Formation Sector

Salesian Sectors

The Formation Sector in the Salesian Congregation
A religious congregation is made of people. The quality of its mission depends to a large extent on the quality of the formation these people receive: not only a technical or academic preparation, but a journey that involves the whole person, his or her spiritual life, religious identity and capacity to work with and for others. The Formation Sector of the Salesian Congregation is concerned with animating and guiding this journey, from the entry of a young man who asks to become a Salesian to the maturity of consecrated life, and beyond, as a journey of ongoing formation.

Who leads it
The Sector is entrusted to the Councillor General for Formation, elected by the General Chapter and a member of the General Council. His presence in the central government of the Congregation underlines how much formation is considered a strategic priority, not a secondary field. He works with a team of collaborators and maintains constant relations with those responsible for formation in the Salesian provinces throughout the world.

What the Sector does
The work of the Formation Sector unfolds along the whole journey that leads a person to become a Salesian and to grow in his vocation.
The first area of activity concerns theinitial formation: the period from first contact with Salesian life until perpetual profession. This journey develops through well-defined stages — pre-novitiate, novitiate, post-novitiate, practical training, philosophical and theological formation — each with specific objectives. The Sector draws up the guidelines for these pathways, trains the formators and checks that formation standards are maintained in the different provinces, while respecting local cultural specificities.
The second area concerns theongoing formation: the journey that continues throughout the Salesian’s life. Becoming a Salesian is not a destination but an ongoing process. The Sector promotes initiatives, resources and meetings that help Salesians renew their motivation, keep up to date with the challenges of the mission and keep their spiritual life alive.
A third area of work concerns theformation of formators: those entrusted with the task of accompanying young people in formation need, in turn, to be prepared and supported. The Sector organizes specific programmes, at regional and world level, for those who carry out this delicate role.

A journey that involves the whole person
Salesian formation does not aim to produce efficient people, but integrated people: capable of praying and working, of being with the young and of living in community, of being rooted in tradition and open to change. Don Bosco wanted Salesians who were first of all good Christians and, on this basis, capable and passionate educators.

In the spirit of Don Bosco
Don Bosco devoted time and attention to the growth of his young collaborators. He believed that a well-formed person could do much good. The Formation Sector carries forward this conviction: investing in the growth of people is one of the most concrete ways of caring for the mission and for the future of the Congregation.

To access the documents of the Formation Sector, click HERE .