Rome (Italy). The Central Commission of Higher Education Institutions (ISS-FMA), based on the ISS-FMA Strategic Program (2023-2027) – in particular in the 3rd Guideline on the ongoing formation of FMA and Laity of ISS-FMA based on the Preventive System which aims to give priority to the charismatic formation of academic and administrative staff – offers a Charismatic Formation Course for the personnel of the ISS-FMA with a total duration of about 4 months.
The proposal is part of the six-year programming of the General Council of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and in particular of the Youth Ministry Area, in response to the 1st priority choice of GC XXIV:
“We promote a new style of formation, at all levels, starting from life experience, creating paths aimed at forming people who are open and flexible, willing to change, capable of generativity and of caring.”
The course – held by CES Don Bosco of Madrid, with formators from the Pontifical Faculty of Education Science “Auxilium” in Rome and the Salomé Ureña Institute of Higher Education, Recinto Emilio Prud’Homme, of the Dominican Republic – is addressed to those responsible (managers, directors) of ISS, to management teams and educators, pastoral team leaders and/or members who follow and implement the criteria indicated in the program, with an invitation also to people working in the University Residences (ministry, management, and others).
The calendar includes:
1st course: September-December 2024 – in Spanish
2nd course: March – June 2025 – in Spanish
3rd course: September-December 2025 – in English and, if possible, in French.
Aims:
The course aims to promote knowledge of the Salesian educative proposal in order to generate an integral and qualified educative response to young people at the present time and to revive the educative commitment for and with the younger generations.
The thematic nuclei (modules) and their distribution will be as follows: 1. Analysis of the Social, Cultural, and Ecclesial Context. 2. Don Bosco. 3. Mary Mazzarello. 4. The environment of a Salesian House. 5. Accompaniment – Educative Relationship. 6. Planning the Future with Hope. 7. Conclusions.
The methodology includes in each module the presentation through videos of the contents, the reading and study of selected texts on the theme, and in-depth activities.
At the end of the course, it is foreseen that participants will:
- Know the life of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello and appreciate the potential of the Salesian educative system.
- Analyze the challenges posed to university education and make a synthesis of the anthropological and evangelical values proposed in the documents of Pope Francis.
- Recognize the essential elements of the environment of a Salesian house and acquire tools for an effective educative accompaniment in the development of their teaching.
Coordinating Team: Rubén Iduriaga Carbonero, Sister Carmen Víllora Sánchez, FMA; Antonio Rodríguez López, Sister Magna Martínez Jiménez, FMA – Pontifical Faculty Auxilium; Sister Ana Julia Suriel Sánchez, FMA – Higher Institute for Teacher Formation Salomé Ureña, Recinto Emilio Prud’Homme – Dominican Republic; Sister Ana Sarabia Lavín, FMA; Lorena Silva Balaguera, and Fr. Jesús Rojano Martínez, SDB.
The FMA-ISS Identity Card states that ongoing formation for managers and teaching and non-teaching personnel is based on a process of quality self-formation in the various dimensions: scientific, pedagogical, ethics, and Christian, and on a systematic reflection on the socio-cultural reality of society, and it is precisely in this spirit that the Course was prepared (cf. Identity card ISS-FMA, 2011, p. 23).
For information write to Sister Carmen Villora, FMA: cvillora@cesdonbosco.com
