Missionary Volunteers - topic for the 2015 EAO joint session of youth ministry and missions
(Seoul, November 12)
HANDBOOK (SDB ed. 3 - 2008: Sector for Youth Ministry and Missions) FOR DOWNLOAD
VOLUNTARY SERVICE MANUAL 2008-ENGLISH.doc
Cagliero project newsletter: What is a Salesian Volunteer?
PREPARATORY SURVEY (3 questions)
Salesian Missionary Voluntary Service
Questionnaire to the Delegates for Youth Ministry & Missionary Animation
A. What are your experiences with the young people, in promoting Salesian Missionary Voluntary Service, in your province?
1. In the strict sense of SMVS, there is only AUL – Project Cagliero (since 2007) that is sending every year 5-10 young people for 6-12 months abroad for missionary service. There is articulated path of formation (+exposure abroad included), staff-full timer in the Provincial center AUL. Cagliero is a integral part of the YM. With the Youth Camp ex-animators and Cagliero ‘graduates’ started the ASYM (Australian Salesian Youth Mentors) group.. still in the making, with 2 sdb vocation fruits..
2. In some EAO provinces there is a kind of ‘teenager or young adults’ mission experience-exposure (about 2 weeks) every year – CIN (Torch movement, 1995), GIA (DB Volunteer Group, 1991), KOR (International volunteer movement, 2002)
3. In the FIN there was a true SMVS with the only destination (PNG) with few young ladies for 1-3 years permanence. At present probably not active (part of the CYM)
4. In the FIS there was (2009-2013) a SALVO (Salesian Lay Volunteers) with ‘domestic’ (=hence not explicitly missionary) volunteer, thanks to initiative of one ex-missionary. After his return to the missions, the whole SALVO is probably not-so-much active (end?). There was probably a unique experience of forming together the expatriate volunteers with the Filipino youth from our settings.
5. There are some provinces with apparently no missionary volunteers at all: MYM, ITM, THA, VIE
6. There are some province – recipients or destinations of foreign (EU, AUL, SUE-Salesian Lay Missioners) volunteers: FIS, KOR (YJ), MYM (first case!), PNG-SI, THA (Cambodia), VIE (English)
B. What are the processes and structures in place, for the formation of Volunteers (before, during and after their service) in your province, for
1.Sending Missionary Volunteers: AUL, FIN have some real formation experience;
2.Welcoming Missionary Volunteers: FIS, KOR, PNG-SI, THA(Cambodia), VIE
3.Volunteer Service within the country and Province (need to specify what kind of volunteers)
# Local settings ‘volunteers’ (catechists, parish group, school volunteers, oratory animators?)
# Local or provincial missionary volunteers: hard to find (AUL –ASYM could be mentioned?)
C. What are the possibilities and opportunities available for the promotion of Missionary Voluntary Service in your province by the departments of Youth Ministry and Missionary Animation?
NB – Need to clarify in the non-Christian EAO environment the meaning of ‘Missionary Voluntary Service’
1. AUL – Cagliero project (2007) is the only functioning present experience, need to listen-learn from!
2. Provinces – destination of the missionary volunteers could learn from the past experience of FIS:
Like ITM, MYM, THA-Cambodia, VIE
3. Provinces with short term missionary exposure could make one step ahead: it seems be very difficult
(why?) – Need to make reflect: CIN, GIA, KOR.
4. Total absence of missionary group in any of EAO provinces needs to be reflected as well (why?)
5. Reflect on starting strategy for the SMVS-free provinces: MYM, ITM, THA, VIE
