GUIDELINES AND POLICIES
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SOME GUIDING CRITERIA FOR THE FORMULATION OF THE SCRUTINIUM PAUPERTATIS AT PERSONAL LEVEL AND AT COMMUNITY LEVEL
FR. GIOVANNI MAZZALI
Economer General
The first area of animation in the economy sector that is presented in the project of the Rector Major and his Council for the six year period 2002-2008, is that of evangelical poverty, made more precise with the further general objectives drawn from the reflections of the GC25:
1. Promoting prophetic austerity in the personal style of life of the confreres and of the community.
2. Seeing to openness and accountability in the use of money and the application of the means put at our disposal by Providence.
In reference to the achieving of the first objective, the programme indicates two specific interventions in particular:
Encourage the drawing up of the scrutinium paupertatis at provincial level, providing criteria and a method to follow, and then apply it at both community and individual level;
Provide precise guidelines for the preparation, revision and verification of the economic part of the Provincial Directory, especially in reference to the use of goods and the accountability of the confreres and the communities.
I wrote in AGC382 with regard to the second objective, providing an aid for the revision of the economic part of the Provincial Directory. It was decided, in fact, to anticipate the guidelines about the second objective in view of the celebration of the Provincial Chapters, during which, among other things, the necessary revisions or the new versions of the Directory in the parts indicated could be attended to.
In this second contribution, in agreement with the Vicar of the Rector Major, I shall deal with the first objective which refers directly to the scrutinium paupertatis, to be put into practice at personal and community level.
It is interesting to note the spiritual background against which the two Rector Majors, Fr Viganò and Fr Vecchi, place the practice of the scrutinium. Fr Viganò in his letter “And Mary laid him in a manger” underlines in particular the need to constantly renew our response to God on the way that leads to love: «This verification not only ensures fidelity to a well defined religious profession we have freely made in a public and ecclesial manner, but enlightens and purifies a whole way of thinking, planning and working in trusting dependence on God and in joyful solidarity with those for whom we work » (AGC 345, page 37).
Fr Vecchi on his part underlines the spiritual value of the scrutinium: «I encourage every single confrere, as well as communities and those who exercise the service of authority to live the “scrutinium” not so much as an examination of conscience as an experience of the Spirit, as an entrustment to his purifying fire and power of regeneration» (AGC 367, page 31).
With two complementary points of view we are given the best way to live a vigilant attitude on which is based the practice of the scrutinium itself, understood as a readiness on the part of the individual and the community to allow itself to be shaped by the Spirit who purifies and renews the efforts towards fidelity.
1. At individual level
Individually the scrutinium can take various forms and be carried out in an informal way, but also in a more specific way on the occasion of the quarterly day of recollection and during retreats. The Provincial might prepare and make available an appropriate formulation which would concentrate especially on those aspects of poverty which in a particular way concern the individual and deal with basic convictions and attitudes. I suggest several points that could be highlighted for a personal examination of conscience:
Basic ideas
- The basis frame of reference is poverty, in all its aspects, understood as an evangelical beatitude. As far as bearing witness to the beatitudes is concerned it is important to reflect personally on worldly values, and the wisdom of the Gospel, understood as a liberation through the way of the cross;
- meeting Jesus and following him is the greatest possible good compared with temporal goods;
- detachment of the heart is the ascetical attitude which translates into every day life this reference to the greatest good;
- detachment of the heart is the basis for interior freedom with regard to the affections, to health, to power, to an awareness of one’s own abilities and one’s own culture, to the will;
- Don Bosco’s famous expression “you need to have poverty in your heart” underlines the fact that living as a poor person means placing the mystery of life in the very heart of God.
On the basis of these ideas one could formulate some questions to ask oneself in personal reflection. These questions are provided simply by way of example without wishing to impose them in any way.
Questions
1.2.1. Poverty as the following of Christ
- I ask myself whether Christ lived as the greatest good illuminates and shapes my daily decisions, especially with regard to what I use for myself, my confreres and young people?
- Considering the poverty of Christ: what does it mean to me at this particular point in my life, with regard to my human and Christian development and to my identity as an educator and evangelizer?
1.2.2. Poverty as a beatitude and path of liberation
- In what practical ways has the beatitude of poverty entered into my attitudes, my daily choices and at the level of my style of life?
- Do I maintain a constant attitude of discernment in order to assess my daily progress in following the way of interior liberation in a serene acceptance of suffering and of the cross?
- In real terms which are the areas of my life in which I still need to become “free”?
- Where do I find the greatest difficulty in detaching myself from things, even necessary things?
