72.“For reasons of health, to foster apostolic activity and life together and an atmosphere of prayer and recollection, every confrere should regulate his work in an orderly manner, and the local community should see to it that there is a balanced distribution of duties with opportune periods for rest and silence, and for suitable relaxation in common.”²⁸ There should be a periodic assessment of the style of fraternal life, the family spirit and the quality of life.

73.Let every Salesian develop his capacity for communication and dialogue²⁹ and trust in his confreres. Let him be ready to accept differences and overcome prejudices; let him take an active part in community meetings, carry out faithfully the tasks entrusted to him, and learn to act in joint responsibility with others so as to arrive at a consensus in his brotherly relations and in his work.³⁰

74.“The Salesian... loses none of his love for his relatives and especially for his parents” and “the community maintains cordial relations with the family of each confrere.”³¹

During initial formation let there be an education to the proper balance between relations with one’s family and a sense of belonging to the community and to the Congregation, in accordance with the principles of consecrated life and the Salesian style of life.³²

3.2SPIRITUAL FORMATION

75.Spiritual formation, understood as giving shape to life in Christ or life according to the Spirit, is the heart which unifies and gives life to a Salesian’s experience of his vocation. This experience is first of all a spiritual encounter with God, and as such constitutes the central element of formation, that is, its foundation and motivation.

It is the completion of human formation; it contributes to building that “splendid blending of nature and grace”³³ which we admire in Don Bosco and which lies at the foundation of his life-project in the service of the young.³⁴ It provides motives for intellectual formation, from which it derives strength and sustenance. It invigorates formation to education and pastoral work, putting God and his Kingdom at the centre of apostolic work, and directing everything to him.

Spiritual formation embraces the attitudes needed to foster an experience of God. It is a particular way of living the strength of faith, the power of hope and the ardour of charity. Lying at the centre of the Salesian enterprise, spiritual formation gives it a unique character, establishes its motivations and moulds its apostolic drive.

76.To live the Salesian mission requires much more than just human qualities, intellectual preparation, a professional approach, apostolic creativity and a passion for the young: all these things are necessary, but not enough to provide adequate motivations to keep alive one’s experience of one’s vocation.³⁵ The Salesian needs in the very first place a deep experience of God and of his Spirit, who is the founding and driving element of the mission.

The Salesian is called to combine life in the Spirit and pedagogy, to live education as a locus of spirituality and a path to holiness. Apostolic fruitfulness, generosity in love for poor youth, and the ability to attract vocations among the new generations depend on the spiritual quality of consecrated life.³⁶

The need for spirituality is even more marked in a world and a culture that propel towards activism and self-sufficiency. A life centred on an encounter with and an experience of God is an attractive witness and prophetic message for the people of our day who are thirsting for absolute values. In this way the Salesian becomes a communicator of spirituality,³⁷ an animator and guide in the spiritual life³⁸ of young people and the laity and within the sphere of the Salesian Family.

77.Don Bosco was an ardent believer, the originator of a school of spirituality.³⁹

His experience of God highlighted those features of the figure of the Lord⁴⁰ to which he was particularly responsive, and it was identified “by specific spiritual emphases and choices of apostolate”,⁴¹ which mark out Salesian spirituality as an apostolic spirituality.

By approving the Congregation, the Church declares that this spirituality – transmitted by the Founder to his sons and daughters – has “all the objective requisites for achieving personal and communal perfection according to the Gospel”.⁴²

It is therefore a “great spiritual current” in the Church, a “genuine and creative” school of holiness.⁴³ It is the way leading to that witness of holiness which is “the most precious gift we can offer to the young”.⁴⁴

We are certainly not lacking in concise descriptions that sum up and present the spiritual physiognomy of the Salesian and its distinguishing characteristics. In the Constitutions we can find its authentic presentation, the corresponding values and the factors that help to realize it; in them Salesian spirituality, “studied by successive generations who have lived it, is handed on to us in a magnificent manner in particular formulas which reflect this long experience.”⁴⁵ We now take up some of them again and comment on them briefly.

3.2.1Giving the first place to God and his design of salvation

78.The Salesian is called to find God present and close to him at every moment of his life. “God sees you” were the words Don Bosco wanted written on the walls of the Oratory.

The Salesian experiences God as someone who is near to him and involves him in his design of salvation for the young.

This sense of the active presence of the Lord, as intensely lived by Don Bosco and his disciples, is handed on to the Salesian as a precious legacy.

79.Jesus the Good Shepherd is the living centre of his consecrated life. While it is true that all consecrated persons are centred on Christ, this translates for the Salesian into a specific kind of witness with a pedagogical and pastoral slant that makes him look at Christ as the “Good Shepherd”, the Redeemer and Saviour.⁴⁶

The Salesian contemplates Jesus the Good Shepherd in his gratitude to the Father for his plan of salvation, in his predilection for the little ones and the poor, in his zeal in preaching, healing and saving because of the urgency of the coming of the Kingdom. He imitates the Good Shepherd’s gentleness and self-giving, and shares his desire to gather his disciples in the unity of a single family.⁴⁷

He is a “living” Jesus, busy and on the move searching for the stray and holding a great feast when he returns with the lost sheep on his shoulders.

He is a Jesus who keeps God his Father in his mind and heart, prays to him unceasingly, thanks him, carries out his will, speaks of him to his disciples, and declares himself to be the way to see and meet him.

80.Through Jesus the Salesian encounters the Father and lives in the Spirit. Working for the salvation of young people and living the spirituality of the Preventive System, he experiences the fatherhood of God,⁴⁸ recognizes his caring presence and action, and feels himself called to reveal the Father to the young.

The Holy Spirit, who raised up Don Bosco, forming within him the heart of a father and teacher and guiding him in his mission,⁴⁹ calls every disciple of Don Bosco to continue the same “experience of the Spirit”⁵⁰ in the service of youth. The Salesian is a spiritual man, taking care to discern the ways in which the Spirit operates in the hearts of the young. He can grasp his presence in their questions, expectations and cries for help, and becomes an instrument of his workings in their hearts.

Bestowed on him by the Father in his consecration,⁵¹ the Spirit shapes and moulds his heart, configuring him to Christ, the obedient, poor and chaste One, and prompting him to make Christ’s mission his own.

81. To foster his experience of God, the Salesian:

- deepens his faith and lives the Christian mystery, enrolling himself in the school of the Word of God;

- puts God at the centre of his life, engaging always “in a simple heart-to-heart colloquy with the living Christ and with the Father”, and remaining constantly attentive to the presence of the Spirit. He does “everything for God’s love” so as to become, like Don Bosco, “a contemplative in action”.⁵² He acts in such a way that all that he does is an expression of his inner self, and his whole life becomes a celebration of the ”liturgy of life”;

- feels great delight in revealing especially to the young the unfathomable riches of the mystery of God and in being a sign and bearer of his love;⁵³

- in union with Christ, fixes his gaze and his heart on the Father, fostering a trustful attitude and enthusiastically playing his part in realizing his plan of salvation; he is grateful for the gift of his vocation and feels committed to live it in all its fullness;

- captivated by Christ, seeks to imitate him in the gift of himself and in service. He strives to make Christ’s sentiments his own and become one with him. Christ, his fundamental option, becomes the criterion of all his decisions. There is no room in his heart for decisions that are anterior to or independent of Christ; he embraces the evangelical counsels in order to share Jesus’ way of life and to take part in his mission in a particularly profound and fruitful way;⁵⁴

- grows in his attentiveness to the Spirit, recognizing and gladly accepting his work of sanctification and renewal. He is constantly alert to the presence of the Spirit in his life, in persons and in history. Guided by him, he lives in an attitude of discernment and openness to God’s will. He embraces his formation experience as an experience of openness, docility and collaboration with the Spirit,⁵⁵ the “lasting source of grace and a support for his daily efforts to grow towards the perfect love of God and men”.⁵⁶

3.2.2Sense of the Church

82.The mission of Don Bosco is part of the very mystery of the Church in her historical development: Don Bosco was raised in the Church and for the Church.⁵⁷ Love for the Church is for Don Bosco one of the characteristic expressions of his life and holiness.

The spiritual experience of the Salesian is therefore an experience of the Church.

Our Constitutions say: “The Salesian vocation places us at the heart of the Church.”⁵⁸ That implies a strong sense of the Church, a close relationship with her, and a cordial and intense communion with the Holy Father and with all those who work for the Kingdom.

83.To grow in a sense of belonging to the Church, the Salesian:

- fosters in himself a spiritual sensitivity that sees the Church as “the centre of unity and communion of all the forces working for the Kingdom”⁵⁹ and works hard in her, in line with his particular vocation, so that “she may appear to the world as the universal sacrament of salvation”;⁶⁰

- in his missionary enthusiasm, feels concern for the anxieties and problems of the universal Church, takes part in the pastoral work of the particular Church, and educates young Christians to an authentic sense of Church;⁶¹

- shows his sense of Church “in an attitude of filial loyalty to Peter’s successor and to his teaching, and in [his] efforts to live in communion and collaboration with the bishops, clergy, religious and laity”;⁶²

- practises a “spirituality of communion” that becomes “a sign for all the world and a compelling force that leads people to faith in Christ”.⁶³

3.2.3The presence of Mary Immaculate, Help of Christians

84.Very closely connected with the Salesian’s spiritual experience is the special presence of Mary in his vocation and mission. Mary Immaculate, Help of Christians, appears as an icon of his spirituality inspiring him with pastoral love and giving him an apostolic heart. In Don Bosco’s experience of his founding charism, from his first dream to the vast missionary horizons, she was a constant and decisive presence.

In Mary Immaculate the Salesian glimpses the fruitful presence of the Spirit, availability to God’s designs, the break with sin and with all the forces that sustain it, and the totality of consecration. Mary inspires in him an openness to the supernatural, a pedagogy of grace, delicacy of conscience, and the motherly aspects of accompanying young people in the work of education.⁶⁴

In Mary Help of Christians the Salesian contemplates the motherhood of Mary in relation to Christ and the Church, the support of Mary for the people of God in the vicissitudes of history, her collaboration in the work of salvation and the incarnation of the Gospel among the peoples, and her mediation of grace for every Christian and every community. She keeps alive in us a sense of the Church, enthusiasm for the mission, apostolic courage, and the ability to gather together forces for the Kingdom.⁶⁵

85.To experience Mary’s presence in his vocation and to grow in a “strong filial devotion”⁶⁶ to her, the Salesian:

- nurtures a personal relationship with her, basing it on a contemplation of her role in the plan of salvation and in the mystery of Christ, and manifesting it in a filial attitude in various Marian practices;

- feels her actively close to him, encouraging and supporting him in his apostolic consecration, and leading him to the fullness of his offering to the Lord;⁶⁷

- draws inspiration and courage from her for his work of education: he learns from her to be close to the young and solicitous in serving them.

