austraLasia #3331
Prezis,
Pizzas, Prayer and a Pledge
Digital and Media
Literacy for 37 young confreres, KOR
SEOUL: 15
December
2013
-- A
variety of well-prepared programs satisfied the goals of this
winter
seminar: (1) to give positive recognition to Salesian
communications,
(2) to improve critical perception and use of media, (3) to
provide a
framework which can support appropriate pastoral growth in the
digital
era where young confreres are concerned.
Enveloped in overnight snow and with an arctic wind bringing
-8 degree
temperatures, it means a really severe winter lies ahead for
Seoul,
especially the city's elderly and poor.
Fortunately, at the Provincial house at Seoul, the outside
freeze has
been kept at bay by noisy Salesian youth. 12-15 December has
seen the
winter seminar program, this time on communications, for
everyone in
initial formation, from aspirants to deacons: 37 young
Salesians and 5
formation team members for 4 days and 3 nights.
“I’m really pleased and
happy to have
time to study and share things in this most interesting
field, social
communications, with young confreres from the different
parts of the
province. Even though I'm still tired from just completing
final exams
(in our case the school year concludes in December), this
seminar has
relieved the stress.” The words of an aspirant,
describing the atmosphere of the seminar.
The seminar’s theme this winter has been ‘Digital and media
literacy
for Salesians’, run by the Province's Social Communication
team. The SC
Delegate is Bro. Hilario Seo, and the Formation team too is
heavily
involved. There are two seminars for initial formation every
year, one
in summer and the other in winter, the first on matters
concerning
Salesian spirituality, the second on pastoral or technical
questions. A
variety of well-prepared programs satisfied the goals of this
winter
seminar: (1) to give positive recognition to Salesian
communications,
(2) to improve critical perception and use of media, (3) to
provide a
framework which can support appropriate pastoral growth in the
digital
era where young confreres are concerned.
Beside the Salesians who make up the SC Commission, Bro Bosco
Park, Fr
Savio Seong, Fr Samuel Yu there were also lay specialists in
the field
lecturing at the seminar: a professor in media literacy
Fidelis Choi
who is also a Salesian Cooperator, Mrs Genesia Seo, a woman
writer for
documentary programs at KBS (Korea State Broadcasting System)
and Mrs
Angela Hong, a professional designer in Don Bosco Media in
Seoul.
"Communications is needed
for unity,
and unity is essential for building a community. That’s why
I believe
that communication is the most basic of activities for our
community
life. I hope that you broaden your horizons and knowledge
and find ways
to apply this to your community life," were the
encouraging words of the provincial, Fr Stephan Nam, to
participants in the first day’s good-night talk.
Human communication
On the first day the young confreres were introduced to the
theme of
human communication and attended a lecture on media literacy
theory.
And until late that night they practised writing up a
persuasive story,
following the professional guidelines they had heard, as one
form of
preparation for the good preacher who must proclaim the Lord
to the
people.
Images and commerce
Day two focused on improving their capacity in creating and
using
images. They learned how to take good photos using DSLR and
how to then
manage them with Photoshop in their computers. In the evening
time they
watched and criticallz analysed several advertising video
clips as
awarene consumers in a commercial-dominated Korean society.
Presentation (Prezi,
PPT, but also pizzas - and of course prayer)
On day three they practised their presentation skills to
express their
thoughts effectively using presentation tools such as PPT or
Prezi. As
well they had opportunity to reflect on SMS activity which is
almost
essential to modern society, trying to discover desirable ways
of using
SMS as members of a religious community. On the final day they
reflected on Salesian communications, leaning of the genius of
the
Founder in the communication area, trying to put together an
overall
'snapshot' of the Congregation’s activity in this field,
specially by
taking a close look at the province situation to draw up
possibilities
for building up communities as well as for youth ministry.
A pledge
Young confreres were able to deepen their understanding of
communications logic through their enthusiastic participation
in the
seminar. They have pledged to engage in a more communicative
life for
building up a good community and made a commitment to be good
pastors
by "learning the language young people use" in this scene as
part of
the educative and pastoral activity each day.
