 of 2003.

These relations were sent in advance to those who participated in the course, so that they could reflect on them individually and in groups. Now we want to present them to the whole Institute. We know that they can become a source of enrichment for all of you who feel called to be involved in the constructive formation of the future generations of Consolata missionaries, and who want to do it in truly brotherly spirit.

We give them to you in the same order that they were presented during the course:

-- I Tell You Everything the Way a Daddy Would. Meditation for the retreat at the beginning of the course, by Fr. Francesco Pavese, Postulator.
-- The Founder, Educator of Priests and Missionaries. By Fr. Francesco Pavese, Postulator.
-- Forming Consolata Missionaries Today: Fidelity and Creativity. By Fr. Piero Trabucco, Father General.
-- Vocational Motivations. By Fr. Aquiléo Fiorentini, General Councilor.
-- Cultural Identity and Interculturality. By Fr. Francisco Lerma Martinez, of the Secretariat for the Mission.

We recall here the words addressed by our Father General to the educators-formators at the end of his presentation: He expressed gratitude to all those engaged in basic formation, and he said that he is always with them in spirit. His words exhort us all to feel near to the formators, to feel responsible in the common engagement of sustaining and encouraging the growth of many young people that we know and love -- something we must do with our actions and our life, rather than with words alone. We are all called to feel the same sense of ‘paternity’, and to make our contribution to a solid basic formation that faithfully follows our charism.

“I think that you agree with me when I say that this your sense of ‘paternity’ towards the young people in formation is something sublime, but also something that carries a great responsibility. I want to assure you of the gratitude of the General Direction and of our whole Institute, that we are ever thankful for your generous service. We always pray that the Holy Spirit give you that wisdom without which your work would be impossible. In heaven, our Founder constantly intercedes for you, he who was and is father and educator of missionaries.”