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Animating
and governing
the community
The ministry
of the Salesian Rector
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AnOcicmhiealloting
and governing
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The ministry
of the Salesian Rector
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Animating
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Graphics:
Andrea Marconi
Print:
Scuola grafica salesiana di Milano
All rights reserved
by the Society of St Francis de Sales
(Salesians of Don Bosco)
Extra commercial edition (2019)
Sede Centrale Salesiana
Via Marsala 42
Rome
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Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the confreres who collaborated with
the Formation Department (Ivo Coelho, Salvador Cleofas
Murguía Villalobos – now bishop, Silvio Roggia,
Jose Kuttianimattathil, Francisco Santos Montero) in
the preparatory work: Marcello Baek, Adriano Bregolin,
Raymond Callo, Vincent Castilino, Manuel Cayo,
Martin Coyle, Jorge Crisafulli, Francesco de Ruvo,
Salvador Delgadillo, Ian Figueiredo, Pier Fausto Frisoli,
James Heuser, Zenon Klawikowski, Alberto Lorenzelli
– now bishop, Gerard Martin, Eusebio Muñoz,
Gabriel Ngendakuriyo, Luis Onrubia, Michael Pace,
José Luis Plascencia Moncayo, Stanislaus Swamikannu,
Luis Timossi, Meinhof von Spee.
Many thanks also to the members of the redaction
and translation group:
Zdzisław Brzęk, Placide Carava, Ivo Coelho,
Ian Figueiredo, Zenon Klawikowski, Alberto Lorenzelli,
Giuseppe Nicolussi, Luis Onrubia, Silvio Roggia,
Francisco Santos Montero, José Antenor Velho.
The images
The opening and closing images take us to Colle Don Bosco
and Valdocco. The discourse on the Salesian Rector and his
ministry for the life and governance of the local community
traces its roots back in the life and charism of Don Bosco. It
is within the process of ongoing formation that originated
from him, and kept on unfolding all throughout the life
story of the Congregation, that we understand the meaning
of this work and hope to see its fruitfulness.
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Table of contents
ABBREVIATIONS, pag. 11
FOREWORD, pag. 13
INTRODUCTION, pag. 17
1. Objectives, pag. 17
2. Process, pag. 18
3. Contents, pag. 19
4. Use, pag. 21
Part I THE SALESIAN CONSECRATED IDENTITY, pag. 25
1. The Salesian mission sets the tenor of our consecrated
life, pag. 27
2. The Salesian consecrated vocation: our way of sharing in
the mission, pag. 33
2.1 Our apostolic consecration, pag. 33
2.2 Rooted in the mystery of Christ and the Trinity, pag. 35
2.3 In communion with other vocations within the Salesian mission, pag. 37
2.4 Lived out in two forms, priestly and lay, pag. 39
2.5 In communities that are consistent in number and quality, pag. 44
3. The Rector, guardian of Salesian identity, pag. 47
3.1 The Rector in the community, pag. 47
3.2 The Rector’s authoritativeness and authority, pag. 55
3.3 The presbyteral character of the Salesian Rector, pag. 58
Part II THE RECTOR IN THE SALESIAN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, pag. 67
4. Guardian and animator of the Salesian consecrated
identity, pag. 69
4.1 Mystics in the spirit: spiritual guide of the community, pag. 69
4.1.1 Fidelity to the evangelical counsels, pag. 70
4.1.2 Animation of personal and community prayer, pag. 72
4.1.3 Taking care of charismatic identity, pag. 74
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4.2 Prophets of fraternity: animator of communion and shared responsibility, pag. 75
4.2.1 Promoting unity, pag. 76
4.2.2 Fraternal relationships and communication, pag. 77
4.2.3 An open and welcoming community, pag. 80
4.3 Servants of the young: the first one responsible for the apostolic mission, pag. 81
4.3.1 Encouraging the pastoral charity of the confreres, pag. 83
4.3.2 Coordinating shared responsibility for the common mission, pag. 84
4.3.3 Guiding pastoral discernment, pag. 84
4.3.4 Encouraging vocational animation, pag. 86
5. A charismatic service, pag. 89
5.1 Dispositions and attitudes, pag. 89
5.1.1 Listening and dialogue, pag. 89
5.1.2 Personal freedom and shared responsibility, pag. 90
5.1.3 Personal and community discernment, pag. 92
5.2 Means of animation, pag. 94
5.2.1 The friendly talk, pag. 94
5.2.2 Personal accompaniment, pag. 97
5.2.3 The ‘good-night’ talk, pag. 100
5.2.4 The Personal Plan of Life, pag. 101
5.2.5 The Community Plan, pag. 102
5.2.6 Fraternal correction, pag. 104
5.2.7 The house chronicle and archives, pag. 106
5.3 Structures of animation, pag. 106
5.3.1 The Local Council, pag. 106
5.3.2 The Vice-Rector, pag. 109
5.3.3 The assembly of confreres, pag. 110
5.4 Personalized attention to confreres, pag. 111
5.4.1 Salesian Priests and Salesian Brothers, pag. 112
5.4.2 Confreres in initial formation, pag. 113
5.4.3 Interculturality, pag. 114
5.4.4 Confreres passing through difficult moments, pag. 115
5.4.5 Elderly confreres, pag. 116
5.4.6 Sick confreres, pag. 117
5.4.7 Confreres needing special attention, pag. 118
5.5 The economy and administration, pag. 120
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Sommario
6. Ongoing formation, pag. 123
6.1 In the community, pag. 123
6.2 For the Rector himself, pag. 128
Part III THE RECTOR AND THE SHARED SALESIAN MISSION, pag. 153
7. The educative and pastoral community , pag. 155
7.1 The EPC and the educative and pastoral plan, pag. 155
7.1.1 The updating of the Preventive System, pag. 155
7.1.2 The necessary inculturation of the Preventive System, pag. 156
7.1.3 The Council of the EPC and/or of the Work, pag. 160
7.2 The Salesian religious community within the EPC, pag. 161
7.2.1 The animating nucleus, pag. 161
7.2.2 The different relationships between the Salesian community and the Work, pag. 163
A. Works entrusted jointly to the Salesian community and to lay people, pag. 163
B. Works entrusted to lay people under the direction of the province, pag. 166
7.3 The Salesian community: charismatic point of reference in the EPC, pag. 167
7.3.1 Spiritual animation, pag. 169
7.3.2 Prophecy of fraternity, pag. 172
7.4 The Salesian community and the SEPP, pag. 173
8. An open community, pag. 181
8.1 The provincial and world communities, pag. 182
8.2 The Salesian Family, pag. 183
8.3 The Church, pag. 187
8.4 The neighbourhood, pag. 189
CONCLUSION, pag. 197
Appendix I, Don Bosco’s ‘Confidential Reminders’ to Rectors, pag. 199
Appendix II, The local superior in the code of canon law, pag. 209
INDEX, pag. 221
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ABBREVIATIONS
AGC
Acts of the General Council
ACS
Atti del Consiglio Superiore
AL
Amoris Laetitia
BM
Biographical Memoirs
C
Constitutions (2015)
CCC
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992)
Charter Charter of the Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco (2012)
CIC
Codex Iuris Canonici – Code of Canon Law
CICLSAL Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
CL
Christifideles Laici (1988)
CV
Christus Vivit (2019)
EG
Evangelii Gaudium (2013)
EPC
Educative and Pastoral Community
ET
Evangelica Testificatio (1971)
FLC
CICLSAL, Fraternal Life in Community. ‘Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor’ (1994)
FoR
Salesian Youth Ministry: Frame of Reference (2014)
FSDB
Formation of the Salesians of Don Bosco (2016)
FT
CICLSAL, The Service of Authority and Obedience. Faciem tuam, Domine, requiram (2008)
GC
General Chapter
LG
Lumen Gentium (1964)
MR
Mutuae Relationes (1978)
MSD
The Salesian Rector: A Ministry for the Animation and Governing of the Local Community (1986)
NMI
Novo Millennio Ineunte (2001)
NW
CICLSAL, New Wine in New Wineskins (2017)
PDV
Pastores Dabo Vobis (1992)
PL
The Project of Life of the Salesians of Don Bosco: A Guide to the Salesian Constitutions (1986)
R
General Regulations (2015)
SACCICLSAL, Starting Afresh from Christ: A Renewed Commitment to Consecrated Life in the Third
Millennium (2002)
SEPP
Salesian Educative-Pastoral Plan
SGC
Special General Chapter (1971)
VC
Vita Consecrata (1996)
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FOREWORD
My dear confreres,
32 years after the last Salesian Rector’s Manual, I am happy to
present you with a new version, revised at the behest of GC27.
I can assure you that it is the fruit of consultation among all our
provinces and regions, and of much hard work, not least in the
General Council itself.
Our Rectors are key figures in the renewal of the Congregation
and of our ministry for young people in the educative and pastoral
community. They are the key to the much desired ongoing formation
that must take place in our religious communities, and by extension
also in our educative and pastoral communities. This Manual is
therefore addressed primarily to them – and to all those who are
involved in their formation, beginning from Provincials and their
Councils.
But this new Manual is also addressed to all Salesians and to all
the members of each Salesian religious community. The Rector
is defined in our Constitutions as a brother among brothers,
and this is how the Church wants it to be, when it calls us to
stress the dynamic of brotherhood while not neglecting the duty
of governance. This is one of the great gifts that Pope Francis is
bringing to the Church: the practice of community discernment
as a way of animating and governing that arises from the deep
conviction that we are brothers, that we are called to communion,
that the Spirit has been given to each and every baptised member of
Christ’s faithful.
You will see in it a great attention first of all to our identity: all of
us, Salesian Brothers or Salesian Priests, are first of all Salesian
consecrated persons – and the Rector is first and foremost the
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The salesian rector
guardian of this identity, responsible for promoting vocational
growth in the community and in the confreres entrusted to him.
He is, like Don Bosco, a man who is deeply in love with Jesus
Christ, our living Rule, whose way of life he tries to reproduce,
uniting his brothers in the service of the Father, with the wonderful
combination of humility, realism and faith that comes from the
Spirit.
The other great emphasis comes from what is perhaps the most
significant development in our history since Vatican II: the clear
affirmation that the Salesian spirit and mission are shared with
lay people. The Rector and the Salesian community today, therefore,
are part of the animating nucleus of the educative and pastoral
community. Within this nucleus they have, of course, a special
responsibility for fidelity to the charism: they are the ‘charismatic
point of reference’ in the words of GC25. The Salesian of today is,
therefore, called to be first and foremost the animator of those with
whom he shares the charism. And, in order to do this, he needs to
live his consecrated vocation with a transparent and contagious joy.
To all of you, therefore, my dear confreres, I offer this gift, this effort
to bring together all the developments in the Church and in our
Congregation of the last 30 years or so. May Mary, our mother and
teacher, help us to grow into the fullness of our consecration, that we
might be ever more credible signs and bearers of God’s love to the
young.
Affectionately in Don Bosco,
Ángel Fernández Artime
Rector Major
Sacro Cuore – Rome, Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019
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INTRODUCTION
1. OBJECTIVES
The long history of the
Rector’s Manual
1. This new edition of The Salesian Rector, or the Rector’s
Manual, as it is popularly known, stems from the request
made by GC27. (GC27 69) The last version of the Manual
was published in 1986, and was itself a revision of the earlier
one requested by GC21. There was a much older Manual
coming from the time of Fr Albera.1 But the very first Man-
ual, we could say, was Don Bosco’s ‘Confidential Reminders’
to Rectors, given to the first Salesian Rector, the young Fr
Rua, on his way to Mirabello.2 The Rector’s Manual has,
therefore, a very long and honourable history.
Don Bosco’s ‘Confidential 2. Don Bosco’s ‘Confidential Reminders’ to Rectors were
Reminders’ to Rectors written with the affectionate tone of a father entrusting
something important to his son (“I speak with the voice
of a father who opens the heart to one of his dearest chil-
dren”), and consist of guidelines for taking care of oneself
and of others, whether confreres, educators or young people.
The later editions of this text dropped the affectionate in-
troduction but maintained the same concern to safeguard
the Salesian spirit in the houses through the faithfulness
of Rectors to their particular responsibilities. The edition
of 1886 ends thus: “This is my last will and testament to
the Rectors of our houses. If these suggestions are put into
practice, I will die in peace, sure that our Society will flour-
ish and be blessed by God, and that it will reach its goal, the
greater glory of God and the salvation of souls.”
The Rector and the
shared responsibility of
the confreres
3. The objective of the Manual of 1986 was to maintain the
centrality of the figure of the Rector in our tradition, and at
the same time to update it in the light of the Council and
the changed times. The objective of the present revised edi-
tion is to balance this centrality with the role of the Salesian
religious community, acknowledging the authority entrust-
ed to the Rector while insisting on the shared responsibility
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of the confreres, keeping in mind the 30 or so years that
have passed. We have to take into account, therefore, the
pontificates of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis, the
Synods of Bishops and the documents emerging from the
Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Soci-
eties of Apostolic Life. In the Congregation, we have Frs
Viganò, Vecchi, Chávez and Fernández in the office of Rec-
tor Major, the General Chapters from the 23rd onwards, and
the documents of the various sectors such as the Salesian
Social Communication System (2011), the Missionary For-
mation of the Salesians of Don Bosco (2014), Salesian Youth
Ministry: Frame of Reference (2014) and the Formation of the
Salesians of Don Bosco (2016).
2. PROCESS
An enormous diversity of
cultures and contexts
4. The process of revision of the Manual began with a sem-
inar involving representatives of all the regions, followed by
a survey in 2016 in which all the provinces were asked to
send us feedback about the current situation regarding the
service of animation and governance of Salesian Rectors,
and then another seminar to interpret the material that had
arrived.
One thing became very clear in the process: that the Con-
gregation, spread out over five continents, 133 nations and
89 provinces and circumscriptions, embraces an enormous
diversity of cultures and contexts, and that it marches at
very different speeds. This, as we can understand, makes it
rather difficult to say something that will be equally valid
and useful in the same way in every context. We hope, how-
ever, that what we have to offer here will serve at least as a
reminder of the chief milestones in our common journey as
Church and Congregation, which will then have to be read
and incarnated in each different context and situation.
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Introduction
The General Chapters
CG27
3. CONTENTS
5. The General Chapters are the supreme expression of the
entire Congregation, and so we take them as our most im-
portant signposts.
GC23 reminds us that our mission has an educative as well
as pastoral dimension: we evangelize by educating, and we
educate by evangelizing. GC24 was a great recognition that
the subject of the Salesian mission is not only the Salesian
religious community, but also the other members of the
Salesian Family and our many lay mission partners – and
here Amoris Laetitia inspires us to say that the educative and
pastoral community (EPC) consists not merely of individu-
als but also of families, who are active agents in the mission.
GC25 felt the need to further clarify the ‘new’ role of the
Salesian religious community within the mission. GC26
concentrated on the Salesian aspects of our identity, with its
call to return to Don Bosco, while GC27 invited us to a
deeper understanding and living out of our Salesian conse-
crated vocation.
The present edition of the Rector’s Manual makes an effort
to integrate these emphases without losing sight of the fact,
so clearly emphasized in GC22 and in the new text of the
Constitutions, that formation is our lifelong and ongoing
response to God who calls and sends us in his love, and that
formation is also shared with the laity, in the richness of the
diversity of our vocations.
6. A special word on GC27 will not be out of place, espe-
cially as it commands the structure of this new edition of
the Manual. Popularly, GC27 tends to be summed up in
terms of its three nuclei – mystics in the Spirit, prophets of
fraternity, and servants of the young. Instead, the letter of
convocation of the Chapter, as well as the opening address
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of the Rector Major, speak not of three but of four thematic
areas:
Living our Salesian consecrated vocation in the grace of
unity and joy since this vocation is God’s gift and a personal
project of life; having a strong spiritual experience, taking
on the way of being and acting of the obedient, poor and
chaste Jesus and becoming seekers of God; building
fraternity in our communities of life and action; dedicating
ourselves generously to the mission, walking with the
young to give hope to the world. (GC27 p. 89)
It is as consecrated
7. The objective of GC27 was, therefore, “to explore our
persons that we share in
the mission of Don Bosco
charismatic identity more deeply [and to] make us aware
of our vocation to faithfully live out Don Bosco’s apostolic
project.” (GC27 p. 89) Clearly, it is as consecrated persons
that we share in the mission of Don Bosco, and it is as con-
secrated persons that we take our place within the EPC.
This is why, if the three parts of the Manual of 1986 were
1. renewal as return and innovation;
2. the animation and government of the Rector in the EPC and
in the religious community;
3. the methods, means and structures of animation and gover-
nance;
the three parts of the present Manual deal with
1. the Rector as guardian 3 of the Salesian consecrated identity;
2. the Rector as animator and guide of the Salesian religious
community and mission;
3. the Rector and the religious community within the EPC and
the neighbourhood.
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Introduction
Growing demands
on one asked to accept
the service of authority
8. In presenting this updated edition of the Rector’s Man-
ual, we are aware that, in the years since the last edition of
1986, life in our communities and Works has become more
complex, and that the number of confreres available, even in
provinces that are in the flush of growth, is never enough to
meet all the perceived needs. This situation tends to make
even more demands on one who is asked to accept the ser-
vice of authority. On the one hand, the figure of the Rec-
tor remains central in our tradition; on the other hand, he
is expected now to animate not only the Salesian religious
community but also the EPC.
We began the work of revising the Manual in the hope of
presenting a simplified text, but the work of integration of
the developments of the last 30 years yielded a figure of the
Rector that was even more demanding and complex. What
can we say? Only this: that the Salesian Rector is not a su-
perman, but just a man. But he is a man who, along the way
opened by Don Bosco, has been touched by the Lord. He
knows he is not alone; and he accepts and carries out his
service in the way that he can, growing in the awareness of
his Salesian consecrated identity as he walks with his broth-
ers and sisters, asking every day for the gift of joy and
strength, knowing that in the concrete circumstances of life
he will find the Lord.
4. USE
The Rector and the
9. A word about the use of this Manual. Obviously it is
Salesian religious
community.
meant to be studied and meditated upon by Rectors them-
Provincials and Provincial selves, especially when appointed for the first time. How
Formation Delegates
they will do this will vary, for there is no one ‘canonical’ way
of reading this text: some will read it a piece at a time, while
others might want to read it at one go, and both ways are
fine.
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Given the intimate relationship between the Rector and the
Salesian religious community, it is extremely important to
say that the Manual is addressed also to the community. The
confreres need to know and welcome the figure and author-
ity of the Rector as the guardian of the Salesian consecrated
vocation and as the animator of the mission shared with the
laity and with the members of the Salesian Family. The
Manual is therefore made available to all the confreres and
communities, along with initiatives for studying and reflect-
ing on it. The text thus becomes a means for fostering ongo-
ing formation in the Congregation. Such formation finds
its normal place in community life and is lifelong by its very
nature, with the Salesian Rector as its main animator in col-
laboration with each member of the community.
The Manual will be of help especially to Provincials and
Provincial Formation Delegates, and also to the various re-
gional centres for formation, given their responsibility for
the initial and ongoing formation of Rectors. It would also
be a good practice to present a copy of the Manual to a new
Rector during the installation ceremony.
In addition, it is important to insert the Rector’s Manual
into the specific formation of our aspirants to the priest-
hood: preparation for the role of leadership in community is
surely part of growth in the ministerial form of our voca-
tion.
Regions or provinces can
adapt the Manual to their
particular needs
10. We may note also that, given the many and varied needs
in different parts of the Congregation, there should be
nothing to prevent regions or provinces from adapting the
layout of this Manual to their particular needs. We have, for
example, decided to retain the many references and notes,
both in the text and at the end of each chapter, because they
might help in providing further leads and clues in the pro-
cess of planning the formation of Rectors. However, prov-
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Introduction
inces can easily decide to put into circulation a simpler and
less ‘cumbersome’ version of the text if they wish to.
As a further help, various modules for the formation of
Rectors may be found on the formation page of the official
website of the Congregation (www.sdb.org).
1 Manuale del direttore (San Benigno Canavese, 1915), with foreword
by P. Albera.
2 See Appendix 1 “Don Bosco’s ‘Confidential Reminders’ to Rectors.”
3 ‘Guardian’ is used here in the way Benedict XVI uses it in the General
Audience of 4 May 2005, when he speaks of God as the ‘guardian’
(custode, in Italian) or ‘sentinel’ who keeps watch over his people.
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Introduction
Part I
The salesian
consecrated
identity
Strive to
make
yourself
loved...
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Vine, branches, fruit... Our identity
is rooted in our belonging to the Lord
completely and in everything, like the
vine and the branches. “Those who
abide in me and I in them bear much
fruit, because apart from me you can do
nothing” ( Jn 15: 5).
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1. THE SALESIAN MISSION
SETS THE TENOR OF OUR
CONSECRATED LIFE
The mission “sets the
tenor of our whole life”
11. Art. 3 of our Constitutions declares that “our apostolic
mission, our fraternal communion and the practice of the
evangelical counsels are the inseparable elements of our
consecration,” and then adds: it is the mission that “sets the
tenor of our whole life.”
In its elaboration of the definitive text of our Constitutions
in 1984, GC22 decided to centre all the different elements
of Salesian life and action around the mission. This can be
seen in the contents of the articles, but also in the very
structure of the text. The title of part 2 is, in fact: Sent to the
young in communities following Christ.
The centrality of mission 12. This decision of GC22 reflects the centrality of mis-
in Don Bosco
sion in the life of Don Bosco: Don Bosco is clearly aware of
having been sent by God to work for the salvation of the young.
The horizon of this mission begins to unfold already in the
dream at the age of nine. It is remarkable that, in his own
account of this dream, Don Bosco does not say that he un-
derstood it in terms of the priesthood. The only one who
hints at this possibility is Mamma Margaret. Years later,
when he goes through a difficult vocational discernment at
the end of his school period in Chieri, it is not the priestly
life that appeals immediately to him. His heart is drawn to
the Franciscans, and it is only on the advice of Comollo’s
uncle and of Fr Cafasso that he enters the seminary.
When he begins the experience of the Oratory, Don Bosco’s
first priority is to find collaborators and helpers for his ex-
panding work, and it is only later that he arrives at the idea
of founding a Congregation of consecrated persons. The
centrality of the mission led him to seek collaborators, and
the same centrality led him eventually to the idea of a reli-
gious Congregation.
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Part I
The salesian rector
The salesian consecrated
identity
The ‘external’ suggestions from Rattazzi and Cavour regard-
ing the foundation of the Salesian Congregation can be un-
derstood along the same lines: these eminent defenders of
laicism were impressed by Don Bosco’s mission. The same
centrality of mission comes through in Cagliero’s reaction
to Don Bosco’s proposal in December 1859: “Monk or no
monk, I will be with Don Bosco.” In the same vein we can
recall the many difficulties experienced by Don Bosco be-
cause of his original ways of forming his future priests. For
him, everything was dictated by and geared to the needs of
the mission, at the centre of which was a great desire for
sanctity, for himself, for his collaborators, for his boys –
wonderfully expressed in the motto inherited from Francis
de Sales: Da mihi animas, coetera tolle.
Mission is not the same
as work or activity
13. Given that the mission is so central for us, it is abso-
lutely essential not to overlook its theological density. Mis-
sion cannot be equated to work or activity, just as call cannot
be equated to choice. Choice, work, activity can well begin
from the individual and autonomous subject; but call, voca-
tion, mission are theological terms. Mission implies various
elements: Someone who sends; someone who is sent; those
to whom he is sent; the service he is sent to carry out; the
way this is to be done and the means to do it. All this is
condensed in article 2 of our Constitutions, and abundantly
commented upon in the Project of Life of the Salesians of Don
Bosco. (PL 98) Here it is enough to insist on certain aspects.
There is Someone who calls and sends: the mission comes
from God. The initiative is always God’s, and God calls to
himself those whom he wants “to be with him and to be
sent out to preach.” (Mk 3:14, see C 96) This is, in fact, the
great note, at once clear and humble, of the very first article
of our Constitutions: “The Society of St Francis de Sales is
born not of a human project but by the initiative of God.”
“In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us.”
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1. The salesian mission sets the tenor of our consecrated life
(1 Jn 4:10) In the prevenient love of God lie the deepest
roots of the Preventive System. GC27 reminds us, there-
fore, that we are mystics in the Spirit. “In a world which is
feeling ever more clearly the challenge of secularism, we
need ‘to find a response in the acknowledgement of God’s
absolute primacy,’ through the ‘total gift of self ’ and in ‘per-
manent conversion in a life offered up in true spiritual wor-
ship.’” (AGC 313 19) “As for Don Bosco, for us too the
primacy of God is the cornerstone of our raison d’être in the
Church and in the world. This primacy gives meaning to
our consecrated life, helps us avoid the risk of letting our-
selves become too caught up in our activities and forgetting
that we are essentially ‘seekers of God’ and witnesses of his
love among the young and the poor.” (GC27 32)
The mission comes to us
in and through Jesus and
the Holy Spirit
14. The mission comes to us in and through Jesus, the
epiphany of God, the revelation of the mystery of the tri-
une God who is a Communion of Love. Jesus’ mission is to
reveal and to gather: to reveal the Father, and to gather into
one the scattered children of God. (FoR 50-54) “No one has
ever seen God; the only begotten, who is in the bosom of the
Father, he has made him known.” (Jn 1:18) Jesus is the rev-
elation of the merciful face of the Father. “He who has seen
me has seen the Father.” (Jn 14:9) Jesus reveals a God who is
Communion-Love, Trinity.
It is the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father in the name of Jesus
Christ, who reminds us of everything that Jesus said and did
( Jn 14:25-26), and who equips and empowers us to carry
out this mission through the charismatic gifts that he dis-
tributes to each: “But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses…”
(Acts 1:8; see also C 1)
Like the young Johnny Bosco, whose attention is first di-
rected to the sheep, and who only later learns the name of
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The essential content
of our mission: to be
revelations of God
the gracious Lady and of her Son, the Salesian’s first atten-
tion is usually directed to the apostolate. He discovers even-
tually – and sometimes only very gradually – his call to re-
spond passionately and splendidly to the love revealed in
the Son, and to be transformed into his likeness (2 Cor
3:18) so as to become, like Jesus, the face of the Father to
young people with often deficient experiences of father-
hood and motherhood.
15. Here, then, is the essential content of our mission: to
be revelations of God, signs and bearers of his love (C 2),
in such a way that through us the prevenient love of God
is made visible. The Preventive System “is inspired by the
love of a God who provides in advance (previene) for all his
creatures, is ever present at their side, and freely gives his
life to save them.” (C 20) This is a love that must be shown in
order to be truly itself, and is all the more efficacious when
it is seen by the young. It is a love that is liberating in every
sense – our Constitutions speak of integral promotion (C
33) – so much so that the Preventive System may be defined
as a pedagogy of freedom. But just as Jesus not only reveals
the face of the Father but also “gathers into one the scat-
tered children of God” (Jn 11,52), our mission includes the
promotion and creation of fraternity and of communion, so
that we become more and more what we are. For we have
been created in the image of God-Communion-Love, we
have been ‘thought’ in a Trinitarian manner.
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Those to whom we are
sent
16. We want to remember that the young to whom we are
sent are by preference those who are “‘poor, abandoned and
in danger,’ those who have greater need of love and evan-
gelization,” and that we work especially in areas of great-
est poverty – something that the Rector Major, Fr Ángel
Fernández Artime, has insisted upon since his discourse
at the conclusion of GC27.1 We want to remember that we
work for young people in educative and pastoral communi-
ties that include their families as active pastoral agents. We
want to remember not only the five continents in which the
Salesian Congregation accompanies young people, but also
the new digital continent that is ubiquitous and pervasive,
and whose impact on the lives of the young cannot be un-
derstated. This digital continent is changing our notions of
time and space, our self-perception and how we see others
and the world, the way we communicate, learn and become
informed, the relative priority of word and image, and it
provides enormous power for good and evil over the lives of
the young to industrial corporations and media companies.2
We are sent, then, to the young in communities following
Christ, but it is the mission that sets the tenor of our life.
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2. THE SALESIAN CONSECRATED
VOCATION: OUR WAY OF
SHARING IN THE MISSION
The Salesian mission is
shared by Salesians, the
Salesian Family, and lay
people
17. The Salesian mission, however, does not belong exclu-
sively to the Salesians of Don Bosco. Don Bosco, as we have
said already, began with many types of collaborators and
eventually arrived at the need for consecrated persons. God
calls many to share in the mission – both members of the
Salesian Family and lay people. This was crystallized and
powerfully affirmed in GC24 – “Salesians and Lay People:
Communion and Sharing in the Spirit and Mission of
Don Bosco” – and is a theme that the Rector Major, Ángel
Fernández Artime, constantly insists upon. 3
We Salesians share in this mission, however, as consecrated
persons. The practical implications of this for the figure of
the Salesian Rector will be outlined later. Here we can take
a clue from Fr Juan Vecchi who, at the conclusion of GC24,
said that, while it is true “that many others participate in
Don Bosco’s charism… the latter is concentrated in the
SDB community in a special way by virtue of the force of
consecration, the plan of life (profession), and total dedica-
tion to the mission.” (GC24 236)
Ours is an ‘apostolic
consecration’
2.1 OUR APOSTOLIC CONSECRATION
18. Within the Church we carry out the Founder’s apos-
tolic project – to be signs and bearers of God’s love to the
young, especially those who are poor – in a specific form of
religious life. (C 2) Given the centrality of mission, ours is
an ‘apostolic consecration.’ Mission, community and evan-
gelical counsels come together inseparably in our apostolic
consecration, which we live in the grace of unity, “in a single
movement of love towards God and towards our broth-
ers.” (C 3) Here, then, is our basic identity: our Salesian
apostolic consecration. We are religious who are educators
and pastors (C 98), living out this vocation in two forms,
clerical and lay. (C 4, 45) The challenge is for both Salesian
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Priests and Salesian Brothers to live out the particular form
of their vocation in its entirety, from within their apostolic
consecration, avoiding the tendency to pastoral genericism
and apostolic individualism on the one hand, and a search
for compensation on the other, either on the ecclesiastical
side (taking on clerical tasks and attitudes) or on the secular
side (over-emphasis on professionalism, or seeking a secular
lifestyle).
Called to a deepening of
the grace of unity
19. Our identity is based, then, on a harmonious and vital
rediscovery of ‘apostolic consecration.’ ‘Mission’ and ‘conse-
cration’ are not to be placed in dualistic opposition. We are
called to a deepening of the grace of unity by which our
Salesian life is religious and apostolic at the same time, in
an original way of dedication to God who is loved above
all things in his infinite mercy as saviour of the world. Don
Bosco wanted, in fact, that the ardour of charity should
make the active and the contemplative life go hand in hand.
(GC22 20) “It is extremely important for us not to for-
get the peculiar and totalizing meaning of each of the two
terms ‘consecration’ and ‘mission,’ neither of which can be
reduced to indicate only one particular sector of Salesian
life. Our consecration is, in itself, apostolic; and the mission
entrusted to us is, insofar as it is ours, religious.” 4
Fr Vecchi, interpreting Vita Consecrata from a Salesian per-
spective, recognized in the deep unity between consecration
and mission the very source of the apostolic dimension of
our life. “The apostolic dimension emerges from the inter-
nal unity between consecration and mission: ‘The task of
devoting themselves wholly to mission is included in their
call; indeed, by the action of the Holy Spirit who is at the
origin of every vocation and charism, consecrated life itself
is a mission as was the whole of Jesus’ life’ (VC 72).” (AGC
357 17)
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2. The salesian consecrated vocation: our way of sharing in the mission
A special way of
following Christ
As we noted in the Introduction, the whole intention of
GC27 was, in fact, to insist again on our apostolic consecra-
tion. The ‘evangelical radicality’ of the title of GC27, then, is
not to be understood as referring only to the living out of
the evangelical counsels. It refers to all the aspects of the
consecrated vocation, including fraternal life and mission,
as rooted in Christ. Witnessing to radical gospel values “is
not a feature which takes its place at the side of the others,
but rather a fundamental dimension of our life.” (AGC 413
8) It is important to remember this: “mystics, prophets and
servants” is a neat way of summing up GC27, but should
not distract us from the fact that the aim of the Chapter was
to help us reappropriate our Salesian consecrated vocation
and to live it in the grace of unity and with joy.
2.2 ROOTED IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
AND THE TRINITY
20. Consecrated life is rooted in the mystery of Christ and
the Trinity, as was authoritatively affirmed in the post-syn-
odal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata. “The evangeli-
cal basis of consecrated life is to be sought in the special
relationship which Jesus, in his earthly life, established with
some of his disciples,” calling them not only to accept the
Kingdom like everyone else but also to closely imitate his
own way of life. “This special way of ‘following Christ’, at
the origin of which is always the initiative of the Father, has
an essential Christological and pneumatological meaning: it
expresses in a particularly vivid way the Trinitarian nature
of the Christian life and it anticipates in a certain way that
eschatological fulfilment towards which the whole Church is
tending.” (VC 14)
While all are equally called to follow Christ, then, conse-
crated persons strive to reproduce in themselves “that form
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Impossible
without Christ
of life which [Christ], as the Son of God, accepted in enter-
ing this world.” (LG 44) This means assuming Jesus’ con-
crete choices of celibacy, poverty and obedience in the way
he lived them during his earthly life. (VC 30) It means
showing “that the Incarnate Son of God is the eschatologi-
cal goal towards which all things tend, the splendour before
which every other light pales, and the infinite beauty which
alone can satisfy the human heart.” (VC 16)
21. The presence of God becomes tangible when we meet
consecrated people who live with joy the total gift of self,
and for whom chastity, obedience and poverty are indeed
the fullness of love received and given. The beauty of their
lives touches many hearts, and there are so many examples
we can recall in our history: Brother Srugi and Fr Cimatti,
Brother Zatti and Fr Quadrio, to mention only a few. Con-
secrated life thus becomes a sign to the laity and also to the
members of the hierarchy, in a communion that expands in
concentric circles.
The consecrated life is impossible without Christ. He is “our
living Rule,” as the final article of our Constitutions says (C
196); he is the vine and we the branches, and apart from
him we can do nothing.5 This seems to be also the approach
of the ‘letters’ issued by the Congregation for Institutes of
Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life during
the Year of Consecrated Life (2015), which chose to refer
not so much to the evangelical counsels as to the person of
the Lord who fills us with joy (Rejoice!), whose beauty we
contemplate (Contemplate), whose coming we await (Keep
Watch!), and by whom we are sent to our brothers and sis-
ters (Proclaim), like Mary of Magdala on the morning of the
resurrection.6
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2. The salesian consecrated vocation: our way of sharing in the mission
Our vocation is to be
with Jesus (intimacy) and
to be sent out by him
(mission)
22. The fundamental attitude of every Christian (and, a for-
tiori, of one who lives his Christian existence as a consecrat-
ed person) is the sequela Christi and the imitation of Christ.7
The sequela underlines the subjective dimension: the inter-
personal relationship with Jesus, discipleship, docility. Imi-
tation, instead, highlights the objective aspect: the need of
configuration, of the complete transformation or transfigu-
ration of the person into the likeness of Christ. Alluding to
Jn 10:3, 14, C 196 speaks of “the predilection of the Lord
Jesus who has called us by name.” Vocation is not given only
in view of a mission to be accomplished or a task to be car-
ried out. It is principally a call to intimacy and community
of life with Jesus, who “called his Apostles individually to be
with him, and to be sent forth to preach the Gospel.” (C 96,
citing Mk 3:14) But both dynamics are important, disciple-
ship as well as configuration to Christ, and the Salesian Rec-
tor looks after these both in himself and in the community
entrusted to him. Intimacy with Christ leads to transfigura-
tion into his likeness, so that we become like him the face of
the Father, revelations of his love.
2.3 IN COMMUNION WITH OTHER VOCATIONS
WITHIN THE SALESIAN MISSION
Different vocations in
the Church and the way
they are ‘meant’ for one
another
23. Given that we share the mission with lay people, it be-
comes necessary for Salesians – and with greater reason the
Rector – to attain some degree of clarity regarding the dif-
ferent vocations in the Church and the way they are ‘meant’
for one another.
Post-Tridentine theology became accustomed, for a variety
of cultural reasons that include modern rationalism and the
Protestant Reform, to establish the identity of consecrated
life by separating it sharply from the lay state. The homog-
enizing tendency of our time tends, instead, to level down
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the different vocations within the Church. The way ahead
lies, however, neither in separation nor in the blurring of
distinctions, but in ‘diversity in relation,’ which is what has
been affirmed with increasing clarity in the three great
apostolic exhortations dealing with the states of life in the
Church: Christifideles Laici (1988), Pastores Dabo Vobis
(1992), and Vita Consecrata (1996).
The different vocations in the Church are meant for one
another and, while being distinct, they are ordered to one
another. The lay state is marked by its secular character, and
its service is to recall, also for priests and for consecrated
people, the significance of earthly realities in the salvific
plan of God. The ministerial priesthood is the permanent
guarantee for all of the sacramental presence of Christ. And
consecrated life bears witness to the eschatological charac-
ter of the Church, reminding everyone that we are meant
for ‘the life of the resurrection’ that is somehow anticipated
and even experienced through the vows of chastity, poverty
and obedience. (CL 55; cf. VC 31)
The Salesians of Don
Bosco in the EPC and in
the Salesian Family
24. Against this background, GC24 speaks of the spirit and
mission of Don Bosco as shared by Salesians and lay people.
Within the educative and pastoral community, the Salesian
religious community is the charismatic point of reference
for the pastoral identity of the animating nucleus, with the
Rector playing a key role in safeguarding both unity and
charismatic identity.8 This is reflected also in the Charter of
the Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco
(2012). Each group of the Salesian Family, according to its
specific vocation, participates in the Salesian charismatic
mission within the Church and for the Church,9 at the ser-
vice of the Gospel.
Within the Salesian Family, the Salesians of Don Bosco are
entrusted with the responsibility “to preserve unity of spirit
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2. The salesian consecrated vocation: our way of sharing in the mission
Those of us who
share the mission as
consecrated people
are called to be
eschatological signs
and to foster dialogue and fraternal collaboration for mu-
tual enrichment and greater apostolic fruitfulness.”10 The
Rector of the Salesian community is entrusted with the re-
sponsibility of guiding and animating the Salesian Family.
25. All who share the Salesian mission are called to be in
some way signs and bearers of God’s love to the young.