3.2.4 Young people, the meeting-place with God

86.“We believe that God is awaiting us in the young to offer us the grace of meeting with him and to dispose us to serve him in them.”⁶⁸

This profession of faith of the GC23 points to the crossroads in a Salesian’s spiritual life. God makes an appointment with him and allows himself to be met in his educational encounter with the young.

For this reason the first Oratory was a spiritual and educational experience, a realistic pedagogy of holiness for both educator and pupil. The Salesian vocation brings us “to seek holiness through [our] involvement in education”, to achieve “the perfection of charity through teaching”.⁶⁹ The interchange between education and holiness is a characteristic aspect of the figure of Don Bosco. He achieved his personal holiness through his educational endeavours which he carried out with zeal and an apostolic heart.⁷⁰

Today too, in the spirituality of daily life and of the playground, the Salesian relives Don Bosco’s spiritual experience and becomes a spiritual man possessing a sense of God.

87.The mission of the Salesian is not simply equated with work or external activity, but is a true spiritual experience. It is not he who goes towards the young on his own. It is the Father who consecrates him, sends him as his co-worker and apostle of the young in whom he is already at work through his Spirit, and associates him in his designs for them.

The purpose of the mission – to bring God’s love to the young – requires that in the whole of his person and his activity, he be detached from himself like a humble servant, and concentrate on the two poles of the living Christ and the young, and on the meeting of the two.⁷¹

Precisely because it is a matter of a spiritual experience that is born, lives and thrives on apostolic action, the Salesian is able to forge in himself and in his work of educational action a genuine synthesis between education and evangelization, between human promotion and adherence to the Gospel, between faith and culture, between work and prayer.

88.Here, then, are some attitudes that the Salesian fosters unceasingly:

- he works with the young with genuine supernatural motivation, rising above the level of his inclinations and natural preferences;

- he kindles in himself the religious and spiritual experience of the mission: he grows in awareness of being sent by the Father to accomplish his plan of salvation; he strives to make himself available like the Son of whose love he is a sign and bearer; he keeps himself open to the Holy Spirit who fills his heart with pastoral love and inspires all his efforts;

- he lives enthusiastically his experience of the mission of the Congregation, that is, his service to the young using the method of Don Bosco, and in this way he takes part in the mission of the Church;

- he trains himself to look at the youth reality with the attitude of the Good Shepherd; he perceives in the needs of young people a cry for salvation and the call to him to respond; he makes a spiritual journey with them, helping them through the sacraments, spiritual direction and discernment;

- he submits his work to the so-called “apostolic” rules. He knows he must work with competence, but he relies primarily on God’s strength. He prays much and remains modest when he succeeds. He does not ask to see results, but trusts in the fruitfulness God bestows;

- he accepts the renunciations his work entails and believes in the mysterious value of suffering. He is favourably disposed to the involvement of others and to the structures of apostolic life. His obedience comes from his heart. He is able to collaborate with others and share his apostolic work with them. He practises temperance and avoids comforts and an easy life.

3.2.5The experience of God in community life

89.The Salesian finds in his living and working together a fundamental requirement and a sure way of fulfilling his vocation.⁷² The experience of community life is for him a religious and a profoundly human experience. With and through his brothers, his youngsters and his collaborators he meets the Lord and feels his presence.

As he takes part in the common mission, the Salesian discerns situations with his community in the light of the Gospel, and feels jointly responsible for the measures taken in the educative and pastoral field and for bringing them to fruition.

He helps his community to become a centre of communion and participation by bringing in and animating other apostolic forces.

In a world sorely in need of communion, the Salesian’s “living and working together” with confreres of different ages, languages and cultures is a sign that dialogue is always possible, and a prophetic statement that communion can bring differences into harmony: it proclaims with the eloquence of facts the transforming power of the Good News.⁷³ In this way communion becomes mission⁷⁴ and a wellspring of spirituality.

90.To experience God in his community life, the Salesian fosters the following attitudes in himself:

- he considers the community “a mystery which must be contemplated and welcomed with a heart full of gratitude in the clear context of faith”.⁷⁵ He accepts his brothers as God’s gift to him. He loves them as Christ taught and makes the faith-sharing experience of listening to the Word and celebrating the Eucharist the basis of community life. He strives to let his radical commitment to Jesus emerge in his daily life and endeavours to make his community a “sign”, a “school” and a “domain of faith”;⁷⁶

- aware of his own limitations, the Salesian loves his community just as it is, with its highs and lows, its struggle to be faithful and its shortcomings;

- he lives the family spirit, that is, mutual affection, a network of fraternal and friendly relationships, a sharing of goods, a fraternal style of exercising authority and obedience, dialogue and shared responsibility in work; he maintains a warm relationship with his Rector, imitating that of the first Salesians towards Don Bosco;

- he refines his capacity for interpersonal communication, reaching the point of sharing his feelings, his prayer and his spiritual and apostolic experiences;

- he keeps faithful to the community project of life and takes an active part in its significant moments such as the “community day”, the community meetings, the assemblies and council meetings;

- he lives and experiences in a practical way his belonging to the provincial and the world community;

- he grows in an appreciation of the mission as a most exhilarating experience of communion that constantly helps him to rise above every form of egoism and individualism. He reads and assesses situations together with others, collaborates with all those who work in the pastoral field, and carries out the common project in a spirit of shared responsibility and solidarity, discharging his own responsibilities and respecting those of others;

- he lives inserted in the particular Church with a sense of communion and is ready to join hands with all the forces working for the young in the area.

3.2.6Following Christ in his obedience, poverty and chastity

91.Salesian spiritual life is a deep experience of God that is sustained by, and in its turn sustains, a form of life based entirely on Gospel values.⁷⁷

For this reason, the Salesian embraces the kind of obedient, poor and virginal life that Jesus chose for himself while on earth. It is his radical manner of living the Gospel and sure way of giving himself totally to the young for love of God. It is his path to perfect love.⁷⁸

As he grows in the radicalism of the Gospel giving it an intensely apostolic slant, he turns his life into an educational message, addressed especially to young people, proclaiming “that God exists, that his love can fill a life completely, and that the need to love, the urge to possess, and the freedom to control one’s whole existence, find their fullest meaning in Christ the Saviour.”⁷⁹

3.2.6.1 FOLLOWING CHRIST IN HIS OBEDIENCE

92.Obedience to the Father was for Jesus the synthesis of his life, and he embodied it in his Paschal mystery. He revealed his identity as Son and Servant, showing himself united to his Father in an absolutely unique manner and totally docile to him. His consecration by the Father coincided with his total availability for the mission of salvation.

For the Salesian, one of the main reasons for obedience having the first place – Don Bosco used to say that “in a religious Congregation obedience is all”⁸⁰ – lies in the particular importance that the “mission” occupies in his life,⁸¹ and especially in its community aspect.⁸² Obedience makes him fully available to serve the young.

In the present cultural climate that gives prominence to self-realization and individual resourcefulness, the disciple of the obedient Christ perfects his freedom as a consecrated person by putting his whole self at the service of the common mission with initiative, responsibility and docility, avoiding every form of individualism.

93.To live the experience of obedience the Salesian pays attention to the following attitudes:

- he strives to effect in himself the difficult transition from the things that please him to the things that “please the Father,” making his own the sentiments of Christ;

- he seeks the will of the Father with the help of prayer and through such proper channels as community dialogue, pastoral discernment, attentiveness to concrete situations and the signs of the times, and the fraternal talk with the superior, and then he carries it out with total dedication;

- he freely embraces the Constitutions as his project of life and holiness, and humbly accepts the guidelines of the Church and her Pastors, and the directives of the Congregation given in its General Chapters and in the statements of the Rector Major and the other superiors;

- he fulfils his duties with generosity and creativity, investing all his gifts in the service of the mission;

- he takes on the mission of the institution to which he is sent, is open to dialogue and to sharing responsibility in the community, works according to the common project, and implements it, carrying out his own role and respecting the contribution of others;

- he lives his obedience in the exercise of his roles of authority and government, discharging them in a style which animates, encouraging collaboration and consensus in work, promoting a sense of the common mission, and knowing when to intervene with kindness and courage;

- when obedience involves difficulties that test his love, he looks to Jesus, the obedient son of the Father.⁸³ He recalls Don Bosco’s words: “If we should find some article of the rules or some duty or task irksome, let’s not lose heart. Let’s overcome that feeling for Our Lord’s sake and for the reward which awaits us... Thus we shall become truly obedient.”⁸⁴

3.2.6.2FOLLOWING CHRIST IN HIS POVERTY

94.Jesus embraced poverty as a way of life, as an expression of complete commitment to the mission, of solidarity with us and of sacrifice of his own interests, and as a pastoral concern and preference for the poor. In Jesus the Salesian finds his true riches; in him he wants to love poor youth and feel a sense of solidarity with them.

Poverty is an attitude of the heart,⁸⁵ and a characteristic of the mission. It is a personal and community style of life that sets free for a generous dedication to the service of the Gospel.

In this way the Salesian and the community become a model of an alternative society that aims at the common good, respects the value of every individual, develops on the basis of justice and equity, and is solicitous for those who are weak and vulnerable.⁸⁶

95.In a gradual and constant effort, the Salesian grows in the following attitudes:

- he takes Jesus in his poverty as his model of life and finds in him his real treasure: “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and... that I may know him and the power of his resurrection”;⁸⁷

- he seeks to live a simple and hard-working life with joy, loves apostolic work and service to his community,⁸⁸ willingly does manual work, and accepts with simplicity the inevitable inconveniences and renunciations;

- he puts his trust in God’s designs for his own life; he feels a sense of responsibility for the goods he uses and is sensitive to the community witness of poverty; he strives to share everything in a brotherly manner: material goods, the fruits of his work, the gifts he receives, his energies, talents and experience; he knows how to depend on the community and his superior;⁸⁹

- he manifests his poverty in his fidelity to those to whom he is sent, in the shape he gives to his educative and pastoral work in different settings, in the particular angle from which he looks at reality and events, in his sensitivity to social situations and new forms of poverty, prompted also by the social teaching of the Church; he feels impelled by his vocation to take an interest in the poor and in their problems, to “love them in Christ”⁹⁰ with a love that feels with them and is resourceful, and to share in their condition of life. He is happy to work with poor youth, with young workers and with working-class people. He fosters in himself and in others a love for the missions and an involvement in missionary animation;

- he lives out his work of education and promotion as an excellent service to the poor, and for this he draws on the most appropriate structures and means, and joins administrative ability with trust in Providence, recourse to “benefactors” and full personal dedication.

3.2.6.3FOLLOWING CHRIST IN HIS CHASTITY

96.“Union with God”, “predilection for the young”, “loving-kindness”, and “family spirit” are all characteristics of the Salesian spirit and describe the Salesian way of loving.

The Salesian daily experiences the love of God that fills his life completely⁹¹ and lives his chastity joyfully as a sign that points to the living Christ, risen from the dead, present in his Church, and able to captivate hearts.⁹²

He is convinced that consecrated chastity bestows a special quality on his capacity to love and makes him generous and happy in giving himself without reserve, free of heart to love God alone above all things and capable of putting loving-kindness into practice.

