Effective Training in the Digital Age
It is an honor for us to be allowed to participate in this very valuable activity “Effective Training in the Digital Era”. Of course, this is very helpful for us in our current self-development and in the days to come. As a prospective leader and leader, public speaking training is very important to learn, because sometimes when we are asked to speak in front of many people, we often feel nervous, awkward, and have stage fright. Many people are good at conceptualizing and theorizing but are not good at practicing it. During the On Going Formation activity, many things have been learned, even for us participants, all the materials provided by the speakers are important. The materials are even made in such a way that they are easy to understand and comprehend. Many obstacles and problems that are often faced in the pastoral field and are difficult to solve, can finally be answered in this activity.
The activity attended by the Young Priests and prospective priests of the Amboina Diocese is very helpful in realizing a good and quality pastoral life in the future. For us, by following the tips given by the speakers during the activity process, it will help develop ourselves and the development of the faith of God’s people. The people will feel cared for, embraced and supported, so that the anxieties or problems that often occur in the lives of the people will be easy to resolve.
For us, it is very necessary to create activities like this, because currently with the development of technology, many people are even smarter than prospective priests and imams. So the need for prospective priests and imams who are qualified. This is very clear in terms of public speaking. And this is very apparent in terms of preaching and bringing reflections. Prospective priests and imams are required not to be fixated on the text, not to have stage fright and need to use body language to give their own meaning to the words or sentences conveyed.
Imams and prospective priests must also be able to use technology as a means of good priestly preaching, because the reality of today’s people tends to spend time in cyberspace rather than the real world. That is why, good knowledge of technology is also very important for priests and prospective priests to master. However, it should be noted that it is not only about good mastery of technology, but also requires a short and interesting material concept that can provide deep meaning to the listener.
The tips given during the activity process become very meaningful if they are realized in pastoral life. Because sometimes, concepts only become interesting when delivered in the room, but cannot be realized in everyday life. The On Going Formation activity is very important to be followed by all priests and prospective priests of the Diocese of Amboina, not only young priests but it would be good to be encouraged to be followed by all priests, so that it helps us in terms of preaching and delivering reflections. The leader knows where to start and where to end, the leader can read the situation of the listener: whether they are listening carefully to the sermon or bored. But more than that, the leader can know where he should direct his congregation, about solving the problems that occur in the lives of the faithful. And this really answers the needs of the faithful. Attention and support from the leader greatly helps the growth of the faith of the congregation. Therefore, priests who are qualified in terms of knowledge and life practices are needed.
Based on all of this, it would be good if the diocese held various activities like this, so that the future leaders of the diocese are none other than leaders who have good public speaking qualities, good life practices for the good development of the people’s faith. Thank you to the diocese for holding this On Going Formation activity. Thank you to the resource persons who have been willing to take the time to provide materials and training. This activity really helps us to reflect and look back at ourselves now and learn to improve ourselves, train ourselves to become good and quality future leaders. (Frater Blasius Helyanan: Major I)
