(ANS - Madrid) - Spain-Italy: in the present pre-World Cup atmosphere, this sounds like the announcement of a big game. In fact, it is the first positive encounter of something equally important which is the challenge of working for the integral formation of young people in the two countries.
From 1 to 4 June, the Salesian Community of San Lorenzo in Rome, the National Centre of Salesian works in Italy, travelled to Spain to visit the Spanish National Centre of Salesian Youth Ministry, based in Madrid, for a meeting to get to know each other and to study the situation in the two countries. The meeting was conducted in a climate of great fraternity.
The idea of organizing the event came as a result of the establishment of the new Mediterranean Region by the 27th General Chapter. The leaders of the two national centres considered this meeting very important. It had already been suggested on other occasions and always put off for one reason or another. The host was Fr Koldo Gutiérrez, National Coordinator of Youth Ministry. He took part in the meeting and contributed some very significant facts on the situation.
On the first day, after a visit to the Prado Museum, with its works of art from many countries, the participants visited Atocha, the Provincial House of the Madrid Province. There they celebrated the Eucharist which brought back memories of World Youth Day 2011 and the world gathering of the Salesian Youth Movement. They then visited the chapel in memory of the Spanish Salesian martyrs. The Italian confreres got to know something about the system of vocational training in Spain when they visited the community of St Dominic Savio.
The second and third days were entirely devoted to an exchange between the two national centres covering areas such as composition and structure, activities undertaken by individual offices, and decision making procedures. In the initial phase they worked together for a wider exchange of ideas. Later they devoted time to a more focussed discussion on specific sectors and offices.
The Salesians of the two countries experienced a positive sense of satisfaction, marked by fraternity, enriching and constructive dialogue, and getting to know two situations which are similar but also different. They agreed to meet again in Rome in a year’s time, to move forward from knowledge to collaboration. A Spanish slogan highlights the meaning and value of the meeting, as well as the direction they want to go:¡juntos somos más! Together we achieve more!
Published 06/09/2014
