Acts_1976_283.ASC


Acts_1976_283.ASC

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YEAR LVII
JULY-SEPTEMBER 1976
No. 283
ACTS OJ TUI SUPIRIDR cou~c1·L
OF THE SALESIAN SOCIETY
SPECIAL ISSUE IN PREPARATION FOR GENERAL CHAPTER XXI
SUMMARY
1. Letter of the Rector Major (p. 3)
1.1 Convocation of the 21 st General Chapter
1.2 "We are undertaking a matter of the greatest importance » (D.
Bosco)
1.3 Two additional news items
2. The Work of the Preparatory Technical Commission (p. 13)
3. The Program of the General Chapter (p . 14)
4. General Study Topic (p. 16)
« WITNESSING AND PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL : Two essentials of
Salesian life among the young ». •
4.1 Preliminary remarks
4.2 First line of study: Witnessing the Gospel
4.3 Second line of study : Proclaiming the Gospel
5. Guidelines for the revision of the Constitutions and Regulations (p. 22)
5.1 Sense of this study
5.2 Practical guidelines
NOTICE
In view of the fact that this special issue of the Acts of the Superior
Council contains matters of the greatest importance, it is sent to every
Salesian. This is in keeping with the Rector Major's wish that each and
every Salesi an take hi s letter in this issue as addressed to him per-
sonally.
It is also his wish and recommendation that his letter be made the
object of attentive personal reflection and community discussion. This
will help towards the formation of a suitable spiritual climate and of
a high sense of cooperation which must characterize our preparation
for the coming General Chapter.

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR M A JOR
1.1) CONVOCATI ON OF THE 21st GENER AL CHAPTER
Dear Confreres and Sons,
W'ith the present letter, which for some easily understandable
reasons comes out with some delay, I am making the long-awaited
official announcement of the convocation of the 2lst General
Chapter (GC XXI).
According to art. 155 of the Constitutions and art . 99 of the
Regulations I hereby announce that this General Chapter will be
held in Rome at the Generalate, Via della Pisana 1111, beginning
October 31, 1977. It will be preceded by a Spiritual Retreat,
which will be attended by all the participating Chapter me.mbers
(see 1.3 of this issue for the general program; a more detailed one
will be made available in due time) .
In compliance with article 100 of the Regulations, I have
already appointed Fr. Raffaele Farina, Director of the "Centro
Studi di Storia delle Missioni Salesiane" (Salesian Missions History
Study Center) at the UPS in Rome as the GC Moderator . Also
in agreement with the members of the Superior Council, I have
nominated the members of the Preparatory Technical Commission
which is to collaborate with the Moderator in drawing up a plan
of preparation for the Chapter. As you can see from the content
of this issue, both the Moderator and the Commission have already
got down to some serious work .
The principal goal s that we will all try to achieve with
GC XXI can be summed up under the following five headings:
1. an in-depth study of the Rector Major's Report on the

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state of the Congregation, wich is required by art. 106 of the
Constitutions;
2. a revision of the Constitutions and Regula tions which
were approv~d by the Special General Chapter (SGC) ad experi-
mentum until GC XXI;
3. a study of the General Study Topic : "WITNESS ING AND
PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL: Two essentials of our Salesian life
among the young".
This topic is proposed to the entire Congregation for attentive
consideration, in order that we may draw some practical con-
clusions concerning the needs of our times on the matter of evan-
gelization and our duty to meet them.
4. a study of the particular topics which are especially relevant
for us at present;
5. the election of the Rector Major and his Council for the
next six-year term (1977-1983).
In this issue of the Acts you will find a detailed and clear
presentation of all that is necessary to set in motion the machinery
in preparation for the new GC. I will therefore bold myself
dispensed from needless repetition. Should any doubts or prob-
lems arise in your minds at any stage of the preparation, you
are invited to present them to the Moderator who will always
be available for consultation - and so will be all Superiors con-
cerned. I only want to recommend to all of you to read most
attentively the instructions that will be issued from time to time,
and to follow them diligently, especially with regard to meeting
fixed deadlines.
Allow me now to make some reflections that would help us
to render more abundantly fruitful the work demanded of us
at this particular time, i.e. the work of preparing, organizing and
celebrating the next GC.

