The Commission's work was chaired by the General Councilor for Formation, Fr Ivo Coelho, flanked by his collaborator in the same Department, Fr Francisco Santos, and saw the accompaniment of the Councilor for the Mediterranean Region, Fr Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy.
“The work was intense both at the level of preparation, of small teams, and of shared synthesis. But it was passionate work, born from the awareness that ongoing formation and initial formation are our future: ours not only as Salesians of the Region, but also of the young people who ask us for closeness, competence, and depth in the Spirit of Don Bosco,” commented Fr Erino Leoni, Regional Coordinator for Formation.
The activities resumed the three thematic nuclei of the GC28:
The PRIORITY OF THE SALESIAN MISSION AMONG THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF TODAY (1°) highlighted that formation is not born for young people, but with young people.
The PROFILE OF THE SALESIAN TODAY (2°) emerged as a gift given by God and by young people, and as a response to Him and to them.
For this reason, MISSION AND FORMATION WITH THE LAITY (3°) can only be joined, because the gift of the Charism cannot grow except within a communion, an ability to relate to God, with young people and together with the laity.
In this sense, it has been observed, the call is a challenge and the challenge taken, which must be fulfilled in a response that can then be mapped in an itinerary, to be accompanied gradually, through courageous choices that involve ALL: by and from confreres, wise with age and experience, up to the younger Salesians.
The four days of work fostered, in the contributions of all, a renewed passion for formation, a growing communion for and in the Region, a desire for concreteness that has the flavor of parrhesia.
At the end of the work, marked by constant reference to the Word of God, by a great synergy and by qualified interventions, three objectives were identified for each nucleus, three processes and a series of interventions to be shaped over the next six years.
“Now our work continues to trace the operational guidelines to be delivered to the Department, but above all to the Provincials, so that they become a government,” concluded Fr Leoni.
