Dear friends,

I greet you with great pleasure and share with you three important meetings held these past months. The 51st World Day of Social Communication, will take place on May 28, Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

From 28 to 29 April, there was the Meeting for Young Religious in Initial Formation from the various Provinces of Europe: SDB, FMA, Salesian Family, together with their formators and formandi, 170 participants in all. As usual, the central theme was the one offered by Pope Francis for the World Social Communications Day: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you" (Is 43: 5). To communicate hope and confidence in our time. This is the sixth meeting organized by both FMA & SDB Departments for Communications and Formation together with staff of the faculty for Communications of UPS and Auxilium. It was celebrated, as always, at the UPS within the excellent facilities of the Faculty of Communication Sciences. The organizing team, which includes SDB, FMA, professors, formators and young religious in initial formation, pushes so that this meeting be part of a process included in formation programs. In other parts of the Congregation, this formative meeting is also done in other ways. We hope all Provinces will carry out this type of meetings as soon as possible.

The second meeting concerns the Provincial Delegates for Communication of the Mediterranean Region. The SMX Provincial welcomed us in "El Campello", a center for formation and spirituality, from 10 to 14 of May. We were accompanied by the Provincial during the meeting. Everything had been prepared to have a good welcome and carry out a job well done. We focused on three themes: The animation of the province as regards communication as presented by the SSCS; On good formation practices in Spain, Italy and the one I spoke about; lastly about how to become creators of public opinion. A common conclusion came out: the provinces that have believed and invested in communication as an integral part of their mission and their provincial government have great results and can dialogue with the culture, the media and the youth of today, in a more adequate way to our mission .

The last meeting with an extraordinary provincial relapse for the next three years was the Visit of the Region of Europe North-Center, the German Atlantic zone. From May 16 to May 20, the Rector Major summoned the General Councilors, provincials and their councils to the Salesianum in Rome. Among the most interesting observations concerning communication are: the importance of making the Charism and the Salesian mission in Europe visible in all its forms; Create provincial and interprovincial communication networks for positioning and creating public opinion in the field of education and European youth; Invest in professional staff and in the preparation of Salesians in communication so they can walk with the young towards the future.

As you can see, the three meetings touch upon points of great importance for the Provinces, both in the field of formation, and in the animation and government. I encourage you to walk in this sense as indicated in the SSCS.

Together with all the members of the Department, we wish you a holy feast of Mary Help!

Fr Filiberto González Plasencia

email: webmaster@sdb.org

Rome, Italy - April 2017 - The "Salesian Communication Days" were held: on 28 and 29 April at the Salesian Pontifical University. About 160 young people in initial formation for the Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and other members of the Salesian Family studied the Popes message for the 51st World Social Communications Day. The Salesian Communication Days are the result of collaboration between the Departments of Social Communication and of Formation of the Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Faculty of Social Communication Sciences of the Salesian Pontifical University and the Pontifical Faculty of Education Sciences at "Auxilium" in Rome.


Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/130162259@N04/albums/72157680552511582
link: www.infoans.org/en/sections/news-photos/item/3149-italy-sixth-salesian-communication-days