DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR WORKS DON BOSCO
Via della Pisana 1111 - 00163 Rome
The General Councilor for Formation
Rome, 24 November 2012
Prot. 12/0478
To the Reverend
Your Headquarters
For knowledge of the
Reverend
Your Headquarters
Dear Delegate,
after the annual meetings of the regional formation Commissions, I indicate to you, as is now customary, some commitments that you will be able to face with the Provincial Formation Commission and possibly with the Provincial and his Council for the year 2013.
We have reached the last year of the six-year period 2008-2014. It is now a matter of bringing to a conclusion the last trials and interventions that await us, to carry out the Project of animation and government of the Rector Major and the General Council for the six-year period.
This year sees all the Provinces concentrated in the preparation for the 27th General Chapter and in the celebration of the Provincial Chapters. With the Provincial Commission you will be able to reflect on the contribution that formation can offer to our being "witnesses of evangelical radicalism".
Similarly, the Formation Commission can help stimulate the preparation for the Bicentennial of the Birth of Don Bosco and help formulate the local, provincial and national program for the celebration of the Bicentennial itself.
As a Congregation we have only to complete the elaboration of the guidelines that concern Salesian personal accompaniment . We plan to prepare the provisional text and send it to you by May 2013. If you wish and you have the opportunity, you can reflect with the Provincial Commission for formation and send your comments and suggestions by November 2013 .
First of all the Provinces, with the help of the Regions, conclude the elaboration of the itinerary of affective maturation and formation for chastity , according to the orientation offered in the number 408 of the Acts of the General Council and the experimentation begins. This is an important formative aspect, which is overlooked and which requires priority attention. We will then make an evaluation of this work with the Faculty of Education Sciences of the UPS.
Also the Provinces are invited off the latest proposals offered by our sector in 2012: Revision of the "Ratio" on the formation of the Salesian Brother , Qualification of the confreres , assessment and guidance about intellectual formation in initial formation . You will certainly continue your commitment to the care of vocations and the experience of the aspirantate, the trainees and the confreres of the "five years".
Finally, it is important that at the end of the six-year period 2008-2014 the Provincial Formation Commission can evaluate the implementation of the Provincial Formation Project , the results achieved and the open problems. This will be a good starting point for the Provincial Formation Project for the six-year period 2014-2020, to be developed after the GC27. Before January 2014, I ask you to send a digital copy of your evaluation to Fr Chrys or Fr Horacio.
I have now reached the end of my term as Councilor for formation; I therefore wish to express my heartfelt thanks for your collaboration, for your predecessors and for the Provincial Formation Commission.
I cordially greet you in Don Bosco.
Don Francesco Cereda
