Naeri, Korea -- August 22nd – 24th saw the opening of the 'Reality Therapy’ seminar aimed at 19 rectors, council members and delegators of the KOR Province, 17 of whom came out to participate in the event held at the Salesian Retreat Center in Nae-ri, Taean, located at the beautiful beach.
Ms. Helena Park, who has had ample experience and reputation in the reality therapy counseling field, led the group with lectures and group activities while explaining the idea behind reality therapy over the course of two days. Participants were able to experience, through action and planning processes, the merits of reality perception therapy and needs analysis. The subject provided time for the reflection on how rectors can exhibit leadership skills, not only for the youth ministry activity, but also for their respective communities and works. The reason behind the selection of this topic is that, last winter and spring there was a seminar held for pre novices and quinquennium, during the course of which the young confreres expressed the view that the contents of that seminar would be absolutely essential also for the rectors and other people with leading roles in the Province, leading to the decision to have the annual rectors’ seminar be conducted with the same topic and content.
The enthusiasm of participants was indeed great, and there was one bit of the instructor’s anecdotes that was perceived as very memorable by everyone; very time an opportunity like this presents itself, some people have a tendency to drift off into a state of lethargy and inattentiveness; therefore a special effort was made that each and every member would act as one and not display the aforementioned attitude at any time, but to lead the way rather and create an atmosphere of full activeness and be oneself the subject of wonder to one’s confreres from start to finish.
Furthermore, Fr. Marcello Baek had the privilege to participate in revision of the Directorio at the Generalate Formation Sector in Rome last June, the particulars of which he conveyed to the assembly through a homily, saying that on the side of the formation for the rectors, there is an ongoing diagnosis, characterized by its sincerity and activeness, of the concerns that the Congregation is facing in the context of contemporary phenomenon, impregnated even to our communities.
After the 2-day seminar, the 3rd day was dedicated to the presentation of the pending issues of the province, where those opinions were received with great interest. A plan to go to the periphery, an update on the preparation process of the immigration apostolate, information on the 2016 Mission’s Day event preparations, follow-up on the 27th General Chapter and the provincial chapter were some of the points on the agenda.
“It is the first and foremost obligation of the rectors, as the core animator of the community and work for the realization of the Salesian mission, to care of our confreres. He will not forget that he is entrusted with the task of showing the face of Christ to the collaborators of our mission and to all the youth he meets every day. Those who have come to behold the face of Christ through the help of our rectors will in return go forth and show the figure of Christ to the people around them.” Those were the words of the Provincial, Fr. Stefano Yang in the homily of the Mass of the last day, and also he emphasized that a rector has to give a showing example of the Mercy of God before everything else in his daily life.
