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ACG-413-RM-CG27-ENGLISH |
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1 Pages 1-10 |
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1.1 Page 1 |
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I am happy to be writing this
letter to you, through which it
is my intention
to convoke the
27th General
Chapter
“aWppitnroeascshesoftothteheGroasdpiceal”l
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
✔ TheGeneral Chapter is the 27th in the history of
our Society;
✔ It will take place in ROME at the “Salesianum” in the
Generalate;
✔ It will begin on Saturday 22 FEBRUARY 2014
a TURIN in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians
with a visit to the places of our Salesian beginnings;
✔ Moderator: Fr Francesco Cereda
✔ Motto: “work and temperance”
1. CONVOCATION
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
✔ Four main areas:
living in the grace of unity and with joy the Salesian
consecrated vocation;
having a strong spiritual experience, taking up the
way of life and di action of Jesus;
building up fraternity in our communities of life and
action;
generously dedicating ourselves to the mission,
walking side by side with the young so as to give
hope to the world.
1. CONVOCATION
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
The fundamental aim of
GC27 is that of helping each
confrere and community to
live the apostolic plan ofi
Don Bosco with fidelity.
GC27 therefore, in continuity
with GC26, is meant to
further strengthen our
charismatic identity.
1. CONVOCATION Fundamental purpose of the theme
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
As fruits from GC27 we want to make our Salesian life even more
authentic and therefore visible, credible and fruitful.
If we believe in our vocation and live it with
conviction, then we are credible
Visibility is not primarily taking care of our image, but the
beautiful witness of our vocation.
Flowering of vocations will come as a consequence of
the authenticity of our life.
I am convinced that in order to achieve the objectives of GC27
a spiritual and pastoral conversion is required.
It is necessary to enkindle the fire of
spiritual and apostolic passion in the heart of every confrere.
1. CONVOCATION Fruits to be hoped for from the implementation of the theme
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
GC27 has other particular tasks:
The election of the Rector Major and members of the General
Council for the six year period 2014-2020.
A rethink regarding the organisation and structuring of the
Departments for the Salesian mission: youth ministry,
missions, social communication (cf. GC26, 117, 118).
Reflect on the grouping of the three Regions of Europe
(cf. GC25, 124, 126, 129).
evaluate the decision to entrust the Salesian Family to the
Vicar of the Rector Major (cf. GC25, 133 and GC26, 116).
Evaluate the overall structure of the General Council and the
structures for central government of the Congregation (cf.
GC26, 118).
1. CONVOCATION Other tasks
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
Cultural challenges:
The first challenge without doubt is, post-modernism, a
typically western phenomenon.
A second challenge is inculturation, marked also by an
increasing intercultural mentality.
The third challenge regards secularisation.
Ecclesial challenges:
The current situation means that new evangelisation is not
something ‘optional’ but a missionary obligation.
The Church is “tempted by a dimming of hope”
the unease in consecrated life.
pluralism, which can slip into relativism.
2. GLOBAL CONTEXT Challenges...
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
Institutional challenges:
Looking at initial formation we observe a greater
weakness in two fundamental areas: vocational
discernment and personal accompaniment.
Also evident is a lack in assimilation of the
guidelines of the Congregation regarding pastoral work.
We note a weakness in direction and animation.
Government and animation do not always foster a change of
mentality.
2. GLOBAL CONTEXT Challenges...
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
Personal challenges:
One has to mention some failings in the life of the Salesian:
individualism, activism, self-formation.
There is often no awareness of the identity of our vocation
as consecrated Salesians
The affective and effective distance from the world of the
young is increasing; they are often not understood or seen as
our only reason for being.
The affective dimension of the Salesians, which is little
appreciated; emotions, feelings and affections are neglected if
not ignored.
2. GLOBAL CONTEXT Challenges...
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
The young!
Finally, I seem to observe in the Congregation a quite
worrying pehnomenon: here and there I notice a more or less
conscious unwillingness and sometimes a clear inability
to be sympathetic towards, to learn about or understand con
and to graciously accept the new forms of
expression which are a feature of today's young people.
To recreate the Salesian charism in the most varied situations
it is not enough to adapt it to the different youth contexts. We
want to do this while living in their world, speaking their
language, standing side by side with them not only as those
to whom we are sent especially but, above all as companions
on the journey.
