AGCRM315


AGCRM315

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of the General Gouncil
of the Salesian Society
of St John Bosco
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF ANIMATION AND COMMUNICATION FOR THE SALES]AN OONGREGAIION
No. 315
Year LXVI
october-december 1985
1. LETTER OF THE
RECTOR MAJOR
2. GUIDELINES AND
POLICIES
3. RULINGS AND DIRECTIVES
4. ACTIVITIES OF
THE GENERAL COUNCIL
5. DOCUMENTS
AND NEWS ITEMS
1.1 Fr Egldlo VIGANO
Our fldellty to Poter's successor 5
2.1 Fr Caletan SCRIVO
The Provlnclal Dlrectory
35
2.2 Fr Luke VAN LOOY
Some prlorltles of saleslan mts-
slonary commltment
44
2.3 Fr Sergio CUEVAS
The Saleslan Bulletln
50
None in thls lssue
4,1 Chronlcle of the Rector Maior 60
4.2 Chronlcle of tho General Council 61
5.1 Decree concerning the herolcity
of the vlrtues of the Servant of
God Pius lX
Letter of Rector Maior to the
Pope
64
5.2 New Provincials
66
5.3 Saleslan Blshops
68
5.4 Fr Rlcceri's dlamond lubilee of
ordination
68
5.5 Brotherly solldarlty (46th Beport) 70
5.6 Deceased confreres
71

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Ediuice S.D.B.
Extra-comrrtercial edition
Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco
Via della Pisana, 1111
Casella Postale 9092
00163 Roma-Aurelio
Esse Gi Esse - Roma

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
OUR FIDELITY TO PETER'S SUGGESSOR
APneteopr'psomrtulnnelstIrnyv, lt-atiAon.dl-fflDcounlt
of fldelity becomos a task to
Bsboletsuccaoat'lsrornvlee.dr-yoScuootn.mc-ereMtreeaf "lreCychtHuiorecnlhps
soonnsLeu"m. e-nAGneonwtlusmty.lo-
of Christlans and the
of exerclslng
Our attltude
Pope.
Rome, 3 September 1985
Commemoration of St Gregory the Great
My dear confreres,
I am writing after returning to Rome from a
visit to our communities in Chile, Bolivia and
Peru. In these provinces, which are gaining new
life from a promising vocational upswing, I had
the joy of handing the confreres the rewritten
text of the Constitutions and General Regula-
tions, an event which was felt to be both excep-
tional and memorable. The communities con-
cerned experienced a moment of profound unison
with the heart of the Founder Don Bosco, the
beatings of whose evangelical heart were heard
again in his "living testament" newly approved
by the Apostolic See.
I would like to remind you all of the firm
purpose we adopted on that occasion for an
adequate preparation for the celebrations of 1988:

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4 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCTL
to concentrate our initiatives during the interven-
ing three years on the Book of our Rule of life,
in study, in deep personal reflection,.in commu-
nity assimilation and in active witness. The whole
Congregation should feel the initiative to live a
kind of "second Novitiate" to relaunch in a
modern and prophetic way the apostolic spirit
of our Father. At a distance of a hundred years
from his death we want this spirit to be alive
and flourishing in his sons!
As you are aware, the renewed Constitutions
were approved by the Apostolic See on 25 No-
vember 1984, the Solemnity of Christ the King.
This is a date which binds our religious profes-
sion more closely to the ministry of Peter, which
gives ecclesial authenticity to the life plan we
profess and which endorses as genuine the cha-
rism we bring to the People of God.
In t-his light I have thought it opportutre to
accede to the request of not a few confreres
(from various Provinces) to set out some reflec-
tions on our "ecclesial awareness', which "we
express
tude of
-filiaasl
the Constitutions
loyalty to Peter's
ssauycc-essinor
an atti-
and to
his teaching".l This theologically based attitude 1.c13
of reverence and "devotion" for the Pope, which
Don Bosco has left us as a precious heritage, is
a constituent element of our spirit. We want
to renew our awareness of this.
I invoke the special intercession of Pope Gre-
gory the Great, on whose liturgical commemora-
tion in the Church's calendar I have begun this
letter. May this great Pontiff, who first gained
renown in the political life of Rome and then
became an exemplary and fervent monk, and
who brought several "Roman" virtues to the exer-

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR 5
cise of the highest ministry in the Church, help
us to acquire a deeper understanding and ap-
preciation of the fundamental function of the
Papacy in the Church of Christ. It is a special-
ized service, inserted by Christ in the heart of
history to enlighten, exhort, stimulate, guide,
confirm and continually bring up to date the
emancipating message of his Gospel.
Don Bosco had a uery concrete "sense of Church"
The ecclesiastical awareness of our Founder
was concretely expressed from a pedagogical
point of view in some strong and practical rules
of conduct as far as faith was concerned. He
expressed them in all simplicty in three Ereat at-
titudes which gradually took on the name of
"devotions": to Jesus Christ the Saviour and
Redeemer, present in the central action of the
Church
Mother
-of
the
the
Eucharist; to
Church, seen
Mary, Model and
in history as the
Help of Christians; and to the Pope, Peter's
Successor, placed at the head of the College of
Bishops for the pastoral service of the whole
Church.
These are really three inseparable aspects
which mutually illumine each other, and con-
verge in the person of Christ, the Lord of history.
Neither the Marian dimension nor the ministry
cf Peter can be the isolated object of a particular
devotion, and if here we speak specifically of
our adherence to the Pope we do so to meet a
requirement of method; but evidently we do not
consider it a theme detached from the others.
Every confrere is invited to meditate on the

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6 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
Christological and ecclesial mystery in its overall
sense.
Blessed Luigi Orione, who was formed in the
same sense of Church as was our Founder, wan-
ted the members of his Institute to have a "fourth
vow" of total obedience and adherence to the
Pope. Because of the difficulties experienced at
that time he was not able to obtain this, but his
sons have done so in a recent General Chapter,
and have thus given to their Institute a more
faithful charismatic identity.
We Salesians do not have a fourth vow of
obedience to the Pope, but we live the spirit of
such a vow. Article 1,25 of the Constitutions
states explicitly: "The Salesian Society has as
its highest superior the Supreme Pontiff. Even
by reason of the vow of obedience, the members
are filially submissive to his authority, and avail-
able for the good of the universal Church. They
welcorne his magisterium with docility and help
the faithful, especially the young, to accept his
teachings".
The contents of another article of the Cons-
titutions (C.13) help us to read C.125 in greater
depth through the life-giving element which ani-
mates us.
Worth underlining is the use made in both
these articles of the qualification "filial", and
also the insistence on availability and docility
which must characterize our apostolic activity,
especially among young people. All this demands
courage and dedication: according to Don Bosco,
"No effort should be spared when the Church
and the Papacy are at stake"i
The two articles, C.13 and C.125, can be con-
sidered the synthetic expression of all the rich
2. cf. C 13

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOB 7
J. ASC 24 May
il 1951 n. 11
salesian tradition that here we can do no more
than mention. Fr Peter Ricaldone has collected
its most significant expressions in his well-known
circular: "Know, love and defend the Pope".3
There we find abundant material which enables
us, even today, to discern without difficulty in
the heart of Don Bosco an extraordinary and
courageous commitment to fidelity to the minis-
try of Peter.
Our Father was convinced of the need for
this and gave his conviction explicit expression.
He rejected the formula "Pius IX yes, but not
the Pope"; nor would he have been any more
pleased with that other expression (more in vo-
gue at the present day): "The Papacy yes, but
not this Pope". The first was shrewdly political;
the second is ambiguous and allows one to sit
on the fence.
The successor of Peter to whom Don Bosco
adhered was the living Pope ("this" Pope) who
guides and teaches the People of God here and
now at this particular point in history; he was
convinced that to him, the living Pope, refer the
words of Christ in the Gospel and the unfailing
assistance of the Holy Spirit. The two formulas
quoted above do not express the true christian
faith; rather do they disguise the implications by
favouring subjective interpretations.
Don Bosco, with his practical pedagogy, is
unambiguous in bearing witness to the ecclesial
dimension of his faith and in educating his boys
in the same way. There is no danger of failing
to perceive his basic conviction. Even when some
of the things he says appear to be linked with
the mentality of his own time because expressed
in a literary genre no longer current, the eccle-

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g ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
sial awareness that permeated his heart stands
out with ease and clarity.
Hence in the course of the laborious and scru-
polous rewriting of the constitutional text car-
ried out in recent years there was no hesitation
about asserting our "filial loyalty" to the Popea
and the corresponding "docility" to his magiste-
rium;s and this means that we can conclude with-
out any shadow of doubt that the love and
adherence to the ministry of Peter is a component
of the spiritual heritage left us by the Founder
that cannot be renounced.
In the circular of Fr Ricaldone already refer-
red to can be found ample justification for the
many adjectives used to describe Don Bosco's
love for the Pope: "superrratural, zealous and
conquering, filial and sincere, obedient and sub-
missive, self-sacrificing and heroic. He was, in
addition, the Pope's strenous defender".6 These
are not just pleortastic expressions; they corres-
pond to different aspects of a solid witness lived
out through many long years.
Think, for example, of what Don Bosco wrote
on the history of the Popes; of how much he
did in connection with the proclamation of infal-
libility at the time of the first Vatican Council;
of his heroic act of obedience to Leo XIII in the
unfortunate controversy with Mgr Gastaldi; of
what it cost him in the failing health of his last
years to fulfil the wish of the Pope that he should
build the Temple of the Sacred Heart at Castro
Pretorio in Rome. This heavy undertaking, the
last of his life, merits a brief comment. Fr
Cerruti, who was close to Don Bosco throughout
this heroic act of deference to the Pope, testified
under oath in the process for beatification: n I
4.C13
5. C 125
6. op. clt. passlm

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1. LETTEB OF THE BECTOB MAJOB g
7. op. clt. p. 69
8. Opere Edlte, BI-
stampa anastati-
ca, vol. XXV, p.
380: N.XV, Hias-
sunto della Pla
Socletb dl S.
Francosco dl Sa-
les nel 23 feb-
Walo 1974, p. 4
9. Turin 1875
10. cnfl.d"elClaosStlotuczlelota-
di S. Francesco
dlSales"-'1858,
1875. Crltlcal
text edlted by
Francesco lvlotto,
p.113
am intimately convinced that the overwork and
the sufferings he endured (during the long
journeys he made begging for money) shortened
the life of a man who was already enfeebled
and worn out by work"J
Without any doubt Don Bosco wanted to leave
his sons the living heritage of a concrete and
theological "devotion" to the successor of Peter.
In the "Summary" of the presentation made
to the Apostolic See on 3 February 1874 by Don
Bosco himself concerning the life and identity of
the Pious Society of St. Francis de Sales, he
writes as follows: "The fundamental purpose of
the Congregation, from its first beginnings, has
always been fo support and defend the authority
o-f the supreme head of the Church among the
less well-to-do classes of society, and particularly
among yong people at risk".8
And in the first Italian translation of the text
of the Constitutions recently approved by the
Holy See,e in article I of chapter VI (despite the
delicate political situation of those years) he
writes: "The members shall recognib'e in the Su-
preme Pontiff their arbiter and absolute supe-
rior, to whom they shall, even in virtue of the
vow of obedience, be in everything and in every
place at all times humbly and respectfully sub-
missive. Nay more, every member shall apply
himself with solicitude to uphold his authority
and to promote the observance of the laws of
the Catholic Church and of its supreme head,
who is the legislator and Vicar of Jesus Christ
upon earth".lo
We are speaking, dear confreres, of an atti-
tude and style of spiritual conduct which is
suited to the Congregation's specific mission. An

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l0 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCIL
apostolic movement of uaiversal extent like ours,
dedicated by its very charism to pastoral work
for youth, needs for its own internal consistency
to be in line with the very nature of apostolic
dynamism of the Church. To carry out pastoral
work means, in fact, to commit oneself to evan-
gelizing activity under the guidance of Pastors
in "hierarchical communion" with the Pope, the
head of the College of Bishops.lr
11. cl. LG 22
A neuv style of exercising Peter's ministry
But between Don Bosco's time and the pres-
ent day the exercise of papal service has been
going through a practical and progressive process
of evolution of ideas which implied revision, cla-
rification and even renewal.r2 The awareness of
such a process must also form part of our love
for and our adherence to the Pope. If anyone
is loath or hesitant to accept this statement, he
need do no more to convince himself of its truth
than compare the exercise of the papal ministry
by a great pre-Vatican II Pontiff like Pius XII,
with the present practice of John Paul II.
From the last century to our own decade of
the '80s, the exercise of the primacy has had to
meet not only the challenges of profound social
political and ecclesial transformations, but also
new needs of doctrinal maturing and pastoral
prospects, which present it at the present day
with new situations and circumstances which
have provoked tensions and called for serious
study. Let us try to recall in synthetic form some
of the rnore significant elements.
12. cf. e.g. J.M.R.
Tillard, "L'eve-
que de Rome",
Paris,1984

