Salesian Youth Assistants (SYA)
Cebu - Philippines Model 2019
For download: Nature and Rationale of the SYA
__2019 SYA nature + rationale.pdf
__2019 SYA nature + rationale.docx
I. NATURE, HISTORY AND RATIONALE:
The SYA is a group of single young men and women who have spent many years as members and leaders of the Don Bosco Youth Center in the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. They may no longer hold positions of leadership in their respective youth groups and in the Parish Youth Coordinating Council (PYCC) but they are still willing to serve the young. They are still influential contributors, especially in terms of giving advice, peer-to-peer counseling, and general assistance to various youths, whether a member of a youth group or not. They still serve the young but in a more inclusive and mature way.
The group was formed in September 2018. The first few members were only six but eventually three more were added. Soon the members elected their officers. They were officially installed, and consequently recognized as an official parish organization, during the 6:00 PM mass of 27 January 2019, a Sunday. The founding of the group is not just to offer these former leaders an opportunity to continue their service but also to introduce them to the Salesian Family. By becoming members of the SYA they are included in the Salesian Family as Past Pupils under Bro. Louie D. Domasian, SDB insofar as they have been under the Salesian system of education in the youth center environment. This makes them truly Salesian pupils under the Salesian way of education.
The SYA is still in its natal stage, hence the need for constant accompaniment and formative interventions. One of these interventions is to enable them to understand the Vatican II concept of involving the lay people in the Church apostolate. This move is being re-echoed by the Salesian Congregation at present in that it is seriously asking each Province to involve the lay in the formation of the young. Gone are the days where the Salesians or Consecrated Persons are the only ones forming the young! The lay have to be involved. The lay can also offer rich insights into the life of the young, especially in terms of experiences and insights that the religious do not have. That is why the Salesian Community of Lourdes Shrine has given the official approval to form and found the SYA. In involving the SYA in such an important facet of the Don Bosco’s mission of saving souls, Lourdes Shrine is taking a big step towards working with the lay for a more holistic formation of the young.
Another formative intervention is the giving of Salesianity inputs, especially the most basic. We can find these materials in Don Bosco’s very own “Memoirs of the Oratory.” This autobiography, written by Don Bosco himself, narrates in intimate details the events in the life of our very own founder from his boyhood until he became a priest called to serve the young. The members of the SYA, if they should work with the Salesian for the salvation of souls, need to appreciate the life and spirituality of St. John Bosco.
The group may also be considered a “bridge that connects Youth Ministry to the Salesian Family.” By this image, we understand that the SYA leads the young people towards a better understanding of the Salesian Family. And because the members of the SYA are homegrown young adults coming from the oratory and the youth center, and have become very familiar with the Salesian way of life, then they can perfectly explain to their fellow young the nature of the Salesian Family. By serving the young they remain rooted in youth ministry. In effect, the SYA offers an opportunity for the Salesian Family to serve the young. In many Salesian settings we cannot easily find the Salesian Family working directly for the youth. But in Lourdes Shrine, the Salesian Family is very active in youth ministry because of the SYA. Indeed the SYA bridges the gap between youth ministry and the Salesian family.
II. APOSTOLATE/ASSIGNMENTS:
1. In-charge of the general assistance of the evening Youth Center activities, Monday to Saturday.
2. Assign the prayer leaders of the daily rosary every evening, except Sunday.
3. Give good night talks after the rosary from Mon-Fri only.
4. Resource speakers for (a) “Thank God It’s Friday” monthly formation input, (b) Advent and Lenten Recollections, (b) annual Youth Encounter
5. Attend formation inputs on Salesianity and other topics given by their spiritual moderator.
6. Coordinators of the past DBYC members association.
7. Come up with an SEPP for the SYA and past DBYC members association.
III. SALESIAN IN-CHARGE AND FORMATION:
The Salesian in-charge and Spiritual Moderator of the SYA is the Youth Center in-charge or Pastoral Animator of the parish. Their formation program may include, but not limited to, the following:
- Monthly Salesianity input, e.g. “Memoirs of the Oratory” (SY 2018-2019: Preface to Chap 2 only)
- Group-building activities
- Sunday mass and monthly confession
IV. CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP AND REMOVAL:
The objective criteria of becoming a member of the SYA are: (a) one has to have good moral character, (b) he or she must be a past member of the Parish Youth Coordinating Council (PYCC), and (c) must have leadership experience in any official parish organization.
The approval of any applicant is based on the personal judgement of the DBYC In-charge. Should he find him/her suitable for the role, then the DBYC in-charge shall approve. However, if the DBYC in-charge finds him/her no longer fit to be an SYA member, after consulting the Salesian Community, he communicates the final decision to him or her.
V. Members:
