DELIBERATIONS AND GUIDELINES

CONCERNING THE CONSTITUTIONS

AND REGULATIONS

AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIETY

The 24th General Chapter examined the proposals coming from the Provincial Chapters and confreres concerning some points of our proper law and the structures of animation and government of the Congregation. It approved the following modifications to the legislative texts (Constitutions and General Regulations), and certain other practical guidelines concerning the animation and governing of the Congregation.

1. LIMITATION OF THE DURATION IN OFFICE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL, IN THE SAME SECTOR OF ACTIVITY (C 142)

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The GC24, after considering the proposals reaching the Chapter,

- keeping in mind the general indication of the Code of Canon Law¹ on the temporary nature of duration in office in Institutes of consecrated life, as also the norms already adopted by our own proper law for superiors at provincial and local levels;²

- considering also, on the one hand, the notable effort required by a task at the level of the General Council, and on the other the acceleration in history and the great complexity of the times in which we are living, so that two sessions in the same office seem sufficient for expressing the ability for animation of a person, who could eventually fill other offices, still with force and possibilities;

has approved the following modification (in italics) to art.142 of the Constitutions:

142. Members of the General Council remain in office for six years, except for the case referred to in article 143 of the Constitutions, and may be re-elected for a second period of six years in the same office.³

Should a member of the General Council die or be permanently unable to attend to his duties, the Rector Major with the consent of his Council shall entrust his office to whomsoever he judges most suitable in the Lord, but only until the expiry of the six-year period.

This modification of art.142 of the Constitutions was approved by the Apostolic See in a rescript n. T.9-1/96 of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, dated 20 March 1996, and promulgated by the Rector Major by decree n.088/96 of 20 March 1996.

2. MODIFICATION OF ART.3 OF THE GENERAL REGULATIONS

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The GC24, on the basis of proposals coming from the provincial chapters, and reflecting on the presence of girls and young women in works and activities directed and animated by Salesians, in the light of our mission, with reference to art.3 of the General Regulations, has emphasized the following main aspects:

a) It is considered important, in the first place that the charismatic reference in this article to the priority of attention for boys and young men be preserved; this was the intention of the GC22 in approving this article, which is linked with Chapter IV of the Constitutions.

Nevertheless it is judged opportune to reformulate the first paragraph of the art.3 in the following manner: Our educative and pastoral service is directed primarily to boys and young men.

In this way, by introducing into the present text the word primarily, while expressing the charismatic priority the impression of exclusiveness is removed (which could give the impression that the presence of girls is an exception).

b) As regards the remainder of the article in question, it seems better to remove the reference to the various specific works (youth centres, schools), thus broadening the scenario to the whole of the salesian mission. It was also considered convenient to eliminate from the article the reference to "dialogue with the Rector Major" before introducing coeducation in schools, since the criteria and norms laid down by the Provinces are sufficient in this regard.

c) Noting finally that coeducation is not a phenomenon identical in all parts of the world, the importance is emphasized of giving attention to local situations and hence of establishing criteria and norms at provincial level. The competence for the establishing of such norms and criteria for coeducation in the works of the Province is assigned to the Provincial Chapter, with the Provincial and his Council obviously having the power to make decisions in concrete cases. The Rector Major and his Council come into the matter when approving the deliberations of the Provincial Chapter, in accordance with the Constitutions.⁴

The Provincial Chapter, in establishing norms and criteria, will obviously act in harmony with the directives of the local Church and civil legislation, being concerned to create an adequate environment for coeducation in line with Don Bosco's preventive system.

On the basis of these principles the GC24 has approved the following new text for art.3 of the General Regulations:

Our educative and pastoral service is directed primarily to boys and young men.

In our works girls are also welcomed in line with criteria and norms indicated by the Provincial Chapter.

