In this conversation the Salesian missionary, born in Manaus, Brazil, emphasises the joy of the people, the strength of Don Bosco's charism in the Amazon and the challenges facing the Congregation today in a globalised and secularised world. Currently, the Salesians of Don Bosco are active in 138 countries and continue to open new presences on different continents. However, the challenge is no longer just geographical.
‘Today, it is not enough to physically arrive in an area: it is necessary to know how to proclaim the Gospel,’ explains Fr Cordeiro.
During his stay, he participated in the Missionary Assembly and shared reflections on interculturalism, the current challenges of evangelisation, and the role of the laity in the Salesian mission.
‘The world has changed profoundly,’ he observes. ‘Globalisation, secularisation and digital culture have transformed the contexts in which the mission takes place. It is necessary to know how to proclaim the Gospel in societies where faith no longer occupies a central place, where relativism prevails and where young people live hyper-connected but often internally fragmented lives.’
Interculturalism: an encounter that creates something new
During the Missionary Assembly, Fr Cordeiro reflected on interculturalism as a true encounter of cultures. ‘It is not simply a matter of living together under the same roof, but of integrating the values of the local culture, the contributions of missionaries and the Salesian charism to give rise to a new experience,’ reflects the Salesian.
In a globalised and digitally connected world, the challenge is to evangelise while respecting cultural identities and building bridges between peoples.
The mission today
The main challenge is to respond to the rapid changes of a secularised and postmodern world.
‘How can we evangelise today, whether in the jungle, in an urban context or in the suburbs?’ he asks. The answer lies in keeping the missionary spirit alive, understood as a willingness to serve and to go where the Church needs us.
The laity in the mission of accompaniment
The role of the laity is becoming increasingly important. Mission is no longer the sole task of religious. The complementarity between consecrated persons and the laity enriches pastoral action and broadens the capacity for evangelisation. This is true shared responsibility, not merely functional.
The priority: to form missionaries
A great challenge is ongoing missionary formation. It is not enough to send missionaries; it is necessary to accompany them before, during and after their departure. Many live for years in difficult contexts, and the human and spiritual wear and tear is real. For this reason the Missions Sector has made people a priority: to form, support and strengthen an authentic missionary mentality throughout the congregation.
A missionary project in every province
Fr Cordeiro mentioned the need for every province to have a defined and operational missionary project. This is not a formal or merely administrative document, but a real pastoral roadmap capable of guiding decisions, processes and priorities.
The challenge is to move from a generic missionary discourse to concrete and assessable planning, which includes: ‘The missionary spirit can be summed up in one word: availability. Availability to serve, to go, to respond to the needs of every context,’ concluded the Salesian from the Missions Sector.
Clear and realistic objectives, appropriate to the context. Specific formation processes to animate the missionary mentality. Structured missionary experiences involving young people, consecrated persons and lay people. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure consistency and growth.
Source: Salesian Bulletin of Peru
