Seoul, Korea, April 9, 2016 - Following the Strenna 2016 about the Adventure in the Spirit, during the Easter season of we share personal experience of spiritual direction from different EAO provinces. Thanks to all younger generation Salesians who contribute!
Today's sharing is from Korea: Fr. Bonaventura Kim is a newly appointed rector of Seoul – Dae Rim Dong formation house after finishing his MA degree in Rome – UPS in Salesian spirituality.
How did you prepare yourself for the task of spiritual direction?
During my studies at the UPS-Rome University I was very interested in the spiritual accompaniment theme, especially in the spiritual accompaniment role of the rector. As regards the academic courses I did the Course for Spiritual Guides and Formation of Formators (4th semester) and one full year of Salesian spirituality during my Licentiate (MA degree) studies.
As a former student of the international Salesian Pontifical University (UPS) in Rome how do you perceive the need of Spiritual direction in the whole Congregation?
Our Salesian Charism was born within the environment of spiritual accompaniment of the young, who were helped to follow Jesus on their ‘way of salvation’ (holiness) through guidance of the consecrated Salesians. A concrete accompaniment on this way towards holiness is the ‘spiritual guide’. However first point of interest of the spiritual guide are not the young people, but the ‘soul of the young people on their way of salvation.
During my studies at the UPS-Rome I reflected few times about the Salesian life and Korean situation. Our Youth Ministry is always concrete and practical. However since it’s about pastoral, it can fall in a trap – danger, to become more ‘efficient’ or ‘business minded’. In order to avoid this danger we need to focus on the personal growth and holiness of each confrere. This is the key to the future. Not only for our young people, but also for the consecrated Salesians the ‘growth and holiness’ is a life-long lasting goal. In this life-long process the accompaniment by the fraternal community helps us to become God’s instrument and sacrament of salvation.
How do feel the need or desire for the spiritual direction of fellow Salesians with whom you are or have been in touch during last few years?
For the each Salesian confrere the Constitutions, Charisma of the Founder or Salesian Tradition form the path towards holiness. In order to live our Constitutions we need both the community accompaniment as well the personal guidance. Every Salesian confrere does need for his growth some guide. Only with this help we are able to make a true relationship with God, with my community, with our youth: since in all these relationship is involved my person, it’s very difficult to see myself in the right – more objective light. In order to see my true self, I always need one companion on the journey, not only the ‘group – community’ companion, but also one concrete person with whom my growth towards the holiness becomes easier!
Could you share some meaningful experience from your study years?
During the study at the UPS in Rome I met many virtuous senior confreres. When I met confreres full of loving kindness, enriching with work and temperance, characterized by creativity and flexibility or by a strong family spirit in their daily life, then I understood once again that Oratory is not ‘place’ but a ‘life attitude’.
Finally, any sharing for Salesian rectors or formators?
Although in the Salesian tradition the spiritual accompaniment by the community is important, we can’t dismiss the necessity of personal accompaniment. The importance of the friendly talk, started by Don Bosco is enshrined in the SDB 1984 Constitutions, that ask to meet ‘frequently’ the rector. Compared to other religious congregations also the content of the friendly talk is ‘more spiritual’. For this reason I hope that we are able to maximize the personal talk with the superior for each confrere as the ‘opportunity to grow’. In our tradition the rector is a father, teacher and spiritual guide. Our Handbook ‘The Salesian Rector’ (ed. 1986) does require to established community environment that supports this role. It does mean, that the ownership of the ‘friendly talk’ (C70) is in the hands of each confrere. We need to establish this environment of trust, so that the ‘not expressed’ (usually spiritual part of our life) may be also shared.
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