symbios nov - dec 2015

7/24/2019 SYMBIOS Nov - Dec 2015

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SYMBIOSMumbai ProvinceNovemberDecember 2015,

During the last few weeks, I had the privilege of parcipang and interacng with a num-

ber of Salesians from the various provinces in South Asia. A pernent queson on the

minds of everyone was regarding the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM), What can we do

to make the SYM more vibrant, visible and credible?

Way back in 2004, the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) was already approved as an

ecclesial youth movement in the universal church. While the SYM does ourish in a

number of countries, South Asia sll seems to be struggling to promote this very im-

portant dimension of our Youth Ministry.

Don Bosco, surely never had the idea of a modern day Youth Movement or even a spir-

ituality for that maer. During his life me, he did however promote the work of the young people themselves and the

oratory criterion was the umbrella under which his youth ministry ourished to the full. Following the centenary of hisdeath in 1988, the SYM was founded and took momentum at the rst SYM YOUTH FORUM during the Jubilee year 2000 at

Colle Don Bosco. In 2004, the SYM was ocially approved and included in the List of Internaonal Associaons of the

Faithful by the Poncal Society for the Laity. The Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) has its foundaon in the Salesian Youth

Spirituality, in communion with the Church and at the service of youth anddrawn from the rich understanding and lived our experience of Don Bosco s

Prevenve System.

At the 27th General Chapter, the Youth Ministry Department under Fr. Fabio

Aard, General Councillor for Youth Ministry, launched the SALESIAN YOUTH

MINISTRY: A FRAME OF REFERENCE as an instrument to shed light and give

direcon to every Salesian, and member of the Salesian Family in their ministry

with the young.

The next few issues of SYMBIOS will focus its aenon to making known this

Salesian Youth Ministry: Frame of Reference across the Province of Mumbaiand to enable this process to be the guiding star in all our Youth Ministry. This is a double issue for Nov-Dec. It will also

focus on the STRENNA 2016 With Jesus, let us Adventure in the Spirit Together andthe Year of Mercy Merciful Like the Father too.

As we enter this holy season of Advent and focus on our preparaon to receive the

Child Jesus into our hearts, lives and ministry, we cannot but look at our Salesian

Youth Ministry as deeply incarnaonal too! Look, here is your eld, here is where

you are to work!

SYMBIOS wishes all its readers a MERRY CHIRSTMAS and a FRUITFUL NEW YEAR

AHEAD Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb

SALESIAN YOUTHMOVEMENT


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SYMBIOSMumbai Province

Movements are made up of those who, in the great and unique movement of the

Church, live out their Chrisan, ecclesial, missionary experience ... by taking part in a

parcular charism. Young people from the SYM live their ecclesial

vocaon and mission according to the charism of Don Bosco. In fact

since 2004, the SYM has been included in the List of Internaonal Associaons of the

faithful (Poncal Council for the laity).

The SYM is not an associaon but is made up of young people who belong tovarious associaons or groups animated by Salesian Youth Ministry. Not being an

associaon its doors are open to everyone, since its service is directedto the Church and all young people. This does not stop us from witnessing to Christ,

sharing the Mystery with other young people who share the same faith, a joyfully

proclaiming it to whoever has not yet heard it. The SYM shares in the Salesian charism and is an expression of it amongst

oung lay people. Social acvity, group acvity, the community-based acvity of Sodalies were an almost spontaneous expe-

ience in Don Boscos life, given his natural leanings as a very social being and to friendship. Don Bosco, guided by his insight

nto the soul of the young person, discovered the great opportunity that groups and associaons oered: so adapng himself

o the various needs of his boys he created a whole range of social opportunies for them.

Group acvity for the young was essenal to Don Boscos prevenve and popular approach. It was an absolutely important

opportunity for educaon and ministry and for young people to be acve in their own right. Groups and associaons of various

inds, then, are what young people can do,hough backed by adults who encourage the young

roup members to come to the fore and take up respon-

ibility for how things are run. Through all the many

inds of group and youth associaons there are, we aim

o ensure a quality educaonal presence in new areas

where young people band together and lead them in the

irecon of a signicant experience of ecclesial life.