He learns to become a witness of God’s predilection for the young, an educator capable of incarnating God’s fatherhood towards them so that they “know that they are loved”. By means of a charity that knows how to make itself loved he educates to true love and purity.

In the context of a culture that attaches a lot of importance to the body and not infrequently extols sexuality, the effort to live chaste and the testimony of a happy and balanced personality are a sign of the power of God’s grace in the weakness of the human condition. Drawing from life-experience, the Salesian declares that with the help of the Lord it is possible to direct one’s heart, to educate one’s affections, and to master one’s self so as to live a genuinely human experience of loving God and neighbour.

97.Formation to chastity requires some special conditions:

- to let one’s self be educated and to educate to affective maturity and to love, starting from the realization that love is at the centre of life and is not to be reduced to one aspect alone, the physical, but involves all aspects of the person, including the psychological and the spiritual; to grow in the conviction that true love is always directed to another; it is a gift; and it makes one capable of renunciation;⁹³

- to love God with all one’s strength, and in him to love especially the young to whom one is sent: to this end, the Salesian embraces a form of life and style of educative and pastoral love that entail a renunciation of married life and of all that belongs to it;

- to integrate the need to love and be loved into one’s capacity for friendship and fraternal sharing, into the family spirit, and into the loving-kindness of the Preventive System which is a capacity to love and make oneself loved;

- to educate one’s self to a love for others that includes respect, sincerity, human warmth, fidelity and understanding, and overcomes the barriers which keep persons apart and the attitudes which tend to exploit them;

- to become aware of one’s fragility and to practise temperance and self-control, keeping a balance in one’s emotions and a mastery over one’s sexual urges; to be prudent in interpersonal relationships, in everyday language, and in the use of the means of social communication;

- to implore God’s help and live in his presence; to nourish one’s love for Christ; to make use of the sacrament of Reconciliation as a means of purification; to entrust oneself with simplicity to a spiritual director; and to turn with filial trust to Mary Immaculate who helps to love as Don Bosco did.⁹⁴

3.2.7In dialogue with the Lord

98. In his prayer the Salesian develops, nourishes and celebrates his ability to meet God in his life and in his educative work with the young, and his joy in contemplating Jesus as the Good Shepherd, God the Father as the father of his young people, and the Spirit who is at work in them.

He knows that prayer is first of all docility to the Spirit, and then a humble, trusting and apostolic experience on the part of the one who spontaneously unites praying with living,⁹⁵ and in this way attains “that tireless industry made holy by prayer and union with God that should be the characteristic of the sons of St. John Bosco”.⁹⁶

99.He imitates Don Bosco who lived and formed his Salesians to a simple, practical and profound relationship with God. Don Bosco gave an example of a constantly prayerful attitude and an ability to direct everything to God’s glory, to live and work in his presence, and to have God’s Kingdom as his sole preoccupation. Following his example, the Salesian “cultivates union with God, aware of the need to pray without ceasing”.⁹⁷

His relationship with God and his apostolic interior life form the heart of his experience and permeate his whole being, even before they translate into activities or practices of piety. His is the prayer of the Da mihi animas, cetera tolle, which finds its source in the Eucharist and manifests itself in a complete dedication to apostolic work.⁹⁸

100.There is nothing special or exceptional about the Salesian’s manner of praying. He follows the pattern of prayer that the Church offers the good Christian. Adopting the Church’s pedagogy, he relives the mysteries of redemption in the various seasons of the liturgical year and allows himself to be evangelized by the Word.

Like Don Bosco, he performs the ordinary practices of piety with an intense faith: “over and above their function as means of personal sanctification”, they are for him “moments of training in order to collaborate ever more intensely in the work of transforming the world according to God’s plan”.⁹⁹

He prays with his community. In its prayer the community “deepens its awareness of its intimate and living relationship with God, and of its saving mission”¹⁰⁰ and shares this attitude of prayer with the educative community and with the Salesian Family, especially when celebrating the Salesian feasts.

The prayer of the Salesian bears the imprint of an apostle and an educator committed to the good of the young. It is linked to life: it precedes, accompanies and follows apostolic activity; it is bound up with the young, for whom and with whom he prays.

Precisely for this reason the prayer of the Salesian has a youthful style marked by simplicity, liveliness and truth.¹⁰¹ It is “joyful and creative, simple and profound. It lends itself to community participation, is drawn from life experience and flows back into it”.¹⁰²

101.In the Salesian’s personal and community dialogue with the Lord there are certain special expressions and occasions that need to be underlined:

“The Word of God is the first source of all Christian spirituality. It gives rise to a personal relationship with the living God and with his saving and sanctifying will.”¹⁰³

“For us [it] is a source of spiritual life, food for prayer, light to see God’s will in the events of life, and strength to live out our vocation faithfully.”¹⁰⁴ For this reason, the Salesian listens to it with faith and humility, accepts it in his heart as a guide for his steps, makes it bear fruit in his life, and proclaims it with joy.¹⁰⁵

The hearing of the Word “is the daily moment which is most efficacious for ongoing formation”.¹⁰⁶ The Word is actualized in a special way in the celebration of the Eucharist and in the practice of meditation. Daily meditation is a privileged place for intimacy with the Lord, a practical occasion to become familiar with the Word of God and incarnate it in one’s life.

102.The celebration of the Eucharist is the central act of the day for the Salesian. In it he gives thanks to the Father, commemorates the plan of salvation accomplished by the Son, communicates with the Body and Blood of Christ, and receives the Spirit who enables him to build fraternal communion and renew his apostolic commitment.

The Eucharistic presence in the Salesian house is for a son of Don Bosco a reason for frequent encounters with Christ, from whom he draws energy and endurance in his work for the young.¹⁰⁷

The grace of the Eucharistic mystery is extended to the different hours of the day through the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours.¹⁰⁸

103.The celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation is the most significant and efficacious expression of the daily striving for conversion. It gives the joy of the Father’s pardon, rebuilds brotherly communion and purifies apostolic intentions.¹⁰⁹

Don Bosco insisted on the pedagogical importance of the sacrament of Reconciliation and presented the regular and frequent celebration of the sacrament as the key to the personal spiritual progress and educational development of young people.

The Salesian loves the sacrament of Reconciliation and makes it loved.

104.For the Salesian, devotion to Mary is a powerful and happy reminder to recognize and invoke Mary as “a model of prayer and pastoral love, the teacher of wisdom and guide of our Family”, and to contemplate and imitate “her faith, her concern for the needy, her fidelity at the hour of the cross, and her joy at the wonders wrought by the Father”. After the example of Don Bosco, he feels committed to encourage “a strong filial devotion” to her, the Immaculate Help of Christians.¹¹⁰

105.Here are some points that need attention. They both sustain and express a Salesian’s prayer experience and form his pedagogy of life:

- he strives to celebrate the mystery of Christ in time by living the different seasons of the liturgical year as moments articulating the phases of his Christian experience and by giving spiritual importance to Sunday;

- he cultivates his faith, deepens his knowledge of the Christian mystery, and updates the theological and spiritual truths that motivate his prayer experience;

- he makes his participation in the liturgy a continuing school of prayer, and learns to listen to the voice of God and receive his grace; he perseveres in prayer even when he passes through periods of aridity;

- he celebrates the Liturgy of the Hours as an extension of the Eucharistic mystery during the day, joining with his community in praising the Lord at designated times;

- he develops an awareness of his apostolic mission: he goes in the midst of young people, not just because he personally chooses to do so but because the Lord sends him to act in his name; he knows that the Lord goes ahead of him; it is his conviction that the work he is doing is a work of redemption - either as a liberation from different forms of evil or as an evangelization of different human situations;

- he loves to pray with his community and is faithful to the times when his community gathers together for prayer. He discovers the beauty of sharing personal faith experiences and apostolic concerns with his community. Where it is practised with spontaneity and by common agreement, such sharing “nourishes faith and hope as well as mutual respect and trust; it facilitates reconciliation and nourishes fraternal solidarity in prayer”;¹¹¹

- he receives help for his progress in prayer from his encounters with his brothers and from spiritual direction;

- he makes the most of the opportunities and occasions that foster a lively and renewed manner of celebrating personal and community prayer. In this way he overcomes the risks of formalism, routine and passivity that often pose a threat to the common and obligatory forms of prayer.

106.The Salesian’s spiritual experience finds strong motivations in apostolic activity, but is also subject at the same time to certain risks. The Salesian is called to live the grace of unity, avoiding “any dichotomy between interior life and pastoral commitment, between religious spirit and educational work, or the escape to any other forms which are not in line with those three words of Don Bosco: work, prayer, temperance”.¹¹²

The Salesian is watchful lest his spiritual progress slow down or stop altogether, and his spiritual life be endangered by superficiality or dissipation. To this end he makes every effort to walk in the Spirit, to work under the influence of his apostolic interior life and to cultivate a unified life.

Community life

107.Let the community foster a style of brotherly communication and sharing of Salesian experience so as to strengthen family spirit, mutual help and the capacity for fraternal correction.¹¹³ Steps must be taken to improve the quality of the different forms of meeting and sharing: an exchange of views on the mission, community discernment, common prayer, the “community day”,¹¹⁴ the drafting of the educative and pastoral plan, the programming, the revision of life, the study of the guidelines of the Church and of the Congregation, the community assessments of its fraternal life, its state of poverty,¹¹⁵ its prayer life,¹¹⁶ its style of life in keeping with the values of Salesian spirituality, etc.

Life according to the evangelical counsels

Salesian obedience

108.Let every Salesian take part in drawing up the local and provincial educative and pastoral plans and dispose himself for working with others.¹¹⁷

109.“Faithful to Don Bosco’s recommendation each confrere meets frequently with his superior for a friendly talk.”¹¹⁸ “During the period of initial formation the confreres will have once a month the talk with the superior referred to in article 70 of the Constitutions.”¹¹⁹

Salesian poverty

110. Let all the confreres live their poverty “in detachment of heart and generous service of others”; their manner should be “marked by austerity, hard work and much initiative”.¹²⁰ Let them grow in their oneness with the poor,¹²¹ and work for justice and peace, especially by educating those in need.¹²²

“The community, whether local or provincial, should examine at intervals it considers opportune its own state of poverty, both as regards its collective witness and the services it renders, and should study the means to ensure a constant renewal.”¹²³

111.During the period of initial formation it is necessary to ensure that each confrere:

- fulfils his duties responsibly, takes his studies seriously, and shows willingness to perform the domestic chores required by the community;

- chooses to be one with the world of the young and the poor, even by directly experiencing it;

- is trained in the responsible use of money and in giving an account of his spending, and is invited, when it is appropriate, to take part in the administration of the community;¹²⁴

- is introduced into the knowledge of economic matters and learns to make responsible use of the tools of administrative management necessary for the mission.