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1.2) « WE A RE UNDERTAKING A MATTER OF THE GREATEST
IMPORTANCE» ( Don Bosco)
At the opening of the First General Chapter of the Congre-
gation 100 years ago (September 5, 1876, to be exact), our Holy
Founder told the few Chapter participants: "We are undertaking
a matter of the greatest importan·ce" (Annali I, 313 ).
This was very true then. But were Don Bosco to be con-
fronted with the conditions with which we are confronted now,
he would probably repeat those very words for the same, and
perhaps even more valid, reasons .
The massive work of renewal of our Congregation brought
about by the SGC is now behind us. (Just think of the Consti- ·
tutions and Regulations - which were radically renewed while
at the same time remaining faithful to the .Founder's spirit - and
of the wealth of thoughts and practical guidelines - which were
stored in the thick volume of the Acts of the SGC).
But the Church is asking us to move on and do something
more. In her wealth of wisdom born out of many centuries of
experience, she demands that a new GC be held to carefully check
whether, how and to what extent the hoped-for renewal has been
accomplished . It is for this reason that I believe we could apply
also to the coming GC that note of "the greatest importance"
spoken of by Don Bosco with regard to the First GC.
Even though in practice this new GC will be shorter in dura-
tion and simpler in realization than the previous SGC, which had
the huge task of formulating a 'comprehensive project', it will be
nevertheless equal to it in importance and interest for the future
of the Congregation.
This Chapter is intimately connected with the former, inas-
much as it has the serious obligation of reviewing and examining
all that has been accomplished in the last six years. In some way
it will be a continuation of it. For it must point out its possible
shortcomings and see to what extent and in what spirit the renewed

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Constitutions - which, as we know, are the expression of, and
the sure guide to, a conscientious evangelical realization of our
vocation in all its aspects of consecration and mission - have
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been accepted and practised by all of us.
I
An opportunity for reflection
In view of the exceptional conditions present in the Church
and in the Congregation during the recent years of agitation and
confusion, this time for reflection is most opportune: it fills a
real need.
It has frequently been said that in our Congregation no less
than in the Church we today stand in dire need of clarity and
certainty. This is true indeed.. Were we to carry on without clear-
ideas and solid motivations, we would be heading down the road
to deformation, involution and disgregation - to that demise of
the Congregation against which Don Bosco warned us in prophetic
and foreboding terms.
The SGC gave us what we needed - a set of clear ideas
and sure guidelines. The next GC will take on the demanding
double task of first verifying if and how this set of ideas and
guidelines has been followed out in our Congregation, and then
indicating new ways and means to promote and perfect initiatives
which are already being carried out according to the dispositions
of the SGC.
As you will see from the documentation contained in this
issue, the next GC will endeavor to accomplish other tasks of
great consequence for the present and the future of the Congre-
gation, which will be referred to by the Rector Major in the coming
months. This will be done both during the revision of the Consti-
tutions and Regulations and when treating of the general study
topic and other eventual subjects in the context of a realistic view
of the pressing needs of the Congregation.
·
h is apparent that in order to fully achieve these goals or

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objectives the GC must be preceded by a serious preparation. Such
preparation is the responsibility of every Salesian both as an indi-
vidual and as a member of a community, whatever his position .
Everybody must participate actively
I therefore wish to invite each of you most earnestly to
express your love of the Congregation by your constructive contri-
butions of experience and reflection. At this time the Congrega-
tion needs the irreplaceable support of all her children - so that
she may keep young and active and, even in renewal, remain
faithful to the ideal clearly delineated by Don Bosco and autho-
ritati~ely approved by the Church; in other words, so that she
may be the alert, consistent and .fruitful congregation " qualis
esse debet" at the present day.
In making his particular contribution, let each one place
himself in the presence of God and ·examine facts, issues and prob-
lems under his guiding and revealing light with the sole preoccu-
pation of promoting the vital spiritual and apostolic interests of
the Congregation and of the Church. Any other motive would
only lead to a destruction of the Congregation and of the reason
for her existence in the Church.
Delegates must be well chosen
Every Salesian is responsible, not only in the abstract, but
in a concrete and real way, for the success of the next GC . And
this, first of all, by the adoption of a realistic and honest view. of
the true good and of the future of his Province and of the Con-
gregation, and then by the verification and evaluation in the light
of the renewed Constitutions and the SGC documents of situa-
tions, trends and practices as they exist today in our religious,
apostolic, personal and community life.

