SEOUL: 6 January 2012 --
Young salesian priests in quinquennium from the Korea and
Japan
provinces gathered for their biennial meeting in Seoul,
provincial
house with 19 young priests attending, among them 5 from GIA,
including
1 accompanying confrere, Fr Mario Yamanouchi, the Vice
provincial. The
event took place from 29 to 31 December 2012.
The KOR-GIA quinquennium meetings began in 2003 in order to
help the
formation of young priests in both provinces, deepening the
understanding of each other, promoting exchange and sharing
the
ministerial experiences between the two provinces. The meeting
takes
place every two years, alternating the host province,
Seoul-Tokyo, and
this time it was the turn of South Korea, so Japanese young
priests
visited Seoul.
“It will be a good chance to recognize our mission to the
young
especially for those who are most in need, confirming our
unique
identity as youth ministers in the Church, particularly with
sharing
the communion as sons of Don Bosco, the practical experience
of the
Preventive System in Salesian priesthood and visiting the
places where
it is being realized by the Korean confreres. Above all, I
believe that
it will give good inspiration for establishing and developing
Don
Bosco's youth mission in each province where there are
cultural
similarities and geographical closeness”, said Fr Chang
Michael Chang,
Economor of KOR, and who was running the event.
The participants, over three nights and four days, spent time
building
friendship and fraternity: with a conference and seminar by Fr
Michael
on the Preventive System, visiting diferent Salesian places,
like the
Youth Dream Center in Seoul, a new presence entrusted to us by
local
government, the Salesian Youth Center in Daejeon, and some
meaningful
sites for cultural heritage like the Martyrs' Shrine in Seoul.
They dedicated much time to sharing their pastoral view as
young
priests according to the theme of this year's meeting,
realization in
their own cultural context and sharing experience with the
Preventive
System. They were in full agreement with the belief that true
relationship with youngsters is the inevitable starting point,
at the
same time the target of the preventive system because it is
the secret
to opening and attracting the youth's mind.
“Just as there were many people who contributed to forming our
founder,
Don Bosco, as a priest, apostle of poor youth, we have to
remember that
also there are many people who have helped us through their
sacrifices
to reach our priesthood. Now as Salesian priests, we meet
young through
the community's mission and share the pleasure and pain of
daily life
with the confreres. I believe that it's absolutely necessary,
as a
young priest of Don Bosco to experience a moment of
faith in which we
entrust ourselves to the Lord and to Our Lady. We thank you
for your
hospitality, we spent a really enjoyable and useful time at
this
meeting. I would like invite you all to the next meeting in
Tokyo. I am
convinced that we should build the
large Salesian Family of Don Bosco in the world in such
way, through sharing and living in communion”, Fr Yamanauchi
concluded as he issued the invitation to the next meeting.