The Salesian Family as an ecclesial and apostolic movement
Frame of reference
Presentation Common Mission Statement.
Address by the Rector Major: A vast movement for the good of the young
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The moderator presents the group with a visual presentation on point 2.2. on the comment on the Strenna for 2009: “Communion in and for the mission”, and point 2.3 “Some requirements for continuing the journey”:
A. “Communion begets communion and essentially takes the shape of missionary communion” (ChL 32). Now in the third millennium our principal goal is to express, more evidently, communion in the mission, taking account of the following criteria:
1. According to the constants in the origins and development of the Salesian Family:
One thing has remained constant, as a precious heritage: passion for education, especially for the poorest of the young, whom we help so that they become aware of their dignity as persons, of their value and the possibilities they have in life for God and the world. “Da mihi animas”. We make this motto of Don Bosco's our own. We look at the young, their spiritual dimension, and we want to show our concern for reawakening in them in their calling as children of God, and help them to make it a reality, following the Preventive System, that is by reason, religion and loving-kindness. This implies a detachment from everything that could distract us from giving ourselves to God and the young. Here then is the meaning of “cetera tolle”, the second half of our motto.
2. Fitting in with the circumstances of the world today:
The world, unified by communication, marked by complexity, many 'causes', the possibility of networks, offers a new scenario for Christian mission to the young, support for them, education. The Salesian Family will seek to come together in order to give weight to its presence in society and impact to its educative activity: there is the problem of youth today, life to be safeguarded, poverty to be overcome in its many expressions; peace to foster; declared human rights to be brought into reality; Jesus to be made known.
3. As the result of recent Strennas:
Strennas over the last three years have highlighted the educational emergency, commitment to family, support for life, preference for the poor, global solidarity, new evangelisation. This new Salesian Family phase will be marked by zealous and active charity, filled with imagination and generosity: it is what made Don Bosco an image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, recognisable to the young and the lowly people of his time. We, the Salesian Family, are called today, in the 21st Century, to model our hearts, poor and sinful as we are, in the heart of Jesus in which God is shown to the world as He who gives life, so that human beings may be happy and have life in abundance (cf. Jn 10: 10).
B. Some requirements emerge to continue the path of growth and to achieve the objective of communion in mission proposed to us:
1. To deepen our knowledge, to understand it better, of the likely common area and actual characteristics of mission..
This all means we need to look at, reflect on, dialogue about, study, and pray together to discover the road to take in a spirit of communion. It is the sign of love the young are waiting for and which they will certainly feel the benefit and impact of.
2. Put spirituality back at the centre of things as an impetus to communion for mission, in conformity with this hour of the Church and the situation of today's religious experience; from this follows the urgency of formatiion of members and involvement of others.
Holiness: this is the source and energy from which "the vast movement of people who in various ways work for the salvation of the young" will flow (C. SDB 5): the Salesian Family. We cannot believe that this can be the result of organisation, even if refined and perfected by techniques for bringing people together. The Spirit has brought it about and it lives by the Spirit.
It is to this Family that I make the pressing invitation to acquire a new way of thinking, to always think and act as a Movement, with an intense spirit of communion (concord), with a convinced desire for synergy (unity of intent), with a mature capacity to network (unity in projects). In the Salesian Cooperator regulations Don Bosco wrote: "At all times it has been considered that union between good people was necessaary in order to help one another to do good and to keep far away from evil… Weak forces, when united, become strong and if a string on its own easily breaks, it is very hard to break three of them if they are bound together. When weak forces are united they become strong: Vis unita fortior, funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur"". We should never forget that we were founded by a Saint of social charity, Don Bosco (cf. Deus Caritas Est n. 40), who was aware, however, that pastoral and educative work needs charity where people cooperate, which the Spirit raises up charisms for.
3. To ensure the capacity for autonomy of the groups with regard to their development, formation of their members, apostolic initiatives.
4. To understand and experience simple and easy forms of collaboration: “think globally, act locally”.
5. To deepen our understanding of the Salesian experience as lived out by lay people.
The group divides into subgroupsi to reflect on the following questions:
- How do we take up the ‘requiremnents’ which make it possible for us to achieve as a Salesian Family, the goal of communion in mission which has been proposed to us?
- In which areas (indicated by the Rector Major) can we, together, give weight, visibility, impact to our presence and educative activity in the Church and society?
(Each participant in the subgroups will be given an outline with the following input. Each subgroup begins its study by starting from a point that will be indicated by the moderator. Each subgroup will select two priorities).
Outline
1. Working together on formation and deepening our understanding of the charismatic mindset of Salesian Family
This why we need to make efforts to:
- make the “Common Identity Card” as well as the “Common Mission Statement” the object of study by each Salesian Family group, so that each member grows in a culture of the Family and awareness of the Movement;
- share the conclusions drawn from this study with the local and Provincial “Consultative Group” of the Salesian Family and choose, by way of conclusion, guidelines for sharing and teamwork in the service of the Salesian mission in each area.
2. Foster shared commitment
Study together, amongst various member groups of the Salesian Family in a particular zone, the circumstances of young people today, especially as regards the three great challenges of life, various kinds of poverty, evangelisation, peace, human rights … and seek:
- ways of improving existing initiatives, by greater collaboration and networking;
- promotion of new initiatives with specific contribution from different groups.
3. An instrument of communion: the local and provincial Consultative body for the Salesian Family
Give greater consistency to the local and provincial Consultative body for the Salesian Family, seeking the most adeguate way of bringing them into existence, so they may be a forum not only for exchange of ideas and experiences, but especially a tool for
- reflecting together on the challenges of the mission in the local area and for sharing some basic responses on the part of each group according to its possibilities;
- simpler, easier and well articulated ways of collaborating in projects of education and evangelisation, especially in service of the young.
4. Some platforms for collaboration and networking to foster and develop
– Animating the Salesian Youth Movement,
• by developing, in the various youth groups animated by the SF, a commitment to share and be involved with the Salesian Youth Movement;
• by being involved in accompanying groups and young people;
• by sharing an education to faith curriculum in the formation process for groups, which helps them to discover and take up their own apostolic calling in the Church and society.
– Animation and promotion the Salesian, social and missionary Volunteer Movement, amongst young people and adults
as a Salesian response to the great challenges in today's world of the young, especially for the poorest young people and those most at risk.
– Fostering priestly, religious and lay vocations to special commitment, in the service of the Church and especially the Salesian Family, by:
• taking part in vocation initiatives promoted by the local Church;
• witness of one's own life lived as a calling, and offering them different vocations in the Church and society, especially in the Salesian Family;
• particular attention to and accompaniment of young couples with appropriate initiatives;
• support for families and parents in their educational involvement, fostering educational moments for parents, couples, etc.
In the whole groupwill gather together the practical and prioritiesed choices with regard to the four core themes, and will put them on a poster as a kind of tree.
(These selections will complete thel “paradigm of communion” to be put forward to the Assembly on the final day).
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24 January
Afternoon
15.45 - 16.30
16.30 – 18.00
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