WHO IS THE RECTOR? Batulao 2004.08.23-27
(Fr. Chrys Saldanha input and workshop contents)
To be a representative (sign, image) of Christ? (C 55)
Good shepherd
Patience, love, building unity
Credible witness; good example
Passion, caring from the heart
Sign of Christ presence; discipleship of Christ
To be a father (C 55)
close to all, approachable, loving, caring
corrects, staying closely in order to understand
Chinese father: welfare of the family, caring for all
Concerned with every person
Fatherliness is not primarily question of generation only (friendliness, warmth, make people feel at home anytime)
Empathy: understands what the confreres feel
Trust enjoyed: confidence, open hearts, care is felt (DB 1884: closeness – feeling they are loved - confidence - following)
To be a teacher and spiritual guide (C 55) – Reg 175, C 44
giving motivation
fidelity to our Charism
animator, gives his best
guiding the pastoral discernment of the community(C 44) “all of us are responsible” for the mission
promoting team work, dialogue, deepening the evangelization task
To be a brother among brothers (C 55)
accompaniment, support, sharing in common
conscious, no superiority complex, make feel at ease
brotherly style of functioning of the rector (not above)
To be a daily interpreter of God’s will (C 64, 66)
listening, time and space for confreres
deeply spiritual: imbued with the Gospel and Constitutions
helping to apply the Gospel and the Constitutions to the everyday life (TV program and our chastity; Free time and our kids care: DAY BY DAY INTERPRETER)
humility, to be detach from my own ideas, willing to search together
To be a priest (C 121)
spirit of sacrifice, ready to offering himself for the confreres
helping the conversion, administrator of sacraments
Vigano: ministry of the Word, of Eucharist and the Shepherd (3fold)
Opening our youth to God(speaking in His Word); to lead to God (sacraments, sanctification, prayer);to lead the whole community to be effective in its mission ( leadership)
2. A RECTOR is a man in AUTHORITY
Jn 21,15-17 (only after profession of love, entrusting the authority)
- 1st agape=God; unconditional love; 2nd filial love = friendship; 3rd down – in spite of the past entrusting
Lk 22,24-27 ( Servant leader)
Mt 23,8-11(everybody is under the authority of God; FMA – superiors draw inspiration from Mary) GOD is the real Superior (Testament of DB)
Jn 13,12-15 (leadership by example)
Authority – pyramid Church model: an old framework (ecclesiology)
God
Jesus
Pope
Bishop-Priest-Deacon
People of God
Authority – Opposite model (ministerial model = service structure)
God
World
People of God
Pope – Bishop – Priest
Jesus (at the service of all! – Gv 13)
3. WHAT KIND OF SERVICE?
- humble service of authority : help the confreres to growth!
- AUCTORITAS – rising the price; increase your resources; make growth! Progress , advancement is concerned (if exercises wrongly XX)
of its nature the authority tends to be conservative/ progressive?
why do we have a CEO, a president, bank manager – leading for the future growth.
In the society: growth in wealth, prosperity
In the Church: growth of persons, of communities in faith (Vatican II)
In the community: all the means (GNT) are only focused on confreres growth
Questions of the rectors:
How to reconcile the fatherliness and authority? (asian way)
More authoritatian style than animation – as a matter of fact. No questions.
Different authority style: suppress, of service? Culture and Gospel clash? I decide, I’m in charge, I will tell you… How to be critical? The exercise of the authority in East Asia? Animation and EA cultures!?
Mother and father ‘service of authority’ at present?
The Bible culture’s authority model?
Missionaries from the West are teaching? (FIN) Western mentality has less authority, more dialogue… Democracy – political thing is from the West (accountability, openness). Gospel does not give us more than criteria, principles (monarchy, democracy) how to live in any kind of society.
Basically we have different growth patterns (old, young generations)
Already to become a priest: basic qualifications for the rector! We are leading God’s people (rector, provincial) Anyone
AUTHORITY – HELPING people to grow (WHOM?)
towards the group growth – the community as a group (c 55)
lay mission partners
youth
Salesian family
AUTHORITY – help to GROW in WHAT?
