VISION OF THE SALESIAN COOPERATORS MISSION MISSION

Transcript:VISION OF THE SALESIAN COOPERATORS MISSION MISSION:
VISION OF THE SALESIAN COOPERATORS MISSION MISSION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE SALESIAN COOPERATORS VISION From its beginning, the ASC was established in conjunction with the Society of St. Francis de Sales and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, sharing in their apostolic charism, contributing in this way to the salvation of youth, the “most delicate and most precious portion of human society”. From the very start, Don Bosco thought about organizing the “co-helpers” of his work. He invited lay people, men and women, and members of the diocesan clergy to “cooperate” in his mission of salvation of the young, especially of those who are poor and abandoned. (PVA Statutes, Preface) MISSION Why must we speak about “Vision” within the Association? Vision = all of our dreams together which become the fuel and the guide for all the activities that we carry out. Dreams Youth High Schools Schools Work Universities Oratories Catechism Families Parish Groups Civic Society Jail ministry Politics Marginalization Human Rights Communications SHARED VISION It is essential that the relationships within the Association change so that we can speak of a “shared vision”. We need to let go of thinking that we are “just members” and move toward speaking of the Association as “ours.” Sharing who we are and what we have, sharing what we hope to achieve and the goals we hope to reach, are the first steps we need to take to help our Salesian Cooperators align themselves with the Mission and with the Association. The Mission of the Association: the reason for its Vision. Our mission is marked with an ecclesial character (SPVA, Art. 1). And it was founded to meet the needs of a particular group of persons (SPVA, Preface). PRESENT CHALLENGES Today we find ourselves living one of the most challenging times of our history. The world is at a crucial crossroad touching our very existence, on the verge of absolute domination of materialism. This reality both upsets and challenges us. Recent decades have seen the advance of a spiritual “desertification”. Regrettably, we now see around us those things that mark a life or a world without God. The void has increased and spread. (Benedict XVI, Homily for the Opening of the Year of Faith) Cultural Causes: Secularism, Materialism, Consumerism, A life without God, Relativism. 1 Personal Temptations: Individualism, Activism, Lack of interest, Rifts, Forgetfulness. 2 Problems within the Association: Apathy Negligence