Italy – Naples: where the Bicentenary becomes real people, flesh, and life

(ANS – Boscoreale) – It is well known that the Rector Major,  Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, as did his predecessor, Fr Pascual Chávez, has said more than once that the Bicentenary of Don Bosco should not be reduced to a series of events. This is a risk to be avoided on an everyday basis in the many oratories, youth centres, schools and missions where Don Bosco's charism inspires young people and consecrated individuals to give of their best for the most in need. Like at Boscoreale, in the Piano Napoli area, an outlying hinterland region of Naples, an area very much at risk.

Youngsters in the Piano Napoli Boscoreale area have spent two weeks of enjoyment, being together, from the end of July until 9 August, thanks to various young volunteers who came from Piedmont and Southern Italy. Earlier these volunteers had taken part in a course on Salesian missionary spirituality .

These volunteer groups made up of 10 young people and 2 religious each organised a broad and full educational programme of games, interpersonal activities and prayerful moments. In the morning the youngsters were involved in manual work and sporting activities to develop their skills; in the afternoons there were games organised around the concepts of healthy competition and being together.

The experience of the young volunteers was that they often had to confront real poverty and not just of a material kind. The youngsters who took part, in fact, are already part of a programme of school support and leisure run by the “Emera” group in the N30 area, which has tried to bridge the gaps and offer children some essential points of reference or their growth as human beings and according to worthwhile values.

During the summer activities, therefore, the volunteers tried to sensitise the youngsters through just being there, dialogue, listening and understanding. Their aim was to spend as much time with these kids as possible, offering them basic tools for relationships and interpersonal communication, showing them something different to what they are used to, based on rules and respect for others.

It was a real challenge and one the volunteers embraced in an effort to educate the kids and open 'doors' that often remain closed diìue to twisted experiences, mindsets and viewpoints.

Published 15/08/2016