By Bro. Jomar Castillo, SDB
Tagaytay City, Philippine, July 29-31, 2015 - FIN convened the Salesian Assembly on Education Ministry (SAEM) at the St. Scholastica’s Center of Spirituality, Tagaytay City. More than 60 confreres were present of which most of them are involved in the education ministry in the tertiary, basic education and technical-vocational training fields. Confreres involved in the formation of confreres in various levels were also present.
Fr. Anthony Paul Bicomong, SDB, Provincial, presided over the opening mass where he encouraged and challenged the confers to discern and participate well in the proceedings so that they would be able to respond to the will of God in the present situation of Salesian Education and the evolving educational landscape in the Philippines.
The three-day assembly began by the presentation on the current situation of Salesian Education in the FIN by Fr. Onofre Inocencio, Jr., SDB, Superintendent of the Office for the Development of the Educational Apostolate (ODEA).
The Credo was presented to the body which is a fruit of reflection of the FIN Province communities which was approved to be the basis from which all the strategic directions would gush forth.
CREDO of SDB FIN for Education Ministry
We, the Salesians of Don Bosco of the Philippine North Province (FIN), believe that we are a consecrated community called to be like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, under the guidance of Mary, our teacher, to share in the mission of the Church in responding to the signs of the times, bringing the message of the Gospel, the very life of Christ, to young people especially the poor and marginalized.
We believe that we are sent to educate by evangelizing and evangelize by educating according to the charism of St. John Bosco, expressed in the Preventive System and incarnated in the Salesian Youth Spirituality.
We believe that our mission, shared with lay people, aims at the total well-being of the young whom we form to be good Christians and upright citizens, servant leaders towards social transformation.
The SAEM Core Group member presented the five talking points that the smaller working groups will try to discuss, reflect upon and propose concrete actions:
- Talking Point 1: “We educate by the Preventive System of St. John Bosco.”
- Talking Point 2: “We aim for excellence and professionalism in our educational centers.”
- Talking Point 3: We pursue our commitment to work for the materially poor and marginalized youth, while we remain open to work for those who are in other forms of poverty. We also remain open to new forms of presences.
- Talking Point 4: We recognize the urgent need for us to be (more significantly) in the post-secondary and tertiary levels.
- Talking Point 5: The ‘niche’ of Salesian education in the Philippines is ‘technical education’.
The presence of some confreres from the South Province (FIS) enriched the discussions and deliberations. They prayed, discussed, discerned and proposed directions that the province will take in order to live the Salesian charism more fruitfully. The assembly ended with the approval of proposals to be presented and acted upon by the Provincial Council and the Provincial Chapter 2016. Everyone went back to their respective houses with with a big hope to keep the legacy of Don Bosco continue burning in Philippine soil.
This is a timely gift to the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's Birth!
