(ANS – Rionegro) – 84 young people in initial formation took part in the 2013 Meeting of those in Formation, which was held from 22 to 25 July at the Blessed Michael Rua formation house in Rionegro.

The included 3 volunteers, 12 aspirants, 10 pre-novices, 7 novices and 11 post-novices of the Province of Medellin (COM); as well as 8 novices and 18 post-novices from Bogotà (COB); 3 novices from the Province of Bolivia (BOL) and 12 novices from the Province of Central America (CAM).

The young people were accompanied by their formation teams. Their joy and spirituality were evident throughout the whole of the meeting. Proceedings began on the evening of Monday 22 July with prayer and a cultural presentation entitled “Ora Saporita.”  On the Tuesday and Wednesday the participants studied the theme,”The use of Information Technology and Communications”.  In this they were guided by presentations from Doctor Erika Jaillier Castrillón, Dean of the School of Social Sciences  from the Pontifical University of Bolivia, and Professor Catherine Jaillier Castrillón.  Other points for reflection and study came from a conference on catechetical and missionary formation given by Fr Francisco Castaño, SDB, and from a meeting with a group of Salesian Co-operators animated by Doctor María Victoria Bernal.

The Provincial from Medellin, Fr John Jairo Gómez Rúa, took part in the Mass on Tuesday afternoon. He urged the young people to follow their journey of formation in radical gospel living.

This 2013 formation meeting was held in the break between the two semesters. It took place in an atmosphere of fraternity, discernment and sharing of the formation experience up to now. It allowed each participant to understand deeply and plan the stage of formation at which he is at present, so as to follow Jesus in the style of Don Bosco.

Published 07/08/2013