Two days of animation visit in the FIS province

By Our Own Correspondent

Cebu, the Philippines, 23 August 2017 -- Annual animation visit in and Negros (FIS)

What is the annual animation visit? During two full days most of the Salesians of the FIS province were involved in the annual animation visit of the EAO regional councilor. One full day in Cebu Island - Lawaan (Talisay City) and one full day in Negros Island - Dumangas (Ilo Ilo) spent in talks, open forums, celebrations of culture and celebrations of the Eucharist with the young and with the Salesian Family. This short animation visit is an annual service to each EAO province - meeting especially with the Provincial council to see their Road Map and process of Reshaping going on, listening to the confreres, visiting formation houses and some more meaningful communities.

What is new in the FIS province? First of all there are every year new faces of prenovices and novices in Lawaan. This year with 8 novices from CIN, FIN, FIS and PGS the inter-cultural character of the formation house is going on. With a new novice-master Fr. Philip Lazatin also the old dream - a new Chapel is now being slowly built.

In the Negros - Panay region, our rural based Dumangas community is open to the initiative of Don Bosco Past Pupils to start a new Don Bosco School at this large property until now used only as farm, Boys Home and Vocation Training Center with a public Church.

As the fruit of the DB 200 the Lay groups of the Salesian Family are growing, especially the Salesian Cooperators with their new Delegates and renewed leadership. A large number of their Aspirants witness to the new spring of the Association.

The FIS province also renewed on August 15 their provincial website, now much more open not only to the SDB, Salesian Family members but also especially to our benefactors, Friends of Don Bosco and making known the variety of needs in the Salesian mission (http://dbfis.org).

What does mean animation? The animation at provincial level usually means formation and inspiring information about some relevant elements of the Salesian Charism like involvement of the Lay Mission Partners, Missionary Volunteers, Vocation culture or simply sharing the main trends or yearly events at the World level of the Congregation. Especially in the rural island areas of the Southern Philippines - Visayas and Mindanao, is not easy to keep in touch with the world wide Salesian Community.

What are the fruits of the animation? It really depends on a good preparation and deep interaction during these moments. In all animation meetings is dedicated ample space and time to the sharing among the confreres, after some inputs from the EAO region or the World wide Congregation. With the growing FIS volunteer service movement 'SALVO' the confreres appreciated the presentation of Australian 'Cagliero Project' Video or the Initial Proclamation of Jesus seminar presentation.

The 100+ SDB of FIS province living in 13 local communities are grouped in three zone or clusters (Mindanao, Cebu and Negros) for the sake of mutual enrichment and animation. Although the distance and transportation among the five main islands of the FIS province is a challenge, each confrere does appreciate and draw energy of these animation moments.

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