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Italy – Evangelisation and Education at the Don Bosco International Institute in Turin

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(ANS – Turin) – On Wednesday 23 March in Turin, at the Salesian Pontifical University, there was a study day on “Tradition and Hope. The Church and education,” in which through talks and other  contributions the essential link for the Christian educator between the tradition from which one comes and the hope towards which one is directed was affirmed.

Organised by the Cycle of Specialisation in Moral Theology of the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy (FTIS) in Turin and the Turin section of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS),  the day began with words of welcome from Bishop Luciano Pacomio of Mondovì, and Fr Andrea Bozzolo, Principal of the UPS in Turin.

Afterwards, Fr Pier Davide Guenzi, Deputy Director of the FTIS two-year specialisation course introduced the subject for the day and then handed over to Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin. Starting from the Pastoral Guidelines of the Italian Bishops for the decade 2010-2020 “Educating for the good life of the Gospel,” the Archbishop indicated the key issues and the challenges regarding education, emphasising in particular the witnessing role of the educator and the need for an educative alliance between the various people working on behalf of the young.

Fr Pierangelo Sequeri, a lecturer at FTIS, then developed the question of “the  faith tradition and its effects on education.” In particular he was critical of the “techno-nihilist” concept of mankind, which identifies all forms of happiness and self-fulfilment in terms of an individual and autonomous process. “The symbolic passage from Prometheus to Narcissus is lethal” he summed up the argument with a metaphor.

After discussion in the assembly, the afternoon session was devoted to workshops on particular topics, starting from various  experiences of forms of Christian education: “Experience Live” led by the Salesian Fr Vincenzo Salerno, on education and art; the work of a Salesian oratory under canvas at L’Aquila, as described by Fr Flaviano D’Ercoli; the account of the personal experience of Dr. Marco Calgaro regarding education and the socio-political dimension; the experience by the Cenacle community of Saluzzo of education in relation to disadvantaged youth, presented by Fr Andrea Della Torre.

The day helped those taking part to understand better that the connection between tradition and hope in education is essential, and re-emphasised the need to prevent any further destruction of tradition undertaken by the modern world by investing trustfully in the new generation and by a vital  renewal of the culture which has been inherited.

Published 25/03/2011