2. GLOBAL CONTEXT Young people as a challenge
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2 Pages 11-20 |
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2.1 Page 11 |
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
Besides the many positive aspects there are also significant
difficulties:
in some parts of the Congregation ageing of the
confreres, the shortage of vocations and the complexity of the
works make hoped-for renewal difficult;
in others it is a struggle to organise pastoral activities with the
choice of the young as primary focus;
problems in finding necessary space for community life
difficulties in finding valid and effective prodcedures for
ongoing formation;
Here and there a lack of enthusiasm in living
the vocation and there are weaknesses in animation
on the part of Rectors.
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
The need to trace out the profile of the new Salesian;
today called to be:
a mystic: "find a response to [secularism] in
acknowledgement of God's absolute primacy".
a prophet: "In today's multicultural and
multi-religious world there is demand for witness of
evangelical fraternity".
a servant: "The presence of new forms of poverty and di
marginalisation ought to call forth that creativity in the
care of those most in need".
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
The need to trace out the profile of the new Salesian;
today called to be:
a mystic: "find a response to [secularism] in
acknowledgement of God's absolute primacy".
baamevopsAuaelrnttoirl-ghvlrpeeahlltiinceoghatito::lfiu"fs"TrIsmanhtweertooreipndrnlriadqteyydst"'uhse.senmircereueelittsoicsfdauneltenmauwraadfnlcodarhpmnfodsarr oawnfictpngoetvseiecsrtoeyf a!nd di
marginalisation ought to call forth that creativity in the
care of those most in need".
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
Radical approach of the Gospel in consecrated life cannot be limited
to practice of the evangelical counsels.
It involves ones whole being, touching its vital elements: the
following of Christ and the search for God, fraternal life in
community, the mission. Every one of these areas is imbued with the
spell of the vocation, and therefore called to express the radical
attitude of the Gospel.
This radical approach was proclaimed by Jesus himself throughout
his prophetic ministry, which finds its most explicit expression in the
“Sermon on the mount” (cf. Mt. 5-7)
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
Our specific vocation is to Salesian consecrated life,
which places us as disciples and apostles of the Lord
Jesus in the footsteps of Don Bosco.
It is described in synthesis in
Art 3 of the Constitutions.
There needs to be space which
is “balanced and harmonised”
for spiritual experience,
fraternal life in community,
and the mission.
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
The “grace of unity”
among these features of
our vocation is a
challenge to be faced
seriously and with
determination.
spiritual experience
fraternal life in community
mission.
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
spiritual experience
An...
all-embracing experience, because it
places us in the presence of a God full of zeal
who admits of no rivals, and with an all
consuming presence;
unifying experience, because it gathers
together all aspects of life around the one
thing important and necessary;
dynamic experience,because it gives us
“a new heart and a new spirit”: what one has
to do, the law to be fulfilled, is not outside
ourselves, but within us.
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
spiritual experience
An experience that makes us...
Disciples of Christ (C. 61-84) and
Seekers of God (C. 85-95)
We have to carefully cultivate our spiritual life,
at both personal and community level.
It will be necessary to overcome an idea of the spiritual life which is of an
intimistic nature, extraneous to or on the fringes of the life of the world; but
at the same time it will be necessary to give greater importance to the
experience of prayer, improve the quality of community life, and in
professional manner be well-prepared to carry out our service of
egvangelisation, to be prophetic signs in the face of the current values this
world canonises, and be irrefutable witnesses to the God of Love.
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
in fraternal communities C. 49-59
It is impossible to imagine Salesian religious
life without that communion which is realised
in the common life and shared
mission.
We can identify some dangers, for
example, that of organising a style of
relationships which are merely functional or
hierarchical or falsely democratic
A community without communion is reduced to a group in which
people may have a place, but are left in isolation. On the other
hand, in religious life communion without community is a
narcissistic way of living: individualism.
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
mission C. 26-48
The mission does not consist in doing
things, but essentially in being signs of the
love of God in the world.
The specific aims reflect the identity,
especially for apostolic, consecrated
life, with the pastoral or promotional activity
which the religious undertake in the various
areas of human life.
The radical approach of the Gospel in the
apostolic mission has sense, and can be
measured in the growth of pastoral charity,
like that of Don Bosco: "for you I study, for you
I work, for you I live, for you I am ready even
to give my life".
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Consecrated Life
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3 Pages 21-30 |
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3.1 Page 21 |
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
TEWMOPREKRaAnNdCE
Article 18 of the Constitutions, which
has as its title “Work and
temperance”,presents these two
things, “for us inseparable”,
as an essential element
of the Salesian spirit: "the watchword
and badge of the Salesian"; "the two
weapons armed with which,
Don Bosco wrote,
we will succeed in winning over
everything and everyone".