(Objective in 3 circles not separate)
UNITY (much bigger – make studying the RM’s letter)
MISSION (C44) – help all the confreres to accept the shared responsibility - mission of the team; common planning – sharing – evaluating – deciding together (like DB in a teamwork with his ‘old boys’ still teenagers Rua etc)
PERSONAL HOLINESS – GROW in own VOCATION (individual growth)
GOVERNMENT
AND ANIMATION (4th
session, Aug 23rd)
Government
to make someone to do something
Animation
to make someone WANT to do something
appeal to faith, example, attraction, inspiration, effective motivation the person
ex: low sense of social awareness in the Salesian school (What can I do for society? – completely lacks) As the principal/ rector what can you do?
as the government: School -next Friday we have a collection, bringing something for the poor (you tell – they do); GC – let’s do this, because the Chapter says
as the animation: class by class (two hours of immersion – than report the slum conditions in the school: horrified and they WANT to do something), giving an experience of poverty, animating the students; OR giving the journal articles in order to move them; GC – explain the motivation behind the deliberations to the community; MOTIVATED the confreres
WHAT MAKES THE PEOPLE GROW – ANIMATION!
Through animation you help grow the confreres.
The ordinary style of authority is ANIMATION – trying to persuade, to build up the motivations; to attract; freely – willingly to WANT the same goal
Governing in an animating style (Salesian way!) – to persuade, to inspire, to motivate, to reason together... Even if you govern, make decisions after the community dialogue
ANIMATION PRACTICE
You want to improve the liturgy in your community
How do you find the liturgy of our community, feeling? NOT
Invite an expert liturgist to talk!(up date, they realize we should change our liturgy – changing from them) YES
Start of the year – meeting around the liturgy ideas
First – an example of the well celebrating rector to the confreres
Take advantage of special events = easier to moderate, gradually introduce into the ordinary practice the ‘new’
To create a scenario of innovative celebration and present to the community
Rectors talk to the catechist – who presents the plan to the community
The GC has asked that every community set up an EPC and ensure its proper functioning
If we are united, we can do better (to plant a new conviction)
Continue the best practices of the previous rector
FIS – 2 PC discussed about the importance of the EPC – provincial animation; a team is going around the houses (a facilitator – YM Delegate) – once you have already 2-3 model communities, the others will be inspired automatically!?
Make a comparison between the old and new practice – that helps achieve the goal of the institution/ work
Before starting the process, invite the person from the corporate world, telling us how they had succeeded. We can learn a lot! YES
Rector – read, study, internalize
Invite a community with a success story in this SEPP field
To make the lay people to talk about the value of the EPC to SDBs
You want your confreres to be more committed to the practice of poverty (delicate topic)
To do the scrutinium pauperitatis during the recollection (proper environment in order not to hurt the people)
When rector and Economer presents the account during the assembly
To stress the sustainability (not/ functional things)
To do the budgeting with the help of all confreres
Lectio divina to help us (Gospel passage about poverty)
Immersion experience (environment of the poor shakes the SDBs)
You find that some of your confreres are skipping Mediation frequently (or sleeping)
indirect means (the board) – reminders how to celebrate
score board: who were present, absent, sleeping during the medit.
talking to the individual, asking why he is late, how can help him?
Consider the schedule, apostolate of the confrere
Community meeting: scrutiny – some NON negotiable values – as meditation
Parish community: meditation, lauds at 04:00 (they meet after breakfast for…) Pasil
KNOCKING the doors of the individual confreres at 4:30 (FIS)
Lectio divina about the next Sunday Gospel (preparing homily)
Creative way of the meditation (not only with the book)more than burdensome duty, killing the time
HOW to pray –a topic for the ongoing formation
Your confreres find it hard to accept the “Community day” meetings for ongoing formation once a fortnight.
misunderstood by confreres: help to understand the meaning
Some of the practical trainees do not approach you for the talk.
You would like to see your community more involved in the neighborhood and with the other groups of the Salesian Family.
to invite some FS or local government speaker to talk to the SDBs
You want your confreres to engage in community planning
they have never done in before
HK: the government check is more powerful than the province
Asking an outside facilitator, success stories of other
Download the www.sdb.org website community plans(success)
Share first how to make continue the happy experiences, to overcome the resistance
they have done it before but it has been a ‘wash-out’
to clear the ground for planning (prejudice, bias, goals clear) is the first and most difficult step
to make voice out all their ideas, bias, bad experience
You would like all the confreres to be involved in Assistance after class yours and not leave all the work to the practical trainees alone.
Think of an instance in which you succeeded in getting something done through animation.
Think of an instance you failed in getting something done because you did not animate.
Aug, 24 – ANIMATION 2nd part
Animation – effective motivation (=focused on growth of persons)
Animation is more than facilitation (=focused on achievemens, effectiveness, government)
Questions in the Assembly:
Animation of ‘fast moving Salesians’ – DO THIS, DO THAT “ - can be this style still considered as an animation”? NOT CORRECT – telling without reasons, without motivation, doesn’t make grow the confreres!
FIS – Godo: The ANIMATION take TIME and a LOT OF PATIENCE?!
It is urgent, please DO IT! – but the confreres don't grow
It is much better to first motivate, make the confreres grow!
HEART approach? – HEAD approach? – REASON approach?
Overacting rector? Moving ahead – animation becoming hard.
Awareness about the mentality: If we don't talk after the immersion experience/ commitment to action?
ANIMATION – ability to FORSEE (Fr. Cogliandro) FIN
Salesians enjoying the ‘last minute mentality’
Preventive system in action – SEPP in practice
You work as you can! (Filipino style?)
3rd session Aug 24th
THE LIST OF THE RECTORS’ TASK:
(Brainstorming)
GC 21, 52 (task of the salesian rector in order of priorities)
preserves unity and salesian identity= fidelity to the Constitutions
pastoral guide of the salesian mission
director of the education/ human development task (organizing)
responsibility for the global running of the work (supervision, administration
Mark your tasks to these 4 points:
Unity and identity
Pastoral guide of the mission
Organizer
Administrator
Don Bosco – as a Rector (smooth transition from Oratory to Congregation)
Oratory before 1858 After 1858 (Constitutions)
Oratory life Religious life
Educative community Religious community
Everything in common Poverty
Love : try to be loved Chastity
Climate of confidence Relig. obedience
Prayer life (all together) Practices of piety
DB father DB priest and father
Behind this: DB as a father and a priest
(all 3 tasks together)
1. Direttore DB combined all in one = Rector
2. Direttore spirituale
3. Confessore
for the sake of unity of the house: he gives the direction of all
wanting the spiritual element would guide all the other task (administration, organization) – the idea behind
DB – community spiritual direction (GNT, conference, prayers etc)
DB – individual spiritual direction (word in the ear, conversations, notes,
confession + spiritual direction)
After the Constitutions of 1858 etc
from the other Constitutions: rendiconto
Don Bosco
Don Rinaldi (only the confession)
GC: rector is proposed, not imposed spiritual direction
Spiritual direction – rectors question
What preparation for the spiritual direction?
don't look for perfectionism (what is the idea about the spiritual direction, like St. John of the Cross)
we are inflate with the too high idea (balloon to puncture it)
salesian concept: spiritual accompaniment on the journey
Community plan
the motivation is the most important & difficult element
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO, YOU NEED TO : how to arrive to this point (difficulty n.1) – to motivate, to convince the community
If the confreres don’t believe in the plan, just stop! (prejudice, misunderstanding, bias)
List of objections: PLANNING
PLANNING
It’s a sheer waste of time! Can’t we do something more useful 7
Still another plan? When are we going to end this mania for plans? 19 (? Confusion about OPP, com.plan, SEPP structures)
We are not yet ready to draw up a plan? 25
We haven’t had any plans for years. How come they have become a necessity today? 20
Why to complicate life with things of this kind? 19
A plan? It’s only a fad. You’ll see: even this will pass away soon 7
It’s nice but not practical 25
It won’t succeed in my community 6?
Our Congregation has produced saints – without a plan? 4
We have other more important things to do. 22
I have the impression it has been a failure elsewhere. 13
Why do we have to change? Everything is going well. 21
Why do you want to invade my privacy with this plan? 20
Our situation is completely different? 24
We are too busy for this kind of job. 23
It is fool proof!
What’s the use of planning?
Useless – plan but no evaluation!
Solution to other problem is to put heart, not planning!
