encouraging_international_communities


encouraging_international_communities

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2. GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES
2.1 ENCOURAGTNG TNTERNATTONAL COMMUNTTTES (GC27 75.5)
Don Francesco CEREDA
Vicar of the Rector Major
GC27 asked us to strengthen the consistency of the Salesian
community and to make its internationality grow. After having
offered in AGC 422 some orientations on consistent communities,
let us now consider international communities, according to what
the General Chapter itself asks: "Encouraging international com-
munities also through a worldwide redistribution of confreres and
the promotion of missionary projects in the Congregation"l.
Not in all contexts is it possible to have confreres from coun-
tries other than one's own. Where it is not possible to establish
international communities, let us at least consider the possibility of
having multicultural and multi-ethnic communities, i.e. communi-
ties in which there are confreres from different ethnic or tribal
groups. Establishing international communities is the condition for
offering a prophetic witness of "intercultural fraternity".
The orientations that are now being proposed have been
shared with the Rector Major and the General Council; they are
intended to help the confreres and the provinces to take this
capitular choice to heart and give it full and generous support.
1. Importance of International Communities
Today we live in an era of great mobility of persons and peo-
ples. There are various reasons for this phenomenon: poverty,
hunger, war, persecution, desertification, climate change, the ris-
ing of sea levels, globalization and, as a result, the search for se-
curity and better living conditions. The result of mobility is a mix-
ture of people from every nation, culture, ethnicity, religion, lan-
' cG27,75.5.

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GL]IDELINES AND DIRECTIVES 43
guage; this situation requires tackling problems of cultural adap-
tation, civil coexistence and social integration; it is a situation that
now occurs in the majority of countries, both rich and poor, and in
all continents.
Our Congregation cannot ignore the phenomenon of migra-
tion. Many young migrants find themselves without work and
therefore without a future, excluded from society, exposed to crime
and violence. In order to respond to their needs, the educative and
pastoral communities are becoming more and more intercultural,
even with the presence of volunteers coming from various coun-
tries; for this reason, the provinces feel the need to create inter-
national communities. It should be noted that among the young
migrants of our educative and pastoral communities we are be-
ginning to have vocations to Salesian consecrated life.
In the flreld of initial formation, since vocations have decreased
and there are no formators, interprovincial and international for-
mation communities have been established in various provinces.
In addition to strengthening the formation communities, this
choice enables confreres in formation to live a fraternity open to
interaction, relationships and cultural diversity.
The growing needs of the missions also make it necessary to
send missionaries, to strengthen existing communities or to found
new ones; think, for example, of the nerff communities of Kuching
in Malaysia, of Palabeck in Uganda for the care of refugees, of
Kunkujang in Gambia which are made up of confreres from vari-
ous countries.
Finally, we must not forget the communities that respond to
the needs of the entire Congregation, such as, for example, the
community of the headquarters, the Salesian Pontifical Universi-
ty, the Salesian places, the world formation communities, the com-
munities of the Vatican and the Catacombs. These are interna-
tional communities that need the contribution of confreres from
different provinces.
In the Congregation, as you can see, there is already a consid-
erable exchange of confreres. All the signs described above point

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44 ACTS OF THE GENERAL C)IJNCIL
towards a greater internationality of the communities. For this
reason, GC27, with a prophetic vision, asked for the promotion
of international communities and proposed two ways of making
this commitment a reality: the promotion of the Congregation's
missionary projects and the global redistribution of confreres.
2. Availability to the Missionary Projects of the Congre-
gation
According to GC27, one 'ÿvay of fostering the emergence of
international communities is to make the confreres available for
the missionary projects of the Congregation. It is therefore neces-
sary to make these projects known, to grow the missionary spirit,
to help the confreres especially in initial formation to have an open
look at the life of the Church and of the Congregation; above all it
is necessary to form to availability. In general, it is a matter of
forming to obedience as availability and in particular to missionary
availability; this task is the responsibility of provincials, formators
and provincial delegates for missionary animation in s;mergy with
the sector for the missions of the Congregation. Don Alberto Cavi-
glia used to speak of the great development of the Congregation
that had grown up with the availability of the "I go", which he con-
sidered the "Salesian motto". The missionary development was
due to the availability of the confreres.
When Don Bosco wrote the Salesian Constitutions, he put
obedience as the first of the euarugelical counsels, overcoming the
traditional order that considered first poverty, then chastity and
finally obedience. After the promulgation of the Code of Canon
Law in 1917, the traditional order was introduced in our Consti-
tutions. Vatican II then gave the first place to chastity and asked
religious institutes to renew their Constitutions. For this task of
revision, the Code of Canon Law of 1983 indicated that "Al1 must
observe faithfully the mind and designs of the founders regarding
the nature, purpose, spirit, and character of an institute... and its
sound traditions, all of which constitute the patrimony of the

