It was opened with greetings from Sr Maria Luisa Miranda, FMA Councillor for the SF, from the FMA Provincial of Thailand, Sr Agnese Nipha Rangabpit, and the Salesian Provincial of Thailand, Fr John Bosco Thepharat Pitian. They encouraged the participants in their task of formation and accompaniment of the lay people.
The Bangkok seminar was a formation opportunity which followed the main lines of the similar seminar held last February in Częstochowa, Poland, for the Delegates of the Salesian Family of the European Provinces. The key issue was the close examination of the service which the Salesian Congregation and the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christiansentrust to the Delegates for their accompaniment of the lay people in living the Salesian charism in social and ecclesial life.
Among the work undertaken was a careful analysis of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Christifideles Laici” and a re-examination of the Mission Charter, and of the document on the Consultative Committee of the Salesian Family, on the need for formation in order to work in net-work in the Salesian Family. There was also a reflection on the various forms of accompaniment of religious and lay people and the best ways to inculturate accompaniment in the different situations of Asia.
Leading the work was a team coordinated by Sr Miranda and by Fr Adriano Bregolin, Vicar of the Rector Major, who however was unable to be present because he was engaged in the Extraordinary Visitation of Ireland. Among those who contributed were Sr Maria Trigila, World Delegate for the Salesians-Cooperators (SSCC), Sr Maritza Ortiz, World Delegate for the FMA Past Pupils, Fr Stjepan Bolkovac, World Delegate for the SSCC, and Fr José Pastor Ramírez, World Delegate of the Don Bosco Past Pupils.
The FMA of the Sampran communities played hostesses to the guests during the days of the Seminar and also organised a cultural day in the capital of the country, Bangkok. The meeting ended with Mass at which Fr Thepharat Pitian presided on Sunday 19 September.
With this Seminar another significant goal has been reached: the Salesian Family in Asia has been able to have direct experience of and to become more aware of being “a vast movement of persons for the salvation of the young.”
Published 21/09/2010