Salesian chastity

112.From the very first years of formation, steps should be taken to offer, with the help of personal dialogue and a follow-up of the whole formation experience, an education to sexuality that is geared to each person and that helps him to understand its truly human and Christian nature and and also its purpose in marriage and in consecrated life;¹²⁵ such an education must lead him to esteem and love the life of consecration and “develop a serious and mature attitude with regard to the opposite sex”.¹²⁶

113.Let the confreres be duly helped to willingly embrace the self-discipline that consecrated chastity entails.¹²⁷ In particular:

- let them examine whether their attitudes and behaviour towards others, men and women, and towards the young are consistent with their option for Salesian religious life and the witness proper to it;¹²⁸

- let them accept eventual fraternal corrections;¹²⁹

- let them know how to make a balanced use of free time, of the means of social communication and of reading matter;¹³⁰ and let them be prudent in making visits and frequenting amusements.¹³¹

To promote the gift of Salesian chastity let the community foster a brotherly atmosphere and family spirit among the confreres and in their relationships with the young.¹³²

In dialogue with the Lord

114.The Salesian’s spiritual life is sustained by the liturgical pedagogy of the Church, by a “fully conscious and active participation”¹³³ in liturgical celebrations and by an ongoing liturgical education in his community. Let every confrere take to heart the dignity of divine worship, respect for liturgical guidelines, and attentiveness to the singing, the gestures, and the symbols.¹³⁴

115.The Eucharist occupies a central place in the daily life of the Salesian and his community.¹³⁵ It conveys and reinforces the meaning of our apostolic consecration in terms of conforming us to Christ, strengthening brotherly communion and renewing our apostolic drive.

“All the members will be faithful to the daily celebration of the Eucharist.”¹³⁶

116.Measures must be taken to cultivate a familiarity with the Word of God, a true school of ongoing formation, by making use of continual contact, prayerful reading, study and community sharing.

117.In personal and community life, emphasis should be laid on the educative and formative value of the sacrament of Reconciliation in accordance with our spirituality. The frequency of reception “should be decided in agreement with one’s own confessor, following the tradition of masters of the spirit and the laws of the Church”.¹³⁷ As a rule, religious “who are concerned about keeping united with God, should make the effort to approach the sacrament of [Reconciliation] frequently, that is, twice a month”.¹³⁸ During initial formation, considering the influence that a confessor’s guidance can have on vocation discernment and on the entire formation experience, the confreres should have a regular confessor who is ordinarily a Salesian.

118.The celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, when properly attended to, contributes to strengthening the attitude of prayer and union with God.¹³⁹ “The members will celebrate Lauds as morning prayer and Vespers as evening prayer in common if possible.”¹⁴⁰ The confreres who are deacons and priests ought to be faithful “to the obligations assumed... at their ordination”¹⁴¹ and take part – by celebrating the various Hours – in the incessant praise that the Church raises to her Lord.

119.Special care should be given to education to personal prayer and to mental prayer, the participation in and animation of monthly recollections and annual spiritual retreats, which are the fundamental moments of Salesian spiritual pedagogy prompting an attitude of renewal and strengthening unity of life.¹⁴² “The community will devote at least three hours to the monthly recollection, and every three months a whole day will be given over to a suitably prepared retreat. Every year the members will make a retreat of six days in the manner laid down by the Provincial Chapter.”¹⁴³

120.Let the Provincial Commission for formation and the Rectors help the confreres to cultivate the quality of their personal prayer, and in a special way of the meditation made in common for at least half an hour.¹⁴⁴ They should encourage the knowledge and practice of methods that are suited to the characteristics of our spirituality.

121.In the course of the year, due importance should be given to Marian feasts according to the spirit of the liturgy, making use of the Marian devotions that are typical of the Salesian Family, especially the holy Rosary.¹⁴⁵

The feasts and memorials of the Saints and Blesseds of the Salesian Family should be celebrated with joy and full participation, praising the Lord for the gift of sanctity he has disseminated in our spiritual family and finding in the celebration a stimulus to imitation.

122.Care must be taken of the moments of shared prayer with young people and the laity.

123.The methods and styles of prayer, the texts and other aids should preserve the Salesian characteristic of a prayer intimately joined to action; they should be open to “a well-balanced spontaneity and creativity in prayer, whether personal or communal”¹⁴⁶ and develop a special receptiveness towards forms of prayer that are joyful and appeal to youth and ordinary people.¹⁴⁷ They should contribute towards enlivening the spirit of the various celebrations and avoiding the effects of routine.

3.3INTELLECTUAL FORMATION

3.3.1Reasons for its importance

124.To live the Salesian vocation as one should, there arises an indispensable need for a solid and up-to-date intellectual formation based on serious study, one that develops the ability to reflect, to make judgements and to be discerning in the face of situations.

Society today is in continual flux and persons are needed with an open and critical mind, an attitude of enquiry, a willingness to learn and to face new things, an ability to distinguish between what is permanent and what is changeable, a penchant for dialogue and a capacity for discernment.

It is only with the help of an intelligent approach to situations and an open outlook upon culture, an outlook rooted in the Word of God, in the mind of the Church and in the guidelines of the Congregation, that the Salesian can arrive at a solidly motivated decision and experience concerning his own vocation, and be able to live his Salesian identity and its human and religious significance with understanding and maturity, without oversimplifications or complexes. Otherwise he runs the risk of being led astray by ways of thinking or taking refuge in models of behaviour and forms of expression that are outmoded or inconsistent with his vocation.¹⁴⁸

125.In present-day society, the thrust of the new evangelization asks the Salesian to contribute to the dialogue between culture and faith according to his charism, and to devise more suitable methods for proclaiming the Word of God. For such a penetration of the Gospel in culture and society, what is needed is a deeper study of the mystery of God, the vocation of man and the contemporary situation in which he lives.

In particular, being called to operate in the youth field, he feels the need to become familiar with it and prepare himself for a suitable and efficacious work of education and evangelization. This means that he has to be continually alert and reflective, and also able to organize his mission of education into practical steps. Indispensable for him too are an enlightened pastoral outlook, pedagogical competence and a professional approach.

126. Furthermore, in carrying out the mission together with competent lay people, the Salesian finds himself entrusted with the role of pastoral guide; he holds the chief responsibility for ensuring the Salesian identity of our initiatives and works, and he has to animate and form adults who are jointly responsible for the work of education.

While he may accomplish this task in different ways, depending on the works and the roles, he needs a better theoretical and practical knowledge of youth problems and educational methods; he also requires an ability to interact with adults on problems of life and faith, to communicate and lead, and to show particular competence when suggesting goals and educational approaches.

In addition, he has to live the Salesian spirit in a more convinced manner. The knowledge he has of the Preventive System must be comprehensive and acquired through reflection and experience, and he has to become much more aware of his own identity.¹⁴⁹

127.Finally, in the cultural upheaval in which we live, it has become all the more necessary to link religious witness with human values and with the challenges emerging from culture. “Within the consecrated life itself there is a need for a renewed and loving commitment to the intellectual life, for dedication to study as a means of integral formation and as a path of asceticism which is extraordinarily timely, in the face of present-day cultural diversity.”¹⁵⁰

3.3.2The nature of intellectual formation

128.Intellectual formation is therefore a fundamental component of both initial and ongoing formation. The kind of intellectual formation we are referring to here is one that is closely connected with the other aspects of formation: religious and professional formation go together, and so do pastoral love and pedagogical competence; the experience of one’s Salesian vocation includes an effort to qualify oneself and become professional in one’s approach.¹⁵¹

“Study and piety,” wrote Don Bosco to a confrere, “will make you a true Salesian.”¹⁵² It was almost as if he said in different words: “Culture and spirituality will make of you an authentic educator and pastor of the young.”¹⁵³

129.Intellectual ability and, in particular, the ability to reflect, discern and form judgments are attitudes needing to be developed and therefore the object of constant attention.

Intellectual formation - we have to emphasize - is first of all a way of living and working by learning from life, by keeping oneself open to the challenges and demands of the situation (culture, Church, and Congregation), by devoting time to study and reflection and making use of the means and suggestions offered; it is being attentive and discerning in daily life and getting into the habit of performing one’s work with competence; it is fostering a community climate conducive to study, to a sharing of views, and to carrying out activities that are thought out, planned and verified.

It was Don Bosco’s conviction in his time, and it is the conviction of the Congregation today that a serious intellectual preparation is an irreplaceable means to help one live the Salesian vocation and mission faithfully.

130.The Salesian’s intellectual formation comprises his basic formation, that is, the studies that form part of the different phases of initial formation, specialization or professional training, and ongoing formation.

During the period of initial formation, intellectual formation, especially at certain periods, is given a special emphasis. This is in order to ensure a basic preparation and qualification, a pedagogical and pastoral mentality that is open and critical, an intelligent and well-founded Salesian frame of mind, and a permanent attitude of study and reflection.

Every Salesian, whether priest or brother, must acquire and develop a sound cultural foundation. On the other hand, his specific vocation affects the programme of his studies, determining the selection of subjects, the approach to them and their detailed planning. In the case of Salesian candidates to the priesthood, their specific curriculum is determined by the Church according to the needs of their cultural context.

It is also important that basic formation take into account the starting condition of the candidates which is so very diverse. We sometimes come across a certain weakness in terms of knowledge of material, general frame of mind and method of study, while at other times we find a person already professionally qualified.

3.3.3 Basic choices that govern the Salesian’s intellectual formation

131.The Salesian’s intellectual formation is governed by certain basic choices which need to be taken into account when organizing the period of initial formation (the curriculum, the programmes, the method, etc.).

3.3.3.1SALESIAN COMPLEXION

Our Regulations explicitly underline the relationship between the identity of the Salesian and his intellectual formation when they state: “Our Salesian mission orientates and characterizes at all levels the intellectual formation of the members in a way that is original and unique. Therefore the programme of studies must preserve a balance between serious and scientific reflection and the religious and apostolic dimensions of our way of life.”¹⁵⁴ It follows then that the choosing of a particular arrangement, curriculum and study-centre is no indifferent matter when the formation of the confreres is at stake and we want to make sure they receive the pedagogical and pastoral preparation required by their Salesian vocation. We cannot leave the ordering of our studies to non-Salesian criteria.

3.3.3.2INTERACTION BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE AND HARMONY WITH THE PREVAILING HISTORICAL CONTEXT

132.Intellectual formation prepares one to deal with historical situations, especially with the youth situation, and consider them from the educative and pastoral point of view; it makes one capable of pastoral discernment and able to guide persons, plans and processes in conformity with the objectives of the mission.

As such, intellectual formation requires an initiation to the methodology of apostolic action. This is an interaction between theory and practice and can be put in a nutshell with the words, “reflection on experience”. Study and reflection are motivated and provoked by actual life, and practice is illuminated and guided by study and reflection.

3.3.3.3UNITY AND COMPREHENSIVENESS

133.The unity and comprehensiveness characteristic of the whole process of formation are also typical features of intellectual formation insofar as it aims to unify one’s personal experience and provide a proper understanding of the mission.

