(ANS - Rome) - Days of work centered on Formation of Salesians in communication and an analysis and a vision of the future of the Salesian publications ended on Sunday, 23 February, at "Salesianum " in Rome. It was attended by 22 members of the World Advisory Council for Social Communication, academics and experts in various fields of communication activities, representatives of the seven regions of the Salesian world (from EAO region joined Bro. Hilario Seo, KOR).

by Fr. Filiberto González

Councillor for Social Communications

Throughout the meeting both the themes – the ongoing formation to Social Communication and Salesian publications – were analyzed as complementary functions in the one Salesian mission. Regional and cultural representation, the combination of youthfulness and maturity, from fields of academics and expertise were fruitful in both the cases.

The publishing sector has strongly recommended that these endeavours, to achieve their educational and pastoral goals successfully must deal with the many challenges that continually present themselves and must be clearly integrated in the overall plan and in the Provincial Directory, with the same rights and duties as all other works that complete the Salesian mission, with the observation that the publishers go beyond the local limits, as already observed by Don Bosco in 1885, when he wrote his circular on the spread of Good Literature.

In the field of formation, we started from the premise that from the time it begins, it is lived in the knowledge that it is something enduring. For this reason the document was updated in view of its application, addressing the same people and departments who use RATIO, as the foundation for their vocational growth: all Salesians, especially the Provincials and their Councillors; Delegates and Provincial Commissions for Formation in Social Communication; formators and formees, and all those who have some role in the formation of Salesians and the lay people who partake in the spirit and mission of the Salesians.

These two documents which emerged from the meeting of the Consulta will now be studied in depth by the Departments of Education and Communication and Economer General, respectively, prior to their introduction in the different stages of formation and in the Pulishing sector of the Congregation.