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GIJIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES 45
same institute"'. For this reason, in the final edition of the Con-
stitutions, GC22 once again placed obedience in the first place.
Don Bosco considered religious obedience as availability to God
for the mission, as readiness to do anybhing in whatever place was
needed. Once, shaping his handkerchief into a ball, he passed it
from one hand to the other. As the boys watched silently, he would
suddenly exclaim: "If I had twelve boys as manageable as this
handkerchief, I would spread our Faith not only throughout
Europe, but far, far into the remotest lands"3.
Don Vecchi comments: 'As though in response to such an invi-
tation a tradition grew up in the Congregation encouraging confr-
eres who felt themselves called, to make to the Rector Major a spe-
cial offer of their availability for the missions ad gentes. Overcom-
ing all geographical limitations, it makes them prepared in spirit
to preach the Gospel everywhere, and gives to Salesian obedience
a special worldwide dimension of totality. This availability for obe-
dience... is proper to our tradition"'. In this way we have become
a worldwide Congregation.
"The missionary dimension," affirms the current Successor of
Don Bosco, "is part of our identity"s. And he continues: "We Sale-
sians of Don Bosco, even though we have a juridical organization
which is expressed in Provinces, do not make our religious profes-
sion for one place, one country or one destination. We are Sale-
sians of Don Bosco in the Congregation and for the Mission, there
where there is need for us and where our service is possible"u.
When he was about to begin the missions of America in 1875,
Don Bosco inüted the Salesians to offer themselves freely. Today
God's call to the mission of the Congregation comes to his confreres
through the General Chapters: GCzl started the Africa Project and
GC26 started the Europe Project. The Rectors Major then repeat-
'Can. 578.
' MB ry p. 424. Cfr also III, p. 546; VI, p. 11; XIII, p. 210.
n J. VeccuI, 'I haue come to d,o your will', in ACG 375, p. 34.
o A. FenNaNonz, Belonging nore to God, more to the Confreres, more to the Youth,
in ACG 4r9, 2014, p. 22-23.
6 Oc. cit. p.25.

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46 A?TS oF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
edly addressed these missionary invitations to all the confreres,
indicating some priorities. In his first letter to the Congregation,
the current Rector Major also made an appeal to his confreres,
indicating some missionary areas that are in need; he then renews
his appeal every year on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Missionary vocations are a gift from God, but they need to be
requested in prayer, raised up in the confreres, accompanied in
their growth; they require discernment and are born where there
is an atmosphere of availability. Therefore, it does not seem out
of place to put the root of the missionary vocation in a life lived
as obedience to God, as listening to the needs of the Church, of
the Congregation, of the poor young people, as discernment and
response. Obedience is not only availability to the requests of a
Superior, but is above all a generous and available offer of oneself.
3. Global Redistribution of Confreres
According to GC27, a second way to foster the emergence of
international communities is the global redistribution of confr-
eres. This is more difficult to achieve;while the first way described
above is based on the availability of confreres who offer them-
selves spontaneously, this second way requires the intervention of
a Superior who, seeing the needs, asks a confrere for at least tem-
porary availability to go to a province in need.
The problem of the equitable distribution of priests is very
much alive in the Church. For example, in Malta there is 1 priest
for every 337 inhabitants;in Cuba there is l priest for every 20,000
faithful; in some dioceses of the northeast of Brazil there is 1 priest
for 35,000 faithful and even 1 for 45,000. These are borderline cas-
es; however, it is known that the countries of Latin America, where
437o of the world's Catholics reside, have only lSVo of the world's
total number of priests; while the countries of Europe and North
America, with less than 39Vo of the world's Catholics, have more
thanTSVo of the world's total number of priests. These figures are

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GUIDELINES AND DIBECTIVES 47
very eloquent about the imbalance between the north and south of
the Church. In this light one understands the concern of Vatican II
and the Popes to stimulate a more equitable distribution of clerry
among the dioceses of the world, including also the request to reli-
gious Congregations to commit themselves to new frontiers or to
the dioceses to temporarily send "fi.dei donurn " priests.
Returning now to the life of the Congregation, missionary
vocations "ad uitam" should certainly be encouraged, but the tem-
porary transfer of confreres between provinces is also a valid help.
Such transfers could last from three to five years; they could also
lead to the maturation of a missionary vocation "ad uitam". This
requires a broader üsion of the common good in the provinces and
in the confreres, the maturation of a sense of solidarity and also
the consideration of mutual advantage in favouring missionary
availability.
In his first letter to his confreres, the Rector Major Fr. Ângel
expressed the conviction that "a great richness of our Congrega-
tion is precisely its missionary capability"T. He recalled that dif-
ferences and multiculturalism are a richness, that the identity of
the Salesian charism is not monochrome and that it is necessary
to prepare confreres with a global outlook. For this reason he
asked for an exchange between provinces, recommending, in addi-
tion to the offer "ad uitam", the temporary availability of confr-
eres for the provinces in need'. He also indicated not to prevent
young confreres from studying outside the province and to offer,
especially to formators, the opportunity to attend international
study centers and to have a missionary experience.
In the provinces there may be confreres in need of spiritual
and pastoral renewal of an experiential type, which can sometimes
consist of what Pope Francis calls "the way out to the periph-
eries". Our Special General Chapter had already considered the
' A. Fonxenonz, Belonging rnore to God, ..., p. 24.
" Cf. ibid., p. 25.

