Bolivia – "En Comunidad Fraterna" celebrates 50 years

24 February 2022

(ANS - La Paz) - The bulletin "En Comunidad Fraterna" celebrates its 50th anniversary of existence this February 2022. Due to its characteristics, it is a digital information medium that summarizes the main activities of the works that make up the Province of "Our Lady of Copacabana" and has become, over time, the historical memory of the Salesian presence in Bolivia.

The first monthly bulletin of "En Comunidad Fraterna" (ECF) was printed in February 1972 thanks to the animation of Fr Giorgio Casanova (at that time Provincial of the Salesians), which came in response to the invitation of the 20th General Chapter (CG20) that asked all the Salesian Provinces of the world to equip themselves with an "Informative Bulletin" that would favor free initiatives and that would be of interest to the communities and to the Salesians. "The news contained in this first issue is intended to be a summary of what we believe to be of greatest interest to all," wrote Fr Casanova in that first issue.

Beginning in 1972, on a fortnightly basis, the bulletin set itself the goal of "helping the confreres to grow in their sense of belonging to the province through information on the various houses and provincial activities". To complete the work there are also articles and readings useful for the ongoing formation of the Salesians.

In September 2013, under the editorship of Fr Juan Aparicio, SDB, then Provincial Vicar, the last print version of ECF was published. The editorial of that issue explained, "En Comunidad Fraterna... does not end, but is transformed and for the better.... Long live the digital version...". Subsequent editions were distributed exclusively via email to the Salesians of the Province and some lay people.

At the beginning of 2014, thanks to the spread of social networks and the messaging application "WhatsApp", the group "Infosalesiana" was created, which allowed the development of a network of local news correspondents who voluntarily collaborate in Salesian works. In this way, it was also possible to replicate the news on Facebook pages such as "Salesianos Bolivia".

At the end of 2016, the first institutional yearbook was printed with a selection of the most relevant notes and images published in this bulletin. Since then, at the end of each year, the most relevant notes are selected and printed and then distributed to all Salesian works in Bolivia.

Since 2019, F Álvaro Rocabado, Provincial Vicar, collaborates in the management of this bulletin, which is published every 15 days. ECF currently has 302 publications and its preferred audience, in addition to Salesian works, is the Salesian Family. Since social networks allow for the rapid dissemination of news, ECF has become a point of reference for the local, national and international Church, allowing many news items from the Salesian Province of Bolivia to be known in other ecclesial environments such as: infodecom.net; iglesiaviva.net, our own agency - ANS - and many others.

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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