General Chapter 25 A look at Communication The Salesian Community Today

Communication More than a question of technology, of means or of products, it’s a human question, of interpersonal relationships in particular social, historical and cultural contexts Coming together Reciprocity Communion Sharing Building a meaningul sharing Symbolic exchange Ritual Enculturation

A committed journey On the one hand the context of rapid change, technical development eliminating geogrpahical frontiers, and which creates new space/cyberspace and forms of communication – the information era On the other hand, more communication doesn’t always correspond to this progress in the sense of dialogue, closeness, communion and peace between persons and peoples

GC25 – Chapter of communication The Chapter proposal urges the Salesian community and the Congregation to create and develop communicative ecosystems

Building such a community of meaning requires institutional awareness: Everyone coherently involved in mission Adhesion to the same beliefs and values Carrying ourt a shared project Creating channels of conversation and dialogue with social players

1 – Community Image Gospel witness Opportunity: The young expect a fraternal witness of life which is a response to their deep need for communication. Community repsonse:  Inspired relationships in the spirituality of the PS  Visibility of the “primacy of God”  Evangelical Counsels as an alternative way of lfie to be communicated.

In Practice...  Ensure the grace of unity through community discernment  Revive the primacy of God in the community and sharing of spiritual experience

2 – Interpersonal relationships in the community Opportunity:  The Salesians are aware of the difficulty of interpersonal communication, from an insufficient sharing of life and mission. Response:  Personal project of Salesian life  Community life Project

In practice....  Educating to a capacity for relationships and sharing life.  Organizing life and communitarian action, to improve communication and personal relationships.

3 – Communicative presence: with young people and the surrounds Opportunity:  A desire to meet young people and to give rise to many apostolic forces with which to share the charism of Don Bosco Response:  The community makes Salesian presence visible as a capacity for acceptance and communion, as a commitment to education and evangelization, as a proposal of vocational accompaniment.

In Practice...  Rethink our presence amongst the young.  Creating surroundings with a strong spiritual ‘load’ (ecosystem)  Education and evangelization with appropriate methodologies (language).  Put in place a methodology of accompaniment and vocational proposal

4 – Communication in society – new requirements of the mission Opportunity:  Mass communication and development in information means are vehicles for innovative models and a fresh mentality.  Social communication as a vital new space for young people to gather. Response:  Defense and promotion of young people: “give voice to those who have none”  Commitment to educommunication

In Practice...  Action in defense and promotion of all young people in the world, especially hte poorest and most needy.  Promoting a presence and action open to social, political and ecclesial reality.  Being open to forms of education and evangelization that recognize the value of social communication as a vital new space for young people to gather.

5 – Communication in institutional relationships – local and province Opportunity:  Need for a new way of organizing our apostolic work and the life of the Salesian community Response:  Identification of conditions that make possible a community which communicates while carrying out the mission

In Practice....  Rethink relationships between the work and the Salesian community.  Promote relationships which are more fraternal than functional.  Capacity for dialogue and sharing in the EPC.  Develop and evaluate the Province Organic Plan.

5 – Communications in institutional relationships – world Opportunity:  Desire for greater contact, closeness and dialogue between Centre and provinces.  Need to overcome closed mentality in Provinces and be open to a common vision of things. Response:  Attention to different local situations  Need to think and act globally

In Practice....  Working together with Conferences and groups of Provinces, to plan networked projects.  Ensure communication in the various interventions: flow of give-and-take, language of letters-circulars, dialogue and closeness.  Constitution of councillor for social communication.

6 – Communication in the community Opportunity:  Listening to the ‘signs of the times’, young people, who call us to constant formation.  The need and the difficulty of communication. Response:  Value of daily life  Involvement of all the confreres in the processes of tackling things, of dialogue, research, planning.  Ability to work in a team – with laity too..

In Practice...  Timely communication and importance of new Ratio.  Annual Provincial Plan for Ongoing Formation, with special attention to the affective area and the capacity for interpersonal relationships.  Valuing community day and various community gatherings.  The Rector as one who promotes a communicative ecosystem.

We believe That the practice of the Preventive System, As an inspiration and means for living and working together, Reinforces our relationships with God, Brings to maturity our relationships with one another and unites in a unique experience, Salesians, young people and the laity in a family climate of dialogue and trust.

We believe That our community By living the family spirit By being attentive to surrounding needs, In union with all the Salesian Family, Becomes for the young and For each one of us An example of life full of humanity and grace, A shining example of love, A school of spirituality, A vocational proposal And a foretelling of communion.