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But there is also another very important means of effective
participation in the coming Chapter - that of choosing local and
especially provincial Delegates wisely with an enlightened, straight-
forward and upright conscience.
What kind of men should the Delegates be? First of all,
they should be men of God . Then they should be men possessing
the true Salesian spirit, as proven by their action. They should
be men rich in experience of Salesian life at its various levels .
The should be awake and open to the issues and problems which
confront our Congregation today at this historic moment of her
existence. They should be men who give assurance that at m'eetings
and gatherings they will be capable of making an effective contri-
bution to the strengthening and enriching of our Congregation
in her members and in her mission.
An all-out effort to be constructive
The participation in the GC, which everyone ,must feel as an
obligation of love, with its consequent responsibilities, will prevent
a weakening in the structure of the Congregation and an evis-
ceration of her mission - a mission today more urgent than ever.
It will rather lead to progress for all her members and for the
beneficiaries of her activities.
On the contrary a non-participation or an inept, inefficient
and unconstructive participation would be a form of desertion,
of lack of concern and love ... ,After all, let's remember: " L'assente
ha sempre torto", the uncommitted are always in the wrong.
Moreover a participation would be negative and harmful if it
were prompted by ideas which have been rejected or condemned
by the Magisterium of the Church or of the Congregation, or if it
were based on experiences which have been proved deviant and
unsuccessful in the past.
We surely need to become stronger and more effective. To
this end we must also bring to our participation in the Chapter

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a lively concern and an all-out effort to be constructive with that
sense of sound realism which accompanied our Founder in all his
undertakings.
.
Not so much new documents as rather an evaluation of the
renewal accomplished
The new GC, so closely bound up with the SGC, has a tre-
mendous need to be clear and practical.
As we know, its task is not to make a new Special Chapter
nor to elaborate new doctrinal documents, but to evaluate in all
honesty whatever has been achieved as a result of the rich doc-
trinal teaching of the SGC. In other words, it aims at finding out
not only in what manner the renewed Constitutions and Regula-
tions have been psychologically accepted, but especially how
truthfully they have been implemented in the daily lives of the
members and communities. It aims at finding out the methods ,
ways and means that the experience of these years has suggested,
and which of them should be adopted to actuate what unfortu-
nately may have remained only on paper ... It aims at finding out
how to fulfil, perfect and correct any eventual carelessness, omis-
sion or distortion that may prevented our communities from
achieving the progress intended by the SGC.
Courage, strength and prayer are needed
All this important and irreplaceable work requires a clarity
of discernment which only pure and dedicated hearts , solely con-
cerned with the interests of the Congregation, can obtain through
prayer from him who is the source of light and discernment for
those who grope in the dark.
We need courage first of all - the courage to tackle our
work with that typically Salesian elan which is indispensable if we

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are to move in the right direction with the process of renewal in
our Congregation.
Then we need strength - if we are to honestly recognize
whatever mistakes niay have been made, and if we are to come
up with the right corrective measures for any deviations or false
and harmful interpretations we may have fallen into.
It is therefore necessary for all of us to have recourse to
prayer. All together we should create in every community an
atmosphere of prayer - that genuine prayer in which with simple
and deep faith, with humility and love we talk with God and listen
to his Word as he manifests his Will when we are well disposed
as individuals and communities.
Consequently, Provincial Chapters should be prepared and
carried out in a deep spirit of prayer. To this end let an adequate
prayer program be organized in each Province. Let animators be
chosen, who by their experience and example will be effective
guides to all the confreres during the Chapter preparation. Sincere
and lively faith is indeed a conditio sine qua non for the attainment
of that spirit of discernment which enables us to see people and
things, problems and solutions in the light of God and of his inter-
ests - and his interests cannot but coincide with those of the
Congregation. The same atmosphere of prayer will be needed to
an even greater degree at the GC, and we will make every effort
to create it.
Without this personal and community prayer we would easily
run the risk of being dominated, albeit unconsciously, by views,
values and goals other than and perhaps even contrary to the
eminently supernatural, apostolic and Salesian ~iews, values and
goals of the Chapter.
The future is in our hands
As we move towards this Chapter which is so full of possi-
bilities, positive and negative, for the future of our Congregation,

