Lisbon (Portugal). On 2 August 2023, during the days of the World Youth Encounter in Lisbon, the SYM Day took place. It was the gathering of the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement from all over the world around the Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, and the Mother General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sister Chiara Cazzuola.
With the theme “COME, LIVE, PROCLAIM”, SYM Day had the objective of making young people aware of the multiculturalism of Don Bosco’s charism and of living together in a day of celebration in the Oratorian style, the spirituality of the Charism with which they identify.
The Day began in Lisbon in the House of the Salesians of Don Bosco with the SYM Forum, the appointment for 150 young people representing the different SYM realities, coming from 51 countries.
After the prayer, greetings from the World Councilors for Youth Ministry, Sr. Runita Borja and Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende, and a triggering video on the condition of youth starting with the World Youth Day theme, “Mary got up and went in haste” (Lk 1:39), the presenters Sílvio Monteiro and Beatriz Domingos invited the participants for group work by language area: Portuguese, Spanish, English, and Italian.
The content consisted in discussing to identify an important global theme or challenge in which the SYM can make a significant and visible contribution, and to suggest concrete action guidelines to be carried out in the contexts.
Upon returning from group work, the young people were able to meet and dialogue with Mother and the Rector Major, who made themselves available to answer questions.
“The Church above all would like the presence of young people; it would like to be for them the home that Don Bosco offered. But young people do not want to go to church. Every day I realize the distance and lack of interest of many of them in seeking Jesus Christ as the Meaning of their lives.” These are the words of Marynna from Brazil, who asked the Rector Major for advice on how to act in regard to the distancing of young people from the Church.
“The way is to go and meet young people. This allows us to be truly close to them,” replied Fr. Ángel, suggesting the path of closeness and accompaniment rather than proselytism. “This makes you truly free. Only God knows how far to go to meet with young people. We go at the pace of the person who asks to make a journey”.
It was then the turn of Fabio, an educator from Turin, who asked Mother Chiara how to live with authenticity and serenity, finding in faith and in the Salesian charism a support and a resource and not further expectations to fill, which increase the performance anxiety.
“Doing our duty well without burdening ourselves with useless anxieties,” Mother said, advising us to decentralize ourselves. “Others must take us how we are, with our strengths and limitations.” She invited us to “think as a community”, which helps to act together without feeling alone. She also emphasized the importance of feeling called as animators, following the example of Dominic Savio, who lived it as a true and proper mission. Mother concluded by inviting to bring everything to God in prayer, “We must find our answers in the simplicity of our relationship with the Lord and with others”.
Concern regarding the management of relationships on social networks and affectivity emerged from the question of Karla, from Mexico, who asked the Rector Major how to learn to love and build deep and lasting relationships and how educators can help to mature in affectivity and to meet Jesus.
“To be a convinced Christian in today’s world is to go against the tide,” said the Rector Major, giving the example of the salmon, whose characteristic is that it swims upstream. And he went on to say, “I think it shows how one lives what one believes in.”
Regarding the affective dimension, he replied that it is not the consumption of experiences that makes one feel better and gives happiness. “Either we are working within, or we will be part of this world that lives in superficiality.” He encouraged us to take a path of authenticity. “Dear Karla, this is the way. It is a journey that many feel ‘obsolete’, not in step with the times, but this is not how it is.”
For her part, Mother Chiara invited us to try to recover feelings in order to go deeper into relationships, perhaps returning to writing letters that express more deeply what one feels, recovering this ability. Writing through short messages or emoticons, seems insufficient.
Furthermore, she invited young people to ask God directly how to improve relationships, “Many times we don’t know how to listen in silence, to understand what God’s will is for our lives. I know this is not an exhaustive answer, because authenticity in relationships is an achievement; however, in a Salesian environment we are favored. We live the family spirit, a way of being and of meeting each other which helps us to support each other, to live together. It is being among others, not only physically but also with the heart. Walking together, accompanying means sharing life with the people entrusted to us. Maybe we won’t be able to solve the children’s problems, but we can help them by giving them the tools”.
In his homily della Holy Mass, speaking of Mary’s readiness to set out to serve her cousin Elizabeth, the Rector Major gave this mandate to the young people of the SYM, “Dear young people, the choice is clear; I’m not saying easy. We can choose to live an authentic Christian life, as self-giving, service, and it will give you all happiness… There where God calls you, but with Him, happiness is guaranteed. Without Him, we are only looking for something new. And we must have the courage to proclaim it to other young people”.
In the afternoon, Mother and the Rector Major were the guests of honor at the SYM Festival, in the SDB House in Estoril, which was filled with groups from all over the world, in the joy of being together celebrating. Traditional games were held at various points in the courtyards of the Salesian school and on a stage young people of different nationalities involved the others with songs and dances typical of their Country.
A good number of young people then gathered in the Chapel for the Vocational Rosary, with the presence of the General Councilors for Formation, Fr. Ivo Coelho, SDB and Sister Nilza Fatima de Moraes, FMA, who thanked the young people for their prayerful presence in this Marian moment. “Our Lady has always been a presence of consolation, support, and guide in the life of our founders, Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello. Mary Help of Christians is a loving mother, an example of faith, availability, and service. She walks with us!”
The Poiares Philharmonic Band then accompanied Mother and the Rector Major to the sound of music, together with the thousands of young people, towards the large stage for the central show of the afternoon. There, the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement thrilled everyone with an artistic and much appreciated representation of the Dream at 9 years. After dinner, at the final moment of the Vigil, there was the presentation of the dream of the two columns.
The culminating moment of the evening was the entry of Jesus in the Eucharist, carried in procession with a large monstrance, by the Councilor for Youth Ministry Fr. Miguel Ángel García Morcuende. After the prayerful silence of adoration by the young people, the words of commentary on the Gospel of the Councilor, and the prayers of intercession, the Rector Major and Mother took the stage for the Goodnight.
Mother Chiara, speaking of the importance of Mary’s presence in the life of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, wished the young people to encounter in these days of grace of WYD, “the presence of Mary as Guide and Powerful Help.” She was a teacher for Johnny in the important choices for the future of his life and his mission. “Let yourself, let us be guided by Mary in these days so that she may help us to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. What does He want from each one? What does He ask of us?” she concluded. (full text)
Recalling the WYD experience not as a holiday but as a pilgrimage in search of Jesus in response to Pope Francis’ invitation, Fr. Ángel assured the young people, “you will not be disappointed by this WYD experience. I can assure you that when we say goodbye at the end of these days, and even more intensely afterwards, you will feel that everything was worth it and that, in a certain sense, you are no longer the same as before, because you will carry so much in the memory of your Heart. I can assure you that, like Mary, everything you do to live as young Christian disciples and missionaries, sometimes searching and without all the certainties, as I have already told you, will fill you with happiness. I am sure that for the rest of your life you will remember what you experienced at WYD, and I can assure you, as Don Bosco said to his boys, that Jesus will never disappoint you, quite the contrary”.
SYM DAY ended with an explosion of music and Salesian joy, while the young people of the various SYM realities, with happy hearts and waving the flags of the Countries of the world, left the courtyards of Estoril to continue their journey towards the much-awaited encounter with the Pope.
Photo: Flickr FMA
