Fr Gildasio, could you tell us first of all what was the starting point for this letter?
The starting point was the consideration that living in the digital world today requires wisdom and hope: these are things with which everyone can give witness and evangelise in the digital world. Therefore, it is not a question of giving elderly or sick Salesian new things they have to do; nor of asking elderly Salesians to become “experts of social networking”. On the contrary, the basic idea is that the witness of those who know how to live in this world of transformation and change is itself already a way of doing apostolate.
Why did you feel the need to write this document?
The need arose from the joint meetings that we held in the seven Salesian Regions between the Provincial Delegates for Formation and Delegates for Social Communication. Several Provincials had already spoken about the need to talk about this; and I also received encouragement from several elderly Salesians.
You say in the letter that "Those who go ahead with wisdom and gospel hope always remain young". Can you explain this better?
It simply means that to inhabit the digital world today an elderly Salesian is not required to have particular specialist skills, but only two things: to live and share wisdom and hope in their environment; that is, to live their Salesian life, even while getting older or ill, with wisdom and hope. Because this is already a way of living well in the digital world.
The starting point, therefore, is always the experience, which is then shared with others: the testimony is already announced.
Even if it is not expressed directly on social networks or the channels of the digital world?
“Exactly. Let me give you a few examples. An elderly Salesian who spends his time in the playground among the children; engaged in the confessional with the young people; or who celebrates the Eucharist daily with true participation; who says the Rosary in the corridors of the house; who, even if sick, carries on his work within the limits of his condition... All this is testimony, it is experience, it real experience that evangelises and says something. To whom? To our collaborators, to the laity, to young people, to children, to their families... And then when they talk to their peers, colleagues, acquaintances, or when they share life on social networks, it becomes evangelisation.
The digital world, traditionally considered the exclusive domain of the young, is thus also opening up to the elderly...
Of course, because today we must honestly recognise that we are pervaded by a culture of waste and indifference towards the elderly. Instead, my purpose is precisely to value their testimony as a powerful message for young people. Because digital natives have a lot to learn from the elderly – who, moreover, were the first witnesses and architects of the technological developments that brought us to this point. We want, therefore, simply to promote "the beauty of what is human", to see our elders as "masters of what it means to be human". Without forgetting that there are already elderly people present in social networks and the digital world, and this too is obviously fine. Indeed, it is up to communities to discern what and how they can possibly do more and better.
It is something that is in harmony with the Church. Let us think of Pope Francis' great attention to the elderly and inter-generational dialogue.
That’s true. We are in line with his sensitivity, because he was the first to denounce the culture of waste and to invoke the humanisation of relationships in the digital world; just as it is also in tune with the proposal of the Rector Major in what specifically concerns fraternal communion in communities. It is a proposal that fits fully into the modern anthropology of the Church and at the same time is something new, because it is the first time that a religious Congregation has produced a document concerning the elderly and the digital world. Escaping the activist temptation, I reiterate, but without depriving elders of their gift, right and responsibility to communicate.
You also say: "The digital universe is a vast land of wheat and weeds". Should the elderly be warned?
More than warning, you need awareness. Many times in conversation with young people I realise that we must not look at the Net as a problem all the time: this is not our task. On the contrary, we must raise questions, foster maturity in approaches for critical rather than naive use of it.
Finally, what can educative and pastoral communities do to adequately involve elderly Salesians in the digital world?
I answer by offering three pointers: being aware of this dimension, that the shared experience is already evangelisation; secondly, that having the ability and sensitivity to "put oneself in the shoes" of our elders, also knowing how to accept their rhythm of life; finally, knowing how to learn from our elders, aware that one day young people will also become elderly.
