FIN PROVINCE GOOD PRACTICES IN ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE EAO Provincials’ Meeting March 2-7, 2015

1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE A. MEETINGS I. FIN Provincial Council meets once a month. (last Thursday) II. Provincial Commissions meet once a month. (third Thursday) III. Rectors’ Assembly meets once a month. (first Tuesday) * Emergency meetings if needed

B. Three days of PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING for the Provincial Council and the Provincial Commission Heads at the start of the school year. (June) RESULT: PROVINCE CALENDAR and POI UPDATING and PROGRAMMING 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

C. AGENDA The agenda of the Rectors’ Meeting, Provincial Council’s Meeting and the Commissions’ Meeting are given a week before. 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

D. A Rector is assigned to Facilitate (as Moderator) the Rectors’ Assembly. - The Provincial acts as the Chairman of the Rectors’ Assembly. 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

E. Formation Talks during the Rectors’ Assembly. -No Formation Talks in the Provincial Council and Provincial Commissions’ Meetings because we consider the Formation Talks during the Rectors’ Assembly as our Formation Talk for the month. 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

F. In the Provincial Council meeting, the Provincial, invites the Provincial Delegate of a Commission as resource person when needed for the discussions. 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

G. Provincial shares in the Rectors’ Assembly what has been discussed in the Council Meeting and in the Commissions’ Meeting so that the local Communities may know some news and the directions of the Province. 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

I. All the decisions that need to be communicated are announced in the Rectors’ Assembly and printed in the Circular Letter of the Province for the Confreres. QUARTERLY PER YEAR 1. SYNERGY IN THE ANIMATION AND GOVERNANCE

2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL Province Calendar: Schedules for the Provincial Visitation are reflected here. PROVINCE CALENDAR

A. The Provincial usually makes first his Animation Visit so as to prepare the local house for the Canonical Visit. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

B. DURING THE CANONICAL VISITATION: I. The Provincial checks the former Recommendations of the Past Visitation. II. Makes his New Recommendations based on: a. The Past Visitation, b. His Observations c. His Personal Colloquy with the Confreres and with the Lay People of the local setting. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

III. Looks into the Salesian Spirit of the local setting and faithfulness to Don Bosco’s charism and mission. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

C. SCHEDULE OF THE CANONICAL VISITATION: I. Starts with the Opening Conference with the Confreres. II. Personal Colloquy with the each Confreres. III. Meets the Lay Mission Partners: a. Gives Salesianity Formation Talk b. Conducts an Open Forum. IV Closing Conference with the Confreres. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

I. Communicated during the Closing Conference with the Confreres. Canonical Report-Document D. “CANONICAL DOCUMENT- REPORT ” CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

II. CONTENT: a. The Introduction b. The Observations c. The Recommendations d. The Conclusion * Each Confrere of the Community is given a copy and one copy is left in the Canonical Visitation Book. Canonical Visitation Book CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

SEMINARYO NG DON BOSCO – PARANAQUE PROVINCIAL VISITATION AUGUST 6 – 12, 2014 THE PROVINCIAL VISITATION I began the week-long Canonical Visitation of Seminaryo ng Don Bosco, the first one for this School Year , with the Community Rosary and Vespers at 6:00 PM of August 6, The Opening Conference served as the Good Night Talk to the confreres. After dinner, the formators gathered informally at the Rector’s Office with the Provincial to share a light snack while engaging in familiar conversation. The community this School Year is made up of 46 confreres. There are 6 formators and 40 formandi (with 32 Salesians as Regular Students). There are 9 brothers in the First Year, 13 brothers in the Second Year, 5 in the Third Year, 5 in the Fourth Year and 4 with special arrangements. Throughout the duration of the Canonical Visitation and, except for certain moments like the beginning and the end of this Visit, the Community followed the normal timetable of the Seminaryo. The highlights of the Visitation included a meeting of the Provincial with each Confrere of the Community, beginning with the formandi and concluding with the formators. There was likewise a meeting with the House Council. OBSERVATIONS In my stay here among you and in the sharing from all the confreres of the community, there have been many common elements that have been shared. I would like to put forward certain things that have struck me. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

