Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Salesian Rector Major Fr. Pascual Chavez Villanueva, in his letter dated Easter Sunday, April 4, explains that Salesian Missionary Day 2011 will have as its title: “Volunteers to proclaim the Gospel.”
He writes: “The main purpose of this initiative is to give a strong impetus to Salesian missionary voluntary service in all our Provinces. The focus is on the continent of American, where some very significant experiences of voluntary service have been taking place, and which, for 40 years already, have involved thousands of young people.” At Valdocco, on the last Sunday of September in the Missionary Expedition which they hold each year, alongside the religious are many young people who bear witness to the free gift of their lives and their time to the Salesian mission as volunteers, the Rector Major mentions in his letter to the Congregation.
Among the reasons that led to the choice of the theme, Fr. Pascual Chávez Villanueva indicates the rediscovery of the most important dynamics of the preventive system of Don Bosco that after 150 years, are present, although differently, in different experiences of youth groups. “Every year hundreds of young volunteers, coming from our centers are sent out to undertake a demanding mission. In voluntary service we find the must authentic expression of the young sent to evangelize, we find a serious faith journey, a visible expression of Salesian youth spirituality.” It is also an effort “to respond to the signs of the times” and the recommendations of the most recent General Chapter that made a firm commitment to make the volunteer missionary experiences increase. Lastly, “the continent of America has been chosen precisely because it was the first which developed formation and accompaniment programs for explicitly missionary voluntary service.” The three experiences of Ecuador, Mexico, and Brazil will be especially considered.
In their accompanying letter, Fr. Vaclav Klement and Fr. Fabio Attard, Councillors for the Missions and for Youth Ministry present the objectives of SMD 2011: Making known and sharing the different models of Salesian missionary voluntary service; helping in the improvement in quality of missionary voluntary service, and helping the Salesian communities to be more open in accepting and sharing their lives with the young volunteers; accompanying a vocational journey, before, during and after the experience of missionary voluntary service; encouraging creativity in the Provinces. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 7/04/2010)
