Re-launching the journey of education to the faith proposed by GC23 (97-111):
A journey that begins with a presence among the young, a welcoming presence, selfless and
significant (cf. CG25, 46);
A journey that puts in the first place the lowliest and the poorest, that adapts itself to those who
need to begin, and at the same time encourages and accompanies the vocational development of
the more committed youngsters to the threshold of holiness. (cf. CG25, 48);
A journey that takes place in community with adults and youngsters together fostering the creation
of an oratorian atmosphere with a strong spiritual character and one of selfless service (cf. CG25,
47)..
Making the Salesian Youth Movement the privileged setting in which the active leadership role
of the young in given scope in evangelisation and education to the faith for all the young, in
communion and collaboration with groups and movements in the Church and in the Salesian
Family:
developing groups as the main elements in the Movement, in which the youngsters can meet and
help each other in their faith journey;
ensuring a variety of groups, with different levels and rhythms of involvement and commitment,
always open to all youngsters especially the poorest;
promoting, in the various youth groups, a positive atmosphere of support in their spiritual journey
and alternative models of Christian life, that can represent a specially suitable place for vocational
proposal and discernment;
caring for the basic elements of Salesian Youth Spirituality in the leaders through a process of
systematic formation and personal guidance.
NB. Cf. The Final Document of Forum SYM 2000.
Some suggestions:
To give the annual educative and pastoral programme in the Provinces this emphasis.
To foster in the Province, as far as possible:
a systematic and practical opportunity for participation in 'a school of prayer' in a salesian style for
the young;
concrete initiatives for personal guidance of the young, to help them, above all, to reach a mature
decision about their vocation in life; this implies making available, people, time, places, training etc.
salesian group activities,of different kinds, giving priority to spiritual formation and apostolic
activity for young people;
suggesting to young people that they make a personal plan of life, as a practical help along the way
of growing to maturity and making a motivated decision about their vocation.
Directing along these same lines meetings of the Salesian Youth Movement at provincial and also
regional or continental level.
For the animation of the religious communities and also the educative and pastoral communities
making good use of the particular contributions of the Rector Major: the comment on the Strenna
for 2004, the letter in the AGC, the message to the SYM for 31 January 2004
Providing material to help rediscover Dominic Savio, as a model of a salesian animator, and of other
young models of holiness of the past and present. (Look up the articles by the Rector Major in the
Italian Bollettino Salesiano; encourage support for the special commitment of the groups of
'Friends of Dominic Savio')
Making effective use of the centres for youth spirituality already present in the provinces, ensuring
that they have an animating team, a regular programme, a certain continuity, a clear vocational
direction.
