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FLASH

Salesian Youth Ministry Animation

Number 2. October 2022

Vocational animation

An inspiring principle and goal

of Salesian Youth Ministry

Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende

Youth Ministry General Councilor

YOUTH MINISTRY SECTOR

Salesiani di don Bosco SEDE CENTRALE SALESIANA

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Vocational animation

An inspiring principle and goal of Salesian Youth Ministry

Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende

Youth Ministry General Councilor

1 Vocation animation

Revitalise our efforts,

acknowledge new movements

With «climate change» in our societies, values

are shifted, passed on and sometimes dis-

guised. This change seems inevitable and

irreversible. However, we feel the respon-

sibility to be proactive and to generate local

and provincial educative-pastoral proposals

that encourage each person to respond to

God’s plan with freedom, authenticity and

determination.

In recent years, much has been said and wri

tten about vocation animation, in order to

revitalise our efforts, acknowledge the new

movements of the Spirit, open ourselves to

the reflection of the Church and develop new

understandings of accompaniment and voca-

tional discernment. All of this is bound to have

an impact on both hearts and pastoral prac-

tices.

It is time to break away from our certainties

and our «nostalgia» («in our days we were ...»;

«when I arrived, we were ..., we did ...»), con-

vinced that what is new requires some change.

(Mt 9:17). The «vocational emergency» expe-

rienced in many provinces requires real solu-

tions. In this respect the emergency must be

understood as the ability to discover that

something new is arising and to respond to

this novelty in the best way.

I believe that the greatest difficulty in the

service of vocation animation today, and we

have said it from the beginning, does not lie

so much in the clarity of ideas, but in two

aspects: first of all, the method of pastoral

practice; secondly, the involvement of the

whole Educative-Pastoral Community and,

within it, the religious community in the

«vocational culture». In short, if we wish to

help young people to find Jesus, the best pas-

toral practice is to discover him through wit-

ness and the transformation that occurs in

the people who meet him.

To do this, we will first of all explore the

territory of our Salesian houses and the rela-

tionship between the care for Salesian voca-

tions and the vocational animation. Then

we will examine the «vocational culture»

to understand the vocational narrative.

Thirdly, we will identify the three stages of

a vocational journey. Subsequently, the

requirements for «vocational culture». Final-

ly, some itineraries of the pastoral practice

of the province, the religious communities

and the Educative-Pastoral Communities.

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Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende • Vocational animation. An inspiring principle and goal of Salesian Youth Ministry

2 Four microclimates

for the vocational animation

A microclimate is a series of atmospheric vari-

ables that characterise a moderately small area

or space. Before addressing the reality of the

vocational animation, we believe it is useful

to organise an interpretation of reality around

four microclimates that can be observed in

the Salesian houses. Every Salesian presence

must be a microclimate in which it is easy to

develop and strengthen a vocation. What

kind of microclimate are we? And, above all,

what kind of microclimate do we wish to offer

young people?

First microclimate:

Great emphasis on Salesian vocations and

little or no emphasis on vocations.

In these contexts, the Salesians notice with

some concern that there is a decrease in voca-

tions to religious life and an increase in the

number of lay collaborators involved in the

mission. The Salesians believe that one solu-

tion is to insist on the distinction from lay

collaborators: the vocation to religious life is

«above» that of lay people. The Salesians feel

they are the owners of the charism.

Communities are normally separated from

lay people «emotionally». The annual com-

munity plan does not seek to dialogue or incar-

nate in the new needs but guarantees the ful-

filment of the requirements of religious life.

In this first microclimate, lay collaborators

expect the Salesians to maintain their leader-

ship position. They have a great respect for reli-

gious life, which they perceive as an ideal to

approach and imitate. Within the mission they

are dependent and have learned to wait for the

Salesians to take the initiative or determine the

direction. Lay collaborators perceive themselves

as «minors» with respect to the charism.

In this context, a vocational animation is

established to identify and recruit young peo-

ple: a «vocational animation by recruitment

o enlistment». Above all, it organises voca-

tional activities and prayers on Salesian voca-

tion. We have nostalgia for past achieve-

ments, when there were a great number of

Salesians; our hope is that «perhaps those

times will return», a «vocational springtime»

will arrive... but without doing anything that

is operational.

