Then in 1971 the Special General Chapter recognised parish ministry as “an authentic Salesian apostolate” because it gives us “possibilities and favourable conditions for fulfilling our specific mission, the education of young people of the poorer classes” (GC20, 400-401). In short, the acceptance of the parish was justified by the possibility to minister to young people and the working class which was eventually codified in Constitutions art. 42 and Regulations art. 26. In this light parishes were placed under Youth Ministry and the Frame of Reference for Salesian Youth Ministry places “Parishes and Shrines entrusted to the Salesians” under Activities and Works of Salesian Youth Ministry (Chp. VII), together with the Oratory-Youth Centre, School and Vocational Training Centre, Higher Education and social services for youth at risk!
But in our globalised world today the context has drastically changed. The parish - be it in the city, rural area or in the forest – has become “a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of constant missionary outreach” (Evangelii Gaudium, 28). In it one meets not only lapsed Catholics but also refugees, migrants, followers of other religions, and atheists of all ages: “people not yet evangelised” referred to by Const. 30.
Hence, in every parish territory one finds not only the committed faithful but also many who believe that they have already known Jesus enough and are contented of living their faith in a routine manner or as something cultural. There are also those who have received poorly the initial proclamation of the Gospel hence, having a weak and vulnerable Christian identity, they eventually abandon their faith in Jesus Christ or live it as something cultural without worshiping with the community nor receiving the sacraments nor getting involved in the life and activity of the Parish. Similarly, there are those who have not heard about Christ, those who search for Someone or something whom they sense but cannot name as well as those who go through daily life deprived of any sense.
Indeed, today every parish is becoming more and more a real missionary frontier where there is an urgent need of ordinary pastoral care and activity, mission ad gentes and new evangelisation as pointed out by St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Missio 32-33 way back in 1990!
It is necessary to rethink our Salesian parishes to make them more missionary, parishes that are really outgoing! In such a truly missionary situation it is urgent that every Salesian parish overcomes the pastoral work of ordinary maintenance which leads to pastoral acedia and, instead, rediscover the importance and relevance of initial proclamation as the key to pastoral conversion which, in turn, fosters missionary enthusiasm and brings about the joy of evangelization. (Evangelii Gaudium, 79, 82-83).
