Participants in their final assessments wrote:

"Our pilgrimage from Colle to Rome, passing through Mornese, Turin and Annecy, was provided se we could see the ‘connections between things’, how our history has evolved in ways that cannot be neglected, but that must be seriously considered. In addition to the well-studied materials that were shared, we benefited from the great devotion that the facilitators and professors had for St Francis de Sales, Don Bosco, Mary Mazzarello, the Congregation, the Church and the Missions, which was so real and contagious. What's more, the spirit that animated them was contagious! And those ‘battle-tested‘ missionaries who were with us on the course, were fully engaged in the process.

During the course, WE BREATHED PARTICIPATION: A general program was prepared, but it was not fixed in stone. Instead, after listening to the participants and the inspirations of the moment, flexibility and innovations were adopted.

WE BREATHED COLLABORATION: the course was organised by the Mission Sector, but in one way or another other Sectors such as Youth Ministry and Formation were also involved. Salesians, lay people and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians were our guides and guests.

WE BREATHED COMMUNION: since several members of the Salesian Family lived, learned, listened, shared, served, prayed and worked together; it was a true journey of the Salesian Family.

WE BREATHED CONTEMPLATIVE STUDY: there was a clear formative agenda and there were substantial topics, dealt with by very competent people, yet it was not a simple accumulation of data but an initiation to reflection, internalisation and contemplation in the Spirit.

WE BREATHED THE SPIRIT: there was room for the Spirit to blow, enlighten, inspire and touch our deepest realities as individuals and as a group.

What a religious experience! What a blessing to be grateful for! What a chance to take the breath you need!

What an encouragement to rethink missions in conversations with the Spirit!

What a motivation to join and get excited at the invitation of the Lord, to set out into the deep (Lk 5:4)!"

In the end, all the participants of the "Corso Respiro" felt that the objectives of the programme were achieved beyond expectations: to provide a "missionary breath", to revitalise the missionary dimension of their vocation, to update themselves on some theological and pastoral issues related to missions and to reflect on their missionary experiences.

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