Salesian Family Interamerica Provincial Delegates Meeting

By Fr. John Puntino, SDB Delegate, Salesian Cooperators Provincial Council (Canada)

(Etobicoke, Ont. – October 14) – From Thursday, October 1, through Sunday, October 4, the Salesian Family Provincial Delegates from the Interamerica Region met at the Salesian provincial headquarters in Quito, Ecuador. Andrea Zimmerman, Sr. Teresa Gutiérrez, FMA, and Fr. John Puntino, SDB, represented the SDB and FMA Provinces of the Eastern United States and Canada.

Eighteen groups of the Salesian Family have presences in the region. Thirty-four participants from eight of these groups came to the meeting.

One immediately felt the Salesian Family spirit as members became acquainted with each other and their institutes and associations. They prayed together, studied the themes together, and sang and played games. It was a Salesian oratory experience.

The five-part program unfolded over three days, beginning with a lectio divina on John 10:11-18 (“Jesus the Good Shepherd”). This opening reflection created a prayerful atmosphere and set the tone for reflection on the ministry of being a delegate. Small groups deepened the reflection on the lectio using the “Conversations in the Spirit” method.

Next, the group turned its attention to strategic planning by reviewing the three-year plan from the 2023 regional meeting. Together, they celebrated the goals successfully reached, addressed outstanding tasks, and identified new needs for the future.

The third part of the meeting took an in-depth look at the recently revised document, “Animation and Accompaniment of the Salesian Family,” which is a type of manual for Salesian Family delegates.

In preparation for the 2027 Strenna and the 150th anniversary of Don Bosco’s “Treatise on the Preventive System,” Fr. Luis Manuel Timossi presented a study of the development of Don Bosco’s method of education and offered guidelines for safeguarding and implementing it in today’s realities.

Finally, what is an international meeting without a cultural outing? On Saturday, October 3, the group joined the Ecuadorian three-day Salesian Family Days already in progress at the Cardinal Spellman Salesian Institute. The group then went to the historical centre of Quito for a tour of the Monastery of the Poor Clares and a festive restaurant dinner.

Now participants are heading home ready to put these fruits to good use. Armed with new resources, they will collaborate with their provincial and local advisory boards to build a three-year plan for shared formation, communion, and mission. Ultimately, it is the timeless spirit of Don Bosco that unites every branch of the Salesian Family, sending them forth to serve as a single, powerful force for good.

Read the full coverage of the meeting on ANS.