Second microclimate:

Great emphasis on vocations and little or

no emphasis on the Salesian vocation.

This microclimate is found in contexts where

Salesians feel that their vocation is about to

disappear. They appreciate the involvement

of lay people and perceive it as the only option

for the future of the Salesian mission. Young

people and lay collaborators are invited to

mature in the charism, but they hesitate to

offer to embrace the religious life. Somehow

this is thought to be an invitation to adhere to

an «exhausted» lifestyle. They think that the

charism will have to be sustained without the

presence of the Salesians. The Salesians lack

passion and appreciate other forms of life

more than their own, because they feel that

their religious life has become sterile.

In these contexts, there are more or less

cohesive communities, where lay people con-

tribute more to the quality of relations than

the Salesians themselves, who tend to expe-

rience the internal and external dynamics of

community life to a smaller extent. The mis-

sion no longer inspires the community and

there is a strong temptation to take up an indi-

vidualistic attitude. In short, these communi-

ties are lifeless. The main concern is the con-

tinuity and maintenance of current apostolic

works.

In this microclimate, lay people admire the

history of the Salesians, but they do not sense

in them neither life in the present nor as a pos-

sibility for the future; however, they expect

them to give off motivation and energy. Lay

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FLASH • October 2022 YOUTH MINISTRY SECTOR Salesiani di Don Bosco • Sede Centrale Salesiana

people are involved in the mission and are

attracted by the charism. They try to respond

to the challenges as best as they can. They

accept positions of responsibility and anima-

tion, taking on the roles the Salesians have

occupied throughout history, often feel alone

in the face of the challenges of the mission.

Lay people must guide the works, impress

their testimonial role, be in the world, take

care of young people, ensure the transmis-

sion of the Salesian identity and maintain a

preferential commitment to the poorest.

There is the risk that the communities will

be content with the established order and over

the years lose sight of the prophetic dimen-

sion that guarantees the Salesian vocation. The

efforts of the vocational animation focus on

encouraging lay partners to take on new com-

mitments. It is well-structured and creative.

Third microclimate:

Little or no emphasis on vocations and little

or no emphasis on the Salesian vocation.

We find this type of «soil» in contexts in which

the vocational animation has been abandoned

or totally neglected. In this microclimate, the

Salesians focus on the management of edu-

cational works. They are generally unable to

imagine a different future. They are very com-

mitted to what they do and avoid profound

questions about their own vocation and do

not dare to speak about it publicly.

Regarding the communities, there is usua

lly little cohesion due to disappointment and

fatigue. They feel fragmented by the main-

tenance of the Salesian Works. There are only

daily emergencies. They maintain the exter-

nal forms of community life, but rarely with

effective internal dynamism. They show no

interest in sharing with lay collaborators. They

are willing to do anything to defend their sta-

bility and positions. These survival commu-

nities avoid welcoming or accompanying

vocations, be they vocations of Salesians or

lay collaborators, and are endangered com-

munities.

Most lay people are accompanied only at

the beginning of their work in the Salesian

presence. They do not have opportunities for

ongoing and quality training that supports the

charism. They are not involved at the institu-

tional level and, if they are, show little or no

sense of belonging. They have always seen

the Salesians as the owners of the institution.

Some seek meaning and spirituality, but they

do so with other church movements or in oth-

er places.

The identity and evangelising character of

the works are not guaranteed. Vocational ani-

mation does not exist or exists only to make

it seem like something is being done.

Fourth microclimate:

Strong emphasis on vocations and the

Salesian vocation

This a microclimate that fills us with hope.

We find it in many contexts throughout

the Congregation. In this microclimate, the

Salesians are committed to enhancing their

vocation. They are available to educate poo

rer young people. They are Salesians who are

in constant spiritual and apostolic search.

In these contexts, many lay people love the

charism and identify with it because they have

lived a high-quality Salesian formation and

appreciate the value of the Salesian vocation.

They are involved in conveying the values a nd

teachings of the Gospel and, by living their

spiritual journey with openness and willing-

ness, they have nourished their own vocation.

These lay people live their educational and

Salesian vocation with sensitivity in the com-

mitment to young people.

