Consulta 2010-3

The Missionary Dimension in Salesian Formation

Content and Method for the Various Stages of Formation

Those for whom it is intended

The Missionary Dimension in Salesian Formation is meant for the same people and groups who were given the Ratio, namely: All Salesians, but especially Provincials and their Councils, Delegates and members of Formation Commission and the Commission on Missionary Animation, formators and those being formed, all those responsible in initial and on-going formation of Salesians.

Purpose

From the Special General Chapter, every General Chapter had reiterated that the missionary dimension is «an essential part of our charism»¹. Since the missionary trait is the synthesis of the charism of Don Bosco² these guidelines aims at the fostering of «a more deliberate missionary consciousness» in the formation of Salesians.

Proposals for Each Stage of Formation

Each stage of formation starts with a brief summary of what the Ratio says concerning the nature and scope of that stage. Then it highlights certain formation aspects of that stage which are relevant to the fostering of the missionary dimension of the Salesian vocation. This is followed by proposed study topics. Finally, experiences to exercise and some competencies to acquire are proposed to help the following up of aims indicated.

PRENOVITIATE

1.1. The prenovitiate is the stage of formation in which the candidate to Salesian life deepens his vocational choice, maturing especially in his human and Christian aspects, so as to be suitable to begin the novitiate.

1.2. As part of the Christian and human growth, the candidate needs to:

• be open to the social and cultural realities of his milieu, he is especially sensitive to the problems of poor and marginalised youth and to situations of poverty, injustice and rejection. He grows in a sense of compassion and solidarity, and shows it in his simple lifestyle (cf. FSDB 338).

• develop good relations with his own companions and with those responsible for formation in his community, with the lay members of the educative community and with other persons, especially those who come from other cultures, whom he encounters in his pastoral experiences (cf. FSDB 336).

• be open for dialogue through his capacity to accept and to listen; he is well-mannered and cheerful; he treats everyone with kindness, friendship and great openness regardless of language, culture or ethnic origin (cf. FSDB 336).

1.3. Certain study topics are recommended for the candidate:

• Studies regarding one’s own language and culture;

• History of one’s own country;

• Study biographies of Salesian missionaries ad gentes, ad exteros, ad vitam;

• Theories and techniques in interpersonal dialogue.

1.4. The following experiences are suggested for the candidate to:

• be actively involved in animation of missionary groups;

• experience work with the urban poor in one’s neighbourhood or street children;

• experience of missionary volunteer service.

1.5. The following competencies are suggested for the candidate:

• develop proper attitudes of openness towards other cultures: listening, speaking, dialoguing;

• develop sensitivity towards the poor and marginalized through a simple lifestyle;

• undertake analysis and discussion about today’s cultural and multicultural challeneges especially its effects on youth and family life.

NOVITIATE

2.1. The novitiate is the beginning of the Salesian religious experience as a follower of Christ. The novice begins to live consecrated and apostolic life, interiorising Salesian values.

2.2. As part of this practical exercising of Salesian life, the novice:

• takes an active part in the life of his community, refining his capacity for adjustment and for interpersonal relations that are cordial and gratuitous (FSDB 336);

• cultivates good manners and the ability to dialogue, to accept differences, to be optimistic, and to put his talents at the service of his community (FSDB 336);

• Develops sensitivity on youth culture, especially of those who are poor, on the pastoral work of the Province, on the frontiers of the Salesian mission and of Salesian missionary activity (FSDB 366).

2.3. Certain study topics are recommended for the novice:

• history of Salesian missionary activity especially the missionary activity in one’s own Province;

• the missionary dimension of the Salesian charism;

• Criteria for discernment of Missionary Vocation.

2.4. The following experiences are suggested for the novice:

• promote the prayer for the monthly Salesian missionary intention and for missionary vocations:

• maintain contact with missionaries ad gentes of the Province;

• be updated with missionary news through Salesian means of communication (e.g. ANS)

2.5. The following competencies are suggested for the novice:

• develop sensitivity to the needs of missionaries ad gentes all over the world by praying for them;

• develop the sense of unity with the missionary work of the Congregation through a reading of Salesian news: ANS, the www.sdb.org site in Rome, Cagliero11, Salesian Bulletin, publications of Salesian mission procures;

• develop sensitivity to poor youth through the novitiate apostolic experiences.

POSTNOVITIATE

3.1. The postnovitiate is the stage where the newly professed Salesian strengthens his own vocational growth and gets ready for practical training, gradually integrating faith, culture and life through a deeper understanding of the experience of religious life and Don Bosco’s spirit, and an appropriate philosophical, pedagogical and catechetical preparation in dialogue with culture (cf. Constitutions 114).

3.2. As part of the postnovitiate formation, the young Salesian:

- gains a capacity for a serious relationship with culture, with the world of young people, with problems of education, with the Christian viewpoint (cf. FSDB 401);

- acquires a solid at the same time critical understanding of culture and is able to grasp its implications on Salesian youth ministry;

- achieves certain competencies in catechesis with a view of knowing how to use these for educating and evangelising the young.

