(ANS – Addis Abeba) – The Youth Ministry Commission of CIVAM, the Conference of Provinces and Vice-Provinces of Africa-Madagascar, held its annual meeting at Addis Abeba from 14 to 17 September. This year’s meeting was of special significance since it was the last of this six-year period. It was time to evaluate the progress made in Youth Ministry in all the Provinces and Vice-Provinces of the region in the period 2008-2014.
There were 18 participants in all, 13 of them delegates representing the various Provinces and Vice-Provinces and the Provincial Delegation of Sudan, plus two young people from the Vice-Province of Ethiopia-Eritrea (AET). Also present were Fr Fabio Attard, Councillor General for Youth Ministry, Fr Claudio Ciolli, President of the Commission and Fr Robert Simon from the Department of Youth Ministry.
On the first day the delegates presented the reports they had already prepared reflecting the state of Youth Ministry in their respective Provinces and Vice-Provinces. These reports revealed a Youth Ministry organization that is capable of further reflection and growth in the different situations examined.
In subsequent days, the commission studied the topic of Youth Ministry Teams in each area – how to strengthen and energize them. This was one of the topics that gave rise to most discussion. The members of the commission also reflected on the report of the meeting of the Advisory Body on Youth Ministry, held in Rome from 5 to 8 February of this year.
“The work of the Advisory Body will lead to a new edition of theFramework of Fundamental Reference of Salesian Youth Ministry to be presented at the 27th General Chapter.” So said Fr Miguel Angel Nguema, who had taken part in the meeting of the Advisory Body in his capacity as representative of the commission. The commission has already requested the representatives of the Provinces and Vice-Provinces to make the document known throughout the region.
The next meeting was fixed for September 2014.
Published 19/09/2013
