3799_WAKE UP CALL! Salesian Missionary Volunteer Service in each EAO province!

By Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB

Seoul, Korea, November 11, 2015 - This year the YM and Missions delegates gathered together for 4 days (Nov 10-13) in Seoul, Salesian provincial house, one group on the 4th floor and another group on the 5th floor. Two groups and two general councilors, but one day (today) was chosen for a common topic of the Salesian Missionary Volunteer Services.

Fr. Alfred Maravilla shared an overall pictures of the provincial reports, that pointed at the initial stage of many provincial volunteer structures, need to deepen the identity of volunteers, make clearer our provincial Handbooks of Volunteer services, improve the accompaniment of the volunteers before, during and after their experience.

Followed an open dialogue with clarification and deepening with the initial points of the two General Councilors for Youth Ministry and for the Missions. Some emerging points of this sharing:

• Youth Ministry and Missionary Animation need each other, as well the SDB missionary formation is important for a true missionary drive of our Youth Ministry


• Missionary volunteers are sent (they can't send themselves) by a community.


• Missionary volunteer services should be always part of the Provincial Plan


• "Missionary" volunteer service means preparing the way to Christian way.


• Welcoming volunteers means not a 'cheaper workforce' but more Salesian pastoral work of accompaniment of our volunteers


• Regional map of the possible 'green light' areas of major need of volunteers

In the afternoon session the Salesians witnessed to the inspirational encounter with four young Korean volunteers who shared their experience: John - Salesian Senior High School student, Raphael - Medical student at Yonsei University, Catherine - volunteers, and Angela - Salesian Cooperator.

At the end of the day the participants have selected few ways forward in order to promote the Salesian Voluntary Services in each of our EAO provinces. Each province is invited to choose some goals and strategies among the following points:

1. Put the Missionary Volunteer Services at the provincial agenda (SEPP, directory, provincial council or provincial chapter)


2. Formation and preparation for the missionary volunteers (sending and receiving SDB communities)


3. Strengthen the youth groups in our provinces with the sense of volunteering and start concrete leadership, volunteer programs in our Salesian presences


4. Sharing and witnesses of experience of (former) volunteers as way of


5. Regional sharing or resources - material and human - and exchange of know-how;


6. Introduce the Salesian Volunteers to the Salesian Family groups in the province

This day was a wonderful eye-opening and motivating for all participants, in the words of one Korean volunteer: "It was God's grace for me be part of Salesian Mission". We hope it will also become a WAKE UP CALL for the Youth Ministry in each province of our Region.