"This reflection on the first announcement," explains Father Lazarte, "is not a new topic. It is the very reason for our mission and our choice of life as Salesians among young people."
The challenge of Salesian missionaries in the world is not doing things, building big schools, transforming structures; fundamentally it is characterized in "announcing Jesus Christ." "There is a task: to re-propose the Gospel in the places where we are." "A challenge: proclaiming Jesus Christ."
"Bringing the Gospel to young people is the main task," insisted Fr. Lazarte. "The Salesian mission may often limit itself to simple activities, losing what is the essential, that is the proclamation of Jesus Christ, but it is not only that of announcing. The aim is to facilitate and show Jesus Christ with our life, by our testimony, in an eminently Salesian climate."
This theme was reflected in America (Belo Horizonte), Asia (Sampran) and Europe (Fatima). The purpose of the meeting was to explore and discuss the "first announcement". A reflection acquired in the last eight years by the SDB and FMA, highlighted in various missionary contexts such as schools, parishes, rural missions, oratories and social works.
This reflection places every missionary to act and adopt an attitude of permanent evangelization, with the capacity to bear witness and offer the propulsive center of the Gospel to the hearts of our young people.
The importance of the "oratorian" criterion was highlighted as a place of welcome, testimony and personal contact, and families have not been excluded, highlighting the importance of "religious teaching" itineraries in a multi-religious context.
In parishes and rural missions the determining role of "small Christian communities" was also regarded as a place and a means for the announcement and visits to families.
Also vital is the "quality" of the catechetical process and the formation of the catechists, as well as the importance of youth associations, as a privileged place for young people to meet Jesus.
