#536

GC25 GOODNIGHTS.

WARSAW: AN EXPERIENCE OF TRUE EDUCATIVE EFFECTIVENESS

Fr. Jozef Strus, provincial of East Poland, Warsaw.

Polish Salesian history in 20th century:  Russian control, brief period of independence between WWI and WWII, then the Nazis. Russia again, this time communism. Independent since 1989.

Of particular interest in the Polish Salesian experience is the fact that schools and oratories had to be abandoned in communist years in favour of parishes.  Since returning to schools and oratories in the period since 1989 there has been the sense that it is in the works of education properly so-called that 'evangelize by educating; educate by evangelizing' is most effectively realized

The return to schools (especially professional schools) and oratories has been rapid and willing.

In hindsight, the experience of young Polish Salesians coming to Italy in the communist years for practical training, is bearing fruit - with their experience of schools and oratories.

At the 'conference' level, the four Polish provinces work and plan together - especially in social communications, in missions and in sharing formation and spirituality resources.

MUNICH: SKI-SLOPE KIDS AND LOTS MORE!. Herbert Bihlmayer, provincial of Germany —Munich. 

The southern German province has 257 confreres, whose average age is 58.  There are 27 houses and
works ranging from centers providing social assistance for youngsters to youth work in institutions for technical training, schools, day centers, oratories, and works connected with free-time activities.  The province runs a publishing house, and there are eleven parishes entrusted to the province  along with 30 others looked after by confreres of other nationalities who serve people from their own countries: Poland, Croatia, Slovakia, Italy and the Ukraine.

Of special interest: 

(1) a boarding school in the Black Forest where a number of the students attend a special ski-school that has produced a number of world champion skiers. 

(2) Stockholm, Sweden.  Since 1999 three Salesians are working to set up a center for Religious life in this highly industrialized city.  The center tries to help young people gain a deeper awareness of their own vocations as Christians.
(3) In the eastern part of Germany the auxiliary bishop of Dresden asked the Salesians to found a work in Chemnitz (at one time called Karl Marx City), a very atheistic city.  In one technical training center there are 450 young people; at the parish of St. Anthony in an area of 30,000 people only 300 are Catholic. 

(4) Benediktbeuern.  In
addition to being a theology center and a school for Social Pedagogy, the center also is home for the Don Bosco Youth Hostel where about 12,000 young people find lodging in their travels each year.  There is an "Aktionszentrum" where another 10,000 young people each year participate in retreat days. 
Located on the grounds is the "center for ecology and regional culture," that was founded about 10 years ago.  The main idea is that students and young people can be brought to God the Creator through nature.  The institute receives various Church and State grants, and last year its programs attracted about 109,000 young visitors.

In concluding his "good night" Fr. Herbert noted that the main problem facing the South German Province is vocations.  There is only one novice currently
in formation.  He asked for our prayers that
God might bless the province with vocations to the Salesian life.