Those of us who share the mission as consecrated people are
called to be eschatological signs – and here, perhaps, is the
‘permanently valid inspiration’ of Don Bosco’s constant in-
sistence on the ‘Last Things,’ along with his ability to instil
a great desire for holiness in the hearts of those who sur-
rounded him. We Salesians of Don Bosco are called to be
signs and prophecies, most especially to the young, of the
complete and ‘excessive’ nature of the gift that God wants to
offer all human beings. We do it in communion with other
groups of consecrated men and women in the Salesian Fam-
ily, but also and especially with many lay people.
One Salesian
consecrated vocation
lived out in two forms
2.4 LIVED OUT IN TWO FORMS, PRIESTLY
AND LAY
26. Our one Salesian consecrated vocation is lived out in
two forms, priestly and lay, in a configuration that is quite
original.11 Both Brothers and Priests are first of all Salesian
religious: they are educators and pastors who follow Don
Bosco as consecrated persons living in community. A weak
understanding of the Salesian aspect leads to genericism in
the ministry, and a weak understanding of the consecrated
aspect leads to pastoral individualism and to various forms
of compensation, giving way to clericalist traits often de-
nounced in Pope Francis’ teaching.
GC21 situates the Salesian Brother and the Salesian Priest
squarely within the Salesian community: “It will not be so
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The Salesian Brother
much the individuals who will perpetuate his [Don Bosco’s]
ideals as his communities, ‘formed of priests and laymen,’
closely united to each other by deep brotherly ties.” For this
reason, the Chapter goes on, “the clear precise dimension of
each Salesian can only be studied and evaluated adequately
in the context of a brotherly and apostolic community.”
(GC21 171) We find this enshrined in C 45: “The signifi-
cant and complementary presence of clerical and lay Sale-
sians in the community constitutes an essential element of
its make-up and of its apostolic completeness.” GC21 spoke,
in fact, of the “Essential mutual relationship between the
Salesian brother and the Salesian priest.” (GC21 194-196)
This great intuition anticipates the “theology of sign” found
in the three encyclicals mentioned above on the states of life
within the Church.
27. Thus when GC21 178 tells us that the lay dimension is
the specific characteristic of the Salesian Brother, it is clear
that this must be understood in relation to the community
and to the Salesian Priest. The Salesian Brother is an em-
bodiment of the lay dimension and ‘secular slant’ that char-
acterizes the Congregation as a whole, and the clarification
of the vocation of the Brother is a test for the clarification
of the lay element in our Society.27 The Salesian Brother, we
might say, is an icon of the lay dimension of the Congrega-
tion. In the words of GC24: “To his consecrated brethren he
recalls the values of creation and of secular realities,” inviting
them to collaborate with the laity and reminding them that
the apostolate goes beyond strictly priestly and catechetical
activity; “to the laity he recalls the values of total dedica-
tion to God for the cause of the Kingdom. To all he offers a
particular sensitivity to the world of work, attention to the
local environment, and the demands of the professional ap-
proach associated with his educative and pastoral activity.”13
To the religions of the world, we might add, he is a prophecy
of the beauty, sacredness and value of created realities.
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The Salesian Priest
But the Salesian Brother, as brother, is also an icon of com-
munion and fraternity, as suggested by Identity and Mission
of the Religious Brother in the Church.14 The consecrated life
is confessio Trinitatis and signum fraternitatis, and in his let-
ter introducing the Year of Consecrated Life Pope Francis
reminded us that consecrated life is not meant to be shut up
within itself: its vocation is to expand communion in ever-
widening circles, in an expansion that knows no limits.15
28. The question of the Salesian Priest is in a certain way
more complex, because he belongs both to his religious
community and also to the presbyterate presided over by the
local bishop. His belonging to the presbyterate is, however,
mediated and specialized. It is mediated by his belonging
to his religious community, and it is specialized because he
brings to the presbyterate the riches of the Salesian charism.
This means, for example, that the service of the common
mission takes precedence over occasional and individual
exercises of priestly ministry. It means that, in the mission
shared with other confreres and with lay people, he will ex-
ercise a style of authority that promotes the responsibility
of all rather than assuming everything to himself, all the
more so if he happens to be the Rector. It means that he will
be specially sensitive to Christ the servant, welcoming the
temporary nature of the service of religious authority and
the fraternal sharing of humble services in community, and
shunning the “spiritual worldliness” that expresses itself in
desire for ecclesiastical promotions and careers, for “mov-
ing up in life,” for ease, comfort and compromise.
The implications of the Salesian priestly ministry being
mediated and specialized are even more relevant at com-
munity level. New pastoral engagements should be accepted
only after careful community discernment, with the Sale-
sian identity and mission as the key criterion. Not all that is
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Combining the gifts
of consecration and
pastoral ministry
‘good’ is also ‘good for us,’ if we are to remain faithful to our
Constitutions.
29. The identity of the Salesian Priest receives a radical
orientation from our educative and pastoral charism. Our
Ratio notes that the Salesian Priest combines in himself the
gifts of consecration and those of the pastoral ministry, in
such a way that “his particular manner of being a priest and
exercising his ministry stems from his Salesian consecra-
tion.” (FSDB 2016 39) The Salesian Priest is essentially a
priest-educator, one who is particularly sensitive to the ped-
agogy of freedom that is the Preventive System. Given that
God’s communication of himself to us in no way excludes
our own involvement, the mission that Christ entrusts to
the Church and to its ministers can never be implemented
in a purely vertical way. Grace always involves our freedom,
and not even the most powerful grace takes away our free-
dom, because grace is love, and where there is no freedom
there cannot be a free response to love. “We can therefore
claim that the Salesian Priest is a figure as original as the
unique blending of grace and freedom that is the Preventive
System of St John Bosco.”16
It is worth reporting here Fr Vecchi’s comments on the
priesthood of Don Bosco:
Don Bosco identifies himself with the figure of the priest
in the best ecclesial tradition, and is not rigidly linked to
any of the figures common in his time: the parish priest,
the priest dedicated to the spiritual care of a particular
group of people or of a chaplaincy, or the priest with some
institutional responsibility in the diocese as a seminary or
university professor. He is even less dependent on political
or cultural tendencies: the reactionary priest, the liberal
priest, the ‘modern’ priest, or the ‘social’ priest.
All these figures were to be found among the clergy of Turin.
‘St. John Bosco felt and knew how to be at all times simply
a priest,’ along the lines of models represented by Don
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2. The salesian consecrated vocation: our way of sharing in the mission
Salesian Brother and
Salesian Priest
Cafasso that gave greater emphasis to work and to pastoral
charity, going back, however, from these models directly to
Christ the priest and above all to the priestly sense of the
Church.17
30. What, then, is the relationship between the Salesian
Brother and the Salesian Priest? Within the Salesian com-
munity, Brothers and Priests are signs to each other. The
Brother, as we have said, reminds his Priest confreres of the
lay dimension of our common vocation. He is, further, a
permanent reminder to them of their consecrated identity.
In his turn, the Salesian Priest is a sign and reminder to the
Brother that he is not merely a professional but above all a
pastor and educator in the saeculum.
Cultural presuppositions might lead us to assume that the
priest is “somehow superior” to a Brother. It will be helpful
to recall, however, the surprising affirmation of Fr Viganò in
his letter, “The Priest of the Year 2000”: that in the heavenly
Jerusalem “there will be no further need for the Bible, for
bishops and priests, for the magisterium, for the sacraments,
for coordination, or for the great many mutual services
which are indispensable in our history.” The 7th successor of
Don Bosco went on to say: “And so already, in the ecclesial
community, the order of institutional, hierarchical and op-
erational realities takes second place… to the Mystery they
serve and reveal to those who live the faith.” (AGC 335 24)
It is wonderful to see this insight reaffirmed by the Cate-
chism of the Catholic Church when it notes that the sacra-
mental structure of the Church is subordinated to its final
vocation, which is communion with God:
In the Church this communion of men with God, in the ‘love
[that] never ends,’ is the purpose which governs everything
in her that is a sacramental means, tied to this passing world.
‘[The Church’s] structure is totally ordered to the holiness of
Christ’s members. And holiness is measured according to
the “great mystery” in which the Bride responds with the gift
of love to the gift of the Bridegroom.’ Mary goes before us
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identity
all in the holiness that is the Church’s mystery as ‘the bride
without spot or wrinkle.’ This is why the ‘Marian’ dimension
of the Church precedes the ‘Petrine.’18
It is good to remember that the priesthood is basically min-
istry, which means humble service.
And it is good to remember, with humility, that as conse-
crated people we take our place at the Marian heart of the
Church – not because we are in any way superior to lay
people, but because of our vocation to be signs of the escha-
tological destiny of the whole Church.
• The Rector will help confreres and members of the EPC to
understand and value the two forms of our vocation.
• He will take every opportunity to present both forms of our
vocation to the young, to people in general, and to civil and
ecclesiastical authorities, taking care to avoid every kind of dis-
criminatory language.
• He will facilitate the ongoing formation and qualification of
each confrere, whether lay or clerical.
2.5 IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CONSISTENT
IN NUMBER AND QUALITY
The Salesian community
forms part of the
animating nucleus of the
EPC
31. The mission of the Salesian community is always car-
ried out in an educative and pastoral community, within
which the Salesian community forms part of the animat-
ing nucleus. GC24 said that every Salesian is an animator
(GC24 159), and GC25 affirmed that the Salesian commu-
nity is the charismatic point of reference within the animat-
ing nucleus. (GC25 70; see 7.3 below) One of the immediate
consequences of this rethinking of the role of the Salesian
is the need for religious communities that are consistent in
number and quality:
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To carry out its role of animation, the Salesian community
needs a quantitative and qualitative consistency which
helps to make its activity visible and significant.
Numerical consistency is better for sustaining formation,
spiritual and fraternal life, the quality and evaluation of the
ministry, planning and dialogue with the area and the local
church. (GC24 173, modifying the official translation)
Qualitative consistency means that in the community there
must be confreres able to remain present among the young,
accompany them and educate them to the faith; capable
also of animating individuals and groups, of formation of lay
people, of giving attention to the neighbourhood and the
local Church and to the Salesian Family and Movement.
(GC24 174)
If ‘mission’ tends to be reduced to ‘working for the young’
and ‘running institutions and services for them,’ perhaps
communities need not be consistent. But if every Salesian is
called to be an animator, the religious community needs to
be prepared (‘qualified’) for this work, and communities
need to be sufficiently numerous.19
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3. THE RECTOR, GUARDIAN OF
SALESIAN IDENTITY
The Rector within
the Salesian religious
community and the
apostolic project
of Don Bosco
32. We have been talking about the centrality of the mission
for us, and the way we share in this mission as consecrated
persons. It is within the Salesian religious community and
the apostolic project of Don Bosco that the Rector takes his
place. The internal and external richness of our apostolic
consecration is naturally reflected in the complexity of the
role of the Rector.
In the last decades, both the Church and the Congregation
have given depth to the figure of the one who assumes au-
thority as guide and animator of the religious community.20
In Part III below, greater attention will be given to the Rec-
tor’s leadership and animating role with reference to the
educative and pastoral community and all the activities and
groups of people related in various ways to a Salesian Work.
Between these two roles – animator of the religious com-
munity and the the one with ultimate responsibility for the
many activities carried on in the Salesian Work – there is a
tension to which there is no easy solution. What is proposed
in Parts II and III of this new edition of the Rector’s Man-
ual might help to discern wisely and to find the correct bal-
ance between the two poles of animation and government
at the level of the Salesian community and of the educative
pastoral community.
The Rector represents
Christ who unites his
followers
3.1 THE RECTOR IN THE COMMUNITY
33. Article 55 of our Constitutions is specifically dedicated
to the Rector in the community: “The Rector represents
Christ who unites his followers in the service of the Fa-
ther. He is at the centre of the community, a brother among
brothers...”
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The service of the
Father gives identity
to the unity
“The Rector represents Christ.” With all the importance given
by our tradition to paternity, it might have seemed more
natural to say that the Rector represents the Father. Instead,
C 55 tells us that the Rector represents Christ. We will try
to unpack the deep significance of this opening affirmation.
The Rector represents Christ “who unites his followers.” The
Rector’s service is habitually described in terms of animation
and governance. Etymologically, ‘animation’ comes from the
Latin anima, which we usually translate as ‘soul’ and under-
stand in spiritual terms, but which in its original meaning
refers to ‘life.’ Where there is anima there is life; when, in-
stead, an organism loses its anima – when it dies – it is pos-
sible that the organs, and even more likely the cells, continue
living, but there is no longer any unity: the organism has bro-
ken down into its component parts. The anima is the princi-
ple of life insofar as it is the principle of unity. Without the
anima there is no longer a living being, even if the organs and
cells continue to exist. The application is clear: a community
that is not united is dead, even if its individual members are
alive and continue to flourish. Animation, therefore, is the
task of building up the living unity of the community. Like
Christ, the Rector unites his brothers in the service of the
Father. This does not mean that the Rector has to be the most
competent, the most intelligent, or even the one with the
greatest experience in the community. Today we often find
situations in which the Rector is one of the youngest in the
community. With a strong measure of faith, hope and love,
and a good dose of humility, however, he can still keep the
community united and therefore alive.
34. The Rector unites his brothers “in the service of the
Father.” It is the service of the Father that gives identity to
the unity. Not every kind of unity is authentic and positive,
and the Rector could be tempted to seek unity at all costs,
even if it means setting aside the principal objective, which
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At the centre of the
community, brother
among brothers
is to search for the will of the Father.21 “Persons called to
exercise authority must know that they will be able to do
so only if they first undertake the pilgrimage that leads to
seeking the will of God with intensity and righteousness.
The advice that St. Ignatius of Antioch gave to one of his fel-
low bishops is valuable for them: ‘Nothing is done without
your agreement, but you do not do anything without God’s
agreement’. Persons in authority must act in such a way that
the brothers or the sisters can perceive that when they give
a command, they are doing so only to obey God.” (FT 12)
35. The concept of authority contained in the opening lines
of C 55 is reinforced by what follows: the Rector “is at the
centre of the community, a brother among brothers, who
recognize his responsibilities and authority.”
“He is at the centre of the community.” Obviously, this is not
a call to self-centredness, and much less to self-referentiali-
ty and self-promotion. (NW 45) Like Christ, the Rector
must be able to say that his food is to do the will of the
Father. ( Jn 4:34) Like Christ who is Son and brother, he
exercises authority in docility and humility. The call to evan-
gelical radicality also involves the ‘forgotten virtue’ of hu-
mility. Humility, with its root in humus, takes us back im-
mediately to Don Bosco, the contadino, the simple farmer,
whose life was constantly accompanied by poverty and hu-
miliation. Humility has to do with spiritual poverty, which
in its deepest meaning consists in having God and God
alone as our goal. The poverty of the Salesian Rector in-
volves the humility of accepting his own insufficiency and
limits, as well as those of the community. He is brother
among brothers, imperfect among the imperfect. He knows
his very first choice is God, and from that choice flow all
other choices.
“A brother among brothers.” The one entrusted with authority
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remains a brother and is at the service of fraternity.Thus New
Wine in New Wineskins: “The broader view of consecrated life
elaborated since the Council has passed from the centrality
of the role of authority to the centrality of fraternal dynam-
ics.” (NW 41) Authority is personal but not private; it is at
the service of communion and fidelity, or better, at the service
of the Father and his project for us. (NW 41, 44)
“He is at the centre of the community, a brother among brothers,
who recognize his responsibilities and authority.” Like Christ
who is Son and brother, and at the same time revelation of
the face of the Father ( Jn 14:9), the Salesian Rector is both
brother and father, and there is no contradiction between
the roles. In Don Bosco we find a wonderful incarnation of
this peculiar and deeply Trinitarian nature of Christian au-
thority. “Our Founder,” as Fr Rinaldi would say, “has never
been anything other than Father.... His whole life is a com-
plete treatise on the fatherhood that comes from the Heav-
enly Father... and that the Blessed practiced here in this life
to the highest degree.” (ACS 12 939-940) Don Bosco al-
ways refused promotions and honours, but was happy to be
called Father. He did not hide his joy and, in later years,
even the tenderness that invaded him: “Call me father and I
will always be happy.” (BM XVII,175)
All these elements are summed up in the practical consider-
ation that follows: “His first task is to animate the commu-
nity so that it might live faithful to the Constitutions and
grow in unity.” (C 55)
Accumulation of
responsibilities and the
hierarchy of tasks
36. “His first task is to animate the community.” Our General
Chapters, and most recently GC27, repeatedly note with re-
gret how the field of intervention for Rectors has broadened,
and how Rectors are more and more engaged in managerial
tasks that leave them with little time and energy for being
spiritual guides of the community and leaders of the EPC.22
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The most recurrent difficulty that emerged in the survey
carried out in 2016 was the managerial roles that the Rec-
tor tends to assume. “Accumulation of responsibilities pre-
vents the Rector from fulfilling his essential role: offering
spiritual paternity; giving priority to the confreres; form-
ing and accompanying the laity…. The care of what is ur-
gent pushes aside the care of what is important. Many
Rectors are overburdened with too many works. They have
no time and energy to animate the community.”23 Not
rarely, administrative and managerial tasks are becoming
predominant not only because really needed by the situa-
tions of the Salesian houses, but because such roles are
often purposely chosen and preferred to what is more in
keeping with the spiritual guidance of the community and
the brotherly support of each confrere. In turn this is
linked with other challenges: “Inconsistency of the com-
munities in number and quality; disorientation about the
type of community we need today; the qualities demanded
which are beyond the capacity and preparation of many of
the confreres appointed as Rectors: to be simultaneously a
father, a spiritual guide, a manager, an administrator, a pas-
toral animator of a community both of confreres and of an
educative-pastoral centre...”24
The same survey nevertheless indicates the need for a Rec-
tor who is above all the charismatic animator and guide of
the community, icon of the fatherliness of Don Bosco. We
must not underestimate here the importance of our funda-
mental convictions and attitudes: there is a marked differ-
ence between a Rector who knows and is convinced that his
first task is the animation of the community, and one who
does not know or else is not convinced of this.
Our General Chapters have equally insisted on a hierarchy
of tasks: the Rector must know how to prioritize his many
responsibilities and develop his capacity to delegate. Not all
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his many tasks have the same weight, and not all of them
need the same attention.
Charismatic
responsibility
37. “So that it might live faithful to the Constitutions and
grow in unity.” The Rector is the guardian of the Salesian
spirit, which is the original style of life and action hand-
ed over to us by Don Bosco. At the centre of the Salesian
spirit is pastoral charity – “an apostolic impetus that makes
us seek souls and serve God alone.” (C 10) Pastoral char-
ity is the charity of the Good Shepherd, the charity that,
not content to provide bread and work, is intent on “saving
souls”; that insists not only on education but also on evan-
gelization, wanting to offer young people the fullness of
happiness. The Rector is called to embody such charity and
promote it in his confreres. Above all, he is called to love
people – his confreres as well as all who form part of the
educative and pastoral community – “with a heart which
is new, generous and pure – with genuine self-detachment,
with full, constant and faithful dedication… and even with
a kind of maternal tenderness, … until ‘Christ be formed’ in
the faithful (cf. Gal. 4:19).” (PDV 22)
“So that it might live faithful to the Constitutions”: the
Rector is guardian, for his confreres, also of the Salesian
consecrated identity as embodied in the Constitutions. To
him, therefore, is addressed in a special way the invitation of
GC27 to explore more deeply our charismatic identity and
to become aware of our vocation to faithfully live out Don
Bosco’s apostolic project. (GC27 p. 89)
The charismatic responsibility of the Rector is emphasized
once again in the next part of C 55: “He also has a direct
responsibility toward each confrere; he helps him realize his own
personal vocation and carry out the work entrusted to him.”
First formator in the local 38. Just as the Provincial is the first formator in the prov-
community
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ince, so the Rector is the first formator in the local com-
munity. GC22, which gave us the definitive text of our Con-
stitutions, made the decision to frame the whole section on
formation from the viewpoint of ongoing formation. For us,
then, formation is by no means to be identified solely with
initial formation. It is, rather, our daily response to God’s
call, for which God every day gives us his grace. (C 96) It
is a process that lasts all our life. It is a question of discern-
ing the voice of the Spirit in the events of each day, and so
learning by experience the meaning of the Salesian voca-
tion. (C 119 and 98) Daily life is therefore the great locus of
formation, and when we truly realize this, we realize also
just how important is the role of the Rector, whose first task
is to animate the community so that it might live faithful to
the Constitutions and grow in unity, and who has a direct
responsibility towards each confrere, helping him realize his
own personal vocation.
Like all his confreres, the Rector remembers that he receives
the grace of unity. He lives his apostolic consecration in a
single movement of love towards God and towards his
brothers and sisters. (C 3) He knows that there is the most
intimate connection between the two poles of pastoral char-
ity, God and neighbour. “No dedication to the young is
genuine unless it proceeds from the love of God, but it is
equally true that for us there is no true love of God that
prescinds from a predilection for the young, especially those
in need.” (AGC 330 29) The love of God poured into our
hearts through the Spirit is the source and cause of our love
of neighbour, while the way in which to love God is service
to our brothers and sisters. (PL 165) The activity of pastoral
charity is not inferior to its being; it is, in fact, a participa-
tion in the love of God. In the depths of apostolic experi-
ence we find a form of the interior life. (MSD 18)
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From the active presence 39. All of the above is wonderful and inspiring, but is ca-
of the Spirit the Rector
draws strength for fidelity
pable also of casting a chill into the heart of the bravest Rec-
and support for hope
tor. It helps to remember once again that we are not alone.
The call comes from God, we are called to live united with
the Son, apart from whom we can do nothing, and we know
that the Lord daily gives us his grace: it is from the active
presence of the Spirit that we draw strength for our fidelity
and support for our hope (C 1). Besides, we cannot forget
that the cross is at the heart of the mystery of our faith. No
‘manual’ will ever be able to solve the problems of the Rec-
tor. It can only invite us, like Don Bosco invited his own
mother, to fix our eyes on the Crucified One.
So with Mary, the Rector learns to fix his eyes on the Cruci-
fied Son. Mary is his model, because she is the perfect dis-
ciple, the perfect Yes, like her Son, to the Father. Both
mother and Son knew how to walk constantly in obedience
before the luminous cloud of the will of the Father – even
when they did not fully understand. Mary is also teacher,
because just as she taught Don Bosco to love, and indeed, as
she taught Jesus himself, she will also teach the Rector to
love, to hope and to believe.
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3.2 THE RECTOR’S AUTHORITATIVENESS
AND AUTHORITY
Auctoritas as generative
force rather than
directive power
40. The Preventive System fosters a style of leadership
where trust and confidence are fundamental in the relation-
ship between educator and young people, and equally be-
tween confreres within the Salesian community. The role of
guidance and animation of those entrusted with a ‘service
of authority’ is by no means diminished. On the contrary:
when such role and service is lived according to the Salesian
spirit it acquires a greater authoritativeness, much more ef-
fective that what can be achieved only by recourse to ‘cold
rules.’ (Letter from Rome 1884)
It is interesting to find the same appeal to ‘authoritativeness’
in the final document of the Synod on young people, the
faith and vocational discernment: “To undertake a true
journey of growth, young people need authoritative adults.
In its etymological meaning, auctoritas indicates the capac-
ity to promote growth; it does not express the idea of a di-
rective power, but of a real generative force.”25
To enable a Salesian to mature in this kind of auctoritas, first
of all as educator with the youth and then also in his service
of leadership, much attention and care has to be given to his
human and spiritual growth. When Don Bosco wrote the
first ‘Rector’s Manual’ for Michael Rua, sent at the age of 26
to be the Rector at Mirabello, he began his long letter with
the phrase “con te stesso” – “for yourself ” – advising Michael
to take care of himself. There is no need to spell this out here
in all its details, but surely what concerns the lifelong for-
mation of each confrere concerns first and foremost the
Rector himself, his vocational health, his prayer, his time for
reflection and study, his being faithful to his spiritual ac-
companiment. The more we have responsibility for others
the more we need to be personally supported and guided.26
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Directly linked to this quality of the personal life of the
Rector is the ability to promote shared responsibility among
confreres and lay mission partners for the activities, tasks,
plans and management of situations affecting the life of the
educative pastoral community. (R 173)
Authority as potestas
41. It is worth noticing that Canon Law defines every kind
of authority in the Church as potestas. One who receives
authority receives it from the Church: only in the name of
the Church and according to its guidelines can such potestas
be exercised. The authority of Peter ultimately comes from
Christ and his Gospel. It is not something arbitrary; it is
always linked to Him, way, truth and life for all his disciples.
This is equally true for all authority-potestas present in the
Salesian Constitutions, embodiment of the project of life of
the Salesians of Don Bosco, totally dependent on the au-
thority of the Church that “has acknowledged God’s hand
in this, especially by approving our Constitutions and by
proclaiming our Founder a saint.” (C 1)
The exercise of authority
always seeks to promote
charismatic fidelity
42. So it is in the perspective of auctoritas-potestas that the
Code of Canon Law defines the fundamental outlines of the
service of authority in consecrated life, as well as more spe-
cific rights and duties applicable to consecrated life.27
It is in this same vein that the Congregation for Institutes
of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has of-
fered reflections on the service of authority in consecrated
life with certain emphases, as, for example, on the ‘superior’
himself as being under obedience to God, and on the spirit
of service and pastoral care. The exercise of authority always
seeks to promote charismatic fidelity in the various areas of
community life and of the apostolic work entrusted to the
community.28
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Salesian style in the
service of authority
For the proper exercise of this service of authority it is im-
portant to insist on certain fundamental dispositions: the
spirit of faith and of obedience on the part of all, listening,
dialogue, shared responsibility, community discernment,
service to the mission, care of the roles in each community
and Work. At the same time we need to avoid certain abus-
es of authority, as also the omission or neglect of the respon-
sibilities assigned to the one in authority.
Each Congregation or Religious Institute establishes the
features of the exercise of authority according to its own
charism and proper law. For the Salesian Congregation
these may be found in the Constitutions and Regulations,
in the decisions of the General Chapters and in the Provin-
cial Directories.
43. C 65 and 121 synthesize the Salesian style of exercising
authority in the spirit of family and charity. Chapter 10 of
the Constitutions indicates the basic criteria of this service:
exercised like Christ and in his name; promoting charity in
all for the faithful fulfilment of the mission through guide-
lines, decisions, corrections and other opportune interven-
tions; ensuring unity, participation, responsibility, subsid-
iarity and decentralization in the coordination of persons
and structures. “This service is directed to fostering charity,
coordinating the efforts of all, animating, orienting, making
decisions, giving corrections, so that the mission may be ac-
complished.” (C 121)
Along with this Salesian style in the service of authority, the
Constitutions and Regulations provide more concrete indi-
cations for its exercise (C 175-186, R 170-184), taking into
account also the competencies and responsibilities of the
Rector and Vice-Rector, the Local Council and the Assem-
bly of confreres. For the fruitful exercise of the ministry of
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the Rector, these indications must be well known also by the
confreres.
The Provincial Directory and the decisions of the Provincial
Council give concrete indications for the animation and
government of each Salesian presence, assigning basic re-
sponsibilities and roles in the educative and pastoral com-
munity and in the various sectors of the Work. This will fa-
cilitate the Rector in his responsibilities. Accompaniment
on the part of the Province through canonical visits and
other services of animation and coordination is also very
helpful.
3.3 THE PRESBYTERAL CHARACTER
OF THE SALESIAN RECTOR
Communities are guided
by a member who is a
priest
44. The service of authority in the community is entrusted
to a Salesian Priest: “According to our tradition, communi-
ties are guided by a member who is a priest, and who by the
grace of his priestly ministry and pastoral experience sus-
tains and directs the spirit and activity of his brothers.” (C
121) This is an issue that came up with particular concern
during GC20 and was addressed explicitly in GC21. In his
intervention Fr Viganò formulated a fundamental question:
“Is the service of authority substantially linked to the min-
istry of the priesthood or not?”29 Subsequent reflection has
been abundant, trying both to be faithful to Don Bosco and
also to give quality to the service requested of the Rector.30
The first part of C 121 offers us an important indication: “In
imitation of Christ and in his name, authority in the Con-
gregation is exercised according to the spirit of Don Bosco
as a service to the brothers for discerning and fulfilling the
Father’s will.”This is neither a question of canonical catego-
ry (clerical institute) nor about the distribution of compe-
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tences and roles for the service of authority; much less is it
a matter of classifying Salesians into categories. Reference
is made, rather, to the way of life of the Salesian community
originated by Don Bosco, who with his priestly fatherliness
guided his sons in the common project that is at the source
of our Salesian life.
Following the example left us by Don Bosco, Salesian com-
munities have always been guided by Salesian priests. The
celebration of the sacraments marked deeply the spiritual
animation through which Don Bosco formed and guided
his confreres, and this has become part of the charismatic
heritage he handed over, followed by his successors and
communities.
The service of the Word,
of sanctification, and of
guidance – in and for the
community
45. The decisive element is that the Rector is called to live
out the grace of the priestly ministry by carrying out the
service of authority entrusted to him in the community. He
lives out the three aspects of his priestly ministry – the ser-
vice of the Word, the service of sanctification, the service of
guidance – in and for his community. (AGC 306 14). Fr J.
Vecchi, in his letter of convocation of GC25, asked Rectors
to prioritize their functions, and indicated a threefold focus:
charismatic (collaborating with the Spirit in the vocational
growth of the confreres), pastoral (strengthening the pas-
toral charity of those sharing in the Salesian mission), and
fraternal (caring for relationships, unity and shared respon-
sibility). “To realize all this, the Rector brings into play his
priestly charism. The Constitutions say that the Rector must
be a priest. That does not mean simply that he must have
the juridical requirement of priestly ordination, but that he
must exercise the priesthood in and for the religious and
educative community...” (AGC 372 31)
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The priority service is the
animation of vocational
fidelity, fraternal life and
pastoral charity
46. This is the line followed by GC25. “The Rector, follow-
ing the model of Don Bosco ‘is a paternal figure, at once
both affectionate and authoritative…. Deeply marked by the
priestly character, he expresses it daily in the ministry of the
word, of sanctification and of animation.’ ... The exercise of
his ministry, in the situation of today, requires that he take
into account the relative importance of his different tasks: at
the service of salesian unity and identity; teacher and pasto-
ral guide, organizer of educative commitments, manager of
the work...” (GC25 64)
The presbyteral character of the Rector in the Salesian com-
munity, as Don Bosco wanted it, is a way of pointing out
that the priority of his service is the animation of vocation-
al fidelity, fraternal life and pastoral charity. For this pur-
pose, he shares the grace of his priestly ministry and con-
centrates his care and efforts on the charismatic animation
and spiritual fatherhood so much needed in the Congrega-
tion. (GC27 12, 14, 51)
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Note
1 GC27 pp. 126-127; AGC 420 12; AGC 421 13-14.
2 XV Synod of Bishops, Young People, the Faith and Vocational
Discernment: Instrumentum Laboris (2018) 34 and 57.
3 GC27 pp. 128-129; AGC 427 “Convocation of the GC28” 24-32.
4 “Per noi sarà particolarmente proficuo non dimenticare il significato
peculiare e totalizzante di ciascuno dei due termini ‘consacrazione’ e
‘missione’, che non possono venir ridotti, ognuno singolarmente, a
indicare soltanto un settore della vita salesiana: la nostra consacrazione
è, in se stessa, apostolica; e la missione che ci è affidata è, in quanto tale
e nostra, religiosa.” E. Viganò, “Discorso di apertura del Rettor
Maggiore,” GC22 20.
5 Jn 15:1-11; cf. C 12 and the icon chosen by GC27.
6 CICLSAL, Rejoice! To consecrated men and women from the teachings of
Pope Francis (2014); Contemplate: To all consecrated persons pursuing the
Beauty trail (2014); Keep Watch! A letter to consecrated men and women
journeying in the footsteps of God (2014); Proclaim: To consecrated men and
women witnesses of the Gospel among peoples (2016).
7 See Congregation for the Clergy, The Gift of the Priestly Vocation: Ratio
Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis (2017) 61-73, which chooses to
refer to the phase of the study of philosophy (= our postnovitiate) as the
phase of discipleship, and that of the study of theology as the phase of
configuration.
8 Cf. GC25 70 and GC24 172.
9 Charter 22. Chapters 3 and 4 of this Charter present the criteria for the
spirituality and formation of the members of the Salesian Family in
view of a shared mission.
10 C 5; cf. C 45. The Rector Major is the “vital centre” of the Salesian
Family who makes real “the reference to Don Bosco, to the common
mission and to the same spirit.” (Charter 13)
11 A note about terminology: our Constitutions use both ‘salesian
brother’(salesiano coadiutore in the Italian text) and ‘lay salesian’(salesiano
laico), sometimes in the same article, as in C 45. Aware of the fact that
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each of these terms carries a different weight and nuance in different
regions, and given that we have not yet arrived at a satisfactory solution,
we choose to follow the usage of the Constitutions.
12 E. Viganò, “The Lay Element in the Salesian Community,” AGC 298
(1980), section 5. See also section 4 where Viganò distinguishes three
meanings of “laicità” and notes that the Salesian Brother is not “secular”
in the sense in which laypeople within the Church are, but that his
vocation has nonetheless a real connection and a certain congruence of
thought and activity with the first two levels of “laicità.”
13 See GC24 154, and Pascual Chávez, “Il Salesiano Coadiutore,” San
Benigno Canavese, 19 March 2005 (unpublished) (http://www.
Coadiutoresalesiano.net/index.php/2002-14-Chavez).
14 CICLSAL, Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church
(2015).
15 Apostolic Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to all Consecrated People on
the Occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life (21 November 2014) 3.
16 A. Bozzolo, “Salesiano Prete e Salesiano Coadiutore: Spunti per
un’interpretazione teologica,” Sapientiam dedit illi: Studi su Don Bosco e
sul carisma salesiano, ed. Andrea Bozzolo (Rome: LAS, 2015) 357.
17 J.E. Vecchi, Spiritualità Salesiana, Approfondimenti di alcuni temi
fondamentali, Esercizi Spirituali per i Direttori salesiani delle Ispettorie
IVE ed IVO, ed. pro manuscripto, Roma Salesianum, 2000, p. 125. The
original Italian version:
Don Bosco s’identifica con il prete della migliore tradizione ecclesiale,
non legata rigidamente a nessuna delle figure che si vedevano allora:
non a quella del parroco, del prete che assume l’attenzione spirituale di
un settore di persone o la cappellania di una istituzione; non quella del
prete che svolge un ruolo diocesano, del professore di seminario di
università. Meno dipendente è ancora dalle collocazioni di tipo politico
o culturale: il prete integrista, il prete liberale, il prete ‘moderno’, il prete
‘sociale’. Tutte queste figure erano diffuse e rappresentate da porzioni
del clero di Torino, ‘San Giovanni Bosco si è sentito e ha saputo essere
in ogni momento semplicemente sacerdote’, con riferimento ai modelli
che più sottolineavano il lavoro e la carità pastorale tipo don Cafasso,
risalendo però da questi modelli direttamente a Cristo sacerdote e
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soprattutto al senso sacerdotale della Chiesa. (The internal citation is
from Cardinal A. Ballestrero, retreat to the Provincials of Italy, 1988)
The text continues:
La scelta di buttarsi non in una parrocchia, non in una famiglia, non in
un istituto, ma sulla strada, dunque senza una rendita fissa e un lavoro
riconosciuto, è stata una scelta pastorale coraggiosa e nuova. Don Bosco
praticamente si è messo nelle nuove correnti pastorali che nascevano
nella Chiesa di Torino. Così, più che nel ‘fare il prete’ in un ruolo
istituzionale definito, ha preferito ‘essere prete’ per la gente e i giovani
nella comunione ecclesiale; senza un’inquadratura di ruolo rigido, ma
certamente in accordo con il suo vescovo che in un determinato
momento lo designò ‘direttore’ o incaricato dell’opera degli oratori. (Ibid
126. ET: The decision to work neither in a parish nor in a family nor in
an institute but on the streets, and therefore without a fixed income and
a recognized job, was a new and courageous pastoral choice. In practical
terms, Don Bosco was associating himself with the new pastoral
currents that were emerging in the Church of Turin. Thus, rather than
‘doing priestly ministry’ within a defined institutional role, he preferred
to ‘be a priest’ for the people and for the young within the ecclesial
communion; without the framework of a rigid role, but certainly in
agreement with his bishop who eventually named him ‘director’ or in
charge of the work of the oratories.)
18 CCC 773. Cf. also John Paul II, “Allocuzione ai Cardinali e ai Prelati
della Curia Romana (22 dicembre 1987),” L’Osservatore Romano, 23
dicembre 1987.
19 F. Cereda, “Consistency of the Salesian community in number and
quality,” AGC 422 27-38.
20 Cf. VC 43, SAC 14 and FLC 50, FT 13 and 20, NW 19-21, 41-54.
Of special importance are the reflections of GC21 that gave rise to the
Manual of the Salesian Rector, and those of GC25 on “The Salesian
Community Today.” GC27, reflecting on Salesian life in the last few
years and taking note of certain challenges, felt the need to update the
Manual. These are some of the indications of GC27: “Over these years
the field of intervention for Rectors/Directors has broadened. They are
fully engaged in managerial tasks as well as being spiritual guides of the
confreres and leaders of the EPC. Therefore the Rectors/Directors are
not always in the position to fulfil the obligations of their service and
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often they do not receive adequate cooperation from the confreres, and
sometimes they are deprived of a systematic formative accompaniment
at provincial level.” (GC27 14) “The Rector/Director is a central figure;
more than a manager he is a father who brings his family together in
communion and apostolic service. Because of the complexity of our
work, the diversity of functions and less than adequate formation, he is
not always in a position to look after fraternal life, discernment and
shared responsibility in accordance with the community plan of life and
its pastoral and educative plan. In some situations, weak support from
the confreres has its effect.” (GC27 51) Indications for the way ahead
may be found in GC27 69: shared responsibility in Salesian life, care of
each confrere in his personal and pastoral life, accompaniment,
strengthening the formation of Rectors, updating the Manual of the
Rector.
21 The subordination of religious authority to the will of God is clearly
indicated in the opening lines of the Instruction of the CICLSAL, The
Service of Authority and Obedience, when it tells us that the one entrusted
with authority in a religious community – usually temporarily – is called
“to exercise the particular task of being the sign of unity and the guide
in the common search both personal and communitarian of carrying
out the will of God. This is the service of authority.” (FT 1)
22 See GC27 14, 51, 69. GC25 64.2: Take into account the hierarchical
scale of his duties: servant of unity and Salesian identity; teacher and
pastoral guide, orienter of the commitments of education, manager of
the Work.
