PRESENTATION

In many ways these pages tell the story of the hope and life we have experienced in our meetings in different parts of the world. Salesian Youth Spirituality was the focus and energy which brought together so many young people, FMA, SDB, parents lay collaborators and other members of the Salesian Family in Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Indeed by homing in on our spirituality we have been able to work more closely together us a huge family not only "for" the young but "with " them and with all who find inspiration in the educational enthusiasm of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello.

This "working document" which we are presenting to you is the fruit of the FMA and SDB Youth Ministry Departments' collaborating together with the Provinces.

At the end of 1993 a group of FMA SDB and young people met to share with us their experience of Salesian Youth Spirituality. The term "Salesian Youth Spirituality" began to be used around 1980, and since then our understanding and sharing of our spirituality has deepened greatly. The young people and educators of those times have become adults with a rich heritage which have seen them take on leadership roles in initial meetings, Youthgathers, the centenary Celebrations of MM 81 and DB 88 and in many other initiatives undertaken to share this common spirituality.

We became conscious of passing on this heritage and of deepening our spirituality emerging in these years throughout the world it be came urgent to look at how we could guarantee continuity with the early experiences for other young people, for other educators, lay collaborators and members of the Salesian Family.

This working document is a response to this need a need expressed by some of our young people themselves. It is not a 'text" to add to your libraries or put on the shelves in some of our houses. It is the outcome of a process of d dialogue and reflection carried out in stages:

- a first stage which brought together some young people, some FMA, and some SDB, who produced a document which was then sent to the Provinces;

- a second stage involved a reflection carried out by groups within the Provinces made up of people with experience and responsibility at the level of Youth Ministry. They looked at the text together underlining positive aspects of the draft document, points they found weak or unclear, elements they felt missing and proposals for eventual inclusion;

- a third stage, undertaken by a small group, looked at the observations and comments made regarding the text for re-drafting the document;

- the final stage involved rewriting and translating the document to be sent out to the different Provinces to be "owned " within each context and culture.

This is then a basic document which attempts to re-read the charismatic experience of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello within the context of contemporary theological reflection. It presents the basis, the guidelines from which a kind of manual can be built which respects provincial experiences and the journey made in .Salesian Youth Spirituality: the needs of the young and of the social and cultural setting.

This working document needs to be translated and given some "local" colouring. This is the task we entrust so each of the Provinces and inter Provincial groups so that .Salesian Youth Spirituality can in turn he enriched by the different "face" of each of the continents.

This document is of special interest to those FMA, SDB, young people, lay collaborators and members of the Salesian Family who have a role al leadership at local or Provincial level. Through you we hope the text will be presented and shared with the Educating Community, leaving you with the task of finding the best criteria for communicating and understanding its contents in the light of your day to day living.

The reflection questions at the end of each section can be used at both personal and group level. They have been prepared with a view to increase our awareness of the gift we have and are called to share with others, enriching it with our experience.

This document is a treasure entrusted to each Province to become more precious still.

We look forward to seeing the various "manuals " which will come about as a result of your meetings to give this present document the necessary international support and enrichment is needs so that we continue writing together in our daily living the prophetic inspiration of Mother Mazzarello and Don Bosco.

Our special thanks are due to all who contributed time, energy and experience to write this hook and present it so well.

May Mary our help walk with us in our work and in our openness to be like her "the expression and word of God" for all people of our time and in the future.

"To dream the impossible dream..." sums up the hope we carry deep within us. Realizing that dream is an inner drive which eventually leads us to happiness. Yet often this potential to think 'big' and follow our dream remains suffocated until the right moment comes along and our courage kick starts us into life.

The story of Salesian Youth Spirituality is the story of one such dream and one such right moment.

In the past there have been many who have committed themselves to realizing the dream mapped out by Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello in their day. At a certain moment, however, we woke up to the fact that circumstances have Changed and it is not enough to repeat what they did and what they said The world and culture have changed. We need to find ways to reach people in a changed reality. The landscape has altered and while we continue the journey of our friends before us we know we must do so in a new way.

We ware hungry for something new. And so "Salesian Youth Spirituality" was born. Essentially it directed us to discover again what had always been with us.

It is this "Salesian Youth Spirituality" which continues to be good news for those seeking life and hope in our world.

We want to proclaim this good news in the belief that all those who, like Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, put themselves at the service of life in the name of Jesus may find even greater scope for realizing their dream.