THE EUCHARIST IN THE APOSTOLIC SPIRIT OF DON BOSCO

The most vital theme for measuring our spirit and activity - Don Bosco and the Eucharist: Mass, Communion, Adoration - The eucharistic outlook of Vatican II - The Father’s masterpiece “making Christ the heart of the world” - The insuperable paschal work of Christ. - The living and permanent nature of the event of the New Covenant. - The wonder of the Church’s sacramental character - Adoration and mission - The pastoral obligation of creating “Church” - Some concrete requirements of Don Bosco’s eucharistic pedagogy - A Marian devotion which leads to the Eucharist.

Rome, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 8 December 1987

My dear confreres,

I am writing to you on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, harbinger of the birth of Christ at Christmas. It is a day unusually dear to the Salesian Family: it not only takes us back in gratitude to our origins but at the same time urges us to go boldly forward to even greater realities. May my greeting to each of you bring you also the hope and trust that goes with the period of Advent.

We are beginning a new year which is dedicated in a special way to the prophetic memory of our Founder. We feel his invitation to approach with deep interior feelings and apostolic creativity the renewal on 14 May next of our salesian profession: one of the loftiest choices we could possibly make, and one which endorses anew the mystery of our Covenant with God by giving it a deeper and fuller expression.¹