By Fr. Taniguchi Ryohei, SDB

       Tokyo, Japan, 8 June 2022 -- Japan province (GIA) is having a decisive moment for the future. The Provincial Chapter 2022 opened on Pentecost Sunday, 5 June, with 24 confreres praying that the meeting be guided by the Holy Spirit. The main theme of the Chapter is the reshaping of the province that faces challenges such as an ageing society with diminishing numbers of new confreres.

       The province has spent six years with a long-term goal, “Becoming a province for poor young people.” Then, we noticed our Salesian community is the most important issue for the renewal of the province if we want to live more for young people most in need today.

       It is time to decide on a more concrete direction and steps to achieve the goal by approving the draft of the Provincial Overall Plan (OPP) 2021. This OPP has three main objectives:

       * To put our mission for the young in need and for those who have possibility to the Salesian vocation before all other tasks as a Salesian community.

       * To strengthen our religious community with sufficient number of confreres.

       * To rethink the way our confreres are involved in the mission shared with lay mission partners.

       This Provincial Chapter is really a very important time for the future of the province and the Salesian mission for the young people in Japan. We humbly ask your prayers. The chapter continues until Friday 10 June!

       Please accompany us!

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