Regarding the Salesian communities, they

take care of moments in which they deepen

mutual relations and are willing to share their

community experience with lay and young

people. They adapt their schedules to ensure

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Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende • Vocational animation. An inspiring principle and goal of Salesian Youth Ministry

meaningful moments of community life and

open their times of prayer and retreat to peo-

ple seeking experiences of spirituality. They

commit themselves effectively to promot-

ing and living their annual community plan

and to nourishing the prophetic dimension

of religious life in order to spend time with

simple people and underprivileged young

people.

Vocational animation focuses on all voca-

tions. It is a dynamic ministry, which responds

to the needs of young people and offers spac-

es for sharing the faith with them. In short, these

are Works with a future in which Salesians and

lay collaborators focus on the needs of people,

share equal dignity among the various voca-

tions, participate in the renewal of the mission

and are willing to create an authentic vocational

culture. As in the parable, «some produced a

hundred or sixty or thirtyfold» (Mt 13:8).

3 Vocational culture

A pastoral care that leads to being in tune

with what God’s wants for our life.

[1] Today many young people ask them-

selves the same questions and do not always

find the space to examine and deepen them.

The questions come from within, as internal

movements that are often unable to interpret

or recognise. Many times, we have all experi-

enced the need for a person who could give

us the necessary tools to go from this inner

turbulence to trust in a meaningful life plan.

The concept of «vocational culture1» can

help us to enter into the proposal of an inte-

grated and effective vocational animation for

today. Today there is talk of a «culture of

health», which leads us to know and appreci-

ate what promotes a healthy life, developing

the appropriate guidelines. There is also a

1 The «vocational culture» was the theme of the Papal

Message for the 30th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, cele-

brated on 2 May 1993. Since then it has been used in vari-

ous documents and in the reflection on vocational ministry.

«sports culture» which realises the knowledge

and appreciation of certain sports disciplines.

We could speak of «digital culture», etc.

The «culture» of a Salesian house or pro

vince is, above all, the result of the interaction

between people and is carried out in the man-

ner and style of being a community; second-

ly, it allows to give order and meaning to what

happens and to interpret the different expe-

riences of everyday life.

In the same way, «vocational culture» refers

to the environment, created by the members

of an Educative-Pastoral Community (not just

the religious community), which promotes

the conception of life as a vocation. It is an

environment that allows each person, wheth-

er believer or non-believer, to enter into a pro-

cess where he can discover his own passion

and his own goals in life. «Feeling the voca-

tion to something» means feeling called by a

precious reality, from which I can interpret

and give meaning to my life. It involves not

so much doing whatever we want but discov-

ering what we are called to be and do.

The delicate point of vocation animation is

to look for different ways to awaken, discern,

nourish and respectfully accompany the young

person so that he can make the important deci-

sions of life in the exercise of his own free-

dom.

[2] Furthermore, when we speak of «voca-

tional culture» in Salesian Youth Ministry, we

intend to promote a Christian experience

that leads to harmony with God’s desire

for our young people. This implies offering

criteria and conditions that guide us to live

life as a response to God’s will, discovering

the specific mission. We firmly believe that a

reflection on the «vocational culture» in this

sense can help us move personally and insti-

tutionally towards the «fourth microclimate»

referred to in the previous point.

We can say that this vocational culture has

some fundamental components: gratitude,

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FLASH • October 2022 YOUTH MINISTRY SECTOR Salesiani di Don Bosco • Sede Centrale Salesiana

openness to the transcendent, questioning

about life, availability, confidence in oneself

and in others, the ability to dream and desire,

amazement for beauty, altruism ... These com-

ponents are certainly the basis of any voca-

tional approach. At the same time, they are

no different from the elements offered in an

integral formation proposal.

But we should also speak of the specific com

ponents of this vocational culture. These are

the elements that foster, among other things:

the knowledge and appreciation of God’s per-

sonal call (to life, to discipleship and to a con-

crete mission) and the paths of Christian life

(secular and of special consecration); the prac-

tice of discernment as an attitude of life and a

means to make a life choice; the relevant aspects

of the Salesian charism itself. If we put aside

these specific components, the so-called «voca-

tional culture» would be too general and

wouldn’t achieve practicality. A good vocation-

al culture must have a good foundation and at

the same time aim for possible practicality.

