The final day Sunday 24 January was devoted to two celebrations: that of the Mass and that of the conclusions.
Commenting on the readings for the III Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Rector Major emphasised that one the characteristic features of the Messianic Mission carried out by Jesus with His great love and special concern for those most in need was its being done “now”: “Today is precisely the novelty of Jesus. The last days began with Him and they are prolonged through time in the Church and in our own days.”
“This way of acting by Jesus, Fr Chavez continued, “is an invitation to shape, as individuals and as communities, as groups and the entire Salesian Family, our life and our educative and pastoral activities around His, accompanying Gospel proclamation with a commitment to human development and to creating a Christian culture.” From this arises the task of the 28 groups of the Salesian Family “to bring the good news of salvation to the poor, the least, the needy, the young; news that brings hope and a future to their lives; it is up to us to be Jesus for our young people so as to say, as at Nazareth, ‘This text is being fulfilled today.”
Later in the Great Hall of the Salesianum, came the official conclusion of the XXVIII in the series of the Spirituality Days. It took the form of a celebration of the Word during which results of the group work were presented, tasks which the various parts of the Salesian Family are called to make their own. There is a strong desire to make the local and Provincial Consultative Committees work well. These organisations, composed of representatives of the groups in the area have the role of coordinating a apostolate which is more and more one of evangelisation.
The Rector Major once again, as he had dome in the commentary on the Strenna for 2010 asked that a real youth mission should be undertaken according to the particular programmes and specific features of each Province and country.
Fr Chávez officially presented a draft of the new “Identity Card of the Salesian Family.” The is a further step in making the Salesian Family a real movement, officially recognised by the Church, for the salvation of the young. The document will be sent to the Councils of the various Institutes, Congregations and Associations which make up the Salesian Family so that it can be studied, modified and discussed.
The Rector Major was given a very warm round of applause, as the final act of the Days, in recognition of his role in the animation of the Salesian Family.
There was then the tradition group photograph. This year two versions were taken, one the normal one and then another with everyone imitating the gesture on the poster which seems to have become the symbol of the Strenna for 2010.
The Spirituality Days were closely followed by the multimedia production of Missioni Don Bosco - Media Centre from Turin. As in previous years, shortly they will have DVD-Cdrom available with videos, the talks and photographs. In the meantime it is possible to find the same material on the appropriate section on the sdb.org site.
Published 25/01/2010
