On Thursday 6 November, the Salesians who are members of the 156th Missionary Expedition arrived in Valdocco for the conclusion of the ‘Corso Germoglio’ formation course, led by Fr Reginaldo Cordeiro, course coordinator, and Fr Jorge Crisafulli, General Councillor for the Missions. All the members of the Missions Sector team are in Valdocco to celebrate 150 years of Salesian missions. The young missionaries will visit the Salesian sites in Valdocco and summarise their experiences to prepare themselves as best they can for their missionary dispatch.
On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November, young people from the Salesian Provinces of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Italy will take part in the “Be A Mission” event (website here), exploring the meaning of ‘missions’ from a Salesian and youth perspective, looking back on the many summer missionary experiences of recent years and talking with the new missionaries. Not to be forgotten is the missionary ‘Shine like stars in the world’ exhibition which will be inaugurated by the Rector Major, Fr Fabio Attard, in the premises of the Don Bosco House Museum. On Sunday, at 3 p.m. (UTC+1), in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, the Rector Major will confer the missionary mandate on these young people during the Eucharist.
There will be no breaks because on Sunday evening all the Provincial Delegates for Mission Animation (PDMA) will arrive in Valdocco for a world meeting, the first in history, which will have a unique and special flavour. On Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 November, there will be more time for meetings, reflection, group work, the presentation of some good practices of missionary animation on all continents, and much more: a rich programme in the spirit of fraternity.
On Tuesday 11 November at 5 p.m. in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesians who are members of the 156th missionary expedition and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of the 148th expedition will receive the missionary crucifix from the Rector Major and Mother Chiara Cazzuola, Mother General of the FMA Institute, thus continuing Don Bosco's missionary dream (you can follow the live broadcast at this link).
On 12 November, the missionaries, together with the DIAM, will travel to Genoa, an important port city in Salesian history and the departure point for ships carrying missionaries who travelled to new destinations of the Salesian charism. and there will be a boat trip to the Lanterna, with the presence of the Rector Major and the FMA Mother General, before unveiling a commemorative plaque and moving to the Genoa-Sampierdarena work for Mass and the inauguration of the Museum of Salesian Missionary Expeditions.
The final meeting to review and plan for the coming years will be the Missions Sector Advisory Council, where the members of the Sector team, together with the Regional Coordinators of Missionary Animation (RCMA), will meet for two days.
‘So much to do... to keep the flame of missionary zeal burning! Happy 150th anniversary to everyone!’ the Missions Sector concludes.
