#537

GC25, 6th May: THE WORKING DOCUMENTS

After preliminary work in language groups, the main assembly met to tackle the acceptance or not of the two working documents (viz., that on salesian community life today and that on structures of government).

Ultimately both documents prepared by the pre-capitular commission were accepted as a starting basis for disucssion.  (As always, the option, if these are rejected, is to come up with alternatives).  What ought be noticed is that the document on the Salesian community passed with a decisive majority (206 positive, out of around 220 or so voting members); that on structures of government was not quite as decisive: 140 positive, the remainder not so(1 abstention, but effectively this is a no vote anyway).

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH WORKING DOCUMENTS

Structures: What difficulties are there with the 'structures' document?  Several: Coopers and Lybrand had been commissioned to look at the structures issue from their kind of perspective (organization, multi-national grouping, etc), but this report has not been circulated widely to date; how important is the structures issue vis-a-vis that of community? (some felt that the latter is far more important); the study of structures in and for themselves is pointless - do the Salesians have some strategic directions clearly marked first of all which structures may then serve?

This latter issue has given rise to a number of suggestions which query the timing of voting for the Rector Major and Council - structures should be clearly worked out before such elections take place.  There will be more to follow on this matter.

Overall, the expressed opinions on the 'structures' document were critical - insufficiiently innovative, information too restricted, 'timid'.

Community: clearly an absolutely central issue to who we are and what we do....but the old mission/consecration tussle is still there.  Is what we do to be privileged over who we are?  Has been expressed that we place far too much on the Rector - all are responsible.  What does 'fraternal' life really mean?  Perhaps it is a very human thing: friendship, intimacy.  This was all part of the give-and-take of discussion in the Assembly.

CHAPTER  COMMISSIONS

Several correspondents have indicated that the real work of this Chapter will take place in the commissions, not at the plenary assembly where 217 or so voting members argue it out (though in the end that's where decisions will be made).

Just which commissions will come into being is not yet decided.  The proposed set is as follows:

Fraternal Life

Gospel witness

Animating presence amongst the young

The Rector

Continuing formation

Our life together

Structures of the congrgeation