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1. LETTEB OF THE BECTOB MAJOB 11
com- pleTxhestreunggdleosf
the Papal
which had
States, with
gone before
the
and
the delicate problems which followed for decades
afterwards, certainly conditioned the way in
which the Papacy functioned.
ive -simTphlieficsautciocnessinivefapvuoruifricoaftiaongreaantderpproagsrteosrsa-l
thrust have increased the incisiveness and authen-
ticity of the ministry of Peter, and have intensi-
fied its prophetic service, particularly in the field
of social teaching.
outs-tanTdhineg
succession of
for their high
contemporary Popes,
qualification and for
their holiness, has clarified and perfected the
image of papal service in the face of growing
secularist rationalism, and has strengthened the
dimension of universality.
men-icaTlhCeoeuxntcrial oorfditnhaeryVaetviceannt
of the second Ecu-
has brought about
a deep renewal in the whole of ecclesiology in
its substantial aspect of "mystery" and in its
constitutive lack of conformity to type, animated
by the unfailing presence of the Spirit of the
Lord. From that time we are witnessing a con-
tinuous renewal of the Church, even in the exer-
cise of ministries and in charisms.
Cou-nciTl hoef psaimpaul ltparnimeoaucys
proclamation
and episcopal
by the
collegia-
lity has led to some important innovations, with
the possibility of still further developments in
the exercise of Peter's ministry. An example can
be seen in the establishment by PauI VI of the
Synod of Bishops.
Chu-rchT"haes
Vatican vision
a communion of
of the "Universal
particular Churches

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12 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
excludes the simplistic caricature of the whole
Church as the "diocese of the Pope": the power
of Bishops, says Lumen Gentium, "far from being
damaged by the supreme and universal power, is
rather defended, upheld and strengthened by it".13
From this it follows that the exercise of the
papal ministry must be a true "service of com-
munion" giving confirmation and direction to
its collegial nature and harmonizing interventions
of t8h power of primacy with the proper require-
ments of subsidiarity.
nize-s
An ecclesiology of communion, too,
and respects the lawful diversities
recog-
which
enrich the building of the universal Church.
Hence the Papacy, the visible foturdation of the
unity and catholicity of the Church, is commit-
ted to the promotion of a pluriform communion
while avoiding the insidious dangers of unifor-
mity.
ecu-meVniactaiclacnonIItehxatswahlsiochc,reaamteodnga
new and vast
other things,
will call for new considerations and dialogue
on the delicate topic of the ministry of Peter.
This leads to a deeper study and a more under-
standable formulation of the relevant doctrine.ra
It is true that the Council affirms unequivocally
that the primacy of the Pope belongs constitution-
ally to the mystery of the Church of Christ in
its historical structure, but the formulation of
such a truth may be susceptible of clarification:
"Just as the terminology of the Council of Ephes-
us", writes a competent scholar, "was profound-
ly changed by that of Chalcedon so as to say
the same tlning in a clearer way, so it is logical to
think that the reality (concerning the primacy
13. LG 27
14, cf. e.g, "Papa-
to o lstanzo ocu-
monlcho", EDB,
Bologna 1984

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR 13
15. von Balthasar,
antlromano',
Ouorinlana 1974,
p. 221
16. For an example
of a roflectlon
on the vlslt of
John Paul ll to
Turln, c-f . ASC
1980, n. P7, pp.
Its-65
17. cf. Del verbum
I
of the Pope) expressed by the last two Councils
with their particular terminology can be expres-
sed in other more understandable tems".rs
chr-istiaFninraellliyg,iotnhse
Council's opening up
and to the vast throng
to
of
non-
non-
believers is demanding of the role of the Pope
previously unknown innovations of service, which
we can see to have been begun both by the widen-
ing and reform of the Vatican departments, by
the auspicious apostolic journeys of the recent
Popes,16 and by courageous pastoral and cultural
initiatives with representatives of different peop-
les or through some forms of mediation in the
field of justice and peace.
The sum total of all these innovations, which
are not without associated tensions and problems,
is having an effect on the exercise of the ministry
of Peter, not in the sense of putting in doubt
or diminishing the reality established by Christ,
but in order to make its functioning more ade-
quately adapted to the progressive social and
ecclesial transformation which has taken place.
The enumeration of these motives for a change
of style must help us to reinterpret with dili-
gent loyalty the spiritual testament left us by
Don Bosco. Awareness of the present process
of renewal in the exercise of Peter's ministry is
an indispensable condition for acquiring a re-
newed sense of Church.
With Don Bosco and with the times! Our
filial adherence to the Pope must feel itself rooted
today in a living Tradition which is nourished at
the crystal clear sources of faith but which move
forward in profound harmony with the growth of
the knowledge of the Church itself as time pro-
gresses.lT

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14 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCIL
A difflcult situation
The fascination of the above-mentioned inno-
vations, the resulting reawakening of certain ten-
sions, a certain pseudoscientific rationalism, an-
cient and modern prejudices, would all want to
make an attitude of a habitual critical reserve
or a leaving out of consideration the magisterium
of the Pope appear to be a sign of a mature
personality. Anyone on the other hand showing
sincere adherence can easily become considered
as out of date.
Here it is not only a question of that "anti-
Roman complex" already analysed in the well-
known book of Urs von Balthasar, but also of a
growing animosity to " this " Pope of the present
day.
It seems to have become the fashion to give
ready credit to malicious interpretations concefir-
ing the person of the present Pope: his magiste-
rial statements are played down, sympathy is
shown for ideological positions he condemns, gra-
tuitous statements are made about his cultural
mentality which is said to be out-of-date and
restraining; there are some also who put too
high a value on hermeneutical research (which
of itself is important and enriching) to such an
extent that they steadfastly leave out of consid-
eration any magisterial mediation; they forget
that "the task of giving an authentic interpreta-
tion of the Word of God", as is stated in the
Constitution Verbum Dei, "has been entrusted
to the living teaching office of the Church alone.
Its authority in this matter is exercised in the
name of Jesus Christ".l8
Those who consider the "historical' interpre-
tation of the sources of revelation as a scientific
18. DV 10

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1. LETTER OF THE BECTOR MAJOR 15
19. Hatzlnger, "Tra-
smlsslone della
fode e fontl del-
la fode", Bolo-
gna 185, p. 20
overcoming of their "dogmatic" interpretation,
disregard the nature of the christian faith. They
consider the dogmatic view as a kind of prescien-
tific stage which, after their researches, should
be placed in parentheses as though it were a
hypothesis now become archaic. And so they do
not consider that revelation itseslf, properly speak-
ing, is the true source of what is the object of
faith, and that faith is fundamentally an act
concluded with the entire Church, within the
ambit of its living tradition accompanied by the
service of the magisterium.
In fact "the faith is not only a face to face
relationship with God and Christ, but also a con-
tact which opens communion with those with
whom God himself has communicated. Faith
therefore is not only an 'I' and 'thou', but also
a 'we'. In this 'we' Iives a memorial which has
led us to find again what we had forgotten: God
and the One he sent. To put it in other words,
there is no faith without the Church. Henri De
Lubac has shown that the 'I' of the profession of
christian faith is not the isolated 'I' of the indi-
vidual, but the collective 'I' of the Church".le
It is not an attitude of faith to ignore the liv-
ing presence of the Spirit who unfailingly assists
the ministry of Feter, nor to "democratize" his
activity within the People of God in such a way
as to render practically superfluous the function
of the Pope.
The harrn caused to people and especially to
young people by pastoral workers or professors
who oppose, undervalue, or mock the pastoral
direction of the present successor of Peter, is
serious from a pastoral point of view. Such
behaviour bewilders and little by little separates

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16 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
psychologically from the truths of faith and from
right conduct people who are still well disposed
but lacking in doctrine, and makes them victims
of a tidal wave of secularism. Under the eFfect
of such factors a culture which until yesterday
was impregaated by the Gospel, seems today to
be undergoing a process of self-emptying: at its
vertex we find "atheism", then a "demytholog-
ized reinterpretation of Christ", then lower down
a "popularization" of the Church, then a "reap-
propriation" of the Word of God, and finally a
radical rethinking of the "ministries", no longer
in the light of the christological mysteries with
the primacy of the Pope, but rather in psycholo-
gical and sociological terms.
Not without reason is "postchristianity" spo-
ken of, i.e. a mentality which is concerned only
with the rationalism that accompanies scientific
progress and has no need of historical Revelation.
It is not always explicitly felt, nor of the same
intensity of conviction, nor always expressed at
the same level, but its influence penrades the
great means of social communication and extends
insensibly, like an oil stain, even in some sectors
of believers, and perhaps even among ourselves.
A sign of such influence is precisely that of
indifference, of a certain irony or antipathy to
the role of the Pope as the unifying centre of ec-
clesial communion and as the first pastoral guide
of the entire mission of the People of God.
It is not a case of denying the possible defects
inherent in the human exercise of every ministry.
The manner in which a Pope fills his role and
even. some particular plan of his are not neces-
sarily to be considered objects of infallibility.
"Every possible programme", writes von Baltha-

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR 17
20. op. clt. p. 56
sar in the work already quoted, "remains limited
internally by contingencies which are of this
earth and debatable (in comparison with the uni-
versality of the Kingdom of Christ), whether we
are speaking of a plan of Leo I or Gregory I or
Hildebrand and Innocent III or the last Popes
of the Church's States".4
But it is one thing to try to make a histori-
cal evaluation of a pontificate of the past (against
the light of a sufficient background), and quite
another to dissent from or pay no attention to
the pastoral guidelines of the Pope of the present
time, and thus contribute to the weakening among
the people of his charism of ecclesial direction.
At the present day we are witnessing disastrous
consequences of criticism of this kind and of
dissent, especially in the moral sphere, where the
divergence is stronger between the secularist
mentality (a "new ethic") and the magisterium of
the Pope. One sees public opinion getting ever
further away from the very foundations of chris-
tian morality, to such an extent that the ethical
criterion is no longer the Gospel, but statistics,
the civil law, or manners of behaviour accepted
by society. There is a widespread easy discarding
of values which renders very difficult the minis-
try of Peter and of pastors, presenting it as
somgthing alien to what is considered the present
progress of "reason" and to the thrilling future
of the "history of freedom".
At a time when the importance of the papal
role itself is considered matter for discussion, it
would not be acceptable conduct from a pastoral
point of view, nor an expression of the genuine
sense of Church, nor a demonstration of an objec-
tive understanding of faith, to opt out from a
2

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1g ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
position of filial loyalty, of convinced and updated
adherence and of courageous defence of the per-
son and ministry of the Successor of Peter.
In a situation like that of the present day
which is so problematical for pastoral work, Don
Bosco would certainly not be found sitting on the
fence nor a critic of how things are done, but
would be outspoken in declaring his own loyalty.
Some reflections on the document Lumen Gentium
At a distance of twenty years from Vatican II
it is worth looking back to see what the Council
had to say about Peter's ministry. The affirma-
tions represent the living thought of today's
Church. It is not our intention to go into the
discussions on the complex theme of ministries
among the People of God. Some publications in
this regard based on debatable hermeneutics have
been the object of official disapproval.2t
What we want to do is to re-read from a spi-
ritual point of view the Council's statements, ris-
ing above all suspicion of rationalism and getting
beyond any antisacramental 'a priori' attitude
which excludes mediation from on high. I invite
you, dear confreres, to read again with attention,
even publicly in community,, the third chapter of
the dogmatic Constitution on the Church. It
will give rise to a useful and englightening reflec-
tion which may help someone to rediscover the
true sense of Vatican II.
As we have already said in passing, the petrine
ministry in the Church belongs to its very "sac-
ramental" constitution. In the great " Sacrament
of salvation" which is the "Body of Christ" in
history, Jesus has placed, as a visible expression
21. cf. e.g. Schllle-
beeckx,
nistero
"
ll
ml-
della
Chlesa", 2a
edtn., Ouerinla-
na 1982

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22. tG 18
23. LG 18
1. LETTEB OF THE BECTOR MAJOR lg
of his irreplaceable role as Head, the apostolic
College in which Peter is constituted " the lasting
and visible source and foundation of the unity
both of faith and of communion".D The believer
therefore must be able to look upon the figure
of the Pope from this " sacramental " viewpoint
of the globality of the Church.
In an ecclesial view of "mystery" (which in-
cludes the divine presence in human reality), we
can consider with regard to the petrine minis-
ctroym-pleamseinttaarpypeealersmiennLtsu:mitesn
inGsetnittuiutmion-
three
on the
part of Jesus Christ, the sacramental realism of
the Collegiality of the Bishops as a reality insep-
arable from the Primacy, and the permanent
assistance of the Holy Spirit.
con-scieInncethoef
first
the
place, of vital
believer is the
interest to the
fact that Jesus
willed, planned and personally prepared the rnin-
istry of Peter, as the rock and foundation of his
Church for all ages. This statement reached its
precise and fundamental formulation in the last
two Vatican Councils: "This sacred synod", says
Lumen Gentium, "following in the steps of the
First Vatican Council, teaches and declares with
it that Jesus Christ, the eternal pastor, set up
the holy Church" and consecrated the Apostles
and their successors the Bishops, establishing
Peter and his successors as their head. "This
teaching concerning the institution, the perma-
nence, the nature and import of the sacred pri-
macy of the Roman Pontiff and his infallible
teaching office, the sacred synod propose anew
to be firmly believed by all the faithful".E
The whole of Chapter 3 of the Constitution
describes in detail the hierarchical structure wil-

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20 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
led by Christ and animated by his Spirit; parti-
curlarly significant is what is asserted about epis-
copal eollegiality and the primacy of the Pope.2a
Today a Catholic, as von Balthasar writes,
"can wriggle as much as he likes, but he cannot
go back before Vatican I which was reaffirmed
by Vatican II (LGZZ). As is the case with all
definitions, the only way open is that of integ-
ration in a bigger and vaster totality. And this
totality is the indefectibility of the believing
Church, of whieh the petrine ministry is a parti-
cular aspect. It is no exaggeration to say that
on this point Vatican I has closed a door, and
has done it so well that no one can open it any
more without bringing down the whole edifice,
the whole structural framework of Catholicism.
To behave as though this door could be opened
by chance is to live a lie'.E
cop-al
Secondly, the sacramental realism of epis-
collegiality as a reality inseparable from
primacy brings the believer to consider that the
true "sacramentality" of the Church is expressed
in short in a well determined human existence; a
reality which oRe can touch and be aware of,
situated in time and space here and now, in rela-
tionship to concrete persons and definite roles.
Vatican II has helped to give to this "sacramen-
tality" the concept of the objective goal of the
efficacy of the seven sacraments. The latter are
the intermediaries which lead to the construction
of the one true and great Sacrament which is
the Church, is so far as it is the "Body of Christ"
in the world. Baptism, Confirmation and the
Eucharist make of me, rn my concrete human
being, a living member of this Body of Christ.
We in fact are the definitive sacramental dimen-
24. d. espoclal ly
LG 22, 25, 27
25. op. clt. p. 124

