For the pastoral teams of the two Salesian Provinces in Spain - Spain-Mary Help of Christians (SMX), based in Seville, and Spain-St James Major (SSM), based in Madrid - this means, above all, an effort to change the mentality. “It's not a question of offering and doing many things, but of providing tools to live the deepest experience of faith: with personal moments of silence and prayer, moments of reflection and group sharing, and various offers to celebrate the faith in the family,” explains Fr Xabier Camino, Coordinator of Vocation Ministry and Missionary Animation of the Salesians of SSM.
All the people involved agree that there is a great interest in offering this experience. The response was surprising and “it is an unequivocal sign that young people, families and members of the Salesian Family want to celebrate Easter, even if we have to do it from our homes this year,” they conclude.
#PascuaSalesianaenCasa is the proposal of the Salesians of SMX, which has opened a website for this purpose. 435 young people under the age of 35 and 342 older adults have joined this initiative, which will be supported by 49 SDB and FMA and 74 animators. To facilitate these moments of shared reflection, 115 online groups were formed.
For its part, the SSM Province is organizing #iPascua, which also has its own website, and has 1,380 participants: 603 young people and 272 families grouping together more than 770 people (of all ages). 64 Salesians and FMA and 150 animators will accompany group dynamics and the moments together, which will be channeled through 150 online groups.
“We are used to organizing Easter meetings in specific places, with teams already organized, and this has forced us to improvise and see how we can respond to this need,” says Fr Francisco José Pérez, Delegate for Youth Ministry for SMX.
Fr José Luis Villota, Delegate for SSM Youth Ministry, says: “We are living a good moment to stimulate our hope and feel alive next to the Lord Jesus. Because Easter means moving from the death of suffering to a new life. In the midst of our homes, we want to try to feel united, pray together and united to Jesus.”
As a stimulus to the day, a video will be proposed, followed by a proposal for reflection and celebration. There will be celebrations on the Internet in various Salesian houses, together with other specific celebrations and a space for prayer and reflection which will be shared in a virtual bulletin board.
