(ANS – Shillong) – The members of the South Asian Formation Commission met at Mathias Institute, Shillong (the newly established Provincial house of the Salesian Province of Silchar) for the annual meeting from September 9 to 12, 2013.

Significant time was spent in understanding and discussing the document on the criteria and norms of Salesian accompaniment, reasons for departures from the Congregation, the report of the Rector Major on Formation, the need for our studentates of philosophy to be in 'association' with UPS, the duration of the course of Philosophy, and issues concerning personalisation, motivation, purely academic-centred formation and improper understanding of consecrated life and specific formation of the Salesian Brother.

The first day witnessed discussions also on the culture of the Province (which has a great impact on the formation of young confreres), and the importance of a functional curatorium.

The members discussed also the evaluation of the resolutions of the previous meet (held in Goa in September 2012), especially the training of formators in celibacy and affective maturity across the region, the document on missionary formation of Salesians, proposals for the meaningful celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco, and the upcoming Salesian Brothers' Congress. 

On the concluding day the members discussed the functioning style and process of the commission itself. The need to ensure that the discussions and information of the meeting reach the Provincial and his council, the policy makers of the Province, was stressed.

The various sessions were animated by Fr Chrys Saldanha, on behalf of Fr Francesco Cereda, the General Councillor for Formation and Fr Loddy Pires, the Regional Coordinator for Formation in South Asia. The daily moments of prayer and fellowship were animated by the members in turn. One evening the members took time out and visited the aspirantate of the Silchar Province and had a very interesting and lively interaction with the boys in smaller groups.

Published 13/09/2013