Salesian Brother Specific Formation Program in EAO


Salesian Brother Specific Formation Program in EAO

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THE SPECIFIC FORMATION OF THE SALESIAN BROTHER
AFTER PRACTICAL TRAINING [C.116]
EAO Region • Manila Philippines
PROPOSED PROGRAM
1. PROFILE OF THE SALESIAN BROTHER
The Salesian Brother is a lay consecrated Salesian.
1.1. As a CONSECRATED person, he is called by God to live radically his baptismal consecration
by exercising the threefold ministry of prophet, priest and servant-king, through the prac-
tice of the evangelical counsels in a community in order to accomplish a specific mission in
the Church;
1.2. as a SALESIAN, he lives the spirit of Don Bosco and is trained to be come an educator and
pastor of the young in complementarity with the Salesian priest and with the lay mission
partners;
1.3. as a LAY person, he lives, cultivates and prepares himself to serve God’s kingdom with the
values proper of his secularity.
2. ASSUMPTIONS
Following the Salesian Constitutions article 116, after the period of Practical Training, the
Salesian Brother is offered a two-year specific formation program that consists in a reflection-
integration process of his salesian vocation. This period of formation may also serve as a
preparation for perpetual profession.
2.1. It is a proposal for the PERSONALIZATION of one’s formation whereby the Brother becomes
the protagonist of his own formation while accepting to be guided by a team of formators
and by a spiritual director.
2.2. It is a multi-cultural and inter-provincial COMMUNITY of Salesians where the Brother
completes his specific formation in connection with his vocational identity.
2.3. It is an appropriate TIME of an exposure-immersion-reflection process whereby the Brother
deepens his grasp of his vocational identity within the one, unique salesian vocation.
2.4. It is a PLACE favoring an intense preparation for PERPETUAL PROFESSION, for those who
may need it.
3. GOALS
Based on the Salesian Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis et Studiorum number 448, there are
four major goals of the specific formation of the Salesian Brother.
3.1. To assess and complete his progress in his vocation and formation.
3.2. To reaffirm his lay identity, which he lives in a complementary manner with the priests, vis-
à-vis the empowered laity of the Church, and also his own motivations.
3.3. To reflect, study and qualify himself in the theological and pastoral aspects of his Christian
faith and in his Salesian consecrated life.
3.4. To consolidate an attitude and a pedagogy of continuing formation.

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4. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ACCORDING TO DIMENSIONS OF FORMATION
4.1. Human Formation
In this stage of specific formation, the Salesian Brother
4.1.1. Cultivates a pattern of relationships marked by simplicity, tact and serenity.
4.1.2. Acquires social virtues highly esteemed by people that make him accepted by everyone,
including an ability to listen and to communicate.
4.1.3. Nurtures an experience of affectivity and an ability to meet different kinds of people in
his educative relationships (the world of work).
4.1.4. Fosters daily contacts in the community and his relationship with the Salesian priest in
a mutual exchange of gifts.
4.1.5. Develops a deep sensitivity to the world of work and culture, as well as an ability to
size up situations objectively and adopt a professional approach.
4.2. Spiritual Formation
In this stage of specific formation, the Salesian Brother
4.2.1. Evaluates his experience of consecrated life and the way he walks in the Spirit, following
the basic features of Salesian spirituality.
4.2.2. Experiences more deeply the pastoral love of Christ the Good Shepherd.
4.2.3. Strives to grow intensely in his commitment to the person, the style and the spirit of
Don Bosco, his Founder and model.
4.2.4. Integrates the characteristics of his lay state with his pastoral concern, and cultivates
those aspects that enable him to guide the young in their spiritual growth.
4.2.5. Develops the liturgy of life through an attitude of offering to God the whole of himself,
together with his apostolic undertakings, his daily work, and the very difficulties he
encounters in life.
4.3. Intellectual-Theological Formation
In this stage of specific formation, the Salesian Brother
4.3.1. Acquires an adequate theological preparation appropriate to his consecrated lay status.
4.3.2. Deepens his knowledge of the spiritual heritage of the Congregation.
4.3.3. Equips himself suitably, through study and reflection, to take his place in the complex
world of work, technology and the economy, and also to deal with social and political
situations.
4.4. Educative-Pastoral Formation
In this stage of specific formation, the Salesian Brother
4.4.1. Cultivates a particular sensitivity to poor youth and remains close to the world of work
and the concrete problems of life.
4.4.2. Broadens his outlook on pastoral ministry and the Salesian Youth Spirituality, the basis
of his work of education among the young.
4.4.3. Becomes sensitive to the aspects that concern the mission of the Church in the world,
the evangelization of culture and the role of lay people.
4.4.4. Identifies himself ever more deeply with his mission as educator and evangelizer of the
young, along the lines of his specific vocation and in collaboration with the Salesian
priest.
4.4.5. Develops the ability to animate, plan and work in a team within the educative and
pastoral community, sharing with the laity and taking care of his relationship with the
Salesian Family.