One could say that it represents the Salesian way
of understanding and putting into practice the “radical approach of
the Gospel”, "in which in a practical manner they incarnate day after
day, the ideals and dynamism of our faith, hope and charity".
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Salesian expression
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
TEWMOPREKRaAnNdCE
Work is associated by Don
Bosco with “union with God”:
“sanctified work”.
Work is “apostolic mission”.
Work “in autonomy” is not
for us Salesians;
on the contrary we are called to
“live and work together”(C.49)
Temperance is understood as self-control,
moderation of ones inclinations, instincts, passions, being
reasonable, cutting off from worldliness,
not fleeing to the desert but remaining with people with one's
heart under control.
For us, Fr Viganò wrote “the measure of our Salesian temperance
is not our renunciations, but growth in the practice of pastoral
and educational charity”
3. THE RADICAL APPROACH OF THE GOSPEL IN CL Salesian expression
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
In order to make the theme concrete and achieve the aim of
GC27, certain requirements are needed:
Processes
to be set in motion
The first process regards the way of
living nowadays our consecrated
Salesian vocationin the grace of
unity and with joy.
The second process regards
knowledge of Don Bosco, which
needs to be constantly improved to
be the inspirational motive of
our life.
The third process regards the
lived personal community attitude
towards the Constitutions.
REQUIREMENTS to MAKE THE THEME CONCRETE
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
In order to make the theme concrete and achieve the aim of
GC27, certain requirements are needed:
Care needs to be given to culture.
and to cultures
Ecclesial challenges need to be considered.
Care needs to be taken to increase the
culture of the Congregation, especially
Mindset
to be changed
with regard to formation demands of a
serious vocational discernment and
effective personal accompaniment.
Finally there is a mindset to be changed at a personal level,so as
to foster the overcoming of forms of individualism,
deepen the identity of consecrated life, acquire effective
sexualand and emotional maturity.
REQUIREMENTS to MAKE THE THEME CONCRETE
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
In order to make the theme concrete and achieve the aim of
GC27, certain requirements are needed:
The style and organisation of community life needs changing:
consistency, simplification, roles etc.
Need to change the form of presence and exercise of the role of
the Rector of the community: quality, readiness for leadership,
etc.
Need to change way of managing human resources;
strengthen co-involvement and charismatic use of resources:
Salesian Family, shared responsibility of laity, etc.
Structures
to be changed
REQUIREMENTS to MAKE THE THEME CONCRETE
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
1. CONVOCATION
2. GLOBAL CONTEXT
tPomrbooecteisosensteins
to
Mindset
be changed
3. RADICRAELQGUOIRSEPMEELNATPSPRtoOMAACKHEOTFHESaTleHsEiaMnECCLONCtRoESTbEterucchtuarnegsed
At this point the question usually comes up, "but is it possible to live
like Christ?". It is not a rhetorical question.
There are confreres and communities who live with great joy,
generosity, fidelity and with a radical approach, and others on the
other hand whose lives are based on the easy life, individualistic,
unconcerned about others, about the young or the poor.
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“Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel”
1. CONVOCATION
2. GLOBAL CONTEXT
tPomrbooecteisosensteins
to
Mindset
be changed
3. RADICRAELQGUOIRSEPMEELNATPSPRtoOMAACKHEOTFHESaTleHsEiaMnECCLONCtRoESTbEterucchtuarnegsed
Today as yesterday God is calling us to holiness in Salesian life.
And this is possible if we live as Christ did, as our beloved father and
founder lived with great joy, attractiveness and a smiling face, but
with the great radical approach of the Gospel, expressed in his
twofold mTWEotMtOoPREKRAaNnCdE
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“aWppitnroeascshesoftothteheGroasdpiceal”l
TWEMOPREKRAaNnCd E
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Father and Teacher
of the young,
St John Bosco,
docile to the gifts of the Spirit
and open to the reality
of your times
you were for the young
especially the little ones
and the poor,
a sign of the love and
special care of God.
Be our guide
as we walk the path of friendship
with the Lord jesus,
so thast we may discover in him
and in his Gospel
the meaning of our lives and
the true source of happiness.
Help us to respond with generosity
to the vocation
we have received from God,
so that in daily life we may be
builders of communion, and
may collaborate with enthusiasm,
in communion with the whole
Church, in creating
a civilisation of love.
Obtain for us the grace of
perseverance
in living a high standard of
Christian life,
according to the spirit
of the beatitudes;
and grant that,
guided by Mary Help of Christians,
we may one day be with you
in the great family of heaven. Amen
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