Rua%2C First Circular


Rua%2C First Circular

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THE FIRST LETTER OF THE NEW RECTOR MAJOR
An Analysis of Don Rua’s First Circular Letter
Source: COMITATO DI STUDI STORICI DON RUA 2010, Documenti di don Rua [CD]. Istituto Storico Salesiano.
1. Presentation
1.1. Author – Don Rua
1.2. When – March 19, 1888
1.3. To whom – Salesians of Don Bosco
1.4. Why – The Superior Chapter has already written to all the houses. It is his turn now as Rector
Major to write to the confreres.
2. Analysis
2.1. Structure of the text
2.1.1. Index (Main headings. Cf. 2.1.4. Body.)
2.1.2. Place and date (Torino, 19 Marzo 1888)
2.1.3. Opening address: My dearest sons in Jesus Christ (Carissimi Figli in G.C.)
2.1.4. Purpose: After the letter send to all the Salesian houses by our revered Superior
Chapter, today for the first time I write to you in my new capacity as Rector Major....
(Dopo la lettera spedita a tuttle le Case salesiane dal nostro Rev.do Capitolo Superiore
oggi per la prima volta vi scrivo nella nuova mia qualita’ di Rettor Magiore....)
2.1.5. Body
2.1.5.1. The esteem enjoyed by Don Bosco before the ecclesiastical authority. (Stima
che godeva Don Bosco presso le autorità ecclesiastiche.)
2.1.5.2. Recommendations to initiate as soon as possible the Cause of Beatification
(Raccomandazioni per iniziare quanto prima la Causa di Beatificazione.)
2.1.5.3. Let us seek to make ourselves ever moe wothy sons of such a father.
(Cerchiamo di renderci sempre più degni figli di tanto Padre.)
2.1.5.4. Thanksgiving and prayers. (Ringraziamenti e preghiere.)
2.1.5.5. First audience with the Holy Father: Important directives from His Holiness.
(Prima udienza avuta dal S. Padre: importanti direttive di Sua Santità.)
2.1.5.6. May the house in Rome be a model house. (La Casa di Roma sia una Casa
modello.)
2.2. Sources
Personal experience (for example, his experience with the Pope and Cardinals during his visit
to Rome)
2.3. Style
2.3.1. His tone is fatherly. This is not surprising since being the successor of Don Bosco he has
now assumed the office of father.
2.3.2. Reading the letter I had the feeling that there was already familiarity between Don Rua
and those to whom he was writing, in this case, the Salesians. Is this because of the
family spirit?
2.3.3. There seems to be sense of urgency and excitement regarding the start of the
beatification process of Don Bosco. And it is the excitement of a family.
3. Synthesis and Assessment of the Principal Contents
3.1. Beatification of Don Bosco
3.1.1. Don Bosco had been dead only two months. Those who came in contact with Don Bosco
felt that they had come in contact with a Saint. Hence, his beatification and
canonization was not a matter in question.
3.1.2. Perhaps the experience of Don Rua with their Cardinal protector in Rome made him
take concrete steps toward that direction.
3.2. Fidelity to Don Bosco
3.2.1. The Father and Founder is gone. He has bequeathed to his sons his work and his way of
doing things. Don Rua as successor of Don Bosco feels it his duty to remind the
Salesians to develop the work Don Bosco has begun. But more than that he asks them
to act as Don Bosco did, to take him as model.
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3.3. Gratitude and prayers
3.3.1. It is difficult to fill in a great man’s shoes. Don Rua must have felt some fear at taking
the place of a ‘celebrity’. But more than this he must also have felt the burden of the
responsibility that is now on his shoulders.
3.3.2. Hence the letters coming from the confreres promising respect, obedience and
affection must have comforted and encouraged him tremendously. And for this he
thanks them.
3.4. Conclusion to the letter
3.4.1. Don Bosco on his death bed told his Salesians that he will be waiting for them in
heaven. Don Rua reminds them of this when he wrote: “May it be given to us to find
ourselves together, no one excluded, from singing his praises in Paradise, where he,
our most loving father Don Bosco, awaits us just as he wrote (…ci conceda di trovarci
un giorno tutti insieme, nessuno excluso, a cantare le sue lodi in Paradiso, dove ci
attende siccome ce lo scrisse, il nostro amatissimo Padre Don Bosco.)” But at the same
time, Don Rua takes the occasion to encourage them to fidelity and perseverance in
their vocation.
3.4.2. Heaven was one of Don Bosco’s favorite themes. And Don Rua learned this from Don
Bosco and makes use of it in this circular letter.
3.5. First audience with the Holy Father: Important directives from His Holiness
3.5.1. Don Rua is now the father of the family. And he behaves like a father, just like Don
Bosco. In this particular instance, he tells his sons some news about his visit to the Holy
Father, news which they were certainly eagerly to hear.
3.5.2. But I think there were two other reasons why Don Rua adds this section to his circular
letter. The first. Don Bosco’s heritage is one of love and obedience to the Holy Father.
Therefore, it was important for the Salesians to know what the directives of the Holy
Father were. In fact, in the letter Don Rua writes: “From the Vicar of Christ for whom
our beloved Don Bosco inculcated in us such unlimited obedience, espect and affection
(…dal Vicario di Cristo, a cui il nostro amato Don Bosco c’inculcava cotanto di
professare la più illimitata obbedienza, rispetto ed affezione.)”
3.5.3. The second. Don Bosco time and again made known to his Salesians the affection of the
Holy Father for them. Reading Don Rua’s account of his audience, you couldn’t help but
feel the concern and the interest the Holy Father had for the congregation. And surely
this would encourage the Salesians, something which they certainly needed after the
death of Don Bosco.
4. Conclusion
4.1. I have read that once Don Rua became the Rector Major he showed himself a father to his
confreres. This circular confirms this observation.
4.2. In one of his conferences, Don Caviglia said: “Don Bosco wished it so, has done so, has taught
us so, and has lived so; and I in order to be a Salesian of Don Bosco, ought to be so. (Don Bosco
ha voluto così, ha fatto così, ha insegnato così, è vissuto così; ed io per essere salesiano di Don
Bosco, devo essere così.)” The concern of Don Rua as Rector Major was to make sure that the
Salesians follow Don Bosco’s example, that is, “they ought to be so (devono essere così)”.
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