The theme proposed by the World Council to the entire Association for this three-year period is: "A dream, a promise, the future", which is combined over the three years, through three verbs: Remember, Renew, Relaunch.
The first year, which is coming to a close, was characterised by the verb "to remember" to remember our origins and to recount the beauty of our vocational choice as lay people of the Salesian Family in the Church. "We ‘connected’ the origins and our stories together, in a single story with the participation of many Salesian Cooperators belonging to all the Regions in the world where we are to be found, who spoke about themselves through video testimonies and shared their story" said Antonio Boccia, World Coordinator of Salesian Cooperators.
The result of this commitment is the collection of over 300 videos, available on the Association's YouTube channel, which represents the beautiful and joyful face of the Salesian Cooperators.
The event scheduled for Saturday, 4 May 2024, entitled "TOGETHER TO RENEW", will begin the second year, and can be followed on the YouTube channel.
During the event, the initiatives scheduled for the next 12 months will also be presented and the blessing of Mary Help of Christians will be invoked to accompany the new path that opens up.
A path, therefore, of renewal, under the banner of two movements: renewing to consolidate the knowledge of each Salesian Cooperator, Salesian Cooperator and Delegate regarding the beauties of the Project of Apostolic Life; as well as making a verification of their own vocational journey that each one has committed to live with the Apostolic Promise.
"Having remembered our origins and the choices that led us to choose to be Salesian Cooperators, there is the invitation that Don Bosco still makes to us with his dream, 200 years later, asking us to continue to dream" continues Mr Boccia.
He concludes: "With this second year, the Association of Salesian Cooperators will project itself towards the final year that will see us committed to planning the future of the Association. It will be the year of being Prophets of the Charism, because remembering to renew one's life of faith looking to the future means being a prophecy".