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26. LG 21
1. LETTER OF THE BECTOB MAJOR 2I
sion because we are the signs and bearers of the
mystery of Christ!
Now the sacrament of Order, which consecra-
tes Bishops to the fullest extent, incorporates a
historically defined College of Pastors, i.e. it in-
corporates those who are consecrated into a pre-
existing rcality which has a peculiar nature of
"hierarchical communion" (an nOrder") in which
there exists and has always existed, by disposi-
tion of Jesus Christ, the Frimacy of Peter: "The
holy synod teaches", says Lumen Gentium, "tltat
the fulbness of the sacrament of Orders is confer-
red by episcopal consecration, that fullness, name-
ly, which both in the liturgical tradition of the
Church and the language of the Fathers is called
the high priesthood, the acme of the sacred
ministry. Episcopal consecratioR confers, toget-
her with the office of sanctifying, the duties also
of teaching and ruling which, however, of their
very nature can be exercised only in hierarchical
communion with the head and members of the
college".26
This is why it is not possible to conceive of
an authentic episcopal collegiality without the
primacy of the Pope, nor of a particular Church
in detachment from the universal Church; nor
of a federation of different and autonomous lo-
cal Churches, instead of a commurrion of Churches
which are original but gathered together in unity.
Moreover, the apostolic College and the body
of Bishops (with those consecrated for the sub-
ordinate ministries of the phiesthood and diaco-
nate) are, in Christ's Body which is the Church,
the signs and bearers of the special function of
Christ as the "eternal Shepherd", the living head
of that Body. They are therefore a sacramental

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22 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
expression of the function of pastor or shepherd
which belongs to him as head; in fact, "in order
to shepherd the People of God and to increase
its numbers without cease, Christ the Lord set
up in his Church a variety of ministries".z
But if the Lord willed the ministry of Pastors
as a collegial body, guided by Peter, this means
that pastoral responsibilities must always be ac-
companied by an impelling inward desire for
communion with the Pope, a convergence of con-
scious solidarity with his function of guidance,
agreement with his teaching which, on the other
hand, is an expression of the permanent living
values of Tradition and of the indefectible intu-
ition of faith of the whole Church.
Ho-ly
Finally, the permanent assistance of
Spiril makes of the Pope's ministry
the
an
inestimable gift for the People of God: the "cha-
rism of direction". Christ himself sends, with
explicit decision, his Spirit to the person of Peter
and his successors: "I have prayed for you... and
you must strengthen your brethren"4; "Simon,
son of John, do you love me more than these
others do? Feed my lambs, tend my sheep".?e
The Holy Spirit is present in history because
he has been sent by the Father and by the Son;
Pentecost represents the fullness of the mystery
of Christ: "The Holy Spirit", says Lumen Gen-
tium again, " was sent on the day of Pentecost
in order that he might continually sanctify the
Church... Guiding the Church in the way of all
truth, and unifuing her in communion and in the
works of ministry, he bestows upon her varied
hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in this way
directs her and adorns her with his fruits".3o
The initiative and creativity of the Holy Spirit in
27. LG 1g
28. Lk 22, 32
29. cf. Jn 21, 15-17
30. LG 4

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31. MR 5
32. LG 2'l
1. LETTER OF THE BECTOR IVIAJOR 23
the People of God are inexhaustible, never in
contrast but rather always in favour of the me-
diations instituted by Christ; charisms and minis-
tries are planned together by the Lord so that
they may grow harmoniously throughout history:
"The organic communion of the Church", states
Mutuae Relationes, "is not exclusively spiritual,
i.e. so born of the Holy Spirit that this spiritual
birth is of its very nature prior to and responsi-
ble for all the functions of the Church, but the
Church is at the same time hierarchic since, by
a vital impulse, it is derived from Christ the
Head. The very gifts that are dispensed by the
Spirit are precisely willed by Christ and of their
nature they are directed towards the fastening
together of the Body, by vivifying its functions
and activities".3l
The role of the Pope therefore (together with
that of the Bishops) is linked to an objective as-
sistance of the Spirit of the Lord in the concrete
occasions of the exercise of their ministry: "fn
order to fulfil such exalted functions, the apostles
were endowed by Christ with a special outpour-
ing of the Holy Spirit which came upon them,
and by the imposition of hands they passed on
to their auxiliaries the gift of the Spirit, which
is transmitted down to our day through episcopal
consecration".32 To fail to bear this in mind
would be to water down the faith.
We must remember, at the end of these brief
reflections on some points from Lumen Gentium,
that an urgent need is felt at the present day for
a renewed theology and spirituality of the pres-
ence of the Holy Spirit in history: it would be
a great help to the attitude of believers, even as
regards the ministry of Peter.

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24 ACrS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
Our attitude of loyalty becomes a task to be
carried out
We have recalled the importance assumed in
our salesian life by "filial loyalty to Peter's suc-
cessor" and have illustrated it with some reflec-
tions from the Council. We have pointed out
the innovations in style witnessed at the present
day, and have taken note of some practical diffi-
culties experienced in this regard in a secularized
society. All this gives us seriously to think and
puts us, in a certain sense, in a state of alert.
The two articles of the Constitutions which
we have re-read together 33 express the ecclesial
dimension of our "spirit" and of our "charism".
Article 13 speaks of adherence to the Pope as a
Iiving element of the "salesian spirit", or in other
words of our "original style of life and action".s
The spirit of Don Bosco animates and inspires
our practical activity. And so loyalty to the
Pope will not be for us a mere interior attitude,
but must become an apostolic task to be carried
out. Rightly does article 13 conclude by saying:
"We educate young christians to an authentic
understanding of the Church and we work assi-
duously for its growth".
Article 125 in turn speaks of the " Salesian
Society" as such. Considering its apostolic acti-
vity as a participation in the mission of the
Church, it asserts that our vow of obedience binds
us explicitly to the supreme authority of the
Pope, and hence we "welcome with docility" his
magisterium. Here too, because of the very na-
ture of the salesian vocation, obedience and doci-
lity are not reduced to the merely internal life
of the communities, but become prolonged and
33. C 13, 125
34. C 10

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1. LETTER OF THE BECTOR MAJOB 25
transformed into an apostolic task. This article
too concludes by saying that the members "help
the faithful, especially the young, to accept the
teachings" of the papal magisterium.
And so our "devotion" to the Pope becomes
a task to be fulfilled; it invites us to undertake
a true apostolic work in this field.
How are we to do it? If we look at Don
Bosco we shall feel ourselves stimulated and set
on the right road for doing the job. With his
own practical mentality and as a pastor and
educator he did it by his writings, by the witness
of his life, by social communication, through edu-
cational activity, through so many apostolic un-
dertakings, and through widely differing enter-
prises which went well beyond the immediate
interests of the Congregation.
Here I would like to suggest some practical
aspects, in which local communities and prov-
inces should feel themselves invited to darw up
programmes of concrete initiatives in this regard.
The better to highlight such suggestions I give
pride of place to a concrete and stimulating
youth spirituality, a vigorous and energetic gos-
pel project for the young, capable of animating
our presence everywhere and of giving life too
to a "salesian movement" drawing its inspiration
from the pedagogical and pastoral options of
Don Bosco.
It is a question of launching and making at-
tractive those values which express the vitality
of the me^ssage of Christ at the present day: true
ideals, demanding behaviour, practical aims, along
the lines of the letter of John Paul II to young
people, so as to put paid to the growing danger
of the "man without a vocation".

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26 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCIL
Is it not possible that in more than a few of
our works the mystical excitation is lacking in
what we are doing for and in youth groups? My
use of the word "mystical" does not mean that
I am inviting you to promote intimist or eccentric
activities; it implies rather a courageous convic-
tion about the force of the Gospel, accompanied
by a contagious kind of witness resulting from
meditation, perseverance, enthusiasm and spirit
of sacrifice.
Our vocation as "missionaries of the young"
should intensify in all hearts a true vital energy,
a strong faith communication, an enlightened sin-
cerity in challenging the trend towards middle
class ways and habits, permissiveness and secu-
larism. A confrere or community lacking in this
kind of mystique will never be able to give life
to a real present day "movement".
Fortunately we can thank the Lord that among
us there has been the development of group ex-
perience and activity and that positive and ma-
ture conclusions have emerged in this connection
(as is clear from the latest aid issued by the
Youth Pastoral Department: "The Salesian Plan
foonrgoGinrgouepxApecrtiivmiteyn-t":
A progress report
Document 9).
on
an
One of the components of a salesian youth
spirituality must be precisely a strong "sense of
Church" with appropriate attitudes to be created,
developed and translated into lived experience.
Certainly in the plan and practice of Don Bosco
a privileged place was occupied by a committed
adherence to the Pope, based on knowledge, love
and the welcome reception of his ministry as
successor of Peter. This component, if well pre-
sented and promoted will give to the youth spi-

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35. LG I
1. LETTER OF THE BECTOR MAJOR 27
rituality a concrete Church experience, clarity in
the shaping of their lives and new motives for
prompting activity.
But the transmission of a spiritual project for
the young will be the result only of a personal
and community intensity of life in the Spirit on
our part. Hence the need for a constant enrich-
ment of ourselves by updating and developing
the sense of Church of our Founder. Here is
a basic task for all of us.
For this purpose I now set out some points
which I think to be strategic but which, unfortu-
nately, I have noticed are ignored here and there
to some extent.
Chu-rchFairssta
of all there is the concept of the
" Mystery" , as presented by Vatican
II: "The society structured with hierarchical or-
gans and the mystical body of Christ, the visible
society and the spiritual community, the earthly
Church and the Church endowed with heavenly
riches, are not to be thought of as two realities.
On the contrary, they form one complex reality
which comes together from a human and a div-
ine element. For this reason the Church is com-
pared, not without significance, to the mystery
of the incarnate'Word".3s
A truly conciliar ecclesiology, which shows
up the sacramental nature of the Church, is the
foundation of our adherence to the Pope. We
know that there are some deviant ecclesiological
ideas about, which, even in the best of cases,
favour a minimalist interpretation of the ministry
of Peter.
At the present day, to be attentively aware
of the real presence of the Holy Spirit in the
Church, in its life, in its mediations, in its mini-

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2g ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
tries, in its charisms, is an indispensable condi-
tion for being in tune with the Council.
As a consequence of a genuine ecclesiology of
the Mystery we must update otrr image of the
Pope as the first and supreme Pastor.
Vatican II presents the hierarchical dimension
noraeftihtthheeerrCf"rmhoumornchaa,rcn"hsoiactcairln"amnaeosnrota"cdli"oelomsgtoaiccnardal ptciocoi"nntt-,exatbs-uat
reality of service to the People of God enlivened
by the presence of the Holy Spirit, and therefore
considered and understood only by the intuition
of faith. The figure of the Pope is of one who
has a power which is not despotic but a service
of truth and charity in a special participation of
the saving authority of the risen Christ, who is
the true living and actual Head of the Church,
its "Eternal Shepherd".
The Pope is not alone; the universal Church
is not a diocese; episcopal collegiality, as we
have seen, is not a joint-stock company but invol-
ves of its very nature the primacy of Peter.
We know, I repeat, that the manner of exer-
cising the primatial ministry is at the present
day passing through an interesting process of
renewal. Such an innovation must intensify our
attention and our study so that we can remain
up to date and competent in a vital aspect of
our spirit. There are too many people about
who see the present evolution as no more than a
social and cultural phenomenon, leaving aside its
sacramerrtal reality as a mystery instituted by
Christ. It is another motive therefore for deepen-
ing our cultural and ecclesiological knowledge
together with a constant reflection of faith.
- Another point we have to attend to is the

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1. LETTER OF THE REcToR MAJOB 29
inclusion of the teaching of the Pope in oLr evan-
gelizing activity. The magisterium of the Pope
is expressed in various ways. We must be able
to accept and retain it according to the sense
he himself intends, which can be deduced both
from the matter concerned, the tenor of its ver-
bal expression and the kind of document, in ac-
cordance with the well-known and proper norrns
of interpretation.
Importance must be given to Encyclicals, to
Apostolic Exhortations, to certain particularly sig-
nificant guidelines, to the Notes or doctrinal
Instructions issued particularly through the Con-
gregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and to
addresses and interventions of special signifi-
cance. To follow attentively the magisterium of
the Pope is one way of keeping oneself up to date
on problems and on the directives of the Church,
to practise the faith in dialogue with the challen-
ges of the times, to rethink the Gospel as a mes-
sage of salvation and not just as a fact of reli-
gious culture.
Here we have a vast field of urgent and indis-
pensable commitment, at a time of epoch-mak-
ing changes in which appear uninterruptedly un-
published theories, deviant practices, and com-
plex problems. Every community should find a
way of keeping itself well informed and up to
date.
If we did not live this continual effort to
keep in tune, we could not say that we were truly
bearing witness to the spirit of Don Bosco.
Pop-e,
Finally,
I think
in welcomiJrg the teaching of the
that pride of place must be given,
because of the pastoral and pedagogical character
of the salesian vocation, to his "moral directives"

