Italy - 148th Missionary Salesian Expedition

18 September 2017

(ANS - Turin) - Less than a week to the 148th Salesian Missionary Expedition: On Sunday, September 24, there will be the usual consignment of the crosses to the missionaries leaving for the first time: Fr Ángel Fernández Artime shall officiate at Mass in Turin's Basilica of Mary Help of Christians and, as X Successor of Don Bosco, and togheter with Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, will send the Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians to their countries of destination. For them, a new path and journey is about to begin. The missionaries of the Salesian Family are still, as always, protagonists.

"We cannot forget our origins and our charismatic identity," the Rector Major repeatedly reminded the entire Congregation: a blessing it is for those who have unreservedly welcomed the missionary summons to ad gentes and shall dedicate themselves, heart and mind, to the needs of the missions.

A life that is anything but easy, one that takes time and dedication, but above all absolute willingness in helping others, but bears its fruit: in recent years there have been increasingly more vocations in countries where the missionaries have been present: "Try via good examples and words to save souls even in the state the Lord has destined for you," Don Bosco would say!

In these last few days separating them from the final mass before their departure, the 22 Salesian missionaries participating in the preparatory training course for missionary life are in Turin to complete the last part of their formation, the one taking place on Salesian sites. Over the previous two weeks, thanks to the dedication of the Missions Sector, which each year organizes the course, the missionaries were welcomed at the General Salesian House in Rome to receive suggestions and guidelines on how to approach this new adventure.

For all those who cannot be physically present, the celebration will be broadcast on live streaming on the "Don Bosco Missions" website - www.missionidonbosco.org.

Missionaries passing through Valdocco in recent months have left messages for the new departing missionaries, their best wishes, words of encouragement, memories of their own departure many years ago … Here are their words.

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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