| Spain – III Congress on the Salesian School in Europe and Vocational Training Centre |
| Italy – The III European Congress on Salesian Schools draws closer |
Present at the Congress, entitled “Why we are alive,” are Fr Fabio Attard and Sr. Maria Carmen Canales, respectively Councillors for Youth Ministry of the Salesians and of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. A number of ecclesiastical and lay experts will also be taking part during these study days.
The Sanlúcar la Mayor Congress is the third in the series of meetings in a process which began in Rome ten years ago. In November 2001 the I Congress considered the questions relating to the identity and the purpose of the Salesian School: “Salesian School: who are you and where are you going?” The answers referred to the mission, the values and the spirituality of the Salesian educator. At the same time some future strategies were suggested regarding formation, the coordination and development of a genuine European mentality, the educative community, evangelisation and in particular, attention to the poor.
Five years later in Krakow the Identity Card of the Salesian School and Vocational Training Centre in Europe was presented and approved. Also indicated were some new challenges for the future for our group of educators. The theme “Salesian School @ Net, for a new Europe” dealt with the importance of cultivating the vocation to the service of education among senior staff, attention to the practical realities of the new Europe which presents new challenges, a commitment to working for peace while respecting the specific identity of each country, studying further the idea of the Salesian identity of schools as a guarantee of their future.
The Spanish meeting is considering the possibility of a frame of reference for the Profile of the Salesian educator for the Salesian Schools and Vocational Training Centres in Europe.
In the years between the Congresses a Consultative Committee of Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians has been working on the implementation of the decisions taken, reflecting further on the issues and preparing for the next meetings.
The aims of the Congress are: strengthening and becoming more familiar with the shared identity and mission, reflecting on and discussing the profile of the Salesian educator and developing a process of formation and of ongoing assessment of the educators.
Published 25/02/2010