23 From the regional data collections presented during the international
seminar held in Rome, 26-31 May 2017 for the revision on the Salesian
Rector’s Manual.
24 Ibid.
25 “Per compiere un vero cammino di maturazione i giovani hanno
bisogno di adulti autorevoli. Nel suo significato etimologico la auctoritas
indica la capacità di far crescere; non esprime l’idea di un potere direttivo,
ma di una vera forza generativa.” XV Ordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops, Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment:
Final Document (2018) 71.
26 See the insistence in The Gift of the Priestly Vocation: Ratio Fundamentalis
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Institutionis Sacerdotalis on Spiritual Direction, both in the initial and
ongoing formation of priests (107; 88).
27 Cf. CIC 596, 608, 617-630 that specify details of the authority of the
religious superior linked to the ministry of the Church.
28 Cf. FLC, FT, NW.
29 E. Viganò, “Sharing in the life and government of the Congregation,”
GC21 213. Fr Viganò’s concern was to safeguard the charismatic
element in this matter. (cf. GC21 212-239) The Chapter had said that
“the brotherly equality of our members does not seem to be fully
achieved as long as any distinction on this point remains in our particular
Code,” but had then immediately added: “It is evident that we are not
dealing merely with a juridical or sociological question; nor is it a
problem that arises from a consideration of religious life in general. It is
a question of a specific religious ecclesial problem that can be termed
‘Salesian.’ It is concerned with a particular mode of life, as found in the
Salesian community as started and structured by Don Bosco, and lived
and approved by the Church, with a view to the fulfilment of the
concrete mission that the Holy Spirit entrusted to our Father and
Founder.” (GC21 199)
30 A first hint is found already in C 4 and 45: we are a ‘clerical religious
institute’ made up of clerics and laymen who complement each other as
brothers in living out the same vocation, a complementarity that is
essential to the make-up and apostolic completeness of the community.
In the wake of VC 61, GC24 192 requested the study of the legal form
of the Congregation, to see if it could be regarded as a ‘mixed institute.’
This study had to be linked, of course, to the work on the same issue that
VC 61 had entrusted to the CICLSAL. The results of this study have
been lying with the competent authorities of the Holy See, with no
further response or action. Recently the Holy See has been asked by
some religious institutes to take up the issue again and give an adequate
response.
The Rectors Major and General Chapters have continued offering
reflections on the service of the Rector, focussing on the enrichment
brought by the priestly ministry to the role of animation and guidance.
Cf. E. Viganò, “The Salesian Rector and animation,” AGC 306 (1982)
3-33; E. Viganò, “Reading the Founder’s charism again at the present
day,” AGC 352 (1995) 3-35; E. Viganò, “The priest of the year 2000: A
theme we have very much at heart,” AGC 335 (1991) 1-44.
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
Part II
The Rector in the
salesian religious
In community
Mirabello
DonI'll be
Bosco
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Wheat, ears, flour, bread... From the
parables about the seed to the bread
broken and shared in the Upper Room:
the whole mystery of the Kingdom is
hidden in these symbols.
The gift of unity is the first thing to be
expected from those who are called to
serve the community and make it grow
(“auctoritas indicates the capacity for
enabling growth” – Final document of
the Synod on young people, 71). “His
first task is to animate the community
so that it may live faithful to the
Constitutions and grow in unity.”
(C 55).
The Eucharist is the “central act of every
Salesian community” (C 88) and is
both the seed and the fruit of our living
and working together.
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4. GUARDIAN AND ANIMATOR OF
THE SALESIAN CONSECRATED
IDENTITY
The Rector, guardian of
the Salesian consecrated
identity
47. The Salesian Rector is the guardian of the Salesian con-
secrated identity in the local community. His is a service
of animation and governance characterized by the Salesian
charism. In Part I we have examined at some length this ser-
vice of the Rector as found especially in C 55. In Part II we
will try to work out some of its practical implications, using
as our framework the three themes of GC27, but keeping
always in mind that these are ways of helping us appropri-
ate our charismatic identity more deeply and of making us
aware of our vocation to live out faithfully Don Bosco’s ap-
ostolic project.1
4.1 MYSTICS IN THE SPIRIT:
SPIRITUAL GUIDE OF THE COMMUNITY
Care for the core values
of consecration in
personal and community
accompaniment
48. The expression “mystics in the Spirit” adopted by
GC27 is a way of expressing the second thematic area in-
dicated in the Opening Address of the Rector Major, with
its stress on the consecrated life: “Having a strong spiritual
experience, taking on the way of being and acting of the
obedient, poor and chaste Jesus and becoming seekers of
God.” (GC27 p. 89).
The Church invites consecrated persons to offer clear wit-
ness of their consecrated identity, guided by the one who
assumes the service of the authority. (SAC 20) To those
asked to offer the service of authority it recommends, in the
first place, the care for the core values of consecration, be-
ginning from their “spiritual authority”: “In the consecrated
life authority is first of all a spiritual authority…. Persons in
authority are ‘spiritual’ when they place themselves at the
service of what the Spirit wants to realize through the gifts
which he distributes to every member of the community, in
the charismatic project of the institute…. To be in the posi-
tion of promoting the spiritual life, persons in authority will
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have to cultivate first in themselves an openness to listening
to others and to the signs of the times through a daily famil-
iarity in prayer with the Word of God, with the Rule and
the other norms of the life.”2
In our tradition, the Rector is always the spiritual guide of
the community. His task of accompaniment has both com-
munity and personal dimensions. (C 55, 70) With GC27,
he encourages each confrere to have a stable spiritual guide
(75.2), and here he leads by example, so that he can be a
guide who is guided. He also assists each confrere to dis-
cern, develop and use the charismatic gifts given him by the
Holy Spirit for realizing the Salesian mission. (C 99; 1 Cor
12:7; 1 Pet 4:10; LG 12)
There are several ways of being ‘companions on the way,’
given that we are all striving to respond to the call “to be-
come like Christ, in the footsteps of Don Bosco.” (FSDB
47) The more the Rector, supported by his Council, patient-
ly builds an atmosphere of mutual trust and generous dedi-
cation around the core values of the Salesian charism (com-
munity accompaniment), the more also the personal journey
of dynamic fidelity of each confrere will be strengthened, in
full respect for his freedom and uniqueness. Against this
fertile background also the mutual forms of personal sup-
port will be sought and will flourish (personal accompani-
ment), without need of much formality and uniformity.
When there is sincere availability and interest for the good
of each brother, then ‘heart speaks to heart,’ and the best
ways of journeying together open up of their own accord.
4.1.1 Fidelity to the evangelical counsels
The animation by the
Rector helps us to be
witnesses of evangelical
radicality
49. Our sharing in the Salesian mission as consecrated per-
sons means that we follow Jesus obedient, poor and chaste,
becoming living memorials of his way of life.
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With the religious profession we make a public commit-
ment to live the evangelical counsels. The community atmo-
sphere (spiritual, fraternal, pastoral) and the animation by
the Rector help us live out faithfully this witness of evan-
gelical radicality.
This way of life, essentially countercultural, involves a spe-
cial effort of ongoing discernment in order to discover inco-
herent personal and community options and take decisions
for overcoming mediocrity.3 Our way of life is meant to be
a prophecy to “wake up the world,” in the words of Pope
Francis.
GC25 offers a discernment about “Evangelical Witness”
with an analysis of the situation and concrete proposals for
action. GC26, expressing the desire to strengthen our char-
ismatic identity under the title “Da mihi animas cetera
tolle,” offers us lines of action regarding evangelical poverty.
(GC26 79-97) GC27, once again wanting to strengthen the
living out of the Salesian charism, invites us to be “witness-
es of evangelical radicality,” and urges us to be convinced of
“the fruitfulness of the evangelical counsels in bringing
about communion in community and in our mission to the
young” and of “our prophetic role in proposing a culture in-
spired by the Gospel.” (GC27 36, 37)
• The Rector includes the scrutinies of each of the evangelical
counsels in the annual community program, using the materials
provided by the Provincial Formation Commission.
• He promotes initiatives to foster the reflection on the evan-
gelical counsels and their effect on personal, community and
pastoral life, making use of the time for community spiritual
reading, meetings, and other moments of ongoing formation.
• He programs a community study of GC25 17-36 on “evan-
gelical witness,” GC26 79-97 on “evangelical poverty,” and the
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indications of GC27.
• He integrates into the Community Plan concrete commit-
ments regarding the evangelical counsels.
4.1.2 Animation of personal and community
prayer
Taking care of the quality
of prayer
50. Prayer is a gift of the Lord, a dialogue between creature
and creator, communion with God who is Communion and
Love. (CCC 2559-2565) The religious, who gives God first
place in his life, takes special care of this gift of prayer. The
Church reminds persons in authority in consecrated life
about the duty “to guarantee to the community the time for
and the quality of prayer.”4
The community considers vocation as a gift to which it must
respond. (C 85) Salesian life is lived “in dialogue with the
Lord” (C 85-95), in the specific style of our charism, follow-
ing the concrete commitments laid out in the Constitutions.
The Congregation has spoken at various times about the
importance of the life of prayer for each Salesian and for the
community.5
Far from being something alien to it, prolonged personal
prayer is in keeping with the Salesian tradition, if we are to
go by the personal example of Don Bosco,6 the lives of the
young people whose biographies he wrote,7 and the lives of
many early Salesians.8
The Rector, a man of
prayer who animates the
community to live “life as
prayer”
51. The quality of our prayer is a sign of our being “seekers
of God” and “witnesses of his love in the midst of the poor.”
It makes the community a “school of prayer” for the young
and for lay people (GC25 31); it also helps us promote the
spirituality of communion requested by the Church.9
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
Called by the Word of God to continual conversion, the
confreres and the community value the daily meditation,
celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation with regularity
and give central place to the daily celebration of the Eucha-
rist, so that life itself becomes “a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God” (Rom 12:1), an ongoing Marian ‘Yes’ to
the call of God.
The Rector takes care of this gift of prayer in his own life, so
as to be able to animate the confreres and the community to
live “life as prayer.”10 He does not always find favourable
conditions (GC27 14, 51), and so there is need for a special
effort in this fundamental aspect of his service.
• The confreres integrate the dimension of prayer into their
Personal Plan of Life.
• The Community Plan will privilege whatever enhances its being
“a community in dialogue with the Lord,” giving due attention
to meditation, the Eucharist, the liturgy of the hours, month-
ly recollections, the annual retreat, the celebration of the sac-
rament of Reconciliation, lectio divina, the rosary and other
forms of Marian prayer, Salesian feasts, etc.
• The scrutiny of prayer will be carried out with a suitable and
inspiring method, so as to promote awareness of signs of medi-
ocrity and suggest ways of improving the quality of prayer.
• Initiatives will be promoted so as to make the community a
“school of prayer” for young people and for the laity. (GC25
31) The community program will include moments of prayer with
young people, lay mission partners, the Salesian Family, and
other ecclesial and religious groups.
• The community will establish moments of ongoing formation
on the topic of community prayer, reflecting on the provocations
of GC25 27, and AGC 421 – “Life as prayer.”
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Focus on charismatic
identity
The role of the Rector
and his council
4.1.3 Taking care of charismatic identity
52. Since the Special General Chapter requested by Vatican
II, the Congregation has undertaken an intense journey of
renewal of the Salesian charism. The subsequent General
Chapters have sought to deepen our charismatic identity so
as to encourage greater fidelity, overcoming mediocrity and
building up strengths. The Rectors Major have taken it as a
priority “to continue to cultivate our Charismatic Identity in
total fidelity to Don Bosco.” (AGC 419 13)
It is the responsibility of every Salesian to take care of the
Salesian charism, living in fidelity to his vocation and
helping his brothers do the same. To this task each one
brings the richness of his own vocation, whether ministe-
rial or lay. 11
53. The Church also reminds those entrusted with the
service of authority that they must care for the charism:
“Authority is called to keep alive the charism of one’s own
religious family.”12 This is why the Congregation promotes
many initiatives for assimilating and deepening the Sale-
sian charism (publications, meetings, courses on specific
themes, celebrations…). It is important that these propos-
als find a place in the personal plan of life, as well as in the
plans of the community and of the educative and pastoral
community. The Rector and his Council play an important
role in animating confreres, lay people and youth to an ap-
preciation and deepening of the charism by means of suit-
able initiatives.
• The community takes pains to deepen two of the specific ele-
ments of the Salesian charism: the complementarity of the two
forms of the Salesian vocation (priestly and lay, cf. GC26 74-78,
GC27 69.7, AGC 424: “Renewed attention to the Salesian Broth-
er”) and communion and sharing in the spirit and mission of
Don Bosco (Salesians and laity, cf. GC24, GC27 71.1-3).
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
• The provincial plans and guidelines (Chapters with their deci-
sions and orientations, Organic Provincial Plan, Provincial For-
mation Plan, Educative-Pastoral Plan…) and the deliberations of
the General Chapters and General Council are attentively stud-
ied and put into practice. Renewed study is made of GC26 1-22,
“Starting afresh from Don Bosco,” implementing the initiatives
proposed there for individuals and communities.
• Diligent attention is given to information about the life of the
Congregation and of the Salesian Family, also making use of
the means provided by the digital culture.
• In its planning the community establishes ways of deepen-
ing the Salesian charism (spirituality, history, pastoral work, and
life of the Congregation and of the Salesian Family…): spiritual
reading, courses, conferences, recollections, publications, use
of the internet and other means in the digital world.
• The community encourages the participation of confreres in
initiatives for the joint formation of Salesians and laity in the
Salesian charism (spirituality, history, pastoral work, Salesian
Family) on the local, provincial and world levels.
• The Rector and confreres integrate into their Personal Plan of
Life the means for deepening their knowledge of the Salesian
charism.
4.2 PROPHETS OF FRATERNITY: ANIMATOR OF
COMMUNION AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
Communion is mission
54. Fraternal life in community is one of the essential char-
acteristics of religious life. It is a gift of God that needs to
be lived, witnessed to and strengthened. The Church, in the
last decades, has urged consecrated persons to be “experts
in communion” (VC 46), and to bear witness to fraternity
as a model of life for the ecclesial and human community.13
One who exercises authority in the community has a special
responsibility for the living out of the gift of fraternity: “The
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The Rector represents
Christ who unites his
followers
superiors, both men and women, in union with the persons
entrusted to them, are called to build in Christ a fraternal
community, in which God is sought and loved above all else,
in order to realize his redemptive plan.” (FT 17) Fraternal
life is already part of mission.14
The Congregation has given serious attention to this ele-
ment of consecrated life. Besides what we find in the text of
the Constitutions, GC25 was dedicated to “The Salesian
Community Today.” On its part, GC27 carried out a dis-
cernment about Salesians as “prophets of fraternity” and
proposed concrete lines of action. These are materials with
which to constantly confront ourselves in our Salesian life.15
In the Rector’s service of animation of communion and
shared responsibility, the main aspects to be cared for are:
1. Promoting unity.
2. Growing in fraternal relationship and communication.
3. Building an open and welcoming community.
4.2.1 Promoting unity
55. It is the Spirit who moves hearts to union and helps us
to form “one heart and one soul to love and serve God, and
to help one another.” (C 50) Thanks to the Spirit, religious
communities are able to be eloquent witnesses of unity and
“experts in communion.”
To the one who guides the community belongs also the re-
sponsibility to watch over its union and to promote it, as
“authority conducive to unity.”16 This is how the Congrega-
tion has always considered the Rector, from the time of
Don Bosco, seeing as his first task that of being “servant of
unity and guardian of the Salesian identity.” (GC21 52)
Thus, “the Rector represents Christ who unites his followers
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
Salesian style of
relationship and
communication
in the service of the Father…. His first task is to animate the
community so that it may live faithful to the Constitutions
and grow in unity.” (C 55)
It is necessary to revive in each Salesian the consciousness
that “God calls us to live in community and entrusts us with
brothers to love. Brotherly love, our apostolic mission and
the practice of the evangelical counsels are the bonds which
form us into one and constantly reinforce our communion.”
(C 50)
• The Rector and his council motivate the elaboration of the
Community Plan and see to its implementation and evaluation.
• They prepare and carry out the scrutiny of fraternal life and
study how to live the “spirituality of communion.” (GC27 45)
• They animate the weekly community day (moments of relax-
ation, formation, prayer, communication and togetherness), fos-
tering fraternal relationships and encouraging confreres to share
their experience of life and vocation.
• The confreres make use of the friendly talk with the Rector to
talk about the life and mission of the community, seeing it also
as an occasion for resolving differences.
4.2.2 Fraternal relationships and communication
56. Fraternal communion calls for care of personal relation-
ships, valuing the help that comes from the human sciences
when needed. The community is the place where one learns
to harmonize the ‘I’ with the ‘We,’ to respect the person as
well as the common good: “In this way, religious commu-
nity becomes the place where we learn daily to take on that
new mind which allows us to live in fraternal communion
through the richness of diverse gifts and which, at the same
time, fosters a convergence of these gifts towards fraternity
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and towards co-responsibility in the apostolic plan.” (FLC
39).
On its part, the Salesian style of relationships has its own
peculiar characteristics: “Salesian loving kindness” (C 15)
and “family spirit” (C 16), as also “fraternal friendship” in
community (C 51). These are ideals to which we tend and
which serve as criteria for the evaluation of our personal and
community life style. The quality of fraternal relationships
in community contributes to communion of life and shar-
ing of goods. This is something that is desired and promoted
in the Church (FLC 29-34), and is a characteristic of Sale-
sian brotherly relationships: “In an atmosphere of brotherly
friendship we share our joys and sorrows, and we are part-
ners in our apostolic plans and experiences.” (C 51)17
Given the importance of this element in fraternal life, the
Rector and the Local Council take particular care of it,18
paying attention also to the concrete circumstances of each
community. The analysis of the relational reality of each
community will reveal lights and shadows, and so interven-
tions must be made with realism and trust, knowing that we
will never find a perfect community and that we are always
on the way. We therefore need trust in God’s grace, patience,
strength and hope, doing what we can with the means at
our disposal.
The Rector and his Council also remember that adequate
communication is essential for building community. To this
end they make good use of all the traditional means of com-
munication within the religious community such as the
‘good-night’ talk and community meetings, but also the
new means afforded by the digital world. They are keenly
aware of the need for a good flow of communication within
the educative and pastoral community, and with the prov-
ince. (GC24 128-137)
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• The Rector prepares community meetings so as to facilitate
the participation and involvement of the confreres.
• In the Council he evaluates the quality of relationships in the
community, attentive also to the witness of fraternity perceived
by the young and by the laity, and searching for concrete ways
to improve.
• He gives attention to each confrere, and also to the families
of confreres. (R 46)
• He promotes moments of prayer and encounter in which
the confreres can share their concerns, plans, vocational ex-
perience, anxieties and joys.
• He is sensitive to certain difficulties in relationships within
the community, analyzes the reality, considers possible interven-
tions and looks for opportune mediations.
• Each confrere is attentive to all that facilitates interper-
sonal relationships in fraternal life: the friendly talk with the
Rector, care for the personal situations of confreres, respect and
mutual support, evaluation of behaviours that weaken fraternal
relationships (non-constructive criticism, grumbling, indiffer-
ence, jealousy…), “taking the first step,” asking for and offering
forgiveness, patience, fraternal correction, dialogue to clarify dif-
ferences or shed light on situations, prayer for the confreres, an
atmosphere of discernment….
• The community organizes moments of ongoing formation on
the topic of fraternal relationships and communication, with the
help of experts in the area of relationships and human commu-
nication when necessary.
• The community and the EPC seek ways to form themselves in
the area of conflict resolution. GC27 reminds us that conflict
situations “should not be seen as negative but rather as an op-
portunity to mature: they need to be enlightened by the Gospel,
tackled and then resolved with greater courage, human skill and
mercy.” (GC27 42) Indications for addressing difficulties in the
spirit of communion may be found in FT 25b.
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• The Rector reflects on his own interventions so as to overcome
his difficulties in relating to the confreres and to the community.
He also maintains a dialogue with the Provincial and has re-
course to spiritual accompaniment.
4.2.3 An open and welcoming community
Finding life by giving life,
hope by giving hope, love
by giving love
57. In the context of his call for an outgoing Church, Pope
Francis asks religious “to come out of yourselves and go
forth to the existential peripheries…. Don’t be closed in on
yourselves, don’t be stifled by petty squabbles, don’t remain
a hostage to your own problems…. You will find life by giv-
ing life, hope by giving hope, love by giving love.”19
The Salesian spirit asks that the community be able “to draw
everyone into the Salesian family spirit” (C 56) and to be in
solidarity with the local Church and with society in the
context in which it is situated (C 57), promoting the in-
volvement of different forces in the mission (C 47), espe-
cially those that are interested in the young.
The sign of such openness and hospitality is the involve-
ment of confreres in educative and pastoral initiatives and
their presence in the animating nucleus of the EPC. The
General Chapters have insisted on the importance of shar-
ing the charism and mission with the laity and in the Sale-
sian Family, as also on the importance of involving the
young and their families in the pastoral project. GC27, and
also the letter of convocation of GC28, challenges us to take
care of this dimension in order to live the prophecy of fra-
ternity. 20
• The Rector evaluates in the Local Council and community
the relationship of the community with the Salesian Family,
proposing specific initiatives for deepening communion: study
of the Strenna of the Rector Major and of the Charter of the
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco (2012),
collaboration in pastoral initiatives, knowledge of and collabora-
tion with the different groups within the Family.
• He makes efforts to strengthen the sense of belonging and
shared responsibility of Salesians and laity involved in the
Salesian presence: formation together, planning and evaluation,
moments of sharing, meetings for prayer, sharing of information.
He promotes the family spirit in relationships with lay mission
partners, as well as respect for the different roles and tasks in
the animation and governance of the Salesian Work.
• He finds concrete ways of facilitating the presence of young
people in the Salesian community (prayer, meetings, ongoing
formation, cordial relations…).
• He encourages initiatives where the Salesian presence “reach-
es out to the existential peripheries,” and in which responsibil-
ity is shared by Salesians, laity and youth.
• He participates in the activities of consecrated institutes in
the territory and in the pastoral plans of the diocesan and local
church.
• He organizes moments of community reflection for implement-
ing the lines of action of GC25 46 (welcoming presence) and of
GC27 13-17, 39-51, 70-71 (willingness to plan and share).
• He leads a community that is welcoming and hospitable. (C
56, R 45)
4.3 SERVANTS OF THE YOUNG: THE FIRST ONE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE APOSTOLIC MISSION
The Rector has special
responsibility for the
mission
58. The prophecy of fraternity leads the community to take
up the common mission and commit itself with passion, in
close collaboration with other forces and agencies. In con-
secrated life there are different ways of understanding the
relationship between community and mission, but conse-
crated persons must always be disciples as well as apostles.
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The Church gives special responsibility for the mission to
the one asked to carry out the service of authority, so that
the community and the EPC might grow in pastoral
charity.21
In Salesian life the apostolic dimension is very clear, and we
are convinced that “the mission sets the tenor of our whole
life.” (C 3) We know, further, that “the apostolic mandate
which the Church entrusts to us is taken up and put into
effect in the first place by the provincial and local communi-
ties. The members have complementary functions and each
one of their tasks is important. They are aware that the pas-
toral objectives are achieved through unity and joint broth-
erly responsibility. The Provincial and the Rector, as pro-
moters of dialogue and team work, guide the community in
pastoral discernment, so that it may accomplish its apos-
tolic plan in unity and fidelity…. Each of us is responsible
for the common mission, and participates in it with the
richness of his own personal gifts.” (C 44-45)
Pastoral animation of the
Salesian community
59. There are different ways in which a community is relat-
ed to the Salesian Work. (Cf. Part III, 7.2.2 below) This calls
for a reflection, together with the province, about organiza-
tion, animation and governance. The fruits of this reflection
will mark the style of direction, the involvement of the com-
munity and the identity of the EPC. (GC24 169, 171; GC25
80-81; GC26 81, 112, 120)
Chapter 8 of the Frame of Reference of Salesian Youth Min-
istry offers a comprehensive presentation of the significance
and the role of the Salesian community and particularly of
the Rector in carrying out the Salesian mission, together
with all the others involved. This will be the focus of Part III
of the present manual.
The Rector looks after the following elements:
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
1. Encouraging the pastoral charity of the confreres.
2. Coordinating shared responsibility for the common mission.
3. Guiding community and pastoral discernment.
4. Encouraging vocational animation.
4.3.1 Encouraging the pastoral charity
of the confreres
A father who unites his
confreres in communion
and apostolic service
60. The Rector, as a father who unites his confreres in com-
munion and apostolic service, encourages the pastoral char-
ity of the confreres and dedication to the common mission,
each according to his possibilities. His is a community of
missionary disciples, part of a Church that goes forth to
seek the lost and welcome the outcast. (EG 24)
The Rector is attentive to the situation of each confrere, to
his successes and difficulties, the elements of formation that
can improve his pastoral abilities, the consequences that the
confrere is unable to perceive. He takes note also of what
does not help the common plan, the lessening of enthusi-
asm, how pastoral action fits in with the rest of the conse-
crated life of the confrere, the way the confrere shares the
mission of the community…. All this can be the object of
the friendly talk and community discernment.
• The Rector encourages the participation of all confreres in
reflection about the model of the Salesian Work.
• He promotes a community atmosphere of prayer and pas-
toral commitment, conscious that “the mission is strengthened
authentically when we see it as coming from God, and when we
draw sustenance for our service from Him.” (GC27 53)
• He organizes moments of formation for the community along
with the EPC in order to assimilate the criteria of the Frame of
Reference of Salesian Youth Ministry and the demands of the
Preventive System in each context.
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4.3.2 Coordinating shared responsibility
for the common mission
Pastoral involvement of 61. The provincial community assigns a part of the mission
each confrere and shared
responsibility of all
to a local community and determines suitable criteria and
means. Each local community places all its energies at the
service of the mission, with attention to the particular cir-
cumstances of the relationship between the community and
the Work, as noted in GC26 120 and GC25 78-81.
It belongs to the Rector, with the help of the Local Council,
to coordinate the pastoral involvement of each confrere and
to encourage the shared responsibility of all, in the concrete
situation of the particular Salesian Work, and in the light of
the model of animation and governance adopted by the
province.
• The community elaborates the Community Plan in which the
role of the community in the EPC of the Salesian Work is laid
down.
• The community participates in the elaboration and evalua-
tion of the SEPP, in which the responsibilities of confreres and
lay mission partners are defined. The Rector and Local Council
accompany the Council of the EPC in the elaboration of the local
SEPP.
• The Rector ensures personal and vocational accompani-
ment of the laity and persons responsible for different sectors
of the Salesian Work.
• The Rector sees to the coordination of the different sectors
of the Salesian Work, ensuring unity and cohesion.
4.3.3 Guiding pastoral discernment
Looking at life with the
eyes of a disciple
62. Don Bosco was a man who was constantly open to di-
vine inspiration in his work. From him we learn to always
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
discern the priority fields of pastoral action and the best
criteria for such action in each concrete context. This dis-
position to pastoral discernment is the expression of the
‘pastoral conversion’ that the Church asks of every Salesian.
It is part of the “shared responsibility in obedience” of the
Salesian community. (C 66)
Discernment is a way of being in the world, a fundamental
attitude and at the same time a method of work that con-
sists in looking at life and at the world in which we are im-
mersed with the eyes of a disciple. It leads us to recognize
and become attuned to the action of the Spirit in authentic
obedience. In this way it becomes openness to what is new,
courage to move out of ourselves, and resistance to the
temptation to reduce the new to what is already known.22
EG 51 describes the discernment process as consisting of
recognizing, interpreting and choosing.
Renewed commitment to
poorer young people and
their families
63. GC26 indicates lines of action for each Salesian and
community in the commitment to educate and evangelize
the young, with special attention to the ‘new frontiers’ of
poorer young people and their families.23 These are to be
considered as keys to discernment about the meaningful-
ness of the educative-pastoral action of the community.
Further, GC27 73.1 asks from each province “a profound
assessment of our significance for and presence among
poorer youth in our works in accordance with the criteria
offered by General Chapters and the Rector Majors, in view
of ‘structural pastoral conversion’ and a shift towards new
poverties (cf. Reg. 1).”
The Rector, with the help of the Local Council and in har-
mony with the province, has the responsibility to promote this
spirit of discernment, in such a way that pastoral decisions are
ever more in conformity with the Salesian charism. (C 44)
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• The Local Council and community contribute to the evalua-
tion and discernment about the significance of each Salesian
presence (GC27 73.1) carried out by the province.
• The community evaluates its pastoral dimension in the light
of the lines of action of GC26 34, 38, 43, 48, 106, 109.
• It promotes initiatives for the formation of Salesians and laity
with regard to the Salesian mission and the Frame of Reference
of Salesian Youth Ministry.
• It fosters initiatives for giving attention to the poorer young
people in the Salesian presence, according to the local plan and
in collaboration with the institutions or agents of social develop-
ment.
• It ensures the qualification of Salesians and lay people to
look after poor young people and their families, with specific
projects in each Salesian house, thus realizing the “going forth
to the peripheries” asked by GC27 72-73.
4.3.4 Encouraging vocational animation
The first vocational
64. Vocational animation in order to help young people dis-
proposal is the witness of
a fraternal community
cover what the Lord expects of them is a decisive element
in Salesian pastoral action. Further, since the beginning of
our Congregation it has been clear that the first vocational
proposal is the witness of a fraternal community in an en-
thusiastic commitment to the Lord and to the mission given
by him.
The creation of a vocational culture begins, therefore, with
the witness of each Salesian and of the Salesian community.
(GC26 52b) As the Instrumentum Laboris of the Synod of
Bishops on “Young People, the faith and vocational discern-
ment” says, “clearly, the spiritual quality of community life
provides great opportunities to bring young people closer to
faith and to the Church, and to accompany them in their
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4. Guardian and animator of the salesian consecrated identity
vocational discernment.” (184; corroborated in CV 202,
216-217, 242-243)
Vocational animation,
ultimate horizon of our
pastoral work
65. The Frame of Reference of Salesian Youth Ministry
speaks of vocational animation as the dimension that marks
“the ultimate horizon” of our pastoral work and as the heart
of the SEPP. We therefore take care of the journey of educa-
tion to the faith and the personal accompaniment that helps
young persons elaborate their Personal Plan of Life and vo-
cational discernment, in such a way that they can make life
options and commitments that the Lord expects. 27
The Church presents orientations for vocational animation
in the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Cristus Vivit. (cf.
CV chapters 8 and 9).
Since the time of Don Bosco, the Rector has had a special
role in vocational guidance and accompaniment of young
people, especially of those who show signs of an apostolic
vocation. Today this Salesian service of vocational guidance
(C 28, 37) is carried out in accordance with the provincial
and local plan of vocational animation. The Rector ensures
that Salesians, young persons and Salesian educators grow
in their vocational response (C 55) and that vocational ani-
mation is part of the local SEPP.
• The community plans moments of ongoing formation on the
topic of “the need for vocation ministry,” going over the lines of
action for each Salesian (GC26 62, 66, 70) and for the communi-
ty. (GC26 63, 67, 71) It elaborates and follows up the local plan
of vocational animation, in keeping with the provincial plan.
• It finds a way of regularly praying for vocations.
• It gives the witness of a community that is united and
wholeheartedly committed to the mission with and to young
people, laity, the Salesian Family and the neighbourhood. It in-
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vites young people and lay mission partners to participate in
certain moments in the life of the community (prayer, sharing,
celebration, formation…).
• It welcomes and makes space in its life for young people who
are discerning their vocation.
• It participates in initiatives and courses of formation to per-
sonal and vocational accompaniment.
• It is close to the families of young people who feel called to
a life of special consecration, accompanying the process of vo-
cational discernment.
• It gives attention to groups of the Salesian Family and to
their proposals for vocational animation, and encourages con-
freres to accompany lay mission partners and members of the
Salesian Family on the path of vocational growth.
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5. A CHARISMATIC SERVICE
Salesian charism and the
service of authority
66. We recognize that the Salesian charism is a gift of God
to the Church that leads us to live in a particular way the
elements of consecrated life as laid down in the Constitu-
tions. The charism also affects the exercise of the service of
authority (animation and governance) and the means ad-
opted for encouraging confreres and communities to grow
in fidelity to the Salesian vocation. In this section we will
speak of dispositions and attitudes, as well as of means and
structures of animation.
The Rector facilitates
dialogue
5.1 DISPOSITIONS AND ATTITUDES
5.1.1 Listening and dialogue
67. Dialogue is the ability to facilitate human relations and
to help build community, and presupposes a desire to meet
the other and seek the common good. It involves listening,
recognition of the other, search for the common good, shar-
ing of one’s own riches…
In consecrated life, dialogue is proposed as an indispensable
condition for the building up of fraternal life and for facili-
tating discernment and shared responsibility. The one who
animates the life of the community has a special responsi-
bility to facilitate dialogue.25
The Salesian style of personal and pastoral relationships
considers dialogue as something specific and proper to it,
besides seeing it as a contemporary cultural value and an
objective in the education of the young. (C 38, 44, 66, 70)
Dialogue is part also of our style of animation and gover-
nance, for facilitating participation and shared responsibil-
ity. GC27 proposes it as a means for living the prophecy of
fraternity. (GC27 69.1-3)
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The Rector examines his ability to dialogue, both personally
and with the help of a guide: the ability to listen and to care for
the confreres and common interests, patience when faced with
instances of lack of shared responsibility, desire to promote in-
formation, acceptance of persons and of suggestions different
from his own, mastery of his own character so as not to block
dialogue, clarity together with charity in the presentation of cri-
teria….
The Local Council reflects upon the community’s ability to
participate and to dialogue, proposing initiatives to improve the
quality.
The community takes care to prepare moments that involve
dialogue (meetings, discernment in assembly, formation meet-
ings…) by way of information, preparation of materials, taking
care of the relations with the participants, spiritual motivation….
The confreres reflect on the way to realize in community the in-
dications of C 66 and GC27 69.
5.1.2 Personal freedom and shared responsibility
Respect for the dignity
of persons and their
freedom
68. Consecrated life contributes to the formation of mature
persons who live in responsible freedom. This is what every
Salesian professes: “I, with complete freedom, offer myself to-
tally to you. I pledge myself to devote all my strength...” (C 24)
Authority in consecrated life is exercised with respect for the
dignity of persons and their freedom. One who has been en-
trusted with the service of authority creates a climate of par-
ticipation and shared responsibility, animating all to commit
themselves to the common project, to the service of the needs
of each person and of the community as a whole. 26 Equally,
with respect to the common mission, authority knows how
to assume its own responsibilities and to encourage sharing
of responsibility.27
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5. A charismatic service
The one entrusted with authority overcomes some of the
inadequate ways of exercising authority: inability to listen,
authoritarianism, clericalism, lack of consideration of indi-
viduals and of teams, lack of sensitivity towards persons and
groups, inadequate functioning of the organisms of anima-
tion and governance…
Participation and sharing
of responsibility
69. The style of animation and governance promoted by the
Salesian Congregation is marked by certain fundamental
principles: participation, shared responsibility, subsidiarity,
decentralization (C 123-124), the obedience of free and re-
sponsible persons. (C 66-67) These are principles that the
Congregation has been proposing in the General Chapters,
both for fraternal life and for the mission shared in the EPC
(GC27 69.3, 71.1), extending this shared responsibility to
the laity, the Salesian Family and the young. (GC27 15, 19,
70.2)28
Freedom is one of the great values today, not only for the
young people to whom we are sent, but also for the large
group of young Salesians in initial formation. The fact that
they are all digital natives accentuates the contemporary
cultural propensity to the freedom of choice. With Pope
Francis we are invited to recognize this as a gift and an op-
portunity for educators,29 in the spirit of the humanism we
have inherited from Francis de Sales, open to “man’s natural
and supernatural resources, without losing sight of his
weakness.” (C 17) With the Synod on young people, the
faith and vocational discernment, we recognize that free-
dom is at once ‘responsorial’ – preceded and generated by an
act of love, and therefore called to be a loving response –
and ‘responsible.’30
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Discernment – the
attitude of lifelong
formation
• The province elaborates the model of animation and gov-
ernance of the local Salesian Works, determining the respon-
sibilities of the different personal and collegial organs, so as not
to leave this at the mercy of the personal capacity of the Rector
or of those who assume different responsibilities. The communi-
ty applies the model of animation and governance proposed by
the province for each house.
• The Local Council and the community assembly work out
ways of promoting shared responsibility, participation and
the sense of belonging. They find ways of evaluating the lev-
el of involvement of persons, and for fraternal correction when
shared responsibility is weak.
• The Rector ensures adequate information and communica-
tion about projects and activities.
• The community fosters initiatives for the formation of per-
sons (Salesians and lay) for teamwork in the Salesian style of
shared responsibility.
5.1.3 Personal and community discernment
70. Discernment, as we have said above, is a way of look-
ing at the world with the eyes of a disciple. It is something
that the Church asks especially of religious, since they are
“a communion of consecrated persons who profess to seek
and to do the will of God.” (FT 1) It involves, as Pope Francis
says, “not only recognizing and interpreting spirits, but also
– and this is decisive – choosing movements of the spirit of
good and rejecting those of the spirit of evil.” (EG 51)
Discernment calls for certain fundamental dispositions: a
faith vision of the events and circumstances of life, quality
of spiritual life, ability to listen and dialogue, openness to
the conversion required for discernment, capacity for per-
sonal and spiritual communication.31 “Discernment is one
of the peak moments in a consecrated community where
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5. A charismatic service
the centrality of God, that ultimate end of everyone’s search,
as well as the responsibility and the contribution of each
one in the journey of all towards the Truth, stand out with
particular clarity.” (FT 20c)
In the Salesian charism, discernment is also a fundamental
personal attitude – the basic attitude of lifelong formation
(C119 and AGC 425 25-37) that gives direction to the
decisions of ordinary life and pastoral options, both per-
sonal and communitarian. It is the ability to learn from
life’s experiences in the light of faith and of our charism.
(C 98) Every confrere and community is responsible for
this constant openness to discernment. GC25 asks that
the community help each confrere give unity to his life “by
the practice of evangelical discernment as an attitude of
searching for the will of God through community dia-
logue and coherent decisional and executive processes.”