4 Three stages of a process

Vocational proclamation,

proposal and discernment

On the basis of a broader pastoral action, a

vocational pastoral process can be devel-

oped that contains three ingredients of the

following stages.

[1] The vocational proclamation is the proc-

lamation of life as a vocation. We all have a

vocation, and it is necessary for someone to

help us to find it.

This «vocational kerygma» implies the pro

clamation of God’s call, as a work that He is ful-

filling in us, giving a definitive orientation to

our lives. The contents of this «first proclama-

tion» or basic proclamation are the fundamen-

tal and specific components we mentioned ear-

lier. There is no doubt that a good «proclama-

tion» is, in itself, a whole «proposal».

[2] The vocational proposal is an invitation to

discover God’s will for one’s life. It is what

can trigger the vocational spark, which leads

a young person to start a research itinerary or

to consider the possibility of beginning a con-

crete journey. As such, the proposal includes

intentionality, as an appeal to the person’s

freedom. It must be done with clarity, coura

ge and respect.

[3] Vocational discernment is the path of cla

rification that a person begins starting from

a vocational proposal he receives and from

a vocational restlessness he feels. Speaking

of «discernment» in the vocational animation

means helping young people to choose; it

means facilitating the means and the tools so

that they can discover, interpret, understand

and welcome the presence and callings of the

Holy Spirit in their real life. The elements that

make up a process of discernment are prayer,

awareness of the life proposal, reflection, deci

sion, action and the spiritual accompaniment

of this entire journey.

But we must not forget that the Christian

vocation is a response that comes from the

discovery, the gradual knowledge and the

faithfulness to the person of Jesus. Pope Ben-

edict XVI, in his first encyclical God is Love,

stressed that «being Christian is not the result

of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the

encounter with an event, a person, who gives

life a new horizon and a decisive direction»

(no. 1). The message of love of Jesus of Naz-

areth, alone, is capable of winning the heart

of every person and of encouraging them to

live their lives as a precious plan in the hands

of God.

[4] In conclusion, every vocational animator

must understand that he is a servant of the

vocation of real people. The important thing

is that young people discover where God

wants them and dreams for them.

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Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende • Vocational animation. An inspiring principle and goal of Salesian Youth Ministry

The «vocational culture», in this case, facil-

itates the fabric, network or atmosphere of

values, certainties, convictions, practices and

ideals rooted in the Gospel that create a way

of perceiving and understanding oneself in

the context of God’s plan in general, and of

vocation in particular. When an EPC creates

the right environment, young people are more

willing to listen to God’s call in an attitude of

faith and to embark on the adventure of

making it materialise in their hearts.

Proclamation, proposal and discernment

are three actions that are sometimes mixed,

even though it is useful to distinguish them

on a pedagogical level. They are three stages

of a process that needs to be specified and

offered within a pastoral plan that aims to

develop a vocational culture starting from an

integrated and effective pastoral animation.

The concept of vocation animation aims to

develop these components or dynamisms

through which people are helped to ques-

tion themselves about the meaning of their

life, to discover the gift of the mission and

to find their own specific vocation accord-

ing to God’s will.

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5 Conditions needed

for a «vocational culture»

[1] Persistent prayer is the basis of all voca-

tional animation. On the one hand, for pasto-

ral workers and for the whole Christian com-

munity: if vocations are a gift, we must ask

the Lord of the harvest (cf. Mt 9:38) to con-

tinue to inspire Christians with vocations to

the various forms of Christian life. On the oth-

er hand, prayer is an essential means to lis-

ten to and accept God’s call; therefore, a fun-

damental task of all youth ministry is to help

young people to pray. Prayer is the first and

most effective means for vocational ministry.

[2] The «kerygma» or vocational proclama-

tion which we spoke about earlier begins with

one’s personal and community life, provided it

is lived in an authentic way. It is people, and

not organizations, which promote vocations.

There is nothing more provocative than the

passionate witness of the vocation that

God gives to each one; it is only in this way

that those who are called trigger, in turn, the

call-in others. We must strive to make our way

of life with the Lord understandable. This is

true for all vocations, because lay educators

are also called to convey a true experience

of the God of Jesus. This witness therefore

invites our young people to assume a credi-

ble Christian life.

