THE ORGANIC PROVINCIAL PLAN
OF THE PROVINCE OF SAINT JOHN BOSCO OF VIETNAM 2007-2010
1. GOD'S CALL
Continuing the works of our pioneer missionaries, the Salesians of the Province of Vietnam are convinced that God is entrusting them a vast field of mission in Vietnam and in Mongolia where the Christians are still in minority (less than 7 % in Vietnam and 0.0002 % in Mongolia). In these countries the young people are and still will be living in extremely material, human and religious poverty.
As educators and pastors of the young, we commit ourselves to live radically our consecrated and apostolic life and to serve the poorer youth through our educational and pastoral works and activities. In such a way, we educate them to become good citizens and good Christians.
2. SITUATION
2.1 Advantages:
- The environment where we are living and serving is changing and giving more opportunities for the Salesians to work in their specific educational and pastoral field.
- The Vietnamese Christians are living strongly their faith. In addition, Vietnamese non-Christians are open for evangelical values.
- The Province of Vietnam is going up in terms of the number of confreres whose average age is still rather low (38.78) and full of energy.
- The confreres are living their religious life at a rather high level, with missionary zeal and are making effort to apply the preventive system of education into their works.
2.2 Challenges:
Beside those advantages, the Salesians of Vietnam Province are facing the following challenges:
2.2.1 The Young People:
- There are more and more new forms of poverty among groups of people: migrant workers, ethnic people, victims of social evils;
- Public education is losing its direction and does not prepare the youth to face actual life. In addition, negative impacts of mass media are very strong.
2.2.2 The Province:
+ A number of confreres are influenced by the current trends of culture: eager to get instant results; inclined to an easy way of life. Others have the tendency to be attached to some particular works and routine ways of doing ministries (like those in parishes). There are also some signs of individualism in ministries and financial management.
+ Some works are still missing educational-evangelical dimension and, in some way, responding only to short-term needs.
+ The animation at provincial level is rather limited and there is no comprehensive plan for Formation, Youth Ministry and Finance.
3. FIELDS OF ACTION
3.1- Our Priorities:
- Putting into practice the mentality and action in accordance with a common plan.
- Strengthening the educational-evangelical dimension in accord with the Salesian charism.
3.2- Lines of Action:
3.2.1- General criterion: educative and evangelizing community is the constant criterion for all areas of our life and activities.
3.2.1.1- Criteria for development:
- Direct services to poor youth should be given priority.
- Community dimension must be guaranteed in terms of the consistent number of confreres, their fraternal spirit, and the spirit of community co-responsibility.
- Services in new frontiers should have the understanding and approval from the province.
- In setting up new presences, geographical factors should be taken into account to ensure the unity and development of the whole province.
3.2.1.2- Criteria for re-dimension:
- After the Provincial Chapter 2007, let the Province examine the meaning and efficacy of our present works.
3.2.2 Formation
- In initial and continuing formation, there should be some stress on planning mentality and on the total personal commitment.
- The areas need specialization: Salesianity, Youth Ministry, and School Administration.
3.2.3 Preferred Works: facing different forms of poverty among the youth, the province will give priority to the following groups of youth and works:
* Vocational training to young people, in particular, the drop-outs;
* Vocation Ministry to young college students;
* Ministry to young migrant workers and students;
* Missions for ethnic people and Mission ad gentes
* Participation in those services to the victims of social evils.
3.2.4 Financial Administration
- Let all confreres make their monthly report on personal financial transaction in a serious and transparent way.
- In the beginning of the academic year, let the local community be co-responsible in planning its annual budget. At the end of the academic year, let the whole local community examine and evaluate the actual budget in comparison with its previous plan.
- Let the province make effort to achieve 50-80% of the annual budget for formation. These funds come from the local communities, benefactors and sponsors.
- Let the province set up a Department of Development and Finance to study ways of mobilizing resources and incomes.
