Spain – Orlando González: "Don Bosco would be on the net today to attract and guide young people"

(ANS - Madrid) - In 1944, the Salesians founded the "Casa del Boletín Salesiano" in Madrid, with a Catechetical Center and the publishing house SEI (Sociedad Editora Ibérica). That was the seed of what, from 1994, would become the publisher CCS (Central Catequística Salesiana). Today, 75 years later, that project continues to evangelize in the most diverse fields, including that of social communications. For these past five years it has been doing so under the direction of Salesian Fr Orlando González, motivated by Don Bosco's commitment to young people, in schools, as well as in books and networks.

CCS celebrates 75 years "in the service of education and faith". What costs more today: to educate or to believe?

To educate. Believing does not cost; it's pure grace and you find yourself living in it and of it. To educate, instead, we must unite the will and the objective of helping ourselves to grow as free persons and persons with a critical sense, capable of committing ourselves for the good of all, without succumbing to the pressure of the strongest. I speak from experience, as a teacher-educator, but any mother or father can tell you how much it costs to educate ...

Is catechesis still the raison d'être of CCS?

Catechesis, as a commitment to make the Gospel resound in people's lives, is the raison d'être of the Church, of the Salesians and also of the publisher CCS. The means are many. Here we do it through publications and magazines like Catequistas or Misión Joven.

What place does the publisher CCS occupy in the Salesian evangelizing proposal?

We Salesians are "evangelizers of young people" in vocational schools, schools, parishes, houses of formation, youth centers, universities, sports and recreational activities, welcoming and accompanying children at risk, social platforms, missions, volunteering ... And also in social communications, which, according to our Constitutions, "is among the apostolic priorities of the Salesian mission". This is the place of the CCS publishing house.

Don Bosco, who knew how to be a "gamer" for young people, would he now have the formula to make the new generations read more?

Today it would not have been easy for Don Bosco, an entertainer (and juggler) who dared to challenge the "professionals" who could only distract and disorient his young people. Children and young people read - today more than ever - online, on networks, not books. Don Bosco would be with them, accept the challenge of attracting and orienting the new generations towards God, inviting them to break the self-reference that ensnares them.

Source: Vida Nueva

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