Rome (Italy). On 9, 12, and 19 June 2023, online meetings were held for the Heads of University Pastoral of the Salesian Institutions of Higher Education (ISS-FMA) and of the Residences for young university students, workers, and professionals, managed by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
In line with the orientations for the six-year period 2022-2027 of the FMA Institute, according to the third priority choice of the XXIV General Chapter to “listen to the cry of the young, the poor, and the earth, to make as networked educating communities, evangelical and courageous choices in the perspective of integral ecology,” the Youth Ministry Sector has planned a series of online meetings aimed at key people in university pastoral care, on the theme “Laudato si’ and the Preventive System”, with the aim of reflecting on the Preventive System in connection with integral ecology.
The meetings by language area: in English on June 9, in Spanish on June 12, in Italian, Portuguese, and French on June 19, were organized by Sr. Ivone Goulart with Sr. Vicky Ulate. They had as speakers: Sr. Lolia Annie (English), Sr. Herlinda Palomino (Spanish), and Sr. Chanda Nsofwa (Italian), all FMA collaborators in the Youth Ministry Sector. A total of 65 people participated.
Why talk about Integral Ecology in relation to the Preventive System? Out of charismatic responsibility and in creative fidelity, following the words of Don Bosco, “You will complete the work that I begin. I sketch, you will spread the colors” (BM XI 309). Don Bosco and Mary Domenica Mazzarello were convinced that, in order to change society, it is necessary to start from the young, that is, from education.
Don Bosco’s educational system has established itself throughout the world. However, the works and educational activities that he implemented reflect the needs and cultural orientations of his time. For this reason, it is necessary to re-read the experience to bring it up to date.
His educational practice is rooted both in the humanistic tradition of St. Francis de Sales and in the knowledge of the emerging needs of the reality in which he lives. He tryies to respond to them in the direction of the integral development of young people, with the passion which makes us capable of new intuitions and multiplies our energies.
The Salesian educational proposal is therefore integral. The Salesian-style plan responds to the most authentic aspirations of the person. At the center of the educational action are children, adolescents, and young people, especially the poorest, so that “they may have life in abundance” and mature in all dimensions of their personality according to God’s plan, in Christ, and in docility to the Spirit. The Preventive System combines reason, religion, and loving kindness, principles that indicate a harmonious vision of the person endowed with reason, affectivity, will, and openness to the transcendent.
In this sense, the Preventive System is an example of Christian pedagogical humanism, where the centrality of faith is inextricably linked to the appreciation of the values present in history. (cf. Guidelines for the Educational Mission of the FMA – LOME 153, 41, 31, 28, and 38)
The participants discussed the following questions in different ways: How does the Preventive System manifest itself in your current context? What are the particular characteristics of its incarnation in your reality? How are we ‘coloring’ the Preventive System and making it current?
Three “passwords”
“We are here” – “Noi ci siamo!”, “We share” “Noi condividiamo”, “We take care” – “Noi ci prendiamo cura”. These are three verbs that generate a supportive, evangelical humanity, capable of creating alliances and opening paths of life in the perspective of integral ecology.
What are the calls that these words awaken in each one to respond to the cry of the earth and the poor? How does the throwaway culture manifest itself in each of us?
The participants tried to imagine what Don Bosco and Mary Domenica Mazzarello would have done if they had lived in the present time.
