austraLasia #2903
Regional Mission Study Days open at Sampran, Thailand
SAMPRAN: 15 August 2011 -- Fr Klement, Missions Councillor, writes:
"After many months of preparation, we are together here in Sampran: Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and some of the Salesian Family Groups present in East Asia (SHIM, DQM, SQM, Caritas Sisters of Jesus, Salesian Cooperators). It is already the fifth Regional Missionary Formation event since 1989. Indeed every 6 years the Salesians and Salesian Sisters have shared a formation opportunity together on topics such as: The Far East – Cultures, religions and evangelisation (1989, Hua Hin), Evangelisation and Interreligious dialogue (1994, Batulao), Uniqueness of Salvation in Jesus Christ and Need for Primary Evangelisation (1998, Hua Hin), The challenges of the Mission “Ad gentes” in East Asia (2004, Hua Hin). Since 2004 the event has been open to all groups of the Salesian Family. After the Salesians' GC26 (2008) this opportunity was renamed as ‘Mission Study Days’ with focus not so much on formation of many missionaries, but an occasion to reflect deeply on some of the dynamics in the whole evangelising mission.
Tackling the theme of the initial proclamation of Jesus means for us Salesians to probe the missionary action of the Church and of the Congregation. It’s a crucial question for the whole path of evangelisation and education. At the beginning I invite you to consider some important elements:
1. All of us are in touch daily with thousands of non-Christian youth especially in our schools, parishes, training or youth centres. Hence we are called to discover the opportunities and dynamics of initial proclamation of Jesus in our daily life;
2. We are also called to be more open through dialogue of life with non-Christians or not-yet deeply evangelised Christians and to reach out as friends as far as we can…
3. We are called to clarify some of our doubts or prejudices about ‘direct or indirect evangelisation’ or about the relationship between our life witness and proclamation;
4. We are called to confirm the importance of the family and our family ministry as a privileged place for first proclamation of the Gospel. The presence of the Salesian Cooperators is an invitation for all of us;
5. At the end we are called to share our own experience of God with others, trying to get into the dynamics of the ‘First Asian Missionary Congress’ (Chiang Mai,2006). John Paul II invited us in Ecclesia in Asia to ‘tell the story of Jesus’ as the best form of Gospel proclamation (n.20). For Salesians it is also a topic for the 2012 Salesian Mission Day with the same content and title. In preparation for this event we have tried to encourage ‘storytelling’ as the best form of sharing own experience of faith.
The same topic of ‘Initial proclamation of Jesus’ was chosen by both SDB and FMA mission councillors as the theme for the six year period 2008-2014 worldwide. We started with the European Study Days in Prague (2010), we continue in 2011 with two Study Day events in the EAO Region, one in Asia, one in Oceania; next year 2012 in Africa and the last in 2013 for all of America. Four of the Study days are held in SDB settings, three in FMA facilities. I’m very grateful for the hospitality of the Thai FMA Sisters with their new Provincial Sr. Maria and all who have contributed to preparing and making these Study days 2011 for East Asia a reality.
The whole Church is by nature missionary and our contribution as a Salesian Family to the Church's mission we find mainly in the field of education. Our way of living and sharing the Gospel is the way of the Preventive System of Don Bosco. We are immersed in our busy daily life and mission, and we often lack time to reflect on our own actions and convictions. These Study Days give us the chance to reflect together more deeply on our evangelising mission. We hope to offer the fruit of our reflection and our intuition to many of our brothers and sister in the Salesian Family in East Asia, one of the three most vibrant Salesian regions worldwide. We will then repeat this exercise in Oceania.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2011 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
Regional Mission Study Days open at Sampran, Thailand
SAMPRAN: 15 August 2011 -- Fr Klement, Missions Councillor, writes:
"After many months of preparation, we are together here in Sampran: Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and some of the Salesian Family Groups present in East Asia (SHIM, DQM, SQM, Caritas Sisters of Jesus, Salesian Cooperators). It is already the fifth Regional Missionary Formation event since 1989. Indeed every 6 years the Salesians and Salesian Sisters have shared a formation opportunity together on topics such as: The Far East – Cultures, religions and evangelisation (1989, Hua Hin), Evangelisation and Interreligious dialogue (1994, Batulao), Uniqueness of Salvation in Jesus Christ and Need for Primary Evangelisation (1998, Hua Hin), The challenges of the Mission “Ad gentes” in East Asia (2004, Hua Hin). Since 2004 the event has been open to all groups of the Salesian Family. After the Salesians' GC26 (2008) this opportunity was renamed as ‘Mission Study Days’ with focus not so much on formation of many missionaries, but an occasion to reflect deeply on some of the dynamics in the whole evangelising mission.
Tackling the theme of the initial proclamation of Jesus means for us Salesians to probe the missionary action of the Church and of the Congregation. It’s a crucial question for the whole path of evangelisation and education. At the beginning I invite you to consider some important elements:
1. All of us are in touch daily with thousands of non-Christian youth especially in our schools, parishes, training or youth centres. Hence we are called to discover the opportunities and dynamics of initial proclamation of Jesus in our daily life;
2. We are also called to be more open through dialogue of life with non-Christians or not-yet deeply evangelised Christians and to reach out as friends as far as we can…
3. We are called to clarify some of our doubts or prejudices about ‘direct or indirect evangelisation’ or about the relationship between our life witness and proclamation;
4. We are called to confirm the importance of the family and our family ministry as a privileged place for first proclamation of the Gospel. The presence of the Salesian Cooperators is an invitation for all of us;
5. At the end we are called to share our own experience of God with others, trying to get into the dynamics of the ‘First Asian Missionary Congress’ (Chiang Mai,2006). John Paul II invited us in Ecclesia in Asia to ‘tell the story of Jesus’ as the best form of Gospel proclamation (n.20). For Salesians it is also a topic for the 2012 Salesian Mission Day with the same content and title. In preparation for this event we have tried to encourage ‘storytelling’ as the best form of sharing own experience of faith.
The same topic of ‘Initial proclamation of Jesus’ was chosen by both SDB and FMA mission councillors as the theme for the six year period 2008-2014 worldwide. We started with the European Study Days in Prague (2010), we continue in 2011 with two Study Day events in the EAO Region, one in Asia, one in Oceania; next year 2012 in Africa and the last in 2013 for all of America. Four of the Study days are held in SDB settings, three in FMA facilities. I’m very grateful for the hospitality of the Thai FMA Sisters with their new Provincial Sr. Maria and all who have contributed to preparing and making these Study days 2011 for East Asia a reality.
The whole Church is by nature missionary and our contribution as a Salesian Family to the Church's mission we find mainly in the field of education. Our way of living and sharing the Gospel is the way of the Preventive System of Don Bosco. We are immersed in our busy daily life and mission, and we often lack time to reflect on our own actions and convictions. These Study Days give us the chance to reflect together more deeply on our evangelising mission. We hope to offer the fruit of our reflection and our intuition to many of our brothers and sister in the Salesian Family in East Asia, one of the three most vibrant Salesian regions worldwide. We will then repeat this exercise in Oceania.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2011 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
