Province Mission Offices Meet

“Dare to Share”

Province Mission Offices Meet

(ANS – Sacrofano, Italy – Oct. 26, 2023) – “Dare to Share” was the theme of the meeting held at the Fraterna Domus retreat center in Sacrofano, Italy, on the outskirts of Rome, from October 19 to 23. The event was attended by Salesians and lay people who are committed in their provinces to finding resources for missionary animation and evangelization programs. A total of 80 participants, from 42 provinces serving the population of 69 different countries, took part in the meeting, to discuss how to focus on mobilizing local resources on reducing dependency on foreign donations. Fr. Mike Conway (2d row from top, far right) and Fr. Gabe Stowowy (top row, far left) represented New Rochelle’s Salesian Missions.

In his opening address, Fr. Alfred Maravilla, general councilor for the missions, clarified the identity of the province mission office, its role within the provinces, and its relations with all the other bodies and structures of the province. “We work in synergy with them,” the councilor explained, “avoiding any confusion or duplication of work at the provincial level.

Fr. Eric Mairura from Kenya, who was appointed as the new general coordinator of mission offices, presented a reflection on the Salesian concept of development, which was the result of a process that had been ongoing for some years. “All our efforts must be closely aligned to the mission and charism of Don Bosco and the Congregation,” he said.

In his speech, Filip Lammens from Belgium proposed ways and means to contribute to evangelization through education. He emphasized how closer networking, learning from each other, and making the most of the specific resources of each nation and province could help mobilize resources.

Jan Resutik, from Slovakia, the first layman responsible for Salesian missions in developing countries, then spoke. Mr. Resutik explained the necessity and advantages of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and proposed to adapt this system also to the provinces that are willing to adopt it.

The participants then had the opportunity to take part in workshops, which aroused keen interest. Everyone chose a topic they wanted to learn more about, ranging from basic to advanced levels. They had a total of 6 hours, 2 hours a day for 3 days, and found the courses concrete, practical, and feasible.

Fr. Joy Nedumparampil (India) and Fr. Gunter Mayer (Austria) gave a course on how to start a mission office from the scratch and on how to build it step by step. Angel Gudiña (Spain) and Fr. Victor Mora (Chile) focused their presentation on resource mobilization through local, national, and international companies and corporations. The course held by Maria Pearson from Argentina focused on online resource mobilization and crowdfunding. Finally, Markus Burri helped participants understand the importance of measuring achievements, collecting hard data, and using it to retain donors, while Dr. Nelson Penedo emphasized how crucial it is to maintain high standards in everything one does, regardless of the size of operations.

A lecture was then held on the “best practices” of some provinces, which can be replicated, with the necessary modifications, by anyone.

The meeting also offered an opportunity to highlight the importance of empowerment of lay collaborators, thanks to the intervention of Fr. Krzysztof Nizniak from Ghana. Practical examples of how to organize a fundraising event were given. Fr. Boedirahardjo from Indonesia recounted the whole process involved in setting up a golf tournament in his province to raise funds.

From Burma, Fr. Bosco Nyi Nyi, superior of that vice province, spoke about the excellent examples “of the ways in which the poorest of the poor can and do offer us resources.” From India, Fr. Angel Kuldeep Nayak, highlighted the beautiful and fruitful collaboration with the State Bank of India Foundation.

They were, in conclusion, days of reflection, sharing, and learning. The preparation and organization of the meeting were led by Fr. George Menamparampil, under the guidance of Fr. Maravilla, with the support of the entire team of the Missions Department in Rome.