GC25 CLOSES: INSPIRATIONAL FINAL ADDRESS
BY RM
After a handful of final tasks, including
approval of the message to the young, the Chapter Moderator, Fr. Domenech,
invited the Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chavez to address the assembly.
Below, in point form, are the main elements of that address. No doubt it
will come out in due course as a complete text, but the opinion of those who
heard its delivery yesterday (20th) is that it was inspirational and that we can
look forward to more of the same from this man!
THANKS
* Began by thanking the various persons
who helped in the planning and the execution of this 25th General Chapter.
OUR IMMEDIATE CONTEXT
* During the course of the chapter there
were events happening which touched us: viz., the question of the war in
Palestine, the scandal in the United States Catholic Church, and the situations
of war in various parts of the world.
* The 25th General Chapter in the context
of the last two General Chapters.
* Each of the five chapter reports
presented by the five committees worked together to give a well-rounded picture
of the Salesian community and what it needs to do in the next six years. Then
there are the structures and the changes voted upon by the
chapter.
OUR WORLD
* Our present times: the
social and cultural realities of today, with its secularization, globalization,
and fragmentation.
* Pope John Paul’s encyclical, "Novo
Millennio Ineunte" confronts some of these issues prevalent in our time.
* Finally, a broader context: since the
Special General Chapter in 1971 our Salesian congregation has responded to the
various changes taking place both in the world and in the church. It’s not a
question of refounding the congregation today, we have been doing that for the
past 30 years.
OUR CHAPTER
* With regard to the 25th
General Chapter, what is called for today is a spiritual renewal at the level of
the individual Salesian, the local community, and the province.
* It is easier to renew structures and
buildings and works. The danger becomes, though, that we fail to renew ourselves
spiritually and interiorly.
* Religious life is a prophetic call to
preach the kingdom of God;
* In our prophesying as Salesians we must
always give the privileged place to persons and not to programs, buildings or
projects.
THE FUTURE - FIVE PROSPECTS
* The first one is the spiritual renewal
of every Salesian. This must be the first and primary preoccupation. Read
Constitution Article #95. It stresses that God is waiting for us in the young so
that God can meet us in them. We must be prepared spiritually to meet God there.
* The second element is the consistency of
the community—both quantitatively and qualitatively. We must live together as
men who are helping each other to grow in human and spiritual maturity.
* The third prospect for the future is the
significance of our presence. We need to make a significant difference in the
places in which we are working or living.
* The fourth perspective is our pastoral
education. We must concentrate on evangelizing, forming our young people and lay
people to a deeper faith in God through the educative community.
* Finally, and most important, is the
formation of the Salesian. If our religious life is to be renewed, then the
Salesians must be in continual formation.
CONCLUSION
* The Rector Major
concluded by calling upon the beatification ceremony of last Sunday to
remind the assembly that in the general audience with the Pope, John Paul II
called us to be saints. The RM asked us to follow the example especially of
Artemides Zatti who lived a profound experience of God in his daily life because
he recognized and lived God’s presence in others, especially those who were
sick. Finally, he asked us to have courage. He cited Luke 5: 1 – 11, and called
upon us to reflect seriously on God’s Word in this passage, and to note that the
fishermen were tired and fatigued, but at the Lord’s word, they set out again.
In that courageous act they learned to put their faith and trust in the Lord.
The Lord then called them to follow Him, and they immediately left all to be his
disciples.
* The protection of Mary, Mother and Guide
Which brings 'austraLasia's' regular
coverage of GC25 to a close. As they say on radio networks, other stations
may now return to their own programming! I shall leave recent additions to
the list as is, however, until such time as you ask to be drooped off. May
I offer a word of sincere thanks to those who provided insights and 'inside'
information - a special word of thanks to Nick Reina who must have been amongst
the most prolific of the commentators amongst the mob there.
Julian.
