THE TERM ‘ANIMATION’ AND ITS SALESIAN GROWTH.

GC21 (1978)

Under the general heading of ‘Salesians, evangelizers of the young’ sub-heading: Salesians, bearers of the Gospel message, we find:

ANIMATION OF THE COMMUNITY…..ROLE OF THE RECTOR

We speak of ‘animation’. In original meaning contrasted with imposition of external force. It designates inner energy and activity of the soul.. Seems to be closely linked with the ability to motivate and with efficacious suggestion, persuasiveness. The animation of a Christian community cannot be reduced to a technique or method. Founded on Holy Spirit who is first animator of the people of God. For a Religious community, linked to the project of the Founder.

THE COMMUNITY AS ANIMATOR

The GC21 picks out three aspects of animation within the Salesian community, considering them important means of implementing and deepening our evangelical mission:

- the influence the Salesian community should exert on the educative and pastoral community

- the contribution of the Salesian Cooperators and past pupils who have made the Gospel choice of taking part in the educative and pastoral work of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

- The collaboration of other laymen and laywomen

FURTHER GENERAL CHAPTERS

‘ANIMATING NUCLEUS’

Frequently used term in GC23 and GC24.

‘It is a group of people who identify themselves with the Salesian mission, educational system, spirituality and together take up the task of assembling, motivating, involving all those concerned with a work so as to form with them the educative community and to carry out a plan for the evangelization and education of the young’.

The reference point for this group is the Salesian Community: Salesians are a permanent part of the animating nucleus. Each one young or old, directly engaged in a working role or retired, makes the contribution which his preparation or his situation permits.

Our community model:

• Reflection of the life lived by the disciples with Jesus…mediated through Don Bosco following the Good Shepherd, gathering young disciples around him…he asked them to stay…extended his gaze to different places.
• A community not only for the young but with the young
• A highly spiritually charged community
• United around a plan of action and the person of the Director

How does a community become an animating nucleus?

• Redesign the mission so that adults around us linked with Don Bosco in various ways (empathy, commitment, spirit) experience a service of animation from us. Give rise to an experience of Church and a vocational reality.. It becomes a primary part of our mission and an original manner of living our communion
• A way of life for communicating a spirituality: adjectives associated with animation reveal doctrinal bases, processes, objectives. Spiritual animation. Shared holiness. Word of God and participation of young and helpers with us in prayer…..pedagogy of prayer in line with our spirituality. Educators and masters in spirituality.
• A family able to give rise to communion around the Salesian mission. Fraternal life – relationships and communion;
• Animate a style of pedagogy centred on personal relationships between educator and pupil. Suggestions and reminders and initiatives. Assist every individual in development of capacities, communicate a vision of life open. We are the animating nucleus of an ensemble of educators who intend to communicate these values and put forward this vision of life.

GC24 USE OF THE TERM

(Taken from the table of contents)

1. Holy Spirit animator of the Church. Experience of Holy Spirit enables role of animator in priests and brothers.
2. Good Shepherd animator of Don Bosco
3. DB animator as a boy
4. ordained ministry as the animator of communion
5. SDBs as animators:

- community awareness of the role. Consecrated community is animator of CEP. To do with consistency of community. Participation of all members

- formation of SDB to be animator of growth. Formation has animation as its objective.

- community always animating nucleus

- animation privileged and priority task of Salesian

- animators of the Salesian Family and Salesian Movement

- commitment to the formation of animators

- Rector as animator

6. Salesians and laity are animators together
7. practical model of Salesian animation
8. Content of Salesian animation. Salesian animation reflects shared responsibility
9. Some instruments of animation.
10. Spiritual animation

THE NEW FORMATION RATIO

In forming the Salesian to Youth pastoral Ministry: Our style of working is one of animation: place confidence in person and his resources…he becomes the prime mover. Set out from point at which the person finds himself…open him up to new horizons.

Every SDB is an animator and strives always to fulfil the task more adequately.

Mentioned as part of spiritual formation: experience of God leads to being a communicator of spirituality, an animator and guide in the spiritual life of young people

Aspect of intellectual formation: to become pastoral guide: animate and form adults who are jointly responsible for the work of education.

Aspect of pastoral formation: the Salesian develops a sense of working together…an awareness of being part of an animating nucleus.

Mentioned as part of pre-nov: animating youth groups. Postnov: engage in the animation of young people. Priest: capable of the spiritual animation of groups, youth movements, ecclesial community. Part of ongoing formation: ability to animate numerous apostolic forces.

The above is by no means an exhaustive compilation, but it indicates the directions the Congregation is taking with the notion of animation.

Finally: GC25:

The Salesian Community today: its fraternal life, its evangelical witness, its animating presence among the young.

“Perhaps the key note on animation in GC 25 is the following: The salesian community lives its vocation to be the point of reference for the charismatic identity of the animating nucleus of the EPC by accepting the working model described by the GC24”