Synodo 2

By Br. Anthony Wale SDB

Makati City, the Philippines, 6 July 2019 ---The Philippines North Province (FIN) continues its process in renewing Salesian Youth Ministry in the Province in this Year of the Youth in the country, through its series of SYNODO that began last 25 February 2019.

SYNODO is a spiritual journey where the Salesians of Don Bosco, the young people, and those who share in the charism of Don Bosco come and journey together with the Lord Jesus just like in the Emmaus story. They listen to what the Lord Jesus wants to tell them by listening to each other under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They discern the Will of God together on how to be more effective evangelizers of the youth through a renewed Salesian youth ministry.

Last July 6, 2019, representatives from the different Salesian settings gathered at the JOY Center of Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati City, to go through the process of discernment of what already happened in the previous two SYNODOs [SYNODO 1: Youth Forum and Youth Festival, 25 February and SYNODO 2: Youth Festival, 18 May]. This SYNODO 2: Youth Forum on 6 July, focused on discerning the outputs collected during the SYNODO 1.

Under the guidance of Fr. Renato ‘DEGS’ De Guzman, SDB, all the participants took part in the process of discernment that began with a personal time with the Lord Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Using the printed materials provided to them that contain all the gathered data before and during the first SYNODO, the participants divided themselves into small groups where they shared the fruits of their personal reflections.

In this group sharing, the participants shared their hopes for the SDB priests and brothers especially in making themselves the Don Boscos for the youth of today. They also shared the challenges they encountered in being youth ministers either as SDBs or as lay youth ministers, or even as fellow youth to others. They also shared the directions they hope to take in renewing the Salesian youth ministry that is deeply rooted in Christ after the example of St. John Bosco.

After lunch, the group sharing resumed for another hour. The moderator, Fr. Degs, encouraged every group to share to the assembly any of the points the group wished that everybody in the assembly to know and be aware. The FIN Commission on Youth Ministry (CYM) gathered all the points that were shared and discussed during this inter-group sharing.

The celebration of the Holy Mass was the finale of this day’s youth forum. Fr. Ditto Gueco, SDB, the FIN Provincial Vicar was the main celebrant. Together with him were a number of Salesian priests who were together with the young people the whole day, listening to them and discerning with them towards a renewed Salesian youth ministry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJLE5ph5Xk&feature=youtu.be

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