In the case of the vocation of special con-

secration, it is necessary to invite all Salesians

to contribute to the creation of a «vocational

culture» in whatever environment they find

themselves. We Salesians are the heart,

memory and guarantors not only for the

Salesian charism, but also for their own

vocation. There will be no vocations if we Sale-

sians are not able to perceive ourselves as

«good news» wherever we are and we are ready

to unfold our existence as a commitment to

this project. The European congress on voca-

tions, held in Rome in May 1997, made a very

lucid observation: «The vocational crisis of

those who are called is today also a crisis of

those who call».

Consecrated life reflects values that attract

many young people, such as total dedication,

communion of hearts, spirituality and alt ruism.

However, it is necessary for young people to

perceive that the real driving force of our

consecrated life is the following of Jesus

Christ, which entails going out of oneself, radi

calism, self-giving and inner unification. For

this reason, our life must be transparent,

meaningful and, at the right moments, it must

also be expressed with words that reveal what

moves us.

At the same time, we Salesians must keep

our presence among them. In this way, they

can come to know and understand our aspi-

rations as a real possibility in their life, a strong

life alternative for people of our times. Logi-

cally, this possibility must be accompanied by

discernment, even though the responses may

seem to be weak at the beginning.

[3] Another focal point of the «vocational cul-

ture» is the renewal and revitalisation of

community life. Authentic vocational issues

can arise in the EPC and, within it, in the reli-

gious community, where one’s vocation, fra-

ternal relationships, commitment to the mis-

sion and the acceptance of each and every

one is lived and celebrated.

First of all, the religious community is a

privileged place to recover quality time for lis-

tening and personal encounter with young

people who want to be welcomed and listened

to. In this sense, common dialogue and reflec-

tion are necessary to work on the ability to

welcome vocations in one’s community. Let

us ask ourselves if our communities are edu-

cational environments that facilitate the search

for and the strengthening of the meaning and

purpose of the life of young people, by stimu

lating them to deepen their vocation as disci-

ples of the Lord. Is our community life healthy,

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Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende • Vocational animation. An inspiring principle and goal of Salesian Youth Ministry

intense, committed and responsible for the

vocation we have received?

Secondly, the Educative-Pastoral Commu-

nity also has a deeply vocational structure: it

is the privileged mediation of God’s call to the

mission, it is a sign of Christ as missionary of

the Father. The story of each Salesian house

is intertwined with the small and large histo-

ry of each person and his or her vocation.

Our life offers young people the opportu-

nity to approach concrete testimonies of the

different paths of the Church in their path of

Christian growth: Christian couples, commit-

ted lay people, persons who are consecrated

in contemplative and active life, ordained

ministers. Close testimonies that make it pos-

sible to know both one’s lifestyle and the per-

sonal, social and ecclesial relevance of one’s

life choice.

The vocational proposal arises, on the one

hand, from the gratuitousness that comes from

God and, on the other, from the need to make

his Kingdom present. The vocational propos-

al has two reasons: a theological one - so that

each person may discover the path that God

has prepared for him - and a functional one -

which we could summarise by saying that «with-

out people there are no projects».

[4] At times, we identify the entire vocational

animation with action alone. The three previ-

ous points were intended to express that pas-

toral action in this field that is not supported

by prayer and witness of life is afflicted with

inconsistency, as would happen in any other

area of p astoral care. Furthermore, since voca-

tion requires resistance and persistence, com-

mitment and stability, we must go beyond the

mentality or vocational sensitivity and pos-

sess a vocational practice, a vocational ped-

agogy with actions that make it credible and

support it over time and space. This pedago-

gy deals with the importance of the itinerar-

ies of faith in Christian initiation, with the pro-

posals for accompanied community life and

with accompaniment.

Trust in God is not opposed to the need for

good planning and practice of the pastoral

ministry. This vocation animation or ministry

is a transversal axis of our SEPP, as well as a spe

cific task. The axis of all youth ministry work

is for each person to discover where God wants

them to be. At the same time, it is necessary

to have spaces, times, people ... who help make

it a reality, which is to say, that vocational ani-

mation is also a specific task. We would like to

see in every Salesian work an educative-pas-

toral practice that reaches «everyone» and

«speaks to everyone» about vocation, how-

ever some tools are needed.

