(ANS – Niterói) – The Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) National Council met from 14- -17 March at Santa Rosa College in Niterói, for its annual meeting. 11 of the 15 young leaders from the Salesians and Salesian Sisters' Provinces in Brazil took part with Fr Tiago Figueirò and Sr Elizabeth Montarroyos, national reference persons for Salesian Youth Ministry, and Fr Antonio Prado, sdb, National Councillor for the Episcopal Commission for Youth in the Brazilian Episcopal Conference (CNBB).

Amongst the main topics on the agenda was defining strategies for the National SYM (in Brazil they know it as “AJS”) meeting to be held from 18-21 July 2013 with the theme: “Young people evangelising other young people”; and for the world gathering of the SYM planned for 24 July as part of World Youth Day (WYD). Both events will take place at Niterói – the reasons then why this Council meeting took place there – and both of them will involve Fr Pascual Chávez, the Rector Major and Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Superior General of the Salesian Sisters.

Following the order of the day, the process for consolidating the national structures for the SYM were discussed. They wish to achieve this through a two year action plan and drawing up statutes of which a draft version is already in existence and in the hands of Sr Isidália, President of the Salesian Provincials Conference in Brazil (CIB). Her task is to make the SDB and FMA Provincials and Youth Ministry Delegates aware of the document, so they can offer their comments and suggestions, as well as providing a financial plan drawn up by the Council.

The National Council leaders have also written a letter to every member of the Salesian Youth Movement encouraging them to take part in World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro and the  Salesian Feast that will take place at the same time.

You can see the Message to SYM members here, for further information.

Published 27/03/2013