5th World Congress of Salesian Cooperators Offers New Vision

Fifth World Congress of Salesian Cooperators Offers a New Vision

by Thomas Aquinas Lee and ANS

(AustraLasia and ANS– Rome – October 28) – The four short days of the Fifth World Congress of the Salesian Cooperators Association (October 25-28) in Rome were a time of hard work, sharing, discernment, and looking to the future, focusing on the challenges as God’s call.

The participants in the Fifth World Congress of the Salesian Cooperators. (ANS)

Over 300 Salesian Cooperators from 66 countries across the globe gathered in the Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, just outside Rome, to outline together the Association’s guidelines for the next six years. The Congress’s theme was “Called to be co-responsible to answer and respond to new challenges.” 

On the opening day, Mother Yvonne Reungoat, FMA, and Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, SDB, greeted the assembly in person. There were also messages from other groups of the Salesian Family.

Mother Reungoat stressed how the word that induces the achievement of excellent results is “together.” Hence the Salesian Cooperator is “co-responsible for living the Da mihi animas in serene communion with those who have the cause of the young in their hearts.” The Congress, the FMA superior continued, “is a source of joy, a seed that must bear fruit in the environments in which we live.”

Salesian Cooperators: always and everywhere to defend young people 

Fr. Angel Fernandez addresses the Cooperators. (ANS)

The Rector Major, taking a break from the Synod on Youth in which he was participating, invited everyone “to be courageous, not to be afraid of anything, not to silence any voices, because I am convinced that such a great effort, even worldwide, that you do as Salesian Cooperators, is to give the best you can. I am convinced that these moments are never a waste of time.”

“The world needs a Salesian Family,” the Rector Major said, “and a Salesian Cooperators Association that speaks up and defends the world’s boys and girls always and everywhere. We are born for them, you were born for young people, not to create a movement that thinks of guaranteeing life for itself: this is what I always say to all Salesians around the world.”

He concluded by indicating three fundamental columns or pillars that Salesians must build their lives and mission upon: “At the center: Jesus, as a guarantee of our Christian and Salesian vocation; [2nd] to be always for children and young people; [3rd] and to guarantee the defense of those who have no defense. May this be a true mission of the Salesian Family.”

New leadership for the Association

The Cooperators were happy to thank the outgoing world coordinator, Noemi Bertola (2014-2018), and to welcome the newly appointed world coordinator, Antonio Boccia (2019-2024), 56, from Naples, who since 2015 has been the world councilor for the Italy-Middle East Region. In his first address the new world coordinator requested work on the personal and institutional visibility of the Salesian Cooperators in the Church and in society.

The new world council of the Cooperators. (ANS)

There were three key inputs from the world coordinator (Noemi Bertola), the SDB world delegate (Fr. Giuseppe Casti), and the world administrator (Cinzia Arena), who presented a financial solidarity report. There were also reports on the condition of the Salesian Cooperators in the 11 regions in which the Association is articulated worldwide.

Each delegate received an updated World Directory with the names of all 30,000 members.

“I experienced the deep faith and devotion of the Salesian Cooperators from all six continents. I wish that the whole Salesian Family will be more united in prayer to make Don Bosco’s dreams come true. Although the language, culture, or nationality is different, we deeply felt our unity in the same vocation as Salesian Cooperators,” said Fr. John Chong, SDB, Korean provincial delegate.

An action plan for 2019-2024

The Congress delegates discerned and approved the Lines of Action and Dream of the ASC for the next six years, along with the following scheme in synergy with the final document of the 2018 Synod of Bishops:

1. Challenge: vulnerable and marginalized youths & family crisis
2. Dream: to become credible witnesses
3. Factors: communion, fraternity, mission; vocation proposal for the young; integral formation with the Salesian Family; autonomy: growth in shared responsibility
4. Values: charismatic fidelity, family spirit, sense of belonging and commitment
5. Processes of conversion:

·         foster a deeper spirituality to know the young through listening and accompaniment

·         internalize the Project of Apostolic Life in the light of the Gospel for ongoing discernment of our life and mission

·         become a (community) point of reference for outreach toward youths in need

·         leave our comfort zone to be credible and dynamic witnesses toward youth in need

Key documents of the Fifth World Congress are available in English at http://www.bosco.link/index.php?document_srl=42343&mid=side_right

See also https://donboscosalesianportal.org/italia-fifth-asc-world-congress-a-new-vision/

The U.S. and Canadian Cooperators and Eastern Province SDB delegate Fr. Tom Dunne pose

with the new world coordinator, Antonio Boccia (l-r: Johanna Carpentier, Fr. Dunne, Liz Gamarra, 

Mr. Boccia, Carla Comin, Judy and Mike Alvarez). (Courtesy of Liz Gamarra)