Formation courses

The Courses of Formation are the essential element of the St Raphael work. With them we continually nourish the boys’ or girls’ life of piety and help them to complete and deepen their doctrinal formation. We give them – with the gift of tongues – the treasures of Christian Truth. We begin by explaining the catechism and Catholic apologetics in a way they can understand, although we do not tell them just what this is, because some of them would find it humiliating. The fact is that many young people, while they are well-disposed and come from Christian families, have never received a proper doctrinal formation, either at home or in school, but only a light varnish of “pietism”.

Gift of tongues

In this context, I quote some very opportune words of St Thomas Aquinas: “The gratuitous graces are given for the benefit of others, as stated above. Now the knowledge one receives from God cannot be turned to another’s benefit, except by means of speech. And since the Holy Spirit does not fail in anything that pertains to the benefit of the Church, he provides also the members of the Church with speech; to the effect that one not only speaks so as to be understood by different people, which pertains to the gift of tongues, but also speaks with effect, and this pertains to the grace of the word.

Three aspects of teaching

“This happens in three ways. First, in order to instruct the intellect, and this is the case when one speaks so as to teach. Secondly, in order to move the affections, so that one willingly hearkens to the word of God. This is the case when one speaks so as to please his hearers, not indeed with a view to his own favour, but in order to draw them to listen to God’s word. Thirdly, in order that men may love what is signified by the word, and desire to fulfil it, and this is the case when one so speaks as to sway his hearers.

“In order to effect this, the Holy Spirit makes use of the human tongue as an instrument; but it is He who perfects the work within.”⁹