#529

GC25: #4Retreat

          #5 Opening address by Cardinal Somalo

#4 GC25 MEMBERS ON RETREAT

Over the final couple of days of February and the first two days of March, GC25 members are on Retreat.  These moments of spiritual preparation are being guided by one of the recently appointed Salesian Bishops and himself once a Capitular member - Alois Kothgasser, now Bishop of Innsbruck (Austria).  Today, Fri 1st March, the Eucharist is presided over by Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez.  It was he who preached the Retreat to the GC23 Capitulars in a similar circumstance, having at that time just been appointed a Bishop in his native Honduras.

#5  CARDINAL EDUARDO SOMALO'S ADDRESS

Speaking particularly on behalf of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies for Apostolic Life, Cardinal Somalo expressed the Church's gratitude for the past and present richness of grace as experienced in and through the Salesian Congregation.  In particular he singled out 'the two great animators' to whom the work of GC25 can be entrusted:  Frs. Vecchi and Vigano.

Quoting directly from the words of Fr. Vecchi to the Congregation as it prepared for GC25, Cardinal Somalo linked the work of GC25 to that other great experience of grace - the Jubilee Year 2000 and especially the significant gathering of young people in Rome that year.  The Congregation's reflection on fraternal life, on Salesian fraternal life, is arguably what Don Bosco would have done had he witnessed the events of the Jubilee Year - to better welcome youngsters and reflect a young Christ to them.

Sich a reflection, the Cardinal reminded capitulars, is an  occasion of formation as they celebrate eucharist, listen to the Word..and to each other with respect and confidence.  It is an experience fostering personal discernment, reflection on youth pastoral work, on inculturation and the spirit of Don Bosco in its origins where young people felt disoriented.

The Cardinal spoke of the gladness, indeed the rejoicing, of the Church as it sees the powerful influence the Congregation has on young people in the world.  Don Bosco lived in the way Pope Paul VI and John Paul II have taken up - seeing hope in young people, seeing them as messengers of a civilization of love.

The worldwide Church's experience of a dearth of vocations is not unfelt amongst the Salesians, the Cardinal remarked.  It would be a worry in another way - men whose very charism meant closeness to youngsters may find themselves tired, and regretting the widening generation gap.  At such times ' only faith in the Word enables us to live a kind and patient charity'.  He asked Salesians to redouble their efforts to offer themselves in charity at this very moment, and urged them not to fall back on mere rules and regulations.

Pope John Paul II's test of authenticty of faith is the desire to proclaim it.  Salesians who gather in a community nourished by the Word, prayer for unity, purified in Reconciliation, will produce an environment conducive to welcome and sharing with young people.

In this Chapter, which is like a workshop, who is the guiding hand?  It is CHRIST, from whom we must always begin.

And the Cardinal's final words?  Worth quoting verbatim:  'The Church is expecting a great deal from you, the Sons of Don Bosco!  I would like to finish by recalling the words addressed to young Salesians by Jean Duvallet, one of the first collaborators of Abbe Pierre: "You have a treasure: the pedagogy of Don Bosco.  You can risk losing everything else but don't lose that pedagogy!...."