By: Andres Neria
Delegate for Social Communication

“Today we are living in a world which is growing ever “smaller” and where, as a result, it would seem to be easier for all of us to be neighbors.  Developments in travel and communication technology are bringing us closer together and making us more connected, even as globalization makes us increasingly interdependent.”

The Salesian congregation has been preparing for General Chapter 28, which will take place in Turin, Italy, and it’s theme is; “What kind of Salesian for the youth today?”. This same theme, but from a communication point of view; “What kind of Salesian for youth in the digital world? was the focus for this year’s Intercontinental Social Communication Gathering which took place from September 19^th-22^nd in Asuncion, Paraguay. Delegates and lay people that work in our various projects of communication worked together to create the profile of a Salesian (SDB) for youth in today’s digital world. To help them better understand the needs of young people and the catholic world in respect to communication, six documents were studied and analyzed prior to gathering in Paraguay. The purpose of these documents were to help underlined the following: learning to LIVE together (Communion, good relationship), learning to BE (attitudes, Values, Motivations), learning to KNOW (knowledge, ideas, academic contents, facts); learning to DO (skills, abilities and competences). From this synthesis and participation of all emerged the profile of a Salesian communicator that the Americas (North and South) offer to the Congregation.

This was a two day process that was enriching and with hopes of helping the congregation understand the needs of young people in the digital world.

The last two days were spent evaluating the last 10 years of communication meetings in the two regions and propose some indications for the future. These ideas are currently being drafted and finalized to present in the upcoming days to the two regions. “Let us boldly become citizens of the digital world.  The Church needs to be concerned for, and present in, the world of communication, in order to dialogue with people today and to help them encounter Christ.”