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30 ACrS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
and his "social teaching": two sectors of extra-
ordinary educational urgency, the first more
strongly present in developed societies perme-
ated with permissive ideas, the second felt to
a greater extent in the third world thirsting for
liberation.
As pastors and educators we must be compe-
tent in the matter of christian criteria for human
conduct. One hears worried references to the
"moral drama", to radical about-turns made
acceptable by anthropological sciences, to new va-
lues emerging in a post-christian culture, to the
waning of the traditional ethic.
It will certainly be far from easy to solve
all the moral problems of the emerging cultures;
adherence to the teaching of the Pope concerning
right human conduct will provide doctrinal light
and valuable pastoral guidelines.
And then, the maturing of the process of
socialization, which presupposes t]re awareness
and active participation of citizens in the man-
agement of the common good, has given extraordi-
nary importance to themes of justice and peace
and to the political dimension of the life of indi-
viduals and peoples as a whole. Ideologies have
sprung up in this field which tend to influence
and dominate culture. Hence the attention and
circumspection with which the social teaching
of the Church, especially through the ministry of
te Pope, must be handled. If we want to bring
a gospel influence to bear on structural changes,
to prepare young people for the world of work
and to animate political adiministration with
christian spirit, educating to solidarity and peace
among people, we need accurate knowledge and
adequate ability for communication of the social

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36. C 33
r. LETTEB OF THE BECTOR MAJOB 31
teaching of the Church. I have the impression
that this is unfortunately a field in which many
just limp along. We need to remedy this situation
as a matter of urgency, not least because the
Constitutions move us in that direction: we
Salesians, "while not getting involved in ideolo-
gies or party politics, reject everything that en-
courages deprivation, injustice and violence; we
cooperate with all who are trying to build a
society more worthy of man's dignity".$
As you see, dear confreres, if we look upon
our "devotion" to the Pope as an apostolic
"task" for the present day we shall feel a con-
crete invitation to commit ourselves more as be-
lievers, as pastors, as educators. I ask Provincials
and Rectors to show constant concern that in
every house there be due updating about the
Church's magisterium.
The Help of Christians and the Pope
37. MB Vll 169-17't;
BM Vil 107-109
The treatment of a theme so expressive of
the spirit of Don Bosco would be incornplete
without some reference to the strict linkage which
unites the figure of Peter's successor with that
of Mary.
I said at the beginning of this letter that the
three peculiarly salesian " devotions " to Christ
in the Eucharist, to Mary HeIp of Christians and
to the Pope are the practical expression of the
ecclesial awareness of our Founder, and consti-
tute three inseparable and complementary aspects
of a courageously committed faith.
The so-called "dream" of the two columns
narrated by Don Bosco in IVIay 186237 presents

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32 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCIL
from a prophetic viewpoint and in the stylized
form of a historical event the ship of the Church
guided by the Pope in a tempestuous sea. trt finds
safety in a double recourse to Christ and to Mary,
present in history as the Host of salvation and
the Immaculate Help of Christians, represented
in the two solid columns furnished with anchors
and mooring chains.
We know that it was precisely in the 1860's
that our Father, moved by his intuition of what
lay ahead in the social field and by his acute
Church sense, intensified his devotion to Mary
in her role of "Help of Christians": "It is tle
Catholic Church itself that is under attack", he
wrote. "It is attacked in its functions, in its sa-
cred institutions, in its head, in its doctrine, and
in its discipline; it is attacked precisely as the
Catholic Church, as the centre of truth and as
the teacher of all the faithful".s
From this point of view Don Bosco sees the
Madonna as the Mother of the Church, concer-
ned especially to assist and protect the indispen-
sable ministry of the Pope and the Bishops. And
history bears witness to her innumerable inter-
ventions.
Here we can do no more than make some
brief ecclesial reflections which illustrate the mu-
tual relationship between Mary and Peter within
the Church seen as "mystery'.3e
"The Marian and Petrine principles are coex-
tensive in the Church": the whole Church is both
Marian and Petrine, even though in an analogous
and complementary sense.
Mary and Peter, in different ways, are entirely
at the serivce of the People of God in the total
gift of themselves; both of them join the aware-
s8. cf. ASC 289
['re78), p. 22
39. cf. von Baltha-
sar, op. clt. pp.
203.225

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1. LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR 33
ness of their lofty mission with the humility "of
the immolation" of their own lives.
Mary is a mother for all the Church; Peter
is the foundation for all the Church.
Mary is "immaculate", the prophetic model
of the life and sanctity of the whole Church;
Peter is "infallible", the prophetic shepherd of
the profession of faith and moral conduct of
the whole Church.
Mary lives in the resurrection as the tireless
"helper" for all the Church; Peter lives in the
apostolic succession as the "guide and animator"
for all the Church.
Mary is the spouse of the Holy Spirit in the
fertility of charisms for the Church; Peter, assis-
ted by the Holy Spirit, is the judge of the authen-
ticity and ordered exercise of charisms for the
Church.
Mary participates in the fullness of the paschal
mystery which renders her "queen" throughout
the ages for the building of the Church; Peter
shares in the authority of Christ the Lord with
a sacred power which makes him the "minister"
(vicar, servant of the servants of God) in history
for the building of the Church.
Mary is entirely turned to Christ so that the
Church may be his mystical Body; Peter is the
sign and bearer of the "headship" of Christ the
Shepherd, so that the Church may be the great
Sacrament of Salvation.
Mary and Peter therefore, tJre Help of Chris-
tians and the Pope, from different points of view
and with complementary functions are now vitally
directed to the Church, so that in it the mystery
of Christ may attain its fullness.
If Mary ("Mater Ecclesiae") supports and helps
3

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14 ACrS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
the Pope, Peter's Successor entrusts himself to
Mary ("totus tuus") and witnesses to her regal
motherhood.
Dear confreres, we, who have taken the Ma-
donna into our home to
ence the renewal of the
eCnosnugreretghartoioungh{
her pres-
and who
solemnly entrusted ourselves to her in the last
General Chapter,al must never forget that salesian
devotion to her as "Help of Christians and Mother
of the Church" implies, on theological grounds
and according to the spirit of our charism, a
"filial loyalty to Peter's successor and to his
teaching" so as to educate and promote a genuine
and concrete sense of Church among the poorer
classes of society and especially among young
people exposed to danger.
May Don Bosco be our inspiration and en-
couragement.
Our sincere and updated "devotion" to Peter's
successor will add enthusiasm to our consecra-
tion, timeliness to our pastoral planning, and will
lead to a flourishing of vocations.
I greet you in the Lord, and it is my earnest
wish that in preparation for 1988 you may all
grow constantly in your study, assimilation and
witness of the renewed Constitutions and Gene-
ral Regulations.
Affectionately in Don Bosco,
40. cf. ASC %9
(1978)
41. cf. GC22, n. 126
'il,l, E,ilM

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2. GUIDELINES AND POLICIES
2.1 THE PROVINGIAL DIRECTORY
Fr Caietan SCRIVO
Vlcar General
The time is drawing near for the convoking of the Pro-
vincial Chapters foreseen by art. 172 of. the Constitutions.
In the course of the plenary session of June-Ju1y of the
present year, the Rector Major and the General Council have
given some thought to this point, keeping in mind that the
coming Provincial Chapters will be the first to take place
after the promulgation of the new text of the Constitutions
and Regulations.
It was agreed that it would be expedient first of all to
call the attention of the provincial community to the practical
directive issued by the GC22 corcerning what was to be done
after the Chapter: "Let the next (ordinary) provincial chapter
have as its principal theme the Constitutions and Regulations
and the implementation of duties following from them" (GC22,
n. 2).
Particularly useful aids for the preparation and study of
this theme, because of their doctrinal content and the concrete
objectives they indicate, are the closing address of the Rector
Major to the GC22 (GC22 nn. 5892), and his letter on "The
renewed text of our Rule of life" (AGC 312, January-March 1985).
lt was observed too that among the tasks entrusted to the

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36 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
Provincial Chapter, a more careful attention needs to be given
to the one indicated in C.l7l,4: "to formulate and revise the
provincial directory in matters left to be decided at provincial
level ".
At the end of their analysis, the Rector Major and his
Council drew up the following clarifications and guidelines,
which I pass on to you in the text as approved by the Council
in its meeting of 19 July 1985, with the invitation to the con-
freres (and especially the Provincials and their Councils) to
make them the subject of careful study and application.
1. Nature of the Provincial Directory
1.1 To outline the nature of the Provincial Directory one
must begin from C.191: "The life and activities of communities
and confreres are regulated by the universal law of the Church
and the particular law of the Society. The latter is expressed
in the Constitutions, which represent our basic code, the general
Regulations, the deliberations of the general chapter, the general
and provincial directories, and in other decisions made by com-
petent authorities."
It is clear from this article that the particular law of the
Society comprises primarily the fundamental code or Consti-
tutions referred to in can. 587, S 1; and secondarily all the
normative documents which contain executive dispositions or
applications of the fundamental code.
1.2 The Provincial Directory forms part of these normative
documents and has the following special characteristics:
expre-ssiiotncsoonftaginesnepraalrtliecguilsalratnioonrmins
which
specific
represent practical
matters left to be
decided at provincial level;
belon-gsthtoe
laying down of the norms
the Provincial Chapter (C
contained in the directory
t71,4): this is an example
of the principles of subsidiarity and decentralization;

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2. GUTDELINES AND POLICTES 37
only-afttheer
norms contained
the approval of
in the directory have binding force
the Rector Major and his Council,
and only for the province concerned.
1.3 Without prejudice to the fact that the Provincial Direc-
tory is a text which is normative of its very nature, it would
seem fitting that the norms be accompanied by a brief presen-
tation and proper motivation, which stress the values of which
the norms are an expression.
2. Content of the Provincial Directory
2.1 Some items have been explicitly assigned to the Pro-
vincial Directories by the Constitutions and General Regulations
(cf.2.2 below). But the directory may also contain other norms
which the Provincial Chapter may consider opportune within the
compass of the powers allotted to it by C 171,1 and 771,2.
It is clear too that any subsequent modifications of the
norms of the Provincial Directory require a decision by the
Frovincial Chapter and the approval of the Rector Major wit-h
his Council.
2.2 \\t may be useful here to list the points left explicitlv
to the Provincial Chapters by the Constitutions and General
Regulations, together with some comments which need to be
kept in mind when drawing up the Provincial Directory:
C 1E5: "The role and duties of those responsible for the
principal sectors of the community's activities will be laid down
by the Provincial Chapter."
The article says nothing about including this in the Pro-
vincial Directory. Hence, although the obligation remains of
doing what is laid down by the article of the Constitutions, it
is up to the Provincial Chapter to decide whether to put the
relevant decisions in the Provincial Directory or to express
them as Chapter deliberations or executive decisions.

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38 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCIL
R 58 refers to poverty and remits to the Provincial Chap-
ters the task of layrng down norms "with a view to establishing
throughout the province a modest and effectively uniform level
of community life, while taking into account special situations".
Three particular cases are indicated where regulations are re-
quired.
Here too nothing is said explicitly about the inserting of
decisions in the Directory. But since the article of the R.egula-
tions asks the Provincial Chapters to lay down "norms", it is
evident that this is in fact matter for the Directory.
In meeting the requirernents of R 58 the Provincial Chapter
would do well to keep in mind what is said in R 65 concerning
the examination of the state of poverty at provincial and local
levels, and lay down some directives to regulate the frequency
and manner of making the examination concerned. This is the
sense of the practical directive of the GC2l (59a): "To better
ensure and foster a greater sensitiveness to evangelical poverty,
the Provincial Directories sshould establish a periodic self-exam-
ination (scrutinium paupertatis), determining the time and pro-
cedure. In this examination should be included an appraisal
of work as an expression of poverty".
R 72 and R. 74 concern the life of prayer.
elanidt edxopwrenssbioynsthaerepruosveidncinialthcehatwptoera"rt(iRcle7s2-);
A(ilnthothueghmdainffneer-r
"the details will
be laid
from a
down in the
comparison
provincial directory"
of the two that the
(dRec7i4s)io-ns
it is evident
of the Fro-
vincial Chapter are matter for the Provincial Directory.
R 87,88, 106 (cf. C 101). The three articles refer to salesian
formation and speak of a "provincial formation directory",
which "applies the principles and norms of salesian formation
to the concrete local situations" (R 87).
It should be noticed that this "formation directory" is not

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2. GUTDELINES AND POLICIES 39
a directory separate from the Provincial Directory, but is in
fact a particular section of the latter.
From what was said earlier, especially with reference to
C I7l, it follows that the norms to be applied in connection
with formation require the approval of the Provincial Chapter
which must obviously be based on the "Ratio fundamentalis
Institutionis et Studiorum" and other possible guidelines of the
Provincial Conferences (cf. 3.3 below).
R 162. "The manner in which the substitution is to take
place (of the delegates) for the general chapter will be decided
by the provincial chapter."
To meet this requirement the Provincial Chapter, after elect-
ing the delegates, will decide on the manner in which any
substitution is to be made, keeping in mind the circumsstances
and the results of the delegates' election.
It seems inadvisable therefore to include a norm in this
connection in the Provincial Directory, but rather leave each
Chapter free to make its own decision, provided that the deci-
sion be made before the election of the substitutes.
R tr67, 4. "To establish standing orders for the functioning
of the provincial chapter in accordance with canon law."
Since there is question here of norms, it is obvious that
they can be matter for the Provincial Directory, at least for
those fundamental dispositions which need to be laid down for
the sake of continuity. But it should be kept well in mind that
they must remain within the well-defined limits of the "function-
ing" of the Provincial Chapter (the manner of its opening, the
exarnination of the Provincial's report [R 167,1], the tasks of
commissions, the procedure for making interventions, etc.).
R. 190. This article refers to provincial and local administra-
tion, with particular reference to certain sections of such admin-
istration.

