What challenges does the Salesian mission in education face in Italy?

Abstract

Two centuries have passed since the birth of Don Bosco and this occasion can be a significant opportunity for the re-launching of the Congregation in Italy. From this point of view, it is certainly important to try to identify the more relevant challenges. This article divides them into external and internal. The first come from the problems afflicting our civil society from the economic, social, cultural and educational points of view. In their turn, the challenges internal to the Congregation have been articulated as those of a general nature, those which concern single areas of Salesian pastoral work, and those specifically related to schools and centres for vocational education since in their regard the results of recently conducted research are available. If the areas of criticism are varied even more so are the strong points and the prospects for development, and the Salesians who are living in Italy, with the determined collaboration of lay people, are certainly capable of effectively achieving them.