By Fr Drans Nolasco, SDB

Hong Kong, 16 November 2019 -- The East Asia-Oceania delegates of the Commission on Formation and of the Commission on Social Cmmunications spent the whole of 16 November for this joint meeting in the Casa Maria of the Salesian Missionary House in Hong Kong.

Together with Fr. Ivo Coelho, SDB, the General Councillor for Formation, Fr Filiberto Gonzales, SDB, the General Councillor for Social Communications, and Fr Vaclav Klement, SDB, the EAO Regional Councillor, the 37 delegates from the 12 EAO Provinces and 5 Delegations of both commissions were in fraternal spirit while discussing the predominant question that the General Chapter 28 posed: What kind of Salesians for the young people of today? This joint assembly reworded it as: What kind of Salesian communicators for the youth in the digital world?

Seeking a profile of the Salesian communicator with the four inseparable and complementary aspects: learning to live, to be, to know, and to do, the assembly was divided into six small groups to facilitate arriving at a meaningful attempt at this Salesian profile.

They were guided by the following reading materials:

1. The Letter of Don Bosco on spreading good books;

2. SDB Constitutions and Regulations article C 6, C 43, R 31-34, R 41;

3. The Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit;

4. The World Communications Day Messages of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.

The six groups spent the whole morning sharing their personal insights and reflections. In the afternoon, everybody gathered in a plenary session. The six groups reported to the assembly the results of their morning group sessions. With the help of Fr. Ambrose Pereira, SDB, the Social Cmmunications Delegate for Papua New Guinea-Solomon Island Province (PGS), the following is the synthesis of this day's joint meeting.

"The richness of the synodal process drove home valuable insights to discover the profile of the Salesian communicator. The Salesian is evangelizer, educator and communicator, immersed in the digital world yet striking a sublime balance of his physical presence, creative animation, transparent and authentic witness. He has at heart the evangelization of the young, while he is open to his own ongoing formation. He is constantly updating himself and learning from the young, while being aware of the dangers and pitfalls of the digital revolution. He strives to communicate with dignity, respect and truth using both the digital and traditional media, conscious of the fact that all content is created timeless and lasts for generations. With the heart of the ‘Good Shepherd,’ and understanding the language, culture and issues facing young people, he journeys with the young, educating them to be critical and creative of the media. They in turn reach out to evangelize the ones who are most vulnerable."

It was indeed a very fruitful interaction between the two commissions whose members believe that only in working together can they continue to be the Don Boscos to the young people of today.

Amidst all the contemporary means of communication, they are challenged to continue to use the most powerful means of communication which Don Bosco used - the heart - that listens, that cares, and that leads to the unconditional love of God.

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