(GC25 32) And we know that “in listening to the Word of
God and celebrating the Eucharist, we express and renew
our common dedication to the divine will. In matters of
importance we seek the will of the Lord together in pa-
tient brotherly dialogue, with a deep awareness of shared
responsibility.” (C 66)
The Rector animates
and encourages
discernment
71. The Rector, “with the help of the community, has a special
responsibility for the discernment” (C 69) of the gifts of each
confrere and of pastoral options. (C 44) Animation and dis-
cernment are entrusted to the Rector (GC27 51), not so much
in terms of a specific method as of helping maintain a habitual
attitude of discernment. This is a way of living out the three
aspects of his priestly ministry – the service of the Word, the
service of sanctification, the service of guidance. (AGC 306 14)
All the confreres, however, keep in mind that the Rector
must not only animate but also govern: he is called to con-
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clude moments of discernment “by making appropriate de-
cisions.” (C 66)
• The community cultivates the elements of Salesian life that
facilitate discernment: the quality of prayer, care of the spiritual
life and of pastoral charity, willingness to listen and dialogue,
ability to communicate, sharing of responsibility, the friendly
talk, responsible participation in community meetings, lectio
divina….
• It promotes the practice of community discernment in the
light of the Word of God and the Constitutions (GC25 15; cf.
FT 20 e and f) and encourages specific occasions of commu-
nity life such as prayer together, meetings, retreats, revision of
life, Council meetings, times of recreation, the community day.
(GC25 15)
• It draws up the plan of Salesian community life, bearing in
mind the situation of the confreres and emphasizing the aspects
of personal formation, communication and communion and the
commitments implied by the SEPP. (GC25 15)
• All are involved, in the spirit of family, in the moments of plan-
ning and evaluation (Community Plan, SEPP). The confreres are
faithful to the friendly talk with the Rector and with the Provincial
during the provincial visitation.
• The Rector and community care for the quality of the monthly
and trimonthly recollections and the annual retreat.
5.2 MEANS OF ANIMATION
5.2.1 The friendly talk
A simple means for
creating a sense of
family and for helping the
confrere grow in fidelity
72. The friendly talk with the Rector is a simple means for
creating a sense of family and for helping the confrere grow
in fidelity to his vocation. Since Don Bosco’s own time it has
been a very efficacious means for the animation of the life of
the community and of each confrere.
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A study of the Congregation in the last decades indicates
that the friendly talk is in crisis, and that the practice needs
to be revived, in keeping with recent orientations regarding
religious life.32
In the survey on Salesian personal accompaniment in 2017,
involving more than 4000 respondents, one of the points
that clearly emerged was the distinction between the
friendly talk with the Rector and personal spiritual direc-
tion, both in practice and as a desire expressed in various
ways, especially by the confreres in the postnovitiate, practi-
cal training and specific formation.33 Such a distinction
does not necessarily reduce the value of the friendly talk.
On the contrary, it helps to be more focused on its charac-
teristic and original trait, clearly envisaged by Don Bosco:
to be one of the most effective means for “promoting the
good running of the community.” (C 70) When all the con-
freres regularly meet their Rector for the friendly talk, they
are giving him a very valuable help for the animation and
governance of the community. The friendly talk then be-
comes a way of practising the participatory leadership that
is part of the process of renewal of religious life, as recom-
mended in the document New Wine in New Wine Skins.
(NW 19-24)
The Rector takes the first
step
73. In a spirit of humility and service, the Rector takes the
first step to promote this ‘good practice’ of the Salesian style
of animation and governance, considering its benefits for
the life of the confreres and of the community. Aware of its
importance, he considers it his duty to invite the confreres
for the talk.
The Rector accepts each confrere for what he is – child of
God, consecrated person, member of the Congregation;
and, as good shepherd, he is ready to accompany him on the
journey of his sequela Christi.34 He keeps in mind the psy-
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Confidentiality
chological, relational and vocational circumstances of the
confrere so as to ensure that the friendly talk is respectful
and effective.
Aware of the real difficulties of a psychological, contextual
and cultural nature, the Rector takes it upon himself to fos-
ter attitudes that can be helpful in the talk: a spiritual desire
to help the confrere and the community, genuine interest in
the life of each one, the search for formal as well as informal
occasions for meeting, attitudes and skills that are helpful
(capacity to listen and dialogue, confidence, willingness to
share, attention to the person), as well as care for the physi-
cal setting of the talk…
74. Our Constitutions and Regulations (C 70 and R 49) re-
mind us of the fundamental elements in the talk with the
Rector. The theme of the talk varies with the attitude to
the talk on the part of confrere and Rector. Some meetings
are functional (with the aim of resolving particular issues),
while in others, personal issues are discussed. Sometimes
vocational and spiritual concerns may be shared, while at
other times the topic will be the community and the min-
istry, the personal situations of the confreres, their joys and
sorrows, worries and concerns…
The Rector knows very well that the friendly talk is pro-
tected by confidentiality: nihil, nunquam, nulli – nothing,
never, to no one.35 Here the principle formulated by GC19
is still valid: “The obligation of secrecy about what is heard
in manifestation is absolutely rigorous. Since we are dealing
with intimate matters, the Rector cannot reveal anything
for any motive at any time, either directly or indirectly, and
even more so at the time of admissions to vows or to or-
ders.” (GC19 Ch. VIII, 11)
The survey on Salesian personal accompaniment shows that
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5. A charismatic service
lack of confidentiality is among the most disturbing factors
denounced by the respondents in every phase of initial for-
mation, since it damages and ruins mutual trust, the indis-
pensable condition in every meaningful human rapport, all
the more so at this level of interaction between confreres.36
When there are difficulties in relationships, much patience
will be needed, together with a search for ways to improve
the relationships.
• The Rector and confreres discern together how best to pro-
mote the friendly talk in the community.
• The Rector takes the initiative to invite confreres for the
friendly talk and finds creative ways of engaging in it.
• He is careful to maintain the confidentiality of what is shared
in the talk.
• The friendly talk is a good moment for paying attention to the
parents and family of the confrere. (R 176).
5.2.2 Personal accompaniment
Personal accompaniment 75. ‘Personal accompaniment’ here is taken in a broad sense
vital for growth
as including the friendly talk with the Rector, spiritual di-
rection, confession, etc.
In consecrated life, guidance is needed in order to help the
religious configure himself progressively to Christ Jesus.37
The desire for personal accompaniment is a key element in
Don Bosco – in his personal life, in his work with the young,
and also with his Salesians. Youth Ministry proposes per-
sonal accompaniment in the pastoral relationship (cf. CV
242-247, 291-298; FoR 114-115); R 99 proposes it also for
Salesian life, according to the need of each confrere. GC27
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Community spiritual
accompaniment and
personal spiritual
accompaniment
proposed it as a clear goal for every Salesian: “Having a sta-
ble spiritual director and referring to this person periodi-
cally.” (GC27 67.2, something that was already asked for by
GC26 20).38 This is valid in the first place for the Rector
himself.
Personal accompaniment helps the Salesian to be faithful to
his vocation and to grow spiritually, pastorally and in frater-
nity. Personal accompaniment in special situations also is a
help to discernment.
76. The cultural context (with its tendency to individualism,
personal well being, self-sufficiency, mistrust of the other…)
and negative experiences (lack of respect and confidential-
ity, methods of accompaniment that are not in keeping with
processes of personalization, inadequate attention to spiri-
tual experience…) make it necessary to improve accompa-
niment through specific preparation for it.
The Rector remains responsible for ‘community spiritual ac-
companiment.’ (C 55) He makes himself available to all for
the friendly talk, and also offers, if the confrere so wishes,
personal spiritual accompaniment. (C 70; R 78) Aware that
the Preventive System is a pedagogy of freedom, and in
keeping with the modification of FSDB 233 and 417 pro-
posed in section 5.2.5 of the Orientations and Guidelines on
young Salesians and accompaniment, he encourages every-
one to avail himself of the help of a spiritual guide, fully
respecting and promoting, even in the early phases of initial
formation, the freedom of the confrere to choose his guide.
Keeping in mind Don Bosco’s advice to Fr Rua, he strives to
make himself loved and knows that he has to gain the con-
fidence of the confreres rather than rely on any rule or rec-
ommendation.
He also knows that there are many other forms of personal
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accompaniment according to circumstances, relationship
styles, and the spiritual experience of those involved: shar-
ing of spiritual and vocational experience in community;
the friendly talk; the sacrament of reconciliation; fraternal
consultation about specific issues….
During the phases of initial formation, the Ratio strongly
suggests that the spiritual guide be a Salesian. The Orienta-
tions and Guidelines on young Salesians and accompaniment
propose, however, that it is better to place our trust in the
Salesian quality of the formators and of the community
rather than in a rule or directive, while ensuring two further
elements: that the guide chosen is someone familiar with
our charism and spirituality, and that it is possible to meet
him or her regularly. Within a relationship of mutual trust
and confidence, the Rector will find ways of dialoguing with
the person in formation about his choice of spiritual guide.39
If the Rector is chosen as spiritual guide by some confrere
in initial formation, he will be extremely attentive to the is-
sue of confidentiality, especially at the time of admissions to
vows, ministries or orders.
• The Rector, conscious of his service as animator of the vo-
cational fidelity of each confrere, wants to be a guide who is
guided, and so seeks accompaniment for himself, making it a
part of his Personal Project of Life.
• He ensures the presence of an external confessor during the
monthly and trimonthly recollections.
• The community studies the proposal of GC26 70 (“Let the
Salesian … be available for spiritual accompaniment and see to
his preparation for the task”), along with the proposal of GC27
75.1 about the preparation of Salesians and laity in the art of
accompaniment.
• The Rector and community study and implement the Orienta-
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tions and Guidelines on Salesian personal accompaniment
(cf. Young Salesians and Accompaniment: Orientations and
Guidelines – 2019).
Privileged moment of
community spiritual
direction
5.2.3 The ‘good-night’ talk
77. “In keeping with the Salesian tradition, the Rector or
someone in his place should address the community by way
of a ‘good-night’.” (R 48) The good-night talk is a privileged
moment of community spiritual direction that is a faith-
reading of the events of the day or of the week, contribut-
ing thus to the strengthening of the charismatic identity of
the community. It is equally of great educative-pastoral and
charismatic value when directed to young people and to the
educative-pastoral community, if necessary in the form of a
‘good-morning’ talk.
There are different ways of giving the good-night talk, ac-
cording to the different contexts of our communities. But it
would be wonderful to maintain this tradition because, in
its simplicity, it contains a great formative value:
• it is a family moment of unity of hearts and sharing things
of interest: news, information about events, presentation of
pastoral-educative plans in the community, the province,
the Congregation;
• it is a serene word of encouragement at the end of the day
that can help put hearts at ease, overcoming psychological
and spiritual weariness by recalling the centre and meaning
of our life;
• it is not merely information, but a faith interpretation of
happenings and of events, an exercise of community dis-
cernment;
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• it is a way of strengthening the Salesian sensibility about
life and its happenings.
• The Rector assumes responsibility for preparing the good-
night talks, so that they might be privileged moments of com-
munity spiritual direction.
• The Rector and his Council evaluate the good-night talks,
listening to feedback and taking steps to ensure the quality of
this means of Salesian animation and communication.
• The Rector also shares the good-morning and good-night
talks with confreres and others, including youth, educators and
members of the Salesian Family, encouraging them to speak
about the different sectors of the house and about other aspects
of Salesian, ecclesial or social life.
5.2.4 The Personal Plan of Life
A help for the unification
of life and growth in
vocational fidelity
78. It is helpful to remember that the ‘Personal Plan of
Salesian Life’ is a contemporary form of the ‘resolutions’
that Don Bosco used to make during the annual retreats or
when about to begin a new phase in life, as a way of ensur-
ing growth in spiritual life and vocation.
GC25 14 proposed the Personal Plan of Life as a guideline
to the whole Congregation, and asked that concrete indica-
tions be offered to the confreres. GC27 67.1 proposed it
once again to each Salesian as an effective means of pro-
moting vocational fidelity.40
The Personal Plan of Life is the fruit of spiritual discern-
ment, and it is a help for unifying one’s life in the process of
vocational fidelity, in the context of one’s situation and the
challenges he faces. What is important is not so much the
formal drawing up of the plan as the willingness of each
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confrere to grow in fidelity by adopting concrete measures
that are worked out during the process of personal spiritual
accompaniment. The plan is not so much a way of dominat-
ing one’s future and planning success, as a way of respond-
ing day by day to the Lord’s call (C 96), and of remaining
docile to the promptings of the Spirit in the events of daily
life (C 64, 119).
Like Don Bosco, then, each Salesian makes sure that his
Personal Plan of Life emerges from within his faith journey,
and that it helps him mature in his vocation.
• The Rector draws up and revises periodically his own Per-
sonal Plan of Life, including aspects that can help him improve
and grow in the ministry entrusted to him.
• He encourages the drawing up and revision of the Per-
sonal Plan of Life on the part of the confreres, making use of
the friendly talk, the good-nights, meetings, recollections, annu-
al retreats, and moments of personal accompaniment.
• He is especially attentive in this regard to the confreres in
practical training he has been entrusted with. Personal accom-
paniment becomes more meaningful and helpful when related to
the personal plan of life.
• He encourages the use of the Personal Plan of Life in the ac-
companiment of young people.
5.2.5 The Community Plan
A very useful tool for
unity and direction in the
community
79. The Community Plan is another useful tool for the ani-
mation of the Salesian community in its vocational fidelity,
giving unity and encouragement to all the efforts made by
the confreres as a community. Among the various means
available to the Rector for accompanying the community,
this is one of the most relevant and effective, with its benefi-
cial effects being felt all through the year.
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The process of elaborating the Community Plan every year
facilitates dialogue, sharing of vocational experiences, ex-
pectations, concerns and goals, shared responsibility and the
sense of belonging. The Community Plan is well established
in some parts of the Congregation but not in others. We
must note that the Constitutions and Regulations speak of
the community drawing up its programme every year, “cov-
ering the life, activities and updating of the community.” (R
184, cf. C 181) It was GC25 (72-74) that invited communi-
ties to draw up a plan rather than merely a programme:
“Dealing with the topic of the Salesian community, the
GC25 saw in the plan of community life an effective means
for strengthening the ability ‘to live and work together,’ to
overcome the increasing disconnection of each individual’s
work, and to avoid the danger of pastoral work becoming
fragmented. For this reason it asked every community ‘to
work according to a community plan’ (GC25 72).”41
Distinct from the Salesian 80. The Community Plan is distinct from the Salesian Ed-
Educative and Pastoral
Plan
ucative and Pastoral Plan (SEPP). The latter involves the
educative and pastoral community, is concerned about our
shared mission, offers a framework for the Salesian educa-
tive and pastoral engagement in the locality, and functions
as a ‘roadmap’ for several years. The Community Plan in-
stead is a yearly exercise done by the confreres, focussing
on their life together and vocational growth, with goals and
consequent strategies for the year ahead. Its main strength
lies not so much in the written document – which could be
very simple – as in the shared vision and commitment gen-
erated by the process of drawing it up together.
As a follow up to what GC25 was requesting, the Forma-
tion Department published a document, “The Salesian
Community Plan: A Process of Discernment and of Shar-
ing” (2002).42 The document offered motivations, made sug-
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gestions regarding method, elaboration and evaluation, and
talked about conditions for usefulness, co-responsibility and
possible difficulties.
The different contexts and circumstances of each commu-
nity condition the elaboration and usefulness of this instru-
ment. The Rector and his Council must keep this in mind in
their work of animating community life.
• The community discusses the indications of GC25 72-74 and
those of the Formation Department regarding the Community
Plan.
• The Rector motivates and prepares the community each year
for the elaboration of the plan, in the light of the indications
given by the Formation Department and the province. He also
schedules its implementation and evaluation.
• He ensures that the Community Plan responds to the real
situation of the community.
• He facilitates coordination between the Community Plan and
the elements of the local SEPP.
5.2.6 Fraternal correction
A means for growing in
fraternity and vocational
fidelity
81. Fraternal correction is a Christian proposal to help be-
lievers focus their lives on the Lord and his plans, modifying
attitudes and ways of life so as to bring them into harmony
with the Gospel. (Mt 18:15-20; Gal 6:1-5) In the consecrated
life, fraternal correction is proposed as a means of commu-
nication and formation, and as a help for personal and com-
munity growth in vocational fidelity.43
Our rule of life speaks of the confrere accepting fraternal
correction in order to grow in fraternity (C 52); as an aid to
continuous conversion (C 90); and as a means for growing
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Different ways of
correcting
in vocational fidelity (C 121).
The exercise of fraternal correction is not easy. GC25 14, 15,
54 and GC27 48, 68.2 call it a challenge to be faced in the
Salesian life, since it raises questions concerning individual
confreres and the community. The effectiveness of this way
of fostering our vocational fidelity depends largely on a con-
ducive community atmosphere.
82. The ways of exercising fraternal correction are many
and different, from the little observations in everyday life
to the discernment carried out during community meetings
on important themes. Sometimes good example is enough
for the confreres to become aware of their responsibility
and encourage them to change; at other times a community
meeting will be needed to assess aspects of life that need im-
provement. Sometimes one needs to intervene publicly to
remind the community of common criteria, while at other
times it will be necessary to either talk personally with a
confrere or else ask someone else to intervene.
Always, however, fraternal correction presupposes certain
conditions:
• a spirit of faith, prayer and much love in the one offering
the correction;
• discernment, openness, humility;
• ability to listen, understand, accept, help, forgive;
• avoiding offence, negative judgment, blame, desire to hurt;
• correction motivated by love and offered with love.
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• The Rector facilitates formation in the basic skills needed for
fraternal correction (dialogue, listening, forgiveness, commu-
nication...).
• He programs scrutinies on various aspects of community
life: evangelical counsels, fraternity, prayer, pastoral ministry...
• He facilitates the mediation of people who can help resolve
conflicts or differences of opinion.
5.2.7 The house chronicle and archives
Valuing family history and 83. One of the tasks entrusted by our Regulations to the
good administration
Rector and his Council is to “keep the archives in order and
up to date, and compile or see to the compiling of the house
chronicle.” (R 178) More than a bureaucratic requirement,
it is a matter of enabling the community to treasure its fam-
ily history and be always ready to face demands and chal-
lenges with correct records. An orderly archive guarantees a
timely and appropriate response to situations where proper
documentation is needed. It is a wise preventive measure for
good administration and governance.
Essential for the
good animation and
governance of the
community
5.3 STRUCTURES OF ANIMATION
5.3.1 The Local Council
84. The Local Council – as also the assembly of confreres,
when the community does not coincide with the Local
Council – is a simple but precious organ of discernment,
formation and sharing that deserves to be better valued and
respected. It is established by Canon Law and by our Con-
stitutions and Regulations, and is essential for the good ani-
mation and governance of the community.
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One of the keys to the service of the Rector is the ability to
work in team, respecting and promoting the competence of
the Local Council, and taking advantage of its ability to
foster the growth of the community. The meetings of Coun-
cils and assemblies are therefore not to be taken as mere
requirements to be fulfilled. In their proactive functioning
lies a precious possibility that can multiply the fruitfulness
of the life and mission of the community. This is the clear
way forward prompted by the Church for the process of
renewal of religious life.44 ‘Synodality’ becomes the way the
Church is called to follow at all levels.
The duties of the Council are laid down in C 178-186, with
specific indications for its meetings in R 180. Further de-
tails need to be indicated in the model of animation and
governance of each Salesian Work established by the prov-
ince, taking into account the diversity of ways in which the
relationship between the community and the Salesian Work
is conceived. (See below, Part III 7.2.2)
Some members belong to the Council by reason of the
role they play in the community, while for others the ap-
pointment is linked to the particular situation of the com-
munity.46
We must acknowledge here that in the case of a large num-
ber of small communities, all the members form part of the
Council, so that there is practically no difference between
Local Council and assembly of confreres. In this case the
Constitutions give the possibility of a greater flexibility in
the management of roles and structures for the smooth run-
ning of the life and activities of the community:
Whenever circumstances suggest that some exception
should be made, the Provincial, with the consent of his
Council and after hearing the opinion of the local community
concerned, can modify the ordinary roles and structures
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within the community, especially when it is small in number
of confreres, provided always that the figure of the rector is
safeguarded. (C 182)
The responsibility of
the Council members is
charismatic in its nature
85. It is important to promote teamwork skills among the
members of the Council (listening, dialogue, communica-
tion, planning mentality, shared responsibility...). The Local
Council does not have only administrative or management
functions. The responsibility of the members is charismatic
in nature since they are called to serve the community and
the Salesian mission according to the spirit of Don Bosco
and the guidelines of the Congregation.
The relationship between the Local Council and the Coun-
cil of the EPC or of the Work is defined by the province.
Lay people in charge of different sectors – principals, direc-
tors of technical schools, directors of oratories – participate
in different ways in the Salesian mission and Work. In line
with the spirit and guidelines of GC2747 and of the letter of
convocation of GC2848, their involvement in decision mak-
ing processes has to be part of the normal running of the
activities.
Given the great variety of local contexts and situations, spe-
cific orientations on this matter are to be defined at provin-
cial level, with other criteria being finalized during the pro-
vincial visitation.
It must be remembered that, as per the deliberations of
GC26, lay administrators can be invited to participate in the
Local Council without the right to vote. (Cf. GC26 121)
The Rector of a formation community makes sure to con-
voke periodically also meetings of the formation team, given
that not all the formation guides are members of the Local
Council.
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• The Rector ensures the elements of effective teamwork: pre-
paring and convoking the meeting, prior information, quality and
efficiency of the meetings, clarity regarding decisions and minutes,
shared responsibility in decision-making, discretion in the matters
dealt with...
• The Rector ensures the elements of effective teamwork: pre-
paring and convoking the meeting, prior information, quality and
efficiency of the meetings, clarity regarding decisions and min-
utes, shared responsibility in decision-making, discretion in the
matters dealt with....
• He keeps the confreres of the community informed about
the Council meetings, both before so that they can contribute
their reflections and after each meeting about matters of com-
mon interest and decisions taken. (R 180)
• He ensures initiatives for sharing, formation and prayer
among the members of the Council.
• He schedules periodic evaluations of the functioning of the
Council.
• When necessary, the Rector invites laypersons with special
responsibilities in the EPC, as also lay administrators, to par-
ticipate in the Local Council.
5.3.2 The Vice-Rector
First collaborator of the
Rector
86. The Rector’s service is carried out with the support and
advice of various persons and organisms. Among these, the
Vice-Rector is an important figure, being “the first collabo-
rator of the Rector.” (C 183, R 182)
Although the Vice-Rector has ‘ordinary vicarious power’ (in
matters that have been specially entrusted to him, and in all
that concerns ordinary governance when the Rector is ab-
sent or impeded, until the Provincial provides otherwise),
canonically he is not a ‘religious ordinary.’ Experience shows
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that the role of the Vice-Rector depends, in large part, on
the matters assigned to him by the Rector and on the Vice-
Rector’s own ability to carry them out and to give support
to the community plan – but above all on a certain level of
comfort and even friendship between the two.
It is up to the Rector to establish with the Vice-Rector mu-
tual understanding, trust, a spirit of shared responsibility,
concern for the life of the community and the vocation of
the confreres. The Rector finds moments for meeting and
dialoguing with the Vice-Rector, sharing with him the
problems of community life and of the confreres, as well as
plans, proposals for improvement and possible tasks that he
could assume.
The Vice-Rector in his turn takes the initiative to support
the Rector as well as to advise, correct, differ with and make
suggestions and proposals.
Our tradition, in which the Rector is called to be father,
suggests also that the Vice-Rector cares in a special way for
discipline and organizational matters, in this way also being
an active support for the Rector.
• In addition to ‘ordinary vicarious power,’ the Vice-Rector has
specific duties assigned to him by the Rector.
• The Rector takes care to clarify the figure and roles of the
Vice-Rector in the community, so that the confreres know the
tasks assigned to him and the peculiar responsibility and au-
thority associated with those tasks.
5.3.3 The assembly of confreres
An exercise of
87. The assembly of the confreres, “which is a gathering of
community discernment all the Salesians of the local community, is convoked and
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presided over by the Rector for consultation on the princi-
pal questions which concern the community’s religious life
and activities.” (C 186) It is an expression of the values o f
participation and co-responsibility (C 123), but above all an
exercise of community discernment.
As mentioned already, however, there is a large number of
communities today where, given the small number, there is
no practical difference between assembly of confreres and
Local Council.
Besides being a legally required body, the family spirit makes
the assembly a fraternal encounter of sharing, discerning,
programming, evaluating, and of formation and shared re-
sponsibility in life and in the common mission.
The responsibilities of the assembly of confreres are indicated
in R 184; these can be developed according to the quality of
fraternal life and the participation of the confreres.
• The Rector takes care to prepare the community assemblies
(information, agenda, setting, minutes, etc.).
• He creates a climate of shared responsibility and a sense of
belonging, a climate of discernment and of family.
• With the Council, he takes up with interest the conclusions of
the assemblies, communicates the decisions, involves the con-
freres in the execution, and gives an account of their realization.
5.4 PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO CONFRERES
Attention to the concrete
situations of each
confrere
88. The Rector “also has a direct responsibility toward each
confrere; he helps him realize his personal vocation and sus-
tains him in the work entrusted to him.” (C 55) This task of
the Rector can be carried out in many different ways, but it is
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always necessary to be attentive to the concrete situation of
each confrere. Many circumstances contribute to the personal
situation of a confrere: personality, family situations, forma-
tion processes, the journey of Salesian life, community and
pastoral experiences, spiritual experience, plans, difficulties,
gifts and qualities.... But always, as in a family, the brother is
to be welcomed, loved, integrated into the community. (C 52)
5.4.1 Salesian Priests and Salesian Brothers
Complementarity of the
two forms, a charismatic
treasure
89. One of the special features of our Congregation is the
complementarity between clerics and lay religious in the life
and action of the Salesian community. We value as a pre-
cious charismatic treasure the complementarity of the two
forms of our Salesian vocation.49
GC26 and GC27 have insisted on the common elements in
our vocation, and the Congregation has reflected extensive-
ly on the two forms, offering indications for living out and
promoting complementarity: knowledge of the identity of
the Salesian Brother, reflection on specific competences, ba-
sic and equivalent formation for all members, suggestions
for the specific formation of clerical and lay members, good
fraternal relationships.50
Complementarity is a resource to be valued also in decision-
making processes, according to the basic principles laid
down by the Constitutions on the service of authority:
Our common vocation requires the responsible and
effective participation of all the members in the life and
action of the local, provincial and world communities,
not only in terms of implementation but also of planning,
organizing and evaluating, according to their respective
roles and competence.
This shared responsibility requires also the participation
of the confreres, in the most suitable way, in the choice of
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those responsible for government at the different levels, and
in the working out of their more important decisions.
It is the duty of those who exercise authority to promote
and guide this contribution by means of adequate
information, personal dialogue and community study and
reflection. (C 123)
• The Rector is committed to promote and give visibility to
both forms, especially in the educative and pastoral commu-
nity, even when he has no Salesian Brothers in his community.
• He ensures moments of study and reflection on our one
vocation in its two forms.
• He is careful to avoid all discriminatory language (e.g.,
“Salesian fathers”).
5.4.2 Confreres in initial formation
Practical training, the 90. In keeping with the FSDB and the formation section of
most characteristic
phase of initial formation
the Provincial Directory, each house of initial formation has
its Formation Plan.
From the Salesian point of view, practical training is the
most characteristic phase of initial formation. (FSDB 428)
Its main focus is the integration of the basic elements of
Salesian life into a “closely-knit life project” (C 21), and the
main formative role is precisely that of the Rector, who
helps his practical trainees learn by experience the values of
the Salesian vocation. (C 98) This is one of the most impor-
tant and delicate responsibilities of the Rector.51
Quinquennium:
accompanying the
transition to active
pastoral life
91. Special care is required also of the confreres in the quin-
quennium, in order to accompany the transition from spe-
cific formation to active life within the educative and pastoral
community, helping them to take on their new commitments
in the light of the basic criteria of Salesian life.
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The Provincial Directory makes mention of the initiatives that
the community promotes with regard to practical training and
the quinquennium, in keeping with what is indicated in the
FSDB. The confreres themselves are conscious of the impor-
tance of these phases of formation and of the need for accom-
paniment and evaluation, taking care also to include the ob-
jectives of these phases in their Personal Plan of Life, and to
participate in formation initiatives offered by the province.
The Rector, on his part, is close to the young Salesians, en-
suring the conditions for a fruitful formative experience
(the friendly talk, personal spiritual accompaniment, spe-
cific formation proposals, friendship, support, quarterly as-
sessments and those in view of renewal of profession, etc.).
5.4.3 Interculturality
Sign of fraternity in the
Kingdom
92. The consecrated life involves the possibility of living our
vocation in different places and cultural contexts. On the
part of individual religious, this calls for a capacity for ad-
aptation and integration, while on the part of communities
the ability to welcome and celebrate diversity. (NW 13, 40)
Thus we become signs of fraternity in the Kingdom, signs of
unity in diversity.
The experience of interculturality is not new for us: from
the time of the first missionary communities, it has been a
reality in the Congregation, and already before Vatican II
intercultural formation communities existed in several plac-
es. Since the Council, however, the Congregation, with the
rest of the Church, has lived through a period of new sensi-
tivity to local cultural contexts. GC27 and the repeated ap-
peals of the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, in-
vite us now to promote international communities with
intercultural experiences that bear witness to unity and pas-
toral charity. (GC27 29, 75.5)
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The community facilitates 93. The community that receives Salesians from another
smooth integration
culture facilitates smooth integration: material (clothing,
food, financial administration, official documentation, op-
portunities for learning the language and culture...), rela-
tional (both within and outside the community), spiritual
(ensuring access to the sacrament of reconciliation and
spiritual accompaniment), pastoral, initiation to the life of
the new Province (introduction to the communities – in-
cluding the educative and pastoral communities – and to
the confreres). The Rector of the community has the spe-
cial responsibility to facilitate the progressive integration of
these confreres, and to maintain relationship with the prov-
ince and with his family of origin.
The community values the cultural diversity of the con-
freres, and welcomes the contributions of each one to the
common life and mission. It helps all the confreres develop
the ability to dialogue and welcome, to understand diversity
and to value the other, and to overcome attitudes that are
not helpful. It promotes fraternal equality among confreres
coming from different ethnic groups, cultural and social
backgrounds, avoiding every discrimination.
5.4.4 Confreres passing through difficult
moments
The Rector and the
community intervene in
a timely and opportune
manner
94. In the life of a confrere there can arise moments of
doubt, weakness and lack of motivation. Besides openness
and transparency on the part of the confrere himself, it is
important that the Rector and the community be sensitive
to detect the situation and intervene in a timely and oppor-
tune manner.
The quality of fraternal life, with its moments of prayer, for-
mation, fraternal correction, meeting and support, is the
first way of helping the confrere, but is not enough. The
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Old age a gift to be
welcomed
Rector must also look for other ways, such as personal ac-
companiment and suitable formation proposals in special-
ized centres, the closeness of some particular confrere, and
adjustment of the workload.
But the first interventions are not always fruitful, which is
why much patience, perseverance, trust and faith in the ac-
tion of grace are necessary.
5.4.5 Elderly confreres
95. Vita Consecrata speaks of old age as a gift to be wel-
comed and valued in the consecrated life – a thought often
repeated by Pope Francis.52 The Salesian tradition reminds
us that the community surrounds elderly confreres with
care and affection (C 53), and suggests that these in turn
continue to live out their vocation with joy, being at the
service of the community and of the mission in whatever
way they can.53 Their contribution to the common mission
is by no means less relevant and less fruitful, when lived in
a spirit of faith. “Suffering and the cross always find a place
in life, and it must be said at once that periods of sickness
and limitation are just as fruitful as those of specific activity,
if they are lived in the light of the mystery of Christ’s death
and resurrection.”54
Differences in vocation journey, spiritual and pastoral expe-
rience and health make the integration into the community
unique for each confrere. Ongoing formation initiatives to
help grow old gracefully are always useful. Dialogue with
elderly Salesians helps them feel part of the family, recog-
nizing their possibilities and limits and indicating concrete
fields of action and ways of contributing to the community
life and mission, also through prayer and closeness to young
people and towards the educators in the Salesian presence.
Of course, this dialogue is not always easy: it calls for pa-
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tience and clarity, and also for firmness in dealing with in-
dividual desires that might be at odds with the community
and pastoral plans.
Varied situations in the
Salesian world
96. Elderly confreres need careful personal attention to
their health and to their psychological and spiritual well-
being. The Rector is responsible for this kind of accompani-
ment. He helps them to love and be loved, inviting the other
members of the community to express care and concern,
also by means of visits. The seniors, on the other hand, are
often also able to offer various kinds of support and help to
their younger brothers.
We must acknowledge that as far as elderly confreres are
concerned, situations vary widely from region to region in
the Congregation. Provinces with hardly any elderly con-
freres miss the experience and wisdom that can come with
age. Others with large numbers of elderly confreres in com-
munities present a different kind of challenge to the Rector,
and here Provincials are responsible for the qualitative and
quantitative consistency of communities and for finding
other solutions.
5.4.6 Sick confreres
Illness, a moment for
living out our vocation
97. The experience of illness is also a moment for living
out our vocation. Each situation is different, of course, and
each person lives it out differently. Especially when there are
confreres who do not know how to express their need for
help, fraternity demands that the Rector and confreres take
the first step to ask, listen and help. Such sensitivity and at-
tention to a sick confrere is one of the great expressions of
brotherliness.
In any case, we help the confrere accept his situation and
live it in a spirit of faith (C 53), so that he might discover
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the pastoral fruitfulness of his prayer and of the oblation of
his suffering together with that of Christ.
A sick confrere needs different kinds of attention – medical,
psychological, spiritual. When he continues to live in the
community, it becomes an occasion for bearing witness to
fraternity and to the spirit of family. As in any family, this
calls for special commitment on the part of the other con-
freres. In other cases, the confrere is admitted to a house for
the care of the elderly and the sick. The Rector of this house
and others follow up these confreres with fraternal concern,
seeking to promote also the closeness of the local and pro-
vincial community.
Confreres who find it
difficult to accept their
limitations
98. Sometimes a confrere finds it difficult to accept his
limitations and the instructions of caregivers and doctors.
Here one needs to be both kind and firm. Persons whom he
trusts, including medical personnel, can help the confrere
accept difficult decisions, even when contrary to his own
likes and desires.
We cannot forget here the importance of maintaining con-
stant communication with the Provincial and with the fam-
ily of the sick confrere, and visits and communication on
the part of other confreres and communities. Further, it
would be wonderful if the province could offer formation
initiatives aimed at helping sick confreres to accept and live
through their particular moment of trial.
5.4.7 Confreres needing special attention
Confreres with problems,
addictions, or particular
difficulties of integration
99. We also have confreres undergoing psychological or psy-
chiatric treatment for various problems or for addictions (al-
cohol, gambling, internet, and so on), or who have particular
difficulties of integration. The indications given above for sick
confreres apply also to them, but call for even greater tactful-
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Confreres under
restriction or in other
special situations
ness on the part of the Rector and the community.
It is necessary to clearly define the conditions of the treat-
ment to be followed by these confreres, with specific guide-
lines for them as well as for the Rector and the community.
It would be ideal to detect as early as possible the symptoms
of problematic situations. The family atmosphere in the
community, frank and truthful relationships, fraternal cor-
rection, the friendly talk – these are some of the common
but effective means for prevention and also for the accom-
paniment of confreres needing special attention.
When we have confreres undergoing special therapy, it may
be necessary to make adjustments in the rhythm of com-
munity life and in our interaction. Any ordinary family finds
itself having to make serious adjustments when someone is
sick, and true fraternity asks the same of us.
100. The Rector ensures knowledge of the guidelines and
policies of the Congregation and of the Province regarding
child protection, and applies them clearly and decisively,
overcoming predictable resistance.55 He coordinates with
the competent authority at provincial level, with careful at-
tention to legal aspects and to the area of communication.
The community gives the same kind of attention to con-
freres with lifestyles and ways of thinking that are alien to
the orientations of the Congregation and the Church, and
those subject to canonical processes or in irregular situa-
tions for various reasons.
The Rector and the community are always supported and
accompanied by the Province, which accompanies with care
also the family of the confrere concerned. As we have said
already, the written policies of the Province, specifying com-
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petences and actions to be taken at different levels, are of
paramount importance. Frequent Rectors’ meetings are pre-
cious occasions for ongoing formation in this area.
5.5 THE ECONOMY AND ADMINISTRATION
The Rector – ‘first in
101. The priority of the charismatic and spiritual includes
order of responsibility’ for
administration
care for the economic dimension and for efficiency.56 Here
too the Rector has his responsibility, according to the guide-
lines of the Church and of the Congregation, since admin-
istration remains “under the direction and control of the re-
spective superiors and Councils.” (C 190, cf. R 198) The
Rector is, in fact, “first in order of responsibility” also for
the administration of the goods of the local community (Cf.
C 176) ), while keeping in mind what is said in R 198:
The administration of the goods of each house is entrusted
to the local economer, who will act in dependence on the
rector and his council.
Every financial transaction in any sector of the house, even
that of the rector, must be referred back for accounting
purposes to the economer’s office, which will be organized
in a manner proportionate to the importance and complexity
of the work involved.
During the installation of a new Rector and during his visi-
tations, the Provincial will clearly present the role and re-
sponsibilities of the Rector – including juridical aspects – to
the confreres and the members of the educative and pasto-
ral community involved in animation and leadership roles.
The service of authority is responsible for supervising the
quality and transparency of the administration for the sake
of the mission: “Supervision and appropriate controls are
not intended to be means of limiting the autonomy of an
entity, nor are they signs of a lack of confidence. Rather they
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Aspects under the
Rector’s supervision
express the service of communion and transparency, as well
as providing protection for those with the delicate tasks of
administration.”57 GC26 had invited us to “responsible
management of resources in a spirit of solidarity”: “Manage
resources in a responsible, transparent way, consistent with
the purposes of the mission, putting the necessary checks
and balances in place at local, provincial, world level.”
(GC26 94)
102. The main administrative aspects under the supervi-
sion of the Rector and his Council are:
• Evaluating the correct functioning of administration ser-
vices.