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I am sure that Don Bosco would want to repeat to us the same
words he addressed to the First Chapter delegates: "We are under-
taking a matter of the greatest importance" .
Yes, the future of our Congregation is in many respects truly
in our hands, because God never does our work, never plays our
parts. On the contrary, he needs men, he wants to be helped
by men.
I feel that the life and the future of our Congregation are
perhaps more in our hands today than they were one hundred
years ago, when Don Bosco with that small but faithful flock of
followers was laying the foundations of what was to become a
great living monument in the Church of God.
The future of the Congregation, if we look at the signs of
the times, appears rich in well-grounded hope. This must stimu-
late us to find bold and effective answers to the challenges of the
coming decades. It will be up to us to create the conditions neces-
sary for these answers which the new generations of youth will be
eagerly, though perhaps unconsciously and confusedly , awaiting
from us.
A hundred years ago Don Bosco was urging his sons to unity
with these words: "If we are united in the name of the Lord, we
can be certain that he will be in our midst and will dispose every-
thing in such a way that it will all turn out for his greater glory"
(Annali I , 313).
This sincere and loving union of hearts is what Don Bosco .
wants of us today, and this is what will ensure God's presence
among us and our ability to become in today's Church and world
effective instruments of salvation on behalf of youth - which
today is perhaps more in need of help thant it was in
Don Bosco's time.
Under Mary's protection
Finally we should also note Don Bosco's ever-present Marian
touch. "At this time we intend to place our Chapter under the

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special protection of Mary Most Holy", he said on the same
occasion. "Mary is a light to the blind. Let us pray to her that
she may enlighten our feeble minds throughout these meetings"
(ib ., 314).
Dear Confreres, let us admit that we too in the presence of
so many problems and complicated issues that challenge us feel
like blind men groping in the dark. We need a guiding light, a
sure and steady point of reference. We need calm and serenity of
mind. In the midst of the present-day whirlwind of ideas and
attitudes in life, Don Bosco's invitation to the First Chapter dele-
gates is most timely: "Let us invoke Mary, Star of the sea".
With our eyes fixed on her with purity of intention and filial
confidence, let us set out on this capitular journey under Mary's
protection. She will make it safe and successful for us. She will
make it bear those spiritual and apostolic fruits which were Don
Bosco's only goal in life and which are still his only fatherly
wish for us.
Wishing you a fruitful preparation for the GC and assuring
you of a fraternal remembrance in my prayers, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Fr. Lours R1ccERI
Rector Major
1.3) TWO ADDITIONAL NEWS ITEMS
I feel I should add two news items to this letter.
First of all, I wish to say a word of thanks and sincere appre-
ciation to all the Provinces and Communities which, out of an
admirable sense of solidarity, came to the assistance of the
earthquake victims in Friuli .
As all of you must know by now, some of our houses in that
region have suffered considerable damage in their building facili-
ties. Fortunately there were no victims among Salesians. On the

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other hand, since disaster struck, our Fiulian confreres have been
doing everything in their power to relieve the severe discomforts
and meet the various needs of the thousands of people, especif!lly
the young, who live in the area.
Secondly, a happy news item is the nomination and episcopal
ordination of two of our confreres:
- Msgr . Fabio Mamerto Rivas Santos, first residential
bishop of the new Diocese of Barahona in the. Dominican
Republic, and
- Msgr. Antonio Maria Javierre Ortas, Titular Archbishop
of Meta and Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic
Education.
His hometown of Huesca (Spain) being a relatively short
distance away, I was able to participate in person with many
ecclesiastical and civil authorities and many confreres especially
from Spain at his ordination in that city.
From these pages we reiterate to Msgr. Javierre our smcere
congratulations and our best wishes: may his service to the
Church, accepted in a spirit of Salesian 'availability' in such a
momentous and delicate area be very fruitful.
We also congratulate our dear Msgr. Rivas. He is leaving his
post as Master of Novices to take up the far from easy responsi-
bility of a new diocese which, from the viewpoint of evange-
lization is still mostly untilled soil. He will need all his zeal as a
true son of the Church and of Don Bosco. We wish him well
and give him the support of our prayers.

