The Salesian charism sees to the education of young people. "With the oratory-youth centre we try to respond to the many wounds of society and to the challenges that come to us from the world of young people who fill our streets and squares, which the parish would not always come across." The oratory is attended daily by about 300 young people from middle school onwards. What the Salesians call the "Oratorian criterion" is applied to the educational situation.
"Every Salesian work" says, Fr Colameo says "is a home that welcomes, a parish that evangelises, a school that prepares them for life, and a playground where friends could meet and enjoy themselves." The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians also operate in the area, managing a school with over a thousand students and a very active Vocational Training Centre. The Don Bosco parish – in the years visited by Saint John XXIII, Saint Paul VI, Saint John Paul II and Saint Teresa of Calcutta – has multiple "doors of access to the faith". Culture as an instrument of evangelisation through the Don Bosco Cinema and Theatre; the oratory, a wide-open door to the territory to let young people have experiences of faith and friendship; and charity, the beating heart of the parish.
"From Monday to Friday, the canteen managed and financed by the parishes of the XX Prefecture is open in our parish" explains Fr Colameo. "It offers a warm meal to those who live in difficulty."
In such a large parish, the Salesian continues, "it is necessary to grow the sense of community so as not to lose the weakest. Religious nomadism is alive, there is no identity of the Christian community, which is characteristic of being in Rome. For this reason, we feel called to build a parish life based on quality relationships, favouring moments and environments of encounter, in a climate of welcome, dialogue and collaboration."
The parish community is developing, implementing and testing, with the active participation of all, a local educational project, in search of an increasingly co-responsible participation of the laity, both in evangelisation and in the service of charity and human and social promotion. "In addition" concludes the parish priest of St John Bosco "we take special care of the formation of the laity, aiming at constant growth in their Christian vocation. And we are also careful to accompany the family, considering it as a domestic Church and as a mediation between the Christian community and the territory."
Source: Avvenire