In a cultural context that seems hardly interested in having fundamental principles as its reference points and stands out for its pluralism and complexity, it is extremely necessary to offer a unified body of knowledge that gives one an open, well-founded and critical outlook on life. Such a unified and comprehensive knowledge flows from an active synthesis of the contents of the various disciplines and approaches, and from a method of teaching and study that fosters assimilation and synthesis.

It leads the Salesian to understand the uniqueness of his vocation, as a reality constantly requiring a delicate interplay of nature and grace, knowledge and faith, the temporal order and the Kingdom of God.

3.3.3.4CONTINUITY

134.The arrangement of intellectual formation also keeps ongoing formation in view, developing a habit of reflection and study, an openness to an exchange of views, a regard for the guidelines of the Church and the Congregation, and the effort to qualify oneself.

The continuity of intellectual formation helps the Salesian to know and live the turn of events spontaneously and to carry out an apostolate by involving himself in it. By constantly developing his intellectual capacity, he becomes capable of continuous learning, is able to seize on the most favourable opportunities for bringing himself up-to-date without limiting himself to those officially provided, and becomes better prepared for his mission as a Salesian educator and pastor of the young.

3.3.3.5INCULTURATON¹⁵⁵

135.The concern for inculturation must be present in all the aspects of formation. In fact, inculturation bears on the relationship between the person, his roots and cultural make-up, and his vocation; its aim is to incarnate the charism and realize the educative and pastoral mission in different situations. From this point of view and for this purpose, it must have an impact on intellectual formation and the arrangement of studies.

Basing itself on the principles enunciated by the Church, which are connected with the mystery of the Incarnation and with Christian anthropology, and basing itself on a solid philosophical and theological foundation, an intellectual formation that is incultured and at the service of inculturation does not limit itself to simply adapting to situations. It reaches the person in his very roots and in the frame of reference he bears within himself; it enables him to face reality in an intelligent and critical manner, and highlights the particular points that need reflection and study.

136. Therefore, in “[laying] down the method of formation according to the needs of [each] cultural context”,¹⁵⁶ care is taken to see that the aspect of inculturation is present in the arrangement of studies. It leaves its mark particularly on philosophical formation, the arrangement of theological and pastoral studies, the area of evangelization, missionary action and ecumenical dialogue, inter-religious relations, and Salesian method and spirituality.

In postnovitiate studies where ample space is given to the human sciences, philosophical formation not only establishes some core statements connected with Christian revelation, but also remains open to a healthy pluralism in relation to various cultures. It avoids juxtaposition and syncretism, and forges a new incultured synthesis.

Theological formation (which includes dogmatic, pastoral, moral, spiritual, liturgical and other ramifications) pays attention to the challenges of the new evangelization in different settings and to the different ways of incarnating the pastoral ministry. It requires inculturation to be adopted as the criterion and mechanism of every pastoral reflection and methodology so as to prepare educators and evangelizers to handle the dialogue between Gospel and culture in harmony with the Church.

Reflection and study also accompany the inculturation of the values of the Salesian charism and spirituality; they help to incarnate their substance and typical expressions in the various cultures and point out the “different ways of living the one Salesian vocation”.¹⁵⁷

3.3.4Subject areas

137.The experience of one’s vocation and the Salesian mission, in their unity and constitutive elements, are a privileged criterion also for choosing the subject areas, together with their internal structuring and connections. In addition to a solid basic culture, they call for a proper theological, philosophical and pedagogical approach, a particular consideration for some aspects of reality, and a study of “Salesianity”.

3.3.4.1A SOLID BASIC CULTURE

138.To be able to meet and enter into dialogue with people having different experiences and competencies, every Salesian must have a basic minimum culture, which is the level of studies required of anyone who has finished the normal cycle of education in his country and is capable of organizing his knowledge in a way that makes sense and of communicating it.

“The very situation of the Church today demands increasingly that teachers be truly able to face the complexity of the times and that they be in a position to face competently, with clarity and deep reasoning, the questions about meaning which are put by the people of today, questions which can only receive full and definitive reply in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”¹⁵⁸

It is necessary therefore that the Salesian possess a culture, that is, a sum total of ideas, understanding and values that is broad, open and at the same time critical, and that he be as well qualified as possible in whatever concerns the Salesian mission. As an educator and pastor of the young, he has to be in a position to effectively animate other educators and lay collaborators.

Taking into account the worldwide reach of the Congregation, the composition of the Regions and the groups of Provinces and the present-day tendencies in the world, it is clear how convenient it is today to have among one’s cultural accomplishments a reasonable knowledge of one or more languages in addition to one’s own, in order to overcome linguistic barriers and create possibilities of greater communication and collaboration.

3.3.4.2STUDYING THE FAITH MORE DEEPLY WITH THE HELP OF THEOLOGY

139.By acquiring a basic qualification in the theological sciences and keeping up-to-date in them, a believer is able to have an adequate understanding of the Christian mystery, to knowingly engage in the dialogue between Gospel and culture, and to respond to the demands made on him by changing situations and the evolution of culture.

Theology is at the service of the faith, of the Church and of its inculturation. It is indissolubly linked with the life and history of the People of God and with the Magisterium that points the way; vital by nature, it has a notable impact on the mission of the Church and in particular on the spiritual life and pastoral ministry of her members.¹⁵⁹

Consequently, theological reflection helps the Salesian develop a love for Jesus Christ and his Church, gives his spiritual life a solid foundation, and empowers him for his educative and pastoral mission. The current situation requires that already during the initial phases of formation – but not only then – there be a solid grounding in the faith in terms of both knowing truths intellectually and experiencing a life based on the Gospel. Special attention is also to be paid to the theology of consecrated life.

3.3.4.3A COHERENT UNDERSTANDING OF MAN, THE WORLD AND GOD WITH THE HELP OF PHILOSOPHY

140.The study of philosophy is indispensable for a deeper understanding and interpretation of the person, and of the person's freedom and relationships with the world and with God.¹⁶⁰ It is indispensable too for the necessary ability to reflect and assess reality critically.

It helps in fact to develop a coherent outlook on life which gathers the various facets of experience into a harmonious whole, and it also assists in arriving at the truth and guaranteeing its certainty in a cultural situation which often exalts subjectivism as the criterion and measure of truth. It is seen as a necessary basis for the dialogue between the theological and the human sciences, for a critical understanding of the different cultures, for ensuring the rational underpinnings of the Christian mystery, and for permitting a discernment of the cultural forms in which the Gospel is to be proclaimed.

3.3.4.4THE HUMAN SCIENCES AND THE SCIENCES OF EDUCATION

141.The human sciences, such as sociology, psychology, pedagogy, economics and politics, and the science of social communication, offer a deeper understanding of man and the phenomena and lines of development of society.¹⁶¹ They are indispensable for anyone called by his vocation to inculturate the Gospel in the life-situation of young people.

For the Salesian who in his period of formation assimilates the educative practice and pedagogical wisdom of the Congregation, the educational sciences are clearly an absolutely necessary part of his Salesian and professional training, and enjoy a privileged position because of their links with the Salesian mission and its specific objectives. Catechesis, which brings pastoral concern and pedagogical intuition together, occupies its own key position because the proclamation of Christ to the young is the reason for our existence as Salesians.

The increasingly widespread and powerful impact of social communication on almost all aspects of life, sectors of activity and relationships in society calls for a formation of the Salesian in the field of communication, a formation that will enable him to be acquainted with the instruments, their languages and their use, and acquire a critical sense and a methodological and educative capacity for communicating the message more effectively.

To ensure effectiveness in his educative and pastoral activity, it is also important for the Salesian to have a knowledge of the social, political and economic situation in which he lives and works and to consider the actual complex difficulties in the world of work, social problems, the new forms of poverty, and the social teaching of the Church.

3.3.4.5“SALESIANITY”

142.To foster growth in Salesian identity, to penetrate the riches of the Founder’s charism, to live according to the mentality of the Congregation and the guidelines given for ensuring fidelity to the Salesian vocation, and to live this same Salesian vocation in a way suited to times and circumstances – all this entails a knowledge and understanding, and therefore an intelligent, up-to-date and constant study of the spirituality, pedagogy, pastoral approach and history of the Congregation.

Every Salesian has a permanent duty to cultivate an understanding of his own vocation and acquire the mind of the Congregation, thereby strengthening his own identity and becoming able to offer and communicate the Salesian charism and its values.

3.3.5Specialization and professionalism

143.Besides a solid basic qualification, our vocation calls for an adequate professional competence, and this often entails a specialization. On the other hand, the context and the fields in which we work as well as the roles we take up, frequently require our qualifications to be officially approved. Therefore, once the basic formation is assured, a further qualification and specialization becomes necessary.¹⁶²

While it is true that one can acquire competence in a particular sector by living and working, today a proper knowledge and specific preparation have become necessary to enhance the quality of daily activity and to avoid improvisation and superficiality in one’s work.

Specialization builds on a person’s gifts in view of his apostolic activity and aims at enabling him to render a service marked by professionalism and competence.

Every Salesian qualifies himself for the tasks of education and evangelization and for the role entrusted to him, especially when it is a responsibility of animation, government or formation in the local or provincial community.

144.In choosing specialized studies, consideration must be given to the aptitudes and inclinations of the confrere, but the fundamental and priority criterion remains the concrete mission of the Congregation. In this sense specialized studies should not be programmed with a view to achieving personal goals, but with a view to responding to the requirements of the apostolic commitments.¹⁶³

It is the Province which, in its programme of activities, and more specifically in its provincial plan for the preparation and specialization of its confreres, identifies the areas and priorities for specialization and spells out how they are to be realized.

Furthermore, after his specialization the confrere receives from the Province a certain continuity and permanence in the activity for which he is prepared and also the possibility of updating himself. On his part, he puts his qualification at the service of the common mission.

3.3.6Study centres for formation

145.The arrangement and characteristics of the studies required for the Salesian’s intellectual formation find an institutional response in the study centres. The choice of a study centre must correspond to the criteria of Salesian formation. For this reason the general Regulations invite the Provinces able to do so to have their own study centre.¹⁶⁴

As a matter of fact there exists in the Congregation a diversity of structures for Postnovitiate and Theology studies. There is the Salesian centre, either combined with a formation community (the “studentate”) or functioning independently, and there is the non-Salesian centre or the centre for which Salesians share responsibility with others.

Many Salesian centres are open to students who do not belong to the Congregation.

Among the different kinds of study centres, preference is to be given to the Salesian centre which offers a programme of studies with a Salesian slant and a particular pastoral and pedagogical character, and favours a blending of intellectual formation with an overall formation plan and a special relationship of Salesian students with their teachers; it will also be necessary to ensure a good relationship between the study centre and the community.

