PRESENTATION TO GC27

SALESIAN SOURCES

PART TWO

A characteristic style of educating

I will seek to highlight in my address certain points and topics developed in the general introduction to the work and in the specific introduction to Part Two. The address that follows, by Fr Giraudo on the question of spirituality – very close, in Don Bosco's writings and practice, to his pedagogy and education – will complete the overall picture.

1. Let me begin with a statement that might sound a little strong: “Don Bosco's studied contact with the official, academic pursuit of pedagogy never seems to have been seriously verified, even though he had real relationships, even of warmth and friendship, with some contemporary theorists of pedagogy”.

In other words: Don Bosco is not an educational theorist, a “pedagogue”, in the precise sense of that term. But while this is true, it is also true that he is the author of much appreciated pedagogical writings, the initiator of institutes aimed at the education of youth, the promoter of excellent educational initiatives which drew the attention, and continue to do so today, of educators, scholars in pedagogical matters, and not only from an historical perspective.

2. From these considerations there emerges the figure of “Don Bosco the educator” which, I would say, becomes more relevant, attractive and popular “ than Don Bosco the writer”. At any rate, we need to restate that the bibliographical and publishing production of the founder of the Salesian Society is quite outstanding; and we can add – on the basis of accredited studies – that “there is nothing he wrote that does not have a certain relationship with youthful and popular education, whatever be the nature of that written material: historical, apologetic, didactic, catechetical, religious, hagiographical, biographical, normative”.

3. Nevertheless in the second part of the work – with the title Writings and testimonies on education and schooling – we have only included essays and documents which directly develop arguments relating to education or certain topics strictly related to educational or scholastic matters. In general it is a case of writings which Don Bosco himself wrote and signed. In certain cases though, we have narrations or oral accounts, passed on by authoritative witnesses, and which Don Bosco recognised as such and made his own. This second part is divided into three sections: 1) Narrative documents (Don Bosco speaks about his educational experience); 2) Insights, reflections and pedagogical ideas; 3) Rules and programmes.

4. At this point, however, I must clarify that in this second part of the book not all the publications have been included where he hints at education, even in a significant way.

In fact to avoid repetition that is not pertinent, some essays and documents – especially personal letters to young people and educators – have been placed in the first, third or fourth part of the book, keeping in mind that besides considerations of a pedagogical nature, the author also gives particular attention in those items to historical religious and spiritual matters.

5. In reality, Don Bosco never got around to drawing up a complete and systematic work in theoretical terms. Despite this – open as he was to his pedagogical context and sensitive to the needs of his time – he reflectively adopted in his writings and consciously tried out in his educational work amongst the young, consistent and valid elements which together enabled him to shape up a well-unified and articulated educational proposal, undeniably his own.

We can identify a “doctrinal core” of notable “practical effectiveness” in this proposal. Let me list some of the more relevant and better known ones: a) predilection for young people from the ordinary ranks of the populace; b) preventive attention; c) pedagogical optimism; d) holistic education, summed up in: “good Christians and upright citizens”; e) “reason, religion and loving kindness”: the fundamental threefold expression of his preventive system; f) assistance: understood as a positive and stimulating presence amongst the boy; g) educators seen as: “fathers, teachers and friends” of the pupils; h) the educational setting: welcoming, homely, happy.

6. I did not want to offer a list of general and abstract formulas. On the contrary these are principles and guidelines which Don Bosco knew how to put into practice with a personal style: first, in encounters with needy youngsters on Turin's streets or in open establishments like the weekend oratories; then in increasingly more complete and complex works – secondary schools in the oratory, hostels, colleges, arts and trades workshops …, appreciated by contemporaries, and which have seen extraordinary development right up until today.

7. To sum up. The development of Don Bosco's pedagogical ideas and educational works was not simply the result of his organisational ability and circumstances he widely drew benefit from. It was also the result of a pedagogy he had practised, and "whose essential principles held together" and because he was “flexible in his progress and application of these principles in constantly changing historical circumstances”. We find ourselves not with an abstract presentation, but with a “powerful description of an educational relationship and a complex system of works”: a characteristic style of educating.

Seen this way we discover and see Don Bosco's preventive system – in its broadest sense – as a project necessarily open to theoretical, historical and methodological additions which enrich it and make it increasingly relevant, without changing the nature of its original and essential guidelines.

J.M. Prellezo

4 February 2014