By Cl. Reynante Sabelita
Missionary Group
Seminaryo ng Don Bosco

Paranaque, Philippiones, 10 June 2020 -- The Salesian Missionary Prayer Intention for the month of June 2020 calls our attention to the missionary groups, not yet very much spread within the EAO region. There are a few SYM groups in the Philippines that try to more faithfully follow the missionary path. There are also a few missionary groups in our formation houses like postnovitiate and specific formation communities.

Interview with a member of the missionary group in Paranaque - Seminary ng Don Bosco - from FIS province:

How long have you been a member of the missionary group? Why did you join?

I have been a member of Mission Animation Group during last formative year 2019-2020. I did not choose to be a member of this group for that year because I was not around when the SEPP was done due to my family emergency. During the incoming formative year 2020-2021, I choose to be a member of the Mission Animation Group because I like to promote missionary vocation.

What are the main tasks and role of the missionary group in Seminaryo ng Don Bosco?

Our Missions Group has these two main following tasks:

1. Promotes the Monthly Mission Commemoration – on the 11th of each month.

2. Assigns Missionaries in the community to give the good night talk every 11th of the Month.

And there are also additional tasks based on my experience this year:

1. Coordinates with the FIN - Vocation Director with regards to the Vocation Plan of the Community - promotes vocation in the Diocesan Parishes where our community members are assigned.

2. Coordinates with the FIN - Mission Animation Coordinator of the province with regard to the Mission Animation activities.

There is any dream about the missionary group for the future?

We desire that we be guided on how to really animate this group for our formation community (SnDB) besides the usual tasks of the Mission Animation Group. I would like to show video of the different mission areas of our congregation (at least one a month) and also to have a conference given by a Salesian missionary ad gentes (at least twice in a Semester).

Do you have any concrete suggestion?

As matter of fact, the Mission animation group members change every formative year. I suggest that there will be one formator in charge, to guide the members of Mission Animation Group. Based on my experience, the 11th of the Month is a day dedicated for the mission, each province is assigned to share something about their province in the Mission Animation Group Bulletin Board every month, the Mass intentions for that day is intended for the missionaries around the world. Then we would like to receive a help, how to really align the tasks of our group with the provincial level and the whole congregation animation as well.

Note from the Rector of SnDB , Fr. Renato Molina: Thanks for your concern about the missionary group. We are doing ok. Now that our confreres in formation are done with their requirements, they are busy now evaluating our SEPP. We have also organized seminars and interest based classes like understanding youth, developing computer skills, like photoshop, etc. And yes, there's the daily games ... besides belt-tightening, we keep ourselves healthy and sane.

Related resource about missionary groups - Missionary Animation Handbook (ed. 2019)

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