(ANS - Rome)- The annual meeting of the World Council of the Salesian Family begins tomorrow 30 May at the Salesian     Generalate and will end on Sunday 1 June. Fr Ángel Fernández Artime , Tenth Successor of Don Bosco, will participate for the first time, sharing in the work from beginning to end.

The purpose of the World Council, as stated in article 46 of the Charter of Identity for the Salesian Family, is to provide the essential guidelines for leadership for the coming pastoral year.  In addition, the meeting will  try to broaden our perspective for the coming years, presenting some programme guidelines and proposals for the guidance of the Salesian Family for the entire six-year period 2014-2020.

Activities will commence tomorrow afternoon, immediately after the close of the meeting of the Union of Superior Generals. The Rector Major will greet all those present. This will be followed by a screening of his video message to the Salesian Family given a few days after his election. They will then reflect on the meaning and the programme of activities for the Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco.

Saturday will be devoted mainly to the presentation and sharing of the situation of the various groups of the Salesian Family. Attention will also be paid to particular topics, such as the participation of the Salesian Family at Expo in Milan in 2015. Carola Carazzone, former President of VIS,  the Salesian NGO  International Volunteer Service for Development has been invited to speak on this issue.

Finally, on Sunday 1 June, two other important issues will be addressed: the preparation of the 2015 Salesian Family Spirituality Days, with a look back at areas of progress; and the request for the Salesian Congregation to be given the "2014 Prince of Asturias Award for Concord" raised by the Salesian Past Pupils of Spain. Fr Javier Valiente, Salesian Delegate for Social Communication of Spain, and Ángel Gudiña, Vice-President of the World Confederation of young Past Pupils, will speak on this latter topic.

Posted on 29/05/2014