Forty-one Claretians ordained in the last ten years, representing several European provinces, took part in a new edition of the Quinquennium programme held from 20 to 23 November 2025 in Krakow, Poland. The biennial gathering, hosted this year by the Province of Poland and coordinated by Fr. Maxim Muñoz, CMF, prefect of formation, Province of Sanctus Paulus. It also welcomed prefects of formation from different organisms in europe, who accompanied the ongoing formation process.
The meeting opened with a visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of its liberation. The experience offered a profound encounter with the memory of immense human suffering and served as a point of reflection for the Congregation’s contemporary missionary commitment to human dignity and the Gospel of hope.
This year’s formation sessions centered on the theme “The impact of new technologies on our missionary life”. Guided by Fr. José Enrique García Rizo, CMF, participants employed the see-judge-act method to examine digitalisation’s influence on four key dimensions of Claretian life: personal (including physical and psychological health), spiritual, communal and apostolic.
Discussions revealed a shared concern regarding the challenges of managing technology responsibly. Participants noted the risk of allowing digital tools to hinder daily rhythms, inner life and missionary focus. With openness and pastoral realism, they stressed the importance of mutual support within communities to encourage a more mindful and fruitful use of technological resources. Practical approaches and suggestions were exchanged to help integrate digital tools in a balanced and mission-oriented way.
Small-group sessions allowed each missionary to share experiences from community life, provincial initiatives and apostolic commitments. These conversations generated several proposals for future editions of the Quinquennium, aimed at strengthening formation and collaboration across provinces.
A strong fraternal spirit marked the entire meeting, nurtured by common prayer and liturgical celebrations prepared by the different provinces. The harmonious blend of reflection, spiritual depth and brotherhood once again affirmed the value of the Quinquennium as a vital space for human, spiritual and missionary growth among the new generations of Claretians in Europe.
