An online meeting was held led by Fr Giovanni Rolandi, SDB, coordinator of the translators on 28 August 2024. Among the participants of this international group were prominent figures from various countries. During the meeting, important technological tools to facilitate the work were discussed, such as the integration of the DeepL API on the GC29 website, which will guarantee immediate translations. This system will allow members to communicate easily, improving both the work of the interpreters during the sessions and the work of the translators in the revision of written texts. The interpreters who will be at Valdocco will offer simultaneous translations in the assembly sessions, while the translators will operate remotely. The use of tablets with pre-installed software will standardise the technological experience for all participants.
After this fundamental linguistic coordination, another important step was taken with the activity of the Pre-Chapter Juridical Commission, comprising members selected for their experience and competence. This commission met at Salesian headquarters from 1 to 9 September 2024, to examine the proposals from 85 provincial chapters, all aimed at a reorganising the governance of the Congregation as a result of GC29.
The work of the Commission focused on the analysis of the contributions relating to the third core area which concerns a "courageous evaluation and re-planning of the governance of the Congregation at every level". The members examined and classified the proposals, distinguishing those that required changes to the Constitutions and Regulations from those that aimed at improvements without juridical intervention. In the end, 15 summary sheets were produced, covering the most discussed topics, including issues not addressed in the previous General Chapter (GC28).
These sheets, now made available to the Pre-Chapter Commission, are a fundamental tool for subsequent work. They will be integrated with the first two core areas for reflection, so as to allow the Commission to prepare a working document that will guide the discussions during the General Chapter sessions.
