By Fr. Charles Arun Michael SDB
from Delegation of Cambodia
Parañaque City, the Philippines, 12 May 2017 -- When asked by my Delegation superior to go for this seminar I was very interested because I loved Salesianity studies. However, I was a wee-bit anxious of the work I had to abandon for the three weeks. Anyways, my rector said that he would take care of the duties and wished me luck for the seminar. I had no idea as to the content of the seminar besides the fact that it was a ‘Salesianity Seminar’. This ‘Salesianity Seminar’ was a three-week seminar over the course of three years starting from 2017 under three themes- History, Pedagogy and Spirituality respectively. The first day of the seminar we had the introduction by Fr. Francis Gustilo and the objective was given to us. We were to prepare a curriculum for the teaching of Salesianity at various levels of formation i.e., Pre-novitiate, Novitiate, Post-Novitiate, Practical Training and Theologate. Participants for this course came from all over the EAO region and we were blessed with a rich variety of talents both religious and lay collaborators. The objective of this seminar was to produce a tangible document to take home in order to assist in the initial formation of Salesians. To ensure that the teaching of Salesianity all-around the EAO region was systematic and organized and not just random. The plan was to have a general schema for the Salesianity module according to the audience. This meant that Salesians in any part of EAO would have the same syllabus to study Salesianity keeping in mind the uniqueness of the culture and audience.
Fr. Francis Gustilo sdb was the main facilitator. Fr. Gregorio E. Bicomong Jr., sdb handled the historical context of St. John Bosco. The two days of the module on the historical setting of St. John Bosco was fascinating because he virtually transported us to that time and place with his lectures and audio-visual presentations. The daily sessions of the seminar were divided into lectures, group discussions and workshops. The time for the workshop was when we prepared the template for the lesson plan and research on salesianity. We were divided into our provinces and we were to come up with our province based syllabus for teaching salesianity in initial formation.
The seminar days were not just full of work in the class room and the library, we had free time on Sundays when we visited Don Bosco Academy, Pampanga. We were present for the priestly ordination in Manila. We also had community nights when we watched movies and even had a cultural night to cherish the unity in our diversity. We were all coming from various walks of life, cultures and tradition yet had a common focal point… Don Bosco. We were all Salesians and we all had a passion to know him.
The three-week seminar ended with its graduation before the Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima on 12 May 2017 eve of the Centennial Celebration of the Apparitions in Fatima. With the contribution of all the participants and the careful mentoring and guidance of Fr. Francis Gustilo we accomplished our seminar objective. Well what was that? We are all going back with a syllabus with which we can teach our specific target audience either aspirants, pre-novices or novices and since we had also lay collaborators we were able to prepare the syllabus for Salesian co-operators, volunteers and Salesian school teachers. The participants came from various countries of the region but now are returning to their countries of origin as one group. The lesson plan in hand is not the final document. It is due to many revisions especially while being taught and applied. The group agreed to be in touch with one another with Fr. Francis as the co-ordinator for the revisions.
All materials - fruit of the Seminar (I) are available on the BOSCOLINK
