TOKYO:  13th May 2005 -- The Feast of St Mary Mazzarello seems an excellent occasion to share some news of the Salesian Family from Japan.  The seven groups of the Salesian Family in that nation now number around 1,000 members and on 9th May their councils met to share experiences, pray together and to formulate a common response to urgent action meant to 'rejuvenate the face of our Mother the Church'.

    The SDB Provincial, Fr Puppo, described the occasion and more particularly the realisation that so many can be mobilised as 'an unbelievable grace'.

    The common realisation at the gathering of councillors was that openness to the future and the rejuvenation of the face of the Church are strictly related to the union of forces between groups in the Salesian Family.

    After a brief welcome by the SDB Provincial and a moment of self-introduction on the part of participants, the groups offered a summary of their activities and plans for the year.  The SDB group presented the conclusions of PC 2004, especially the insistence on redimensioning, on formation, on renewal.  The FMA offered their activities planned for the year, and the Caritas Sisters of Miyazaki their plans.

    But the crux of the meeting was the presentation of a project for the entire Family, looking at the needs especially of immigrants and others, especially for spiritual support.  This project is seen as a prophetic witness especially now: evangelisation, catechetics, different social works, counselling, shared experiences between ethnic groups, support of the weak, providing meaning for life.

    The programme will be launched initially between the SDB and CSM group but it is expected that the FMA and Cooperators will soon be part of it.

 

formulate:  to put into words

rejuvenate: to give new life to

mobilise: to organise towards action

redimensioning: a term from GC19 meaning, in a Salesian context a controlled development of all our works.

crux of the meeting: the central and/or most important point