Training in the Works of Mercy in Schools: An Initiative of the Salesians and spazio + spadoni
Fr Ghislain Makongo speaks to teachers about the Works of Mercy
The education of young people is a fundamental pillar of the mission of Don Bosco’s Salesians. Since their founding, they have been committed to forming young people not only intellectually, but also spiritually and morally, to make them responsible and committed citizens. Don Bosco’s pedagogy believes in the educability of young people, a pedagogy that creates hope through mobilizing projects that invite them to grow.
It is in this dynamic that Fr. Ghislain Makongo, Salesian priest and Salesian Inspector of Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), enthusiastically embraced the proposal of spazio + spadoni for outreach and training in works of mercy in schools.
Through this initiative, the goal is clear: to integrate works of mercy into education to form young people who are aware of their responsibilities to others, concerned about social justice, and animated by a true spirit of compassion.
Father Ghislain Makongo organized a training course on the works of mercy with teachers in Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville) talking about the ReEvolution of the Works of Mercy. He particularly insisted on the need to train teaching staff first, so that teachers can then transmit these values to students.
Works of mercy (both corporal and spiritual) are not mere recommendations, but concrete actions that every Christian is called to live daily. By integrating these works into the educational framework, the Salesians and spazio + spadoni want to form a generation of young people who are not indifferent to the suffering of others, but are actively committed to the common good.
Train teachers first to better train students
This training includes several components:
- A theoretical approach. Understanding the biblical and theological foundations of the works of mercy and the reEvolution of the Works of Mercy promoted by spazio + spadoni.
- An educational approach. Integrating the works of mercy into the various subjects taught for active citizenship, sharing the heritage of values that make a human being a person: relationships, social ties, participation, responsibility, cooperation, mutual respect, solidarity and fraternity.
- A practical approach. Encourage teachers to carry out concrete actions with their students, such as visiting the sick, helping the needy or participating in charitable actions, prayer.
By training teachers first and foremost, we ensure that the transmission of mercy values takes place consistently and effectively, having a lasting impact on the younger generation.
Young people: protagonists of works of mercy
One of the main goals of this program is to make young people real actors in the works of mercy. It is not just a matter of teaching them theoretical principles, but of giving them the means to act concretely in their environment.
Salesian schools, in collaboration with spazio + spadoni, are implementing several initiatives to encourage this commitment: the distribution of flyers, posters and pamphlets explaining the works of mercy and their importance in daily life and how to update them.
A program that extends to the entire province of Congo
The Works of Mercy formation program is not limited to one school or one city. It aims to extend to all Salesian works and formation centers in the Congo Province, which includes Congo-Brazzaville and the DRC.
This large-scale outreach is essential to reach as many young people as possible and form a true generation committed to mercy. Through the collaboration between the Salesians and spazio + spadoni, appropriate educational resources will be made available to schools to facilitate the integration of works of mercy into the educational curriculum.
A return to the sources of Don Bosco’s spirituality
This initiative is also a continuation of Don Bosco‘s charism, which always emphasized the integral education of young people. For Don Bosco, a well-formed young man is a young man capable of changing society. It is not enough to give him intellectual knowledge; he must also be taught to love and serve others.
The works of mercy are an integral part of this vision. By updating and integrating them into the educational journey, the Salesians and Space + Spadoni are simply bringing Don Bosco’s legacy back to life, adapting his message to the challenges of the contemporary world.
Training in the works of mercy in Salesian schools is an initiative that brings hope. By first training teachers and then actively involving students, this program aims to create conscious, committed and compassionate young people in a world marked by individualism and indifference.
Through concrete actions, training and ongoing awareness, spazio + spadoni and the Salesians are committed to making works of mercy a true lever of social transformation. Because, as Don Bosco himself said, “It is not enough to love young people, they must feel loved.”
And what better than mercy to show them this love in action?
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- Rodrigue Bidubula