LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR

Father Egidio VIGANO

The lay element in the Salesian community

"THE LAY ELEMENT IN THE SALESIAN COMMUNITY" - 1. The uniqueness of our Society - 2. The Salesian Brother delineated: Description of his various functions; The essential qualities of the Salesian Brother. 3. Identity struggle: The Salesian Brother is a religious; He is not a "consecrated secular"; He is totally Salesian; He has opted for the lay aspect - 4. In what does this lay aspect consist?: Laicism in creation; Laicism in the mission of the Church; Laicism as a practical aspect in the religious life - 5. The true mark of the Salesian Brother: Belonging to the community; Secular slant in the Congregation - 6. Parlous situation: Some statistics; Suggestion for the future; Trust in the Holy Spirit. 7. Today's most urgent task - 8. The crucial task of formation: Unity of formation; Specific formation; Ongoing formation - 9. Two authoritative appeals.

Dear Confreres,

For quite some time now I have wanted to speak about a topic of vital importance: the Salesian Brother. Indeed in today's situation this theme should be a matter of vital interest and study in every province, in every house: it should occupy the mind and heart of every single confrere.

The two recent General Chapters have treated the topic with deep concern; and the current state of affairs surely presents us with an urgent challenge. This is a matter that concerns not only our Brothers but each one of us; it has a bearing on us all as a body, on the community, on a very dimension of our Congregation: it is not a question of "him" but "us". We are dealing with a matter that is essential for the Congregation, part of its very framework; it forms a vital part of its identity and constitutes a quickening and distinctive element in our mission.

We are well aware of Don Bosco's creative thinking in this regard. During his lifetime the first four General Chapters dealt with this particular topic; in fact it has been on the agenda of almost all succeeding Chapters.

Our Rector-Majors have discussed the topic in various ways in the context of the Congregation, in the conviction that the subject belonged to a unique element of our community. At the eve of his life Father Albera had prepared the main points for a circular entitled "Don Bosco, model of the Salesian Brother" as a follow-on to the circular of 1921, "Don Bosco, model of the Salesian Priest". In 1927 Father Rinaldi wrote a truly penetrating letter on "The Salesian Brother in the thinking of Don Bosco" (ASC 40), and it still merits our attention and meditation today (if anything more than ever because of today's crisis) for it sets forth clearly the scope of Don Bosco's thinking on the whole subject.

The profound social and ecclesial changes of our times urged the two recent General Chapters to take up the theme with particular determination, and GC21 has done this in most systematic fashion in its Document 2, "The Salesian Brother: a lay- religious vocation at the service of the Salesian mission" (GC21, 166-211) and in Document 3, "Formation to Salesian life" (GC21, 299-306). In this letter I wish to touch on the aspects of these documents that call for special renewal, and to refresh our memories regarding various enlightening directions and certain practical needs.