MELBOURNE: 7th April 2005 --  One lay partner who shares the Salesian mission in the most important role of Religious Education Coordinator at a large Australian Salesian school offers a contribution to the sdb.org Forum on this year's Strenna: Rejuvenate the Church.

    Michelle Pereira explains how St Joseph's College, in the leafy outer-suburban area of Ferntree Gully, has taken up the Rector Major's call.  In what has often been described as a 'hard' culture, where religious messages do not easily penetrate, Australian youngsters sometimes find it difficult to come to terms with the notion of 'Church'.  But, as Michelle says, the Strenna points not to an abstract reality 'but a real experience'.

    Accordingly, St. Joseph's has adopted a liturgical theme for the year of 'Rediscovering our community'.  As Michelle puts it, 'we will remember who we were, through an investigation of our past.  We will explore who we are today by looking at the sorts of activities we are involved in as a community.  And finally we will consider who we aspire to be, by reflecting on the beliefs and values that drive us'.

    The Forums, to be found at the Homepage of www.sdb.org are well worth a glance, but more so a contribution.  To contribute you need to register.  Registration is simple enough.  Just click where it says 'register' and follow a few directions!  In addition to the Forum on the Strenna, there is currently one where you are invited to express your thoughts on the JP II Pontificate.

    While you may be receiving and reading this in English, there is no need for your Forum contribution to be in English.  In fact, it would be wonderful if Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Tok Pisin, Pijin, Samoan (to name but a few of our region's languages) were to appear!