Port Moresby, PNG, 27 January 2018 -- The Salesian Family Council in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands met for the first time at the SDB Provincial House, Boroko East on January 27, 2018.
Present were representatives of the groups of the Salesian Family: Salesians, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Caritas Sisters of Jesus, Association Devoted to Mary Help of Christians (ADMA), Salesian Cooperators, Past Pupils. Due to distance a representative of the Michaelites was not present.
Fr. Alfred Maravilla (PGS Provincial) presented the identity and the purpose of the Salesian Family Council by the reading and the comment of The Common Identity Card of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco. Thus, it was underscored the way to belong to the Salesian Family (Article 5 – Titles of membership) and the way to cooperate in the mission of each group with their own charism (Article 6 – Reciprocal exchange of gifts).
He also underlined the role of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Papua New Guinea and Salomon Islands for the Salesian Family as laid down in the Salesian Directory of the Vice-Province (PGS): promote in their settings the different groups of the Salesian Family and foster healthy fraternal relationships among the different by offering spiritual assistance, encouraging collaboration in the ministry and help in promoting vocations of each group.
It was agreed to have four meetings a year of the Salesian Family. The Salesian Family Council will meet twice a year, in the first (in January) and the last quarter of the year. The second meeting will take place to present the Strenna of the Rector Major, the first Saturday after Easter (this year on the 7th April 2018). The third meeting will be for each group to evaluate the commitments taken when the Strenna was presented. The meeting of the Salesian Family Council of the last quarter of the year will be to set the plan for the following year (this year on the 27th October 2018).
There will be a Salesian Family retreat every two years. The first one will be in 2019 and it will be preached by Fr. Pascual Chavez, SDB (it will be in July). The second will take place in 2021 and it will be preached by Sr Maria Ko, FMA. Groups were asked to inform the number of their participants in this retreats in advance.
This year in March the Salesian Bulletin will be launched. It will be an important means to make known the work of the different groups of the Salesian Family in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
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