Mestre, Italy - January 2025 - The First Oratory-Parish Council 2024-25 was held On 18 January, at the headquarters of the Salesian  St Mark’s Province of North-East Italy (INE). It was a high-profile meeting attended by over 50 people including members of parish councils and councils of Educative and Pastoral Communities (EPCs) of the Salesian oratories and parishes in the area. The central theme of the day was the family, with a focus on its importance within youth ministry and community life. Fr Emanuele Zof, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, highlighted how it is not possible to form young people without the active involvement of their families. The central moment of the day was the time devoted to the presentation of the various magisterial texts on the theme of the family, personal study of the texts and sharing on what was read. Key documents were analysed, such as Familiaris Consortio, Amoris Laetitia and the Directory of Family Pastoral Care, as well as other texts from the Salesian magisterium. The objective was to identify concrete guidelines to encourage greater accompaniment of families in their spiritual and community growth, to which ample time was devoted in the workshop that took place in the second part of the morning. There, an attempt was made to outline the essential guidelines for a shared youth ministry with families. The day ended with a summary of the work on the seminar for parishes (presentation of the concluding document) and a strong invitation to build a pastoral model that really puts the family at the centre as an educational and relational resource, for a Church that is ever more welcoming and close to people.