One of the most significant questions raised up during the Social Communications meeting was the one raised by Fr Robert Simon. For me it was one of the most profound moments of the meeting. He merely presented his view of the whole proceedings. As the only 'non-communication member', hailing from the Youth Ministry apostolate, he stated that while the communication commission was doing great with a plethora of activities and initiatives, he feared that we were attempting to build our own empire. He directly questioned the real motive of all that we were planning and executing. Where and how is it all helping the main apostolate of the congregation, he asked. For me, he had hit the nail on the head with that simple query.
Just a day before he had voiced his fear, I had in fact, half in jest and half in earnest proposed that the communication commission be disband. The commission does not have an identity totally independent or in competition against the main mission of the apostolate. The communication commission ought to be at the assistance of the other commissions in enhancing the mission of the Church as undertook by Don Bosco. Anything else, or any other way, may be great work, but not Salesian, not communitarian, not as Don Bosco would have wanted it.
In the preface to the Salesian Social Communication System (second edition) Fr Filiberto rightly points out that social communication is a dimension that prevails all our human actions and thoughts. Thus rather than being a separate entity all by itself, it is the cementing material that links, binds, builds all our varied approaches for the single Salesian Mission.
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