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2. THE WORK OF THE PREPARATORY TECHNICAL
COMMISSION
In March 1976 the Rector Major, after consulting the ~uperior
Council, nominated the Moderator of the General Chapter in ac-
cordance with art. 100 of the Regulations, and determined the main
purpose of the Chapter (Reg. 99).
In April the Rector Major, again in consultation with his Council,
nominated the Preparatory Technical Commission (PTC) in accordance
with art. 100 of the Regulations.
The PTC is made of the following:
President (or Moderator) : Fr. Raffaele Farina.
Secretary : Fr. Nicolas Cerisio .
Members: Fr . Joseph Aubry, Fr. Manuel De. Lorenzo, Fr. Geor-
ges Lorriaux, Fr. Antonio Mar tinelli , Fr. ' Karl Oerder, Coad. Bro .
Giuseppe Pellitteri, Fr. Jua n Picca, Fr. Celestino Rivera, Coad. Bro.
Renato Romaldi, Fr. Chrys Saldanha, and Fr. Silvano Sarti .
AU the PTC members were given a dossier containing study
material for the preparation of the GC Program. On May 10-15 they
met at the Generalate in Rome to begin their work. At the end
of their meeting they submitted to the Superior Council for examina-
tion the first draft of the four basic documents, i.e.:
1) Program (Italian: Iter) of the General Chapter;
2 ) General Study Topic (Ital. : Tema generate di studio);
3) Revision of the Constitutions and Regu lations;
4) Suggestions for Provincial Chapters.
During tlie first part of July the Superior Council discussed,
improved and approved the four documents.

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3. THE PROGRAM OF THE GENEHAL CHAPTER
The complete list of events llJild act1v1t1es marking the various
stages in the preparation £qr GC XX,I is -as follows:
July 1976. The Rector Major officially convoked the 21st General
Chapter in accordance with art. 155 of the Constitutions and art. 99
of the Regulations. A copy of the special issue of the Acts of the
Superior Council is sent out to every confrere.
Moreover, the Moderator mailed to the Provincials a dossier
containing information and documentation on ,the Chapter, and the
Secretariat General dispatched to the same material concerning the
« Survey on the State of the Works of the Congregation » {Rileva-
zione sullo stato delle Opere de1la Congregazione » ( 1).
September 1976 - April 1977. The preparatory work is done in
the Provinces. Provincial Chapters are held (Const. 178). The date
of the celebration of these Chapters must be decided with an eye
to the following date.
April 30, 1977. By this date at the latest the following three
sets of documents must have arrived at the Generalate:
( 1) This interesting initiative is particularly useful for the remote
preparation for the Chapter.
The study areas are : schools, houses of forimation , boarding houses
and hostels, Oratories and Youth Centers, missions, parishes, and statistics
of each Province.
The objective of this surivey is twofold:
- to S'Upply the Rector Major with reliable data for the « Repor.t
on the State of the Congregation» which he will present to the Capitulars
at the beginning of the Chapter, and
- to supply all the Chapter members with abundant and realiable
documentation for their research work.

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1. the documents relative to the Provincial Chapters, i.e. the
Minutes of the election of the Delegates, the contributions of the
Provincial Chapters on the General Study Topic, on the Revision
of the Constitutions and Regulations, and on eventual other partic-
ular topics studied;
2. the eventual contributions individual confreres wish to send
in directly to the GC Moderator both on the General Study Topic
and on the Revision of the Constitutions and Regulations ;
3. the replies to the « Survey on the State of the Works of
the Congregation ».
It will be very difficult for the Precapitular Commission to con-
sider contributions received after the deadline (April 30 ). As soon as
documents and contributions reach the Center, they are sorted out,
tabulated, placed on index cards, etc.
May 1977. The Rector Mayor nominates the Precapitular Com-
mission for the drafting of the reports and schemes to be sent out
to the participants in the GC (Reg. 101) .
June-July 1977. The Precapitular Commission is at work. The
"Commission for the Examination of the Minutes of the Election of
the Provincial Delegates» is nominated (Reg. 102) .
August 1977. Reports and schemes prepared by the Precapitular
Commission go to press and are then mailed to Provincials and
Delegates. Should it become necessary on the basis of the study of
the observations sent by Provincial Chapters to prepare a « Provision-
al Draft of the Chapter Rules of Procedure », this would likewise
be mailed out.
September-October 1977. The Chapter members study the doc-
uments received.
October 22, 1977. Last day for the arrival of the members at
the Generalate.
October 23, 1977. Beginning of the Spiritual Retreat.
October 31, 1977. Official opening of GC XXI.