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48 ACT9 oF THE GENERALCOUNCL
missionary relaunch as "a thermometer of the pastoral vitality of
the Congregation and an effective means against the danger of
embourgeoisement"'. And when Fr Viganô launched the Africa
Project in 1980, he wrote a letter in which he said: "The missions
free us from the tendency to a soft and easy life, from superficial-
ity in spiritual things and from genericism".
In order to realize in the Congregation a global redistribution
of the confreres, the growth of a mentality of solidarity among the
Provincials is required, as well as the intervention of the Rector
Major and the General Councillors to encourage temporary send-
ings.
4. Intercultural Experience as a Prophecy of Fraternity
In the Congregation there are different types ofinternational
communities: communities of mission "ad gentes", of apostolic
commitment among immigrants, of global services, of formation
and study. The international and multicultural communities offer
the possibility of a special witness of the prophecy of fraternity
through intercultural experience.
The confreres, although coming from different countries, rec-
ognize themselves as brothers in Don Bosco; the communion
among them is based on the bonds of religious profession and of
the Salesian charism. By establishing relationships of esteem and
friendship, with patience and humility they interact more and
more and grow in mutual acceptance and affection. Progressively
they consider the differences in culture, sensitivity and viewpoints
not as an obstacle to good relations, but as an enrichment. This re-
quires the ability to relativize one's o\\4/n \\ryay of seeing and build-
ing communion on elements of unity; in this way all are trans-
formed by the experiences of others and grow in mutual donation.
Fraternity lived in the community, and especially in an inter-
national community, is the first and fundamental mission. When
'SGC n. 296.

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GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES 49
the youth and lay people see how we, although coming from dif-
ferent countries and cultures, overcome our differences, work in
a spirit of mutual understanding and help, dedicate ourselves to
the mission of youth, all this becomes a stimulus and inspiration
for their lives. Fraternity thus becomes the prophecy of the
Church, communion and service. The Apostolic Exhortation "Vita
consecrata" asks consecrated persons to be experts in communion
and to practice its spirituality. Communion is a sign for the world
and an attractive force that leads to believing in Christ. In this
way communion opens up to mission, it becomes mission itselflo.
In order to establish international communities in the provinces
it is necessary to be available to welcome missionaries, whether
permanent or temporary, and to send confreres to other cultures. In
addition, an operation of discernment on the part of the Provincials
is necessary so that in the communities there are confreres from
different backgrounds, ethnic groups and cultures and the richness
and variety of differences are assured; on the other hand, it is not
easy to build fraternity in international communities if the confr-
eres are not trained or at least open to intercultural experience. It is
also necessary for each confrere, in addition to his own language, to
learn another international language. Provinces should offer this
learning opportunity especially to young confreres.
5. Operational Conclusions
We now present as a conclusion, and as an example, some op-
erational guidelines. With the contribution of all, we will be able to
fïnd other concrete choices in this promising field of international
and intercultural communities.
It is up to the provincials to configure the Salesian communi-
ties with confreres belonging to different nationalities, cultures,
languages and ethnic groups. This fosters intercultural experi-
ence, which is a sign of the prophecy of fraternity; it also re-
'o Cf. Vita Consecrata, 46.

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50 AcIs oF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
sponds to the needs of the youth mission, especially in the case
of migrations. The welcoming of young people and volunteers
from other cultures and nations into the educative and pastoral
communities also helps to give an international face to the com-
munities.
The proünces are invited to send confreres to the formation
communities and international study centers of the Congregations
such as Roma Gerini, Jerusalem, Roma Testaccio, the Pontifical
Salesian University, the Pontifical Universities of Rome. Interna-
tional environments favour the openness of the mind, the knowl-
edge of other cultures, the interaction with different Salesian and
ecclesial experiences, the study of Italian. Such an international
experience is particularly important for the formation of the for-
mators of the formation communities and the teachers of Salesian
study centers.
It is useful for provinces to plan missionary experiences, for
example during the holidays, especially for young confreres, for-
mators and teachers in study centers. Even the study of an inter-
national language, besides one's own, needs planning and cannot
be left to improvisation; this is a learning to be offered to the
young confreres and formators of the community and of the inter-
national study centers. The study of Italian in particular is neces-
sary when it comes to the world communities placed at the service
ofthe Congregation.
It is the responsibility of the Provincials, the provincial dele-
gates of missionary animation and formators, especially in the
young confreres, to encourage discernment of the missionary vo-
cation "ad t)itd,n';" and therefore the sending of missionaries avail-
able to the Rector Major. It is also important for the provinces to
be available to welcome and accompany missionaries in particular
situations such as Project Europe or in particular contexts of mi-
gration. Missions or chaplaincies for foreigners that require at-
tention to the inclusion in projects and communities of the
provinces are also to be cared for.

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GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES 51
Among the provinces, also with the help of the General Coun-
cillors, the temporary transfer of confreres to the provinces that
are poor in personnel and in need of help or to the formation com-
munities should be encouraged. Such transfers need to be regu-
lated by special agreements.