The organisation of the event benefited from the work of the Executive Directors of the Salesian Network Brazil (RSB), Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva and Fr Nivaldo Luiz Pessinatti, the National Coordinator of Social Action, Carolina Neves, the Head of Formation Projects, Ana Paula Costa da Silva, as well as the support of the National Coordinators for Schools, Communication and Youth Ministry, Sister Lucia Giacinta Finassi, Sister Maike Loes, Sister Nadia Caetano and Fr José Ricardo Mole respectively. It also included the Vice-Provincial of the BBH Province and the Provincial Delegate for Salesian Youth Ministry.
The first day of the ENAS meeting sought to highlight the importance of the pedagogical attitudes of the Salesian educator living the charism within social work and in the area in which that person is operating. The first testimonies were presented by those who receive, or have received support from Social Action in four of the Salesian Provinces of Brazil.
The presentations on the impact that Salesian Social Action has throughout the country were interspersed with the contribution of the National Coordinator of Salesian Youth Ministry, Sister Nádia Caetano dos Santos, who gave an address on the topic: “The footprints we leave behind: through observation, closeness, listening”. An intervention by Fr Sérgio Ramos de Souza followed. He is the Vice-Provincial of the St Pius X Province of Brazil-Porto Alegre and Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry. his topic was: "The footprints we leave behind: through presence or assistance, through welcome, and by sharing".
The first day of the event ended with an address by Carolina Neves, who recalled the famous phrase of Don Bosco "It is enough that you are young for me to love you very much" and drew a parallel with its current meaning in the Salesian social works of the country that work tirelessly on behalf of children, teenagers and young adults in situations of social vulnerability.
"This meeting is very rich and the issue is a very important one” said Sister Aparecida. “What footprints do we leave with our action? Our mission as Salesians, consecrated persons and lay people is to create encounters that transform lives. I have this conviction: we are heirs of this commitment to Don Bosco, to Mother Mazzarello and to young people.”
The second and final day of the event highlighted the commitment of Salesian Social Works in Brazil to developing a new generation, with the guarantee of rights and the promotion of a culture of peace. There were the testimonies by some beneficiaries, current and past, in six Salesian Provinces of Brazil, also interspersed with two rich reflections. The first addressed the topic: "The social impact we generate: in the student's Life Plan, in the family, in the local area, in public policies, in defence of rights, in councils" and was led by the Coordinator of Social Action from the St Pius X Province, José Jair Ribeiro. The second reflection, "The social impact we generate: our charismatic commitment", was coordinated by the Executive Director of the Salesian Network Brazil, Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, together with the Formator for Salesian Social Action, Eduardo Batista dos Santos.
Also on the second day of the meeting, the National Coordinator of Salesian Communication, Sister Maike Loes, together with the Salesian Network Brazil (RSB) communication team made up of communication analysts, Janaína Lima and Thiago Silva, and graphic designer Pedro Freitas, presented the new national Social Action campaign to be implemented in 2023/2024.
“It is exciting to see how many people are extremely committed to the transformation of society and above all to giving a solid proposal of happiness for the young people with whom we work,” added Fr Pessinatti.
The 9th National Meeting of Salesian Social Action (ENAS) 2023 closed with interventions from the Executive Directors of the Salesian Network Brazil, Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva and Fr Nivaldo Luiz Pessinatti, together with the National Coordinator of Salesian Social Action, Carolina Neves, who recalled the commitment of Don Bosco starting from his famous phrase "I have promised God that I would give of myself until my last breath for my poor boys".
“This event is actually an encounter. A great and beautiful encounter of people engaged in a beautiful mission and in a charism that still today offers us ways and answers to the challenges and demands that young people present to us. How important a moment it is for Salesian Social Action. May the strength of our charism, made explicit in every address today, be a beacon for us, ”said Carolina Neves.