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4. GENERAL STUDY TOPIC
The following two ·subjects are proposed for study by the
Provincial Chapter of every prov1nce:
1) A general theme, chosen by the Rector Major and his Council,
in line with the purpose of the forthcoming 21st General Chapter
(Reg. 99).
2) An objective evaluation of the revision made by the SGC of
the text of the Constitutions and Regulations (cf. Eccl. Sanct. II
6, 12-14).
In accordance with art. 177 of the Constitutions, every Provincial
Chapter can deal in addition with other problems which may be
considered necessary.
For the first of the two subjects proposed, the Preparatory
Technical Commission has drawn up a document (cf. p. 16f. in
which, after a preliminary introduction, the general study topic is
presented along two different lines, and these are subdivided in turn
into six others .
For the second subject the PTC has prepared another document
to provide practical guidelines (cf. p. 22f.) .
4.1) PRELIMINARY REMARKS
The Special General Chapter, at the wish of the Vatican Council,
put the whole Congregation in a state of " renewal" , and efforts made
over the last five years have certainly been fruiful.
But the perspective of the SGC was so profound and all-embrac-
ing that not all its objectives could be easHy and simultaneously
achieved.
The General Chapter of '77 represents for the Congregation a
moment of intense prayer and reflection to see how far we have
travelled and to give new impetus to the renewal. Under the guidance
of the Holy Spirit, the Congregati~n wants to respond with greater

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fidelity to the Father's will , and offer a better service to the Church
and the world (Const. 151).
To this end a practical program is needed immediately, even
though it be a gradu al one, i.e. an examination made in the light of
concrete facts: objectives to be attained and means to be adopted ,
initiatives that need strengthening, new achievements that need focusing
and planning.
Consequently .the 21st General Chapter is specificaUy different
from the preceding Special General Chapter which had for its objective
an overall research into the identity of the Congregation and its mis-
sion at the present day. The new Constitutions, the solid outlook
and practical guidelines of the SGC are already a secure starting
point, even if they are still capable of further improvement.
The next Chapter's task will be to carry out in a concrete manner
a ,serious and sincere assessment of what we have done, and this with
the specific object of translating the ideal into practice in the best
way possible . In addition it wi·ll have a specific task with regard
to the Constitutions and Regulations, as will be indicated later (p. 22).
Various factors have made possible the identification on a world-
wide scale of the main point,s that need correction or strengthening,
above all the exact implementation of the post-Chapter program .
Such factors are: the experience of the past five years at various
levels {personal, local community, provincial community, Congrega-
tion), the occasional meetings of the Superior Council and the annual
meetings of the Regional Councillors wi th the Provincials of the
different regions, .and finally the various congresses and other meet-
ings of rectors and groups of confreres.
On the other hand our efforts have been enlightened and stimu-
lated by due attention to the concrete life of the Church aind the
world: the Synod of Bishops of '74 which dealt with " Evangelization
in the Modern World", the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nun-
tiandi of Paul VI at the end of the Holy Year (December 8, 1975),
the subject chosen for the next Synod of Bishops ( October '77 )
Catechesis, in particular of children and young people, and many
other items from local churches, are all indications which combine to
give emphasis to the insistent urgency of evangelization .
And finally we note with joy the evidence from various parts

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of the worud that young people themselves are neither last nor 'least
in wanting the proclamation of Christ who sets us free .
Against this background -the General Study Topic chosen for pre-
sentation to the Provincial Chapters and to each confrere is the
following:
WITNESSING AND PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL:
TWO ESSENTIALS OF SALES IAN LIFE AMONG THE YOUNG
The new effort called for from every province and from the whole
Congregation needs to be undertaken with calm and unruffled con-
fidence: we know that the risen Christ is with us, ready to send upon
us the Pentecostal Spirit. And· we lean also with trust on the faithful
presence of Mary our helper.
4.2) FIRST LINE OF STUDY: WITNESSING THE GOSPEL
« The Church is an evangelizer, but she begins tby being evange-
lized herself.. . In brief, this means that she has a constant need of
being evangelized, if ·she wishes to retain freshness, vigour and strength
in order to proclaim the Gospel. The Second Vatican Council recalled
and the 1974 Synod vigorously took up again this theme of the
Church which is evangelized by constant conversion and renewal , in
order to evangelize the world with credibility» (Evang. Nunt . 15;
Eng. transl. by Vatican Polyglot Press).
« ,Every apostolic mission a:nd in particular every proclamation
of the word needs, to -be efficacious, to be "confirmed ... by the signs
that attend it" . The most eloquent sign is the very witness of the
life of the messenger (cf. Jesus, John the Baptist.. ). Now our religious
consecration brings a particular vigour to this witness because it obliges
us really to ,live the evangelical values which we must teach our boY's.
It becomes easier for us to announce the gospel to the extent to
which our community and indiividual life permanently radiates it.
The realities to which we give this witness are many: God
exists ; his love is ·sufficient to filil a whole <life, etc. But the gen-