We fight everything!
We plan, but doing things as before – no change!
WHAT I UNDERSTAND BY “PLANNING”?
giving direction
joint effort in communication, growth
objective, strategies, timetable
put in order my activities – to success
ESSENCE (non negotiable)
GOALS
LINES OF ACTION TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS
= not programming (what shall we do on 26th July)
= targets to achieve…
= our Salesian target is holiness (perfect love of God and men)
WHAT
I UNDERSTAND BY HOLINESS(=the goal of planning)?
VC 30: Holiness is the perfection of love (Holy person who loves God and neighbor deeply), the essence – more we love God (prayer, sacrifice etc) we are holier,
Planning as a community, individual religious – talk about holiness
OBJECTIONS n.14 : We are completely different!
N.15: Too busy (=to become holy)?
UNDERLINED PROBLEM: no desire to GROW! (Strive to go higher – the real problem, to grow deeper in our life) – the resistance is here! Where it is coming from (motivations)?
Earlier formation – gets people striving to grow? (novices – do it beautifully?! – How do they grow? Are they taking responsibility for their own life?
Lack of animation of the rector: let’s grow
(If somebody doesn’t go for confession for 1,3,6 months? – strive, desire to grow – that is missing?! Not judging! Deeper, holier, better..)
The resistance for planning is coming from!
Not ready = not interested in the grow! Go beyond the objections!
TO grow – OK, but WHY is planning necessary today?
Times have changed! (Old SDB Constitutions – menu for SDB houses around the world - overcentralized!) Now – decentralization is here. Now – leaving in a decentralized world.
Changes in the world – people want the autonomy, to be respect as a person – give me chance/as a person, as a community to be responsible!
EVERY PLAN supposes a responsibility for all the growth!
SEPP – taking the responsablity for (as a province)
Personal plan – an individual taking responsibility for own growth (open to listen, to dialogue, a lot of detachment,.. not easy)
It’s much easy to tell the superiors: Do!
Take the responsibility for your formation!
Community decides (not the provincial) for its own growth. WE are afraid to take responsibility for our growth! More mature SDBs.
UNITY, MISSION, ANIMATION - PLANNING:
as a community:
one of the best ways to show the authority is planning
Church invites us to live a responsible life
Badly motivated, not well understood plan – better not!
the necessity: how can you run the bank, the institutions without a plan (social level); this is the same story like SDB – Congregational necessity – to assume our responsibility for the growth
Questions:
We are challenged by confreres: no evaluation done? Any appraisal?
(In the plan you should spell out the criteria for the appraisal already)
the times has changed: community style, authority style, direction in our life
DB: was a great planner (MO – session of revision, planning)
See the personal resolutions of DB: cassock, ordination, Savio
Our tradition encourages us? No plan = no Salesian saints!
We are introduced TOO many kinds of planning (=overplanning) like SEPP, Community plan, 6 years plan, (with their own interpretation – for the older confreres there is another way of understanding) Tension: investing in a group of people but another group of older people is resisting (HOW is still the problem: FIS)
Development of the planning : past – situation; now – God’s call;
Discernment mentality NOW: evolution in the Congregation (certain zig –zag is present!)
Past: a lot of traditional practices (to bring them back – is enough?!). Like practices of piety (visit, meditation) – we had no need of the planning. Just doing it for the sake of doing? Or doing it for the striving to holiness!
Change of SDB attitudes (FIS) since Fr. Vecchi – desire to grow is here! First thing to ask – PLAN for us? Answer – let’s make the plan together! Now we are accustomed to plan, we live according it!
Necessity to have a plan? A problem how to start – how to convince the confreres!
The question is what happened with the plan after (point of reference)? Continuity after a new rector is coming? As if nothing happened before in the place? (NOTHING to handover!?) FRAME OF REFERENCE for the community.
The challenge of the individualism towards the plan is serious! Planning as an antidote to the individualism – some confreres find hard to plan, because they organized everything around their “own”plan.
Conditions, the key of successful plan:
Willingness to do it, understanding and motivation for the plan!
Plan is not a document in itself! It is an expression: a group of people choose to grow in this way! (only the secondary matter) An exercise of convergence, of assuming responsibility. (FIN objections)
