Online, 17 August 2020 -- Probably the first EAO regional encounter of confreres involved in the Vocation ministry was held for two hours on 17 August 2020 as a virtual – online meeting. Between 6-8 PM (GMT+6, Vietnam time) on the platform launched by the EAO Youth Ministry Coordinator Fr Jobeth L. Vivo no fewer than 24 SDB from 11 EAO provinces and 3 Delegations took part. We are grateful to Fr Jobeth also for the technical back up of the meeting's digital platform and for meaningful animation of the initial and concluding prayer. All participants also appreciated a surprise involvement by Fr Godofredo Atienza – provincial of Philippines South.
Fr. Joseph Phuoc (EAO regional councillor) introduced the meeting with the GC26, 61-62 (2008) on Salesian life witness as the first and indispensable foundation of truly effective vocation ministry: Our Witness as the first vocational invitation – “Witness with courage and joy the beauty of a consecrated life dedicated totally to God in the mission to the young.”
As before every fruitful encounter, for the last two weeks all confreres were involved in the preparation. Simple four-item province or delegation reports and the minimal input of the meeting are available to all interested on the Boscolink.
The goals for this meeting were guided by the discernment process: (1) Listen: grasp the long-term trends of the vocation landscape in each province. The statistics of vocation meetings, camps, aspirants, perseverance from the aspirantate to perpetual profession speak loudly. Also each province delivered a brief description of their vocation ministry events, organization, tools, teams and challenges (2) Interpret: point to the main ‘internal’ challenges to the vocation ministry or vocation culture in each province and finally (3) Way forward: before the meeting each vocation ‘director’ sent 3 top priorities of the vocation ministry in his own understanding or according to his province vocation plan.
Both Filipino provinces shared their vocation statistics of past 10 years (including the always more international environment with other 5 provinces sending their Prenovices to the Philippines), Br. Raymond Callo (RMG-Formation) shared the long-term trends emerging from the study of EAO initial formation by the Rector Major and his council last winter council session. (e.g. slow decrease of novices as well lesser perseverance). Japan province shared their almost half-a-century long ‘Bible Vocation Camp’ experience and method of Nojiri lake since 1973. Other province vocation coordinators highlighted their main experience – the importance of joint community reflection and discernment at the beginning of the process emerging each time – like Vietnam's challenge to accompany their weekly ‘crowds of aspirants’ (220 College students and 619 high school students) properly, as they attend every Sunday meeting, or the Cambodia delegation ‘return’ to the importance given to the catechumenate for our our students as the first steps towards possible vocations.
One vocation ministry animator requested possible resources – help to the local communities, how to trigger or how to talk about vocation with the young people of today. As visible fruit of this meeting you can download a variety of excellent tools: Province overall vocation plan (PGS), Vocation manual (TLS), SEPP evaluation with a vocation focus (FIS) or Youth Ministry relaunching ‘Synodo’ triggered by the low vocation landscape (FIN).
No surprise that two new positive experiences due to Covid19 restrictions were shared – where instead of vocation meetings the Salesian concerned goes to visit the families of our possible candidates, and the other experience where the confreres in the ‘lockdown’ situation start to share their own vocation stories extensively, get to know each other more deeply and so strengthen their community vocation attraction.
We hope and pray that the shared wisdom, zeal and vocation ministry experience among the 12 EAO provinces will bring multiple fruits today and in the future. Indeed, it's not only about the vocation animators - every Salesian can give a hand to the very needed vocation ministry, also today!