There is indeed a good spirit of Community in the Seminaryo ng Don Bosco. Despite the diversity of nationalities [membership from no less than 8 nations!], there is a prevailing air of unity and camaraderie. There is also a very good rapport between formators and formandi. The formators are all united around the Rector, Fr. Henry Bonetti, and this obviously plays an important factor in the unity that characterizes the whole. One of the most edifying qualities of this community is the faithfulness of the Confreres to the Community Practices of Piety. There is a conscious effort to respect the timetable given for Meditation, the Eucharistic Celebration with Lauds, the Evening Prayers and the Rosary. According to the formandi, there is a variety of prayer experiences such as the Monday guided meditation on "The CUP of Life" by Joyce Rupp. Commendable also is the seriousness of the brothers with regard to their theological studies. They themselves are convinced that their studies are an integral and essential part of their formation and of their future ministry and therefore find it as a top priority. Also worthy of highlighting is the Seminaryo’s focus on Spiritual Direction. Much appreciation goes especially to the effort on the part of the formators to make it possible for the confreres in formation to go regularly for this spiritual accompaniment by making the Spiritual Directors available for each confrere. The experience of the Theologate has been a possibility of a sense of responsible freedom for the formandi, a freedom that is guided. This is an experience that has been given by the formators who are assured that the confreres are accountable for their actions. I likewise find very valuable the so-called “Monthly Conference-Discussion,” one that is included in the Formation Plan and timetable of the brothers. This is done in place of the Rector’s Conference that takes place every Tuesday from 6:00-7:00PM after the evening prayer. This is done by year-level groups with formators themselves leading the groups as moderators. The basis for the subject of this encounter is the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales. The themes vary every year so that there is a four-year cycle. I foresee that this will be beneficial to the brothers from the point of view of their spiritual and Salesian formation. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

RECOMMENDATIONS From these generally positive observations that I have made, I make the following Recommendations: 1) Let the milieu of camaraderie and friendship be maintained alongside the international character of the community. May each member, from whatever culture, race, nation or province of origin, continually feel that welcome and belongingness. Indispensable in keeping this atmosphere is the use of English as a language common to everyone. This is also important since this is the common language of communication in the EAO Region. In this regard, we invite all confreres to help each other learn to speak and write in good English. 2) Let the community carry on with the dedication that they put into the Practices of Piety. Let the celebration of the Liturgy be one of the channels of integrating what they learn in Theology by continually giving them the possibility of presiding or serving, according to the formandi’s ministries. It would be more beneficial for the confreres, by way of seminars or conferences given by experts on Liturgical Music, to develop more their knowledge in this aspect, beginning with what the Church primarily recommends with regard to singing and musical accompaniment. 3) Let the community make fuller use of the Lectio Divina as a way of meditating on the Word of God. Let this be done on a more regular basis, time permitting so that they become more used to it. This has been emphasized by both GC26 and GC27. 4) Let the formators study the possibility of carrying out an Immersion Program with the rural and urban poor similar to the experience of the students of theology in the latter part of the 1990s under the Rectorship of Bishop Broderick Pabillo. Resource persons could include those who have undergone this experience such as Fr. Edwin Ulanday and Bro. Raymond Callo. 5) Let the House Councils of SnDB and DBCS meet periodically for a better awareness of each other’s expectations and for looking into possible common concerns of the brothers in their intellectual formation. If this is not possible, let both Rectors of SnDB and DBCS establish an open line communication on this regard. 2. CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

CONCLUSION May Our Blessed Mother bless and prosper your efforts to grow together as a Salesian Community after the heart of Don Bosco our Father, patterned after that of Christ, the Good Shepherd. With heartfelt thanks to the formators for their dedication to the formation process of all the formandi and to the Community for the affection and warmth I have received these days in your company and for making me feel truly at home! You have indeed contributed to this nice formative environment of the Seminaryo ng Don Bosco where the growth of intellectual, spiritual and fraternal life is felt very much! Yours Sincerely in Don Bosco, Fr. Anthony Paul E. Bicomong, SDB Paranaque City, 12 August CANONICAL VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL

3. CONFRERES IN PROBLEMATIC AND SPECIAL SITUATIONS A. We are looking at each cases of our Confreres in problematic and special situations. B. We like to solve each of these cases to give justice to our Confreres in problematic and special situations.

C. Headed by the VICAR, who is in charge of the Religious Discipline, he sees to it that every cases are resolve. ▫ -Assisted by the COMMITTEE ON JURIDICAL MATTERS. (Canon Lawyer; Civil Lawyer; Psychologist; Therapist and Rector of Confrere concerned and/or Diocesan In-charge of Clergy) 3. CONFRERES IN PROBLEMATIC AND SPECIAL SITUATION

D. The Provincial talks to each Confreres in problematic situations and assures them of resolution to their cases. 3. CONFRERES IN PROBLEMATIC AND SPECIAL SITUATION

E. Confreres in problematic situations who do not communicate about their cases are then given the dismissal procedures. (After the Provincial and the Vicar have tried to communicate with them) 3. CONFRERES IN PROBLEMATIC AND SPECIAL SITUATION