austraLasia 1131
Japan: "an unbelievable grace" as 1,000 set to
work
(Note: from this edition onwards, austraLasia is starting a
new service in the interests of many of its readers who regard English as a
second, third or more language. Challenging terms will be noted and
briefly explained)
TOKYO: 13th May 2005 -- The Feast of St Mary
Mazzarello seems an excellent occasion to share some news of the Salesian Family
from Japan. The seven groups of the Salesian Family in that nation now
number around 1,000 members and on 9th May their councils met to share
experiences, pray together and to formulate a common
response to urgent action meant to 'rejuvenate the
face of our Mother the Church'.
The SDB Provincial, Fr Puppo, described the occasion and
more particularly the realisation that so many can be mobilised as 'an unbelievable grace'.
The common realisation at the gathering of councillors
was that openness to the future and the rejuvenation of the face of the Church
are strictly related to the union of forces between groups in the Salesian
Family.
After a brief welcome by the SDB Provincial and a moment
of self-introduction on the part of participants, the groups offered a summary
of their activities and plans for the year. The SDB group presented the
conclusions of PC 2004, especially the insistence on redimensioning, on formation, on renewal. The FMA
offered their activities planned for the year, and the Caritas Sisters of
Miyazaki their plans.
But the crux of the meeting
was the presentation of a project for the entire Family, looking at the needs
especially of immigrants and others, especially for spiritual support.
This project is seen as a prophetic witness especially now: evangelisation,
catechetics, different social works, counselling, shared experiences between
ethnic groups, support of the weak, providing meaning for life.
The programme will be launched initially between the SDB
and CSM group but it is expected that the FMA and Cooperators will soon be part
of it.
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VOCABULARY
formulate: to put into words
rejuvenate: to give new life to
mobilise: to organise towards action
redimensioning: a term from GC19 meaning, in a
Salesian context a controlled development of all our works.
crux of the meeting: the central and/or most
important point