The Identy and Nature of the SYM:

The SYM is idened by two elements in parcular: on the one hand, reference to Salesian Youth Spirituality and Salesianpedagogy; on the other, the links between groups and associaons so that they can mutually cooperate in the task of

ormaon according to what is laid down by the Salesian educaonal and pastoral approach:

NovemberDecember 2015,

Salesian Youth Ministry: Frame of Reference


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The SYM unites young people from very dierent groups, associaons and sectors animated by Salesian

Youth Spirituality, following Don Boscos proposion regarding

educaon and evangelizaon: it is a youth movement inspired by Don

Bosco, conceived of not just as an organizaon, but as a kind of spiritu-

al energy with a common nucleus of Gospel values that gives rise to ap-

ostolic iniave and enthusiasm for life. Therefore the identy of the

SYM is Salesian Youth Spirituality invitaon to holiness in ordinary daily

ife. This is the kind of holiness achieved by Dominic Savio, Laura Vicua

and so many others in the Salesian Family;

Groups are the primary element of the SYM, where young people meet and help on another as they grow. We

should bring already exisng groups together in a Provincial network and include new ones coming into being. So the

rst focus is not on the kind of group it is. The SYM sees the value of any kind of group: from sports groups to arsc ones;

from those that are simply about coming together to those that prefer some specic acvity; from service groups to prayer

groups or those that take up an explicit response to the Church and the Chrisan message; from those focused on things that

are of most interest to teenagers to those ready to tackle the demands of faith; from those who are on the fringes of the

Chrisan community to those whose sense of belonging to the Church is very much stronger. Since they communicate with

one another, they are a network where they all share a common educaonal

value. So we are talking of a Reference movement where each group retains its

own specic character but is united with the others by a range of common

elements.


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WORLD: because, beyond each individual group, it can be found all

around the world in very dierent cultural contexts.

EDUCATIONAL: because it is oered to all young people so they can play

their disncve part in their human and Chrisan growth, with a mission-

ary outlook which also looks far a eld, with a willingness to make an im-

pact in their local area and in society and be part of and supporve of the

local Church;

YOUTHFUL: because young people are the true leaders in the educaon-

al development of the movement, accompanied by their educators, in

their own responsibility as part of the unique pastoral plan for the local


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So the reference point for the SYM is all young people acve in or living in places where there is a Salesian presence, at a

whole range of levels of involvement. The heart of the movement is undoubtedly the young leaders, theyouth leaders who have clearly and decisively accepted the Salesian educaonal and evangelising invitaon and whose life is

a witness to other young people. The young SYM leaders are the focus of special aenon by the SDB, FMA, the Cooperators

and other adult members of the Salesian Family who guide and accompany them.

Preferenal elds of acvity for the SYM:

The SYM acvies are all based on the young person and has a preference for the following elds of

acvity:

The visibility of the SYM and how it is run:

Although the range of groups is so dierent, the following are essenal issues for animaon:

The SYM is made visible through the various local, provincial, naonal and interconnental (depending on the level and

degree of development and make-up of networks) coordinaon teams; through community parcipaon in various

Church gatherings be they diocesan, naonal or world, such as World Youth Day for example; through meaningful repre-

sentaon in civil instuons which draw up policies aecng the young. this is why it is important to set up an


accompanying young people to the fullness of Chrisan lifethrough posive and supporve sengs (concrete alternave

1. Educaon

and

Evangelisaon

voluntary service to others and oering a Salesian interpretaon of dailylife in the light of the Gospel;

3. Personal /

Community

Apostolic

Involvement

Encouraging young people to become acvely involved in theChurchs life;

2. Social &

Ecclesial Life

especially in civil instuons that promoteyouth iniaves;

4. Social

Polical

Involve-sharing processes (informaon, news, experiences) and also com-mon gatherings at various levels, as possibilies exist.5.