For this reason, a key aspect of «vocational

culture» is the necessary link that must exist

between vocation animation within youth

ministry, so that all our efforts must converge

in guiding young people towards an option

of Christian life in a specific vocation of ser-

vice in the Church. Youth ministry is, in itself,

vocational, and vocation ministry cannot exist

apart from youth ministry.

[5] If trust in God, who calls, works like a lung

that gives oxygen to the vocational ministry,

the other lung is trust in the generous heart

of young people. Their hearts are made for

great things, for beauty, for goodness, for

freedom, for love ..., and this aspiration con-

stantly appears as an interior call in the depths

of their hearts. As Salesians, with the help of

the pedagogy of itineraries, we must become

the traveling companions of young people to

show them how in everyday life Jesus knocks

gently at the door of their hearts through their

best intuitions, their brilliant thoughts, their

desire to love and to be loved, their dreams

and their ideals, their desire for freedom.

The many questions that young people have,

their personal searches, their concerns, their

hopes and their joys, even their own rebel-

lion, can become God’s privileged passage in

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FLASH • October 2022 YOUTH MINISTRY SECTOR Salesiani di Don Bosco • Sede Centrale Salesiana

their life. They are theological places where

Someone, much greater than their personal

reality, in a strange and mysterious way, makes

his way into the fabric of human existence

and desires to depend on them to make them

recipients of his love, to share his life and his

Kingdom project with them, so that joy may

reach its fullness in them (cf. Jn 17:13).

God’s call, far from being an «intrusion» in

life, consists in proposing a journey to follow,

whose path puts into play the best of every

young person. The call is nothing other than

listening to the voice of God in the depths of

one’s heart. And to listen to it, one must be

ready to take the risk of the adventure of life,

with its beautiful but also difficult moments.

From this perspective, we were able to deal

with two vocational approaches:

–– The first approach focuses on the people

closest to our charism, that is, those who,

because of their bond with Salesian com-

munities and works, are open to an expe-

rience of God, to meaningful community

relationships and to service with young

people.

–– The second approach focuses on those who

can be attracted to deepening the Salesian

vocation as a fundamental life choice.

The proposal is aimed at those who ask ...

and those who do not ask! Among the first,

the young people of Bethany who ask him:

«Master, where do you live?»; says the rich

young man. «And among the latter, the fish-

ermen at work on the lake shore (Peter,

Andrew, James and John), or Matthew, who

was sitting at the tax collector’s table, like oth-

er Old Testament characters who were called

even when» they were doing their own busi-

ness»: Moses, Amos, Jeremiah ...

[6] Finally, to complete the map, let us not

forget the promotion of the vocation of spe

cial consecration.

In this proposal, a concrete aspect of voca-

tional animation is defined: to awaken and

accompany people called to a concrete form

of life (the ordained ministry, one’s own con-

gregation or movement), as a concrete way

of following Jesus. What once seemed to be

the only object of vocational animation, must

now continue to be an important element,

within the framework of a broader and more

inclusive vocational promotion.

Thus, the conceptual map of vocational ani-

mation ranges from the promotion of all forms

of Christian life, encouraging personal and

community itineraries of growth in faith, to

the particular commitment to propose and

encourage concrete life choices. In this sense,

the vocation to the priesthood and/or conse-

crated life is found in this context of vocation-

al search.

6 Three paths to

vocational culture

Pray, live and work

Starting from the quotation by Pope Francis

(EG 107), we can indicate three paths to fol-

low for a coherent vocational animation: liv-

ing a contagious apostolic fervour, praying

insistently and daring to propose. In summa-

ry: what can we do? Pray, live and act. These

are strategies that aim to help young people

build a choice-oriented ecosystem.

From the experience in the Salesian pro

vinces, we suggest these three areas that are

particularly appropriate and interconnected,

at various levels.

All this implies that the Province must:

–– set up a team or commission for vocational

animation. It is necessary to recognise and

be grateful that these teams can prepare

reflections, promote activities and offer

experiences, while maintaining enthusiasm

for the service of vocational animation.

