Seminar on the presence of the FMA on social networks – KOR

Seoul (Korea). From the end of December 2022 to the end of January 2023, the annual Seminar was held at Morning Star Province (KOR) for all the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians on the document: “Guidelines on the presence of the FMA on social networks”, edited by the Sectors for Communication and Formation of the FMA Institute (2021).

The meeting took place in four shifts: from 26 to 28 December 2022 and from 7 to 9 January 2023 at the Salesian Youth Spirituality Center of the Seoul provincial house; and from 18 to 20 January and from 29 to 31 January at the Salesio Primary School of the Community of the Listening Mother in Gwangju.

The objectives of the Seminar, coordinated by the Provincial SC Team, in collaboration with the Coordinator of the Pastoral Team and the Spiritual Pastoral team, were:

– Develop and consolidate the sense of responsibility as an agent of the Salesian Mission, in the digital environment and in social networks.

– Promote a change of mentality and deepen knowledge of the rules and dynamics of the digital environment.

–  Educate in digital citizenship to be effective interlocutors of young people and adults and creative and responsible actors.

The meeting was attended by sisters of various ages, with different degrees of familiarity with digital technologies who, starting from the Gospel verse “Rabbi, where do you live?” (Jn 1:38), discussed the contents of the document, in particular on the identity of the FMA in the digital courtyard.

Furthermore, since it was finally a face-to-face Seminar, after the Covid-19 pandemic, various intergenerational comparisons were conceived, focusing on the aspect of formation referred to in Chapter 3 of the document, as well as that of improving one’s own digital skills, highlighting that “digital culture is not a threat, but an opportunity to be seized with discernment and wisdom” (p.37). The last two objectives will be implemented gradually after the seminar, based on the sharing and evaluation of the sisters during the seminar.

The Seminar began with a dynamic approach to digital culture through Mentimeter, which gave the participants the opportunity to share their expectations of the experience they were about to live. Time was also spent socializing across generations, through simple exercises such as scanning QR codes, sharing YouTube links, taking team selfies and sharing it on Padlet, actions that might not be obvious for all.

On the first day, the Conference of Professor Kim Nam-hee of the Department of Religious Sciences of the Catholic University of Korea was held, entitled: “Honest citizens, good Christians: Living as Catholic citizens in the digital courtyard”, which helped participants to resume the appearance related to their identity and begin to delve into the document.

On the second day, after reading the document in groups, the sisters had a times of sharing based on the questions prepared by the team. The results of the sharing were transformed into photos, videos, illustrations, and posts, using various digital devices and apps, then shared and presented on Padlet.

In this stage, younger sisters who are particularly proficient in using digital devices accompanied sisters of previous generations. From the sharing, it emerged that during the pandemic, the Holy Spirit opened the way for the sisters to become apostles in the digital world.

On the last day, Catholic content creators who live in the digital environment proclaiming the Gospel were invited: two laywomen – Caterina Son Su-jeong and Kim Yu-jung Valeria – active on Instagram and YouTube; and Sister Magdalene Park Ji Young, FMA, engaged in Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Gwangju, who shared some tips for living on social networks.

The participants, grateful for the opportunity, expressed themselves as follows:

“We have experienced first-hand the richness of the charism and the openness of the Institute which, through this document, concretely helps to take on the commitment to proclaim the Gospel on social networks with responsibility and competence”.

Furthermore, the “Guidelines for the presence of the FMA in social networks” were much appreciated and there were requests to share them with the Dioceses and with the leaders of other Religious Institutes through the diocesan priests and the social communication commission of the Association of the Major Superiors of Korea.

On the basis of the proposals that emerged during the verification, the social communication team of the Morning Star Province plans in the future to dedicate a space for the accompaniment of the FMA in strengthening digital skills and to set up a group dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of information that represents the voice of the most vulnerable in the digital world, especially young people (cf. Christus vivit, n. 87).

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