By Mr. Philip Yu, ACS

World Councilor for the East Asia-Oceania Region (2014-2020)

Tokyo, Japan - The Association of the Salesian Cooperators in our Region decided to entrust the next 9th Regional Congress to the Japan Province. Since the Congress time is slowly approaching, the World councilor for the EAO region took last week a chance for three days working visit to Tokyo.

“I brought my ‘Hong Kong Heart’ to visit SDB Provincial Fr. Mario Yamanouchi immediately after arriving to Haneda airport last Monday. There was a quality encounter time at the SDB provincial house in Yotsuya, central Tokyo. And I did enjoy the Japanese hospitality with three of the best Salesian Cooperators in Japan!

There is no doubt that Fr. Provincial cares about this incoming regional congress which Japan province is going to host in 2017. He asked me to share about the vocation promotion in other provinces, especially the young members. I shared my passion in Happy Vocation movement as the foundation to membership growth, Salesian charism and youth apostolate.”

In the EAO region with 22 countries there are still six countries without the Association of Salesian Cooperators and almost everywhere there is a strongly felt need to rejuvenate the membership. This is probably the main expectation from the incoming Congress, not only in Japan.

“At the moment, Japan has 120+ members scattered in many different cities and islands. Strong tradition and dominance of non-Christian faith have given Salesian Cooperators in Japan very big challenge. I understand that the Japanese culture of “unity” is an obstacle to doing things differently, to creativity or flexibility. This is very much limiting our visibility, even in the Catholic Church. However, I trust it is time Don Bosco’s dream to be revealed through the Salesian Cooperators. We all share the passion of his dream. We all desire the dream to come true. We all know that impossible for us is possible for God! Yes, we have witnessed what has happened to the annual meeting of China Province in Taiwan last year. It was ever first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in China provincial history.”

“The initial idea-draft for the 2017 Congress mentions four goals: (1) improve the visibility, (2) reach quality formation, (3) energize vocation promotion and (4) deepen the faith. These goals the members understand as the strategies for the re-launching of Salesian Cooperators vocation and mission. In this way we could build a strong province, be a good tool for God’s mission and facilitate the synergy among the Salesian Family.”

Already last November 2014 the EAO regional councilor SDB already met in Tokyo with the full Japan provincial council of the Salesian Cooperators and Fr. Mario Yamanouchi, SDB before becoming the provincial of Japan last January 2015. After the first EAO Regional Congress in 1993 (Thailand) it would be for the first time that Japan will host such event: three times in the Philippines, two times in China and Thailand and once in Korea. In the past the opportunity to held the Congress was a good occasion for revitalization of the Association in the respective country or province. Also the ‘Salesiani Cooperatori’ of Japan take the 2017 Congress opportunity as chance of rejuvenating the Association.

Japan Congress is scheduled for May 2017. The organizers dream about some kind of ‘Pre-Congress’ at national level in Japan (August 2016) and the EAO region is preparing for the SDB-FMA Delegation formation scheduled for November 2016.

And Philip Yu does conclude his sharing: “Anyhow, for Japan province, it’s a tough decision indeed. I really appreciate the determination and fully entrust the whole 2017 EAO Congress preparation journey to Mary Help of Christians. I know that many members in our region are looking forward to the next congress in Japan, hence I invite you all to join us in daily prayers for the preparation - not only for the logistics of the congress but for the solidarity, communion and fidelity to our vocation, for the happiness and willingness to serve.”

2014 Manila Congress' photos