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40 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
Here again norms are involved which have been left to the
Provincial Chapter, and which are therefore matter for the
Provincial Directory.
For this task however it is explicitly stated that it may be
delegated by the Provincial Chapter to the Provincial with his
Council.
The reasons for such delegation are not far to seek. The
drawing up of detailed norms in these matters require both
time and technical competence. The use of such a delegation
seems inevitable; the Provincial Chapter may add to it certain
indications and conditions.
When such a delegation is made, the norms laid down in
virtue of the delegation by the Provincial and his Council form
part of the Provincial Directory, but are binding only after
approval by the Rector Major and his Council.
It is appropriate that in the fulfilment of what is prescri-
bed by R 190, R 62 and R 178 be kept in ru,ind. The importance
will be obvious to everyone of "the preservation of libraries,
archives and other documentary material, because of their cul-
tural and community value". Appropriate nonns in the Provin-
cial Directory will certainly be of use in filling gaps and correct-
ing shortcomings which will be seen with the passage of time
to be ever more serious.
R 170. "The manner of making the consultation for the ap-
pointment of the rector will be determined by the provincial
with the consent of his council and in the light of any indications
made by the provincial chapter."
From the article it is clear that the provincial chapter can
choose either to give or not give indications concerning the way
in which the consultation preceding the appointment of rectors
is carried out.
If the Provincial Chapter should decide to give any relevant
indications, these can be included in the Provincial Directory,

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2. GUTDELTNES AND POLICTES 4l
provided that they do not in any way impair the authority of
the Provincial and his Council to decide how the consultation
shall be made, nor compromise the confidential nature of the
consultation itself, which is an act by which the confreres
take part in and share the responsability for the choice of those
responsible for gevernment (C 123) and not the exercise of a
right of election.
3. Clarifications on three particular problems
3.1 A first clarification concerns the educative and pastoral
plan.
To the constitutional statement concerning the apostolic
plan in its overall sense at provincial and local level (C 31,4),
there correspond various articles of the Regulations (R 4-10;
184,4) which are specifically dedicated to the provincial and
local educative plans.
From the whole context it is evident that the educative and
pastoral plan is distinct from the Provincial Directory in its
nature, pu{pose, extension and content. It has the characteri-
stics of a project providing a programme and guidelines, and
is in consequence a separate document, distinct from the Pro-
vincial Directory.
The responsibility for drawing up the province's educative
and pastoral plan has been committed to the "provincial com-
munity" (R 4). This means that the Provincial and his Council
must follow the criteria of participation and involve in the pro-
cess the various provincial organisms, including in accordance
with C l7l,l,2 the Provincial Chapter, to the extent to which
the character of the plan and the situation of the province re-
quire it.
3.2 A second clarification concerns the Manual of Prayer
called for by R 77.

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42 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
This too falls outside the scope of a Provincial Directory:
it is not meant to be a book of nofins, but rather a manual and
practical guide.
Moreover its preparation has been left to the provinces,
provincial conferences or regions, and this is another sign that
it is not concerned with "norms at provincial level", decided
on by the Provincial Chapter.
3.3 A third clarification concerns the relationship between
a Provincial Directory and guidelines given by provincial confer-
ences or regional structures.
Here C 120 should be kept in mind: "Our Society is made
up of provincial communities, and these in turn are divided
into local communities." Hence there are three levels of gov-
ernment: world, provincial and local.
Regional structures and provincial conferences (C lM, 145;
R 135-142) are not, of their nature, structures of government,
but organism of linkage and coordination: this is clear partic-
ularly from the tasks assigned to the provincial conference
(R 142) and from the third paragraph of R 139: "The conclu-
sions of the conference are ordinarily orientative".
Nevertheless the following paragraph of the same article
states: "In special cases the conference can make binding deci-
sions, which acquire their force anly after the approval of the
Rector Major with the consent of his council".
From these premises the following solid deductions can be
made:
3.3.1 Our particular law neither foresees nor authorizes a
Regional Directory, or a National Directory (of provincial con-
ferences).
3.3.2 Our Constitutions and Regulations provide neverthe-
less for coordinating activity and the provision of guidelines at

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2. GUIDELINES AND POLICIES 43
regional level or that of the provincial conference. ,And in the
latter case the possibility is foreseen in special cases of the
enactment of binding decisions.
3.3.3 Provincial conferences therefore must operate within their
own ambit in harmony with the spirit of our general legislation.
But it is equally a duty of Provincial Chapters to proceed with
prudence and wide overall vision, especially when dealing with
matters which because of their consequences and implications
have effects which go beyond the boundaries of the province
and touch on national and regional interests (cf. R 1a2).
4. Conclusion
What has been said in 2.1 above calls for a sober sense of
balance and restraint in drawing up the Provincial Directory.
The obligatory matter to be inserted is already quite consider-
able: a measure of collegial self-control is needed in deciding
what other norms are really opportune and necessary in the
concrete situation in which the province is placed.
The final purpose should always be kept in view: the ap-
plication to local realities of the principles and norms of the
general legislation, so as to render more concrete and effica-
cious in the provincial community the commitment of fidelity
to our Rule of life.

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M ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCTL
2.2 SOME PRIORITIES OF THE SALESIAN MISSIONARY COM-
MITMENT
Fr Luke VAN LOOY
Counclllor General for the Mlsslons
The commitment to take to others the message of Christ
and predilection for the young are the elements which charac-
terize the vocation of a salesian missionary. Following the exam-
ple of Don Bosco, he opens himself to the needs of the people
and does all he can to acquire an understanding of their men-
tality and heart, especially the young ones.
In the course of the visits I have made to our missions in
various parts of the world, I have been struck to see how rnuch
the salesian spirit is everywhere present, expressed in ease of
contact with everyone, in the family spirit and in the fact that
the missionary identifies himself with the culture of the local
people, so as to bear witness to the love of Christ and the
truth of the Gospel. From a structural point of view the Mis-
sion is organized around the Church, the school and the Oratory
(or youth centre open to all), but to these many other activities
are added for the good of the people.
The difficulties are more or less of the same kind every-
where: lack of adequate communications and of means of edu-
cation, a constant preoccupation about the manner of putting
across the gospel message so that it may be properly understood,
the effort to reach a full interior understanding of the local
culture and mentality. The missionaries share with the people
a simple style of life in a spirit of poverty, and maintain their
cheerful attitude and festive sense.

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2. GUIDELINES AND POLICIES 45
I think it true to say that it is in our missions that the
'popular' character of the salesian vocation is most in evidence.
Many of our works are the centre of activities which give hope
to entire populations.
All this evidently calls for a spirit of initiative and creati-
vity on the part of the missionary and his community; it requi-
res a great capacity for collaboration both within the commu-
nity itself and with local groups, and also a good relationship
with the local authorities.
In order to reply "in a salesian manner to the urgent needs
of the peoples to be evangelized', constant and serious study
is required to discern the real needs of the young and of the
people in general and to meet them with pastoral charity. The
remark of a certain missionary shortly after arriving at his
mission centre makes one think; he said: "I did not come to
the missions to teach in a school; I could have stayed in my
own country to do that!" Maybe this confrere had not yet
reflected on the many needs of the people around him, and
not yet come to realise what the mission demanded of him;
maybe it had not yet occurred to him that he was in an excel-
lent position to dedicate himself to poor and abandoned
youngsters.
Thinking over what is said in our Constitutions and the
realities of the situation I have seen for myself in visiting the
missions, I want to emphastze the two elements which must
characterize every salesian mission: commitment to pastoral
work for the young and pastoral action in favour of the poor.
1. Youth pastoral work
The Constitutions tell us that the salesian "encounters the
young at their present stage of freedom" (C.38): and this is
especially true in the concrete situation in which the salesian
missionary is called upon to work. The point of departure is

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46 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCIL
always the young person, met in the overall circumstances of
his material, cultural, relational and social needs.
The ways and means which must be given priority in mis-
sion territory for this kind of work with the young so as to
bring them to Christ, are precisely those which are characteristic
of our own activity.
1.1 The oratory and youth centre
This is a setting in which every youngster can be helped in
his human growth and in his path towards Christ. Its structural
flexibility is such that it can meet youthful needs at any cultur-
al or religious level.
1.2 Schooling
The salesian mission is concerned about the basic education
of youngsters: very often this means commitment to instruct-
ional work through elementary schools, trade schools, elementary
courses for illiterate adults, and even institutes for higher edu-
cation.
1.3 Evangelization and catechesis
A direct or indirect introduction to the person of Christ,
to the fundamental principles of the faith and to the values of
a life lived according to the Gospel, is an integral part of the
objectives of the oratory and salesian school. The missionary
has the specific task of studying the ways in which this message
can be put across in a way suited to the different local circum-
stances.
1..4 The building o'f christian communities
Missionary work tends of its nature to the building of
christian communities. Now contact with boys and youngsters
in general is a great help for the forging of good relationships

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2. GUIDELTNES AND POLICTES 47
also with adults: it opens the door to contact with whole
families and puts us at the centre of society. The involvement
of youngsters in our work and our efforts to form worthy lay
collaborators are certainly fundamental for the formation of a
basically christian community.
In all this work it must be emphasized that there must be
a balance between education, evangelization and development.
Individual activities may be directed principally to one or other
of these elements: catechesis and liturgy; schools and teaching
in general; material development and urgent needs. But each
section involves the others and they mutually complement each
other. Education, evangelization and development are linked
together and form the indispensable elements for every mis-
sion.
2. Poor nelghbourhoods and the salesian mission
Contact with youngsters is a Ereat help to the understand-
ing of local culture and a guide to a deeper knowledge of the
Ianguage and customs of the people.
I want to point out three elements which must characterize
the poorer class neighbourhoods which form the settings of
our missions.
2.1, Culture, society, religion
The desire to bring the Gospel to people and to insert it
in local culture helps the salesian missionary to feel at ease
among non-christians, in areas where other religions are in
vogue and where different social and political systems may be
the rule. f,fe knows how to collaborate "with all who are try-
ing to build a society more worthy of man's dignity" (C. 33)
and thus "create conditions favouring a free process of con-
version to the christian faith, with respect shown for the cul-
tural and religious values of the neighbourhood" (R. 22).

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4g ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCTL
2.2 Poverty of style
The missionary "comes down to the level of the people so
that he curn accompany them in their upward climb" (Don Ca-
viglia, 'La concezione missionaria di Don Bosco', p. 13), so as
to give priority to persons and not get lost in the complexitv
of structural aspects. At the same time the missionary com-
munity must be able to present a humble aspect, moving for-
ward slowly a little at a time at a rate in keeping with the
rhythm of the people, while having the courage to plan for
centres and institutions for education, evangelization and devel-
opment when the need for such centres becomes evident or
imperative.
2.3 Fidelity even within limitations imposed from outside
The salesian goes to the missions to stay there, often in
conditions which prove unfavourable for the carrying out of
his apostolate. In some countries the political and religious
situation does not allow of free and authentic salesian work.
Many salesians live in conditions of restricted freedom; but
it is precisely such situations that seem to help them to be
more fervent witnesses to the loving kindness of Don Bosco.
They are a proof that Don Bosco's system is efficacious in
every kind of setting and that Don Bosco wants to save all at
whatever cost.
In conclusion, the physiognomy of a salesian mission can
be defined in the words "home, parish and school" (C 40) which
the Constitutions apply to every salesian presence in the world.
The mission is a realization of Don Bosco's charism in a place
not yet evangelized and often still in process of development.
I would say that the mission is an eminent way of living sale-
sian life. It calls for a deep knowledge of the Gospel and of
salesian spirituality, the ability to adapt to circumstances, a
deep study of local culture and a knowledge of the vernacular.
The secret of success of a salesian mission can be summed up

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2. GUTDELTNES AND POLTCTES 49
in the following points: (a) community work in a common
project; (b) evangelical and salesian spirituality; (c) collabora-
tion with the local Church and involvement of the laity in our
work of education, evangelization and development.
4

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50 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCTL
2.3 TFIE SALESIAN BULLETIN
Fr Sergio CUEVAS
Counclllor General tor the Sateslan Famlly and for soclal communlcatlon
Art. 41, of the General Regulations gives a synthetic pre-
sentation of the Salesian Bulletin, setting out its principal char-
acteristics and purpose and pointing out the commitment of
the Congregation for its publication and circulation. It states:
"The Salesian Bulletin, founded by Don Bosco, spreads
lcnowledge of salesian spirit and activity, especially in its
missionary and educational aspects.
It is concernemd with the problems of youth, encourages
collaboration and tries to foster yocations.
It is as well an instrument for formation and a bond of
union between the di-t'-t'erent branches of the Salesian Family.
It is edited in accordance with the directiues of the Rector
Major and his council in yarious editions and languages."
With the desire to implement ever more fully the task which
the Regulations entrust to the Salesian Congregation in respect
of the publication and circulation of the Bulletin, the General
Council has studied the above article of the Regulations and
underlined the guidelines it contains.
This present note gathers together the main points emerg-
ing from the Council's study, with some of the directives adopted
which will be of use not only to those directly responsible for
the editing of the Bulletin but to all salesians who are obliged
to sustain and spread this "family review".

