Europe Salesian Brother Encounter 2019 - Barcelona

By Bro. Jess Garcia, SDB

Barcelona, Spain, 21 January 2019 -- Between January 17 and 21, the Salesian House of Martí Codolar in Barcelona hosted the European Encounter of Salesian Brothers dedicated to a deeper understanding of the figure of the Salesian Consecrated Vocation. Almost 40 Salesian brothers from the two Salesian regions of Europe participated. The main speaker was the Rector Major emeritus Fr Pascual Chávez. The whole encounter was organized by the Formation Sector (Fr. Ivo Coelho, General Councilor)

I guess this encounter had two main goals:

1. Make known among the Salesian Brothers of Europe the future Centre for the Specific Formation of Brothers in Europe, based in Barcelona. It served to recruit candidates for next year. The house is ready and the Brothers saw the place and the possibilities.
2. Great formation talks prepared by Fr Chavez on the Salesian Brother, from the rich Salesian heritage of the past 150 years. Fr Pascual presented the Salesian Brother in a modern way - his challenges, tasks, mission, role and opportunities. Fr. Chavez' talks are available on Boscolink:
• Don Bosco, our Model
• The Salesian Brother
• World Situation today
• Don Bosco, a SOCIAL saint (world of Work)
• The Salesian Congregation in Europe
• Vocation and Formation at the service of the MISSION
• Profile of the Salesian Broth

After his talk we had group sharing everyday trying to answer some relevant questions prepared by the speaker and then the answers were brought to the general assembly. All together we were 36, two Salesian priest and 34 Salesian Brothers, including also four participants of the EAO Salesian Brother Congress in Vietnam: Br. Jean Paul Muller, Fr. Ivo Coelho, Br. Geza (Hungary) and Br. Hoan (Vietnamese missionary in Belgium)

Saturday afternoon we enjoyed a guided visit to the Cathedral of SAGRADA FAMILIA (Holy Family) and our Salesian church on the TIBIDABO Hill - two special monuments in Barcelona. We had dinner ther on that day. Due to the absence of Fr Silvio Roggia (his mother's funeral) I was acting as translator.

Related news article

• EAO Salesian Brother Congress 2018, August 9-12 (Vietnam)
• South Asia Salesian Brother Congress 2019, Bangalore (India)
• Africa Salesian Brother Congress Statement 2017, May - Nairobi (Kenya)

Resources:

• Fr. Chavez Talks to the Europe Salesian Brothers

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