Eleven Salesians were present including coordinators from the different regions and training centres, accompanied by the staff of the Department for Formation and coordinated by Fr Ivo Coelho, General Councillor for Formation.
The objectives of the World Formation Meeting were: to study the statistics of the Salesians in the world, analyse the present problems and those that arise in the various regions of the world.
Pope Francis has repeatedly pointed out that while it is important to be concerned about the number of vocations, it is much more important to analyse the quality of life of religious and, from this, the quality of formation. Therefore, it is important to insist on the formation process and on Salesian identity, seeking to strengthen the life of faith through a profound experience of encounter with the Lord.
Although great emphasis was placed on the importance of accompaniment, and especially on accompaniment of young people in formation, there is now a fundamental need for the accompaniment of formation personnel in a process of ongoing formation. This approach is important because many Salesians, in addition to being formators, have other duties and responsibilities in the Provinces.
It is clear that at present the Congregation is responding to the call of the Lord in different parts of the world and is open to new areas of work. This is a new and attractive reality, but we must be aware that it is crucial to be concerned about the qualification of Salesians while not forgetting the formation of formators in every place and culture.
There is no doubt that formation - as the Pope said, speaking to the Institutes of Consecrated Life - is "the art of the shaping of hearts". "Learn from Jesus and his way of teaching, but ... do not forget that it is the Father who forms in every young person the personality of the Son through the power if the Spirit: you are mediators of this action of the Trinity."
