(ANS – San Paolo) – On Saturday 15 October, at the “Coração de Jesus” Sixth Form College in San Paolo, about 300 people, most of them from the groups of Missionary Promotion and Voluntary Service in Salesian centres of the Brazil-San Paolo Province,  took part in the Ist Salesian Missionary and Social Voluntary Service Day.

The various groups introduced themselves and they were welcomed by the Provincial Fr Marco Biaggi, and the Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry and Missionary Promotion Fr Antonio Ramos do Prado. This was followed by a moment of prayer and reflection led by some of the young people which was followed by Fr Ramos do Prado giving a presentation of the proposal for Salesian Missionary Day for 2011, accompanied by a video showing the work undertaken by Salesian volunteers in various parts of the city.

Two groups were then formed for reflection: one led by Fr Tadeu Maurício Miranda with the  missionary group and the other led by Ruth Siqueira, from the Don Bosco Institute in Buen Retiro, with the social volutary service group.

In the afternoon there were presentations by various centres explaining the work they were carrying out. There were also discussions on the morning’s work and a dance performance. There were further discussions about what it means to be  a missionary and a volunteer in today’s world helped by a video showing the Missionary Volunteers Alexandre, Larissa and Talita, working at present in Angola, and the situation in that country.

The day eneded with Mass in the “Coração de Jesús” church at which Fr Ramos do Prado presided and the parish priest and the Rector of the College Fr Benedito Spinosa, who gave the homily, concelebrated. At the end there was a special vote of thanks for all the missionaries and volunteers who had made their mark in the history of the Salesian Province of Brazil-San Paolo.

Published 21/10/2011