Integration and mission in the network
The opening of the meeting was characterised by a strong sense of charismatic communion. Provincial Sister Alaíde Deretti emphasised that the communion between the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians is a significant sign for the world. Subsequently, the Director General of the RSB, Fr Ricardo Carlos, also Superior of the Campo Grande province, used a meaningful metaphor to define the assembled group: “Here is the RSB locomotive. It is this locomotive that pulls the other carriages, all heading towards a common goal, working in a spirit of sharing, fraternal coexistence and authentic Salesian joy.‘
Inspired by the theme of the 2026 Strenna, ’Do whatever he tells you,’ the meeting sought to transform spiritual reflection into concrete decisions for the challenges of education and youth evangelisation.
Evolution and concrete results
After three years of experience with the integrated committee format in Porto Alegre, the executive director of the RSB, Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, expressed a sense of agility and progress. According to her, the integration between the different areas has matured significantly: ‘This time we feel this integration between schools, social works, communication and the relationship with the National Youth Ministry Commission much more strongly (…). Because we cannot say we work in a network if we do not have this experience.’
She also pointed out that this joint work is already reflected in positive metrics, such as the growth in the number of students in schools and greater organisation in social activities, supported by the capillarity of the ‘Bússola’ system. According to the Director General, ‘the presence of each person in these movements is strengthening our Salesian identity in the field (…) the projects we have in our work plan seem much easier to carry out, knowing that they have been built by many hands.’
Synergy and strategic alignment
The Executive Director of the RSB, Fr Sérgio Baldin Júnior, confirmed the perception of maturity of the strategic planning initiated in 2020. He emphasised that integration is not only taking place between the committees, but also directly with the National Office in Brasilia. ‘Progress comes from integration, discussion and planning of the annual work plan (…). This has helped a lot both in the movement of the provinces towards the network and of the network towards the provinces,’ he said. At the same time, he stressed that there is still a long way to go to increase the grassroots’ adherence to the training proposals and national strategic alignment.
Communication: Planning for 2026
The Communication Committee took advantage of the meeting to define priorities for the next cycle, focusing on the 2026 Integrated Formation Plan (PIF) and strengthening the Salesian institutional identity.
Highlights include planning for the IV National Communication Meeting (ENAC, in Portuguese) and the network’s rebranding process. Thiago Silva, National Communication Manager, emphasised that ‘ENAC 2026 is a strategic opportunity to consolidate the culture of communication in the Network.’
‘We want a meeting that generates concrete results, produces guidelines that can be applied in the provinces, and strengthens unity.‘ The formation of communicators was also a central theme, with Ana Paula, project manager, stating that ’the formation of communicators must be deeply connected to the educational mission of the Network. It is not just a matter of technical qualification, but of strengthening identity and pastoral intention.’
Final assessments and responsibilities
At the end of the event, Fr Ricardo Carlos assessed the Committee meeting as a success in achieving its objectives, particularly in sharing responsibilities related to the Annual Work Plan (PAT). ‘My assessment is very positive, because with each edition we see significant progress in strengthening the network,’ the Provincial said, congratulating all the educators and organisers involved for their commitment.
Source: Salesian Mission Brazil
