Transparency:
Perennial question about
seminarians in Africa/Madagascar
A. Definitions:
1. Transparent: 4)
open, frank, candid; 5) easily seen through, recognized, detected
2. Lack:
1) deficiency or absence of something wanted; 6) to be without.
*Duplicity:
1) deceitfulness in speech or conduct; 2) a twofold or double
state or quality
*Obtuse:
1) dull in perception, feeling, or intellect.
*Dishonest:
2) disposed to lie, cheat, steal?ntrustworthy.
*Insincere:
2) not honest in expression of actual feeling.
*Inscrutable:
2) not easily understood; mysterious, unfathomable
*Dull: 1) mentally slow, lacking in keenness
of expression.
*Pretend:
1) to feign, to appear falsely so as to deceive.
*Dissimulate:
1) to disguise or conceal under false appearance; 2) to conceal
one? true motives.
B. Lacking
in transparency is a conclusion we arrive at by observing a
seminarian? behaviors
and attitudes over a period
of time. The conclusion may originate from
impressions or intuition but at some point needs verification
in the persistent appearance of behaviors and attitudes.
C. Causes of un-transparent behaviors and attitudes in
a student?
1)
Is it cultural?
a)
Certain things are never talked about among men and therefore
a transparent conversation or
self-revelation would go against cultural dictums?
b)
Africa is an ?motional?culture above all else. This
means that the feelings that exist in a student
or between a student and formator will determine the nature of
the interaction more than
anything else.
c)
All serious communication in Africa is indirect (not straightforward)
and not obvious (easily recognized.
d)
Differences in age will always prohibit a seminarian from speaking
his mind.
2)
Is it the product of the overall climate in the formation
house? Honesty, self-disclosure, mistakes,
ignorant behavior, clashes with the formation director etc. are
usually punished. If not punished
these incidences are never forgotten and become part of the seminarian's
'permanent record.'
3)
Is it the result of intense social pressures placed
upon the seminarian by his family and friends who will
consider him a failure if he leaves or is asked to leave the
formation program?
4)
Is it the result of a defective notion of vocation through which the seminarian assumes that he
has a vocation
and as a result he has to defend himself from any perceived threats?
5)
Is it the result of the double life modeled by many priests/confreres which has lead the seminarian
to conclude that leading a secret private life which is at variance
from his public life is not onlyrewarding
but doable?
6)
Is it the product of immaturity? The young man does not have enough of a sense
of himself to know what
kind of a person he is or wants to be in life, so he is still
experimenting?
7)
Is it the result of being raised in an addictive environment where denial and dishonesty are modeled and
therefore learned habits?
8)
It is because the seminarian needs to be a priest for his own self-image whether or not he has
the talent and
gifts required by this state of life?
9)
Is it the result of a shame based educational system
(and maybe parental model) which leaves the seminarian
unequipped to constructively deal with remarks made about his
behavior?
D. What exactly
is a lack of transparency as it manifests itself in Vincentian
seminarians both in
Africa
and Madagascar? Small group work/with report.
1. In
your opinion, what are the top three causes of a lack of transparency
in our students?
2. What
behaviors and attitudes are signs of;
a. Lack
of transparency being a developmental problem?
b. Lack
of transparency being a habitual character flaw and hence probably
not correctable?
For: Vow
of poverty Vow of obedience Vow
of chastity Vow of stability
2. What
behaviors do the formator have to be committed to--
both individually and collectively so that students
will be free to be transparent?
3. What structures
should be in place in the formation program to ensure
that a climate of transparency is
maintained?