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5. THE SETTING OF THE SPECIFIC FORMATION PROGRAM
5.1. A Formative Community, close to the Don Bosco Center of Studies in Better Living, Para-
naque Philippines, is the setting of the specific formation of the Salesian Brothers of EAO.
5.2. A team of formators is provided by the East Asia Oceania Provincials; it is composed of a
Rector trained in Spiritual Direction, a Salesian Brother as the Prefect of Studies who will
liaise with the Dean of the Don Bosco Center of Studies and an Economer.
5.3. The Program for the theological and pastoral studies specified in the program is under the
auspices of the Don Bosco Center of Studies.
5.4. Salesian Brothers holding a four-year Bachelor’s degree are eligible to pursue the three-
year Graduate School Program of the Don Bosco Center of Studies with specialization in
Catechetics and Youth Ministry. This, however, requires an explicit and written permission
from the respective Provincial Superior of the Salesian Brother.
5.5. The Prefect of Studies together with the Dean of the Don Bosco Center of Studies helps the
Salesian Brother in the drawing up of his two-year plan of studies according to the program
delineated in the appendix and MRS program in Catechetics and Youth Ministry.
6. THE IMMEDIATE PREPARATION FOR PERPETUAL PROFESSION
In the case of a Salesian Brother who needs to prepare for his perpetual profession, this
will happen on the second year of this two-year cycle. For this reason, the Salesian Brother
needs to:
6.1. Seek the written opinion of one’s respective Provincial Superior to begin this process of
immediate preparation for perpetual profession..
6.2. Participate in the same iter which the cleric-students of theology of the Seminaryo ng Don
Bosco are taking.
6.3. Discuss with the Rector his personal iter for this preparation.
6.4. Ensure that throughout this year of intensive preparation for perpetual profession he has a
special spiritual accompaniment.
7. EVALUATION [FOR THOSE PREPARING FOR PERPETUAL PROFESSION]
7.1 The Team of Formators meets every trimester [August / November / February] to evaluate
formally the progress of the Brothers.
7.2. The process of evaluation is as follows:
7.2.1. The Salesian Brother is asked to evaluate himself according to the tool that will be used
by the Team of Formators.
7.2.2. The Prefect of Studies meets with the Brother to discuss how the Brother sees his
progress.
7.2.3. The Team of Formators meets to give their evaluation of the Brother.
7.2.4. The Rector communicates to the Brother the comments given by the House Council.
7.2.5. The Rector sends a copy of the trimestral evaluation to the respective Provincial of the
Salesian Brother.
Cebu • 18 November 2011

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APPENDIX: THE P ASTORAL-THEOLOGICAL CURRICUL UM
I Areas of study and their respective credits
1. Sacred Scripture
12
2. Systematic Theology
18
3. Moral Theology
12
4. Pastoral Theology
9
5. Spirituality
6
6. Salesianity
8
7. Human sciences
15
TOTAL CREDITS
80
II Courses and their respective credits
1. Sacred Scripture
- Introduction to Sacred Scripture
- Pentateuch & Historical books
- Prophets, Wisdom and the Psalms
- Synoptics and Acts
- John: Gospel, Letters, Apocalypse
- Paul, Hebrews, Catholic Letters
12 credits and 6 courses
2
2
2
2
2
2
2. Theology
- Revelation and Faith
- Christology and Mariology
- Trinity and Pneumatology
- Ecclesiology and the Sacraments
- Anthropology and Eschatology
- Fundamental Liturgy
- Church History
18 credits and 7 courses
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
3. Moral Theology
- Fundamental Moral Theology
- Sexual and Family Morality
- Morality of Life
- Social Morality
12 credits and 4 courses
3
3
3
3
4. Pastoral Theology
- Catechetics
- Pastoral Theology
- Theology of Religions
- Theology of Culture
9 credits and 4 courses
2
2
3
2
5. Spirituality
- Spiritual Theology
- Theology of Consecrated Life
- Theology of the Laity
6 credits and 3 courses
2
2
2

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6. Salesianity
- Don Bosco the Founder
- Salesian Spirituality
- The Salesian Mission
- Salesian Youth Pastoral Work
7. Human sciences
- Social Communication
- Personnel Organization & Training
- Social Psychology
- Sociology of Work
- Sociology of cultural processes
8 credits and 4 courses
2
2
2
2
15 credits and 5 courses
3
3
3
3
3