(ANS – Rome) - Project Europe's (PE) future was the topic for the final session of the 4th meeting of Provincials in Europe who have been at the Generalate from 30 November until 2 December. The Mother General, Yvonne Reungoat, her Vicar, Sr Emilia Musatti, and Councillors for the Salesian Family and Youth Ministry, Sisters Miranda and Maria del Carmen Canales respectively, were also in attendance; it was a sign of how PE also needs to involve the Salesian Family.

Aspects to strengthen, change, introduce into PE were the kinds of issues that guided reflection and debate in the group work for the first morning session.

Many of the points made in the plenary assembly regarded the basic need for revitalisation from within, meaning the rediscovery and reinforcing of vocational and charismatic enthusiasm and in each Salesian to give meaning and support to new planning, re-organisation and restructuring of works, provinces, regions, and especially to vocation ministry.

Fr José Miguel Núñez Moreno, Regional Councillor for West Europe, presented some hypothetical reconfiguration for the European regions so that Provincial Chapter could reflect on them and offer further ideas. The 26th General Chapter had entrusted the Rector Major and his council with the task of defining “the nature and objectives of the Congregation's intervention on behalf of a renewed Salesian presence in Europe”. In recent months a first set of reflections, involving the three Regional Councillors concerned in a special way, has been made and presented to the General Council.

Contributions from the Provinces will help the General Council to refine the proposal which it will then forward to General Chapter 27 which must determine, as one of its tasks, the configuration of the current three Regions in Europe.

Concluding, the Rector Major noted that he had seen, in this 4th meeting, a greater involvement and interest in this Project which belongs to the entire Congregation. “Project Europe continues!” he said, pointing out that GC27 and the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth, experienced as a profound experience of renewal, are a further resource. “We need people with solid roots in the person of Jesus Christ”.

He then shared his interpretation of how Consecrated Life has evolved, and therefore also Salesian consecrated life in recent decades, where a number of paradigms focusing on certain dimensions were found to be less effective. He felt that Consecrated Life's renewal is founded on the inseparable triple dimensions of spirituality, fraternity and mission.

He then gave the European Provincials the text of the “Message to the People of God”, a summary of the work of the Synod on New Evangelisation. He read a handful of passages from it and shared his experience as a member of the Synod. He felt that this Message is a message of hope.

The Project Europe Commission met in the afternoon to bring together the various contributions that emerged over the three days of work. This means the conclusion of the final working session prior to General Chapter 27.

In ANS channel there is a short video summary of the meeting.

Published 03/12/2012