4520(III)_ Precious Church periphery in Yakutia looking forward

How can help the EAO region our Northern mission in Siberia?

October 15, 2017

By Our Own Correspondent

Yakutia, Russian Federation, 15 October 2017 -- In past two years the remotest Salesian mission in the world (Yakutsk - Aldan) make few significant steps to foster communion with the world wide Salesian Congregation (and in a special way also with the EAO region): Last August 2016 the Mission Councilor sent his collaborator to assist the Yakutia mission strategic plan drafting (Fr. Alfred), last September 24 the Rector Major sent two new missionaries (first two non - Slovakian) for Yakutia in the 148th missionary expedition and the EAO regional councilor recent visit offers new vision for the small & beautiful mission in the periphery.

Why is the remote Siberia (Yakutia - Sakha Autonomous Republic) in Russian Federation so important?

In this 25 years old missionary presence we recognize with Pope Francis another Salesian or Church missionary experience that offers many points of inspiration, shows the way forward or dynamics of growth and makes visible the importance of communion world-wide.

When we ask: "What is the contribution of the Yakutia Catholic community and Salesians to the world wide Catholic community or World-wide SDB community to the SLKn province (Slovakia-Azerbaijan-Yakutia)?" - then we discover a small and beutiful dynamic of the periphery.

At the distance of 9000 km from their mother province (Slovakia - Bratislava) we touch with our hands that it’s almost impossible to accomplish the mission in Yakutia without large involvement of many Salesian family members beyond SLK province.

In Yakutia we meet both European (Russian) cultural influence as well East Asian cultural impact (shamanism, connection to some EAO countries like Korea, Philippines, China etc).

Any small help from both cultural zones is very helpful in this fragile mission in need of more human (SDB or lay mission volunteers), Salesian charismatic experience and other necessary resources.

In many ways Yakutia mission conditions are extreme: cold winter (8 months) with -50 or 60 C below zero, few scattered population over a territory 10 times bigger than the Philippines with about 980.000 of population, difficult langauge (Russian and Yakutian). It's a true periphery for the whole Catholic world community, there the faith is not yet fully rooted.

How can the EAO region provinces help this remote mission in a concrete way?

• Invite the Yakutia Salesians to the EAO regional events as observer (sectors or formation meeting, annual meeting of the provincial and delegates)


• Invite some possible missionary Congregation of Sisters (Salesian Family - like Caritas Sisters of Jesus, Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary etc) for a necessary apostolate (any contribution is welcome - from the Kindegraten, mission station, family visits in the villages. At present there is no female religious congregation in Yakutia.


• Possible temporary missionary commitment open to EAO provinces (at least 3-5 years, including the study of Russian language). Since this year the Yakutia presence becomes international with arrival of two young practical trainees (South Asia and Africa)


• Possible learning from starting small (provincial) Delegations within the EAO region. Yakutia Salesians are dreaming about becoming a (provincial) Delegation with more autonomy and responsiblity for own growth


• Foster the important visibility of Yakutia within the SDB World is important and any possible exchange (e.g. visit of one candidate - now a prenovice - in Seoul, February 2017)


• Deepen the historical awareness and learning from Salesian history of Siberia (during the World War some 50 SDB from Germany died around the camps of Siberia, Fr. Joseph Yamagouchi from Japan spent few years after the war in Siberian camp as well...).

This is a gentle inviation for prayer and attention to our six (4+2) most Northern based confreres in Asia!

Большое спасибо! Будем ждать. Пусть Господь тебя благословит! (Thank you very much! We will wait, may God bless you!)