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11 Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende • Vocational animation. An inspiring principle and goal of Salesian Youth Ministry

These teams should also be offered train-

ing that responds to the needs of our time;

–– ensure that the Province’s coordinator for

vocation animation is in the best condition

to carry out his specific mission;

–– offer, within the SEPPS, places of reference

and initiatives for prayer, accompaniment

and vocational discernment;

–– invest in human and material resources in

the area of accompaniment and vocation-

al discernment;

–– define the comprehensive process of accom

panying young people in search based on a

plan that includes stages, profiles and roles

of those involved, especially with regard to

aspirantates, communities or vocational

guidance centres.

Religious communities must:

–– reflect and include in their annual commu

nity plan some specific commitments that

specify the local opportunities for making

the Salesian vocation known;

–– offer community experiences to those who

wish to deepen their Salesian vocation in

order to share experiences of life and spir-

ituality: to go from a «vocational animator»

to a «vocational community»;

–– create welcoming spaces for young people

and strive not only to get to know them,

but to welcome them and to spend their

life with them, which is much more than

offering them pastoral experiences, res our

ces and opportunities;

–– clearly express the joy and hope of their voca

tional call to be what they are: Salesians.

–– encourage an attitude of recognition, cele

bration and accompaniment of young peo-

ple who express a sense of call;

–– be in contact with young people and thus

inject «vitamin M» (=mission) into their hearts,

which will enable them to become the most

direct witnesses of Jesus to their friends

and peers;

–– give visibility to the elderly Salesians, not as

relics, but as witnesses.

This implies that in the EPCs it is necessary to:

–– review good practices in all sectors of the

house and examine which of these really

have an impact on young people;

–– promote formation in vocational culture

throughout the educative-pastoral commu-

nity, so as to contribute to a deeper under

standing of vocations, overcoming the idea

that only Salesians «have a vocation»;

–– offer concrete experiences of faith, service

and community suitable for each age group,

condition and circumstances (Pope Francis

formulates this in a more expressive way

when he says that «the Christian vocation

is necessarily born within an experience of

mission» - 52nd World Day of Prayer for

Vocations, 2015);

–– give priority to vocational activities over

other activities, in particular spaces and

times for personal accompaniment, import-

ant moments (a missionary experience, a

strong experience of prayer or Spiritual

Exercises, an encounter with a significant

person, an Easter celebration ...) and events

with a Salesian impact (participation in a reli-

gious profession or ordination, a visit to a

centre for young people at risk ...);

–– show special care for the introduction of

vocational elements in all age groups, but

we have a privileged place among anima-

tors, volunteers, young collaborators, uni-

versity students, students from recent years.

7 Conclusion

Many people may not know that oil prospec-

tors have to dig an average of 247 wells to

find a profitable one. And they are not discour

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FLASH • October 2022 YOUTH MINISTRY SECTOR Salesiani di Don Bosco • Sede Centrale Salesiana

aged by a series of failures. They keep search-

ing, because they know that a single fruitful

well is worth the whole series of unsuccessful

searches. What about the Christian vocation?

Will it be worth less than an oil well? And the

Salesian heart? Will it be less profitable? We

must not be discouraged in our vocational

task of making the Lord Jesus known, loved

and followed using all appropriate means.

Today’s Church also needs Salesian voca-

tions. Perhaps we should remind ourselves

that the dynamism of vocational discernment

does not end when a person leaves a forma-

tion house. Discernment is a spiritual task

enlightened by the hope of knowing God’s

will; it is a humble task, because it implies the

awareness of not knowing, but it expresses the

courage to seek, to look and to walk forward,

freeing oneself from that fear of the future which

is anchored in the past and which arises from

the presumption of knowing it all.

Vocation is a lifelong process, regarded as

a succession of calls and responses, a dialogue

in freedom between God and every human

being, which takes the form of a mission to

be discovered continuously in the various phases

of life and in contact with new realities. A voca-

tion, therefore, is the particular way in which

a person structures his life in response to a

personal call to love and serve; the way of lov-

ing and serving that God wants for each one

of us.

Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende

Youth Ministry General Councilor

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