Young adults challenge the Salesian Cooperators

By Our Own Correspondent

Tokyo, Japan, 8 May 2017 -- The second day of the EAO Salesian Cooperators Congress was the most intense in terms of program and workload.

After the morning Eucharist presided by the GIA provincial delegate for the Salesian Cooperators, Fr. Loro Piana, the morning was dedicated to the study of the EAO provincial reports in a fun-game style, with the Korean province as the winner. Then followed the first sharing about lay people commitment for the poor youth by Mr. Sawamura from Japan in the Philippines (Mindanao).

In the afternoon session there was an ample time for the panel discussion about three Japan experience of Youth Ministry - NPO Kiitos for the poor children shelter and care (Chofu, since 2010), Don Bosco Volunteer Group (missionary exposure experience in Solomon Islands, since 1991) and Salesian Youth Movement (Japan, since 2015).

Then followed the province group sharing on this very moving sharing and the whole afternoon was closed with an Assembly listening to the provincial sharings.

Always at the 5th floor of the Keio Plaza Hotel was served a wonderful Chinese dinner attended also by few SDB and FMA - non participants of the Congress. Last common moments of the day were divided between the Youth Gathering (47th floor) attended by 50+ Youth (SYM members, future Sal.Cooperators, children of the Cooperators or friends).

In the Key Note Talk the EAO SDB Regional Councilor shared also two video clips (available on the YouTube) about Mongolian Salesian Cooperators (Darkhan Center) and Cagliero Project (Australia - Pacific. EAO as missionary region offers a special opportunity to the growth of the Salesian Cooperators vocation and mission. Main points of his sharing - Journey together - For the Young and With the Young: We need each other as members of one Salesian family, we need to get more qualifications for our mission.

The presence of 50+ young people makes this Regional Congress very dynamic, future opened and challenging for all participants. Second consecutive evening continues the Youth Meeting animated by the SYM Japan under the responsibility of the Jerusalem 0 Conrkh.

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