Communicaon

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nformaon and linking network amongst the various groups and associaons in the SYM and also

etween them and other groups or associaons in the Church and the local area;

besides the meengs and other acvies of individual groups in the MGS, the Movement sees

that certain other opportunies are powerful moments for young people to come together:

provincial, naonal, internaonal and world meengs, liturgical opportunies and celebrang

alesian feasts, leadership formaon. Youth gatherings are characterisc feature of the SYM, as signicant occasions for

communicaon between groups and for spreading messages and values regarding Salesian Youth Spirituality.

Though levels dier and each one has its own specic character, SYM members idenfy in a special waywith Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello. Therefore there is a need to plan a Salesian invitaon to

formaon which can be oered the various groups and associaons as a point of reference for their own

formaon plan, and within the overall context of the Salesian Family

The Province, in coordinaon with other Salesian Family presences in its area, will see the Movement is considered

within the general context of the SEPP, in which the Youth Ministry Delegate and team are seen as the promoters

f the SYMas a youthful expression of the Provinces ministry


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What can

you as the

SYM do during

this Year of

Mercy


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WITH JESUS, we journey together in an adven-

ture of the Spirit!

A brief summary of some ideas:

* Life is where we nd ourselves at the cross-

roads. We are all familiar with this experience,

confronted as we are by a variety of paths and

opons. And it is precisely along the path of life

that the Spirit operates and, in all freedom,

knocks on the door of every human heart.

* In one way or another we all have the experi-

ence of being travelers, and there are days when

we have travelled long distances. This experience

of journeying sheds light on what it means to en-

gage in an adventure with the Spirit.

* Why? What does it mean to adventure in the

Spirit? In the rst place, it is an INTERIORourney. But, an interior journey is not only an exercise of entering into our inmost self, however good such an exercise

may be. For us who are believers, it is a journey of SPIRITUALITY, a spirituality that is culvated and expressed.

* Jesus himself lived an authenc adventure of openness to the Spirit. He always sought the Will of the Father who in His

Spirit inspired, accompanied, moved and guided Him

* Don Bosco himself lived his enre life, open to the Spirit, because it was his desire to respond to what God asked of him,

with regard to himself and for the sake of his boys. The path he followed at Chieri and his connual searching were a truly

adventurous journey, as he allowed himself to be guided by the Spirit. This journey led him down the years to that harmony

and personal unity that were far removed from any kind of fragmentaon.

* It was the same thing with the Lord Jesus, with Mary of Nazareth -they lived an adventure of the Spirit that meant trusng

n God without knowing the point of arrival -and with Don Bosco, whose yes to the Spirit was a real life adventure with in-

credible challenges. And this is the invitaon we receive each day to go deeper along the path of the Spirit, allowing our-

selves to be accompanied, led and surprised by Him. It is a path that holds a lot of "adventure": in it there are no certaines,

but the point of arrival is fascinang.

* How do we express and manifest this path of interiority and spirituality that enables us to let the Spirit accompany our

ives? It is expressed in a profound experience of faith. In culvang the community dimension of this same faith.

By growing in mercy and in the fraternal dimension of our life. Fr. ngel Fernndez Arme



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D. Jacob Palaparambil sdb

12/12/2015 at Aurangabad

D. Crescens Lemos sdb

19/12/2015 at Matunga

D. Leon Rodrigues sdb

19/12/2015 at Matunga

oshan Gonsalves sdb

2/2015 at Vasai

D. Richard Burkhao sdb

20/12/2015 at Vasai

D. Johnson Bhuriya sdb

27/12/2015 at Jabhua

D. Ashwin Mal sdb

27/12/2015 at Jabhua

D. Dinesh Vasava

21/12/2015 at Baroda

IS GOD CALLING YOU

TO BE A SALESIAN?

A PRIEST IS GODS GREATEST GIFT TO A FAMILY - Don Bosco

symbios nov - dec 2015

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