austraLasia

KOR: Enthusiasm and energy in formation

By Mr. Celestino Yu, ASC
KOR Provincial Coordinator

Seoul, Korea, 1 May 2017 -- At present in the Korean Province we have 395 Salesian Cooperators with promise (including 74 inactive members who didn't participate during last two years). We are organized in 25 local centers (+3 in formation) spread all around the country. The average age of our members is approaching slowly 60 years, with only one centers below 50 years (49 years - Nazareth Center in Suwon).

In the past 3 years, KOR province welcomed 62 new Cooperators in total and 3 Centers are in formation for their establishment with 6 Promised members. We have a problem of many inactive members who didn’t attend at the regular meeting of Centers as well as those who already lost their identity as Salesian Cooperators. Also, the increase in the average age of the members is another serious problem for KOR province.

Initial formation at provincial level - Formation Schools for the initial formation of aspirants

KOR province has established Formation Schools in Seoul, Gwangju, and Dajeon areas and organizes regular formation meetings for the aspirants. The aspirants are supposed to attend 8 regular monthly meetings for the initial formation in a year. The initial formation for the aspirant also happens at the regular monthly meetings and lives at Local Centers.

On-going formation at provincial level Annual Conference meeting for on-going formation

The on-going formation is basically entrusted to Centers. At the Provincial level, KOR Province organizes an Annual Conference in which on-going formation with some issues related to Church and Salesians, such as Strenna, are discussed. We encourage the PAL to be taken up as the norm for living out the vocation of the cooperators in everyday life. We also organize annual spiritual retreats (Lenten and Advent retreats).

Apostolic projects at Provincial level

We do not have any active apostolic project which is initiated by KOR province in provincial level, however our provincial council does encourage every Center to carry out its own apostolic projects by adapting their real situation, variety of local center mission are for the poor young people - volunteer service in juvenile prisons, active involvement in the group homes for youth in need (Nanum, Nazareth house or migrant youth), volunteer activity in many other SDB - FMA youth social welfare works, evangelization and ministry at parish or diocesan level etc.

Economic solidarity

Membership fee and voluntary contribution from the members are the major source of income. Registration fee to the annual spiritual retreats is the biggest part of income as well as expenditure. At the Provincial level, Local Centers will bring their annual contribution to the Provincial Council. It is necessary to promote fund raising projects at the Provincial and Local Center levels.

KOR province follows the expenditure items that are referred to the guideline of World Council. The key items are: Economic solidarity to World Council and donation to Rector Major; Formation: management of formation school, spiritual retreats and vocational day; - Animation of the Association (travel, meetings); Publication (newsletters, documents, books; website and online resource production; Provincial Office maintenance (Seoul).

DB200 inspired us to think over our identity as Salesian Cooperators. Together with SDB and FMA, all the members of ASC deepened the knowledge of the life of Don Bosco, his pedagogy, and Salesian spirituality. Members are encouraged to live out Salesian spirit in daily life as authentic Salesians in the world. To celebrate DB200: Established Formation School; Assigned a Vocational Day to invite and introduce ASC to our friends; Strengthen the sense of belongings to the ASC and Salesian Family by involving various celebration events with SDB and FMA, such as weekly lecture on Salesian spirituality; Involvements to the mission for youth in needs and poor people.

Translation of new PAL to Korean was completed in 2014. KOR province published the translated version in a book and distributed to all the members of the ASC. Workshops of Local Councilors were followed at Provincial level to study PAL. PAL was also introduced at Provincial Congress and Formation School. KOR province encourages each Local Centers to study PAL at the regular monthly meetings.

Due to busy life of most of Salesian Cooperators we make the best of the social media and provincial website: http://www.cooperator.co.kr; those who miss some formation encounter can access all formation sessions videos (Formation School - 2015).

Our province is also actively involved in the editorial board and contributes to the Salesian Bulletin (Salesian Family Magazine)