• Planning for resources to ensure the viability and sustain-
ability of the Work.
• Approving budgets and following up accounts.
• Following up the persons involved in the Salesian Work
(selection of personnel and assessment of performance).
• Conserving the local archives, guaranteeing confidentiality
and data protection, and compiling the house chronicle.
• Archiving of historical and artistic heritage, as directed by
the General Secretariat, Provincial Administration or by
the Provincial Directory. (R 62)
These general principles related to the administration of as-
sets are regulated by R 198-202 and are further specified in
the section ‘poverty and administration of goods’ of the Pro-
vincial Directories. (R 190) The Rector is responsible to the
Provincial, and follows all these provincial guidelines, mak-
ing them known and seeing that they are implemented, in
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view of an orderly and effective pastoral and educative ser-
vice.
As per the provisions of the Provincial Directories, the Rec-
tor invites lay administrators, as also the lay people in charge
of sectors of the Work, to take part, without right to vote, in
meetings of the Local Council whenever their presence is
required. (Cf. GC26 121)
• The Rector periodically studies with his Council the Regu-
lations relevant to the economy and administration, as well
as the pertinent section of the Provincial Directory. (GC26 88)
• The community is involved in the preparation of the annual
budget and financial statements. (GC26 88)
• It hands over to the province “surplus funds that may be
available.” (R197, GC26 88)
• The community makes the annual scrutinium paupertatis.
(R 65, GC26 88)
• Where there is a Salesian economer, the Rector submits his
own monthly accounts to him.
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6. ONGOING FORMATION
Essential for vocational
fidelity
103. Ongoing formation in the consecrated life is essential
for the vocational fidelity of each confrere and the commu-
nity. In recent decades, reflection on ongoing formation and
formation initiatives has intensified.58 In this area, those en-
trusted with the service of authority have a precise respon-
sibility:
A task always to be considered most important today on
the part of persons in authority is that of accompanying
the persons for whom they are called to care throughout
their lives. This they do not only by offering help in resolving
possible problems or in managing possible crises, but also
in paying attention to the normal growth of each one in
every phase and season of life, in order to guarantee that
‘youthfulness of spirit which lasts through time’ (VC 70) and
that makes the consecrated person ever more conformed
to the ‘sentiments which were in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil 2:5)
Therefore, it will be the responsibility of persons in authority
to keep a high level of openness to being formed as well as
the ability to learn from life. In particular, this is important
to do regarding the freedom of letting oneself be formed
by others and for each one to feel a responsibility for the
growth of others. Both will be fostered by making use of
means of growth in community passed on by tradition and
that are today especially recommended by those who have
solid experience in the field of spiritual formation: sharing of
the Word, personal and community plans, communitarian
discernment, review of one’s life and fraternal correction.
(FT 13g)
6.1 IN THE COMMUNITY
‘Formation’ primarily
104. In the two chapters of our Constitutions dedicated to
means ‘ongoing
formation’ and the Rector
the topic, ‘formation’ primarily means ‘ongoing formation.’ It
is its first animator
is our daily response to God’s call (C 96), and is lifelong. (C
98) It is our ability to discern the voice of the Spirit and in this
way learn from all the experiences of life, good and bad. (C
98, 119) Ongoing formation is therefore a personal attitude
of discernment in all life’s circumstances, and takes place first
and foremost in the local community. (GC25 49-62)59
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Community plan for
ongoing formation
Like the Church, the Congregation also reminds the Rector
of his responsibility to animate and guide the formation of
the community, as also the joint formation of Salesians and
lay members of the educative and pastoral community:
The Rector is the first animator of the experience of
ongoing formation in his community. Suitably prepared
for his role, he:
- fosters a climate and a pattern of internal and external
relations which enhance the daily life of the community
(“common spiritual direction, conferences, good-nights
and informal meetings” – R 175);
- communicates to the confreres the Salesian principles
of life and work; to this end he makes known and uses
ecclesial and Salesian documents as his favoured
sources, and cultivates communion with the Province
and the Congregation;
- animates the Salesian mission by ensuring that the
Assembly of the confreres and the Local Council assume
their responsibilities, and encouraging meetings that
contribute to brotherhood, updating and relaxation;
- promotes processes of relationship and formation with
the Salesian Family and the educative and pastoral
community, safeguarding the Salesian charism in the
Salesian educative and pastoral plan, and encouraging
the Salesian community to carry out its specific role
of animation; he makes intelligent use of means of
animation such as Salesian news and concrete sharing
of experiences. (FSDB 544)
105. The Congregation has made efforts in the area of on-
going formation, while at the same time acknowledging dif-
ficulties in assuming this vocational responsibility.60 Each
province, through the Formation Commission, the Provin-
cial Directory and the Provincial Formation Plan, works out
means and formative proposals for individual confreres, the
communities and the EPC.
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6. Ongoing formation
Joint formation of
Salesians and lay
people
This provincial framework helps Rectors and communities
draw up the Community Plan61 so as to include meaningful
proposals for ongoing formation. They will encourage con-
freres to grow in their identity and vocation, and promote a
culture of reading, reflection and writing. The areas that can
be included in the plan (human, spiritual, intellectual and
pastoral) are specified according to the contexts and con-
crete situations. As possible topics GC25 57 indicates hu-
man, relational and affective maturity, Christian and Sale-
sian identity, the deepening of the Preventive System,
formation to teamwork and planning mentality, knowledge
of the cultural context and the youth reality, the incultura-
tion of the Gospel and the Salesian charism.
Besides these, there are many other themes such as social
communication and the human sciences, pastoral updating,
consecrated life, spirituality... and of course the specific
needs of each community. Confreres will certainly need to
deepen their understanding of the digital universe if they
are to accompany young people today, and if they are to
make full and proper use of the internet and digital tech-
nologies as a means for the New Evangelization.62
106. The formation of those who share the Salesian mission
in the educative pastoral community is an absolute priority.
The more it is the result of a common concern and commit-
ment between confreres and laity the more it will be con-
structive for all, starting from the first beneficiaries of our
presence, the young people to whom we are sent. This is an
explicit requirement of the last General Chapters.63
One of the first objectives that the Rector pursues together
with the Councils of the Salesian community and the EPC
is, therefore, the drawing up of a realistic formation plan for
all those who share in the Salesian mission, harmonized
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with the SEPP and the annual plan of the Salesian com-
munity.64
There is, further, also the need for the formation of the par-
ents who form part of the EPC, in line with the renewed
awareness of the fundamental role of the family in society
and in the Church, prompted by the two synodal assemblies
focused on family life and the subsequent apostolic exhorta-
tion Amoris Laetitia. No one has a more important place in
the field of education than parents.65 This is a field where
networking among communities, provincial animation
teams, and other ecclesial and social realities becomes very
helpful: in many places parents have to face unprecedented
challenges, and local communities may find it difficult on
their own to come up with adequate responses and offer
quality formation.
The Rectors of formation houses and their formation teams
have a special role to play with regard to the joint formation
of Salesians and lay people. Meaningful experiences of
growth in the core values of the charism enable all involved
to develop the interest and ability to walk and work togeth-
er. Besides the gifts we share in common, such as the Pre-
ventive System, there are also many areas in which lay peo-
ple have specific gifts and competences to offer young
Salesians, and vice versa.
To make these processes effective, good planning is needed
at provincial level, under the guidance of the Provincial For-
mation Delegate and the Provincial Formation Commis-
sion.
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• The Rector guides the community to a realistic elaboration
and regular evaluation of the Community Plan, following the
guidelines of the province.
• The community reflects on the letter of Fr Pascual Chávez,
“Vocation and formation. Gift and commitment” (AGC 416);
the guidelines of the Councillor for Formation: “Formation is
Lifelong” AGC 425; and FSDB chapter 12.
• The Rector and Council ensure the quality of the elements of
community life that contribute to ongoing formation: per-
sonal prayer and the lectio divina; sharing of pastoral, ecclesial
and social experiences; the good-night talk; constant informa-
tion about ways to deepen these themes; well selected materi-
als for spiritual reading in common. (R 71)
• The community takes care of the library and facilitates access
to ecclesial, Salesian and pastoral documents that keep alive
the attitude of formation.
• Aware of their need to learn to relate to lay people, the con-
freres participate in joint formation moments with lay people.
• Rectors of formation communities ensure that joint formation
of Salesians and lay people begins already in the years of initial
formation.
• The Rector and his Council ensure participation in formation
initiatives at different levels: initial formation, the quinquennium,
vocational consolidation in the stage of maturity, preparation for
old age, special initiatives on the occasion of anniversaries of
profession and ordination, specific preparation for pastoral ser-
vices, etc.…
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6.2 FOR THE RECTOR HIMSELF
The Rector also needs
ongoing formation and
accompaniment
107. As a brother among brothers at the service of the Fa-
ther, the Rector also needs ongoing formation to strengthen
his vocational fidelity. He looks after his own formation so
as to carry out the service entrusted to him, seeks personal
accompaniment, and draws up a Personal Plan of Life, so
as to be not ‘a blind man leading the blind’ (Lk 6:39), but
a guide who is guided. He has a strong sense of belonging
to the province and to the Congregation, works with con-
stant reference to the Organic Provincial Plan and the Pro-
vincial Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan, and knows he
can depend on the Provincial and the various delegates for
encouragement, support and guidance.
One of the most common difficulties shared by Rectors is
the lack of time due to the excessive load of work and re-
sponsibilities. This is a serious challenge for many and can
be a heavy burden. In the capacity for discernment that per-
tains to the Rector’s office, two skills are particularly impor-
tant and need to be developed and strengthened: the ability
to delegate and share responsibilities and tasks; and the
ability to prioritize, with due distinction between what is
important and cannot be neglected, and what is urgent, but
should be addressed in a way that will not be detrimental to
what is important. It is interesting to see that this advice
comes from Don Bosco himself, when he spoke to Rectors
in the first General Chapter of the Congregation:
Two particular situations have hampered the smooth running
of our houses in the past: 1. Due to lack of personnel, the
director was so badly overloaded with work that he could
not possibly run the house smoothly. This situation has
been gradually improving, though the operation is still not
as smooth as it should be. Our basic principle must be: let
the director be a director, that is, direct others in the course
of their work. He should supervise and plan without putting
his own hand to the work. If he cannot find fully qualified
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6. Ongoing formation
people for a certain task, let him be satisfied with the less
qualified, but he should not yield to the desire to do things
himself in order to see them done better. He must see to it
that everyone carries out his duties, but must involve himself
in none of them, so as to give himself time to do what I fear I
have never adequately stressed. (BM XIII, 189-190)
Province planning for the
formation of Rectors
108. The Rector is also keenly aware that the Salesian spirit
and mission is shared with many lay people and members
of the Salesian Family, and that the subject of the mission
is the educative and pastoral community, within which the
Salesian religious community forms part of the animating
nucleus. He knows that education and evangelization is a
question of preparing young people to take their place in
Church and in society, and to live life as a vocation to love.
He is also very much aware that the agents of education to-
day are many, chief among them being the means of social
communication and the digital world. Each of these factors
has its implication for his own formation as well as that of
the EPC.
Our General Chapters, however, acknowledge that Rectors
often do not have prior preparation for their service, and
that they are not accompanied in a systematic way by the
Province.66 This calls for a serious reflection in each Prov-
ince and a plan for the formation of Rectors at provincial or
regional level, as requested by GC25 65 and repeated by
GC27 69.10.
Good planning for the formation of Rectors at provincial
level is a guarantee of quality formation, overcoming the
risk of Rectors’ meetings dedicated mainly to matters of or-
ganization and business. A valuable help for the formation
of Rectors comes from the regional centres for ongoing for-
mation. Digital technology, which favours networking and
sharing of resources, can also be a great support in the for-
mation of Rectors.
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Improving consultation
and discernment leading
to appointment of
Rectors
109. The mandatory consultation for the appointment of
Rectors (C 177, R 170) is a source of information for the
Provincial and his Council regarding the needs of the house
and the expectations about the new Rector. It also helps the
Rector to identify and take up the priorities and needs of
each community and house.
The sharing of 2016 among Rectors, Provincial Councils,
local communities and individual confreres in view of the
revision of the Rector’s Manual revealed a desire to improve
the way consultations are done, as also the discernment
leading to appointments of Rectors. “In the consultation a
better methodology is needed, based on good common cri-
teria, deeper knowledge of the situation of the houses and
the situation of the confrere, before coming to a nomina-
tion. Special attention should be given to the ability by po-
tential candidates to share and entrust responsibilities to
others and to their capacity to lead.”67 Equally, there is an
emphasis on better preparation of new Rectors, requesting
that plans be drawn up at regional level, and that formation
be focused especially on “the accompaniment of confreres
and collaborators, community animation, active listening,
spiritual paternity, managing changes and transitions.”
These aspects are to be given attention in comparison with
other issues of an administrative and managerial nature.
From all the regions there was also a strong appeal for Rec-
tors with the ability to work collegially with the EPC, since
“it should be the Rector who co-ordinates and animates the
community in this.”69
Formation of Rectors: the 110. In view of the provincial plan for the formation of Rec-
main areas
tors and the Rector’s own personal formation program, here
are the main areas to take care of:
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6. Ongoing formation
Spiritual life: the religious life of the Rector (as consecrated
Salesian, educator-pastor-priest in the Salesian community
and in the EPC).
Human maturity: self-knowledge; elements of psychology
for understanding and guiding the dynamics of persons and
groups, teams, community. Elements of human relation-
ships, and relationship skills. Formation to strength of mind,
patience, endurance of loneliness and criticism, confronting
difficult confreres and people. Overcoming certain defects
pointed out by confreres (authoritarianism, clericalism,
coldness in relationship, favouritism, personal interests,
hunger for power, weakness in decision-making, lack of
leadership…).
Spiritual animation of confreres, lay people and young
people. Formation for accompaniment and discernment.
General cultural preparation and knowledge of youth cul-
ture.
Consecrated life, Salesianity, pastoral ministry, theology.
Salesian style of authority: communion, shared responsi-
bility, networking, collaboration, planning mentality, pro-
vincial plan, animation of the pastoral dimension, with faith
education as the basic objective.
Methodology of animation and governance: leadership,
teamwork, formation for communication, listening, guid-
ance of teams (in the community, the Work, the EPC, the
Salesian Family), planning mentality, communion and shar-
ing of responsibility, conflict management.70
Specific themes according to the circumstances and problems
to be faced, both in the local and in the provincial community.
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Economic, administrative, legal issues.
Dealing with civil authorities, the mass media and social
groups.
Dealing with special cases (protection of minors, problems
with justice, canonical processes, confreres in irregular situ-
ations or with inappropriate attitudes in consecrated life...),
according to the protocols indicated by the province in rela-
tion to civil authorities.
Formation and
111. Some points to be kept in mind by the Provincial and
accompaniment of
Rectors by the Provincial
his Council for the formation and accompaniment of Rec-
and his Council
tors:
Careful study of the consultations for the appointment of
the Rector, keeping in mind the three focuses proposed by
Fr Vecchi and repeated by Fr Chávez.71
Accompaniment and closeness on the part of the Provin-
cial and of the Provincial Council, through appropriately
planned visits, meetings, talks....
Drawing up the Provincial Plan for the formation of the
Rectors, taking advantage also of inter-provincial initiatives
in this regard.
Formation of newly appointed Rectors with a variety of
methodologies (theoretical, experiential...).
Periodic meetings of Rectors for sharing, reinforcing the
sense of a provincial plan, deepening unity and shared re-
sponsibility, facing specific problems, reflecting together,
and identifying common orientations; and also for planning
the formation of Rectors. The Provincial will make sure
therefore that these meetings are truly moments of forma-
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6. Ongoing formation
At the level of the
Congregation
tion and not only ‘business’ meetings.
Specific spiritual formation initiatives for Rectors: annual
retreats, recollections, Salesianity Days, pilgrimage to the
places of Don Bosco, formation experiences in the Holy
Land...
Making known every year the Province Policy for the Pro-
tection of Minors.
Promotion of online resources, and creation of a system for
sharing between Rectors and the Provincial Council (email,
digital magazine, messages, Rectors’ WhatsApp group, re-
flection materials...).
Remote formation: preparation of confreres in initial for-
mation, especially aspirants to the priesthood, in the areas
of community and pastoral animation, leadership, planning
mentality, teamwork, sharing of responsibility, and working
with lay people sharing the Salesian mission.
112. At the level of the Congregation:
The Formation Department offers online resources for the
formation of Rectors (texts, audio-visual hyperlinks, etc.),
and promotes something similar at regional and provincial
levels.
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1 The three dimensions, spiritual experience, fraternity and mission – in
these or similar terms – structure the ecclesial documents on consecrated
life (Vita Consecrata, Faciem Tuam) and also the reflections of GC27,
and we find them already in our Constitutions: “Our apostolic mission,
our fraternal community and the practice of the evangelical counsels are
the inseparable elements of our consecration which we live in a single
movement of love towards God and towards our brothers.” (C 3) We
keep in mind, however, the strong unity of our life: ours is an apostolic
consecration in which mission and consecration are totalizing, define
each other, and cannot be reduced merely to some particular sectors of
Salesian life. (Cf. GC22, 20)
2 FT 13a. FLC 50 says the same thing: If consecrated persons have
dedicated themselves to the total service of God, authority promotes
and sustains their consecration. In a certain sense, authority can be seen
as ‘servant of the servants of God’. Authority has as its main task
building in unity the brothers and sisters of ‘a fraternal community, in
which God is sought and loved above all’. A superior must therefore be,
above all, a spiritual person, convinced of the primacy of the spiritual,
both with respect to personal life and for the development of fraternal
life; in other words, he or she must know that the more the love of God
increases in each individual heart, the more unity there will be between
hearts. / Thus, the superior’s main task will be the spiritual, community
and apostolic animation of his or her community.
3 GC27 2-3, 35-36; SAC 12-13.
4 FT 13b: “Persons in authority are called to guarantee to the community the
time for and the quality of prayer, looking after the community’s daily
faithfulness to prayer, in the awareness that the community approaches
God with small but constant steps, everyday and by everyone’s effort,
and that consecrated persons can be useful to one another to the extent
that they are united to God.”
5 The Congregation has made many efforts to offer reflections and to
animate the life of prayer of the Salesian: for a recent example, see the
reflection offered by the General Councillor for Formation, “Life as
Prayer” (AGC 421) 32-42. See also the many analyses and documents,
as for example GC25 26, 30-31. GC27 1 says: “We wish, as individuals
and communities, to give primacy to God in our lives, challenged by
Salesian holiness and the thirst young people have for authenticity. We
are more aware that only a personal encounter with God, through his
Word, the Sacraments and our neighbour, can make us significant and
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authentic witnesses in the Church and society.” At the same time GC27
3 recognizes our shortcomings: “At the same time we find that who we
are and what we do does not always appear to be rooted in faith, hope
and charity, and does not clearly show that the initiative begins from
God and always returns to Him. At times the Eucharist is not seen or
experienced as the source and support of communion, and prayer in
common which builds and strengthens fraternal life is too easily set
aside. It is our young people and their families in particular who question
us on our spiritual roots and vocational motivation, reawakening in us
our identity as consecrated persons and our educative and pastoral
mission.”
6 In the process for the canonization of Don Bosco, Fr. Philp Rinaldi
testified under oath that he often found Don Bosco, between two and
three o’clock in the afternoon, deep in prayer – BM XIX, 369. See also
BM III, 24; BM IV, 130.
7 Salesian Sources, 1138; 1198-1199; 1214; 1248; 1294-95.
8 Cleric Giovanni Arata (1858 – 1878), see:
http://www.donboscosanto.eu/oe/biografie_dei_salesiani_defunti_
negli_anni_1883_e_1884.php
Cleric Cesare Peloso (1860 – 1878), see:
http://www.donboscosanto.eu/oe/societa_di_san_francesco_di_sales._
anno_1879.php#_Toc228457543 {71} [39]}).
Cleric Carlo Becchio (1844 - 1877), see:
http://www.donboscosanto.eu/oe/societa_di_san_francesco_di_sales._
anno_1879.php#_Toc228457543 {37[5]}).
9 SAC 28-29; FT 19; GC27 45.
10 C 95; cf. AGC 421 32-42.
11 C 45; GC26 55, 74-76; AGC 424 65-75.
12 FT 13e: “Persons in authority are called to keep the charism of their own
religious family alive. The exercise of authority also includes putting
oneself at the service of the proper charism of the institute to which one
belongs, keeping it carefully and making it real in the local community
and in the province or the entire institute, according to the plans and
orientations offered, in particular by General Chapters (or analogous
meetings). What is required of persons in authority is an adequate
knowledge of the charism of the institute, making it part of themselves,
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in order then better to see it in relation to community life and in relation
to its place in ecclesial and social contexts.”
13 The cry of Pope Francis, “Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of
community!” (EG 92) reflects the desire of the Church expressed in
various documents: Fraternal Life in Community, Starting Afresh from
Christ, Faciem Tuam, New Wine in New Wineskins. FLC 54-57, FT 22
etc. make reference to concrete ways in which fraternal life is expressed,
insisting that the effort to build fraternity be transformed into witness,
into mission that makes this way of life credible.
14 See FT 22; FLC 54-57.
15 GC27 speaks of the lights and shadows in our fraternal life (8-21,
39-51) and proposes suitable lines of action. The Rector is given special
recommendations for realizing the prophecy of fraternity: “The Rector/
Director is a central figure; more than a manager he is a father who
brings his family together in communion and apostolic service.” (GC27
51)
In his convocation of GC27 (AGC 413 35), Fr Pascual Chávez makes
a clear synthesis: “The profound renewal of our religious and Salesian
life will therefore be achieved also through a profound renewal of our
fraternal life in community. Of particular importance in this is the style
of animation and governance of the Rector, in his role of spiritual
authority, which helps the confreres in their vocational journey, by
means of a lively and intelligent form of community animation and
attentive personal accompaniment; an authority which builds unity,
which creates a family atmosphere able to foster fraternal sharing and
co-responsibility; a pastoral authority which guides and directs all the
people, the activities and the resources towards the objectives of
education and evangelisation which are the special features of our
mission; an authority which knows how to make the necessary decisions
and to ensure their implementation.”
16 FLC 50: “An authority conducive to unity is one concerned to create
a climate favourable to sharing and co-responsibility; to encourage all to
contribute to the affairs of all; to encourage members to assume and to
respect responsibility; to promote, by their respect for the human person,
voluntary obedience; to listen willingly to the members, promoting
their harmonious collaboration for the good of the institute and the
Church; to engage in dialogue and offer timely opportunities for
encounter; to give courage and hope in times of difficulty; to look ahead
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and point to new horizons for mission. Still more: an authority which
seeks to maintain a balance among the various aspects of community
life – between prayer and work, apostolate and formation, work and rest.
The authority of a superior works so that the religious house is not
merely a place of residence, a collection of subjects each of whom lives
an individual history, but a ‘fraternal community in Christ’.”
17 The indications of GC25 15 can be of help here:
[The community] encourages specific occasions of
community life, such as prayer together, meetings, retreats,
revision of life, council meetings, times of recreation,
community day. In these through suitable arrangements the
confreres are helped to:
- express the riches of their own interior lived experience;
- share their own worries and problems, plans and
educative and pastoral activities;
- practise listening, dialogue, the acceptance of different
opinions and fraternal correction.
Fr Pascual Chávez, in his convocation of GC27 (AGC 413 33-34),
speaks of certain circumstances that condition relationships in
community and the need to respond with maturity and in a religious
way:
It is impossible to imagine Salesian religious life without that
communion which is realised in the common life and in the
shared mission. The requirement for fraternity arises from
the fact of our being sons of the same Father and members
of the Body of Christ; religious life creates a real family made
up of people who share the same faith and the same plan of
life. From the typically Salesian standpoint, we are called to
create and to live the family spirit as Don Bosco wanted it
and lived it.
Obviously, as in other areas of religious life, here too we can
identify some dangers, for example, that of organising a
style of relationships which are merely functional or
hierarchical or falsely democratic. Rather, our relationships
ought to be fraternal and friendly, which lead us to love each
other to the extent of sharing everything. This criterion helps
us to see that the community is well understood and lived,
when it is nourished by communion and leads to
communion. A community without communion, with all that
this implies with regard to acceptance, appreciation and
esteem, mutual assistance and love, is reduced to a group
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in which people may have a place but where in fact they are
left isolated. On the other hand, in religious life, communion
without community is a narcissistic way of living and
consequently a contradiction, since it is a subtle form of
individualism.
Nowadays religious have to make a great shared effort in
order to create community, where the spiritual dimension,
human qualities and apostolic commitment of each member
means that life is really good, beautiful and happy. In other
words, without the human dimension, the quality of spiritual
life and apostolic commitment there is no real fraternity.
18 The indications of R 176 are simple. The Church indicates that the
service of authority promotes in different ways listening, an atmosphere
favourable to dialogue, the participation with shared responsibility in
common tasks, the attention given to each confrere and to the
community, the attitude of community discernment. (Cf. FT 20).
It adds an aspect important for communication and
communion of life: “It is not enough to place material goods
in common, but still more significant is the communion of
goods and personal abilities of endowments and talents, of
intuitions and inspirations, and still more fundamental, and
to be promoted, is the sharing of spiritual goods, of listening
to the Word of God, of faith: ‘the more we share those things
which are central and vital, the more the fraternal bond
grows in strength’.” (FT 20)
19 Apostolic Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to all Consecrated People on
the Occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life (21 November 2014) 4.
20 GC27 13-17, 39-51, 70-71.
21 FT 25:
All this implies that authority be recognized as an important
task in carrying out the mission, faithful to the charism
proper to each. This is not a simple task, nor one without
difficulties and ambiguities. In the past, the risk could come
from persons in authority being directed mainly towards
managing the work, with the danger of not taking care of
persons. Today, the risk can come rather from excessive
fear of hurting others’ feelings or from a fragmentation of
competencies and responsibilities that weakens the unified
movement towards the common objective and frustrates
the role of authority. / However, persons in authority are not
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only responsible for the animation of the community but
also for the coordinating of the various competencies in
relation to the mission. Thus, they respect the roles and
follow the internal norms of the Institute.
The document goes on to indicate other aspects to be attended to by
the person entrusted with the service of authority: (a) He encourages
people to take up responsibilities, and respects them once they have
been taken up; (b) he invites them to confront differences of opinion
in a spirit of communion; (c) He keeps a balance between the different
dimensions of consecrated life; (d) He has a merciful heart; (e) he has a
sense of justice; (f ) he promotes collaboration with lay people.
22 XV Synod of Bishops, Young People, the Faith and Vocational
Discernment: Instrumentum Laboris (2018) 2. Cf. CV Chapter 9.
23 GC26 34, 38, 43, 48, 106, 109.
24 FoR 160-162. GC26 dedicated one of the themes of its reflection and
proposal to the “need for vocation ministry.” GC27 75.1 recalls this
important service to the young: “Developing a culture of vocation and care
for vocations to Salesian life, cultivating the art of accompaniment and
preparing Salesians and lay people to become spiritual guides of the young.”
25 FT 20b:
Persons in authority will have to be concerned with creating
an environment of trust, promoting the recognition of the
abilities and the sensitivities of individuals. Moreover, with
words and deeds they will nourish the conviction that the
community requires participation and therefore information.
In addition to listening, persons in authority will value sincere
and free dialogue — sharing feelings, perspectives and
plans: in this atmosphere, each one will be able to have his
or her true identity recognized and to improve his or her own
relational abilities. Persons in authority will not be afraid to
recognize and accept those problems that can easily arise
from searching, deciding, working and together undertaking
the best ways of realizing a fruitful collaboration. On the
contrary, they will look for the causes of any possible
uneasiness and misunderstandings, knowing how to
propose solutions, shared as much as possible. Moreover,
they will commit themselves to finding ways of overcoming
any form of childishness, and discourage whatever attempts
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are made to avoid responsibility or to evade major
commitments, to close oneself in one’s own world and in
one’s own interests or to work in an isolated manner.
26 The fundamental guidelines laid down in FT20 are: the creation of an
atmosphere favourable to dialogue, sharing and shared responsibility;
the solicitation of the contribution of all for the concerns of all; at the
service of the individual and of the community.
27 Cf. NW 19-21, 41-45; FLC 47-53. With reference to the mission FT
25 says:
Many are the challenges that the present time places on
persons in authority in the task of coordinating energies for
the mission. Some important tasks are also listed here:
a) Persons in authority encourage the taking up of
responsibilities and respect them when taken up
For some, responsibilities can provoke a sense of fear.
Therefore, it is necessary that persons in authority convey to
their collaborators Christian strength and the courage to
face difficulties, overcoming fears and attitudes of giving up.
Their concern will be sharing not only information but also
responsibilities, committing themselves to respecting each
one in his or her own rightful autonomy. This involves, on the
part of authority, a patient coordination and, on the part of
the consecrated person, a sincere openness to working
together.
Persons in authority need to ‘be present’ when necessary,
to foster in the members of the community the sense of
interdependence, as far from childish dependence as from
a self-sufficient independence. This interdependence is the
fruit of that interior freedom that permits each one to work
and collaborate, to substitute as well as to be substituted
for, to take an active part and to make his or her own
contribution, even from behind the scenes.
Whoever exercises the service of authority will have to be
attentive not to give in to the temptation of personal self-
sufficiency, to believe that everything depends on him or her
and that it would not be important and useful to foster
community participation; it is better to take one step
together than to take two or more alone.
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28 These principles are explained in MSD 50-53 (authority that promotes
participation and sharing of responsibility in dialogue), 163-167
(climate of true shared responsibility) and 133-156 (shared responsibility
and pastoral coordination). GC24 106-148 indicates the following as
areas of commitment: broadening the involvement, promoting sharing
of responsibility, and exploiting communication.
29 In this regard, it is meaningful to see the educative perspectives
present in Amoris Laetitia, particularly in Ch. VII. They are inspiring for
any kind of leadership, even more so for us Salesians, called to be
educators and pastors also in the manner of exercising the service of
authority. “Were maturity merely the development of something already
present in our genetic code, not much would have to be done. But
prudence, good judgement and common sense are dependent not on
purely quantitative growth factors, but rather on a whole series of things
that come together deep within each person, or better, at the very core
of our freedom. Inevitably, each child will surprise us with ideas and
projects born of that freedom, which challenge us to rethink our own
ideas. This is a good thing. Education includes encouraging the
responsible use of freedom to face issues with good sense and
intelligence. It involves forming persons who readily understand that
their own lives, and the life of the community, are in their hands, and
that freedom is itself a great gift.” (AL 262)
30 Cf. XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Young
People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment: Final Document (2018) 73-76.
31 Cf. FT 20e:
Even if true and appropriate discernment is reserved to the
most important decisions, the spirit of discernment ought to
characterize every decision-making process that involves
the community. A time of individual prayer and reflection
together with a series of important attitudes for choosing
together what is right and pleasing to God, should never be
missing prior to every decision. Here are some of these
attitudes:
– determination to seek nothing other than the divine will,
letting oneself be inspired by God’s way of acting as seen in
the Sacred Scriptures and in the history of the charism of
the institute, and with the awareness that evangelical logic
is often ‘upside-down’ in relation to human logic that looks
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for success, efficiency and recognition;
– openness to recognize in each brother or sister the ability
to discover the truth, even if partial, and consequently to
welcome his or her opinions as mediation for discovering
together the will of God — an openness to the point of
knowing how to recognize the ideas of others as better than
one’s own;
– attention to the signs of the times, to the expectations of
the people, to the needs of the poor, to the pressing needs
of evangelization, to the priorities of the Universal Church
and of particular churches and to the indications of Chapters
and of major superiors;
– freedom from prejudices, from excessive attachment to
one’s own ideas, from perceptual frameworks which are
rigid or distorted and from strong positions which frustrate
the diversity of opinions;
– courage to ground firmly one’s own ideas while also
opening oneself to new perspectives and to changing one’s
own point of view;
– firm proposal to maintain unity in any case, whatever the
final decision might be.
32 MSD 247-265 presents a history of the friendly talk in Salesian life
since the beginnings of the Congregation and offers many concrete
indications, while recognizing the situation of crisis and the need for
renewal. GC25 65 and GC27 42 invite us to rediscover this means of
animation of Salesian life. A valuable study on this theme is Pietro
Brocardo, Maturare in dialogo fraterno. Dal rendiconto di don Bosco al
colloquio fraterno (Rome: LAS, 2000).
33 Marco Bay, Giovani Salesiani e accompagnamento. Risultati di una
ricerca internazionale (Rome: LAS, 2018).
34 The suggestions given by FT 20a about the attitude of listening can
be applied to the talk with the Rector:
Listening is one of the principal ministries of superiors for
which they must always be available, above all for those
who feel isolated and in need of attention. In fact, listening
means accepting the other unconditionally, giving him or
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her space in one’s own heart. For this listening conveys
affection and understanding, declares that the other is
appreciated, and that his or her presence and opinion are
taken into consideration.
Whoever presides must remember that the one who does
not listen to his brother or sister does not know how to listen
to God either, that an attentive listening allows one to better
coordinate the energy and gifts that the Spirit gives to the
community and also, when making decisions, to keep in
mind the limits and the difficulties of some members. Time
spent in listening is never time wasted, and listening can
often prevent crises and difficult times both on the individual
and community levels.
35 MSD 264:
The very nature of the friendly talk with the Rector calls for
rigorous secrecy and confidentiality. ‘Let the Rector be
careful never to reveal to others the faults a confrere may
have, even when they may already know of them through
other channels. Let it be obvious to his subjects that he is
able to respect the confidentiality of what is entrusted to
him. It only takes some small indiscretion to weaken and
maybe entirely destroy the confidence they have shown
him.’ (Manuale del direttore of Don Paolo Albera 131).
For reasons inherent in your office, you may be asked by the
Provincial for your opinion on some confrere or other, and in
such a case you have to give the necessary information
objectively and responsibly. But it should be based
exclusively on the external behaviour of the confrere
concerned and on what others may say about him.
Confidences that may have been given in private talks are
protected by a rigorous secret: nihil, nunquam, nulli [nothing,
never, to no one].
36 Bay 63, 98, 146, 201, 279, 316, 408.
37 FT 13g:
Persons in authority are called to accompany the journey of
ongoing formation. A task always to be considered most
important today on the part of persons in authority is that of
accompanying the persons for whom they are called to care
throughout their lives. This they do not only by offering help
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in resolving possible problems or in managing possible
crises but also in paying attention to the normal growth of
each one in every phase and season of life, in order to
guarantee that “youthfulness of spirit which lasts through
time” (VC 70) and that makes the consecrated person ever
more conformed to the “sentiments which were in Christ
Jesus.” (Phil 2:5)
38 This is a matter addressed in different places in our Salesian literature:
MSD 265-278 brings together some indications for accompaniment
and spiritual direction in Salesian life, both in initial and in ongoing
formation, recalling also the experience of Don Bosco and the Salesian
tradition. FSDB 260-263 indicates some characteristics of
accompaniment and spiritual direction in the life of the Salesian.
39 See FSDB 292, including the reference to ACS 244 97, and Young
Salesians and Accompaniment: Orientations and Guidelines (2019) 197.
40 See the unpublished comment by the Formation Department entitled
“Personal project of life: A journey of creative fidelity towards sanctity”
(2003). Very useful is also the article by Giuseppe M. Roggia, “Il
progetto di vita personale,” in Formazione affettivo-sessuale. Itinerario per
I seminaristi e giovani consacrati e consacrate, ed. P. Gambini, M.L. Llanos
and G.M. Roggia (Bologna: EDB, 2017) 341-347.
41 F. Cereda, “The Salesian community plan. A process of discernment
and sharing,” Letter to Provincials and their Councils and Delegates for
Formation, Rome 13 October 2002. It is interesting to note that the
Italian text of GC25 72-74 uses the expression ‘progetto comunitario,’
which in the English text is rendered as ‘community project,’ whereas
the letter of Cereda translates it as ‘community plan.’ Still, it is clear that
GC25 72-74 invites the community to work out a common vision and
to adopt common goals, and not merely restrict itself to programming
(in the sense of fixing the agenda and annual calendar):
The community becomes accustomed to working according
to a planning mentality:
• developing among the confreres a common and shared
vision of the community project and helping each one to
discover and give due value to his own talents and qualities.
The community accepts each member with his strong
points and limitations, and decides on roles of shared
responsibility for each one.
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• living the project as a community process that starts from
the daily experience of the confreres. The objective is not
only the final design of the project, but especially the giving
of effect to continued assessments of aims, values and
expectations which lead the confreres to a practical living
and working together
• encouraging moments of dialogue (Assembly of Confreres,
Local Council), of discernment of God’s will (times of prayer,
listening to God’s Word through the lectio divina, reference
to the magisterium of the Church and the Congregation), in
harmony with the Organic Provincial Plan each community
agrees on, draws up, and revises each year the progress of
its own project.
• questioning itself in particular on the following aspects:
Who do we want to be at the present day as a local
community? How can we, as a local community, be present
in a religious and Salesian manner, animate the EPC and
give evangelical witness? What practical consequences
follow for the community? What choices must we make
right now? What kind of personal and community formation
do we need? (GC25 73)
42 Ibid.
43 FLC 32:
There are many ways in which spiritual gifts can be shared
and communicated. Besides the ones already mentioned
(sharing the word and the experience of God, communal
discernment, community projects), we should recall
fraternal correction, review of life, and other forms
characteristic of the tradition. These are concrete ways of
putting at the service of others and of pouring into the
community the gifts which the Spirit gives so abundantly for
its upbuilding and for its mission in the world.
FT 13g (Persons in authority called to accompany the journey of
ongoing formation):
Therefore, it will be the responsibility of persons in authority
to keep a high level of openness to being formed as well as
the ability to learn from life. In particular, this is important to
do regarding the freedom of letting oneself be formed by
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others and for each one to feel a responsibility for the growth
of others. Both will be fostered by making use of means of
growth in community passed on by tradition and that are
today especially recommended by those who have solid
experience in the field of spiritual formation: sharing of the
Word, personal and community plans, communitarian
discernment, review of one’s life and fraternal correction.
44 “Authority must not be anything other than being at the service of
communion – a true ministry for accompanying brothers and sisters
towards conscious and responsible fidelity. In fact, discussion among
brothers or sisters and listening to each individual involved becomes an
essential occasion for the exercise of the service of authority that is
evangelical.” (NW 41)
45 Cf. XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Young
People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment: Final Document (2018) 118,
and the citation in the note of International Theological Commission,
Synodality in the life and mission of the Church (2 March 2018) 9 and 64.
