Activities began with the Eucharist presided over by Fr. Jose Toledo, Provincial Economer, who said in his homily, "The challenge for us is to discover, as communities and directors, what we want to continue teaching. May our faith in the Lord grow during these days."
The Salesian directors, principals, and legal representatives taking on new positions in 2023 were presented, as were the lay leaders who begin their assignments in Calama, at the "Don Bosco" Institute in Punta Arenas, Valparaíso, at the "Don Bosco Oratory," and in the schools of La Serena and Alto Hospicio.
Then, the Provincial of the Salesians of Chile, Fr. Carlo Lira, illustrated the Strenna of the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, entitled "AS THE YEAST IN TODAY'S HUMAN FAMILY. The Lay Dimension of the Family of Don Bosco", and the provincial guidelines. "What the Rector Major wants to emphasize with his Strenna is that all of us baptized have the task of evangelization, of bearing witnessing to Christ and of contaminating others with our lives and transforming our reality," he explained. Then, on good treatment and relationships within Salesian educational-pastoral communities, he added, "We will be more fulfilled as men and women to the extent that we learn to bond with others, to form a 'we' together."
Fr. Lira then presented the six guidelines that define the work of the "Saint Gabriel Archangel" Province of Chile (CIL) for 2023:
- Continue to grow in charismatic identity.
- Strengthen leadership in educational-pastoral communities.
- Improve the teaching and learning process starting with the design and implementation of the Salesian Schools Curriculum Project (PCCS, in Spanish).
- Ensure healthy and safe environments in each school.
- Strengthen pastoral service with youth and their families.
- Continue with the digital transformation process.
During the morning, work continued with a joint training session on "Current Understanding of the Preventive System. Inclusion, Education and Co-Responsibility in Mission," offered by Prof. Marcelo Palominos, professor at the Catholic University Silva Henríquez (UCSH) and graduate in Salesian Pedagogy.
In the afternoon, activities were differentiated: while the legal representatives and principals dialogued with the Provincial on the profiles and duties of their respective positions, the Directors worked on the priorities of the Provincial's Organic Project - POI.
Finally, the reflections of the second and final day focused on the Extraordinary Visit to the Province of the Regional Councilor for South Cone America, Fr. Gabriel Romero, and on the 2023 Guidelines for School Management from the POI and the Salesian Provincial Pastoral Educational Project (PEPSI).
The meeting concluded with a joint training workshop on "Reflection and Analysis for Articulating Specific Roles," centralized articulation projects at the level of communication and technology, and sharing information on the provincial agenda.