146.It is the duty of Provincials to look after their study centres, to pay attention to their Salesian objectives and the quality of their academic service, and to furnish them with the necessary means. If they want the study centre to have a degree of excellence and to function properly, they have to be solicitous in the first place for its teaching staff, and therefore its academic structural organization as well as the preparation, permanence, rational deployment and necessary replacement of the personnel. They will have to insist on the need for everything to converge on Salesianity and for teachers to be qualified in those subjects that give the centre a Salesian complexion; they will have to encourage the teachers to be in touch with and involved in the action and reflection of the Congregation and of the Province.

One must also keep in mind that Salesian centres can offer the Province and the local Church a qualified service of spiritual, pastoral and cultural animation, such as: initiatives for the updating of confreres, members of the Salesian Family and the laity; professional advice for provincial and interprovincial bodies; research papers, publications, and the preparation of materials for use in animation; and various initiatives in conjunction with Church and religious bodies.

No doubt, a study centre can sometimes be a heavy burden for a Province. Collaboration among the Provinces is therefore advisable and oftentimes necessary.

When it proves impossible to frequent a Salesian study centre at the provincial and interprovincial level, a non-Salesian centre should be chosen on the basis of formation criteria, ensuring the necessary conditions and following the procedure laid down by the Ratio. In every case, such a choice must take into consideration the situation of the Province, the number of Salesian students, the nearness or otherwise of Salesian centres, and the context of the Church.

147.Among the various Salesian study centres, pride of place goes to the Salesian Pontifical University for the special mission it carries out at the service of the Church and the Congregation by preparing qualified personnel. “The present development of the Congregation and its worldwide expansion, the challenges facing its mission and the need to improve the quality of its pedagogical and pastoral effort, the context of the new evangelization and of inculturation, the concern for fostering communion and the regard for the different ways of expressing our charism – all these various elements highlight the great importance and relevance of the function of the UPS within the framework of Salesian reality.”¹⁶⁵

The UPS has a special relationship with some Salesian study centres in the form of affiliation or aggregation. This has been a constructive experience and has proved useful in enhancing the quality of studies, the exchange of ideas and collaboration, and the role of teachers.

3.3.7Some suggestions to promote intellectual formation

148.The commitment to intellectual formation must be a constant feature of the life of every Salesian. Such a commitment finds encouragement and practical expression in certain attitudes which the Salesian ought to cultivate:

- the Salesian makes enthusiasm for his vocation, stemming from pastoral love, a powerful motivation for his intellectual formation. He nourishes a love for study, devotes time to it and makes use of the opportunities offered him; he considers study an efficacious instrument for the mission;

- he takes pains to forge a synthesis of faith, culture and life, of education and evangelization, of secular and pastoral values;

- he lives his intellectual formation as self-formation, especially from the standpoint of ongoing formation, that is, as an attitude and personal commitment: he makes use of reflection, sharing and group encounters;

- aware of the demands of the mission, he works hard to develop a genuine interest in cultural matters, to make his Salesian identity the guiding principle of his efforts to bring himself up-to-date and mature intellectually, and to acquire a mentality of reflection and discernment concerning the signs of the times and the new phenomena arising in youth cultures;

- he finds in his community, at provincial and at local level, a stimulus and a help for his intellectual formation; the community in fact projects itself as a setting rich in Salesian values and open to life and culture. He finds it especially helpful to “reflect on experience” together with the educative and pastoral community, within the framework of the Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan;

- during his initial formation, he assumes responsibility for his own intellectual formation. With a generous and apostolic spirit he accepts the asceticism involved in serious study, fatiguing scientific work, diligence and concentration. He takes an active part in the classroom, in groups and in various academic and cultural initiatives, and is happy to meet with his teachers. He makes his own the motivations and aims of each discipline and scholastic activity in which he finds himself engaged;

- he receives an introduction to the methodology of apostolic action, and learns to combine pastoral exercises with intellectual formation in a way that creates a comprehensive experience; in this way he avoids the risks of being abstract or concerned with immediate results.

Objectives and Salesian complexion

149.“Our Salesian mission orientates and characterizes at all levels the intellectual formation of the members in a way that is original and unique. Therefore the programme of studies must preserve a balance between serious and scientific reflection and the religious and apostolic dimensions of our way of life.”¹⁶⁶

Let every confrere be offered a solid theological, pedagogical and professional formation that takes into account the different forms of the Salesian vocation and also the norms laid down by the Church.

150.With the help of a constant reflection on his practical experiences, the interdependent contribution of the various study disciplines, and the acquisition of the necessary skills, let the Salesian form in himself a pedagogical and pastoral mentality and become able to meet adequately the tasks and challenges proper to the mission.

151.Intellectual preparation must form in the Salesian an “open and discerning mentality”¹⁶⁷ that enables him to understand the situation, especially that of the young and the poor; it must develop in him the spirit of initiative,¹⁶⁸ and induce him “to keep abreast of new trends and meet them with the well-balanced creativity of the Founder”.¹⁶⁹

Personal commitment to intellectual formation

152.Let every Salesian form the habit of reflecting on his practical experiences, alone and in community, and also the habit of reading. Let him make the most of the updating opportunities offered him by his local community, the Province and the Church. And let him see to acquiring the educational qualifications called for by his task of educating the young, his role of animator, and the challenges of his situation: he needs to keep himself always better prepared to fulfil the common mission.

“Let every confrere study with his superiors the field of further qualifications best suited to his abilities and to the needs of the Province, giving preference to whatever concerns our mission. He should preserve that availability which is characteristic of our spirit, and be ready for periodic requalification.”¹⁷⁰

At the level of the Congregation

153.Studies in the Congregation are governed by:

- the documents of the Church which, directly or indirectly, concern ecclesiastical studies and the intellectual formation of religious;

- our Constitutions and general Regulations, the General Chapters, the Rector Major with his Council, this Ratio and the approved Provincial Directories.

154. In the Congregation intellectual formation is the direct concern of the Rector Major with his Council. It comes under the specific care of the General Councillor for formation.¹⁷¹ The following are the services that belong to him:

- the fostering of those studies that are called for by the particular characteristics of the Congregation;

- concern for the preparation of personnel and verification of the Provincial plan for the preparation and specialization of the confreres;

- the care of Salesian study centres and of the personnel who work in them;

- evaluation of the choices made of non-Salesian study centres and of the affiliations of Salesian study centres to Salesian and non-Salesian establishments.

155.Centres of higher studies, such as Academies and Faculties of Theology, Philosophy and Pedagogy that depend on our Congregation, must draw their inspiration, as far as Salesian students are concerned, from the criteria and directives of this Ratio.

156.Encouragement should be given to the study of Italian as a means of knowing the sources and reading the documents, and as an element of communication in the Congregation, especially in contacts and gatherings at an international level.

The study of other languages too is to be promoted insofar as they are useful for communication from the pastoral and Salesian point of view.¹⁷²

At the provincial level

157.For the purpose of maintaining unity in intellectual formation, the formation section of the Provincial Directory should contain the guidelines and basic decisions concerning the curriculum of studies, keeping in mind the norms of the Congregation, the requirements of the mission and the context of the Province. It should also contain directives pertaining to the study centres which are frequented by confreres in the different phases of formation and indicate steps to ensure the Salesian character of those centres. The Provincial Formation Plan should spell out in detail whatever pertains to the curriculum of studies.

158.Let the Province draw up its Provincial Plan for the preparation and specialization of its confreres on the basis of the criteria laid down in the Directory and as a part of the Provincial Formation Plan. That Plan (for qualifying the confreres) should be re-examined and verified from time to time by the Provincial Commission for formation, and forwarded to the General Councillor for formation.

During the period of initial formation

159.Intellectual preparation forms a unifying element in all the phases of initial formation. It plays an important role in the arrangement of the general programme and in the allocation of time to the immediate postnovitiate (at least two years), to the specific formation of Salesians preparing for the priesthood (four years), and to an analogous specific formation of Salesian brothers (at least one year).¹⁷³

160.During initial formation a Salesian complexion must be given to the arrangement of studies, and a gradual and systematic study of specifically Salesian subjects is to be fostered.¹⁷⁴

With regard to the Salesian complexion of the arrangement of studies, care should be taken of the following aspects:

- the basic, unifying concern for forming a Salesian educator and pastor;

- the effective correspondence between the arrangement of studies and the needs of Salesian life and mission;

- the presence of suitably prepared confreres who, starting in their own area of qualification, assist the student confreres in grasping the Salesian angle in their studies and are in a position to sensitize those responsible for non-Salesian centres on this issue.

With regard to the study of specifically Salesian subjects:

- there should be a gradual and systematic study of Salesian subjects (Salesian history, pedagogy, spirituality and the basic features of Salesian Youth Pastoral work), implementing what is laid down in the formation section of the Provincial Directory and in the Provincial Formation Plan;

- when the confreres frequent a Salesian study centre, the responsibility for teaching these subjects is ordinarily divided between the academic authorities and those of the formation community;

- when the confreres frequent a non-Salesian study centre, this responsibility is assumed by the formation community, unless it is discharged by the centre itself.

Those responsible for intellectual formation

161.The confrere in formation must consider himself as bearing the prime responsibility for his intellectual preparation. Therefore:

- he should be regular in his attendance at lessons, and prepare diligently for his seminars, dissertations and examinations;¹⁷⁵

- he should be open to an exchange of views and to group sharing, and taken an active part in the academic and cultural initiatives of his own study centre;

- he should make an effort, with the help of his teachers, to be proficient in the art of reflection and acquire a method of study that is in keeping with the spirit of ongoing formation.

162.The Rector and others responsible for formation must take pains to follow the intellectual formation of the confrere, keep themselves informed, speak with the academic authorities, and carry out an assessment from time to time.

The presence of qualified confreres, possibly teachers, in the formation community must always be ensured: they can help to give unity to studies and the formation experience.

163.The confrere who is a teacher is aware of his specific formative function. On this account he shows interest in the intellectual progress of the students and helps them to develop their talents, keeping in mind the objectives and the pastoral and pedagogical demands of Salesian activity.

He must subordinate his cultural and apostolic services in the Province and the local Church to those he has been called upon to offer to the student confreres. He must also commit himself to a systematic effort to keep himself up to date in his own line of specialization.

164.Non-Salesian teachers, be they ecclesiastics, religious or lay persons, who are called to render their services in Salesian centres, must be chosen in the light of their scientific and pedagogical preparation, the criteria and conditions laid down by the Church and the Congregation, and in particular, their compliance with Church guidelines and their witness of life.¹⁷⁶

Methodology

165.The methodology of studies and of teaching must make room for a valid anthropological and interdisciplinary approach, for methods that foster the ability to reflect, dialogue and discuss, a discerning mind and an attitude of continuing intellectual formation. Teachers and students should apply themselves to their intellectual work with all seriousness, keeping a synthesis always in view and aiming to create a pastoral and pedagogical mentality.

166. In the arrangement of academic work:

- there must be a sufficient number of lessons in the core subjects to allow for a presentation of the material concerned and general guidelines for personal study;

- seminars and practical exercises should be conducted to foster the active participation of the students;

- the teachers should impart a serious method of scientific work;¹⁷⁷

- personal study should be encouraged in various ways.

