(ANS – Rome) – Today the General Councillor for Formation, Fr Francesco Cereda, has sent the Provincials the results of the  “Assessment of intellectual formation in initial formation” a process which has involved the whole Salesian Congregation since 2008.

The Councillor invites the Provincial Formation Commission, the Provincial Council and the “Curatorium” of each formation community to put into effect the proposals which have  emerged and which were approved by the Rector Major and his Council on 25 July.

Of the five conclusions, the first regards intellectual formation and the maturing process in the Salesian vocation and mission. “Intellectual formation needs to be better integrated, in an harmonic unity, with all the other dimensions of formation; for this reason it is necessary that it pays greater attention to the affective aspects of the individual. It should be concerned with forming not only the mind but also the heart, with offering motives, producing convictions, with moving the affections of the one in formation.”

Then comes the promotion of study centres for the postnovitiate and for specific formation which needs to pursue quality and to form to Salesian charismatic identity. “Courage is needed to open new Salesian study centres, in the places where the Congregation is growing, or to unite in inter-province collaboration in places where the Congregation is diminishing.” In this regard the Councillor will continue the discernment process and dialogue with the Provinces concerned.

The third conclusion regards the programmes of study, in other words the material to be dealt with in the various stages of formation. The implementation of the guidelines contained in the “Ratio” has not always been effective. In the past there has been a certain weakness in Salesian studies - in improvement after the approval of programmes in Salesian studies – and in the programmes of the novitiates or in the attention given to pedagogy in the postnovitiates. “Finally, the differences in the programmes made and still make it difficult to coordinate the studies for inter-province collaboration.”

In the light of the “Decree on the reform of ecclesiastical studies of Philosophy” issued by the Congregation for Catholic Education in January 2011, the studies in the postnovitiate have been re-organised. The document has been studied by the Formation Department in conjunction with the Faculty of Philosophy of the UPS and, last March with the Principals and those responsible for studies in the postnovitiates. “In the “Study Programme” of the post-novitiate, as now indicated, are to be found the courses necessary to implement the reform and to obtain the Two-Year Pontifical  Diploma in philosophy. We are asking our Salesian study centres to take up this Diploma and therefore to become “associated” with the Faculty of Philosophy at the UPS.”

The fifth priority regards the preparation of Salesian teachers. “We cannot have quality studies, raise the cultural level of the Congregation, ensure the charismatic identity in the studies, unless we prepare Salesian teachers  also with a doctorate qualification.” the Councillor for Formation writes making the point that not all  study centres have a programme for the qualification of the teachers.

Published 03/09/2012