4597(III)_How to grow in communion within the Secular Institute

CDB (Volunteers With Don Bosco) in their 6th General Assembly

Genzano, Italy, 2 January 2018 -- The CDB Secular Institute (Volunteers With Don Bosco) founded in 1994 by Fr. Egidio Viganó (7th Successor of Don Bosco) held their 6th General Assembly in Genzano (Salesian Retreat house and Novitiate, founded by St. Louis Versiglia) since last December 28th 2017.

This General Assembly is focused on the Growth in Communion with the Scripture motto - ‘As the Living Stones’ (1 Peter 2,5). AG 6 is presided by the President Mr. Darwin P. and participated by 20 members and ecclesial Assistants mainly from Latin America and Europe.

At present the CDB Institute is officially still a ‘Public Ecclesial Association of Lay Faithful’ recognized in the Archdiocese of Caracas (Venezuela) due to historical reasons. The CDB is the 17th officially recognized group within the Salesian Family, their Central Assistant is Fr. Joan Lluis Playa, already known in the EAO region thanks to his two visits in 2015 (FIN) and 2016 (KOR, VIE and FIN-FIS), who is coming again in March 2018 for the VDB – CDB Assistant formation session held in Vietnam.

Due to many logistic reasons, no member from the CDB group of the Philippines (established in 2015) or their Ecclesial Assistant was able to participate in this General Assembly. In their absence the SDB Regional Councilor for the EAO Region and Fr. Reggie Porlucas, student in Anselmo University in Rome (FIN) took part as observers for one full day (December 29) in order to bridge the communication gap between the CDB world leadership and the first EAO group of CDB in Manila. Now there are five Aspirants accompanied by their Assistant Fr. Eli Cruz, SDB.

Among the fruits of this AG6 interaction are the fraternal contacts with other English speaking Assistants (Nigeria – Ghana, USA – California, Slovakia) and CDB (Argentina, Mexico, Czech Republic), awareness about the Secular Consecration Life beauty and challenges and a special role of the Secular Institute within the Catholic Church and within the Salesian Family.

For more information, visit: http://volontaricdb.org or access the Resources (www.bosco.link) CDB – Formation (Resources: CDB Formation 1-2-3-4) and CDB 6th General Assembly (Resources).

Resources:

CDB - AG6 (2017 Dec - 2018 January)