austraLasia #2089

Out of Africa - a narrative approach for GC26?

DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania) and of course Rome: 9th March 2008 --  We first met on the internet when I came across a small Salesian glossary that Fr Gnanaselvam Sahaya, Salesian missionary in Tanzania, is running - one could see that he took a heartfelt narrative approach to things and I'm kicking myself now that I was a bit critical of him in his application of this to terminology. Well, still critical of that as applied to terminology, but far more impressed, indeed, quite moved by meeting Selvam in person as AFE Delegate to GC26 and understanding what really makes him tick. He strongly believes in the role of narrative in theology, real life, for Africa, and for the Salesian world.  Let him speak:

    "Those of us who are involved in the animation of the provinces well know that Salesian documents like the previous GC documents, the Ratio, the Manual for Salesian Youth Ministry and other policy documents from Departments, gather dust in the shelves of our community rooms and are not sufficiently read by individual Salesians. And hence the change of mentality in the individual confrère commensurate to the development at the Centre is not forthcoming.
    We need to face the fact that the Salesian sub-culture is not a literary culture. Most Salesians are 'too busy' to indulge themselves in some serious reading.  Basically our sub-culture is a narrative culture. Salesians are great story-tellers! Stories move us, and we touch young people with our stories. Narrative approach is even better appreciated in traditional contexts like Africa.
    The narrative approach evokes emotions in the homo symbolicus, and creates indelible convictions. Stories (and histories) create common identities and generate a sense of belonging.
    In our context the narrative approach may include a wide range of literary genre: recalling of powerful historical events, narrating case histories and best-practices, reference to symbolic objects and rituals, use of parables and anecdotes.
    Salesian culture is basically narrative because Don Bosco himself was a great story-teller: when DB wanted to impress on his boys the beauty of holiness he wrote the stories of boys who had lived holy lives: Comollo, Savio, Magone, Besucco. When the Pope asked him to write down the secrets of his educational system, he wrote the Memoirs of the Oratory.  When he wished to stir in his boys a passion for virtue and great ideals...DB narrated dreams to them. In 1875, on the occasion of sending the first missionaries to Patagonia, DB had himself photographed handing the Constitutions to Cagliero...a symbolic action that evokes emotion even today! Note the literary genre of the Letter from Rome 1884.
    In the past six year period the Rector Major has used the narrative approach effectively - alternating letters narrating the histories and situations of the Regions with the more doctrinal ones has increased a sense of belonging; his own personal anecdotes as he has moved around the world - and think of the impact of the 'Yellow Umbrella'!
    We need a narrative approach from this Chapter. Let us 'Start afresh from Don Bosco' by adopting his own style of communication."

    Fr Selvam adds some references for this kind of thinking: http://www.afriprov.org and an interesting ground-breaking work on the subject: Towards an African Narrative Theology, by J. Healey and D. Sybertz, published by Paulines Publications 1996 then reprinted five times. Fr Selvam has himself published on the topic.
   
    Methinks Fr Selvam has a strong point.  It will resonate well in Asia, for example, where 'telling the story of Jesus' was the focus of the first Asian Missionary Congress.  Will it resonate well with Salesians from all over the world?  What do you think?
  _________________
 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2089
Subject and key words: SDB General, narrative approach
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2089