Salesians: More than 900 athletes participate in the “biggest” youth sports event in Portugal

“We’re friends. Among you, I feel good”, is the motto of the 2024 Salesian National Games, which have six sports

Cascais, 26 April 2024 (Ecclesia) – The Salesians of Dom Bosco in Portugal mobilized “around 998 athletes”, from the continent and Funchal, who are competing in six sports at the 2024 National Games, which started this Thursday, and end Sunday, April 18, in Estoril.

“An educational and personal asset, capable of revealing to each person their humanity and bringing them closer to understanding the profound value of their lives and that of others”, said the national leader of the Salesians, Father Tarcízio Morais, about the sport at the opening ceremony.

The provincial superior of Portugal and Cape Verde of the Salesians of Don Bosco explained that any sporting activity requires “loyalty in competition, respect, a sense of solidarity and altruism, but also joy, satisfaction and celebration”.

The 2024 Salesian National Games began this Thursday, the 25th, and end on Sunday, April 28th, in the courtyards, gymnasiums and fields of the Salesianos of Estoril.

The 58th edition of this sporting event, inspired by the pedagogy of Saint John Bosco, has the theme ‘We are friends. Among you, I feel good’, words from the founder of this religious congregation which, according to the organization, “carry a profound appeal to friendship, mutual respect and the construction of positive relationships”.

To the “more than 900 athletes”, coming from the various Salesian presences in mainland Portugal and Funchal, on the island of Madeira, Father Tarcízio Morais indicated that an athlete who lives “his experience fully”, becomes “attentive to God’s project for your life.”

“Learn to listen to His voice during long training sessions, to recognize Him in the face of your partner and also your opponent in the competition”, he added.

Divided into levels, the athletes of the Salesian National Games, with more than 98 coaches, participate in six different sports, ball games – futsal, basketball, volleyball and table tennis -, in water – swimming – and board, with the chess.

The 2024 Salesian National Games are hosted on the premises of the religious congregation in Estoril, a parish in the Municipality of Cascais, the mayor stated that “Salesians make a difference in their communities”; Carlos Carreiras, a former Salesian student, encouraged the athletes to be better and to “go further”.

The director of the Salesians of Estoril encouraged all participants in the 58th edition of the National Games to see it not just as a sporting activity, but as an “educational-pastoral initiative”.

Father João Chaves, who asked those present to “experience the essential values ​​of Salesian pedagogy”, explained that the theme ‘We are friends. Among you, I feel good’ is “a reaffirmation of the great values ​​of universal fraternity and friendship, between cultures and generations, as Pope Francis has said so often”.

The official opening ceremony of the XXVIII Salesian National Games, in the central courtyard of the Salesians of Estoril, which will host the celebration of the Eucharist and the closing, was attended by nine delegations, and, in addition to these three participants, the provincial of the Salesians, sister Deolinda Teixeira, the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon, D. Joaquim Mendes, Salesians from various presences, sponsors and guests, highlight the Salesians of Don Bosco in Portugal.

The Salesian National Games have been held in Portugal annually since 1992, in several cities where there are Salesian presences, the first edition took place in Mogofores, Anadia, in the Diocese of Aveiro, with four modalities: Handball, Basketball, Volleyball and Football.

CB