4794(II)_Being Communicative Salesians

SDB assembly on Social Communications and Finance

By Fr. Drans Nolasco, SDB

Makati City, the Philippines, 21 July 2018 -- The Salesians of the Philippines North Province gathered at the JOY CENTER of Don Bosco Technical Institute – Makati today for the FIN SDB Assembly on Social Communications and Finance in the morning and in the afternoon, respectively.

The day began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 7:30am. Fr. Anthony Paul Bicomong, SDB, the FIN Provincial Superior, was the main celebrant. He emphasized in his homily how confreres in the this era of the new evangelization can perform their Salesian ministries to the youth by their being genuine communicators of the Good News of the Lord and by their being worthy stewards of the goods which Divine Providence entrusts to them. And these ministries can be achieved by being authentic witnesses of the life they professed.

After the Holy Mass, Fr. Drans Nolasco, SDB, the Head of the FIN Commission on Social Communications introduced the guest speaker, Fr. Fidel Ma. Orendain, SDB, the Head of the FIS Commission on Social Communications.

The one hour talk of Fr. Fidel presented the allowed the confreres become more aware about the meaning of BEING COMMUNICATIVE SALESIANS. He led the confreres to better appreciate their Salesian community life and mission through the SPIRITUALITY OF COMMUNICATION. He also challenged the confreres to become GENUINE WITNESSES OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST in how they relate first with themselves, with their fellow confreres, and with other people most especially the youth.

An open forum followed right after his talk where a good number of confreres took advantage in expressing their reactions, opinions, questions, clarifications which Fr. Fidel gladly answered and/or appreciated.

After the open forum, the assembly was divided into small groups of six to eight members. Fr. Fidel gave them two points to discuss The first point is about the issues or problems that Salesians are encountering or facing with regards to communication either in their religious life or in their ministry. The second point is about making proposals on how to address the issues they consider as important in becoming better communicative Salesians within the community and in the ministry.

After 30 minutes of group sharing, the reporters of each group presented to the assembly what they have discussed. After listening attentively to all the reports of all the groups, Fr. Fidel gave his synthesis. Inspired by the talk of Fr. Fidel and the open forum that followed, the results of this group sharing somehow gave a direction to the FIN Province on where to proceed after this assembly on how to become genuine bearers of the Good News of Christ after the example of St. John Bosco.

The last 15 minutes before lunch was spent in the common reading of the FIN Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Social Media. Fr. Drans read the guidelines while the rest followed silently through the printed copies they received.

After lunch, the confreres gathered again at the JOY Center for the afternoon assembly on finance. Fr. Edwin Ulanday, SDB, the FIN Provincial Economer presented to the assembly both the principles of being stewards of the material goods which Divine Providence entrusted to every local community and to every individual confrere; and the scientific way of looking and dealing with these material goods.

There was a healthy exchanges of reactions, questions, clarifications from the confreres after Fr. Elu’s presentation of the financial status of the FIN Province and of the different local communities.

He encouraged all the local economers to allow all the members of the community to be proactively involved in doing the community’s Annual Budget as this is one best way to make every member be aware of how he can best live his religious life particularly his vow of poverty. He asked all the local communities to make their respective annual budget and submit them during the August 7 Rectors’ Assembly.

In elaborating more about the community annual budget, he asked Fr. John Manalo, the former economer of DBTI Tarlac and Fr. Nelson Munar, the present economer of the Post-Novitiate community, to present to the assembly their annual budget for 2018-2019.

The day ended with Fr. Provincial’s closing remarks. He thanked all the organizers of this whole day’s affair and encouraged everyone to make the most of every opportunity in becoming good Salesian communicators and stewards of Christ.

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