PYIN OO LWIN: 27 March 2010 -- We recently ran a news item on
the MYM 'Oratory Day'. It has inspired a follow-up which explains a
little more of this activity in the vice province. The Sunday
Oratories (Festive Oratory in traditional Salesian terms) are run by
the young Salesians in their postnovitiate phase.
Brief description:
The present situation of the St. John Bosco Studentate of Philosophy is
of a peculiar nature. The community is made up of four priests and 26
young Salesians in initial Formation. Though the Community was
canonically erected and fully established in February 2008 with the
approval of the Rector Major, its
status in local civil terms is that of an ordinary establishment owned
by a private individual. The reason for
this is that it is not the policy of the present government to give due
approval and recognition to any religious establishment or edifice
apart from Buddhism. Hence several restrictions apply to religious
activities, public gatherings, liturgical functions and the like.
In such a context, there is no possibility for our
young Salesians to do any youth work in the House compound. In earlier
days, the Sunday afternoons were spent either in outings, or hiking, or
long walks. Months passed and still there was no hope of getting
involved in any form of youth ministry. Indeed it was becoming
a desperate situation for our young Salesians who worn out not
through plenty of activities but through inactivity and lethargy as far
as youth ministry was concerned.
Finally, the Superiors of the Community, realising
that a solution had to be found in order to keep the young Salesians
busy and active, gave them the permission to look out for some
possibility where they can have some youth ministry or conduct "Sunday
Oratories". They were allowed to go anywhere except do it in their own
House compound. It was a great challenge for the young Salesians who
had no experience of this sort before. But they were courageous enough
to take it up. For the first two or three weeks every Sunday they went
out searching for suitable places in the town in order to gather
the youth and be able to play with them. It didn't take them too long
to find several sites in the town according to their liking and
feasibility. Immediately they started organizing the so called "Sunday
Oratories" in groups.
Today after one and half years there are nine
different places, and the 26 young Salesians of the St. John Bosco
Community are happily moving around gathering boys and girls
ranging from 10 to 18. These youth hail from different family
backgrounds, poorer classes but also middle and well-to-do.
Religionwise there are Buddhists, Christians general and Catholic
specifically, Muslims, Hindus. Nationalitywise there are Burmese,
Chinese, Indian, and from the ethnic groups Chins, Kachins, and others.
Every Sunday, every centre can gather roughly around
25 to 30 youth. The 9 centres are scattered around the town itself;
some near and some far. To the far centres the Brothers go by bicycles
and to the nearby sites on foot. Every Sunday from 1.00pm to 4.00pm the
Brothers carry out this ministry with the youth who willingly come to
join the programme. The common programme comprises games like foot
ball, cane ball, running games, story-telling, teaching them some
lessons of English or mathematics or what they would be useful for
them. A few classes on good manners and morals are not excluded.
Results obtained from these so called Sunday Oratories: In almost
all these Sunday Oratories the number of youth keep on increasing. They
are willing to come and meet the Brothers and sometime accompanied by
their parents who become friendly with the Brothers and express their
appreciation in the good work the Brothers are doing for their
children. They begin to behave well, avoid fighting, quarrelling, using
abusive language and become friendly among themselves.
Challenges and some difficulties:
Since the youth are from different religions, sometime they find
it difficult to associate. In such cases the Brothers try to persuade
them to be able to accept them easily as friends and companions. They
do succeed, generally. Among the youth there are some rag pickers and
these come to join in the Sunday Oratories too but they cannot come
regularly since they have to look for some money to take back home for
their parents.
Personal Reflections on the part of the Brothers who conduct such
Sunday Oratories:
The Brothers are happy to run this weekly ministry. They gain
experience in dealing directly with the youth especially the poorer
ones. It reminds them of the early beginnings of Don Bosco and they
come to realise the hardships and inconveniences that the Saint
encountered.
The Brothers feel that such Oratory Experience strengthens their
vocation and helps them to understand the ordinary living of the poor
people in our society.
Don Bosco's Preventive System is employed and the Brothers begin to
experience the efficacy of it even among youth of other religions.
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