In these Days, noting the need to respond to new social realities, by the groups of the Salesian Family, the theme was "Vulnerable Youth, Refugees and Migrants with the Salesian Family." Almost all the Salesian Family groups of the SSM Province were present: Salesians, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesian Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Don Bosco Volunteers, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the Damas Salesianas, who showed their educational and social work with vulnerable youth and families.
Fr. Fernando García, Superior of the SSM Province, in his keynote address entitled "I was a stranger and you welcomed me," encouraged those present to be evangelizers, with the spirit and charism of the Salesian Family, and spoke about the challenges that await the Salesian Family itself with regard to young people in vulnerable conditions. After his talk, the participants were able to hear the testimonies of Elena, a young Ukrainian hosted in the house in Galapagar (Madrid), and three young Africans hosted in the Magone House, in Burgos. Their experiences demonstrate the good work being done by the Salesian Family. The meeting also provided an opportunity to learn about the Salesian Social Platforms, both of the Salesians and the FMA.
Fr. Joan Lluís Playá, the Rector Major's Central Delegate for the Secretariat of the Salesian Family, then presented the Rector Major's letter on the social impact of the Salesian mission, entitled, "Boy, I say it to you, stand up!" He then urged to "continue to make the charism received from Don Bosco shine," with proposals for good practices in the social sphere, without being afraid, being courageous as Don Bosco himself was, since "Jesus is waiting for us in the poorest of the poor." During these days, in fact, the participants realized that these good actions respond to the original charism that Don Bosco sought to initiate with his Oratory: to offer welcome, to give affection, to generate a climate of trust and fraternity to the most vulnerable young people. Today, loneliness, migration, and wars force us to continually seek the face of Jesus in them.
The conclusions, which showed the richness and depth of the work done during these days, were presented in the form of a manifesto:
WE ARE: Starting from the sources, the Gospel and Don Bosco, and from the encounter with the vulnerable, we build Christian and Salesian identity in the Church, being prophets of fraternity.
WE LOOK: Challenged by the reality in which we live and in which so many young people and families live, we learn to look and listen to the distress of young people in order to understand and to be able to offer initiatives and proposals for education and evangelization.
WE ACT: By understanding the complementarity between an evangelical witness and effective social action, charismatic responses can be given.
IN COMMUNION: Acknowledging that the Salesian Family is a vast movement at the service of young people, we are committed to promoting common spaces for meeting, reflection, and planning, which allow them to get to know each other better, to work in communion, to accompany each other and to respond in a coordinated way to the common mission, especially in volunteer work.
The Days ended with a Eucharist presided over by Msgr. Jose Cobo, Auxiliary Bishop of Madrid. In his homily, he recalled how these days were an opportunity to encourage and foster the vocation of the Salesian Family and to glimpse the challenges that arise from being challenged by the sociological changes of our time.
