Rome (Italy). From 7 to 18 July 2025 in Rome, at the General House of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Formation took place for volunteer workers of the Universal Civil Service of the foreign projects of the Youth and Solidarity Volunteering Foundation FVGS ETS.
29 young people from all over Italy enthusiastically participated in these days in preparation for the one-year service they will carry out in the Salesian Houses in Madagascar, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
On 7 July, the young people were welcomed by the Animator of Mary Help of Christians Community of the Generalate (RCG), Sister Carla Castellino, who in her welcome speech underlined how they were already awaited by the whole Community before even knowing them.
The days then opened with the intervention of the Director General of the FVGS, Sister Annecie Audate, who introduced them to the Salesian spirit of volunteering and the profound sense of the experience they decided to live.
Over the two weeks, interventions on human rights, international cooperation, and the main players in cooperation followed one another, the various projects and activities that the volunteer workers will go to carry out abroad were presented, the Security Plan for each Country, and the Child Protection Policy were illustrated and, thanks to the help of the Italian Red Cross, a first aid course was held.
In addition, specific issues of the Universal Civil Service such as the organization of the SCU and its figures, the current legislation and the Charter of Ethical Commitment, the path taken in Italy by conscientious objection to the SCU, in addition to the identity of the group in formation and the formation pact were explored in depth.
The techniques and methodologies generally used for formation were participatory, always providing a space for the reflections of volunteer workers, in order to fully evaluate the formation course. The volunteer workers therefore had, at all times, the opportunity to express their opinions, to share their fears before leaving for abroad, and thus to increase their awareness of the service they will be carrying out.
The young people lived the formation days with joy, taking advantage of the insights for reflection useful for their holistic growth.
On returning home a volunteer wrote:
These days, I loved:
– Opening myself up to all these meetings: many of these people (Sisters and companions) I would never have met in my daily life.
– Living together
– Talking about how you are doing
– Learning from my colleagues lives
– Learning from the formators what I’m going to want to be
– Staying Close to the True Faith
– Repeating to myself every second, “It is enough that you are young for me to love you,” feel myself young, feel I am important without excess, feel I am loved with excess.”
The volunteers were happy to personally know various Salesian Sisters with whom, in addition to living under the same roof and spending meal times and some recreations together, they were able to share, discovering the Salesian world, its joy and openness towards young people.
On 18 July, at the end of the experience, together with the FMA of the Community, they experienced a special moment of prayer, greeting, and sending towards the Communities for which they are destined, which were connected via Zoom. Each of them has also received a “godmother” among the FMA of the Generalate, who will undertake to accompany the young person with prayer during the missionary experience.
On behalf of the Community, Sister Carla reiterated the joy of having them among them. “It was a time of Paradise for us too, so it means that Paradise exists! What is Paradise? Welcoming, loving, helping each other to have a heart like that of Jesus, who welcomes everyone. I wish you to continue living this life of Paradise that we have lived with you.” And she entrusted them to Mary Help of Christians, giving them a key ring with the inscription, “Mary Help of Christians, protect me everywhere.”
For their part, the young people left the Community a beautiful message of gratitude:
“Dearest Sisters, you welcomed us and made us feel at home, with smiles, gentle words, and kindness. In a short time, you made us feel we were in the right place. You knew how to orient us in the corridors and in everyday life, like a silent but always present compass. You guided us without showing it, and your every gesture made us understand that we were safe. And how can we forget the glorious volleyball challenge, for you? You literally destroyed us. But we had a lot of fun, even though someone is still recovering from the blow! And then the homemade ice cream, the chocolates left on the table, the sweets hidden in every corner of the house… Every encounter with you was truly a chocolate: something that sweetens the day, that makes the journey more beautiful. And so, between a net joke and a coffee candy, you taught us that welcoming someone means making room for them in one’s time. Thank you for letting us into your home; thank you for every chat in the kitchen, and for every good morning said calmly. You have spoiled us with sweetness, and we will take that flavor with us. With affection and some candy in our pocket,
the young people of the Civil Service.”
