I. Brief History of the Nazareth Formation House
The Center began caring for priests and religious in 2001. Since then, the center has been a partner of several dioceses and congregations both local and international in helping their wounded priests, deacons, seminarians and religious brothers and sisters. The program is a family ministry of the Garon’s to help in the processing of issues of the wounded priests and religious.
The program is based on the concept of the Therapeutic Community but the modality is eclectic. The program is holistic in its development as it focuses on psychotherapy, psycho education, behavioral modification and spirituality as major aspects of recovery.
II. What is a Therapeutic Community?
The TC is largely a self-help modality that emphasizes the therapeutic role of peer interactions in helping shape behavior, address psychological problems, challenge and modify faulty cognition and acquire effective social and coping skills. In the TC, brotherhood and community living is heavily fostered among the residents. We follow the concept of “Helping man help himself”.
III. Programs Offered
Assessment and Processing
This program is tailored to meet the needs of the Dioceses and Congregations who are sending their priest/deacon/seminarian/ nun for a specified length of time to identify issues and possible ways of addressing them.
Immersion and Processing
The main goal is to assist the priests and religious to have a deeper understanding of himself through a series of tools and processing. The program is ideal for discernment period.
Residency
It is an open-ended program dedicated for the wounded Priests and Religious. The program is designed to address the underlying issues behind their misbehaviors and to accompany them in their chosen ministry after their recovery process. 2
IV. Program Components
A. Assessment Phase
Assessment– considered as the first phase of the process. This is to determine the depth of the woundedness, state of mind and the various disorders of the priests and religious sent by their respective superiors.
The following are some of the tools used:
Inner house– is a seminar that deals with the history of the human person.
Series of interviews
Battery of tests
Write ups, etc.
B. Treatment Process
Psychotherapy– is used in identifying and deconstructing the distorted thinking patterns and behavioral patterns that are present in the priests and religious after identifying the roots of such thought and behavior patterns.
Psycho-education– It is important that the person in recovery be educated about his/her sickness. The psycho-education includes various topics that deal with the psychology of human behavior and of the mind.
Behavioral Modification Tools– Refers to the process of refining the behavior of the priests and religious in the program based on community feed backing and challenging.
The following are some of the tools that we use as expressions of tough love:
Relate Challenge and Confront– a form of fraternal correction
Family Game– search for the truth behind an issue.
Encounter– a tool that facilitates healthy emotional expressions
Learning experiences– given to let the person understand that everything has consequence.
Spirituality– as the Nazareth Code of Honor states, “God is the center of our recovery”, spirituality is heart of the program.
Spiritual Assessment
Spiritual Activities:
Daily Liturgical Celebrations and Eucharistic Devotions
Individual Spiritual Counselling
Monthly Recollection/ Retreat
Sessions on Spirituality 3
C. Reintegration Phase and After Care
It is the stage of transition from the life inside Nazareth into their ministry outside the center. The people in this stage are expected to have developed a certain amount of human maturity and protective spirituality that would help them in facing the challenges of the ministry.
Reintegration Phases:
Pre – reintegration Phase
There is a minimal and gradual exposure outside of the Center.
Reintegration
Acclimatization in the ministry
The focus is on the self and his responses to the triggers he is meeting outside of the center
Mid – reintegration
The focus is his life-direction. He is expected to have firm resolve and conviction that he wants the sober and holy life.
Full reintegration
After care
He continues his quest for the maintenance of his sobriety.
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