(ANS – Caracas) – For the third consecutive year, on the Sundays of Lent, the combined zonal team of the Salesian Youth Movement of Caracasi Caracas (EZICAR) has organized the experience “DIMISAL”  (Salesian Missionary Disciples). This formative initiative took place in the Mary Help of Christians parish of Sarria. About 450 missionaries, mostly secondary and higher secondary school students or young undergraduates, took part. In this way they wanted to help people in the working class areas of Caracas to live Holy Week more deeply.
Every year the EZICAR group puts forward  some Salesian Youth Missions, preparing a group of young people to animate, organise and accompany groups in Holy Week.

The training days for the missionaries are characterized by theological, spiritual and liturgical deepening, thanks to the contributions of the various animators, directors, consultants, theology students, priests and lay people who are involved. For DIMISAL 2012 the motto “Offer your life” (cf. John 10,11) was chosen, at the suggestion of the MGS of the Pastoral Centre of the Salesian Missionaries.

Taking part in the  DIMISAL 2012 were: the “Michele Magone” oratory and the St. Francis of Sales Institute of Sarria, the Don Bosco Youth Centre of Boleita, the Mary Help of Christians Institute, the Mary Help of Christians technical school and Don Bosco Institute of Altamira, the parish of St, Francis of Sales of La Dolorita-Mariches, the “Friends of Michael Magone”of the Brisas  district of Petare, the youth centre of San Isidoro, Carapita, the parish of St. Dominic Savio of Coche, and the “Barrios Unidos” of Petare.

In this Holy Week, the Youth Missionary Movement is reaching out to families of scarce income and low religious observance in the districts of Guarico, Barinas, Trujillo, Lara, Mérida, Yaracuy, Vargas, Miranda and of the  Distrito Capital. A team consisting of a priest, a theology student or expert Salesian missionary has gone out to each of these places. These guide the other missionaries, still under formation,  in the special Holy Week celebrations, ensuring a personal and group encounter with the central  figure of all the mission: Jesus Christ.

This formative experience is supported by the community of the Salsian Studentate of Theology of San Luca.

Published 05/04/2012