The PPF is particular law, not an instruction. If you look at the previous PPF (5th edition, 2006), for example, you see a "Decree of Promulgation" in the introductory pages. I think what was throwing you guys off is that the new PPF hasn't been promulgated yet, so the text of it that you are looking at doesn't have any language about its promulgation. Now that it's been confirmed by the Holy See, the episcopal conference can promulgate it.
My gut instinct is that the changes from the new PPF attempt to address challenges that have already been substantially addressed by really good initiatives already incorporated into the US formational process. Pastoral years and IPF provide intense experiences of prayer and parish life, along with the increasingly common experience of the 30-day silent retreat and pilgrimages. Up until now there's been good space to discern when and in what form a man needs this. Further, there's been great attention to incorporating significant pastoral experiences in parish settings. The whole point of shifting diaconate ordination to the spring of Third Theology was to provide a summer of diaconate experience. The new vocational synthesis stage messes that all up. You mention the NAC... it feels like this new process attempts to force into the Roman system the good initiatives that had already been integrated into the US process... only it's being forced here, not there. As a vocations director, it feels like a mess, a huge cost of time effort money formators to implement, and no obvious way it dramatically improves our current timeline.
The PPF is particular law, not an instruction. If you look at the previous PPF (5th edition, 2006), for example, you see a "Decree of Promulgation" in the introductory pages. I think what was throwing you guys off is that the new PPF hasn't been promulgated yet, so the text of it that you are looking at doesn't have any language about its promulgation. Now that it's been confirmed by the Holy See, the episcopal conference can promulgate it.
My gut instinct is that the changes from the new PPF attempt to address challenges that have already been substantially addressed by really good initiatives already incorporated into the US formational process. Pastoral years and IPF provide intense experiences of prayer and parish life, along with the increasingly common experience of the 30-day silent retreat and pilgrimages. Up until now there's been good space to discern when and in what form a man needs this. Further, there's been great attention to incorporating significant pastoral experiences in parish settings. The whole point of shifting diaconate ordination to the spring of Third Theology was to provide a summer of diaconate experience. The new vocational synthesis stage messes that all up. You mention the NAC... it feels like this new process attempts to force into the Roman system the good initiatives that had already been integrated into the US process... only it's being forced here, not there. As a vocations director, it feels like a mess, a huge cost of time effort money formators to implement, and no obvious way it dramatically improves our current timeline.