Vocational Animation

Living in a culture of vocation

The continuity of the process of animating apostolic vocations is accomplished through a specific vocational programme within this we focus on listening, discernment, real world evaluation of personal suitability for a possibleall to special consecration.

The differentiated approaches we take in guiding someone in his or her vocation should be done on the basis of the vocational signs that seem to be showing up as part of the person’s development. When a young person begins to identify what his personal vocation is, this should not be understood as a point of arrival but as a point of departure for ongoing development in this vocational choice. The value of a vocational culture is that it understands vocation in its broad sense as a call to life, dignified work, various services and involvement: it is a culture that then leads some people to reflect on the possibilities of opting for the priestly or consecrated state of life.

Called to life and faith

“Vocation” begins with a call to life, continues through a call to faith, and arrives, through various responses, at a call to consecrated life. In this sense, we accompany those who, in a good process of development to maturity in their individual vocational dimension, consider the possibility of God calling them to a life of special consecration. We give particular attention to the nature of the call: a spiritual journey configured as a gradual growth in awareness of the demands of a vocation that requires conversion and gift of oneself in a life of loving dedication to God.

The EPC, accompanying all young people in their human, Christian and Salesian development, also offers occasions and appropriate forms of serious reflection on the possibility of one giving one’s life over totally to the service of God.

The spiritual guide who is needed for any vocational process, helps apostolic vocations particularly to discern their motivations and the requirements of this vocation. This process allows a young person to make a calm, personal, free and well-motivated decision while having experience in a community where he is formed according to the charism to which he is called, growing in understanding and gradual conformation to it.

Don Bosco Formation Center

Lawaan III, Talisay City, 6045 Cebu

The Don Bosco Formation Center is a community for the human maturing of the young person, his intellectual preparation and the deepening of his search for his calling. It is a time of dialogue between God, whose initiative calls him and leads him forward, and his own freedom as he gradually assumes responsibility for his own formation where the candidate gradually gets to know the Society, and the Society in turn can evaluate his suitability for Salesian life.

Novitiate

The novitiate offers the candidate the possibility of beginning the Salesian religious experience where the novice examines carefully the motives for his choice, makes certain of his suitability for the Salesian calling, and prepares himself to give his all to God for the service of the young in the spirit of Don Bosco.