3.3. Certain study topics are recommended for the young Salesian:

• Cultural anthropology

• Catechesis

• Challenges and opportunities of the phenomenon of migration;

• Methods of evangelisation particularly inculturation, intercultural and interreligious dialogue.

3.4. The following experiences are suggested for the young Salesian:

• Youth catechesis through the postnovitiate apostolic experiences;

• Youth ministry with young migrants through the postnovitiate apostolic experiences;

• Involvement in the organisation and animation of World Mission Sunday and Salesian Mission Day;

3.5. The following competencies are suggested for the young Salesian:

• develop sensitivity to the needs of young migrants;

• know the language and culture of the young;

• develop sensitivity and awareness of the worldwide Salesian missionary activities.

PRACTICAL TRAINING

4.1. Practical Training is the stage of vital and intensive coming to grips with Salesian activity, brought about within pastoral and educative experience, which helps the young Salesian to mature in his Salesian vocation and to ascertain his vocational suitability for perpetual profession (cf. FSDB 428-429)

4.2. As part of his experience the young Salesian:

• gains a clear mental framework that is consistent with his fundamental options and that gives him a solid and open-ended outlook on his own life (FSDB 401).

• becomes capable of a serious encounter with culture, the world of youth, the problems of education, and the Christian viewpoint (FSDB 401).

• develops a taste for serious intellectual work, and acquires an ability to reflect, objectivity in his judgements and a discerning mind (FSDB 401).

4.3. Because of its nature, practical training has no real curriculum of studies. It is a whole set of different experiences of Salesian life and activity.

4.4. The following experiences are suggested for the young Salesian:

• animation of missionary groups;

• promotion of Salesian volunteer movement;

• accompany young people for summer missionary volunteer service

• direct experience in a Salesian missionary presence in the Province

• volunteer to be missionary ad gentes, ad exteros, ad vitam.

• serious study of the official language of the country (for missionaries)

4.5. The following competencies are suggested for the young Salesian:

• develop capacity to animate missionary youth groups;

• develop capacity to speak and write in the official language of the country (for missionaries);

SPECIFIC FORMATION

5.1. Specific formation is the formation which completes the basic formation of the Salesian pastor and educator along the lines of his specific vocation as brother or priest.

5.2. It is part of this formation for the Salesian to:

• have a solid basis of convictions concerning the missionary trait of the Salesian charism.

• be ready to be an educator, teacher and guide for others, teaching how to foster intercultural and interreligious dialogue

• be able to actively foster missionary animation in the Educative-pastoral Community.

5.3. Certain study topics are recommended for the Salesian:

• systematic study of missiology;

• Church documents on mission, intercultural and interreligious dialogue;

• modern culture and ways of proclaiming the Gospel in this context;

• use of language so that the Gospel may be understood by today’s young people and become part of their culture.

5.4. The following experiences are suggested for the Salesian:

• pastoral work with migrants and followers of other religions;

• summer mission experience ad exteros;

• involvement in missionary animation at Province level.

5.5. The following competencies are suggested for the Salesian:

• develop capacity to animate missionary volunteer groups;

• develop capacity to foster intercultural and interreligious dialogue;

• develop capacity to minister to migrants and cultural minorities;

• develop capacity for missionary animation.

ON GOING FORMATION

6.1. Continuing formation is the continuation, the completion and the updating of initial formation: It has as its scope the living of the Salesian apostolic project with an energy which is both joyful and creatively faithful.

6.2. This demands amongst other things, that the confrere:

• encounters the culture of the people, especially the young, he ministers to with openness and intelligence with solid criteria for discernment which are consistent with the Christian viewpoint, with ecclesial and Salesian guidelines and with the Salesian charism;

• in the case where he has the necessary gifts and where it also corresponds with the needs of the Province, he accepts his superiors’ request and specialises either in missiology, anthropology, intercultural or interreligious dialogue and renders a competent service to the Province and to the Congregation.

6.3. During this period, other than the on-going formation course for missionaries at the Salesian pontifical University, there are no formal courses except in the case of those asked to qualify themselves in missiology, anthropology, intercultural or interreligious dialogue. The study and reflection days together with the members of the Salesian Family and lay collaborators are venue for on-going formation. The courses for missionaries organised either by the Bishops’ Conference or by the conference of religious in many countries offer excellent possibilities for on-going formation.

6.4. Missionary initiatives are themselves formative experiences for the Salesian confrere, especially when they include reflection on missionary activities carried out. Some of these are:

- taking part in the day of community as the ordinary locus of on-going formation;

-taking part, together with the members of the Educative-Pastoral Community or the Salesian Family, in initiatives aimed at reflection and a deeper understanding of certain aspects of missionary activity and evangelisation;

- being engaged in the specific formation of leaders and formators, especially amongst the Salesian Family on the missionary dimension of the Salesian charism;

-being directly involved professionally, according to one’s own competence and the Provincial’s request, in missionary animation and formation.