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erous practice of the three counsels has a particular power to educate,
because it is related to the three fundamental values tow.ards which
the young are most sensitive: "the forces of love, the need to possess
and the freedom to regulate one's own ,life" . The religious holds
these values highly and by his consecrated life he challenges every
deviation· from them (eroticism, unjust amassing of we.alth and op -
pressive power), he shows their limitations and proclaims their down-
fall in the pasch of the liberating Christ» (Acts SGC 125).
1) How do we live out our relationship with the risen Christ
who is our ''living Rule" (Const. - Foreword), and with the Fath er
who sends us?
a. The life of personal and community prayer.
b. Assiduous formation to listening to the Word of God and
discernment of the signs of the times , in a mutually enriching ex-
change and evaluation so as to overcome the present-day split between
the Gospel and culture (Evang. Nunt . 20).
2) How do we live the demands called for by walking with
Christ in the way of the Gospels, the demands of his Resurrection
and of the Beatitudes, in the spirit of Don Bosco?
a. The fundamental and radical option for Christ in the Beati-
tudes r(John 12, 24; Const., part III) and in the renunciation cailled
for by the religious life.
b. This option is made concrete for us in the "way of life" of
Don Bosco traced out in the Constitutions
3) How are these values reflected in the form ation process?
N.B. - The question here is not concerning the structures of
formation ( which ,shouJd be dealt with through the revision of the
appropriate articles of the Constitutions .and Regulations), but con-
cer.ning the spirit which must animate formation to ensure that it is
pearmeated with these values .

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4.3.) SECOND LINE OF STUDY: PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL
"Having been sent and evangelized, the Church herself sends
out evangelizers. She puts on their lips the saving Word, she ex-
plains to them the message of which she herself is the depositary,
she gives them the mandate which she herself has received and she
sends them out to preach. To preach not their own ·selves and their
personal ideas, but a Gospel of which neither she nor they are ·the
absolute masters and owners, to dispose of it as they wish, but a
Gospel of which they are the ministers, in order to pass it on with
complete fidelity" (Evang. Nunt. 15 ).
« The Salesian who is committed to developing in young people
and adults a faith that is an integral part of life, and anxious for
human progress, gains new perspectives. New choices are being made
wich concern the problems of freedom and justice, peace and devel-
opment, society and the world of work. Our work of renewa,l should
follow the lines marked out for us by the Church, and we must
carry it out in the practical way expressed by Don Bosco in these
these simple words: 'Make upright citizens and good christ-ians' ».
(Acts sec 316).
4) How far have we probed and assimilated, in theory and in
sec practice, the obligation of evangelizing desired by the
and illu-
minated by "Evangelii Nuntiandi"? (cf. Evang. Nunt. 15 f.) .
"The XX General Chapter c~nsiders it desirable to endorse what
the XIX Chapter authoritatively affirmed: ' Salesians, oonsecrated as
they are to the service of youth, especia1ly the poorest, in order to
be amongst them the efficacious presence of the fove of God, will
consider the religious education of youth as the first apostolic activity
of the Salesian apostolate; it asks therefore for a rethinking and for
a r·eorganization of all Salesian works so that they may have as -their
sec main purpose the formation of the man of faith' " (Acts
279).
5) How .have w e carried out the task of providing a renewed
presence in the world of the young?
a. Traditional works : a rethinking and restructuring in line with
the task of evangelization. ·

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b. New initiatives: realization and evaluation in the light of
the SGC.
"Every Salesian is always and ·everywhere a teacher of religion
by reason of his vocation and mission. This means that during the
time of his formation he must have guides who will help him to
weld together the teaching of sacred science and of secu.lar subjects,
and likewise his community life with the direct pastoral apostolate.
Once he has acquired this art he can place himself with enthusiasm
at the ·service of the community for the rest of his life in the all-im-
portant work of evangelization and catechetics » (Acts SGC 341 ).
6) The workers for evangelization .
a. The preparation and obligation of the individual confreres with
regard to evangelization .
b. Our mission is confided primarily to the Salesian community,
in the overall pastoral plan of the local church (Const. 33-34).
c. The urgent need to train ·lay people in our Salesian principles
so as to obtain their collaboration in the work of evangelization.