3. PRACTICAL GUIDELINE ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE

STRUCTURES OF GOVERNMENT

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The 24th General Chapter

- after examining some contributions from the Chapter itself and from a study of the Report of the Vicar General on the state of the Congregation;⁵

- considering the present structures of government which, in their general arrangement, were created by the GC19 though with subsequent partial modifications; and being of the opinion that in view also of the many changes that have taken place in recent times in the life of the Congregation in various contexts, it seems opportune to submit them to a more exact verification both as regards functioning and possible as regards arrangement, has approved the following practical guideline:

The GC24 requests the Rector Major with his Council to make in the course of the next six years a careful study, with the help of experts, on the functioning of the General Council (in its arrangement of Councillors for Departments and Regions), giving effect to opportune interventions for a more efficacious organization, giving greater strength to study organisms and practical offices, and with a well-arranged programme.

The Rector Major and his Council should study also the manner of making a deeper verification of the structures of the central government, involving the Provincial Chapters, with a view to the GC25.

4. GUIDELINE CONCERNING THE "FORM" OF OUR SOCIETY

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The GC24, after examining the proposals coming from confreres of certain Provinces of the Congregation on the expediency of a further study on the "form of our Society", has emphasized the following elements:

- On the one hand it noted that in the recent Synod of Bishops on the consecrated life, a proposal was made to study a possible "mixed" form (neither lay nor clerical) of religious Institutes with respect to their foundational charisms, and that a specific commission for the purpose was set up by the competent Congregation.⁶provide us too with an occasion for a deeper examination of the "form" of our Society, to see whether it corresponds to our charism (a Society made up of clerics and laymen).

It was observed that a new study of this kind on the "form" of the Congregation, with a possible recognition of the "mixed" form, could help to define better the figure of the salesian brother which should be given greater value; and this in the interests of the whole Congregation, rather than of a category of confreres.

- On the other hand, calling to mind the great work done by the renewal Chapters (SGC, GC21 and GC22) for the study and definition of the Society's "form", it was emphasized that the question touches deeply the charism of the Congregation, on which there is both a tradition and the salesian magisterium (of General Chapters and Rector Majors).

A thorough understanding will be needed of what is meant by a "mixed" Religious Institute and what consequences, not least of a juridical nature, it would have on the life and mission of the Congregation; this too in the light of the charism.

On the basis of these reflections, the GC24 has approved the following guideline which it entrusts to the Rector Major with his Council:

In the light of the Apostolic Exhortation Vita consecrata (n.61) and of the juridical developments now in progress on the "form" of Religious Institutes, the GC24 considers it important that a study be made of a possible "mixed" form of our Society, and that there be a deeper investigation to see whether the innovations in such a form respond to our charism and to the original project of the Founder.

5. THE GROUPS OF PROVINCES (C.154)

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The GC24, in accordance with art.154 of the Constitutions, has examined the configuration of the groups of Provinces, entrusted to the Regional Councillors. It noted, in fact, the need for a reconsideration of the entire framework of the so-called salesian Regions in the light of the present development of the Congregation,⁷, keeping in mind both the guideline already expressed by the GC23 (n.309) and the relevant study carried out by the General Council, and in particular the changes that have come about in recent times.

The Chapter considered it important to make a preliminary reflection the role of the Regional Councillor and on the main criteria for the constitution of the groups of Provinces.

The Regional Councillor and his duties

Attention was first focused on the figure and duties of the Region Councillor, as they appear from the Constitutions⁸ and General Regulations,⁹ and also from the life of the Provinces and the expectation of the confreres.

The verification, based on experience, substantially confirmed the figure of the Regional as described in the text of the Constitutions and Regulations, and emphasized certain particular characteristics, such as:

- he is a full member of the General Council, and so a Councillor of the Rector Major, with duties regarding the entire Congregation;

- at the same time he has a particular care for a specific salesian area, with a task of:

communication and linkage, in two directions: he represents the Rector Major and his Council in the Provinces and with the confreres, and represents the concerns of the Provinces and the confreres in the General Council;

coordination of salesian activity between Provinces: he puts them in communication with each other, fosters the exchange of aptitudes and values between different provincial realities, so that each group is mutually enriched;

animation and encouragement for the development of the salesian charism: he helps the Provinces in the inculturation of the salesian mission.

Criteria for forming groups of Provinces

Keeping in mind the duties of the Regional Councillor, to which constant reference is needed, the Chapter went on to identify the criteria to be applied in formulating concrete proposals for the grouping of Provinces.

