(ANS – Madrid) – Representatives of schools, parishes, youth centres, and social platforms of the Salesian Family, more than 50 people, members of different groups of the Salesian Family, met from 19 to 21 April at Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, to discuss the reality of cultural and religious diversity in Salesian environments, to propose lines of action and good practice for evangelization, and to analyze the implication for ministry in the Salesian Family.

The topic was presented in three reports followed by discussion, as well as in group work and information on some initiatives already being undertaken. Francisco Javier de la Torre, of the University of Comillas, spoke on “Listening to, accepting and understanding cultural and religious diversity”; Jose Luis Sánchez, of the University of Granada spoke about how to evangelize in a context of cultural and religious diversity, while Maria Angeles Pavón, of the University of Barcelona, analyzed the challenges that face the Salesian Family.
 
In the area of good practice already under way, examples were given of the Boys’ Town in Madrid, the day centre at Jaén, the Youth Group called “Friends’ Centre” at Sant Vicenç dels Horts, the parish of Ciutat Meridiana in Barcelona and the Don Bosco Youth Centre Puzzle Project in Madrid.

The groups then shared their reflections and conclusions, and these will be sent to the various provincial and national coordinating teams.

The idea for the meeting at Alcalá de Henares came from a concern felt in various Salesian works. They have tried to respond in different ways but feel the need for deeper study and a serious analysis.  In this way, the Salesian Family in Spain is trying to put into practice the Directives proposed in different General Chapters, both SDB and FMA. For example, the FMA GC22 calls on educative communities to be ”places of welcome and solidarity with different cultures, where a fruitful exchange can take place, making people more open to educational demands.”

Similarly, the SDB GC26 observes that “Many of our works are found in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural context which presents new challenges and new opportunities for evangelization. Of particular importance is our relationship with Islam, which requires appropriate strategies for dialogue and proclamation. Where an explicit or immediate proclamation of Jesus Christ is not possible, our presence as Christian educators constitutes a prophetic sign and sows a precious seed of evangelization.” (AGC401 n. 30).

Published 29/04/2013