Preparations for 153d Missionary Expedition

Preparations for the 153d Salesian Missionary Expedition

(ANS – Rome – August 11, 2022) – 37 Salesians responded to the missionary appeal of the Rector Major last December 18, by presenting their availability to be sent as missionaries. Following the now established process, the general councilor for the missions then moved on to the next level of discernment by conferring with the candidates’ respective provincial and council as well as director and local house council regarding the missionary suitability of the candidate and assuring that he had been previously spiritually accompanied.

“This is an important part of discernment because they know the candidate very well. We also want to ensure that the candidate had been accompanied to discern his missionary vocation,” explained Fr. Alfred Maravilla, general councilor for the missions. “Although it is a prerequisite that each candidate is always open to be sent where the Rector Major will send him, in actual fact there is always a good dialog with each candidate regarding his possible missionary destination,” he added.

The destination of each missionary is ultimately presented to the Rector Major and the general council for approval. The coming missionary send-off on Sept. 25 in the basilica of Mary Help of Christians at Valdocco (Turin) will be composed of 25 missionaries from the Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Interamerica regions of the Congregation. They are being sent to Africa, East Asia, the American South Cone, and North-central Europe regions.

The missionary sendoff will be preceded by the Orientation course for new missionaries, which will be held at Colle Don Bosco starting September 1. The members of the 153rd missionary expedition are now making their final preparations for travel to Italy.