46 See C 179, 180, 186.
47 GC27 15, 70.2, 88c.
48 See Fr Ángel Fernández Artime’s clear emphasis on the shared
mission with lay mission partners in the third part of the letter of
convocation of GC28. (AGC 427)
49 C 45, GC26 76, AGC 424.
50 See AGC 424 65-75 for an account of the journey of the Congregation,
and for a reflection as requested by GC27 28, 69.7, and earlier by GC21
and GC26. See MSD 169-171 for the fundamental guidelines to be
kept in mind by the Rector in order to value the two ways of living the
Salesian vocation and each confrere for what he is.
51 C 115: “Throughout the whole period of initial formation, importance
is given not only to study but also to the pastoral activities of our
mission. The practical training period provides opportunity for a deeper
living experience of Salesian educative and pastoral action. During this
time the young confrere gets practice in the preventive system,
particularly in Salesian assistance. With the support of the Rector and
the community, he is able to integrate his activity and the fundamental
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values of his vocation.” (Cf. R 86, 96)
52 See VC 44, FLC 63, NW 47.
53 GC26 34, GC27 69.4.
54 AGC 377 8. Cf. also G. Basañes, letter of 11 November 2018
addressed to sick and elderly confreres.
55 See AGC 425 22-24, which mentions a Vademecum on this matter to
be sent to the Provincials.
53 Cf. CICLSAL, Guidelines for the Administration of the Assets in
Institutes of Consecrated Life and in Societies of Apostolic Life (2014) 12.
57 CICLSAL, Guidelines for the Administration of the Assets 10.
58 Cf. VC 69-71, NW 16-35. SAC 15:
The times in which we are living call for a general rethinking
of the formation of consecrated men and women, which is
no longer limited to one period of life. Not only to enable
them to become better able to insert themselves into a
reality which changes with a rhythm which is often frenetic
but also and more importantly because consecrated life
itself, of its nature, calls for the constant openness of those
who are called to it. If, in fact, consecrated life is in itself ‘a
progressive taking on of the attitude of Christ’, (VC 65) it
seems evident that such a path must endure for a lifetime
and involve the whole person, heart, mind and strength (cf.
Mt 22:37) reshaping the person in the likeness of the Son
who gives himself to the Father for the good of humanity.
Thus understood, formation is no longer only a teaching
period in preparation for vows but also represents a
theological way of thinking of consecrated life which is in
itself a never ending formation ‘sharing in the work of the
Father who, through the Spirit, fashions in the heart the
inner attitudes of the Son’. (VC 66)
Thus it will be important that all consecrated persons be
formed in the freedom to learn throughout life, in every age
and season, in every human ambient and context, from
every person and every culture open to be taught by any
fragment of truth and beauty found around them. But above
all they must learn to be formed by everyday life, by their
own community, by their brothers and sisters, by everyday
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things, ordinary and extraordinary, by prayer and by
apostolic fatigue, in joy and in suffering, until the moment of
death.
59 Besides ch. 12 of FSDB, see also AGC 416 3-56 and the guidelines
offered in AGC 425 25-37.
60 GC25 49-54; GC27 7-8, 36; AGC 425 25-37.
61 FSDB 543, 553. FSDB 543 offers some suggestions for the
organization of ongoing formation in the local community:
Here are some expedients that can contribute towards truly
making the community a place of ongoing formation:
– create in the community a climate and a style of life and
work that fosters the growth of individuals and of the
community:
the family spirit disposes one to encounter others, gives him
a readiness to listen and to dialogue, creates a mentality of
searching and discerning together by drawing on everyone’s
experience, and leads one to learn through everyday
experience;
an atmosphere of faith and prayer strengthens the inner
motivations, disposing one to live them in the radical way of
the Gospel and with apostolic generosity;
a good arrangement of the work itself, the community and
pastoral plan, and the assessments encourages the
Salesian to engage in a process of revising his attitudes
towards religious life and his methods of work and to
relaunch a quest for quality in his life and mission.
– make use of all the moments, means and aspects that
community life offers to promote ongoing formation:
the moments of community prayer such as meditation,
spiritual reading, the good night, the monthly and quarterly
recollections; the moments of evaluation, participation and
shared responsibility (including especially the community
day);
communication with the provincial community and with the
Congregation and a ready acceptance of the exhortations
and guidelines that come from them;
information, readings, an up-to-date library;
– establish a yearly programme of ongoing formation;
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– ensure that formation takes place together within the
educative and pastoral community through reflection,
planning and evaluation, and initiatives shared with other
members of the Salesian Family;
offer those in need the possibility of frequenting specific
moments or programmes of renewal and updating
(initiatives, experiences, courses, etc.).
62 XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Young
People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment: Instrumentum Laboris
(2018) 34-35; 57-58.
63 GC24 13, 55, 101, 103, 136-148; GC25 26, 31, 39, 46, 50, 57, 60, 70,
80; GC26 10, 11, 24, 38, 39, 49, 68, 101, 111; GC27 15, 67, 71; Letter
of convocation of GC28, 2.3.3 “Joint formation of Salesians and lay
people,” AGC 427 28-29. See also the address of the Rector Major Fr
Ángel Fernández Artime at the closing of GC27 concerning the
seventh key for interpreting the reflections of GC27: “With lay people
in the urgency of a shared mission.” (AGC 418 128-129)
64 FoR 133:
Formative programmes that focus only on content or the
acquisition of skills and techniques have been shown to be
insufficient. We are becoming more and more convinced of
the importance of the educator being involved with his or
her whole person in the task of education. Communication
skills and education must be firmly rooted in the educator’s
own identity and be part of a real personal journey. It is
possible to have all the information, and to have mastered
all the most modern methodologies and teaching
procedures, to have all the resources and a professional
approach, but these are not enough. The process of
professional training of Salesian educators ultimately brings
into play the educator’s own identity and the gift of his or her
testimony. The educator is a model with whom the young
identify by imitating the path of his or her personal growth.
The vocation to the service of education requires the ability
to question oneself and allow oneself to be questioned on
one’s deepest convictions, motivations and expectations.
Self-knowledge takes away fear and strengthens one’s
identity.
65 See Chapter VII of Amoris Laetitia, Towards a better education of
children.
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Note
66 GC25 54, 64, 65 and GC27 14, 51.
67 From the regional data collection presented during the 2nd international
seminar held in Rome, 26-31 May 2017, for the revision of the Rector’s
Manual.
68 Ibid.
69 Ibid.
70 Useful in this context: BM XIII, 258; Lettere circolari di don Michele
Rua ai salesiani (n. 26 of 1902) (Torino: Direzione Generale delle Opere
Salesiane, 1965) 323-325; GC21 on the Rector (cf. 46-57) and on the
EPC. (Cf. 63-67)
71 AGC 372 31; GC27 pp. 79-80.
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Introduction
Part III
The Rector
A
and the shared
Salesian
mission
heart as
great as
the sands
on the
seashore
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Sea, boats, nets... Peter is fishing when
he is first called by Jesus, and again
when the Risen One, on the same lake of
Galilee, asks him to feed a flock without
limits, in which we too were already
included ( Jn 21).
The shared Salesian mission requires the
same breadth of horizons and of trust in
the Kingdom of God that continues to
grow, in which the Salesian community,
animated by the Rector, is but a simple
instrument along with many other
people, starting from the young, in
whom the Spirit of God is present and
constantly at work, inside and outside
the Church.
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7. THE EDUCATIVE AND
PASTORAL COMMUNITY
The EPC and the SEPP,
fruits of post-conciliar
reflection
113. The educative and pastoral community (EPC) and the
Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan (SEPP) have been ex-
tensively presented and discussed in the Frame of Reference
of Salesian Youth Ministry. Without repeating all that is said
there, our aim will be to highlight the fact that the Rector
and the Salesian religious community today are called to
carry out the Salesian apostolic project within the EPC.1
7.1 THE EPC AND THE EDUCATIVE
AND PASTORAL PLAN
7.1.1 The updating of the Preventive System
The subject of the
Salesian mission is the
educative and pastoral
community
114. The subject of the Salesian mission is the educative
and pastoral community. C 47 tells us: “We bring about in
our works the educative and pastoral community which in-
volves young people and adults, parents and educators, in
a family atmosphere, so that it can become a living expe-
rience of Church and a revelation of God’s plan for us. In
this community lay people associated with our work make
a contribution all their own…. We welcome and encourage
their collaboration, and we give them the opportunity to get
a deeper knowledge of the Salesian spirit and the practice
of the preventive system. We foster the spiritual growth of
each of them...”
It is the Council of the EPC that draws up the local Sale-
sian Educative and Pastoral Plan (SEPP), in harmony with
the provincial SEPP. (R 4)
The SEPP and the EPC are significant elements in the up-
dating of the Preventive System that the Congregation has
been carrying out especially since Vatican II. First proposed
in GC21, they were sanctioned in GC22 by the approval of
the Constitutions and Regulations, and spelt out in greater
detail in GC24.
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GC24, heart of post-
conciliar Salesian
magisterium, our
charismatic response
to the “ecclesiology of
communion”
115. GC24, whose title itself contains a whole program –
Salesians and lay people: Communion and sharing in the
spirit and mission of Don Bosco – is the heart of the post-
conciliar Salesian magisterium, our charismatic response
to the “ecclesiology of communion” of Vatican Council II.
This Chapter stretches backward to gather the best of what
had been produced, and forward to offer a new apostolic
and communitarian style of thinking and action. The two
major elements of this new style are the persons engaged
in the mission (EPC) and the shared plan (SEPP). To these,
the Frame of Reference of Salesian Youth Ministry dedi-
cates two chapters of great interest: Chapter 5 on the EPC
and Chapter 6 on the SEPP. Together with Chapter 4 on the
Preventive System as a spiritual and educative experience,
these chapters are the backbone of our charism today.
The roots of the renewal crystallized in GC24 are all pres-
ent in Don Bosco, who set in motion a vast movement of
people with the responsibility of educating and evangeliz-
ing the young. Yet the Chapter is also a new starting point
and a point of no return, “the only practicable model in
present conditions.” (GC24 39) Unfortunately – as the
Rector Major Fr Ángel Fernández Artime notes in the let-
ter convoking GC28 – the reception of this Chapter has
been uneven in the Congregation, with significant resis-
tances to the model of the Church as communion proposed
by Vatican Council II. (AGC 427 23-31)
7.1.2 The necessary inculturation of the
Preventive System
One mission realized in
different contexts
116. The updating of the Preventive System also involves
its inculturation. The Congregation has arrived gradually
at the recognition of the multiplicity of contexts in which
it operates around the world, even though this recognition
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
has not always immediately structured its thinking and its
pronouncements.
Let us begin with a wonderful text from the opening sec-
tions of GC24:
The mission is one and only, but it can be realized in different
ways, as many in fact as are the historical, geographical,
religious and cultural situations and contexts in which
young people are living.
The salesian educative and pastoral project (SEPP) is the
historical mediation and the practical instrument used in
all latitudes and cultures of the same mission. The project
therefore is not just a technical fact but a cultural horizon
for constant reference, and is demanded by the necessary
inculturation of the charism.
It is specified and realized in every salesian work by a
community which we call the educative and pastoral
community (EPC). This is the group of people (youngsters
and adults, parents and educators, religious and lay,
representatives of other ecclesial and civil institutions,
including also those belonging to other religions, and
men and women of good will) who work together for the
education and evangelization of the young, and especially
those who are poorer. (GC24 5)
The salesian charism, raised up in the Church for the world,
must become incarnated in the different cultural situations
in order to express its powers of service to the young and
the poor. In contact with the different cultures it can illustrate
its vitality and acquire new and enriching characteristics.
(GC24 6)
The Frame of Reference 117. This window opened by GC24 is taken up and affirmed
on the inculturation of the
Preventive System
in different ways in the Frame of Reference of Salesian Youth
Ministry:
• The Salesian mission is one: it consists in evangelizing and
educating, convinced that the fullness of life and the happi-
ness of human beings is God’s plan for all, that the vocation
of all human beings is to love and to give of oneself. (FoR
59, 61; cf. “Preparatory Document,” Synod 2018)
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SEPP: practical
instrument for
inculturation of the
Salesian charism and
mission
• This mission can be incarnated in a variety of cultures and
religious traditions. The Preventive System has, in fact, been
incarnated in different continents, in multicultural and
multi-religious situations. (FoR 87)
• The EPC is both subject and object of our educative and pasto-
ral activity. (FoR 116)
• The EPC is a Salesian way of animation rather than a new
structure or merely a way of organizing our work. It is a recog-
nition of the fact that education takes place within a commu-
nity, within a network of significant relationships. (FoR 117)
• The EPC is a community that consists of concentric circles with
the young at the centre, and includes the Salesian religious
community, families, lay people in various capacities, and
members of the Salesian Family. (FoR 118)
• The EPC is a living experience of Church. The Preventive
System is at once personal and intensely communal. The
first key element in realizing Salesian Youth Ministry is the
community, and genuine communion is itself an experience
of Church. (C 44-48; R 5; FoR 116)
118. Obviously, the EPC is a living experience of Church in
a particular area. It is a community that is open to all and
collaborates with all – with the local Church and with all
forces in the neighbourhood working for the good of youth.
It exists in contexts that are predominantly Christian, in
those that are post-Christian, as well as in multi-religious
and multicultural contexts. In some places it will include
lay collaborators who are predominantly Christian, while in
others there will be a significant presence of people belong-
ing to different cultures and beliefs. (FoR 121)
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
Inculturation and the
digital universe
GC24 184 says:
We can invite lay people of different beliefs to collaborate with
us in an educative project applicable to different situations
and cultures: “The aspect of religious transcendence, the
cornerstone of Don Bosco’s pedagogical method, is not
only applicable to every culture but can also be profitably
adapted even to non-christian religions.” (Iuvenum Patris
11) “There, (in territories of first evangelization), it will be
possible to work efficaciously, even with lay people who do
not belong to the Catholic Church, provided that there is the
ability to live to the full the experience of Don Bosco and to
put forward in an integral manner both his educative system
and his apostolic spirit.” (Message of John Paul II to GC24)
In every particular situation, then, the EPC is a presence of
the Church, an experience of communion that reflects the
Community of Love that is the Blessed Trinity.
GC21 had called for a rethinking and updating of the Pre-
ventive System “with its operators, content, aim, style, and
means in the various settings in which we work” (GC21 14),
something that the Rector’s Manual of 1986 had echoed in
its call to accomplish the mission “by bringing the Preven-
tive System up to date.” (MSD 109ff ) GC24 declares, as we
have seen above, that the SEPP is the historical mediation
and practical instrument for the inculturation and contextu-
alization of the Salesian charism and mission. (GC24 5)
This is true of the provincial SEPP, but even more so of the
local SEPP, given that it is worked out in each particular
EPC with the diversity of its members.
119. A most urgent form of inculturation today regards dig-
ital culture, which is global, omnipresent and transversal.
GC27 extends a strong invitation to be proactive in this
field.2 This invitation has been reiterated by the Synod on
young people, the faith and vocational discernment.3
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Effective response calls for good networking. The EPC is
certainly one of the places for working out meaningful edu-
cative and evangelizing responses to the challenges posed by
our hyperconnected age, valuing the immense potential of-
fered by the digital universe.
The EPC itself can find help in an active and fruitful ex-
change of experiences within the provincial community, on
the regional and inter-regional levels, in the Salesian Fam-
ily, with various ecclesial and ecumenical realities, and with
other agencies for the education and welfare of youth. Don
Bosco was a great master in gathering all kinds of positive
forces so to ‘save as many as possible.’ His example urges us
to “keep abreast with new trends and meet them with the
well-balanced creativity of the Founder.” (C 19)
7.1.3 The Council of the EPC and/or of the Work
EPCs and the Council of
the Work
120. In complex Works that have several sectors of activ-
ity (parish, school, university hostel, young people in dif-
ficulty), it is possible to have several EPCs. If there is only
one EPC, there will be one Council of the EPC. If there are
several EPCs, each will have its own Council, and there will
be a Council of the Work that will be made up of representa-
tives of the EPC Councils.
It is easy to imagine that the Rector’s role increases in com-
plexity in direct proportion to the complexity of the Work.
Further, if there are lay mission partners who are heads of
various sectors, it is possible that they are often persons of
great competence and expertise. Yet again, real sharing of
responsibility is a function of several other factors, includ-
ing the personality of the Rector and prevalent cultural
models of authority.
Obviously, there is need of a serious effort of formation,
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
Composition of the
animating nucleus
including joint formation of Salesians and lay mission part-
ners, in order to reduce the incidence of personal and cul-
tural factors. However, it helps also, as GC24 wisely re-
quested, to define precisely the specific task of the Rector
within the EPC Council and the Council of the Work.
(GC24 161) Such definition is the responsibility of the
Provincial and his Council in dialogue with the local Sale-
sian community. (GC24 169)
• The Rector participates in the provincial initiatives for the for-
mation of Rectors.
• He studies with his Council and in the EPC the Frame of Refer-
ence in order to understand the EPC and the SEPP as instru-
ments for the inculturation and contextualisation of the Preven-
tive System.
• Whether the context is Christian, post-Christian or multi-reli-
gious, the Rector and his Council promote the EPC, in a spirit
of openness, dialogue and creativity.
• The members of the EPC remember that inculturation today
involves learning to inhabit the digital world so as to be able
to accompany the young, and so as to use it as a fertile terrain
for evangelisation.
7.2 THE SALESIAN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
WITHIN THE EPC
7.2.1 The animating nucleus
121. R 5 implies that the Salesian religious community is
the animating nucleus of the EPC. GC25 points out, instead,
that “the animating nucleus of the EPC is becoming com-
posed ever more of other subjects (young and lay people,
members of the Salesian Family, representatives of the lo-
cal Church and neighbourhood), who share our spirituality
and mission committing themselves to animation.” (GC25
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70) It goes on to say that the Salesian community, while not
being identical with the animating nucleus, is a significant
part of the animating nucleus of the EPC, its charismatic
point of reference.4 This is a ratification of the expansion
of the animating nucleus by Fr J.E. Vecchi in his 1998 let-
ter, “‘Experts, witnesses and craftsmen of communion.’ The
Salesian community – animating nucleus”:
What do we mean by ‘animating nucleus’? It is a group of
people who identify themselves with the salesian mission,
educational system and spirituality, and together take up
the task of assembling, motivating, and involving all those
who are concerned with a work, so as to form with them
the educative community and to carry out a plan for the
evangelization and education of the young.5
The Frame of Reference makes it clear that all in the educa-
tive and pastoral communities, Salesians as well as lay peo-
ple – including young people and their parents – participate
in its animation, but that some have the specific task of pro-
moting the contribution of all, taking care of the quality and
coordination of the animation and paying particular atten-
tion to the Salesian identity and quality of education and
evangelization. These people constitute the animating nu-
cleus of the EPC. (FoR 125)
Key to good functioning
of the EPC
122. The animating nucleus – or the Council of the EPC
– is the key to the good functioning of the EPC. It is there-
fore important to guarantee the spiritual quality, educa-
tional competence and pastoral passion of this nucleus. Any
change in the quality of the animating nucleus brings about
change in the EPC as a whole, and eventually in the territory
and in the local Church.6
Even when facing difficulties of various kinds, giving the nec-
essary attention to a good Council of the EPC can be really
decisive for the good running of the Work. When it is not
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
possible to plan with the whole EPC, such planning can be
done in the animating nucleus or even only with those who
are available. If the SEPP cannot be implemented at the lev-
el of the Work as a whole, we can always create learning pro-
cesses that favour the growth of smaller groups of people.7
Finally, it is good to remember that formation takes place also
through action: “the first and best mode of self-formation to
participation and shared responsibility is the correct func-
tioning of the educative and pastoral community.” (GC24
43) In short, a stable, well-formed animating nucleus capable
of thinking, evaluating and planning with a good rhythm of
work and meetings is the key to the functioning of the EPC.
7.2.2 The different relationships between the
Salesian community and the Work
Variety of situations
123. We are faced, however, with a variety of situations as
far as the ‘relationship between community and Work’ is
concerned:
A. Works entrusted jointly to the Salesian community and
to lay people.
B. Works entrusted to lay people under the direction of the
Province.8
It is important to note that there is no third model, one
formed by “Salesians only,” which was, before Vatican II, the
only possibility.
A. Works entrusted jointly to the Salesian
community and to lay people
The Salesian community
within the animating
nucleus
124. In Works entrusted jointly to the Salesian religious
community and to lay people, the community is a significant
part of the animating nucleus of the EPC, and is the guiding
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model for the pastoral identity of this nucleus. The Salesian
community provides the witness of religious life, safeguards
the Salesian charismatic identity by being present among
the young, promoting the family spirit, and participating in
the drawing up of the SEPP. It promotes communion, par-
ticipation and collaboration. It takes primary responsibility
for spiritual, Salesian and vocational formation. (GC24 159)
Such a sharing of the spirit and mission of Don Bosco with
lay people is a new phase in the development of our charism.
From it follows the need for the Salesian religious commu-
nity to reflect on and assume fully its relatively new role
within the EPC. Especially in contexts where the EPC has
still to take root, the Salesian community is called to make
a shift from exclusive responsibility for Works, with lay
people as helpers, to sharing responsibility effectively with
lay people as active mission partners, while assuming the
commitment to form them pastorally and spiritually. (FoR
274-275) This involves a momentous shift from a pyrami-
dal structure of authority to a more participative style, where
personal relationships and processes are of the greatest im-
portance. Further, the autonomy of the Council of the EPC/
Work must be guaranteed, following the principle of sub-
sidiarity and decentralization well expressed in C 124:
Authority of any kind and at every level leaves to the
initiative of lower levels and of individuals whatever can be
decided and done by them, according to their respective
competence. In this way the worth of individuals and
communities is recognized, and more real involvement is
encouraged.
The principle of subsidiarity implies decentralization which,
while safeguarding unity, recognizes a proper autonomy
and consequently a right distribution of powers between
the different organs of government.9
The Province defines the 125. The concrete form of the relationship between the
relationship between the
Salesian community and
Salesian community and the Work, or sectors of it, cannot
the EPC
be reduced to a single model. (GC26 120) In certain cases,
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
the Frame of Reference recommends that the Salesian iden-
tity and coordination of the Work be the responsibility of
the Province, while the local community, often reduced in
numbers, can delegate Salesians for pastoral animation, for-
mation and accompaniment of the staff, according to the
criteria proposed by GC24 164, in collaboration wherever
possible with members of the Salesian Family. (FoR 279) In
all cases, the precise relationship between the Salesian com-
munity and the Work, as also the authority of the Rector, is
codified in the provincial and local SEPP.
Thus each province defines and designs ways that favour the
best possible collaboration between the Salesian communi-
ties and the EPC, contextualising guidelines according to
the different social environments and specific settings and
Works. Guiding principles are to be given for the relation-
ships between the Local Council and the Council of the
EPC; Rectors and directors, principals, heads of depart-
ments and others holding key positions; Provincial Dele-
gates and local animators.
During the provincial visitation, a specific Memorandum of
Understanding may be finalized, so to foster the best coop-
eration in full respect of due autonomy of the various per-
sons and organisms involved in the Work.
• The Salesian community prepares itself for its role in the ani-
mating nucleus of the EPC by study, reflection and assimila-
tion of the relevant documents and guidelines of the Congre-
gation (among them GC24 and FoR, but also the provincial and
local SEPP).
• The Rector and the Local Council collaborate with the Provin-
cial and his Council in the elaboration of the local model of an-
imation and governance, indicating criteria for the composition
of the Council of the EPC/Work, and defining the competences
of each organism and of the Salesian community in the Work.
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• The Rector encourages his confreres to accompany pro-
cesses in the EPC.
• The Provincial and his Council accompany Rectors and
support them according to the specific relationship of each
community with the EPC.
• The Provincial Delegates for Youth Ministry and Forma-
tion, with the respective provincial commissions, in contact with
the various educative pastoral communities, prepare adequate
modules of formation for Rectors, and for Salesians and lay peo-
ple together.
B. Works entrusted to lay people under the
direction of the province
The animating nucleus
consisting entirely of lay
people
126. GC26 speaks of “activities and Works entirely entrust-
ed by the Salesians to lay people, or set up by lay people and
recognised in the Provincial Plan, according to the criteria
indicated by GC24, nn. 180-182.” The two essential condi-
tions here are (1) the criteria of identity, communion and
significance of Salesian activity; (2) accompaniment by the
Provincial and his Council. (FoR 279) The Work has no
direct reference to any local Salesian community, and the
animating nucleus is made up entirely of lay people. “To
lay people in a Salesian Work where there is no religious
community must be ensured, in whatever way possible, that
there is real participation and responsibility in the organiza-
tion and management, and in all the functions that belong
to the animating nucleus.” (FoR 126)
In this case also it belongs to the Provincial and his Council
to define the local model of animation and governance for
the Work, and animate and govern it in a manner analogous
to those in which a Salesian community is present, with the
help of a confrere nominated for the purpose, and by means
of the annual canonical visitation. (Cf. FoR 280 for details)
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
• The setting up of the Council of the EPC and the elaboration
of the SEPP are carefully followed up and accompanied by the
Provincial or by a designated confrere, with the help of the Pro-
vincial Delegates for Youth Ministry and Formation.
• The SEPP indicates the modality of interaction between the
Lay Director, the Delegate of the Provincial, the Council of
the EPC and the Provincial Council.
• The formation in Salesian identity of the members of the
EPC at various levels will be part of the processes defined in the
SEPP and followed up closely by the Delegate of the Provincial
for that Work.
7.3 THE SALESIAN COMMUNITY: CHARISMATIC
POINT OF REFERENCE IN THE EPC
The Salesian religious
community: charismatic
point of reference
127. We have been saying that the Salesian religious com-
munity, where it exists, always shares responsibility for a
Work with lay members of the animating nucleus. But what,
we might ask, is the position and role of the Salesian com-
munity in such a situation? What is the specificity that a re-
ligious community today is called to bring to lay people who
share with them the passion for education and the apostolic
mission? What is the professional quality proper to Sale-
sians today, in which they must be competent in a definite
and unmistakable way? GC25 offers us a very clear answer,
as it is stated in the Frame of Reference:
It should be emphasised that the Salesian religious
community (cf. C. 38, 47, R. 5), with its spiritual heritage, its
educational method, its relationships of fraternity and
shared responsibility for the mission, is the point of reference
for the pastoral identity of the animating nucleus: “The
Salesian community plays the role of the charismatic point
of reference from which all take their inspiration.” (GC25,
no.70).10
The Rector, guardian of 128. Within the religious community, the Rector is “first in
charismatic identity
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order of responsibility… for its apostolic activities” (C 176)
and “guides the community in pastoral discernment, so that
it may accomplish its apostolic plan in unity and fidelity.” (C
44) GC24 continues to consider him, along with the Provin-
cial, a key figure in the sharing of the spirit and mission of
Don Bosco with lay people.11 “As the one responsible in the
first place for the EPC the SDB Rector animates the anima-
tors and safeguards the over-all unity of the project.” (FoR
275) On the Rector, then, in a special way, falls the respon-
sibility of being guardian of the charismatic identity of the
EPC.
Promoter of a new style
of authority
129. The Rector is conscious that he has primary respon-
sibility for the apostolic activity and administration of the
goods of the community, and also for the EPC: “In it the
final word, after patient research, will belong to him, always
in dialogue with his Council.” (GC24 172) However, he also
knows that he is a promoter of the new style of authority
summarized in the four words of GC24 (107-148): broaden-
ing the involvement, promoting the sharing of responsibility,
making best use of communication, and qualifying formation.
Animation of animators
as a vocational trait of
SDBs
130. GC24 declared that every SDB is an animator. (GC24
159) “To be animators therefore of the activity of persons
involved in Don Bosco’s mission and spirit,” says Fr Vecchi,
“is not an extra function for particular occasions: it is a vo-
cational trait forming part of the identity of the consecrated
individual Salesian or community, and a main part of the
pastoral praxis.” (AGC 363 p. 23) For the Salesian commu-
nity, therefore, the first objective of its activities is the EPC,
and the first service is that of spiritual and Salesian anima-
tion. “We are called not only to give dynamism to a group
of educators or collaborators by suitable methods; we are
called to give rise to ‘an experience of Church’, to give rise
to and extend a vocational reality. It is not only a matter of
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
Professionals of
evangelization
Shared holiness
making better use of the resources we have available, the
laity for example, but of communicating the faith and the
Salesian spirit. In this way animation comes to be a primary
part of our mission and an original manner of living our com-
munion.” (AGC 363 p. 21-22)
7.3.1 Spiritual animation
131. As consecrated persons, we are called to be spiritual
animators, or professionals of evangelization within an edu-
cational context. Our animation is not merely cultural or
social, nor concerned merely with sports and games; it is an
animation according to the Spirit of the Lord. “Our highest
knowledge therefore is to know Jesus Christ and our great-
est delight is to reveal to all people the unfathomable riches
of his mystery.” (C 34)
Here ‘spiritual’ is to be taken not as limiting but as bringing
together all the other aspects of animation in a particular
perspective. Spiritual animation is concerned, therefore,
about the pastoral quality of our work. It is concerned about
the interpenetration of education and evangelization.
We cannot be spiritual animators unless we live our spiritu-
ality with conviction and express it with joyful spontaneity.
Faith cannot be communicated unless it be lived as the great
resource of one’s own existence. “Spiritual and pastoral re-
newal are two aspects which mutually compenetrate and are
interdependent.” (GC23 217)
132. “The goal of formation, of and with the laity, is a shared
holiness.” (AGC 363 p. 28) “At Valdocco,” GC24 reminds us,
“there was a particular kind of atmosphere: holiness was
built up together; it was shared and mutually communi-
cated, in such a way that the holiness of some cannot be
explained without the holiness of the others.” (GC24 104)
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Pedagogy of prayer
133. The capacity for spiritual animation presupposes the
experience of prayer. Prayer gives back to us the taste for be-
ing with Christ and the meaning of the mission. A healthy
life of prayer will enable the community “to set up a pedago-
gy of prayer leading to a personal relationship with Christ.”
It is a question of moving beyond offering occasional expe-
riences to become “educators and masters in spirituality…
companions and authoritative witnesses, leaders and guides
in the ways of spirituality.” (AGC 363 p. 27)
This is what the Church expects of consecrated persons.
“Today a renewed commitment to holiness by consecrated
persons is more necessary than ever, also as a means of pro-
moting and supporting every Christian’s desire for perfec-
tion. … To the degree that they deepen their friendship
with God, consecrated persons become better prepared to
help their brothers and sisters through valuable spiritual ac-
tivities.” (VC 39)
In Christian contexts, the Rector and the community will
ensure attention to key elements: the experience of faith,
the Personal Plan of Life, vocational motivations, pastoral
charity and apostolic commitment, the sense of the Church
and fidelity to the Pope, the ecclesial sense of mission, the
life of the sacraments, growth in prayer, discernment of
one’s charismatic gifts received from the Holy Spirit, and
the presence of Mary in the Church and in the Salesian
vocation…. They will regard the participation of the young
and our collaborators in our prayer as a significant way of
introducing them to prayer and giving them a taste for it.
Spiritual accompaniment
134. The Rector and the Salesian community take particular
care of spiritual accompaniment. In the light of our tradition
and strengthened by the invitation of the Synod on young
people, the faith and vocational discernment, they promote
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
the vital complementarity of community and personal ac-
companiment. They willingly make themselves available
for this service and prepare themselves and the lay mission
partners for it.12 Christus Vivit dedicates Chapter 8 to vo-
cation and Chapter 9 to discernment, and offers important
indications to those who accompany young people. (Cf. CV
242-247)
In non-Christian or
post-Christian contexts
135. In contexts that are predominantly non-Christian or
post-Christian, the spiritual animation of the EPC calls for
particular creativity and boldness (parrhesia). This is one of
the areas of the inculturation of our ministry. As indicated
by GC24, here the Preventive System is both criterion and
basis: “With those who do not accept God we can journey
together, basing ourselves on the human and lay values
present in the Preventive System; with those who do accept
God and the transcendent we can go further, even to wel-
coming their religious values; and finally, with those who
share our faith in Christ but not our membership of the
Church, we can walk still more closely on the path of the
Gospel.” (GC24 185) Human values, religious values, Gos-
pel values: these are the bases for an inculturated and con-
textualized ministry of spiritual and pastoral animation on
the part of the Rector and the EPC.
What is important, as we have said already, is that Chris-
tians in the EPC live in fidelity to their vocation and the
evangelising mission of the Church according to the Sale-
sian charism. (GC24 183-185)
Rector, animator
of animators
136. The Rector, animator of animators, allows his relation-
ship to Christ to emerge in all things and everywhere, and
he animates in a simple and humble way. He is aware that
it is Christ who entrusts confreres, collaborators and young
people to him. He carries out his ministry with a clear
awareness of his own fragility and limitations, and with a
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Centrality
of communion
great confidence in the love of Jesus that precedes, envelops
and sustains him. He is, above all, a man of discernment.
This gift, so central in the magisterium of Pope Francis, is
needed more than ever today, when we are faced with a va-
riety of situations and persons, each with his or her unique
life story and needs. In the animation of the EPC, the capac-
ity to discern is probably the most important quality of the
Rector.
7.3.2 Prophecy of fraternity
137. In a culture of globalized narcissism, where the domi-
nant framework is one of competition rather than commu-
nion, fraternity lived with generosity truly becomes ‘proph-
ecy.’ “An educational and pastoral work animated by a group
of Salesians and lay people that truly works in communion,
sharing and co-responsibility is a living prophecy of frater-
nity, a luminous sign of an ecclesiology of communion that
is being realized and a shining educational signal for all the
beneficiaries of the work: boys and girls, adolescents, youth,
families, the local Church.”13 Communion leads to mission,
and itself becomes mission. (VC 46)
A decisive contribution to communion comes from the wit-
ness of the Salesian community and from its leader, who is
a man of communion and who believes deeply in the cen-
trality of this value. A religious community is confessio Trin-
itatis and signum fraternitatis, a sign of communion within
the Church. By virtue of our call, we are people who create
and maintain communion within the EPC.
The Rector, therefore, with the help of his community, pro-
motes unity and a spirit of family in the EPC and among all
those who contribute to the good of young people. He re-
sists the temptation to create small groups in the EPC of
those who think like him or have some other affinity with
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
him. He takes care of unity centred around a common proj-
ect, coordination between the different sectors of the Work,
good relationships, unity in diversity and involvement of
the Salesian Family.
Looking to Mary, icon of the Church as communion, the
Rector becomes an expert in communion, one who is able
not only to integrate diversity but also to celebrate differ-
ences.
• The Salesian community, led by the Rector, periodically as-
sesses the quality of its animating presence in the EPC.
• It sets up a pedagogy of prayer, also by inviting participation
of young people and lay mission partners in moments of com-
munity prayer.
• It takes special care of community and personal spiritual ac-
companiment, also by preparing both Salesians and laity for
this service.
• It promotes a familiar style of relationships in the EPC, and
periodically assesses the quality of its ‘prophecy of fraternity.’
• Attentive to the pastoral quality of the EPC, it ensures for-
mation of its members, especially with the help of the Frame of
Reference.
• The Rector is keenly attentive to his own formation to the
new style of authority, and makes use of every opportunity,
whether offered by the Province or by others.
7.4 THE SALESIAN COMMUNITY AND THE SEPP
The planning mentality
138. The formulation of an educative and pastoral plan
forms part of the ‘model’ for pastoral ministry that was
worked out in order to implement the indications of GC23
and GC24.14 This is done both at the level of the province
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The local SEPP
The responsibility
of the Rector and his
Council
Ensuring the integrity
of Salesian Youth
Ministry
and at that of the local community. “Just like the Province
community, the local community is called upon to live and
act with a clear planning mentality, a mentality that leads
it to identifying the priority areas it should pay attention
to and making the fundamental choices that should guide
peoples’ lives and activities in various sectors of the work.”
(FoR 268)
139. The planning mentality is made concrete in the SEPP
formulated within and by an educative and pastoral com-
munity. Our pastoral work finds its principal point of refer-
ence in the local SEPP. “The SEPP indicates the guidelines for
carrying out Youth Ministry in all the sectors and areas of the
Work. The SEPP provides for the cohesion and the articula-
tion of the four dimensions which characterise the Salesian
educative and pastoral project.” (FoR 268) The primary pur-
pose of the SEPP is to lead local communities to work with
a shared mind-set and with clear criteria and objectives, and
to make shared management of pastoral processes possible.
(FoR 145) A complete description of it may be found in
Chapter 6 of the Frame of Reference.
140. According to this document, where a Salesian com-
munity is involved in the running of a Work along with lay
people, “the Rector and his Council have primary responsi-
bility for the government and pastoral animation of the Work.
In their hands lies the fundamental responsibility for the co-
ordination and organisation of Youth Ministry. They should
foster procedures leading to involving people, identifying
priorities, allocating resources and initiating reflection.”
(FoR 268) Real sharing of responsibility is governed by the
principles of subsidiarity and decentralization mentioned
in 7.2.2 and concretized in the model of local governance
established by the Province and codified in the local SEPP.
141. The Rector with his Council makes sure that the vari-
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
ous dimensions of Salesian Youth Ministry are present in
the SEPP:
• The dimension of education to the faith: beginning from
where young persons find themselves, we accompany them
to the fullness of life and love which we believe is found in
Jesus Christ;
• The educational and cultural dimension, which is a question
of encouraging the development of all the human resources
of young people and opening them up to the meaning of
life;
• The dimension of group and social experience, which helps
young people discover and value the meaning of commu-
nion, of which the Church is the sign and sacrament;
• The vocational dimension, which means accompanying ev-
ery young person to discover his or her life project in view
of transforming the world into the beautiful place it is
meant to be in God’s plan.
In addition, as the Frame of Reference indicates (FoR 163-
173), the Rector pays attention to certain educational and
pastoral tasks that cut across all sectors:
• The animation of apostolic vocations, ensuring accompani-
ment to those young people who manifest signs of lay, reli-
gious or priestly vocations in the Church. (R 9)
• Missionary animation, as the natural flourishing of every
Christian and community.15
• Social communication, which is for us not only a means of
education but also a significant field of activity that consti-
tutes one of the apostolic priorities of the Salesian mission.
