Seveso (Italy). From 8 to 10 July 2022, the Regional Congress of Salesian Cooperators (SSCC) of Italy Malta Middle East took place in Seveso, province of Monza and Brianza, at St. Peter Ambrosian Pastoral Center to elect the new Regional Councilor of the World Council.

Present in addition to Delegates, coordinators, and councilors of the Italian Provinces, were Fr. Joan Lluis Playà, Salesian of Don Bosco, World Delegate for the Salesian Family; Mr. Duc Nam Nguyen, SDB, World Delegate for Salesian Cooperators; Sr. Lucrecia Carmen Uribe, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, World Delegate for Salesian Cooperators; Fr. Giuseppe Buccellato, SDB, Regional Delegate for Salesian Cooperators; and Sr. Elena Cavaliere, FMA, Regional Delegate for Salesian Cooperators.

The Congress began with the Eucharistic Celebration, to entrust to the Lord such a significant moment for the Association.

The interventions of the first day were opened by the World Coordinator of the SSCC, Mr. Antonio Boccia, connected online, who addressed the theme “The SSCCs called to live synodality in the Church”. Mr. Boccia underlined how Don Bosco wanted “consecrated and lay people”, therefore co-responsible for the mission of the Church, who must never lack the charismatic contribution of the commitment of each Salesian Cooperator.

On the theme “Synodality and leadership. The biblical dimension of synodality,” intervened Sr. Lucrecia Uribe, who highlighted how in the Old and New Testament, figures are encountered who can be recognized as models of synodality and who can still suggest the right practices for accompaniment in the journey of Local Centers and young people.

Mr. Duc Nam Nguyen then spoke of synodality from the charismatic point of view, highlighting how in the educational and evangelizing process of young people conceived by Don Bosco there are some characteristic features of synodality and that the SSCC must continue to walk in the furrow he traced.

The second day of work was characterized, in addition to the interventions of the regional representatives of the various sectors and those of Fr. Giuseppe Buccellato and Sr. Elena Cavaliere, by the end-of-mandate report of Mr. Carlo Pellegrino, outgoing World Councilor.

After thanking all the people who collaborated with him during his mandate, Charles reminded the Salesian Cooperators to continue to keep alive the “Project of Apostolic Life” in order to be a living, prophetic, and synodal presence in the Church today and to remain steadfast in the vocation. By highlighting the steps taken together along the path of his mandate, he drew attention to others still to be addressed.

During the second day, the presentations of the three candidates for the role of World Councilor for the Italy Malta Middle East Region: Italo Canaletti, Matteo Caracciolo, and Massimo Melodia aroused great interest. Each of them, with different styles and traits, was in fact able to convey to the participants their great love and spirit of service for Don Bosco, the young people, and the Association.

July 10 was the culmination of the Congress in which, after entrusting themselves to the Holy Spirit, those entitled to vote expressed their preference for the election of one of the three candidates for World Councilor. Italo Canaletti, belonging to the Adriatic Province, was elected.

After the Eucharistic Celebration at the end of the Congress, the newly elected World Councilor expressed his greeting, proposing to the other two candidates to join the Regional Council: Matteo Caracciolo, as person in charge of Formation, and Massimo Melodia of Administration. Both accepted with joy, putting themselves in turn at the service of the Association for the common good, according to the teaching of Don Bosco, Father and Teacher of the Salesian Cooperators and of the whole Salesian Family.

 

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