Strengthening the sense of belonging to the world community
By Fr. Filiberto Gonzalez, SDB
General Councilor for the Social Communication
RMG, 1 March 2018 -- Do you have in your Salesian school, your SDB community room or refectory or in the entrance of your Oratory or Youth Center one beautiful Salesian World Map? It goes much beyond our curiosity: How many are the Salesian communities? How many are the Salesians in each province? How many are the Salesian communities in India, in South Sudan or in Argentina?
The Salesian World Map is an excellent material not only of missionary animation – opening to other Salesian provinces and countries where the same SDB confreres live and work, but also very practical expression of our sense of belonging to one great world wide community.
Since last 2006 the Salesian World Map was published and updated many time thanks to the initiative of the Social Communication and Mission Sector in the Salesian Center in Rome. Of course, the main date are taken based on the ‘Flash 2017’ – annual statistics provided by all 90 Salesian provinces, that are grouped in the seven Regions of the World-wide Salesian Congregation: Mediterranian Region, Central and North Europe, Africa and Madagascar, America Southern Corner, Interamerica, South Asia and EAO Region (East Asia – Oceania).
Thanks to patient work our 90 Provincial Secretaries and Fr. Stefano Vanoli and his team in Rome everybody can easily download and print anywhere around the world two versions of this updated 2018 Salesian World Map – one is Eurocentric and the other one with the Pacific at the Center (good for our EAO Region!).
- Euro-centric Salesian World Map: 128 x 91cm, 256 x 182cm, 350 x 248cm
- Pacific-centric Salesian World Map: 128 x 91cm, 256 x 182cm, 350 x 248cm
Indeed one of the most beautiful, but often neglected article of our Constitutions states: “Religious profession incorporates the Salesian in the Society, making him a participant in the communion of spirit, witness and service that is its life within the Universal Church.
Union with the Rector Major and his council, solidarity in apostolic intiatives, the provincial community and the world community.
Communication and exchange of information about the work of the confreres, all increase this communion, deepen the sense of belonging and dispose us to give our service to the world community.” (C 59)
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