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Strengthening the
planning mentality
(C 43)16 The Rector will give special attention to the digital
universe, given that it is a very relevant part of the identity
of young people today and of their way of living, that it has
profound anthropological and cultural impact, and that it
has great potentialities for both good and evil.
142. Especially in contexts where the planning mentality has
still to take root, the Rector first ensures that the EPC is con-
vinced of the need for a plan. Some useful points here are:
• The SEPP is a way of applying the Preventive System in
each context, including those that are multicultural and
multi-religious or even post-religious.
• A plan makes it possible to define what we are aiming at
in our educational and pastoral work, ensures continuity,
and frees us from the danger of facile improvisation. It be-
comes possible to collaborate within a framework of shared
objectives; the sense of belonging is reinforced, and com-
mon principles are available for evaluating enterprises and
events. (MSD 111-112)
• Choices and planning are based on the experiences and
real needs of the young (C 41, 7; R 1, 4), with discerning
attention to the signs of the times and openness to all posi-
tive values. (C 57, 17)
• Faced with challenging situations, full use is made of the
creativity that is the fruit of pastoral charity and a pastoral
sense. (C 7, 10, 18, 19, 40, 41)
• The SEPP is also a way of ensuring continuity at moments
such as the change of Rectors and other key personnel. The
province will also establish proper “handing over” proce-
dures in this regard.
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Challenges and
difficulties
143. Some of the challenges and difficulties in drawing up
the SEPP stem from internal factors such as the worldwide
expansion of the Congregation in diverse cultural, historical
and geographical contexts, the different kinds of presences
and the different relationships between the religious com-
munity and the Works, the new role that Salesians are called
to play in the EPC, and the growing temporal, cultural and
even linguistic distance from our origins.
Others stem from external factors such as the constantly new
situations of young people, the existence of a plurality of
‘agencies’ of education – including the communication me-
dia and the digital universe, the values of pluralism, freedom
and participation, besides the plurality of cultures and of
religions, and a growing indifference to religion.
The Rector remembers that our very vocation requires us to
live in an attitude of openness, in dialogue with reality, and
with the practical creative sensitivity of the educator and
communicator. He fosters this attitude in himself and then
also in his confreres and in the EPC. It is the ability to learn
by experience in the light of the person of Jesus and of his
Gospel, lived according to the spirit of Don Bosco (C 98),
which is the attitude of discernment, the ability to listen to
the voice of the Spirit in the events of every day and in the
reality that surrounds us. (C 119)
Guidelines for the
elaboration of the SEPP
144. Suggestions regarding the elaboration and evaluation
of the local SEPP in each of the sectors of the Work may
be found in the Frame of Reference of Salesian Youth Min-
istry. These can serve also as guidelines for the Rector and
the Council of the EPC and/or of the Work for ensuring the
educative and pastoral quality of their service.
The Rector’s presence
in the Work
145. Every Salesian Work and setting has its own specific
organization, based on the indications of the SEPP. Ideally,
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Youth Ministry
Coordinator
the Rector is present in all the settings and sectors of the
house with specific competencies (GC24 172), but, especial-
ly in works that are very complex, he must know to delegate
wherever possible. What he needs to know is that he par-
ticipates by right in the Councils of the EPCs when they are
many – respecting the authorities of those Councils – and
presides over the Council of the EPC / Council of the Work
as the case may be.
146. As per the policy of the province, and especially when the
Work is complex, the Rector sees to the appointment of a lo-
cal Youth Ministry Coordinator, Salesian or a lay person, sup-
ported by a team of Salesians and lay people. (FoR 276-277)
The local Coordinator with his team, plans, organises and
coordinates the pastoral activity of the Work, according to
the objectives set out by the local SEPP and the guidelines
and criteria of the Council of the EPC and/or of the Work,
always working closely with the Rector. (FoR 277-278)
• The Rector and his Council participate actively in the elabo-
ration of the local SEPP, sensitive to cultural and religious di-
versity, and in a spirit of dialogue on the basis of the Preventive
System and within its parameters.
• The Rector (or his delegate) participates in the management
of every educative and pastoral setting, and presides at the
Council of the EPC / Work.
• The Rector and the Council of the EPC accompany the elabo-
ration of the SEPP of each sector in the light of the local SEPP;
they also evaluate annually the reports of the sectors, thus pre-
paring for the updating of the local SEPP.
• New Rectors will take care to promote the continuity of the
SEPP and to respect the planning processes that have already
taken place.
• The Rector sees that the model of animation and governance
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7. The rector and the shared salesian mission
established by the Province is implemented, and assures the
presence of Salesians and lay people formed in the Salesian
spirit.
• He ensures the Salesian identity of the SEPP, guiding its elab-
oration, integrating elements of the Salesian spirit in formation
and in the activities.
• He promotes formation processes for Salesians and lay peo-
ple together, especially in the area of educative-pastoral com-
petences proper to the Salesian charism.
• He makes proposals for the assimilation and application of
the Frame of Reference.
• He sees that the integrity and unity of Salesian Youth Minis-
try is preserved in all the activities.
• As per the policy of the Province, he sees to the appointment
of a local Youth Ministry Coordinator and team of Salesians
and lay people. (FoR 276-277)
• He uses the established criteria for the selection and forma-
tion of lay people, making sure to involve the Council of the EPC
and/or of the Work.
• He ensures knowledge and implementation of the provin-
cial Child Protection Policy, and of existing legislation about
‘privacy.’
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8. AN OPEN COMMUNITY
Open to the province,
the congregation,
the Salesian Family,
the Church, the world
147. The Constitutions define the local Salesian community
as a “living part of the provincial community” (C 58), of
the Congregation and of the Salesian Family. It “works in
communion with the particular Church” and “is open to the
world’s values and attentive to the cultural milieu in which
it carries out its apostolic work. At one with those among
whom it lives, it cultivates good relations with all.” (C 57)
Its pastoral activity can be considered at various levels:
• It is activity carried out within the EPC, with the presence
of Salesians and lay collaborators, especially those who be-
long to the Salesian Family;
• It is activity of the Church, both in the sense that the EPC
incarnates and inculturates the Church in a particular mi-
lieu, and in the sense of collaboration with various organs
and bodies of the local Church;
• It is activity within the social milieu.
The local community, therefore, lives and works with shared
responsibility in a wider communion: within the Congrega-
tion, with the Province and with the Rector Major and his
Council; with the Salesian Family and its constituent
groups; with the Church at world and local levels; and fi-
nally with all those who work even partially for the attain-
ment of the same ends.
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To be Salesian is to
belong to the
Congregation
8.1 THE PROVINCIAL AND WORLD COMMUNITIES
148. Just as the universal Church is expressed in the plural-
ism of the various particular churches and the basic group-
ings, so the Salesian Congregation is made up of provincial
communities which in turn are made up of local communi-
ties which provide the concrete setting and practical man-
ner in which the Salesian vocation is fulfilled.” (SGC 506)
The local community is not an island; it is a living part of
the provincial community, which is united by brotherly
communion and the common mission. As a member of the
local and provincial communities, every confrere lives his
membership of the whole Society, in which he was incardi-
nated on the day of his religious profession. (Cf. C 59)
The Salesian vocation has a universal dimension. To become
a Salesian is to enter a great community that the Founder
himself saw would have no frontiers.This world extension is
one of the most outstanding and evangelical features of the
Salesian spirit.
Living this openness at world level means consciously ac-
cepting those responsibilities that have their origin in that
community of spirit, witness and service that the Congrega-
tion offers to the universal Church. (Cf. C 59)
Everything that promotes the transmission of values from
the world headquarters to the provinces and to the indi-
vidual communities and vice versa also enriches our com-
munion, the experience of our vocation and the effective-
ness of our mission. We can think here of the duties of
animation and governance assigned by the Constitutions to
the Rector Major, to Provincials and their Councils, and to
the various pastoral and technical organisms, and also of the
communication within the Congregation (Constitutions,
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8. An open community
Salesians need the
Salesian Family
Acts of the General Chapters, the communications of the
Rector Major and of his Councillors, the various means and
agencies of internal communication).
• The Rector facilitates communication and the constant flow
of information between the local, provincial and world levels.
• He encourages sincere loyalty to the provincial plans as well
as personal availability.
• He fosters solidarity with the provincial community. (R 58, 197)
8.2 THE SALESIAN FAMILY
149. Ideally, the EPC, ought to involve, to the extent pos-
sible, also the various groups and members of the Salesian
Family. However, it is also true that we cannot reduce the
Salesian Family to its involvement in the EPC of a Salesian
Work. This is why it is important to dedicate some space
to a discussion of the relationship between the Rector, the
Salesian community and the Salesian Family.
The Salesian Family was born as part of Don Bosco’s re-
sponse to the demands of his vocation and to the needs of
the youth of his time. Today “the salesians cannot fully re-
think their vocation in the Church without reference to
those who share with them in carrying out their Founder’s
will. Consequently, they are seeking a greater union of all,
while preserving the genuine diversity of each.” (SGC 151)
Salesians need the other groups of the Salesian Family. At
the Church level, the Salesian Family offers us a good op-
portunity to rethink and rediscover the specific nature of
our vocation as evangelizers, and to develop a fresh appre-
ciation for those things that are truly Salesian. (GC21 73)
In the EPC also, the presence of members of the Salesian
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Family strengthens the animating nucleus and ensures fi-
delity to our charism and spirit.
Salesians have particular 150. On the other hand, the Salesian Family, by the express
responsibilities within the
Salesian Family
wish of the Founder, needs the Salesians. In the Salesian
Family, “by the will of the Founder, we have particular re-
sponsibilities: to preserve unity of spirit and to foster dia-
logue and fraternal collaboration for our mutual enrich-
ment and greater apostolic effectiveness.” (C 5) Preserving
unity of spirit, fostering dialogue, and promoting fraternal
collaboration: these are the three responsibilities of the Rec-
tor Major, the Provincial and the Rector, each at his own
level. To this we can add R 36: “It is the duty of the Provin-
cial and the Rector, assisted by their respective delegates, to
sensitize the communities so that they may discharge their
duties in the Salesian Family.”
We need to keep in mind also that, according to R 38-40,
we have a special responsibility towards 5 of the 32 groups
of the Salesian Family: the Salesian Cooperators, the Past
Pupils of Don Bosco, the ADMA, the Volunteers of Don
Bosco (VDB), and the Volunteers with Don Bosco (CDB).
In order to carry out these responsibilities in keeping with
Don Bosco’s charism, we not only insist on the importance
of education and evangelization, but also indicate certain
means.
First, the meeting of the Local Consultative Committee of the
Salesian Family.17 This Committee, which complements the
one at the provincial level, is convoked and presided by the
Rector. The members are the ones in charge of the groups of
the Salesian Family present in the territory of the local
Salesian community. The Committee is an expression of the
charismatic unity of the groups: it becomes a way of pro-
moting communion and ensures the development of the
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8. An open community
Salesian charism. Besides, it is a privileged moment for fa-
vouring dialogue, reflection, planning and collaboration in
the realization of the Salesian mission.
Second, the local celebration of the Day (Feast) of the Sale-
sian Family. Here the groups of the Salesian Family come
together for prayer and formation, in order to get to know
one another better and to celebrate the joy of belonging to
the Family of Don Bosco.
Third, collaboration. This can be done in different ways, and
is greatly facilitated when there are delegates for the Sale-
sian Family. It is quite possible that the Rector himself is
the local delegate for the Salesian Family or of some group
within it.
The Charter of the Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family
of Don Bosco (2012) is today indispensable for understand-
ing the Salesian Family and its importance. It deserves to be
better known and studied if we are to make the Salesian
Family a living and vibrant reality.
The Salesian Movement
151. It is important to mention here also the Salesian Move-
ment. C 5 tells us that Don Bosco “inspired the start of a vast
movement of persons who in different ways work for the
salvation of the young.” The Charter of the Salesian Family
speaks, in fact, of different levels of belonging to the Fam-
ily, the third level being constituted by particular titles to
membership, or “the circle of people who form part of the
vast Salesian Movement and find in the Salesian Family their
animating nucleus. This is formed by the Friends of Don
Bosco, by the Salesian Youth Movement and more in gen-
eral, by Salesian voluntary social service and by an exten-
sive category of men and women educators, catechists, adult
professionals, sympathetic politicians, co-workers, even
those belonging to different religions and cultures, who are
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working in the five continents.”18
The Rector plays a fundamental role in promoting the sense
of belonging and in ensuring adequate accompaniment of
the Salesian Family. The vitality and significance of the
Salesian Family in a particular territory, at the level of
Church and society, depends to a large extent on the love
and concern with which the Rector carries out his task of
accompaniment and animation.
• The Rector convokes and presides over the local Consultative
Committee of the Salesian Family, and promotes collabora-
tion among the different groups.
• He ensures the local celebration of the annual Day or Feast
of the Salesian Family.
• He includes the activities of the Salesian Family in the Com-
munity Plan.
• He promotes the study of the Charter of the Charismatic
Identity of the Salesian Family, both in the Salesian commu-
nity and among the groups of the Salesian Family.
• The Rector and the community have a welcoming attitude
towards the members of the Salesian Family.
• The Rector offers Cooperators and Past Pupils office space
and meeting rooms in the house.
• He promotes the commitment of all the members of the Sale-
sian Family in the area of pastoral work for vocations, particu-
larly vocations related to our charism.
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8.3 THE CHURCH
Our place within the life
of the Church
152. An active sensus ecclesiae is so much a part of the living
Salesian tradition that it must be considered a constituent
element of its spirit. (Cf. C 13)
The Rector and the EPC consider the particular Church as
the historical space in which the community lives and ex-
presses its apostolic commitment. (Cf. C 48) The local
Church has, in fact, “the special function of directing to
God the human riches of its people and making them serve
as a particular expression of redeeming grace.” (SGC 80)
The SGC urged us to find our place within the context of
the life of the Church, avoiding both an isolationist mental-
ity and a misconstrued autonomy, or in other words, fear of
working with others and a kind of smug self-sufficiency.
The local community accepts with joy the fact that the
Church and the Congregation share the same goals. In car-
rying out its pastoral work, it always seeks to be in line with
the directives of the diocese and of the Bishops’ Confer-
ences. (Cf. C 48) In collaborating with the local Church, it
distinguishes, of course, between the normal or occasional
kind of collaboration that does not call for an extraordinary
amount of time, and other kinds that, because of the greater
commitment involved, require the authorization of the Pro-
vincial.
In young Churches we participate in a specialized way
through our spirit of predilection for youth, and through
missionary work. Missionary work is an essential feature of
our Congregation. (Cf. C 30) The missions are a preferential
setting for carrying out the Salesian Mission.19 On the oth-
er hand, the missionary dimension remains an essential and
constitutive feature of our identity as a Congregation.
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Collaboration mediated
through the charism
153. Our Constitutions are clear about our collaboration
with the local Church: “We offer the particular Church the
contribution of our work and Salesian pedagogy, and we re-
ceive from it direction and support. To forge more system-
atic links we share initiatives with other groups belonging to
the Salesian Family and with other religious institutes.” (C
48) The Rector will present such collaboration to his con-
freres and to the EPC as an essential value in the light of the
ecclesiology of communion promoted by Vatican Council
II. Such collaboration is, of course, mediated through our
charism. In the local Church, in fact, there are sectors that
fit in very well with our mission, e.g., pastoral work for the
young and for vocations, involvement in the world of work
and with poor neighbourhoods, and in the field of culture
and social communication.
Participation in national
and diocesan
associations of religious
154. The Rector will also promote participation in national
and diocesan associations of religious. Mutuae Relationes
not only recognizes the existence of these but also assigns
them great importance: “The associations of religious at the
diocesan level are very useful; they should therefore be en-
couraged.” (MR 59) Charisms, as Pope Francis has been in-
sisting, are for the sake of communion.20
Love for the Church and
the Pope
155. As a pontifical Congregation present in all the con-
tinents and in a large number of countries, we nurture
a strong sense of belonging to the universal Church, and
we foster love for the Church in the people with whom we
work, especially those who share the Catholic faith.
Faithful to our Founder we cultivate a special filial devotion
towards the successor of Peter.
The Salesian Society has as its highest superior the Supreme
Pontiff. Even by reason of the vow of obedience, the mem-
bers are filially submissive to his authority, and available for
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8. An open community
the good of the universal Church. They welcome his magis-
terium with docility and help the faithful, especially the
young, to accept his teachings. (C 125)
The Rector will promote these charismatic dimensions of
filial love towards the Church and the Pope through the
means of animation at his disposal, supported by the Local
Council.
• In his talks, conferences and other moments of animation, the
Rector promotes a sense of belonging to the local Church.
• Through active contact with the local Church, he works out
ways of participating in the diocesan pastoral project.
• He personally participates and encourages participation of
confreres in the initiatives of the diocesan and national asso-
ciations of religious.
• He promotes the missionary spirit and awareness in the re-
ligious community and in the EPC, as also forms of practical
commitment to the mission ad gentes.
• He nurtures and fosters the sense of belonging to the univer-
sal Church and promotes the knowledge and acceptance of the
magisterium of the Pope.
8.4 THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
Networking and
advocacy in the civil and
social context
156. The Salesian work carried out by the EPC is itself our
action within a particular neighbourhood. However, a fur-
ther word on the neighbourhood might not be out of place,
given especially that, according to C 48, “We are ready to
cooperate with civil organizations working in the fields of
education and social development.”
This kind of collaboration is also a way of rendering service
to the Church in a particular neighbourhood, area or terri-
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Social and political
education
tory. Wherever possible, we become part of the civil and
social context, so as to be able to be a Christian presence
and also exert, where possible, a Christian influence in the
field of legislation. Fidelity to our vocation today demands
such participation, especially through the ‘lay’ presence of
Salesian Brothers, lay collaborators, and groups of the Sale-
sian Family. As the SGC says, “The community shares in
the dynamism of the Church and is intended for and open
to the service of its fellows, offering to all the benefit of the
graces the Lord has showered on it. It joyfully cultivates and
enlivens with its faith the relationships which bind it to
people of other backgrounds, whether through kinship, in-
spiration, work, ideals, or on the grounds of duty, propriety,
friendship, or charity.” (SGC 507)
157. Involvement in the neighbourhood also implies social
and political education so as to prepare ‘honest citizens’ who
see active social and political participation as part of their
moral responsibility, and who know the need to become
citizens of the world.21 GC26 speaks of moving from “a wel-
fare mentality, to involving poor young people in being ac-
tive agents of their own development and active in the social
and political field.” (GC26 104; cf. also 98) All recent popes
have encouraged Catholics to embrace the vocation to poli-
tics as a high form of charity. Benedict XVI, for example,
repeatedly called for the formation of Catholics capable of
assuming responsibility in the various areas of society, “es-
pecially in politics. This area needs more than ever people
who are capable of building a ‘good life’ for the benefit and
at the service of all, especially young people. Indeed, Chris-
tians, pilgrims bound for Heaven but who already live an
anticipation of eternity on earth cannot shirk this commit-
ment.”22 Pope Francis has also invited the faithful to become
interested and participate creatively in politics, and young
people to be ‘young and committed’ to giving a Christian
reponse to the building of a new society. (CV 168-174)
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The digital universe
158. Further, we must not forget that the neighbourhood
today is not merely physical but also digital. In Don Bosco’s
time the Salesian work took place within an institutional
system “that was closed, separated, apolitical, autonomous,
where everything happened within a clear and self-suffi-
cient educative space, where the officially recognized mas-
ters were Don Bosco and his ‘sons,’ and where a single and
simple culture reigned, one that was Catholic and popular,
whose only aspiration was that of being equipped with suf-
ficient earthly means while awaiting the heavenly reward.”23
Today it is clear that Salesians are no longer the sole agents
of education, not only in the sense that the subject of the
Salesian mission is the EPC, but also that the new informa-
tion technology – the digital world – is now a formidable
agent of education that is contributing to a change of culture
and of anthropology. (AGC 427 17-19).
“The digital world, ‘the new areopagus of modern times,’
challenges us as educators of the young: it is a ‘new play-
ground,’ a ‘new oratory’ which demands our presence and
encourages us to new forms of evangelization and educa-
tion.” (GC27 62) Being servants of the young, therefore,
means committing ourselves to entering the digital world
“where the young in particular are at home in a significant
and educational manner, ensuring the appropriate profes-
sional and ethical formation of confreres and collaborators,
and applying the Salesian Social Communication System
(SSCS).” (GC27 75.4) Christus Vivit recognizes the scope of
the digital world in Youth Ministry. (Cf. CV 86-90)
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• With the Council of the EPC, the Rector studies ways of par-
ticipating in the civil and social context, and of collaborating
with civil organizations working in the fields of educational and
social development.
• The Rector and the Council of the EPC plan and implement
proposals for the socio-political education of the young.
• The Rector and the Council of the EPC also commit them-
selves to formation in the area of the digital world, so as to be
better prepared for their work of education and evangelization of
this ‘new playground’ and ‘new oratory.’
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Note
1 The FoR brings together all the preceding Salesian orientations and
guidelines. This explains the abundance of references to the FoR in the
present part of The Salesian Rector.
2 GC27 62; see also 25 and 75.
3 XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Young People,
the Faith and Vocational Discernment: Final Document 21-24; 145-146.
See also CV 86-90.
4 GC25 70, 78. FoR 125-126, 275.
5 AGC 363 I.2, cited in GC25 79, note 49.
6 This is known as the ‘inside-out’ principle: bring about change at
lower and less complex levels in order to promote change at higher and
more complex ones. Cf. M. Vojtaš, Progettare e discernere. Progettazione
educativo-pastorale salesiana tra storia, teoria e proposte innovative (Rome:
LAS, 2015) 281.
7 Vojtaš 314.
8 AGC 363 pp. 9-10 It is interesting that Fr Vecchi speaks of two
possible ways of constituting the animating nucleus, one formed by
Salesian consecrated persons and lay people, and the other formed by
lay people alone, but considers the latter as ‘complementary’:
The type we are dealing with here, which ought to lead to
the implementation of provincial plans for relocation and
redimensioning, is one in which the Salesian community
is present in sufficient numbers and in quality to animate,
together with some lay people, an educative community
and project, accepting that this allows of a variety of styles
of implementation depending on the number of confreres
and roles.
The other kind, the one in which only lay people make up
the immediate animating nucleus is complementary: it is a
possibility which could answer certain particular problems
of either personnel or initiatives, and always looks to the
“Salesian nucleus” as the inspirational model to inspire it
and in which to find support. (AGC 363 I.2)
GC25, as we have said already, consolidated and ratified Fr Vecchi’s
expansion of the animating nucleus but did not pronounce on the kinds
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of Salesian Works. (GC25 70, 78-81)
GC26, instead, while somehow not attentive to this expansion of
the animating nucleus, recognizes (a) “works managed by a Salesian
community that is the animating nucleus of a wider educative pastoral
community”; (b) “activities and works entirely entrusted by the Salesians
to lay people, or set up by lay people and recognised in the Provincial
Plan, according to the criteria indicated by GC24, nn. 180-182”; and
(c) “varied forms of management that cannot be reduced to a single
model, in which the relationship between a local community and a work
(or more works) persists, but this (or sectors of it) are managed by lay
people.” (GC26 120. FoR 126-127, 273-280)
9 Cf. the comment in PL 893-895.
10 FoR 126. Cf. also GC25 78, 80.
11 GC24 172; cf. 169-171.
12 XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Young
People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment: Final Document 95-97.
13 Rossano Sala, “Il segno della Comunità Educativo-Pastorale. Profezia
di fraternità nello spirito e nella missione salesiana oggi,” Fare di ogni
CEP la casa e la scuola della comunione. Atti Convegno Nazionale sulla
Comunità Educativo-Pastorale, Salesianum – Roma, 16-19 febbraio
2017 (Roma, 2017) 66-67.
14 Cf. AGC 363 p.4-7. The other elements in the model are the EPC,
the animating nucleus and the knowledge of the situation and mentality
of young people.
15 Cf. Missions Department and Formation Department, Missionary
formation of the Salesians of Don Bosco (2014).
16 Cf. Social Communications Department, Salesian Social
Communication System (2011).
17 Charter 46.
18 Charter 3.
19 GC27 p. 129.
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Note
20 Apostolic Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to all Consecrated People
on the Occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life (21 November 2014) (21
November 2014) 3.
21 Pascual Chávez,“Don Bosco’s Educational System Today,”Divyadaan:
Journal of Philosophy and Education 21 (2010) 6-7.
22 Benedict XVI, To members of the Second Ecclesial Convention of
Aquileia, Basilica of Aquileia, 7 May 2011, at http://www.clerus.org/
bibliaclerusonline/en/ctx.htm.
23 Chávez, “Don Bosco’s Educational System Today” 5.
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CONCLUSION
Incorporating stimuli
159. Our new edition of the Rector’s Manual has tried to
and contributions from
Church and Congregation
incorporate, with varying measures of success, the stimuli
and contributions coming from the Church and the Con-
gregation during the last three decades. The structure of
the text itself reveals the concerns of the last few General
Chapters – the perspective given by our apostolic consecra-
tion (GC26 and GC27), the Rector in the Salesian religious
community (especially GC25), the Rector and the religious
community in the EPC (GC23 and GC24).
Brother among brothers,
man of faith
and joy
160. Given the centrality of the role of the Rector in our
tradition, the Manual will still appear as asking too much
from a single person. We need to keep in mind, however,
the relational model of authority, with the passage from the
centrality of the role of authority to the centrality of the
dynamic of fraternity. No individual, however brilliant, can
carry today all the weight of authority. The Salesian Rec-
tor, while retaining his personal authority, remains a brother
among brothers – a brother who believes deeply and hopes
because he knows he has been given the gift of love, like Pe-
ter. He lives with a keen awareness of his own limits and of
those of his community, with a deeply Salesian sensitivity to
his brothers and sisters and especially to the needs of young
people on the margins of life.
He knows therefore that the service entrusted to him en-
tails suffering, and with Don Bosco and Mamma Mar-
garet he turns his eyes to the cross. But he also lives with
the light-heartedness and joy of one who knows that the
world has been saved. He may not have all the gifts that
our documents – and also confreres and lay mission part-
ners – expect him to have, but he knows he can always be
a man of faith and a brother who knows how to keep his
community welcoming and hospitable, opening its doors
to all in a communion that expands in concentric circles.
He is aware of course that his role involves governance,
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Conclusion
The salesian rector
and he accepts – according to his temperament – all that
this entails.
With humble entrustment 161. With his confreres, the Rector entrusts himself to our
to Mary and our Heavenly
Protectors
heavenly protectors, all those who have gone before us, and
most especially to Mary, mother and teacher, the woman
of valour who knows when to ask for help, when to stand
at the foot of the cross, and when simply to keep things in
her heart, walking always before the luminous cloud of the
Father’s will.
At the age of 26, Michael Rua became the first Rector of
the Congregation at Mirabello. To him Don Bosco gave the
first, handwritten ‘Rector’s Manual,’with the precious words
“Studia di farti amare” – “Strive to make yourself loved,”
which are now inscribed on the cross given to each confrere
at perpetual profession. Fr Rua, the ‘living rule,’ is the first
and best interpreter of what Don Bosco wanted his Sale-
sians and his Rectors to be. With the words of Don Bosco
ringing in our ears – “You will write the fair copy” – we ask
Blessed Rua to intercede for us that we might be faithful
interpreters of the mind of our Father and Founder.
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APPENDIX I
DON BOSCO’S ‘CONFIDENTIAL
REMINDERS’ TO RECTORS
We present here the last printed version of Don Bosco’s ‘Confiden-
tial Reminders’ to Rectors. It is dated 8 December 1886, about a
year before Don Bosco’s death.1 The origin of this document is a
letter written to Fr Rua whom Don Bosco had asked, in 1863, to
take responsibility as Rector at Mirabello, the first Salesian house
outside Turin. The twenty-six points of the original letter to Fr
Rua were enriched by new content over the intervening years.
For yourself
1. Let nothing disturb you.
2. Avoid austerity in food. Let your mortifications be diligence
in your duties and putting up with the annoyances of others.
Get seven hours of rest each night. That can vary more or less
for you and others when there is some reasonable motive. This
is useful for your health and that of your dependants.
3. Celebrate Holy Mass and recite the breviary pie, attente ac
devote (piously, attentively and devoutly). This is for you and
for your dependants.
4. Every morning never omit meditation and during the day
a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. For other things, do as indi-
cated in the Rules of the Society.
5. Learn how to make yourself loved rather than feared. Let
charity and patience constantly accompany you in command-
ing and correcting and act in such a way that everyone knows
by your words and deeds that it is the good of souls you are
seeking. Put up with anything when it is a matter of prevent-
ing sin. Let your concerns be directed to the good of the
youngsters whom Divine Providence has entrusted to you.
6. In matters of greater importance always lift your heart
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briefly to God before making a decision. When some report
is made to you, listen to everything but try to discern the facts
well and listen to both parties before making a judgement.
Often on first hearing of them, things seem like wooden
beams that are merely splinters.
With the teachers
1. See that teachers are lacking nothing they need regarding
food and clothing. Note their efforts and if they are ill or sim-
ply unwell, quickly send someone to substitute them in class.
2. Speak with them often, individually or together; see that
they do not have too much to do, or if they lack clothing or
books, or have some physical or moral concern or if they have
pupils in class who need to be corrected or have particular
disciplinary needs regarding the level and way of teaching
them. As soon as you know of some need do whatever you
can to accommodate it.
3. In appropriate Conferences recommend that their ques-
tions in class cover all the pupils without distinction. They
should read each one’s work in turn. Let them avoid particu-
lar friendships or favouritism and they should never allow
pupils or others into their rooms.
4. If they need to give tasks or advice to pupils, they should
use a room or hall made available for this purpose.
5. When there are Solemnities, Novenas or Feast Days in hon-
our of Our Lady or the Patron Saint of some town, the school,
or one or other Mystery of our Religion, they should say a few
words about it beforehand and should never omit to do this.
6. Keep an eye out to see that teachers never send pupils away
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from the school or, should that be absolutely necessary, see
that they are accompanied by the Superior. They should nev-
er hit delinquent or negligent boys. If something serious hap-
pens they should immediately advise the Director of Studies
or the Superior of the House.
7. Outside of school, teachers cannot exercise any authority
over their pupils and should limit themselves to advice, warn-
ings or at most corrections that suggest that they mean to do
so charitably.
With the assistants and those in charge of dormitories
1. Most of what has been said concerning teachers can be ap-
plied to those in charge of the dormitories.
2. Try to share out tasks so that both for teachers and for these
they can have the time and ease for attending to their studies.
3. Deal willingly with them to listen to their opinion about
the behaviour of the boys entrusted to them. The most im-
portant aspect of their duties is to arrive punctually where the
boys come together to rest, or for school, work, recreation or
the like.
4. If you see that one of them has engaged in a particular
friendship with a pupil, or that his role or his morals may be
at risk of being compromised, change his duties with all pru-
dence; if the risk continues you should immediately let your
Superior know.
5. Bring the teachers, assistants and those in charge of dormi-
tories together every now and then and tell them to make
efforts to prevent bad conversations, keep out every book,
writing, image or picture (hic scientia est) or anything that en-
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dangers purity, the Queen of virtues, purity. Let them offer
good advice and be charitable to everyone.
6. Let them make it their common concern to discover the
more risky pupils; once they have been found, encourage
them to let you know who these are.
With the coadjutors and service personnel
1. See that every morning they can hear Mass and approach
the Sacraments according to the rules of the Society. Service
personnel should be encouraged to go to Confession every
fortnight or at least once a month.
2. Employ great charity in giving commands, letting people
know by your words and actions that you want the good of
their souls. Keep a special eye out to see that they do not en-
gage in familiarity with the boys or people from outside.
3. Never allow women into the dormitories or the kitchen or
allow them to deal with people in the house unless it is for
charitable matters of something absolutely necessary.This ar-
ticle is of the greatest importance.
4. If arguments or disputes should break out amongst service
personnel, assistants, the boys or others, hear each one out
charitably, but ordinarily I would say offer your view separately
so that one does not hear what is being said about the other.
5. A coadjutor of known probity should be appointed head of
the service personnel to watch over their work and their mor-
al conduct, so that there is no theft or bad conversation. And
take special care to prevent anyone taking on jobs or engaging
in business affairs with relatives or other people outside, who-
ever they may be.
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With the young pupils
1. Never accept pupils who have been expelled from other
[boarding] Colleges or whom you judge to be of bad conduct.
If, despite due caution, you happen to accept one of this kind,
appoint a companion you are certain of who will stay with
him and never let him out of his sight. When he gets involved
in some misdemeanour advise him at least once and if he fails
again he should immediately be sent home.
2. Let the pupils get to know you, and you should get to know
them by spending all the time possible with them, offering
whatever word of affection in their ear you know best as you
see the need, bit by bit. This is the great secret that will make
you master of their hearts.
3. You might ask: what are these words? They are the same ones
that were said to you once upon a time. For example, “How are
you?” “Good.” “And your soul?” “Just so-so.” “Would you like to
help me in a great task, will you help?” “Yes, but what is it?”
“Make yourself good” or “Saving your soul”, or “Make yourself
the best of all the boys.” And with the wilder ones: “When do
you want to start?”“Start what?” “To be my consolation, behav-
ing like St Aloysius.” And for the ones who are a bit resistant
to approaching the sacraments: “When would you like to break
the devil’s horns?” “How?” “With a good confession.” “When
would you suggest?” “As soon as possible.” On other occasions:
“When should we have a good clean-up?” or “Do you feel like
helping me to break the devil’s horns?” “Do you want us two to
be soul friends?” Haec aut similia.
4. In our Houses the Rector/Director is the ordinary Confes-
sor, therefore see that you willingly hear anyone’s confession
but give them full freedom to go to confession to someone
else if they wish. Make it well known that you take no part in
the marks given for good conduct and try to eliminate any
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hint of suspicion that you make use of or even recall what was
told you in Confession. Let there not be even the least hint of
favouritism shown to someone who goes to confession to one
rather than the other.
5. The Altar Boys, the St Aloysius, Blessed Sacrament, Im-
maculate Conception Sodalities should be encouraged and
promoted. Show good will and satisfaction towards those
who are enrolled, but you should only be a promoter and not
their director. Consider such things as being for the boys.
They are entrusted to the Catechist to run.
6. When you succeed in discovering some serious misde-
meanour, have the guilty one or the suspect called to your
room and in the most charitable way try to get him to admit
his fault and the wrong he has committed. Then correct him
and invite him to fix up his conscience. This way and by con-
tinuing to give kindly assistance to the pupil, wonderful re-
sults are obtained and improvements that one would never
have thought possible.
With people outside
1. We willingly lend our efforts for religious services, preach-
ing, celebrating Masses for the public and hearing confes-
sions any time that charity and our duties of state allow us to,
especially for parishes our houses are in. But never take on
tasks or other things that mean you have to be away from the
house or that can affect the roles that each one has.
2. Out of courtesy priests from outside are sometimes invited
to preach or are invited to a Solemnity, musical entertain-
ments and the like. Similar invitations can be made to au-
thorities or any well-deserving or charitable people who have
given us favours or who would be able to.
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3. Charity and courtesy are the characteristic features of a
Rector/Director towards people both inside and outside.
4. In case of questions regarding material matters be as agree-
able as you can, even if there is some disadvantage, so long as
anything that is matter for dispute or any other thing that
could cause a loss of charity are kept far away.
5. If it is a case of spiritual matters, questions are always to be
resolved with whatever gives greater glory to God. Your tasks,
or stubbornness, spirit of vengeance, self-love, arguments,
pretensions and also honour – everything is to be sacrificed to
avoid sin.
6. In matters of grave importance it is good to ask time to
pray and take advice from some pious and prudent individu-
al.
With members of the Society
1. The exact observance of the rules and especially obedience
is the basis of everything. But if you want others to obey you,
you must also obey your superiors. Nobody who is not able to
obey is suitable for being in command.
2. Try to share things out in such a way that nobody is over-
burdened but see that each one does faithfully what is en-
trusted to him.
3. Let nobody in the Congregation draw up contracts, receive
monies, offer loans or lend things to relatives, friends or oth-
ers. Nor let anyone keep money or administer temporal mat-
ters without being directly authorised by the Superior. Ob-
servance of this article will keep some of the problems that
have been fatal for other Congregations far away from us.
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4. Abhor any modification of the Rules like poison. Their ex-
act observance is better than any variation. The best is the
enemy of the good.
5. Study, time, experience have allowed me to have first-hand
knowledge that greed, interest and vainglory were the ruin of
flourishing congregations and respectable religious orders.
Time will also allow you to see the truths that perhaps you
only think are unbelievable right now.
6. Take the greatest care to foster common life through word
and deed.
Giving commands
1. Never command things that you judge to be beyond the
strength of your subjects or that you see they will not obey.
Try to avoid repugnant commands. Indeed, take the greatest
care to support the inclinations each one has by preferably
giving them roles that you know they will enjoy fulfilling.
2. Never command things that are injurious to health or that
hinder them taking the rest they need, or which clash with
other tasks or orders from another superior.
3. When commanding, always use charitable and mild words
and manner. Threats, anger, and even more so violence should
always be far from your words and actions.
4. Where you have to command a subject to do difficult or
repugnant things say, for example: “Could you do this or that
other thing?” or “I have something important that I would
prefer not to ask you to do because it is difficult, but there is
nobody other than yourself who is up to it. You have the time
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and the health; it will not keep you away from other tasks,”
etc. Experience tells us over time that approaches of the kind
have been very effective.
5. Be economical in everything, but ensure absolutely that
those who are ill lack nothing. Amongst other things this lets
people know that we have made a vow of poverty, therefore
we ought not seek comfort nor even desire it in anything. We
must love poverty and what comes with poverty, so avoid any
unnecessary expense in clothing, books, furniture, trips etc.
This is like a Testament that I address to the Directors/Rec-
tors of individual Houses. If this advice is put into practice, I
will die happy because I will be certain that our Society will
flourish even more before men and be blessed by the Lord,
and it will achieve its end, which is the greater glory of God
and the salvation of souls.
Yours affectionately in Jesus Christ,
Fr John Bosco
Turin, 1886, Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
Most Holy,
45th anniversary of the founding of the Oratory
1 Istituto Storico Salesiano, Salesian Sources. 1. Don Bosco and his Work.
Collected Works (Rome: LAS / Bengaluru: Kristu Jyoti Publications,
2017) 478-485.