Study centres

167.De facto, there exists in the Congregation a diversity of structures for the Postnovitiate (in some cases frequented also by prenovices) and Theology studies:

- the Salesian study centre combined with a formation community (the “studentate”) or functioning independently; in both these cases the centre can be frequented by Salesian students and by other religious, diocesan or lay students;

- the non-Salesian centre, belonging to the Church or to the State, and frequented by confreres who are members of a formation community; in some cases, the study centre is run by the Salesians in collaboration with other Institutes or with the Diocese.

168.Between the two types of study centres mentioned above – the Salesian centre and the non-Salesian centre – the Salesian centre is ordinarily to be preferred.¹⁷⁸ This preference underlines the importance of an arrangement that makes for the combination of, and convergence between, intellectual formation and the overall programme of formation within a Salesian frame of reference.

Such a convergence can come about either in the form of a formation community having its own study centre (“the studentate”) or in the form of a separation of a formation community from a Salesian study centre, provided there is a close collaboration between the two in order to achieve the common objective of formation.

The Salesian centre has an added advantage for formation in that it provides the possibility for a sharing of life and reflection between teaching confreres and student confreres, and offers a competent service for ongoing formation in the Province.

169.The preference for a Salesian study centre does not mean that it must be reserved only for Salesians. The Regulations themselves say that “as far as it is possible it should also be open to externs, religious and lay, as a service to the particular Church.”¹⁷⁹

This openness, while safeguarding the centre’s identity and standard of excellence, holds advantages for formation, such as sharing, collaboration and a greater number of students.

170.“The Provinces able to do so should have their own study centre for the formation of the confreres and to provide qualified services of spiritual, pastoral and cultural animation.”¹⁸⁰

The Salesian study centres need to be supported, and steps have to be taken to ensure that they maintain their excellence in academic matters and in formation, that they are sufficiently staffed by teams of qualified personnel, and that this personnel enjoys a certain permanence in the institution. To transfer confreres who form part of the permanent teaching body of a Salesian study centre the Provincial needs to have an understanding with the Councillor for formation.

Taking into account the quality and the structure of the centre, the various academic roles and bodies (president, council, college of teachers, assembly of students, etc.) should be defined and made to function correctly. Every Salesian study centre should have its own statutes and regulations inspired by the Ratio.

171. There should be a determined and serious collaboration on the interprovincial level in establishing Salesian study centres and ensuring that they have all the necessary conditions to function well, especially when such an arrangement would not be possible on the provincial level.

172.Between the study centre and the Salesian community, ways and means of communication should be fostered (such as meetings between academic and religious authorities, between teachers and students, etc.).

In the case of a “studentate”, depending on the concrete situation, the areas of competence of the study centre (regulations, academic bodies, premises, and financing) and those of the formation community must be adequately distinguished one from the other, but harmoniously linked together, according to the norms of the Constitutions and general Regulations.

There should also be an “institutional” linkage between the study centre, the formation community and the Province in which it is situated. This linkage may take the form of:

- periodic meetings of the authorities of the study centre and of the formation community (the president and the Rector) with the Provincial and if required, his Council, to consider important questions concerning the teaching body, the programming and execution of study plans, the library, the administrative sector, and the day-to-day functioning of the study centre or studentate;

- a “management committee” made up of those responsible at the level of the Province, of the formation community and of the centre itself. Its task will be to consider the more important problems.

173.“When the study centre is interprovincial, the Provinces concerned shall give their responsible collaboration to enable it to achieve its aim.”¹⁸¹

Interprovincial collaboration for a studentate or study centre implies the creation and proper functioning of an entity holding shared responsibility (for example, a “curatorium”). Such an entity is made up of the Provincials directly concerned, the president, the Rector of the formation community/communities, the administrator and other members as envisaged in the statutes. It has the following tasks:

- to define clearly the rights and duties of the Provinces involved, the role of the local Provincial of the centre and of the other Provincials concerned;

- to spell out in practical terms the areas and forms of collaboration between the study centre and the Provinces supporting it;

- to follow the arrangement of the studies and academic activity;

- to study and offer guidance to the competent superiors concerning the teaching personnel and students;

- to see that the guidelines and norms of the Holy See regarding centres for ecclesiastical studies are followed;

- to maintain contact with the General Councillor for formation.

174.For a Province to take up and share responsibility with other ecclesiastical or civil institutions in governing and running study centres, the approval of the Rector Major is necessary. Let the confreres who work in such study centres be adequately qualified so as to be able to render a valid and significant service.

175.It is strongly recommended that the theological study centres belonging to the dioceses or religious Institutes and frequented by our confreres be affiliated to a Faculty of Theology.¹⁸²

176.The approval of the Rector Major is needed for the affiliation of a Salesian study centre to non-Salesian institutions.

177.Affiliations and other forms of connection of Salesian study centres with the Faculties of the Salesian Pontifical University are to be encouraged. If properly arranged by the centre itself and by the University, they are concerned with much more than the administration of academic matters and contribute to a more serious level of studies, the qualification of personnel, dialogue between the different centres of the Congregation, unity of purpose and collaboration.

It belongs to the Rector Major, as Grand Chancellor of the Salesian Pontifical University, to authorize the start of a process of affiliation and to forward the official request to the Congregation for Catholic Education, after the competent academic authorities have completed the required verifications and given their consent.

The deans of the Faculties of the UPS and those responsible for the affiliated centres will keep the General Councillor for formation periodically informed about the effective functioning of the affiliation or other forms of union.

178.When it proves impossible to frequent a Salesian study centre, even at interprovincial level, a non-Salesian study centre should be chosen which complies with the guidelines of the Church and is better able to cater to the needs and emphases¹⁸³ that characterize the individual phases of our formation process.

For the immediate postnovitiate in particular, those non-Salesian study centres should be preferred which better link philosophy with the human sciences, and for the phase of specific formation for the priesthood those centres which are best able to contribute to the formation of a priest who will be a pastor and educator. The formation benefits of this arrangement should be periodically assessed.

The choice of a non-Salesian study centre requires a prior dialogue with the General Councillor for formation and the approval of the Rector Major.

179.In the formation section of its Directory, every Province must indicate the study centre it has chosen for the formation of its confreres, and give reasons for the choice on the basis of its own particular circumstances.

180.When confreres frequent a non-Salesian study centre, the following steps must be taken to ensure that the formation objectives are attained, according to the possibilities and concrete circumstances:

- the student confreres must strive, individually and as a group, to assimilate the knowledge content offered by the study centre in a context of synthesis and within the framework of their Salesian vocation;

- there must be a relationship between those responsible for the formation community and the academic authorities;

- there must be a competent Salesian to follow the intellectual formation of the confreres who frequent such a centre and, if possible, some confreres to teach at the same centre or take part in its direction;

- Salesian history, pedagogy, pastoral work and spirituality must be the object of specific and systematic courses which are either incorporated in the curriculum of the centre or conducted within the formation community.

Legal recognition of the basic curriculum and other studies

181.The studies envisaged by the basic curriculum of the years of initial formation “should be so structured as to lead to degrees and qualifications recognized by the State, whenever that is possible.”¹⁸⁴ The Provincial plan for the preparation and specialization of the confreres will keep this requirement in mind.

182.With regard to the possibility of pursuing, during the period of initial formation, other studies which are not part of the basic curriculum, also with a view to obtaining degrees, one has to keep in mind the duty of first meeting the requirements of the phase of formation that the confrere is going through and of giving priority to the completion of the basic curriculum. In case of real incompatibility, absolute precedence must be given to the demands of formation.

When it is possible to harmonize respect for the demands of formation and dedication to other studies, the confrere must apply himself to them with a spirit of responsibility and sacrifice, and the Provincial and the Rector must see to the required follow-up and periodic assessment.

183.Attention must be paid to the norm issued by the Congregation for Catholic Education which prohibits the simultaneous frequenting as ordinary students of two Universities or centres of higher studies during philosophical and theological studies.¹⁸⁵ Therefore, in the different phases of formation, the confreres in formation are to be enrolled as ordinary students in only one University-level institute.

184.There are Provinces that during the years of initial formation, before or after Practical Training, allot a certain number of years which do not coincide with the other phases of formation, for the brothers and clerics to complete their study qualifications. They should carefully assess the situation of formation of the confrere concerned, make a prudent choice of the study centre, guarantee the confrere a proper community environment and not leave him without suitable formative guidance.

3.4FORMATION FOR YOUTH PASTORAL MINISTRY

185.The Salesian is formed to live Don Bosco’s project in the Church, which is: to be a sign and bearer of the love of God for young people, especially the poorest among them.¹⁸⁶

Since the whole of his formation is directed by this mission and enables him to live it, its unique characteristic is the formation to youth pastoral ministry. In fact, this is the final objective and point of convergence of the other aspects of formation: keeping them all in a vital unity, it determines their contents, approaches and procedures, and gives to each of them a youth pastoral slant.

And so, the service of youth, which is an essential part of apostolic consecration, necessarily requires the Salesian to possess human qualities, a good level of culture, professional competence and spiritual depth.

The Salesian mission draws its inspiration from the Preventive System and becomes concrete in Salesian Youth Ministry. It is on the basis of these two elements – the Preventive System and Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry – that the youth pastoral aspect of formation takes shape.¹⁸⁷

3.4.1Formation for the practice of the Preventive System, the incarnation of the Salesian mission

186.The Salesian educator and pastor of youth trains himself to live the style of life and action of Don Bosco and his first disciples, the Salesian spirit; that spirit was incarnated in Don Bosco’s spiritual and educational experience in the Oratory of Valdocco: he called it the “Preventive System”. It belongs to the very essence of our mission; it can practically be considered a synthesis of what Don Bosco wanted to be and to live for young people. For this reason it forms an essential frame of reference for Salesian formation.

The formation and the accomplishment of the mission in line with the Preventive System entails:

- training for a spiritual experience which has its source and centre in God’s love, predisposes one to welcome and serve God in the young, and creates an educational relationship with them in order to guide them towards the fullness of life;

- making one capable of evangelization by drawing on the natural and supernatural endowments each young person receives from God, and in a welcoming atmosphere that is full of life, teaching him the way to a unique form of Christian life and youthful holiness, Salesian Youth Spirituality;

- adoption of a pedagogical method whose characteristics are:

. a loving and empathic presence among the young;

. an unconditional acceptance of each young person and a personal encounter with him;

. the application of the preventive criterion, that is, an attempt to develop the young person’s resources by offering him positive experiences of goodness and virtue;

. the appeal to reason understood as a reasonable approach in the programmes offered him and as the richness of all that is human;

. religion as a means to cultivate the sense of God within every person and as a source of energy for Christian evangelization;

. loving-kindness as a love that expresses itself in fostering growth through education and that evokes a response;

. a healthy environment, enlivened by the animation of educators working in a spirit of shared responsibility and by the direct involvement of the young people themselves;¹⁸⁸

- application of the working model to our various works and services and our “new forms of Salesian presence among the young”, especially the Salesian Youth Movement, with due regard for the specific nature of each setting.¹⁸⁹

3.4.2Formation for Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry, the realization of the Preventive System

187. In carrying out its mission with dynamic fidelity, the Congregation with its experience has devised a practical way of effecting its educative and pastoral activity according to the Preventive System in the midst of the young: it is Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry.

