Tainan, Taiwan, 22 September 2016 -- Our Rector Major emeritus, Don Pascual Chavez, once said in his conference in Ratisbonne, Jerusalem (February 19, 2015) on the “new preventive system”: “If there is New Evangelization, then there must also be the New Preventive System… (moreover) The Preventive System is the Educator… the educator is the undisputed possessor of the entire system.” If this is so, then every educator in our Salesian works must possess within his/her fingertips the essence of the preventive system.
Following the mandate of the previous provincial chapters of the China Province, in Taiwan, the SDBs have started to concretize and realize a systematic formation for lay mission partners on the educational system of Don Bosco.
Since last July, in the Salesian Technical School, Tainan, Taiwan, a 3-hour formation was given to the school’s department heads as well as to the new teachers. Then at the beginning of this school year… formation is being given to all teachers and employees once each semester. To insure more interaction during the formation sessions, the formation is given to groups of 4 to 5 persons. Since they are divided into small groups which they can choose at their most convenient time, then EVERYONE has the chance to undergo the formation, and no chance for absences.
The formation content tries to have a balance between theory and practice… that is to say, what is studied and discussed becomes “actionable intelligence”.
Finally, every formation activity becomes an eye-opener, and so one of the teachers have already reacted to the formation by saying… “We see the Salesians… but we hope to also feel your presence…” Let us all deeply reflect on this…
