Interview with Fr John Chong Jaejun,
Korea Provincial Delegate of Salesian Cooperators
Seoul, Korea, 25 December 2018 -- What makes you happy as an ASC Delegate?
In my ministry as Provincial Delegate for Salesian Cooperators I am especially happy when I can discover the hand of God in the life of each Salesian Cooperator. When I see that their vocation journey begins when they get to know Don Bosco, and are attracted to the Salesian life style, and, despite their human weakness are maturing spiritually, I can see God’s hand inviting them and sanctifying them. Vocation is a mystery, and we begin to realize Don Bosco's profound insight in founding the Cooperators in the Salesian Family.
What helps Salesian Cooperators to grow in their vocation?
I think that the Salesian Cooperators Association is not just a simple devotional Catholic group, but they receive a special mission through their special call. They grow stronger with their deeper identity and better knowledge of Don Bosco through formation and practising the faith in ordinary life.
What are the major challenges in the vocation growth of the Salesian Cooperators?
The main challenge for the Salesian Cooperators after their promise is to experience joy in their identity in their home parish or local society. A second challenge is to witness to their vocation joyfully, so that other Catholics may be attracted to follow Jesus like Don Bosco.
What do you need to carry on your task as Delegate in a more effective way?
I think my main task as Provincial Delegate is to accompany the Salesian Cooperators faithfully and foster their Salesian identity through (apostolic) formation. At present our Cooperators have grown in autonomy regarding their initial and ongoing formation. So I think that my first task now is to see to the formation of our Salesian Cooperator Delegates (SDB!).
What exchange among EAO Salesian Cooperators do you dream about?
I think that our Korea Salesian Cooperators could share good formation experiences with other EAO Salesian Cooperators to make Don Bosco's dreams come true.
What do you expect from the 2019 Formation Workshop in Cambodia?
First of all, I believe that the main priority of the Salesian Cooperators Association is to build their capacity for autonomous formation through a change in the Cooperators mentality. In concrete terms it is about what and how the Salesian Cooperators could take more responsibility for their own formation. Of course, the SDB and FMA delegates are here to accompany them, but the first priority remains the conversion or transformation of the Salesian Cooperator mentality.
How can we put the four pillars of formation into practice?
In the formation process the actual choice of theme is a priority. According the chosen themes each ASC province would be able to apply the four mentioned pillars: know – know how to do – know how to be – know how to live together. In our case, for example, we chose the theme of the preventive system, which makes it easy to apply the four pillars to.