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2. GUTDELINES AND POLICIES 51
1. The Salesian Bulletin, a novel creation of Don Bosco
The point of departure for a deeper study of the physi-
ognomy and purpose of the Salesian Bulletin must obviously be
the thought of Don Bosco who first conceived the idea and
founded it, as is expressed in fact in the article itself.
It had first seen the light in 1875 with the title'The Ca-
tholic Booklover" or "salesian Monthly Bulletin", but from the
first issue of 1878 the front page was headed simply "Salesian
Bulletin". At first Don Bosco attended to it personally, both
to give to it the tone and direction he had in mind and because
at that time he had no one to whom he could entrust its direc-
tion; we know however that very soon he delegated responsibil-
ity for the publication to capable collaborators (the first director
was Fr Bonetti), but always in association with himself.
It may be useful to recall some of the remarks of Don
Bosco which give a clear indication of the purpose and content
of the Bulletin as he wanted them to be.
On the one hand he sees the publication as being aimed
principaltry at the Cooperators. He describes it as the faithful
companion, the assiduous mentor, the tireles sapostle of the
Cooperators (cf. Mts XIII B1). And again as the soul of the
Pious Union (cf. MB XIII 266). In the first issue (September
1877), addressing himself to the Cooperators, he gives an indica-
tion of the scope and content the Bulletin will have: "to pro-
vide inforrnation about what we have done or what we intend
to do to attain the end we have set before ourselves". In this
same line, in the annual conference of 1877, he says: "Hand in
hand with this project we have decided to publish a bulletin
which will pretty much become the Congregation's official pub-
lication and include many things we'Il need to make known
to our Cooperators. It will come out regularly and will link
Salesians and Cooperators..." (MB XIII 81; BM XIII 61).
On the other hand Don Bosco sees the Bulletin as aimed at
an ever growing number of readers, whom it will interest in

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52 ACTS OF THE GENEBAI- COUNCTL
the work of the Oratories for young people and stimulate their
collaboration, even financially. On 10 August 1877, in a con-
versation with Fr Barberis, Don Bosco says: "The Salesian
Bulletin's aim is to publicize our activities as much as possible
and show them as they really are. By winning popular goodwill
for our works we shall obtain people's help (MB XIII 260; BM
XIII 191). In the third General Chapter of the Salesian Society
(1883) Don Bosco, speaking of the Bulletin, says again: "The
Salesian Cooperators who are our benefactors are one thing;
those who take the Bulletin regularly as a magazine are quite
another. The Bulletin is merely a means for making our works
known and of binding good christians closely together in the
same spirit and for a single purpose... (MB XVI 412). A conver-
sation between Don Bosco and Bartolo Longo is of interest:
"Don Bosco: how have you managed to conquer the world?"
"My dear friend, this is the secret": "f send the Salesian Bul-
letin to lots and lots of people, whether they ask for it or notD
(MB XVII, 670).
The Salesian Bulletin therefore gives guidelines for Coope-
rators, especially as a starting point, but it can become wider
in character: as well as the Cooperator, it is aimed
ngood christian" who is interested in the salesian
also at
spirit
the
and
helps salesian work.
As regards the importance which Don Bosco attached to
the tsulletin for his work, we can recall some of his other ex-
pressions. IIe calls it "the principal support of the salesian
work and of all that concerrls us" (MB XVII 669). To the Bul-
letin he links the future of salesian work: "The Salesian Society
will prosper if we make sure we support the Salesian Bulletin
and extend its readership' (MB XVII 5,+5). He considers it
"not only the principal means, but even a necessity for the
Congregation" (MB XVIII 146). In the third General Chapter
Don Bosco asserts: "If governments don't put a spoke in the
wheel, the Salesian Bulletin will become a power in the land:
not for what it is in itself, but because of the people it will
bring together and unite".

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2. GUIDELTNES AND POL|CIES 53
2. The purpose of the Salesian Bulletin and thos,e for whom it
is intended
From the first edition devised by Don Bosco, the Salesian
Bulletin soon passed beyond the borders of Piedmont and Italy,
and accompanied the Salesian Congregation as it spread around
the world. While Don Bosco was still alive the first editions in
languages other than Italian were published: a French edition
was publish in Turin from 1879, a Spanish edition in Argentina
in 1881, and a Spanish edition from Turin from 1886. The num-
ber of editions gradually multiplied, and today the Salesian
Bulletin is published in 35 different countries; it is the publi-
cation which the Congregation rates as of the highest priority
for communication within the Salesian Family and for its rela-
tionships with the outside world.
The question may be asked: what precisely is the Salesian
Bulletin at the present day? What are its objectives? What
message is it trying to put across?
Article 41, of the Regulations provides an answer to these
questions, indicating the principal aims which today's salesians
have in mind in publishing the Bulletin: to be faithful to Don
Bosco and at the same time meet the urgent needs of the
present day. Let us try to give a brief summary of these aims.
It must be emphasized in the first place that in accordance
with the thought of our Founder, the first objective of the Bul-
letin is to make known salesian facts and news, in so far as
these form a living part of today's ecclesial realities and have
a vital place in the social context; hence the salesian reality
finds a place within the Church and society. Through the Bul-
letin the aim is to spread a knowledge both of the "salesian
spirit" which is characteristic of the life and mission of Don
Bosco's great Family, and of concrete salesian activity, especially
in its priority areas: the education of the young and missionary
commitment.
The presentation of this reality, avoiding purely devotional

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54 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
aspects on the one hand and any tendency to triumphalism on
the other, becomes the faithful description and grateful recog-
nition of what God has done through the Salesians in the Church
and for young people. The style of presentation will be dictated
by the rules of good modern journalism.
The second paragraph of the above-mentioned article of the
Regulations emphasizes a particularly significant point of this
reality. Since the mission of the Congregation and of the Sale-
sian Family is directed primarly to the education and evangel-
ization of the young, it is clear that the Bulletin will be con-
cerned with what is of interest to young people, especially as
regards their human and christian formation.
It should be noted in this connection that the Bulletin makes
no claim to be a review of study and research; it is essen-
tially a publication providing information; nevertheless the fact
that it is interested in youth problems means that it deals with
these with reference to the social and ecclesial situation in
which the young people live (cf. C.33), and therefore approaches
them with a wide outlook and offers solid foundations based
on lived experience as well as on the educational sciences.
In the field too of educational problems of young people,
the Bulletin shows a particular interest in the vocational guid-
ance of the young, by giving indications and presenting to
educators models of consecrated and missionary christian life.
Another important purpose of the Bulletin, and one that
harks back to Don Bosco's own idea as we have seen, is indi-
cated in the third paragraph of the article of the Regulations:
it is also " an instrument for formation and a bond of union
between the di{'f erent branches of the Salesian Family". Witldn
the Salesian Family therefore the Bulletin serves not only to
provide information, but aims also at formation (in the same
spirit) and at being a connecting medium.
Here too comes in what the article says about "encouraging
collaboration": we know how much Don Bosco used to insist

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2. GUTDELTNES AND POL|CIES 55
on participation through the Bulletin in what went on in the
Congregation and in the Salesian Family.
This description of the aims or purposes of the Bulletin
leads almost automatically to the identification of those to
whom it is addressed, even if this had not been clearly indicated
in the thought of Don Bosco himself (cf. n. I above). Although
it has a special function within the Salesian Family, as already
explained, the Bulletin is available to ereryone in the sense that
it is aimed at all (young or old) who want to know Don Bosco,
his spirit and works, and who are willing to collaborate in any
of the most diversified ways.
The fact too that the Bulletin is aimed at the man in the
street means that it must have a typically characteristic style
and form which makes it a family publication easy to read:
this can be deduced also from a reflection on articles 6 and 43
of the Constitutions, which refer to the role of social commu-
nication among the Salesians in the evangelization of peoples.
In the matter of language, it rnay also be recalled that this goes
back to Don Bosco who had the happy knack of dealing with
tocips of an educational or social character with a clear sense
of God but at the same time in the 'lay' style of a christian
citizen.
3. Responsibility of the Rector Maior and hls Council
The last paragraph of art. 41. of the General Regulations
highlights the special responsibility of the Rector Major and his
Council in respect of the editing of the Bulletin, so that it can
attain in different situations the purpose desired by Don Bosco.
The specification added to the text by the GC22 should be noted:
it indicates explicitly that the attention of the Rector Major
and the General Council extends to all Bulletins published in the
world "in uarious editions and languages". This is in line with
salesian history: in fact both Don Bosco and his successors
have always considered the Bulletin as the bearer of a message

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56 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
of unity and so have given it special attention. (It will be re-
membered that for quite some time the Bulletin was printed
in Turin, even though it appeared in different languages).
Granted this general principle concerning responsibility, the
particular linkage must be emphasized which binds the Bulletin
in Italian to the Rector Major and his Council; because of the
fact that it is edited at the centre of the Congregation it has
always been more directly dependent on the General Council,
even economically, and was always considered as a model and
source for other editions. This evidently implies a special com-
mitment on the part of the Superiors for the Italian edition of
the Bulletin.
This raises two more questions: how do the Superiors exer-
cise their responsibility with regard to the Bulletin? And sec-
ondly, how can a linkage between the different Bulletins be
assured?
In reply to the first question, it can be said that the Rector
Major and the General Council exercise their responsibility
normally through the Councillor for the Salesian Family and
social communication; there is therefore a linkage between the
Salesian Bulletin and the Department for the Salesian Family
and social communication, a relationship which evidently takes
account of the characteristics of the Bulletin as a publication
and an instrument of unity for the Salesian Family.
In practice a distinction must be made: the Director of
the Italian Salesian Bulletin depends directly on the Rector
Major through the Councillor for the Salesian Family and social
communication. But in the case of the other editions of the
Bulletin, in addition to the relationship with the Councillor for
the Salesian Family and social communication the Pror,tincials
or Provincial Conferences carry a certain responsibility at local
level which they exercise in the name of the R.ector Major; there
must therefore be constant liaison between the Director of the
Bulletin and the Provincial and Provincial Conferences.

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2. GUTDELINES AND POLICIES 57
Ar regards the second question, to cultivate unity and en-
sure a proper linkage between the different editions of the
Bulletin and in particular between the Italian edition and the
others), the Department for the Salesian Family and social com-
munication undertakes to assist and animate Bulletin directors
around the world through opportune contacts and meetings.
Ways of offering such help will be studied (rethinking perhaps
the "Bulletin dossier" which existed some time ago) for provid-
ing input which will help in attaining the Bulletin's purpose.
In this connection too some consideration can be given to the
function of ANS which, in some fields at least, could provide
linkage and assistance.
4. The Director of the Salesian Bulletin and the Editoria! Board
A central figure for the attainment of the objectives set
out in article 41 of the Regulations is certainly the Director of
the Bulletin; he has the task of coordinating the work of his
collaborators, both as regards the choice of material and as
regards specifically editorial aspects. Although enjoying a cer-
tain personal responsibility and autonomy, the Director of the
Bulletin is aware that he has been called to direct an instrument
of information and animation, which the Regulations entrust
in the first place to the responsibility of the Rector Major and
the General Council. Conscious of the delicacy of his task, he
will always act in agrement with the Superior (the Councillor
for the Salesian Family and social communication and the Pro-
vincial) in choosing the best way for spreading knowledge of
salesian spirit and activity.
Given the importance both of the message to be transmitted
and of the techniques to ensure that it be done efficaciously,
the choice of the Director of the Bulletin becomes of particular
importance. He must be able to communicate and have had
adequate journalistic formation, but especially he must have a
genuinely salesian personality and be an expert in those aspects of
5

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5g ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNGTL
"salesianiti" indicated by the Constitutions as characteristic of
the Salesians for their insertion in the Church as apostles of
the young. In particular: he must feel deeply within himself
that he is an evangelizer of the young, especially of the poorest
among them (cf. C.6), attentive to the needs of the neighbourhood
and the Church (cf. C. 41), solid with the world and its history
(cf. C. 7).
He must be down to earth and awake to the signs of the
times (cf. C. 19) so as to plan for the integral developrnent
of man directed to Christ, the perfect man (cf. C. 31). The
Salesian Bulletin is largely dependent on the spirit of initiative
of the Director (cf. C. 19) who must combine creativity with
balance as did the Founder (cf. C. 19).
From all this it is evident that the Director of the Bulletin
has an important role to play, and in fact a great deal of work
rests on his shoulders; this is certainly true but only serves to
emphasize the fact that he must be able to obtain help and gather
around him capable collaborators.
To this end it is opportune that every Bulletin should have its
Editorial Board, which will work with the Director in his task
of coordination and animation. Such a Board will be chosen, in
the case of the Italian edition, by the Councillor for the Salesian
Family and social communication in agreement with the Director
of the Bulletin; for the other editions it will be selected by the
Provincial concerned, in agreement with the Director of the BuI-
letin. The most important function of the editorial board will be
that of attending to the general editorial policy and of periodically
verifying it; it will also help in choosing good sub-editors and col-
laborators. As far as individual issues of the Bulletin are con-
cerned, it will be well if the Director, before going to press, agrees
with the Councillor General or with the Provincial responsible
the final draft of the manuscript to be printed.
A final point concerns the promotion and circulation of the
periodical and various organizational and economic aspects: they

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2. GUIDELINES AND POLICIES 59
depend on the one responsible for administration, with whom the
Director of the Bulletin will be in close collaboration.
It is hoped that these indications of principle or of organiza-
tion prompted by a reading of article 41 of the Regulations will
lead not only in those immediately responsible but in all Salesians
to an efficacious response, to that the Bulletin may be truly the
instrument for a knowledge of the salesian spirit and work that
Don Bosco wanted it to be.

