NASHIK, NOVEMBER 23, 2009: A three-day session on Salesian Youth Spirituality was held from November 17- 19, 2009 at the Salesian Training Institute, Nashik. Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb and Fr. Ajoy Fernandes sdb animated the participants: the SDB novices and the FMA novices; the Novice Mistress and Assistant of the FMA novices and the Assistant of the Salesian novices also participated.
The first day focused on ‘Leadership.’ The main points highlighted through the input and the exercises were planning, foresight, communication, teamwork and proper delegation.
The second day focused on Salesian Youth Spirituality. The novices were made aware of the difference between a youth worker and a youth minister. Fr. Glen presented different models of Youth Ministry. On the third day, the novices, in their groups, presented 30-minute sessions; the target group was X standard students. The sessions were well planned and executed; the participants gave valuable feedback during the evaluation. The course culminated with the “commissioning” of the participants.
The novices got a clear idea of the elements of Salesian Youth Spirituality. Fr. Glen’s Nairobi experience, with the youth, made the programme very practical. The novices got a firsthand experience of taking a session; this will stand them in good stead in their future ministry.