Rome (Italy). From 23 to 25 August 2024, the Missions Sector of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, with members of the Global Missio Team, facilitated the online formation meetings for the Provincial Mission Coordinators and for the Missionaries ad gentes of all the Provinces of the world, as foreseen in the programming of the General Council’s 2022-2027 six-year period.
The theme, declined in the meetings by Continents, was “Communicating as Christians in the digital age”, deepened by Fr. Fabio Pasqualetti, Salesian of Don Bosco, Dean of the Faculty of Communication of the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) from Rome; and by Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (O.F.M. Conv.), International Secretary of the Pontifical Missionary Union (PUM).
In her initial greeting, Sister Ruth del Pilar Mora, General Councilor for the Missions, drew attention to the legacy of the Founders who “dedicated their lives to the mission of bringing young people closer to God through education and pastoral care. Their vision was not confined to the walls of oratories or schools, but extended to every corner of society where the needs of young people were present. Today, we are the heirs of their vision and mission, and animated by their great passion for young people, try to inhabit with the heart of missionary-disciple this new and vast frontier: the digital continent.”
Sister Ruth again encouraged, “As missionaries, we are called to incarnate the Gospel wherever we are, whether in the streets, schools, social works, and digital environments. The challenge ahead is to inhabit this digital continent in an authentic Christian way. This means being in the digital environment not only to share content, but to engage in meaningful dialogues, offer support, and witness to Christ’s love in a space that can often seem impersonal or even hostile. We are missionaries of hope and love, bringing the light of Christ to the digital continent and transforming it into a space for encounter, growth, and evangelization”.
In his presentation, Fr. Fabio Pasqualetti focused on the digital environment that characterizes the contemporary world and in which humanity is immersed in an ordinary and continuous way. He helped the participants reflect on the fact that, “it is no longer just about ‘using’ communication tools, but living in a vastly digitized culture. This has a profound impact on the notion of time and space, on the perception of self, of others, and of the world, on the way to communicate, to learn, to inform oneself, to enter into relations with others. It is an approach to reality that tends to privilege the image over listening and reading; influences the way of learning and the development of a critical sense.”
He ended with an invitation, “We are called to communicate as children of God with all, without exclusion. Communication has the power to create bridges, to foster encounter and inclusion, thus enriching society. Words and gestures must be carefully chosen to overcome misunderstandings, heal wounded memories, and build peace and harmony.”
The presence of the Coordinators and Missionaries from each continent was numerous and participatory, eager to share these moments of communication that offer a greater possibility of encounter, fraternity, solidarity, of synodality and creative belonging to the Institute.
All the participants expressed their desire to continue reflecting with the communities and with the young people, in order to transform what is an environment of encounter into a significant space of proposals, where they can share with the world the beauty of their faith.