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4. ACTIVITIES OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
4.1 Chronicle of the Rector Maior
Immediately following the ple-
nary session of the General Coun-
cil, the Rector Major visited in
the space of one month the con-
freres of three nations of Latin
America: Chile, Bolivia and Peru.
A very meaningful ceremony, re-
peated in several places, was the
presentation of the renewed Con-
stitutions: a community event en-
dowed with solemnity and full of
deep significance.
He left Rome 27 July, and went
Eirst to Santiago, Chile, where in
addition to the usual programme
of salesian animation he also had
engagements at the Catholic Uni-
versity; the latter was celebrating
the golden jubilee of its Faculty
of Theology, and had programmed
a series of conferences to be given
by the former Deans of the Fa-
culty. In this connection Fr Vi-
gand gave an address on "The-
ology and religious life after Va-
tican II", and also took part in
a question and answer session
with professors and students of
the Faculty. During the period
of the visit, the Chilean Bishops
happened to be holding a meeting
at Santiago and they took the op-
portunity to invite the Rector
Major to hold a discussion with
them on the topic "A theological
and pastoral assessment of twenty
years of application of the deci-
sions of Vatican II" in view of the
coming extraordinary Synod.
In Bolivia between 7 and 15
August he passed through the
zones of Santa Cruz, Coachabam-
ba and LaPaz, visiting towns and
mission centres (Sagrado Corazdn,
San Carlos, Escoma).
Finally he called at various
places in Peru: Lima and neighbo-
urhood, Piura, Cusco (where the
salesians of Arequipa, Ayacucho
and those working in the missions
of the Valle Sagrado had gath-
ered) and Huancayo (where he
blessed the new aspirantate for
brothers).
As is usually the case in these
journeys, he made contact for
animation purposess with the
FMA, VDB, Daughters of the Sa-
cred Hearts (Fr Variara), Sisters
of Charity of Miyazaki, Coopera-
tors, Past Pupils, and conversed
with various Apostolic Nuncios,
Cardinals and Bishops. On 24
August he was back in Rome on-
ce more.
8th September found him at
Turin to receive, in the Basilica
of Mary Help of Christians, the
first profession of the novices of
Monteoliveto. On the 13th of the

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4. ACTTVTTIES OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL 6l
same month he went to Dublin
(Ireland) for the Eurobosco meet-
ing, and from the 24th to 29th he
was in Germany for the " Integra-
tion Symposium" of Schtinstatt:
"A challenge for a third millen-
nium culture".
4.2 Chronicle
of the Genera! Gouncil
From 4 June to 26 July all the
Councillors were back in Rome
for the plenary session of the
Council. After their visits of
animation to the provinces in
which they had been engaged for
the previous several months, theY
met to verify proposals which had
been put forward in the previous
session and to make a deeper
study of topics touching on the
government of the Congregation.
As is always the case the agenda
for the meetings was extensive:
in addition to the examination of
problems of provincial and local
communities, various matters of
general interest were dealt with
concerning the life and mission of
the Congregation and of the Sale-
sian Family.
Among the first group of topics
(government and animation of
the provinces and local commu-
nities) the more significant points
were the following:
- the appointment of Provin-
cials for five provinces (cf. 5.2,
"New Provincials"), after a care-
ful study of the results of
consultations and a process of
discernment on those proposed;
th-e
an examination of reports on
extraordinary uisitations c.ar-
ried out by the Regional Council-
lors between January and MaY
1985 (provinces of Argentina-Cor-
doba, Great Britain, Italy-Central
province, Italy-Verona, Mexico-
Guadalajara, South Poland, Por-
tugal and Spain-Bilbao). The pre-
sentation of the reports bY the
Regional Councillors acted as a
stimulus for a discussion in the
General Council which led to the
indication of various points offe-
red to the Rector Major for his
concluding letter to the province
concerned;
ou- s
the appointment of numer-
provincial councillors and
the examination of other requests
regarding houses or confreres;
under this heading came the ca-
nonical erection of 14 new houses
and the closing of 3 others).
A considerable time was given
to reflection and deeper studY
of the second group of arguments,
more general in character. The
following are among the more
important;
l. The provimcial chapters of
1986, and stttdy of the "provincial
directory".

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62 ACTS OF THE GENERAL GOUNCIL
The General Council dedicated
several meetings to reflection on
the provincial chapters foreseen
for 1986, for which the GC22 has
already prescribed the fundamen-
tal theme: a deeper study of the
Constitutions and Regulations and
the commitments deriving from
them (cf. GC22n.2). The desira-
bility was emphasized that each
provincial Chapter should be par-
ticularly concerned about what
the Constitution sand Regulations
remit to the "provincial directo-
ry"; the General Council clarified
the sense of a "provincial direc-
tory", studied its nature and con-
tent, and drew up a document
which is published in this number
of the AGC by the Vicar General
(cf. 2.1, p. 35).
2. Regulations of the Associa-
tion of Salesian Cooperators. ln
view of the coming World Con-
gress of Salesian Cooperators, a
first draft of the revised Regula-
tions for the Cooperators had
been drawn up by an appropriate
commission with contributions
from the Association itself. The
General Council, in virtue of a
specific responsibility given to
them by the Rector Major con-
cerning the approval of the Regu-
lations, dedicated some sittings
to an examination of the draft,
offering their own study contri-
bution for a richer and more sa-
lesian definitive text.
3. The Salesian Bulletin
Two successive sittings were
devoted to a deep examination of
article 41 of the General Regula-
tions which concerns the Salesian
Bulletin, with a view to its fuller
application. The Council studied
in particular the purpose for
which the Bulletin exists, those to
whom it is directed and its desi-
rable set-up; careful attention was
given to the responsibility as-
signed to the Rector Major and
his Council both for the Italian
edition and for the numerous edi-
tions in other languages; concrete
problems were also considered
concerning the figure of the Di-
rector of the Salesian Bulletin and
his collaborators. This topic too
has given rise to a short docu-
ment published by the Councillor
for the Salesian Family and social
communication (cf. 2.3, p. 50).
4. The '88 Commission
Continuing the work begun in
the previous session, the special
"'88 Commission" has taken stock
of the initiatives programmed at
world level for the centenary of
the death of Don Bosco in 1988.
The competent provinces and pro-
vincial conferences will be con-
tacted concerning the relevant ini-
tiatives.

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4. ACTIVITIES OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL 63
5. Verification of the activities of
the various Departments
In the light of the general pro-
gramme drawn up at the begin-
ning of the six-year period of of-
fice, each of the Councillors con-
cerned presented a report on the
work carried out in his own De-
partment and on the princiPal
problems to be faced; in this waY
it was possible to carry out a veri-
fication of what had been done
and lay down new guidelines for
the future.
The plenary session came to
an end on 26 July, with a cele-
bration for the Rector Major's
birthday. As is always the case,
the session had been enriched bY
periodic moments of prayer and
fraternal get-togethers. Saturday,
6 July, had been a day of retreat
at Frascati.

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5. DOCUMENTS AND NEWS ITEMS
5.1 Decree concerning the he-
roicity of the uirtues of the
Servant of God Pius lX
Letter of the Rector Malor
to the Holy Father
On the occasion of the proruul-
gation of the Decree concerning,
the heroicity of the virtues of the
servant of God Pius IX, the Rec-
tor Major addressed a letter to
the Holy Father expressing the
grate-lul thoughts of the Sale-
sians: " in the history of our ori-
gins Pius IX appears as directly
and intrinsically linked to the
charism of foundation of the spi-
ritual Family of Don Bosco",
The following is the text of the
Rector Major's letter.
Rome, 26 July 1985
To His Holiness
John Paul ll
Roman Pontiff
Vatlcan Clty
Most Holy Father,
The promulgation of the Decree
concerning the heroic virtues of
the Servant of God Pius IX (John
Mary Mastai Ferretti), Successor
of Peter from 16 June 1846 to 7
February 1878, has filled with joy
and gratitude the hearts of us
Salesians of Don Bosco.
The long 32 years of the Fon-
tificate of Pius IX, marked by
complex social and cultural trans-
formations and by the disturb-
ing events of the papal States,
are customarily looked at more
from a social and political point
of view than in the light of the
history of salvation. This Decree
will help us, at a distance of
just over a century, to choose a
better point of observation and
to value the ministry of Pius IX
in the context of his profound
sense of God.
At the end of his Pontificate the
Church appeared in a more auth-
entic guise and more robust in-
ternally; with him there began
a series of contemporary Popes
who have given to the See of
Peter a particularly vital and so-
cially incisive dimension; the
sense of faith has been strengthe-
ned beyond the rationality of the
Enlightenment; an awareness has
grown of the universal Church
above the imminent dangers of
provincialism precisely through
the ministry of unity in commu-
nion on the part of the Bishop
of Rome.
The magisterial role of Pius IX,

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s. DoCUMENTS AND NEWS ITEMS 65
even though received more than
once with little gratitude because
of the complexity of opinions at
that time, has had an incisive and
historic effect of particularlY
fruitful projection into the life of
the People of God, especiallY
through the proclamation of the
Marian dogma of the Immaculate
Conception and the ecclesial dog-
ma of the infallibility of the Ro-
man Pontiff. Noteworthy was the
impulse given during his Pontifi-
cate to missionary expansion, and
the courageous and constant ef-
fort that was made for the growth
in the Church of religious life,
both through the renewal of Ins-
titutes already in existence and
through the emergence of new
ones.
It is in this sector of 'evangeli-
cal life that we Salesians feel par-
ticularly grateful: Pius IX is the
Pope of our origins, not simply
as a spectator, but rather as the
direct, wise authoritative and
creative inspirer in the determina-
tion of the originality of the spe-
cific character both of the So-
ciety of St Francis de Sales and
of the Institute of the Daughters
of Mary Help of Christians and
of the Association of the Coope-
rators. Don Bosco himself, writ-
ing to Pius IX on 10 March 1873
to ask for the approval of the
salesian Constitutions, begins his
letter with this significant state-
ment: "Beatissime Pater, Socie-
tas Salesiana, quam tu, beatissime
Pater, opere et consilio fundasti,
direxisti, consolidasti". In the
history of our origins Pius IX
appears as directly and intrinsi-
cally linked to the foundational
charism of the spiritual Family of
Don Bosco.
When the young priest Mastai
Ferretti left Genoa for his long
and adventurous journey in Chile
(as a member of a Pontifical
Delegation), the then Cardinal
Lambruschini wrote of him:
"God is very much at work in
that most pure heart and is in-
stilling into it in torrents the vital
flame of heavenly charity". And
when the aged Pontiff was dying,
Don Bosco wrote from Rome
(where he had been for some
time) to Mgr. Edward Rosaz, the
recently appointed Bishop of Su-
za, on the very day of the Pontiff's
death: today has passed away "a
most lofty and incomparable star
of the Church, Pius IX... Before
very long he will surely be raised
to the altars". That was the spon-
taneous expression of a saint and
friend who, through knowledge
arising from similarity of nature,
detected the heroicity of his vir-
tues through a synthetic intuition
of his whole existence.
Be pleased to accept, Most Holy
Father, the joyful and heartfelt
gratitude of the Salesian Family

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66 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCTL
for the approval of this Decree
which opens the way to the altars
for one of your predecessors, who
was so eminent in his witness to
pastoral charity carried out for
so long in the ministry of Peter.
We are asking the Servant of
God, Pius IX to make generous
intercession for the Church, for
the College of Bishops and for
its head the Roman Pontiff, for
all the Institutes of consecrated
life committed at the present day
to their evangelical renewal, and
for this our humble Salesian Fa-
mily.
With devout respect and filial
gratitude in the Lord.
Fr Ecrtro VrcaNb
In reply to the Rector Major's
letter, Mgr E. Martinez, Deputy
Secretary of State, wrote as fol-
lows.
From the Vatican, 6 August 1985
Very Reverend Father,
The Holy Father has received
your sincere and prayerful letter
of 26 July in which, in the name
of all the members of the Sale-
sian Society of St John Bosco,
you expressed sentiments of fer-
vent gratitude for the promulga-
tion of the recent Decree concern-
ing the heroicity of the virtues of
the Servant of God Pius IX.
His Holiness has charged me to
tell you that he has welcomed
with sincere appreciation this
auspicious proof of respect and
esteem, to which he replies with
great pleasure praying that on
you and the whole Salesian Fa-
mily may descend copious heaven-
ly favours, as a sign of which he
bestows his supportive Apostolic
Blessing.
I gladly avail myself of the
opportunity to declare myself
with feelings of deep respect,
Devotedly in the Lord
E. Manrrurz
5.2 New Provincials
In the plenary session of the
General Council during June-Iuly
1985, provincials were appointed
for the -following provinces,
1. BnecHerseN August, Province
of Munich (Germany)
Born at Obergessertshausen in
Bavaria 15.06.1927, he made his
novitiate at Ensdorf where he also
made his first profession on
15.08.1953. After his priestly or-
dination at Benediktbeuern on
29.06.1963 he was called to direct
the community of Munich (St
Francis de Sales) from 7969 to
1978 and was a provincial coun-
cillor for several years. In 1978
he became Rector at Benedikt-

