“Giant Dreams” at the Vatican’s Youth Summer Camp
(ANS - Vatican City – July 20, 2022) – In 2020, Pope Francis asked the Salesians, true professionals in the field, to coordinate the youth summer camp in the Vatican, an initiative aimed at the families of the Holy See’s employees, to give children the experience of a summer youth center within the Vatican walls. The initiative was so successful that it was repeated again in 2021, and now it’s in its third year.
Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano, the youth summer camp, began on July 4 and
will continue until August 5. During this month, many children will be able to
take part in the summer youth center, in dedicated spaces equipped to carry out
play and recreational activities.
It is, as said, an initiative much desired by
Pope Francis and promoted by the State Governorate, to offer the children of
employees between the ages of 5 and 13 a five-week experience of formation in
an atmosphere of festivity and strong sharing of Christian values.
The animation is taken care of by a team of
Salesians, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, animators belonging to the Tutto
in Una Festa association, and teenage animators who want to get involved in an
experience of service for younger children. This last presence is this year’s
great novelty as, for the first time, the transition from “being animated” to
assistant-animators has been created, a decisive and charismatic step to making
this experience a true youth center with the style of Don Bosco.
This year’s theme is “Giant Dreams,” inspired
by the children’s book Big Friendly Giant by Roald Dahl. At the
center of the educational program, they decided to place the dreams of each of
the children and the accompaniment of Jesus in their difficult realization,
encouraging them to look a little further, beyond the daily challenges of life.
St. John Bosco is the perfect example of a boy
who believed God’s dreams, becoming a priest, and dedicating his entire life to
his young people. Each week, in fact, as an example of a “giant” dream, one
will be offered by a master or teacher in the field, namely Don Bosco. His
stories still make today’s youngsters grow and make them understand that one
should not be afraid to do big things, to bring joy in every moment of the day,
to be kind even after a defeat, to come up with brilliant ideas, to generate
genuine friendships and to learn through play. A beautiful program of and for
life!
A Salesian community has been present in the
Vatican since 1937 and was canonically erected on April 12, 1946. Today it is
incorporated among the communities of the Rector Major, who is directly
responsible for them. In addition to the director, the community includes Fr.
Franco Fontana, chaplain of the gendarmerie and the Vatican Museums; the vice
director, Fr. Mauro Mantovani, dean of the School of Philosophy at the Salesian
Pontifical University; the treasurer, Bro. Roberto Bava, who works in the office
of the Vatican Secretary of State; Fr. Kureethadam Joshtrom, who serves in the
Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development; Fr. Miguel Angel Ruíz
Espinola, who serves in the first section of the Holy See’s Secretariat of
State; and Fr. Padinjarathala Anton Paul, who works in Propaganda Fide.
The Salesian presence in the Vatican highlights the ecclesial dimension and a strong sense of belonging and availability to the Universal Church, where each one offers his service for the good of the Church.
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