5208(I)_"Lord, send me!"
Salesian Family Korea - Missionary Church
September 24, 2019
By Fr. Samuel Yu, SDB
SC Delegate
Seoul, Korea, 22 September 2019 -- The annual Salesian Family Spirituality Day 2019, 'Salesian Spiritual and Missions', was held on the 7th floor chapel of the SDB provincial house in Shingil6dong, Seoul. According to a long-established tradition this event is held in Seoul every year and in Gwangju (300 km distance) every second year. More than 300 participants - representatives from 8 Salesian Family groups in Korea: SDB, FMA, Caritas Sisters of Jesus, VDB, Salesian Coooperators, ADMA, Don Bosco Alumni and Mary Help of Christians Alumni came together just a few days before the start of the 'Extraordinary Missionary Month - October 2019'.
The half day program was made up of an animation talk shared by the EAO Regional Councillor, Fr. Klement - 'How can we become a missionary Church dreamt by Pope Francis?' In three steps: Listening (opening to the missionary Church reality today), Interpretation (missionary articles in each SF group's constitutions and learning from missionaries from each SF group) and the way forward (how to be involved in the missionary Church, presentation of all available resources).The o ngoing effort to build a missionary spirit could be boiled down to this short prayer: "Lord, send me!"
Before the noon Eucharist the KOR provincial delegate for missionary animation, Fr. Michael Chang, presented the theme of the 2019 Salesian Mission Day (Focus on Initial proclamation to African Refugees) and especially helped all participants how to use the 70 pages animation booklet 'Baptized and Sent' prepared by the SDB Mission Sector for this Extraordinary Missionary Month. Together with the Korean version, the Salesian Family watched two SMD 2019 videos with Korean subtitles.
The Eucharist was concelebrated by 20 Salesian priests and animated by the joint forces of the Salesian family. During the offertory each group presented their Constitutions or Regulations together with the 'Salesian World Map 2019". At the end of the Mass each group superior also received a copy of the brand new 'Salesian Translators Handbook' with the SF Identity Charter, ed. 2012.
The entire 'SF spirituality day' concluded on the 6th floor of the provincial house with a joint lunch. During the same day the Salesian Cooperators had another two events in the same house: in the morning was the official launching of their renewed website (https://www.cooperator.co.kr) and in the afternoon the ordinary 'Formation school' (Aspirants formation, 3 years course - Seoul based) with some 60+ regular participants.
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