To form and to fulfil the mission means to assume those elements that define the Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry:

- a decisive option for young people, especially those who are poor: this option permeates all our ways of thinking and acting;

- a unified process of educating and evangelizing young people: such a process aims at their complete salvation - in their reality as human beings and their call to be sons of God (“honest citizens and good Christians”); it comprises four characteristic aspects: that of education and culture, that of evangelization and catechesis, that of group experience, and the vocation aspect;¹⁹⁰

- a specific style of animation and the oratorian criterion applied to the various works and services;

- a process lived in an Educative and Pastoral community (EPC) in which the Salesian community is the animating nucleus, helping everyone to be responsible by respecting and coordinating the various roles and fulfilling one’s own;

- a Youth Ministry accomplished according to a Plan (the Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan: SEPP): the plan is the practical way in which the educative community proposes to live Don Bosco’s charism, incarnating it in its social and ecclesial situation and choosing the appropriate priorities, objectives, strategies, interventions, and forms of participation and evaluation.

3.4.3The values and attitudes proper to youth pastoral formation

188.To form the Salesian educator and pastor along the lines indicated, it is necessary to give particular attention to fostering and inculcating certain elements:

3.4.3.1A LOVE FOR, AND PRESENCE AMONG, THE YOUNG, ESPECIALLY THE POOREST

To be a Salesian means to have affection for young people, especially for those who are poorest, at risk and who find themselves on the margins of the Church. It means to cultivate the gift of a predilection for the young which makes him:

- approach them with a friendly attitude and a readiness to share;

- accept them without conditions and prejudices, acknowledging and drawing out the potential that lies within them;

- walk side by side with them, adjusting to their pace and rhythm of life;

- help them to grasp the richness of life and its values, preparing them to face real life and making them aware of permanent values.¹⁹¹

The predilection for the young leads the Salesian to take an interest in the working-class surroundings in which they live, to read the situation from their point of view, and to respond to it in ways that have significance for the Church and the locality.

3.4.3.2AN INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION WITH EVANGELIZATION

189.The service we offer the young is education and evangelization “according to a plan for the total well-being of man directed to Christ, the perfect Man”, as our Constitutions say.¹⁹² Therefore educational activity and evangelizing activity are not two successive steps; instead, pastoral concern always forms an integral part of the process of human development, and the latter is open and directed towards the Gospel.

This requires the Salesian to:

- start out from the standpoint of faith: life is a gift in which God is present;

- direct the whole process of educating the young in a positive manner so as to lead to an encounter with Christ and his Gospel;

- promote the human advancement of the person and the social development of the area;

- bring Gospel values and Christian vitality to animate the process of young people’s growth to maturity (formation to responsible freedom, the formation of conscience, social formation);

- foster a dynamic faith, one that permeates a person’s culture and development in such a way as to create in him a vital synthesis of faith and culture.

3.4.3.3THE COMMUNITARIAN NATURE OF SALESIAN MINISTRY

190.The Salesian’s activity for the benefit of the young is always a communitarian activity. It is lived as a joint responsibility within the religious community and the educative and pastoral community, within the Salesian Family and the Salesian Movement.

This is why the Salesian develops a sense of “working together” amidst a diversity of tasks and roles, an awareness of being part of an animating nucleus, and a feeling of responsibility in contributing “to preserve unity of spirit and to foster dialogue and fraternal collaboration for our mutual enrichment and greater apostolic effectiveness”.¹⁹³

3.4.3.4AN ANIMATING STYLE

191.Our style of working is one of animation, and this requires us to:

- place our confidence in the person and in his resources to attain what is good; he becomes the key figure and prime mover in all that concerns him;

- set out from the point at which the person finds himself and open him up to new horizons with helpful ideas and suggestions; for this, the rapport with him must be one of loving-kindness: this creates an atmosphere of freedom and facilitates the development of his energies;

- maintain strong interpersonal relationships in a serene and welcoming environment in which the person feels at home, is able to express himself and assumes responsibility for his own growth, making free decisions based on sound reasons and values;

- foster involvement, participation, and shared responsibility.

3.4.3.5AN OUTLOOK FOCUSED ON A STRUCTURED MINISTRY AND OVERALL PLANNING

192.Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry is a structured ministry because it brings together various activities and initiatives aiming at the integral formation of the young and because there are common aims and lines of action in the EPC and all contributions are integrated and complement each other.

This calls for a way of thinking and acting that promotes a linkage and a convergence among all the persons and elements that have a part to play in the educative and pastoral action.

More precisely, it requires:

- a comprehensive outlook, which finds expression in the Salesian Educative and Pastoral Plan;

- an aptitude to work according to the various areas of the Plan;

- an ability to organize pastoral animation in such a way that it enhances communication, coordination and team-work.¹⁹⁴

3.4.4Some lines of action for formation to youth pastoral ministry

3.4.4.1FORMATION FOR YOUTH PASTORAL MINISTRY

3.4.4.1.1 Responding to the Lord’s call in the needs of young people

193.Inspired by God’s example of love and self-giving in answering men’s needs, and imitating Don Bosco who walked the streets to reach out to youth in their situation, the Salesian feels in his heart the appeals that come from the young, especially from those who find themselves in conditions of poverty and suffering.

Through a process of discernment which he carries out with the assistance of the Spirit, he grasps the theological significance of the challenges coming from the world of the young. In their cries for help he learns to recognize the voice of God the Saviour calling him. In this way he enters into a dialogue with the Lord, bringing the young too into this dialogue and placing his whole life at their service.

The awareness of being called and sent by God to meet him in the young and to work for their liberation and evangelization helps him to acquire the mentality of an apostle, and it gives unity to all his life.

3.4.4.1.2 Concern for the world of education

194.Faced with the challenges of the new evangelization, the Salesian feels the need for a solid preparation and a strong effort to acquire culture. Oftentimes it is the civil and legal requirements, the needs of the world of education and the educational issues in the areas in which he works that require the Salesian to become qualified.

And so, reflection, study and continual updating are his responsibility by virtue of his vocation and profession, especially in the areas which are closer to the specific Salesian mission, such as pedagogy and catechesis.

3.4.4.1.3 Theological and pastoral reflection and the guidelines of the Church

195.The Salesian’s whole intellectual formation is characterized by its pastoral outlook. He particularly studies Pastoral Theology, and in studying other disciplines finds a connection with pastoral action. He receives encouragement and instruction from the guidelines of the universal and particular Church, above all from those that concern the area of his mission to the young.

3.4.4.1.4 The acceptance of Salesian pastoral guidelines

196.The Salesian becomes deeply rooted in the Salesian charism by applying himself seriously to the study of the Preventive System and its translation in Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry, particularly in Salesian Youth Spirituality.

It is important for him to have a good knowledge of the guidelines of recent General Chapters, the pastoral directives issued by the Rector Major and his Council, by the Department for Youth Pastoral Ministry, and by his Province.

Professional studies and specialization in the various fields of Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry are necessary and useful, as also are the acquisition of competencies and skills in other fields (animation, leadership and group dynamics).

3.4.4.1 5 Formation in the day-to-day experience of the mission

197.Though basic formation and extraordinary initiatives have their own proper value and necessary importance, the fact remains that it is the day-to-day experience of living the mission in the local and provincial community that offers the Salesian the setting and the most efficacious means for his formation as a Salesian educator and apostle. In his daily life he experiences pastoral discernment, planning and assessment, shared responsibility and collaboration, prayer and the spirituality of the mission.¹⁹⁵

It is in the same educative and pastoral community that he learns and feels impelled to give a joyful witness of his religious, community and apostolic life; he strives to live the fundamental elements of his Salesian identity; he offers his loyal collaboration to the various entities holding joint responsibility; he takes an active part in the processes of formation under way in the EPC; and he shows concern for the growth of the Salesian vocation in young people and in the collaborators.

3.4.4.2PASTORAL ACTIVITIES DURING THE PERIOD OF INITIAL FORMATION

198.In line with Salesian tradition, “throughout the whole period of initial formation” – so we read in our Constitutions – “importance is given not only to study but also to the pastoral activities of our mission,”¹⁹⁶ even if, methodologically speaking, priority is accorded during certain phases to activities that are theoretical and are a part of basic training in order to achieve some specific formation objectives. A typical and particular expression of a formation experience through Salesian pastoral ministry is practical training.

Pastoral activities aim at formation to the apostolate. If well-planned and guided, they help to achieve some specific formation objectives:

- growth in an awareness of the situation of young people and the acquisition of a habit of considering their condition from the point of view of salvation;

- training in skills needed for educative and pastoral work, particularly Salesian assistance, and the animation of groups;

• growth to maturity in one’s vocation, as one weighs the possibilities and the difficulties encountered in the process of living up to Salesian apostolic ideals. It is while living out the mission that one learns to examine one’s attitudes, motives and abilities, and make the effort to harmonize them with the requirements of the mission;

- integration of the spiritual, intellectual, emotional and operational aspects of the experience in one’s life with a view to arriving at a balance between work and prayer, between action and contemplation, between theory and practice, between concern for the individual and concern for the group, between consecration and mission;

- personal experience of the Salesian mission in different works and activities, openness to the Salesian Family and the Salesian Movement, and growth in a sense of shared responsibility at work in keeping with the demands of an “structured ministry” and team-work.

199.The interaction between theory and practice is a constant methodological factor in the process of formation. On the one hand, it is important that activity (practice) have a formative purpose, that is to say, that it be thought out, realized and assessed in the light of the formation objective chosen; at the same time, reflection (theory) on all the ideas and principles taken together must exert an influence on a person’s outlook and experience, on his mentality, criteria for action, and motivations which sustain his plan of life and his approach to the situation.

To ensure that the pastoral experiences do attain their formation purposes, certain conditions have to be met:

- the activities must form part of the Provincial Formation Plan, wherein are spelt out the responsibilities and the educative and pastoral activities for different phases, using a diversified and graded approach;

- they must relate to the Salesian mission and ordinarily be carried out in Salesian works and youth environments where one can learn to work with a comprehensive outlook, to live the organic unity of Salesian Youth Pastoral Ministry, to work in community and with lay people, and to be an animator;

- they must be formative in nature, suited to the Salesian’s age, maturity and needs of formation, and altered according to the different forms of the Salesian vocation. The programme of activities should be drawn up together with the confreres in formation and pay attention to various elements: analysis of the situation, objectives, methods, strategies, deadlines and assessments;

- there should be a qualified guide who has sufficient competence to assess situations and the necessary ascendancy to stimulate in those he is guiding the process of growing in values;

- a serious and systematic assessment should be made, both by the confreres in formation and by those responsible for formation.