(ANS – Rome) – Once again this year, on the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, the Salesian Missions Sector is launching Salesian Mission Day with the theme “Care of Creation, Our Mission.” In keeping with current events, the care of our Common Home and all aspects related to it is placed at the center of the priorities of today’s man and woman, particularly today’s Christian. This work is the result of collaboration between the Salesian Missions Sector and the Youth Ministry Sector, a sign of the current relevance of the topic for everyone, no one excluded.
The booklet contains many interesting insights to photograph the vast theme of integral ecology from different points of view, starting precisely from the Salesian reflection that illustrates the entire process. Each of the contributions, which are a clear example of the wealth of the Church, is preceded by a quotation from Pope Francis’ Laudato sì. From the Rector Major to Fr. Joshtroom Kureethadam, coordinator of the Holy See’s Ecology and Creation Sector, via Emanuela Chiang, the Sector’s contact person for Youth Ministry for the area of integral ecology: many are the living witnesses who help us respond to the Gospel mandate of unconditional love. Some focuses, of a scientific, sociological and charismatic type, render the insights in the text even richer. The figures of the martyrs Rudolf Lunkenbein and Simão Bororo, along with St. Hildegard of Bingen, urge us toward total dedication and show how the engine of everything is God the Creator. Finally, some concrete proposals: to contribute to an agricultural project in India and to make some meaningful gestures in one’s Salesian works to take care of the green areas and reduce the use of plastic. The final prayer accompanies and seals the work done and the process of converting hearts and minds, asking for inspiration to care passionately for our common home as faithful stewards.
The poster, produced by the Salesian Bulletin of Argentina, is a condensation of integral ecology:
the tree of life in the center, with the Christian community gathered in its shadow with the Word of God, the native peoples intent on reaping the fruits of the earth, the alliance between young and old caring for the environment, the farmers working together with simplicity, and the displaced people forced to migrate for climatic reasons.
Two videos accompany the celebration and animation of the SMD: one intended for the younger generation and the other for educators, a further invitation to take seriously the call for ecological conversion in everyone’s view. They will be available in the YouTube channel of the Missions Sector: canale Youtube.
All animation materials will be available in sdb.org at the link: https://www.sdb.org/it/Dicasteri/Missioni/Giornate_Missioni_Salesiane/Giornata_Missioni_Salesiane_2023__GMS_2023_
Source: ANS – “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana”