Traditionally, the Rector Major, his Vicar, the Sector Councilors - Formation, Youth Ministry, Missions, Social Communication, Economy - and the related Regional Councilor participate in the Team Visits, meeting with the Provincial Superiors of the different Salesian Circumscriptions of each region, members of their Provincial Councils, the heads of offices, centers or houses of great relevance in the regional Salesian context and also prominent figures from outside the Congregation who can offer authoritative points of view and contributions.
The Visit that begins tomorrow in Hyderabad, to end on Saturday, March 4, falls six years after the previous one (Chennai 2017), and is meaningfully positioned in the middle of the second six-year rectorate of Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime. The purpose of these Team Visits, in fact, lies primarily in assessing the level of implementation of the guidelines offered after the 28th General Chapter, reflecting on the statistics of the Salesians, and outlining the future paths of the Salesian Mission for youth in each region.
In the specific case of the 2023 South Asia Team Visit, the guiding theme of the work is: "Continuing together on the path of GC28" and will specifically address several topics:
- Growth in Charismatic Identity in Salesian Life. Vocation Promotion and Salesian Formation;
- Renewing Youth Ministry by focusing on the poorest of the poor, taking care of the sustainability of the mission;
- Co-responsibility for mission: with the laity and the Salesian Family;
- Identity of Salesians in South Asia: consolidation and expansion (reconfiguration);
- Collaboration and synergy with the Congregation in Human Resources.
On Feb. 28, all the protagonists of the Team Visit - a total of 126 people - will converge on Hyderabad. Tomorrow, March 1, the activities will officially begin, which include four work sessions - two in the morning and two in the afternoon - for three consecutive days, in addition to shared spirituality and fraternity times.
After careful observation and meetings with the various teams, the Rector Major, with his Councilors, shall issue concluding remarks.
Finally, it should be noted that in the days immediately following the Team Visits, taking advantage of the co-presence in Hyderabad of all the Provincials of the Region, the gatherings of the Assembly (March 5-6) and the Council (March 7-8) of the Salesian Provinces Conference of the South Asia Region (SPCSA) will also be held.
