THIRD PART
PRACTICAL COMMITMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY

232 Wherever we work, we set up the educative and pastoral community. "It involves young people and adults, parents and educators, in a family atmosphere, so that it can become a living experience of Church and a revelation of God's plan for us".¹⁰ Though this is certainly an arrangement that will improve educational organization and make better use of the various abilities of the laity, it is above all else an experience of communion and shared responsibility.

The setting up of the educative and pastoral community means that all the members are directly involved and are made to share responsibility for the educational experience and Christian formation.

It is not an easy thing to do. A change in mentality is needed in all its components, and in the first place in the Salesians themselves.

Shared responsibility of the laity

233 A change of this sort is concerned especially with giving the laity their proper value. Numerically they form the major part of the educative and pastoral community. Mature relationships of shared responsibility must be established with them. There is need especially of a process of formation. Experiences realized so far guarantee satisfactory results, even with some difficulties. On the other hand we are spurred relentlessly on in this direction by the guidelines of the Church, recently expressed in "Christifideles laici".

The Salesian Family

234 We have particular duties of animation in respect of the Salesian Family. They live the same spirituality that we do and take part in the same mission to the young; they collaborate and share responsibility in our own work, or working in Don Bosco's style in widely different fields of activity. Their presence in the locality is a far from indifferent factor in the education of the young. It is our intention therefore to extend and strengthen it. We feel the responsibility for their spiritual, educational and pastoral formation, and we support them in their initiatives in favor of youth or the environment.

THEREFORE:

235 The Congregation commits itself in the next six years to the setting up of the educative and pastoral community wherever we work. In it will be fostered in particular the qualification of lay people (and especially members of the Salesian Family) from a Christian, pedagogical and Salesian standpoint.

236 Not later than the next Provincial Chapter each local community will set up the educative and pastoral community in its work, and get it functioning as well as possible. It will translate into practical local initiatives the provincial plan for the formation of the laity referred to in the following paragraph, giving particular care to the formation of the members of the Salesian Family, who should always be involved and committed in programs for education to the faith.

At the time of the provincial visitation, the Provincial will check up on what has been done by the community in this field.

237 The province will draw up a program of formation for the lay people; this program will foster their professional approach, educational ability, and witness as regards education to the faith. It will offer initiatives for liaison, lay down criteria for the sharing of responsibility and participation in all the works, and try out particular forms of management of the work with the collaboration of the laity.

238 The Rector Major, through the Departments concerned, will offer elements and lines of thought for a "lay project" in the Congregation.