2913 The changing face of mission\\n
austraLasia #2913
The changing face of mission
ROME: 3 September 2011 -- With the 142nd missionary
expedition group now gathered for the traditional
preparatory course before receiving the Missionary Cross
from the Rector Major in the Basilica at Valdocco later in
the month, it is interesting to note the changing face of
this expeditionary series which began with Don Bosco nearly
a century and a half ago.
Perhaps the most notable feature this
time around is the Salesian Family composition of the group:
31 SDBs, 10 FMAs, 5 CSJs (Sisters of Charity of Jesus), 3
CMB (Community of the Mission of Don Bosco), and an as yet
not fully specified number of lay missionaries through JyD
(Jovenes y Desarollo) and from Italy, but at last count 13.
The matter of provenance and destination
are the other two notable features: of the 31 Salesians SDB,
11 are from East Asia-Oceania (VIE, KOR, ITM, FIS), 10 from
South Asia (all from various Indian Provinces), 3 from
various pats of Europe, while 2 come from the Americas. The
destinations are equally interesting for this group: 12 are
coming into Europe, plus another two one of whom is going to
Siberia, the other to Bulgaria; 8 will be going to one or
other part of the Americas - to provinces ranging from the
Antilles to Patagonia. The Middle East is receiving 2,
Africa 2 (this includes one for Morocco and one for
Tunisia), and Pakistan will receive one (from FIS, which has
responsibility for Pakistan).
A similar pattern (we only know
provenance, not destination) emerges for the FMA: of the 21
Sisters, 5 are from Vietnam, 3 from Korea, 3 from India,1
from the Philippines and the remainder include 5 from
Europe, 2 from the Americas and 2 from Africa, one of these
being a Sister from the Sudan.
The CSJ group is a special situation -
they are opening their first community in Africa, and
precisely in Juba, South Sudan. The 5 Sisters come from
their communities in Japan, Korea and Brazil.
The Community of the Mission of Don Bosco
might be unknown outside of Europe and Africa. They were
founded in Bologna, Italy, and are an entirely lay group.
Their Salesian charism is very much tied to parish and
mission, and interestingly, two of the three being sent on
mission this time are from Madagascar, where the Community
began its first mission outreach beyond Italy. These two are
going to Burindi where the Community has been at work for
some time.
The other group of lay missionaries from
Italy and Spain are largely destined for one or other part
of Africa, while one will be in the Middle East and another
in Albania.
It should be mentioned that the human
resources involved in running the course for this large
number of varied candidates includes 3 cultural animators,
all three of whom come from or are already at work in EAO
(one is a young Angolan studying theology at Ratisbonne who
did his practical training in PNG), and of course 2 of the 4
Mission Department members, including Fr Klement himself,
are or have been directly involved with EAO.