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5. GUIDELINES FOR THE REVIS.ION
OF THE CONSTITUTIONS AND REGULATIONS
5.1) SENSE OF THIS STUDY
The 21st General Chapter has to confront a ,task specifically
given to it by the SGC, a study of the new Constitutions and Gen-
eral Regulations: "This present text replaces ad experimentum until
the next General Chapter the Constitutions hitherto in force" (Decla-
ration of SGC, Const. and Reg., p. 12).
The praise-worthy and exacting work carried out by the preceding
Chapter remains a solid foundation which has to be improved and
completed. What remains to be done is to consider what is still
required to improve an experimental text which, for that very reason,
did not pretend to be perfect. Even the Motu proprio "Ecclesiae
Sanctae" contemplated the necessity of polishing up the work of the
Special General Chapter.
The Congregation, in the coming General Chapter, will consider
whether it is opportune to prepare a text of the Constitutions for
definitive approval, or whether the experiment should be prolonged
for another six years.
In the preparatory phase, the confreres and the local and pro-
vincial communities are asked to make a careful study with a view to
improving the text of the Constitutions and Regulations.
But this should not be thought of as the ultimate objective of
the 21st General Chapter which will consist rather in the in terna,l
personal and community renewal in the Congr,egation, through a more
sincere adherence to our norms of life (Const. 200) .
Personal experience gained through the ,living of the Constitu-
tions will provide the best and most reliable starting point for sug-
gesting modifications and improvements.

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5.2 ) PRACTI CAL GU IDELIN ES
5.2.1) In the first place it wiH be usefol to recall certain fun-
damental ideas concerning the nature of the two sections of the text.
The CONSTITUTIONS represent and express the "basic ,law" of
the Congregation, its ''law of life", the identity of the Salesian and
of the Congregation. They sketch out its spiritual aspect and com-
munity organization, and are intrinsically connected with the char-
ismatic nature of our religious undertaking.
The REGULATIONS have the function of giving practical expression
to the Constitutions . Consequently the ''General" Regulations are
concerned only with those points which are necessary on a universal
scale for the application of the principles expressed in the Constitu-
tions, whilst their application to purely Jocal situations is left to be
decided by Provincial Conferences, Provincial Chapters and Councils,
as the case may be .
This difference in the nature of the Constitutions and of the
Regulations is accompanied by a ;uridical difference; for changes in
the Constitutions only the Church is competent (Const . 153, 158),
whilst the General Chapter is competent to make changes in the
Regulations. In the work of revision this difference must evidently
be kept in mind.
5.2.2) In general priority should be girven to essential problems,
i.e. those problems should be selected for study which are considered
most urgent and vital for the renewal wich must be found through
the Constitutions and Regulations; and care should be taken to
express clearly the implication of any modification which may be
proposed.
It should be noted too that a detailed analysis of each and ·every
article is .not required, nor is there necessarily any need for a precise
reformulation of any article - this is the task of the 21st General
Chapter; but this does not exclude the possibility of proposing a
new text for an artiole that has been studied, if this be judged
opportune .
5 .2.3) Individual confreres can contr1bute to the common study
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mittmg their proposals to their Provincial Chapters, but this without
prejudice to their right to send their observations direct to the
Moderator of the General Chapt~r on the appropriate form.
5 .2.4) The contribution of Provincial Chapters.
Provincial Chapters should carry out a detailed study of prob-
lems which have been found of special relevance in the past five
years in connection with renewal, paying due attention to the con-
tributions and proposals of. individual confreres and communities.
They should further study the replies given to such proHems by
the SGC and expressed in the articles of the Constitutions and Regula-
tions. If after this a change seems desirable in any of the articles
examined, they should then make appropriate proposals.
It should be kept in mind that between the trans,lations into
various languages and the original Italian version certain discrepancies
have been found. The Italian , remains always the official text.
S. G. S. - ROMA