RELEVANCE OF THE PREVENTIVE SYSTEM TODAY

Blessed John Paul II

The figure of Don Bosco, the friend of

youth, continues to exert a fascinating

attraction for young people of the most

widely differing cultures under heaven.

He is relevant to the present day.

Blessed John Paul II

He teaches us to integrate the permanent

values of tradition with

„new solutions‟ so as to meet in a creative fashion the newly

emerging requests &

problems.

Blessed John Paul II

He continues to be our teacher in the

present difficult times. (Juvenum Patris)

1. POTENTIAL

What ? To create opportunities to

discover the inherent gifts and talents afforded the youth.

The Preventive System enables the

continual discovery of talent and helps to cultivate it.

Don Bosco

“Let the young have full liberty to do

the things that are pleasing to them. The

secret is to discover their potential and their

abilities. Then – seek to develop them. Each

one does with pleasure only what he

knows he can accomplish. I follow this

principle.”

2. RAPPORT

What ? It is the way you relate to the

students.

It is the foundationfor an expectation that positive enhancing

results will follow from an interaction.

It is vital for

any education to take place.

Rapport is born out of a relationship.

2. RAPPORT

3. AVAILABILITY

What ? It is to be readily and fully

present.

“Teenagers would get into less

trouble if adults spend more time with

them. I don’t believe guns, drugs or violence is the

problem, I believe that kids are being

neglected.”

Director of Youth Program

“There is no such thing as a bad boy.”

Availability comes in many forms:

- a written message

- a kind word

- a welcoming smile

- an affirming presence…etc.

Fr. Flanagan

4. IDENTITY

What ? A sense of self-worth.

First cry of youth: SELF-HATRED

“Feeling of worthlessness often make

people turn in to themselves. Then the cry becomes a mixture of worthlessness,

self-hatred and loneliness”.

Youth have often linked their self-worthto performance in their future ability to secure

wealth, power and prestige.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

rather than

What kind of a person do you want to be when you grow up?

4. IDENTITY

5. SECURE NURTURING EXPERIENCES

What ? Constantly provide diverse

activities that will enhance God, self and others.

Among cries of youth:

“We need things to do, places to visit, people to be

with. Give us healthy experiences so that we will

stay away from drugs, sex and violence.”

DON BOSCO

“An idle mind is the devil‟s workshop”

The youth need to be afforded activities that move

beyond self-centered entertainment

and help them to effectively serve others.

6. ENVIRONMENT

What ? The surroundings that are perceived by the senses, the intellect and the heart.

“Every education teaches a philosophy, if not by dogma, then by suggestion,

by implication, by the atmosphere. Every part of that education has a connection with every other part. If it all does not combine to convey some general view of life – it is not education at all.”

G.K. Chesterton

Don Bosco exemplified the

meaning of the Preventive System

especially through the environment he created:

Not a cold and rigid appearance

But a warm and inviting one.

6. ENVIRONMENT

7. CHEERFULNESS

What ? Joy

A basic element in the Salesian

way of education in the growth process of the young consists in the great emphasis on

cultivating a sense of

happiness and joy in

whatever one is doing.

“Here at the oratory, we make

holiness consists in always

being cheerful – happy.” -St. Dominic Savio

“Run, jump make noise,

but do not sin” -Don Bosco

“Serve the Lord in gladness”.

-Psalm

7. CHEERFULNESS

8. LISTENING

What ? Empathizing through

attentive presence.

Karl Menninger

“The first and foremost

task of any healer or therapist was

to listen”.

-noted psychiatrist of Topeka, Texas

8. LISTENING

God gave us two ears so that we listen

twice as much as we talk.

Everyone wants to be heard – it is a

sign of being loved.

9. APPROACHABILITY

What ? A welcoming stance.

“We catch more flies with a

teaspoon of honey than with

a barrel of vinegar”. -St. Francis of Sales

The welcoming attitude with the

proverbial smile is attractive and reveals

a cheerful disposition.

The shortest distance between two persons is a smile.

9. APPROACHABILITY

10. PRAYER

What ? Communication with God.

Just as food nourishes and preserves the

body; so prayer

nourishes and

strengthens the soul.”-Don Bosco

10. PRAYER

Prayer life so much emphasized by

Don Bosco focused on the (3) three

following devotions:

Sacramental

Marian Devotion

Love and Allegiance

• Confession

• Holy Communion

• Mary Help of Christians

• To the Pope

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

Fr. Larry Tan, SDB