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APPENDIX II
THE LOCAL SUPERIOR IN THE
CODE OF CANON LAW
We present here the articles of the Code of Canon Law that refer
to the local Superior. The normative hierarchy is indicated in art.
191 of our Constitutions: “The life and activity of communities
and confreres are regulated by the universal law of the Church
and the particular law of the Society. The latter is expressed in
the Constitutions, which represent our basic code, the general
Chapter, the general and provincial directories, and in other
decisions made by competent authorities.” For a more thorough
interpretation of the canons one may refer to the Comments on
the Code of Canon Law and to specific studies in the various
languages.
POWER, FACULTY, DUTIES, OBLIGATIONS
Can. 596 – Personal and collegial Power
§1. Superiors and chapters of institutes possess that power over
members which is defined in universal law and the constitu-
tions.
§2. In clerical religious institutes of pontifical right, however,
they also possess ecclesiastical power of governance for both
the external and internal forum.
§3. The prescripts of cann.131 [ordinary and delegated pow-
er], 133 [limits of the mandate to delegate], and 137 - 144 [modal-
ity in the exercise of executive power] apply to the power men-
tioned in §1.
Can. 608 – The religious house
A religious community must live in a legitimately established
house under the authority of a superior designated according
to the norm of law. Each house is to have at least an oratory in
which the Eucharist is to be celebrated and reserved so that it
is truly the center of the community.
Can. 617 – Modality in the exercise of power
Superiors are to fulfill their function and exercise their power
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according to the norm of universal and proper law.
Can. 618 – Spirit of service
Superiors are to exercise their power, received from God
through the ministry of the Church, in a spirit of service.
Therefore, docile to the will of God in fulfilling their function,
they are to govern their subjects as sons or daughters of God
and, promoting the voluntary obedience of their subjects with
reverence for the human person, they are to listen to them will-
ingly and foster their common endeavor for the good of the
institute and the Church, but without prejudice to the author-
ity of superiors to decide and prescribe what must be done.
Can. 619 – Duties of the Superior
Superiors are to devote themselves diligently to their office and
together with the members entrusted to them are to strive to
build a community of brothers or sisters in Christ, in which
God is sought and loved before all things. Therefore, they are
to nourish the members regularly with the food of the word of
God and are to draw them to the celebration of the sacred lit-
urgy. They are to be an example to them in cultivating virtues
and in the observance of the laws and traditions of their own
institute; they are to meet the personal needs of the members
appropriately, solicitously to care for and visit the sick, to cor-
rect the restless, to console the faint of heart, and to be patient
toward all.
Can. 623 – Appointment
In order for members to be appointed or elected validly to the
function of superior, a suitable time is required after perpetual
or definitive profession, to be determined by proper law, or if it
concerns major superiors, by the constitutions.
Can. 624 – Duration of the appointment
§1. Superiors are to be constituted for a certain and appropriate
period of time according to the nature and need of the insti-
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tute, unless the constitutions determine otherwise for the su-
preme moderator and for superiors of an autonomous house.
§2. Proper law is to provide suitable norms so that superiors,
constituted for a definite time, do not remain too long in of-
fices of governance without interruption.
§3. Nevertheless, they can be removed from office during their
function or be transferred to another for reasons established in
proper law.
Can. 627 – The Council, mandatoriness and responsibilities
§1. According to the norm of the constitutions, superiors are to
have their own Council, whose assistance they must use in car-
rying out their function.
§2. In addition to the cases prescribed in universal law, proper
law is to determine the cases which require consent or counsel
to act validly; such consent or counsel must be obtained ac-
cording to the norm of can. 127.
Can. 629 – The obligation of residence
Superiors are to reside in their respective houses, and are not to
absent themselves from their house except according to the
norm of proper law.
Can. 630 – Norms for the sacrament of penance and the di-
rection of conscience
§1. Superiors are to recognize the due freedom of their mem-
bers regarding the sacrament of penance and direction of con-
science, without prejudice, however, to the discipline of the
institute.
§2. According to the norm of proper law, superiors are to be
concerned that suitable confessors are available to the mem-
bers, to whom the members can confess frequently.
§3. In monasteries of nuns, in houses of formation, and in
more numerous lay communities, there are to be ordinary
confessors approved by the local ordinary after consulta-
tion with the community; nevertheless, there is no obliga-
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tion to approach them.
§4. Superiors are not to hear the confessions of subjects unless
the members request it on their own initiative.
§5. Members are to approach superiors with trust, to whom
they can freely and on their own initiative open their minds.
Superiors, however, are forbidden to induce the members in
any way to make a manifestation of conscience to them.
Can. 636 – The Administrator distinct from the local Supe-
rior
§1. In each institute and likewise in each province which is
governed by a major superior, there is to be a Finance officer
[administrator], distinct from the major superior and consti-
tuted according to the norm of proper law, who is to manage
the administration of goods under the direction of the respec-
tive superior. Insofar as possible, a Finance officer [administra-
tor] distinct from the local superior is to be designated even in
local communities.
Can. 661 – Due care for the ongoing formation of confreres
Through their entire life, religious are to continue diligently
their spiritual, doctrinal, and practical formation. Superiors,
moreover, are to provide them with the resources and time for
this.
Can. 665 – Seeking the religious who withdraws illegiti-
mately from the house
§2. A member who is absent from a religious house illegiti-
mately with the intention of withdrawing from the power of
the superiors is to be sought out solicitously by them and is to
be helped to return to and persevere in his or her vocation.
Can. 687 – Care of the exclaustrated religious
An exclaustrated member is considered freed from the obliga-
tions which cannot be reconciled with the new condition of his
or her life, yet remains dependent upon and under the care of
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superiors and also of the local ordinary, especially if the mem-
ber is a cleric. The member can wear the habit of the institute
unless the indult determines otherwise. Nevertheless, the
member lacks active and passive voice.
Can. 703 – Immediate expulsion from the religious house 1
In the case of grave external scandal or of most grave imminent
harm to the institute, a member can be expelled immediately
from a religious house by the major superior or, if there is dan-
ger in delay, by the local superior with the consent of the Coun-
cil. If it is necessary, the major superior is to take care to begin
a process of dismissal according to the norm of law or is to refer
the matter to the Apostolic See.
Can. 911 – Administering of Viaticum to sick confreres
§1. The pastor, parochial vicars, chaplains, and, with regard to
all those dwelling in the house, the superior of a community in
clerical religious institutes and societies of apostolic life have
the duty and right of bringing the Most Holy Eucharist as
Viaticum to the sick.
Can. 1179 – The funeral rites of deceased confreres
The funerals of religious or members of a society of apostolic
life are generally to be celebrated in their own church or ora-
tory by the superior if the institute or society is clerical; other-
wise by the chaplain.
Can. 1196 – The faculty of dispensing from private vows
In addition to the Roman Pontiff, the following can dispense
from private vows for a just cause provided that a dispensation
does not injure a right acquired by others:
1o the local ordinary and the pastor with regard to all their
subjects and even travellers;
2o the superior of a religious institute or society of apostolic life
if it is clerical and of pontifical right with regard to members,
novices, and persons who live day and night in a house of the
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institute or society;
3o those to whom the Apostolic See or the local ordinary has
delegated the power of dispensing.
Can.1203 –The faculty of dispensing from promissory oaths
Those who can suspend, dispense, or commute a vow have the
same power in the same manner over a promissory oath; but if
the dispensation from the oath tends to the disadvantage of
others who refuse to remit the obligation of the oath, only the
Apostolic See can dispense the oath.
DIOCESAN CHURCH AND APOSTOLIC ACTIVITY
Can. 463 – Participation in the Diocesan Synod
§1. The following must be called to a diocesan Synod as mem-
bers of the Synod and are obliged to participate in it:
[…..]
9o some superiors of religious institutes and of societies of ap-
ostolic life which have a house in the diocese, chosen in a num-
ber and manner determined by the diocesan bishop.
Can. 677 – Fidelity to the mission and works proper to the
Institute and prudent updating
§1. Superiors and members are to retain faithfully the mission
and works proper to the institute.
Nevertheless, attentive to the necessities of times and places,
they are to accommodate them prudently, even employing new
and opportune means.
§2. Moreover, if they have associations of the Christian faithful
joined to them, institutes are to assist them with special care so
that they are imbued with the genuine spirit of their family.
Can. 678 – Rapport with the Diocesan Bishop
§1. Religious are subject to the power of bishops whom they
are bound to follow with devoted submission and reverence in
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those matters which regard the care of souls, the public exercise
of divine worship, and other works of the apostolate.
§2. In exercising an external apostolate, religious are also sub-
ject to their proper superiors and must remain faithful to the
discipline of the institute.The bishops themselves are not to fail
to urge this obligation if the case warrants it.
§3. In organizing the works of the apostolate of religious, dioc-
esan bishops and religious superiors must proceed through
mutual consultation.
Can. 778 – Care for catechetical instruction
Religious superiors and superiors of societies of apostolic life
are to take care that catechetical instruction is imparted dili-
gently in their churches, schools, and other works entrusted to
them in any way.
Can. 968 – Faculty to hear confessions
§1. In virtue of office, a local ordinary, canon penitentiary, a
pastor, and those who take the place of a pastor possess the
faculty of hearing confessions, each within his jurisdiction.
§2. In virtue of their office, superiors of religious institutes or
societies of apostolic life that are clerical and of pontifical right,
who have executive power of governance according to the
norm of their constitutions, possess the faculty of hearing the
confessions of their subjects and of others living day and night
in the house, without prejudice to the prescript of can. 630, §4.
Can. 969 – Competence of the local Ordinary and the power
of the local Superior to delegate
§1. The local ordinary alone is competent to confer upon any
presbyters whatsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of any
of the faithful. Presbyters who are members of religious insti-
tutes, however, are not to use the faculty without at least the
presumed permission of their superior.
§2. The superior of a religious institute or society of apostolic
life mentioned in can. 968, §2 is competent to confer upon any
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presbyters whatsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of
their subjects and of others living day and night in the house.
ACTS REQUIRING CONSENT, OPINION,
PERMISSION
Can. 119 – Elections and other collegial acts
With regard to collegial acts, unless the law or statutes provide
otherwise:
1o if it concerns elections, when the majority of those who must
be convoked are present, that which is approved by the abso-
lute majority of those present has the force of law; after two
indecisive ballots, a vote is to be taken on the two candidates
who have obtained the greater number of votes or, if there are
several, on the two senior in age; after the third ballot, if a tie
remains, the one who is senior in age is considered elected;
2o if it concerns other affairs, when an absolute majority of
those who must be convoked are present, that which is ap-
proved by the absolute majority of those present has the force
of law; if after two ballots the votes are equal, the one presiding
can break the tie by his or her vote;
3o what touches all as individuals, however, must be approved
by all.
Can. 127 – Acts that require the consent or the opinion of a
college, a group or of individuals 2
§1. When it is established by law that in order to place acts a
superior needs the consent or counsel of some college or group
of persons, the college or group must be convoked according to
the norm of can. 166 unless, when it concerns seeking counsel
only, particular or proper law provides otherwise. For such acts
to be valid, however, it is required that the consent of an abso-
lute majority of those present is obtained or that the counsel of
all is sought.
§2. When it is established by law that in order to place acts a
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superior needs the consent or counsel of certain persons as in-
dividuals:
1o if consent is required, the act of a superior who does not seek
the consent of those persons or who acts contrary to the opin-
ion of all or any of them is invalid;
2o if counsel is required, the act of a superior who does not hear
those persons is invalid; although not obliged to accept their
opinion even if unanimous, a superior is nonetheless not to act
contrary to that opinion, especially if unanimous, without a
reason which is overriding in the superior’s judgment.
§3. All whose consent or counsel is required are obliged to offer
their opinion sincerely and, if the gravity of the affair requires
it, to observe secrecy diligently; moreover, the superior can in-
sist upon this obligation.3
Can. 307 – Permission for a religious to form part of an as-
sociation
§3. Members of religious institutes can join associations [of the
Christian faithful] according to the norm of their proper law
with the consent of their superior.
Can. 638 – Permission to carry out extraordinary adminis-
trative acts, alienation and other legal transactions
§1. Within the scope of universal law, it belongs to proper law
to determine acts which exceed the limit and manner of ordi-
nary administration and to establish what is necessary to place
an act of extraordinary administration validly.
§2. In addition to superiors, the officials who are designated for
this in proper law also validly incur expenses and perform ju-
ridic acts of ordinary administration within the limits of their
function.
§3. For the validity of alienation and of any other affair in
which the patrimonial condition of a juridic person can wors-
en, the written permission of the competent superior with the
consent of the Council is required.
Nevertheless, if it concerns an affair which exceeds the amount
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The salesian rector
defined by the Holy See for each region, or things given to the
Church by vow, or things precious for artistic or historical rea-
sons, the permission of the Holy See itself is also required.
Can. 665 – Permission for a religious to absent himself from
the house.
§1. Observing common life, religious are to live in their own
religious house and are not to be absent from it except with the
permission of their superior. If it concerns a lengthy absence
from the house, however, the major superior, with the consent
of the Council and for a just cause, can permit a member to live
outside a house of the institute, but not for more than a year,
except for the purpose of caring for ill health, of studies, or of
exercising an apostolate in the name of the institute.
Can. 671 – Permission for a religious to assume offices or
tasks outside of the institute
A religious is not to accept functions and offices outside the
institute without the permission of a legitimate superior.
1 This provision, of an urgent and extraordinary nature, is not to be
confused with dismissal.
2 Cf. C 181; R 180,181.
The authentic interpretation of can. 127 enacted on 5 July 1985 by the
Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code
of law of the Latin Rite established that, when the Superior requires
the consent of a college or group of persons to emit acts, that Superior
does not have the right to vote with the others, not even to settle
eventual ties.
When instead the act (for example, admission to religious profession or
to sacred orders, or the permission to alienate) is the responsibility of
the Provincial Superior with the consent of his council, and the opinion
of the local Superior with his council is sought, in that case the local
Superior votes along with his council.
3 On the basis of this norm, abstention is not legitimate.
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INDEX
All references are to paragraph numbers in the text.
Accompaniment of laity, 61, 134
Accompaniment of young people, and Personal Plan of
Life, 78
Accompaniment, communitarian and personal, 48
Accompaniment, community spiritual: see Community
spiritual accompaniment
Accompaniment, personal spiritual: see Personal spiritual
accompaniment
Accompaniment, personal: see Personal accompaniment
Accompaniment, spiritual: see Personal spiritual accompa-
niment
Advocacy, 156
Albera, and Rector’s Manual, 1
Amoris Laetitia: and families, 5; and formation of parents,
106
Animating nucleus: and Salesian religious community, 31,
108, 121; composition of, 121-122; key to good functioning
of EPC, 122; Council of EPC, 122; formation of, through
action, 122; presence of Salesians, 57
Animation: primary part of mission, 130; spiritual and
Salesian, first service, 130
Apostolic consecration, 159; and centrality of mission, 18;
and grace of unity, 18
Apostolic project, 32
Appointment of Rectors: see Consultation for appointment
of Rectors
Archives: local, 83, 102; of historical and artistic heritage,
102
Assembly of confreres, 87, 104; exercise of discernment, 87;
and Local Council, 84, 87
Auctoritas, 40; 41, 42; and growth, 40
Authoritarianism, 68, 110
Authoritativeness: of the Rector, 40; needed by youth, 40
Authority, service of: see Rector
Authority: and charism, 42; and consecration, 48; and fra-
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The salesian rector
ternity, 54; and prayer, 50; and proper law, 42; and Studia di
farti amare, 161; and unity in community, 55; fundamental
dispositions in exercise of, 42; new style, 129; new style, for-
mation to, 137; relational model, 160; Salesian style of, 43,
109; shift from pyramidal to participative style, 124; spiri-
tual, 48; Trinitarian nature of, 35. See also Auctoritas and
Potestas
Benedict XVI, 3; and politics, 157
Budget, Rectors’ responsibility, 102
Canon Law, and authority as service, 41, 42
Catechism of the Catholic Church, and priesthood as service,
30
Charism, incarnation of, 116
Charismatic identity: see Salesian identity
Charismatic point of reference: see Salesian religious com-
munity
Charisms: for sake of communion, 154
Charter of the Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family of
Don Bosco, 24, 57, 151
Chávez, Pascual, 3; threefold focus (‘concentration’), 111
Christ, basis of consecrated life, 20, 21; following of, 22;
imitation of, 22; our living rule, 21
Christifideles Laici, and states of life, 23
Christus Vivit, 64, 65, 75, 157; and vocation, 134; and dis-
cernment, 134; and accompaniment of the young, 134; and
digital universe, 158
Chronicle, local, 83
Church, solidarity with, 57
Cimatti, Vincenzo, 21
Clericalism, 26, 68
Collaboration: and Salesian Brothers, 156; in the Salesian
Family, 150; mediated by charism, 153; missionary work,
152; with civil organizations, 156; with local Church, 152;
with other religious, 57, 154
Communication: and child protection, 100; and fraternal
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relationships, 56; Salesian style of, 56; teamwork skills, 85.
See also Social communication
Communion: and mission, 14, 137; centrality of, in EPC,
137; expands in concentric circles, 21 27, 160; in EPC, role
of Salesian community, 137
Community day, 55
Community Plan, 55, 79-80; and charismatic identity, 53;
and community programme, 79; and evangelical counsels,
49; and role of Salesian community in EPC, 61; annual ex-
ercise, 79, 80; distinct from SEPP, 80; gives unity to com-
munity, 79; requested by GC25, 79
Community programme, and Community Plan, 79
Community spiritual accompaniment, 76, 104; and good-
night talk, 77
Community: see Salesian religious community and Educa-
tive and pastoral community
Complementarity: and decision making, 89; between the
two forms of our vocation, 89
Confessor, external, 76
Confidentiality, and friendly talk, 74
Configuration to Christ: see Christ, imitation of
Conflict resolution, and fraternity, 56
Confreres, elderly, 95-96; in initial formation, 90-91; in ir-
regular situations, 100; needing special attention, 99; pass-
ing through difficult moments, 94; sick, 97-98; under re-
striction, 100
Consecrated life: and responsible freedom, 68; and com-
mitment to holiness, 133; at the Marian heart of the Church,
30; founded on Christ, 20, 21; confessio Trinitatis, 27; escha-
tological sign, 23, 25; disciples and apostles, 58; identity of,
23; reproduces Christ’s form of life, 20; rooted in mystery of
Christ and Trinity, 20; signum fraternitatis, 27, 92
Consecration, and mission, 19
Consecration, apostolic: see Apostolic consecration
Consultation for appointment of Rectors, 109, 111
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The salesian rector
Contexts, variety of, 118, 143; Christian, 118, 133; post-
Christian, 118, 135; multi-religious and multicultural, 118;
non-Christian, 135
Conversion: pastoral, 62; structural pastoral, 63
Coordination of sectors, 61
Correction: fraternal, 81-82; for vocational fidelity, 81; for-
mation to, 82; ways of, 82
Council of the EPC/Work, 61, 120; and SEPP, 114
Council, local, 84-85, 104; and assembly of confreres, 84;
and Council of EPC/Work, 85; and lay administrators, 85,
102; and lay people in charge of sectors, 102; and teamwork,
85; competences of, 84; exercise of synodality, 84
Day (Feast) of the Salesian Family, 150
Decentralization, 69, 124, 140
Delegation, need of, 107; Don Bosco’s advice, 107
Dialogue, and building up of fraternal life, 67; and Salesian
style of animation and governance, 66; and Salesian style of
relationships, 67; facilitated by Rector, 66; means for living
out prophecy of fraternity, 67; Rector’s ability to, 42; with
elderly Salesians, 95
Digital continent: see Digital universe
Digital universe: agent of education, 108, 158; and commu-
nity, 56; and our mission, 16; and inculturation, 119; and
ongoing formation, 105; challenge to SEPP, 143
Digital world: see Digital universe
Discernment: and learning by experience, 70; and pastoral
involvement, 60; and SEPP, 143; communitarian, and Rec-
tor, 42; criteria for, 28; dispositions for, 70; keys to, 63; pas-
toral, 58, 62-63; personal and communitarian, 70-71; Rec-
tor’s responsibility for, 71; the basic attitude of lifelong
formation, 70
Discipleship: see Christ, following of
Diversity, cultural, 4, 116; see also Contexts, variety of
Docility, 35
Documents, ecclesial and Salesian, 104
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Don Bosco: and the cross, 160; brother and father, 35; Con-
fidential reminders to Rectors, 1, 2; example of prayer, 50; first
Rector’s Manual, 40, 161; Last Things, 25; presbyteral char-
acter of Rector, 44; self-care of the Rector, 40
Ecclesiology of communion, 115, 153; and EPC, 137
Economy and administration, 101-102, 110; for the sake of
the mission, 101; Rector first responsible, 101
Education, Salesians no longer sole agents, 158
Education, social and political, 157
Educative and pastoral community, 113-146; and commu-
nion, 137; and Council of the Work, 120; and families, 5,
16; and joint formation, 104, 106; and prophecy of frater-
nity, 137; and Salesian Family, 149; and Salesian religious
community, 121-126; and SEPP, 114-120; charismatic
point of reference of, 127-137; experience of Church, 117;
experience of communion, 118; Salesian way of animation,
117; subject and object of pastoral activity, 117; subject of
mission, 114
EPC: see Educative and pastoral community
Eschatology: and consecrated life, 23, 25; and Don Bosco,
25
Eucharist, daily, 51
Evangelical counsels, fidelity to, 49; scrutinies on, 49. See
also Vows
Family of origin: of a sick confrere, 98; of confreres needing
special attention, 100; attention to, 56; and friendly talk, 74
Family spirit, Salesian, 57; and Salesian style of relation-
ships, 56
Family, and EPC, 5, 16
Fernández Artime, Ángel, 3; international communities,
92; our target group, 16; resistance to GC24, 115; shared
mission, 17
Formation of Rectors: main areas, 110; online resources,
111; province meetings, 111; province plan, 108, 111; re-
gional plans, 109
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The salesian rector
Formation of Salesians together with laity: see Formation,
joint
Formation team, convoked periodically by Rector, 85
Formation, joint, 5, 53, 60, 63, 104, 120; and formation of
parents, 106; and Formation Plan, 106; and Preventive Sys-
tem, 106; and Salesian Family, 104; responsibility of Provin-
cial Delegates for Youth Ministry and Formation, 125, 126;
role of Rector, 106
Formation, lifelong, 5, 38, 103-112; and Community Plan,
105; and discernment, 104; and fraternity, 56; and prayer,
51; and provincial directory, 105; and Provincial Formation
Commission, 105; and Provincial Formation Plan, 105; and
vocation ministry, 65; elderly confreres, 95; essential for vo-
cational fidelity, 103; facilitated by Rector, 30; for Rector
himself, 107-112; holiness, goal of, 132; in daily life, 38; in
community, 104-106; primary meaning of formation, 104;
responsibility of the service of authority, 103; sick confreres,
98; various means of growth in community, 103
Formation: not to be identified with initial formation, 38;
of parents, 106; is ongoing formation, 104
Francis (pope), 3; “going forth”, 57; “wake up the world”,
49; charisms, 154; discernment, 70, 136; freedom as gift and
opportunity, 69; old age, 95
Francis de Sales, and freedom, 69
Fraternal life in community: and confreres passing through
difficult moments, 94; and mission, 54; and sick confreres,
97; essential to religious life, 54
Fraternity: and communication, 56; and conflict resolution
56; and Salesian consecrated vocation, 6
Freedom, and shared responsibility, 68-69; responsorial and
responsible, 69
Friendly talk, 55, 71, 72-74; and confidentiality, 74; and fam-
ily of confrere, 74; and pastoral involvement, 60; distinct from
personal spiritual accompaniment, 72; during practical train-
ing, 91; during quinquennium, 91; Rector takes first step, 73
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Friendship, and Salesian style of relationships, 56
GC24, and shared mission, 17, 24; new style of thinking
and action, 115; response to ecclesiology of communion,
115; resistance to, 115; roots in Don Bosco, 115
GC27: apostolic consecration, 19; objective of, 7, 19
Genericism, pastoral, 18, 26
Good-morning talk, 77
Good-night talk, 77; and community, 56; and community
spiritual direction, 77
Governance, not only animation, 71
Grace and freedom, and the Salesian Priest, 29
Grace of unity: and apostolic consecration, 18, 19; and
Salesian consecrated vocation, 6
Guardian of Salesian consecrated identity, 7, 9, 24, 47-65
Guardian of Salesian identity, 32-46
Guardian of the Salesian spirit, 37
Guide who is guided, 48, 56, 76, 107
Holiness: goal of joint formation, 132; and consecrated per-
sons, 133
Human maturity, 109
Humility, 35; and spiritual poverty, 35
Identity, charismatic: see Salesian identity
Identity, Christian and Salesian, and ongoing formation,
105
Identity, Salesian apostolic consecration, 18, 19
Inculturation: and digital universe, 119; and ongoing for-
mation, 105; task of, 4; of ministry, 135
Individualism, apostolic, 18, 26
Initial formation, confreres in, 90-91
Interculturality, 92-93
John Paul II, 3, 118
Laity: accompaniment of, 36; and Salesian Brother, 27; de-
cision making, 85; joint formation with, 5, 106, 132, see also
Formation, joint; shared mission, 24, 57, 69, 108
Lay administrators, and Local Council, 85, 102
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The salesian rector
Lay people in charge of sectors, and Local Council, 102
Leadership style of the Preventive System, 40
Learning by experience: and SEPP, 143; in practical train-
ing, 90
Learning from life, 103. See also Learning by experience
Lifelong formation: see Formation, lifelong
Listening, 66; ability needed by Rector, 42, 48; and dia-
logue, 67; and preparation of Rectors, 109, 110; and team-
work skills in Local Council, 85
Local community: see Salesian religious community
Local consultative committee of the Salesian Family, 150
Local model of animation and governance: see Model of
animation and governance, local
Loving kindness, and Salesian style of relationships, 56
Manual: addressed to Salesian religious community, 9; Al-
bera’s, 1; and Congregation website, 9; and formation of as-
pirants to the priesthood, 9; and lifelong formation, 9; and
Provincial Formation Delegates, 9; and Provincials, 9; first,
1, 2, 40, 41; use of, 9
Marian dimension of the Church, 30
Mary: icon of Church as communion, 137; model and
teacher, 39, 161
Meditation, 51
Methodology of animation and governance, 109
Mission, centrality of: and apostolic consecration, 18; in
Constitutions, 11; in Don Bosco, 12
Mission, shared, 17, 53; and GC24, 17; in EPC, 5
Mission: and communion, 14, 15; and consecration, 19; and
consistency of the religious community, 31; and primacy of
God, 13; and Salesian consecrated vocation, 6, 17; cannot be
equated to work, 13, 31; comes from God, 13; comes through
the Son and the Spirit, 14; consists in revealing God, 14, 15,
22; educative and pastoral dimensions of, 5; incarnation of,
117; sets tenor of our life, 11, 58; subject of, the EPC, 5, 114;
theological density, 13; to the young who are poor, 16
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Missionary dimension, essential to Salesian identity, 152
Missions: and formation, 3; preferential setting, 152
Model of animation and governance, local, 61, 69, 84; and
sharing of responsibility, 140; codified in provincial and lo-
cal SEPP, 125, 126; defined by province, 125, 126
Model of Salesian pastoral ministry, and SEPP, 138
Mystics in the spirit: and consecrated life, 48; and Rector’s
role, 48-53
Networking, 119, 156; example of Don Bosco, 119
Old age, 95
Ongoing formation: see Formation, lifelong
Online resources: and Formation Department, 111; and
formation of Rector, 111
Organic Provincial Plan, 107
Participation, and style of animation and governance, 69
Pastoral charity: centre of Salesian spirit, 37; charity of the
Good Shepherd, 37; Rector’s role, 60
Pastoral involvement, and Rector’s role, 61
Pastores Dabo Vobis, and states of life, 23
Pedagogy of freedom, and Preventive System, 15, 29, 76
Peripheries, existential, 57
Personal accompaniment: and trust, 48; formation to, 65; in
broad sense, 75. See also Personal spiritual accompaniment,
and Salesian personal accompaniment, survey on
Personal Plan of Life, 51, 53, 78; and accompaniment of
young people, 78; and charismatic identity, 53; and personal
accompaniment, 78; and retreat resolutions, 78; for the Rec-
tor himself, 107; fruit of discernment, 78
Personal spiritual accompaniment, 75-76; and confreres
passing through difficult moments, 94; and Don Bosco, 75;
and freedom of choice, 76; and Personal Plan of Life, 78;
during practical training, 91; during quinquennium, 91; for
the Rector himself, 107; in EPC, 134; in initial formation,
76; in youth ministry, 75; offered by Rector and Salesian
community in EPC, 134; specific preparation for, 76
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The salesian rector
Spiritual direction: see Personal spiritual accompaniment,
and also Community spiritual accompaniment
Personal talk: see Friendly talk
Plan of community life, 71
Planning mentality, 138; made concrete in SEPP, 139;
strengthening of, 142
Plurality of cultures and religions: challenge to SEPP, 143
Poor young people, criterion of discernment, 63
Potestas, 41, 42
Poverty, GC26 on, 49; scrutiny of, 102
Practical training, 90; and learning by experience, 90; and
Personal Plan of Life, 91; and personal spiritual accompa-
niment, 91; and friendly talk, 91; most characteristic phase
of initial formation, 90
Prayer: animation of, 50-51; life as, 51; pedagogy of, 133;
personal, 50; Rector, man of prayer, 51; school of, 51; scru-
tiny of, 51
Prevenient love, 13, 15
Preventive System: and authoritativeness, 40; and leader-
ship style, 40; and ongoing formation, 105; inculturation of,
116-119; pedagogy of freedom, 15, 29, 76; rooted in God’s
prevenient love, 13, 15; SEPP as contextualization of, 142;
updating of, 114-115, 118
Priesthood, as service, 30
Primacy of God, and mission, 13
Prophecy of fraternity: and EPC, 137; and Rector’s role,
54-57
Protection of minors, 100, 110; province policy for, 111
Provincial Council, 43, 109, 111
Provincial Directory, 43; initiatives regarding practical
training and quinquennium, 91
Provincial SEPP, 107
Quadrio, Giuseppe, 21
Qualification of Salesians and laity, 63
Quinquennium, 91; and Personal Plan of Life, 91
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Radicality, evangelical, 19, 49
Recollections, 71
Reconciliation, sacrament of, 51
Rector and Council, 84-85; and ongoing formation, 106;
primary responsibility for government of the Work, 140. See
also Council, local
Rector of formation community, and meetings of formation
team, 85
Rector, animator, 33, 36; charismatic service, 36, 66-102; of
animators, 136; of communion, 54-57; of EPC, 7, 8; of Sale-
sian consecrated identity, 47-65; of Salesian religious com-
munity, 7, 8, 36, 48-53; of shared responsibility, 40, 54-57
Rector, formation of: see Formation of Rectors
Rector: ability to delegate, 145; and authority, 40-46; and
the cross, 39, 160; and Don Bosco’s apostolic project, 32;
and grace of priestly ministry, 45; and grace of unity, 38; and
obedience to God, 42; and pastoral charity, 37, 38; and Sale-
sian Family, 151; and Salesian religious community, 32, 47-
112; and temptation of managerial roles, 36; and the Fa-
ther’s will, 34; aware of his own fragility, 136; brother among
brothers, 35, 160; brother and father, 35; builder of unity, 33;
centrality of, 3, 160; complexity of role, 32; definition of role
in EPC, 120; docile and humble, 35; encourages pastoral
charity, 60; first formator in community 38; first responsible
in EPC, 128, 129; growing demands on, 8; guardian of
charismatic identity in EPC, 128; hierarchy of tasks, 36, 46,
107; human and spiritual growth, 40; key figure in shared
mission, 128; man of discernment, 136; paternity of, 46;
presbyteral character, 44-46; presence in the Work, 145;
prior preparation, 108, 109; promoter of new style of au-
thority, 128; remote preparation in initial formation, 111;
represents Christ, 33; responsibility for mission, 58-65; re-
sponsibility towards each confrere, 37, 88; self-care of, 40;
vocational animation, 65
Rector’s Manual: see Manual
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Rectors’ meeting, and confreres needing special attention,
100
Relationships: difficulties in, 56; personal, 56; Salesian style
of, 56
Religious community: see Salesian religious community
Responsibility, shared: see Shared responsibility
Rua, first Rector, 1, 161
Animation and governance, style of, 69
Salesian Brother, 18, 53; and religious community, 26; and
Salesian consecrated vocation, 26; embodies lay dimension,
27; icon of communion, 27; identity of, 27. See also Two
forms of our vocation
Salesian community: see Salesian religious community
Salesian consecrated vocation: and objective of GC27, 5, 6.
See also Two forms of our vocation
Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan: and attitude of dis-
cernment, 143; and dimensions of Youth Ministry, 141; and
learning by experience, 143; and model of Salesian pastoral
ministry, 138; and participation of Salesian community, 61;
and planning mentality, 138, 139; and Salesian charism,
104; based on needs of young, 142; challenge from digital
universe, 143; challenges from diversity of contexts, 143;
ensures continuity, 142; guidelines for elaboration of, 144;
historical mediation of the mission, 116, 118; primary pur-
pose of, 139; specified and realized by the EPC, 116; way of
applying Preventive System in context, 142
Salesian Family: and joint formation, 104; and role of Rec-
tor, 150; and Salesian community, 57; and shared mission,
24; and vocation animation, 65; collaboration in, 150; infor-
mation about, 53; not reducible to EPC, 149
Salesian identity: and missionary dimension, 152; care of,
52-53; objective of GC27, 7
Salesian mission: see Mission
Salesian Movement, 151
Salesian personal accompaniment, survey on, 72, 74
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Salesian Priest, 18; and presbyterate, 28; and religious com-
munity, 26, 28; and Salesian Brother, 89; and Salesian
charism, 28, 29; and Salesian consecrated vocation, 26;
identity of, 28; pastor and educator, 29. See also Two forms
of our vocation
Salesian religious community and the Work, 59, 61, 84; dif-
ferent relationships, 123-126; details defined by Province,
125; codified in provincial and local SEPP, 125
Salesian religious community, openness of: to Church, 152-
155; to neighbourhood, 156-158; to provincial and world
communities, 148; to Salesian Family and Movement, 149-
151
Salesian religious community: active at different levels
(EPC, Church, society), 147; and animating nucleus, 31,
108, 127; and care for communion, 137; and discernment,
70-71; and mission, 59; and SEPP, 138-146; and spiritual
animation, 131-136; charismatic point of reference, 24, 31,
127-137; confessio Trinitatis, 137; corresponsible, 3; educa-
tors and masters in spirituality, 133; facilitates integration of
confreres, 93; missionary disciples, 60; new role of, 5, 127;
ongoing formation, 104-106; open and welcoming, 57; pro-
fessionals of evangelization, 131; qualitative and quantita-
tive consistency of, 31, 36; signum fraternitatis, 137; spiritual
animators, 131
Salesian spirit: and love for Church and pope, 155; and
sense of belonging to universal Church, 155; and sensus ec-
clesiae, 152; centred in pastoral charity, 37; Rector, guardian
of, 37; safeguarding, 2
Salesian vocation, universal dimension of, 148
Salesian Youth Ministry: and apostolic vocations, 141; and
missionary animation, 141; and social communication, 141;
dimensions of, 141; integrity of, 141;
Salesians: responsibilities in the Salesian Family, 150; need
the Salesian Family, 149
School of prayer, community as, 51
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Scrutinies, of fraternity, 82; of evangelical counsels, 49; of
pastoral ministry, 82; of poverty, 102; of prayer, 51, 82
SEPP: see Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan
Servants of the young, role of Rector, 58-65
Service of authority, and charismatic identity, 53; and re-
spect for dignity and freedom, 68; and Salesian charism, 66;
encourages sharing of responsibility, 68. See also Rector
Shared responsibility, and pastoral discernment, 62; and
Rector 42; coordination of, 61
Social communication: agent of formation, 108, 143; and
formation of Rectors, 110; and ongoing formation, 105; and
Youth Ministry, 141; promotes sense of belonging to Con-
gregation, 148; Salesian system of, 3, 158. See also Digital
universe
Spiritual animation of EPC: by Salesian religious commu-
nity, 131-136; interpenetration of education and evangeli-
zation, 131
Spiritual guide, stable, 48
Spiritual renewal, and pastoral renewal, 131
Spirituality of communion, 51
Srugi, Sima’an, 21
Studia di farti amare, and style of authority, 161
Style of animation and governance, 69
Subject of mission, the EPC, 108, 114, 117
Subsidiarity, 69, 124, 140
Superior, and obedience to God, 42
Synod on the family, and formation of parents, 106
Synodality, and Local Council, 84
Talk, personal: see Friendly talk
Teamwork, formation for, 69
Two forms of our vocation, 18; avoiding discriminatory lan-
guage, 89; complementarity, 53, 89; essentially related, 26,
30; giving visibility to, 89; to be presented to the young, 30.
See also Salesian Brother and Salesian Priest
Unity, promotion of, 55
Vecchi, Juan, 3; and need to prioritize tasks, 45; and priest-
hood of Don Bosco, 29; and role of Salesian community in
shared mission, 17; consecration and mission, 19; threefold
focus (‘concentration’), 45, 111
Vice-Rector, 86; and relationship with Rector, 86; care of
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Index
discipline, 86; first collaborator of Rector, 86
Viganò, Egidio, 3; and presbyteral character of Rector, 44;
priesthood as service, 30
Vita Consecrata, 20; and old age, 95; and states of life, 23
Vocation: apostolic, 65; different kinds of, 23. See also Sale-
sian consecrated vocation and Two forms of our vocation;
Vocational animation, 64-65; and witness of the commu-
nity, 64; heart of the SEPP, 65; ultimate horizon of Salesian
Youth Ministry, 65
Vocational discernment, 64, 65; in Don Bosco, 12
Vows, and Salesian consecrated vocation, 6. See also Evan-
gelical counsels
Will of the Father, and Rector, 34
Witness, evangelical, 49
Work entrusted to lay people, 126; animating nucleus con-
sists of lay people, 126; essential conditions, 126; province
defines local model of animation and governance, 126
Work jointly entrusted to lay people and Salesians, 124-
125; autonomy of Council of EPC/Work, 124; role of Sale-
sian community, 124
Worldliness, spiritual, 28
Young people, presence in Salesian community, 57
Youth Ministry Coordinator, local 146
Zatti, Artemide, 21
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