by Cleric Joyston Machado for BISMumbai

The Salesian Youth Movement [SYM] is a platform where the young feel at home and have an opportunity to grow in faith, friendship and fellowship. In collaboration with Don Bosco Youth Services [DBYS] Mumbai, the scholastics at Don Bosco Youth Centre [DBYC] Pune participated in an Online training programme on understanding the SYM; imbibing the heart of a Salesian educator; and the dimensions of Salesian youth ministry. DBYS Mumbai Director Father Mylin Noronha and Asst. Director Bother Bryce Fernandes coordinated the sessions.

Brother Fernandes highlighted: learning to the youth ministers; knowing the world of the young; and theologise the youth ministry. He focused on: the young person and their choices; the life of the young and their attitudes. He elaborated on the need to know the world of the young and getting to the fundamentals of combining youth ministry and love of God expressed through the Good Shepherd. With in-depth growth, research/communication skills by reading and knowing the Salesian Youth Ministry Frame of Reference [SYMFoR], in order to give a Salesian experience to the young. Citing practical examples and associations from his stay in the Philippines, he provided new ideas and insights for the parish ministry.

Father Noronha based himself on the SYMFoR, and the heart of the Salesian Educator as the most important in the SYM undertaking. He built on his personal experience imbibed during his 'student of theology' days in Pune, Don Bosco Borivali and Dominic Savio Boys' Home Andheri. The 02 fundamental topics he referred to were: the heart of the Salesian Educator and the various dimensions of the SYM. With examples, a well-prepared powerpoint presentation and questions to ponder, Father Noronha was very precise and brief.

Time was also allotted during the course of the meeting for group discussion and planning based on the presentations. The scholastics divided themselves based on their various parishes and began planning activities for four months. Later, the group met together on the same platform to share their activities and plans, Brother Fernandes and Father Noronha asked the groups to share both group discussion outcomes and individual plans to build their heart as Salesian educators of the young. Cleric Nigel Pinto remarked, "this helped me to get back to revise the basic framework for the Youth Ministry." The others also cheered the good tie-up and the well-planned interactive session.