By Fr. Naing Mariano, SDB

Batulao, Philippines, 18 Novenber 2016 -- 37 Formators from all the provinces of EAO gathered for the Renewal Program held at Don Bosco Batulao, Philippines from 14 – 18 November 2016.

The program covered the theme such as: Self Care of the Formator, Salesian Youth Ministry : Frame of Reference and Formation; Inserting the Salesian Youth Ministry in the Formation Program. Our facilitators were Fr. Philip Lzatin, Fr. Martin Macasaet and Fr. Mario Baclig. The topic discussed were very timely as the confreres are invited to digest and put into action the book of Salsian Youth Ministry the Frame of Reference. The theme self care of the enlightens the formators with the need to resolve the issues in oneself so as to form others affectively. The Program indeed enriched the participants in different aspects of formation especially to youth pastoral ministry by the actual exercise of drawing the formation plan.

The hectic and heavy program was lightened with sharing of personal experiences and especially with the socials after dinner. During the socials the formators got a chance of not only praying and studying together but also playing and making fun together.

Then the formators toured to the formation houses: prenovitiate and post novitiate in Canluban and specific formation in Paranaque. The conclusion of the events was rather colorful. It was done in Seminaryo ng Don Bosco, the Regional Theologate of EAO. There are 56 students from different provinces of the Region. The formators prayed the vespers together with the seminarians and the grand dinner was served by FIN. Then the peak of the day came with the cultural presentation of the Students of theology. There one can experience the diverse cultural richness of the EAO region.

The formators left to their own provinces recharged and reenergized. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the EAO formation team that organized and arranged this event so beautifully.

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