2017 Winter Seminar for Salesians in Initial Formation
Daejeon, South Korea, 20 December 2017 -- Korean Province holds two seminars for the Salesians in initial formation each year, one during summer and the other one during winter vacation. Two seasons are the perfect time for the seminar to nurture Salesianity and deepen our brotherly affection. Winter Seminar for Salesians in initial formation was held at Jeongrim-dong community in Daejeon, between 18 - 21 December 2017. Twenty-five young Salesians in initial formation were accompanied by seven formators including the delegate for formation, Fr. Marcelo Baek.
The theme of the seminar this year is “Prevention, not Repression”, which is the title of book written by Fr Pietro Braido recently translated into Korean. As Fr Braido was a well-known Salesian qualified for Salesian Spirituality and Pedagogy, his book beautifully introduces the Preventive System Don Bosco dreamed and pursued.
The time table of the seminar firmly consists of conferences and fraternal communion in balance for four days. The seminar opened with prayers followed by Fr Ben Kim’s orientation who was in charge of this seminar. Five speakers gave the young Salesians good conferences that were extracted from some parts of Braido’s book, not all the parts due to the length. The rest of Braido books remained as homework for personal reading and became a life-long practical challenge for young Salesians. Through the conferences, they learned and understood the preventive system more deeply and expand their knowledge of Don Bosco and Salesian spitituality and pedagogy.
During the seminar, the young Salesians not only studied, but also practically share their Salesianity with each other in playing board games and soccer at break times. Also, as Don Bosco said “House without music is like a body without soul.”, they had music practice each day of the seminar for the priestly ordination next year.
There was a beautiful event during the seminar. Two Salesians in practical training were instituted as lectors. They made another step on their journey to become a good Salesian priest. May God bless them in their vocation journey.
This seminar was a really good time to reflect deeply our vocation journey and our identity as Salesians of Don Bosco!
At present the Korean province has 3 pre-university aspirants, 5 Catholic university aspirants, 10 aspirants in military service, 3 prenovices, 3 novices, 6 post-novices, 9 practical trainees and 3 Salesians in specific formation for priesthood.
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