Taking as a starting point the criteria indicated by art.140 of the Constitutions ("promotion of a more direct liaison between the provinces and the Rector Major and his Council" and the fostering of the linkage of the provinces among themselves), the following aspects were emphasized:

- The criteria of geographic contiguity, and of cultural and linguistic affinity, are good and must be kept in mind, but without them becoming absolute. No single criterion is sufficient if considered in isolation.

- The importance is emphasized of having flexible criteria:

which do not render homogeneity rigid;

which do not tend to identify the group of Provinces which form the Region with the Provincial Conference (or Conferences), even though the presence of Conferences in a group may lead to more intense collaboration between Provinces which are more homogeneous.

- A flexible criterion of this kind should foster meetings, exchanges and the communication of values, and hence promote a creative relationship between culture, history, mentality and even different languages: this especially at the level of experiences and salesian history (reciprocal enrichment and exchange between the Provinces). From this standpoint an effort to internationalize a Region will have positive results.

- The importance is also emphasized of taking into account in the first place the mission of the Provinces. If it is important to consider the numerical consistency of a group of Provinces, it is vital to cultivate whatever fosters the mission and salesian development.

- With regard to the numerical criterion: here too flexibility is to be applied. Priority is to be given to the good of the Congregation and the Provinces, and to the service of the mission. This dictates the conditions for the configuration of the group, but with due attention to practical situations and possibilities.

- Together with these criteria, whatever be the composition of the groups the importance is emphasized of collaboration and mutual exchange between the Regions themselves.

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The groups of Provinces

With the criteria established, after a discernment on the situations and concrete possibilities, the GC24 approved the following overall framework for the configuration of the groups of Provinces for the coming six-year period":

1. AFRICA GROUP

This is made up juridically of the five circumscriptions at present existing: Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar, and Zambia-Malawi-Zimbabwe.

The Rector Major with his Council will specify the responsibility of the Regional in coordinating the other salesian foundations in Africa, in the spirit of n.310 of the GC23.

2. LATIN AMERICA (SOUTHERN CONE) GROUP

This group has 14 Provinces:

Argentina-Buenos Aires, Argentina-Bahia Blanca, Argentina-Cordoba, Argentina-La Plata, Argentina-Rosario, Brazil-Belo Horizonte, Brazil-Campo Grande, Brazil-Manaus, Brazil-Porto Alegre, Brazil-Recife, Brazil S+o Paulo, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay.

3, INTER-AMERICA GROUP

This group includes 12 Provinces and 2 Vice-provinces:

Antilles, Bolivia, Central America, Canada, Colombia-Bogotá, Colombia-Medellín, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico-Mexico, Mexico-Guadalajara, Peru, United States East, United States West, Venezuela.

4. ASIA-AUSTRALIA GROUP

This group contains 13 Provinces and 2 Vice-provinces:

Australia, China, India-Bangalore, India-Bombay, India-Calcutta, India-Dimapur, India-Guwahati, India-Hyderabad, India-Madras, Japan, Korea, Philippines North, Philippines South, Thailand, Vietnam.

5. NORTH-EUROPE GROUP

This group has 16 Provinces and 1 Circumscription:

Austria, Belgium North, Czech Republic, Croatia, Eastern Circumscription, Germany-Cologne, Germany-Munich, Great Britain, Ireland, Holland, Hungary, Poland-Breslau, Poland-Cracow, Poland-Pila, Poland-Warsaw, Slovakia, Slovenia.

6. WEST-EUROPE GROUP

This group has 11 Provinces:

Belgium South, France-Lyons, France-Paris, Portugal, Spain-Barcelona, Spain-Bilbao, Spain-Córdoba, Spain-León, Spain-Madrid, Spain-Seville, Spain-Valencia.

7. ITALY - MIDDLE EAST GROUP

This group embraces 10 Provinces and 1 Vice-province:

The Middle East and the following Provinces etc. of Italy:

Adriatic, Genoa, Milan, Piedmont Circumscription, Rome, Sardinia, Sicily, Southern, Venice East, Venice West.