by Pascual Chávez Villanueva

DISCOVERY…

THE FRUITS

OF THE PREVENTIVE SYSTEM

I want to introduce the Salesian Calendar for 2004. In the course of more than 150 years, Don Bosco’s educational system, that the Salesians have been using since their foundation, has borne unexpected fruit, and has produced heroes and heroines, men and women saints, mostly unknown but “extraordinary in their ordinariness.”

The celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the canonization of Saint Dominic Savio and the centenary of the death of Blessed Laura Vicuña have been the inspiration for the 2004 calendar of the Bollettino Salesiano. Recalling these events and wishing to take the opportunity they provide to propose once again to young people a “high standard of ordinary Christian living”, has led us to an appreciation of the rich patrimony of boys and girls that Don Bosco’s system has set on the path of holiness leading them to become masterpieces of nature and grace. I am only going to mention, those who have been pupils of either the Salesians or the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians; but if one were to take the whole Salesian Family the list would become even more rich and varied. They are indeed the most precious fruits of the Preventive System. Throughout the year I intend to present some of them, called to be models for the young people of today. All our educational activity has this same aim.

We all know that reference to real life can be more effective in throwing light on a principle, especially nowadays when the world seems to be suffering from a serious lack of real models. While this is true of all ages, it is particularly so for youth. If our cultural baggage allowed us to incarnate what we have to say in concrete models we would make it far more convincing and inspirational.

 “Few things can rejuvenate or give new life to theology, and through it the whole of Christian life, as a blood transfusion coming from the lives of saints,” says one of today’s most brilliant theologians (Hans Urs von Balthasar).

Our saints, especially our young saints, are the best seal of authenticity, as well as the best source for special reflection. They not only “grew ever closer to Christ”, but like all the saints they have enriched our world and the fabric of society with their values and sensitivity. When Don Bosco wanted to talk about the spirituality of young people, he didn’t write treatises on spiritual theology, or on youth mysticism, but simply wrote the life of Dominic Savio, of Michael Magone and of Francis Besucco. In this way– by choosing them from among those flesh and blood boys who attended his Oratory – he indicated the ideals to set before all boys.

 Recalling our saints and recalling those who made the most impact on our past pupils in their tender years can be for every Salesian educator a fresh stimulus: it is what Don Bosco did, that extraordinary teacher who knew the hearts of the young so well that he knew how to start them off “joyfully” along the paths that everyone else considered too difficult and out of reach for ordinary boys.

When we take an overall look at them we soon become aware that we possess an extraordinarily rich and varied patrimony: from those who are well known such as Dominic Savio, Laura Vicuña, Zeferino Namuncurà, to the martyrs such as the five young Polish men who have been beatified, and on to others, still without haloes, but equally exemplary, such as D’Acquisto, Marvelli, Maffei, Bracco, Devereaux, Ocasion…

 Looking at their origins, they come from Italy, Argentina, Chile, Spain, France, Poland, Portugal, Lithuania, Mexico… just to mention a few. I hope that every province will produce its own “Golden Book” about its salesian education and will publish the lives of those young people considered as models.

These young saints are not just “feathers in our cap” but genuine encouraging examples of our educational method and approach.

This is the reason why they will be the ones to speak to us through their lives throughout the year 2004. I hope you enjoy reading them and are inspired by them. 