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5. DOCUMENTS AND NEWS ITEMS 67
beuern where he remained until
his appointment as Provincial of
the Munich Province in 1979. At
the end of his six years of pasto-
ral guidance he was confirmed in
office on 21.06.85 for a further
period of office as Provincial of
the Southern German Province.
2. Bnronrs Juan Antolin, Pro-
vince of Cdrdoba (Argentina)
He was born at Baflos de Val-
dearados (Province of Burgos,
Spain) on 7.06.1935, entered the
aspirantate at Baracaldo in 1946,
was professed at Los Condores
(Argentina) on 26.01.1953 and or-
dained priest at Cordoba (Argen-
tina) on 26.11.1961. In addition
to other animating responsibili-
ties he was Rector at Cordoba (S.
Antonio) from 1.974 to 1980, and
subsequently at Tucuman (S. Mi-
guel). He was Vice-provincial
from 1981, and in July of this
year was appointed Provincial of
Cordoba.
3. Sexros Hilario, Province of
Bilbao (Spain)
Born at Salamanca (Spain) on
2.06.1942, he made his first pro-
fession at Mohernando in 1958
and was ordained at Salamanca
on 3 March 1968. He was a tea-
cher and animator for some years
until he was appointed in 1983
as Rector at Urnieta (College),
and in 1985 at Pamplona. He be-
came a provincial councillor in
1984 and in June 1985 was apPoin-
ted Provincial of the Province of
Bilbao.
4. Spena Ilario, Province of
Rome (Italy)
He was born at Paliano (Frosi
none) on 25.12.1933 and entered
the aspirantate of Gaeta it 1'947.
He made his first Profession at
Yarazze in 1953, and on 6.04.1,963
was ordained priesst in Rome.
He was appointed a Provincial
councillor in 1976 and for several
years was in charge of Youth Pas-
toral work and work for voca-
tions. In 1980 he became Rector
of the Pius Xtr Institute in Rome,
a post he retained until his aP-
pointment as Provincial.
5. Vrcmtb Angelo, Central Pro'
vince (Italy)
Born at Sondrio on 3L.03.1923'
he made his novitiate at Monto-
dine, was professed in 1939 and
ordained at Treviglio on 21.05.
1950. A Doctor of Letters, he was
a teacher and animator in various
houses of the Milan Province be-
fore becoming Rector at Milan
(S. Ambrogio) in 1960; subsequen-
tly, from 1966 to 1975 he was
Rector at Turin (Leumann). In
1975 he was appointed Provincial
of the Milan Province, an office
he filled until 1981 when he be-
came Rector at the postnovitiate

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6g AGTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCTL
at Nave. In June of this year he
was appointed Provincial of the
Central Italian Province, based
on Turin.
4. Mgr Emlllo VALLEBUONA
Bishop of Huarez (Peru) since
1,975, he was promoted on 4 Sep-
tember 1985 to the Metropolitan
See of HUANCAYO (Peru).
5.3 Salesian Bishops
The following transfers and
promotion of some salesian Bish-
ops have been made by the
Holy Father in the course of the
last few months.
1. Mgr Fernando LEGAL
Bishop of Itapeva (Brazil) since
1980, he was transferred to the
residential See of LIMEIRA (Bra-
zil) on 9 May 1985.
2. Mgr Jos6 GOTTARDI
Auxiliary Bishop of Montevideo
(Uruguay) from 1975, he was pro-
moted to the Metropolitan See of
MONTEVIDEO on 5 June 1985.
On 29 June 1985 in St Peter's
Basilica in Rome, he received
from the Sovereign Pontiff the
pallium, the sign of metropolitan
dignity.
3. Mgr Jos6 Vlcente HENRIOUEZ
Titular Bishop of Regiana and
Auxiliary of Barinas since 1980,
he was elected in 1984 Secretary
of the Episcopal Conference of
Venezuela; he has now been ap-
pointed Auxiliary of the See of
CARACAS (Venezuela).
5.4 Dlamond Jubilee of Fr Ric-
ceri's priestly ordinatlon
Fr Luigi Ricceri, Rector Major
emeritus and Sixth Successor of
Don Bosco, has celebrated the six-
tieth anniversary of his ordination
to the priesthood. On 19 Septem-
ber i985, in the Basilica of the
Sacred Heart in Rome, he was
joined in a solemn eucharistic
concelebration by the Rector
Major (Fr E. Vigand), by members
of the General Council in Rome
at the time and past members
who had been Fr Ricceri's colla-
borators when he was Rector
Major, by many Provincials and
numerous other Salesians, FMA,
VDB, Cooperators, Past Pupils
and friends of salesian work. The
concelebrants exceeded one hund-
red. Present too were their
Eminences Cardinals Silva Hen-
riquez, Castillo Lara and Stickler,
who by their presence expressed
not only a sign of their own af-
fection but also a wider ecclesial
presence; with them were Arch-
bishops Rezende Costa, Javierre
Ortas, and Bishop Amoroso, all
SDB. Also present in sign of close
friendship were the Minister

7.9 Page 69

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5. DOCUMENTS AND NEWS ITEMS 69
of the Interior of the Italian Go-
vernment, the Hon. Oscal Scal-
faro, and Senator Joseph Alessi.
In his homily the Rector Major,
Fr E. Vigand, gave a brief outline
of the 60 years of priesthood
(and 70 years of salesian life) of
Fr Ricceri, setting it in the frame-
work of the reality of the
Priesthood of Jesus Christ, who
brought to men a new kind of
love, and in the light of the
charism of Don Bosco, whom his
sixth successor had served so
loyally and with such enthusiastic
initiative. After recalling the far
from easy times in which Fr Ric-
ceri had been called on to exercise
authority, the Rector Major dealt
at greater length with commit-
ments into which he led the
Congregation so as to provide an
adequate reply to today's needs:
the exploitation of the Salesian
Family (Fr Vigand made special
mention of the contribution made
by Fr Ricceri to the development
of the DBV Secular Institute), so-
cial communication, the greater
universality of the Congregation
(including the transfer of the Gen-
eralate to Rome), and especially
the organization and carrying out
the Special General Chapter
which had the task of reconsider-
ing the identity and mission of
the Congregation so as to respond
to the requirements of Vatican
II. dll this called for a great
expression of gratitude, and it
was fitting that this should take
place in the Basilica of the Sa-
cred Heart where at the end of
his life Don Bosco came to under-
stand the deep significance of the
call he had received from the
Lord.
Gratitude, expressed through
Don Bosco and in his name, was
also the theme of the brief ad'
dress given by Fr Ricceri himself
at the end of the Mass which was
celebrated in a climate of inti'
mate spirituality and close parti-
cipation.
The fraternal meal which fol-
lowed the eucharistic celebration
took place in true family sPirit
and salesian joy.
We conclude this note with the
text of the telegram sent to the
Rector Major by Pope John Paul
II, which aptly sums up the moti-
ves underlying this priestly and
salesian family feast.
To the V. Rev.
Rector Major
Fr.
of
Egidio Viganb
the Salesian
Society of St John Bosco
Via della Pisana 1111
00163 Rome
To the R.ev. Fr Luigi Ricceri
R.ector Major emeritus of the
Salesian Society, celebrating in
joyful serenity the 60th anniver-
sary of his Priestly Ordination,
I send fervent good wishes on

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70 ACTS OF THE GENEBAL COUNCTL
this significant event, and while
expressing sincere appreciation
for his long years of faithful and
fruitful service to the church,
especially as Successor of Don
Bosco in the wise and far-sighted
guidance of that well-deserving
Institute, I invoke from Christ
the Eternal High Priest through
the motherly intercession of Mary
most holy Help of Christians a
further outpouring of grace and
heavenly consolations, as a pledge
of which I send to him very
willingly the requested apostolic
blessing, which I also extend to
You, Rev. Rector Major, to those
present at the solemn celebration
and to all salesians spread all over
the world.
IoaNNas Peulus PP. II
Nonrn ArueRrcl,
United States - New
Rochelle province L. 9,900,000
United States - San
Francisco province
29,592,500
Asra
Indja - Bangalore pro-
vlnce
India - Bombay province
India - Calcutta pro-
vince
India - Dimapur pro-
vince
2,500,000
151,600,000
2,500,000
1,000,000
Eunope
Belgium - Northern pro-
vince
Italy - Roma province
(Testaccio)
Italy - East Venice pro-
vince (Udine)
Holland
Anon
18299,s00
500,000
4,000,000
1,036,000
8,000,000
5.5 Brotherly Solidarity
(46th Report)
a) PROVINCES THAT HAVE CON-
TRIBUTED TO THE SOLIDA-
RITY FUND
Larru Alvrrnrcn
Argentina - Cordoba pro-
vince
L. 1,925,000
Argentina - Rosario pro-
vince
3,500,000
Brazil - Belo Horizonte
province
Central America - San
630,000
Salvador province
s264,87s
Chile - Santiago pro-
vince
3,094,000
b) DISTRIBUTION OF MONIES
RECEIVED THROUGH THE
SOLIDARITY FUND
Lerrx Al,renrc,{
Antilles - Moca: comple-
tion of house
L. 20,000,000
Antilles - Jarabacoa: for
musical instruments
Argentina (Rosario)
Funes: for a minibus
Bolivia - Cochabamba,
Las villas: residence
and church at Villa
Mexico
Brazil (Manaus), Domi-
nic Savio: additions
to library
10,000,000
29,400,000
10,000,000
4,000,000

8 Pages 71-80

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8.1 Page 71

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5. DOCUMENTS AND NEWS ITEMS 7I
Brazil (S. Paolo), Bom
Retiro: for technical
school
L. 10,000,000
Central America - San
Pedro Carcha: contri-
bpuetinonsetosprinting ex- 10,000,000
Central America - Ni-
caragua: for general
needs
30,000,000
Colombia (Medellin)
Popayan: for the li-
brary and audiovisual
material
9,000,000
Mexico (Mexico) - Ayutla
Mixes: for musical
instruments
10,000,000
Peru - Lima, Calca res-
tructuring of parish,
catechetical course,
help to Lares parish 20,000,000
Uruguay Montevideo:
Contribution for Sa-
lesian Bulletin
10,000,000
Asra
India (Dimapur) - Se-
napati: audiovisual
for catechetics
L. 2,897 240
India (Gauhati) - Shil-
long Technical
School: for an IN-
TERTYPE
7,000,000
India (Gauhati) - Beng-
tol: for a Landrover
'99
8,000,000
India (Gauhati) - Rang-
blang: for a chapel
6,000,000
India (Madras) - Cita-
del: contribution for
magazine < Friends " 8,500,000
Eunopr
Middle East - Bethle-
hem for new pro-
vincial initiatives
Portugal - Mirandela:
general help for the
work
5,000,000
20,000,000
5.6 Our dead confreres (1985 - 3rd list)
"Faith in the risen Christ sustains our hope and keeps alive our communion
with our brothers who rest in Christ's peace,.. Their remembrance is an
incentive to continue faithfully in our mission." (C 94)
NAIVlE
PLACE
DATE AGE PROV
L ACEIO Gecilio
P AMERIO Franco
P CARBONE Michele
P GASIENETTO Nivardo
L COELMONT Antoon
P GOGONI Mario
D GONTARATO Fortunato
P GOBNELIS Ren6
P FABBIS Giovanni
P FORESTAN Antonio
Santiago
9-06-85
81
Torino
21-07-85 79
Rimini (FO)
28-07.8,5 75
l\\Iogliano Veneto
1 3-07-85
56
Bonheiden
4-09-85
62
Haifa
1 7-06-85
58
Monteortone IPadova) 9-07-85 B8
Leuven
30-06-85
73
l\\4estre IVE)
27-06-85
80
Gorizia
1 1-07-85
7B
CIL
ISU
IAD
IVE
AFC
IVIOB
tvo
BEN
IVE
IVE

8.2 Page 72

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72 ACTS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
NAME
PLACE
DATE AGE PBOV
P GIACOMETLO Giovanni
Legnago (Verona)
26-06-85
73
P HALNA Jean-Baptlste
La Crau
25-08-85
80
L HEATY Maurice
Limerick
1 0-06-85
66
S KARAPARAHBIL Pinto
Siliguri (lndia)
I 6-08-85
18
L LEISCH Heinrich
Begensburg
21-07-85 82
P tUlS Mendez Jos6
Bahia Blanca
2147-85 93
P MAYORAL Carrefro E.
Santo Domingo
't 1-07-85
55
P McGINTY Patrick
Dublin
1 0-07-85
67
P MICHE Enrique
Bahia Blanca
1 9-08-85
90
P MINOZZI Alfredo
Terni
3-08€s 75
P NIELSEN Carlos
Tegucigalpa (Honduras) 17-08€5 79
L ODORETTI Gabriel
Buenos Aines
1 6-07-85
62
L OSES Luciano
Barcelona
19-08-85
55
P PAGIFIGO Michele
Napoll
8-09-85
71
L PlCGlllONl Mauro
Yarazze
14-O7-85
78
P PIUZZI Abel
San Ambroslo
26-06-85
67
P PODZIANO Alfonso
Eugenio Bustos
28-03{5 69
P PUBDON Mlchael
Dublin
1 9-06-8s
81
P SANfORO Emlllo
Nizza Monferrato (AT) 17-0745 69
L SETTI Guldo
Darfo (BS)
23-07-85 74
L SOLEB Anglada JosS
Barcelona
1 -08-8s
87
P SfACIUK Nlcolas
Buenos Aires
22-08-85 64
P TEU!-F Franz
t TINTI Vito
Linz
Tori,no
25-08-85
81
8-07-85
75
P VALLE Ortiz Joaquln
Huesca
7-09€5 59
P VECCHIETTI Renzo
Vasto (Chieti)
20-07-85 75
P VIVES Jaime
Bercelona
8-0&85 58
L WILKINSON Reginald Thomas Battersea (London)
4-08-85
83
P ZOTTI Erasmo
Noci (Bari)
9-0945 74
INB
FLY
IHL
INK
GEM
ABB
ANT
IBL
ABB
IAD
CAM
ALP
SBA
IME
ILT
ACO
ACO
IBL
INE
ILE
SBA
ARO
AUS
tsu
SBA
IAD
SBA
GBR
IME