The event was attended by 21 Salesian DIAMs from various Provinces of different countries, including Brazil (Campo Grande, Manaus, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Recife), the United States (East and West), Colombia (Bogotá and Medellín), Argentina (North and South), Mexico (Mexico City and Guadalajara), Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, Central America Antilles and Peru. In addition, Fr Alfred Maravilla, General Councillor for the Missions, and Fr Reginaldo Cordeiro, member of the same Sector, reference person with regard to the missions of the American continent, are also involved.
In their Provinces, the DIAMs are in charge of putting into practice a missionary work that strengthens and spreads, in addition to social actions, the faith and Salesian charismatic identity which responds to an increasingly missionary and synodal culture, through networking and the strengthening of proposals.
During the meeting, formation sessions, group work and reviews of regional mission animation plans were held. Participants also experienced moments of fraternity, exchanging knowledge and discussing Salesian mission volunteering.
What is the importance of this meeting?
Fr Cordeiro, before the start of the work, said: "I hope that our father Don Bosco, and the intercession of Mary Help of Christians will accompany the reflection in these days, in view of the 150th anniversary of our first Missionary Expedition to thank, rethink and relaunch our Salesian charism in the American context".
For his part, the DIAM from the Province, Brazil, Edvaldo Nogueira, speaking about the meeting, stressed that "the importance of this meeting for us Delegates for Mission Animation is, firstly, to generate unity and, secondly, to build communion and language. These two points mean that our Salesian mission here in America, in the Southern Cone and in Interamerica, can be united with what the Congregation asks of us. And, above all, it can reach those who need it most, the poorest and most abandoned young people ".
Another of the participants, Fr Hernan Carmona, DIAM for the Province of Medellín, speaking about the work for next year, stressed that "the expectations we have in preparation for 2025, when we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first missionary expedition, is that we can create good Christians and honest citizens as Don Bosco wanted, giving current answers, here and now, as the Church asks us".
The continental meeting of DIAMs of America, an initiative of the Missions Sector of the Salesian Congregation, will also result in agreements regarding Salesian Missionary Volunteering, commitments, common projects, and regional plans for missionary animation.
It is, therefore, an important step to strengthen the Salesian mission and promote missionary volunteering throughout America.
https://www.infoans.org/en/component/k2/item/21833#sigProIdf5dc27bcf8