- Do I succeed in freeing myself from excessive concerns about my health, my own well-being, the things I can use?
- By discerning, do I make a real effort to free myself from temptations regarding power, prestige, approval by others at all costs, an excessive attachment to my own ideas, self satisfaction with my gifts of intelligence and will?
- Have I the courage to identify clearly my more evident attitudes that are a counter-witness to moderation, sharing, recognising what is essential ?
- Am I quite content to depend on others, to give an honest account, considering these to be practical expressions of poverty as genuine steps towards freedom?
Obviously, other questions can be added referring directly to the particular situations in which one is living and to the specific sensitivities and expectations linked to the local culture and traditions.
2. At community level
From a community point of view it is important to identify both the best time in which to bring the community together and the spiritual atmosphere, in which to carry out the discernment which leads to deciding on the quality of life of the community and the choices which are then made to establish it. An indispensable point of reference for community discernment process is without doubt GC25 and its reflections, especially the second section on evangelical witness and within that n 35 which refers directly to “the concrete nature of poverty.”
2.1. Main Points
2.1.1. Poverty as communion in sharing and in solidarity
- Detachment of the heart has a fundamentally positive aspect as it multiplies the resources of the community and therefore becomes o source of communion;
- Being poor as a community means contributing to solidarity towards everyone especially the poorest, with the love of Christ and in Don Bosco’s way.
- A sharing attitude at all levels, both as regards the people with whom to share and the material goods to be shared helps to make solidarity something concrete.
- Evangelical poverty also means being physically present among the poor, sharing their living conditions and the efforts made to improve them.
2.1.2. Poverty and the salesian mission
- Poverty finds its practical expression in service, in giving oneself to the young.
- Detachment of the heart sets free within the Salesian and within the community the most noble efforts in the service of one’s neighbours.
- The community gives expression to its poverty seeking resources and making them available for the needs of the youngsters and the poor, “collaborating with persons and organisations committed to social advancement and the struggle for justice” (GC25, 35).
- Salesian poverty implies great trust in Providence, but also that enterprising spirit that Don Bosco had in seeking funds in order to work. In living its poverty the salesian community gives a witness to the young, educating them in the right use of material goods and in the promotion of social justice.
2.1.3 Poverty as work
- The special expression of our poverty is the work of the Salesian and of the community, which in a variety of circumstances gives effect to our spirituality of apostolic activity.
- Work, in our spiritual tradition, is an expression of human fulfilment, offers a credible life witness, and provides a clear educational message.
- Work in “salesian terms” has an indispensable community character, in so far as it represents a commitment lived in obedience and shared with other confreres.
- Work for Don Bosco means being involved in the most diverse activities in carrying out the salesian mission; it means carrying out the highest responsibilities as well as ordinary work and “the most humble tasks” (GC25, 35).
2.1.4. Poverty as temperance
- Temperance is an expression of the penitential dimension of the salesian mission and helps to shape a community in which free and mature individuals live and work together.
- Temperance keeps the individual confrere and the communities up to the mark, free from ties and preoccupations that wear them down and undermine their dedication to the ones to whose service they are called.
- Temperance helps to overcome activism as an end in itself and often a sign of individualism and a lack of equilibrium;
- Temperance concerns both interpersonal relationships and one’s own personal life style and finds its concrete expression in simplicity and concentration on the essentials.
2.1.5. Poverty as austerity and openness in the use of money
- Poverty is shown in a concrete witness to austerity through a style of community life that is simple, frugal, modest and sensitive to the social and economic conditions of the local neighbourhood.
- The transparent use of money and of the means that Providence puts at our disposal is an aspect of our poverty.
2.1.6. Poverty as prudent administration
- Poverty is directly concerned with the task of administration carried out with prudence, honesty and openness as regards the laws, both canon and civil.
- To administer with a spirit of genuine poverty means managing with skill and prudence, directing the available resources towards the youth mission.
- A fundamental criterion to govern salesian administration is solidarity understood in all senses of the word.
It seems to me that an attentive reading of the more recent official salesian documents, highlights a great convergence on these major points that I have tried to present in schematic form. I have also offered by way of example some questions to assist the Provincial and his Council in the drawing up of the scrutinium paupertatis for communities and for the individual confreres.
The path to follow would seem to be the following: a small commission could review and suggest improvements to a first draft drawn up by a confrere appointed to do this by the Provincial. The material produced by the commission would be examined by the Provincial Council, who would then give to the communities an official instrument with suggestions about how it might be used. May Mary Help of Christians help and guide us in the task of expressing to-day our fidelity to God according to the model of transparent poverty and intelligent enterprise that our Father Don Bosco has left us.
