Why is a course on education to love important?
Don Bosco, who is our founder, consciously chose to be directly involved in the life and physical, emotional, mental and spiritual situations of his boys. Many of their stories of abandonment and loneliness were hidden by complex situations that he helped to shed light on and guide. The attention to the affective dimension was constantly contemplated in his "Preventive System". As interpreted currently, education to affectivity is today an opportunity to listen and welcome concerns, doubts and research from an integrated perspective.
Does this generation experience the sexual dimension better or worse than in the past?
It is hard to say, nor should we be tempted to say that “anything from the past is better.” We can only observe how this generation inhabits this dimension and take this as a starting point for further exploration and discovery. Accept and not judge, but without renouncing the ideal. Because not everything can be described as positive or able to be improved; a more balanced discernment of the real situation is essential to help us value both the less positive and the more valid aspects. Given the relevance and complexity of the phenomenon in question, the role of affective and sexual education is even more crucial for debunking myths, reducing cognitive distortions and, above all, accompanying young people on the path of authenticity, because only “the truth sets them free” (Jn 8:32).
There is a chapter in booklet in which today's concepts and models are explored. Why?
In order to better understand and be able to make personal judgements about different concepts and models, it is necessary to formulate them in such a way as to unambiguously understand the terminology used in current debates. This is a considerable task, given the abundance of such terminology. The aim is therefore precisely to provide clear information on these issues.
What attitude do we need for better accompaniment?
To accompany, it is always necessary to have an attitude of respectful and total acceptance of the young person, that is, to be open. You receive something sacred from the person and experience the need to “take off your sandals” before the sacred ground you are about to step on. This requires the same hospitality and acceptance as Jesus in the Gospel: with love, without judging, without condemning, letting the person express what he feels, what he suffers, from his heart. One thing above all can be learned from the experience with teenagers and older youth: it is not so much what we adults say that leaves a mark on them, but how we accompany them as they confront their deepest questions, not only the explicit ones, but also the implicit ones, which they cannot formulate on their own. It is about promoting “affective literacy”: learning a vocabulary related to their moods, feelings and emotions.
What message does this booklet seek to provide?
We have tried to show how important the role of educators, families, consecrated persons and our presence in accompanying all young people is. A balanced path of education to love for teenagers/older young people cannot focus only on the scientific transmission of notions related to psychological, social, cultural, anatomical and physiological aspects. It is also essential to work on a level of behavioural models, values, ethics and spirituality, both in those who carry out this type of education and in the recipients themselves.
One of the educational criteria that comes at the end of the booklet concerns the opportunity to accompany uniqueness and diversity, not seeing them as reason for exclusion. This is not a foregone conclusion. Where did this come from?
Educating in an attitude of acceptance in the accompaniment of uniqueness and diversity is a task for all educators and pastoral workers. Growing up also means having a bigger heart, and education leads to this. The first educational challenge is to approach social circumstances and avoid invisibility. Silence is what leads to blackmail, double standards, distortions and suffering for many. The best thing to do is always to deal with the real situation, which means fighting misinformation and prejudice. And it is precisely in the field of what is seen as “diversity” that, as educators, we must prepare ourselves to offer a sensible and well-founded word in the midst of a sea of ideological disinformation. Good intentions and my experience and the experience of those around me are not enough; we need a balanced, scientific and up-to-date education, sensitive to today's culture, but also to the Christian message and to the good news that we want to bring to everyone. Allowing the encounter with God's mercy is a call for all Christians to be promoters and facilitators of this dialogue of love.
