3. Why a new insistence at the present day

The question arises almost spontaneously as to the reasons for returning to this insistence after all the efforts of the preceding years, and after a generally positive evaluation of our formative processes.

The verification made by the GC24 led to the following fact: "The participation of the laity in the salesian spirit and mission constitutes for the SDB community a challenge which must be met by an adequate formation to the new requirements". As a motivation for this conclusion with reference to the present day, it is stated: "The formation aims at rendering the individuals capable of living at the present day the experience of their own life with maturity and joy, of fulfilling the educative mission with professional competence, of becoming educators and pastors, and of being solidly animators of numerous apostolic forces".

It is evident therefore that the new level of formation is not motivated by lack or limitation, but by the very significance of our presence as consecrated persons in a society for which we are delineating the educative and pastoral mission, and by the tasks we receive in the educative communities.

Let us comment briefly on each of these motives.