Acts_1975_279.ASC :: RM Letters

eTreCmGtihsdho.oueeeunynnSrcoPaSltldiauGgorasgpteh'hll-eeooei,.lsunsstsithaaOTne-nroerudsemdrcNslmolhclsetrooueernoaonadtltswlrlw1loi-oboanmnu,ysltnsaulWogorytanrfh6b-elSolt:enpouarlreteLtohptsamhaloeyarlenserpold.saeclotoaiSesnptael-elCcae.hslulelpnaTbtlnlewctsahtaohn-ledoemrexYaBodhoveuoouehcrftmtlahnastedtlclConohcnten.ooansomltrlcfsmorooi-m-tmt-'

ll. lnstructlons and Norms (p. 42)

A prayer for the Mlsslonary Gentenary.

lll.

lV.

-rAG1itc.oyt5mlTvF.mhlutelnOuednsnthlec-eoawrftl4notPhenr.woosvGsS[inpofucou.pirra4sel3tesrh)loeo-rfMGOl2sons.u'lgnoTonchllsnle.ganSFdaolerMmsiaaattntioenrBcisfoohrof ptGhsee-nmerl3assl.llonSntooalrrleideass-t

1p. 51)

Documents (p. 53)

1. Goncluslons of tho Contlnental Meeting

cluslons of the Latln-Amerlcan Continental

the Holy See - the censorship of books.

ln Rome

Meeting

32. .

Gon-

From

Vl. Fd1irs.ocmPoavttheaiegthoPeniraoSvaalnlnecdslalatlnhNelelfweMs-llsestti3oen.rsaTr(hype.C6Be5lns) hteonpa'sryF-arewze.l.l..The novlces

Vll.

Vlll.

P1o.nNtlfelceadl

Obltuary

NfMooratcgseltsrseten-rgluthmSe-(cpo.n26d.8)lVlsotcafotlorn1. 975

@.74)

1.2 Page 2

▲back to top

S.G$-ROMA

1.3 Page 3

▲back to top

I. LETTEB OF THE RECTOR MAJOR

Rorne, luly t975

My dear confreres and sons,

I have iust retumed to Rome from the Latin-American Pro-

vincials' Meeting rn Brazfl,. It consisted of eight days of intense

work, with plenry of realism, fratetnal charity and sincete cofirmu-

nity prayer. The object of the meeting was to check up on how

far the recommendations of the Provincial Chapters, based on those

of the Special General Chapter, had been implemented.

Meeting with the Provincials

The discussions were very practical, though, of course, the

practical measures had solid thought behind them. The whole

aff.air was conducted with great sincerity and calnness, and the

temptation to churn out more paperwork was stea&ly resisted.

Instead, the essential, urgent points wete brought into focus and

lines of action were tfuashed, out with an eye to getting concrete

action under way and joining forces in unity of mind and heat

for the time that remains before the next Genetal Chapter.

Thete emetged three lines of operation vital to the Iife of

every Province. Although distinct, they are nevertheless inter-

dependent, the one presupposing and complementing the others;

hence the importance of their harmonized activation. The alter-

native is a malfunctioning and non-action that will have a serious

1.4 Page 4

▲back to top

snow-ball effect, when there sbould be reconsrruction and expan-

sion in the Iight of the experiences of the last few years.

To forestall objections, let me say here and now that these

fuIly-elaborated lines of action are nor going to push out the other

tecommendations and decisions of the Provincial Chapters. On

the contrary, one could say that they subsume the existing decisions,

&aw out the essentials and so isolate what is urgently needed for

our total renewal. This renewal, it should be noted, is well under

way in many Provinces and much encoutagtng progress has been

made, but it has not always and everywhere reached the objectives

that have been repeatedly declared essential and therefore indis-

pensable.

Further on in this number (pages ) you will find the reporr

on the meetings of the Provincials from Europe and the rWest, and

of the Ptovincials of. Latrn America. You will find a common

denominatot that indicates a foundation of situations common to

all parts of the Congregation; and also differences of emphasis

and nuance that speak of differing siruations.

However, everywhere there has been a realistic appreciation

of the fact that we can no longer permit ourselves the luxury of

further procrastination in gerting things done. This much is clear

from the courageous and faithful analyses made in the Regions.

\\7hflst taking decisive action is the immediate responsibility

of the Provincials and their Councils, it also involves the Rectors,

their Communities, and the con-freres individually. Obviously this

wotk will not be done by a little wand-waving on the part of the

Rector Major and his Council; it demands the acrive, derermined

cooperation of everyone, if the findings of the Provincials'Meetings

are to arouse an adequate response. And I don't have to rub in

how urgent an obligation this is. In the sacred union of clear

minds and strong wills, we shall be able to make up the time we

may have lost over the years and take our decisive steps forward.

The imptoved general situation gives us grounds for hope.

1.5 Page 5

▲back to top

Looking forward with hopeful eyes

Our good confreres in the East, who will be holding their

Provincials' Meeting atBangoJote in October, will be able to draw

much profit from these conclusions, and I think many of them will

be echoed in their final report.

I As have abeady told the Provincials at these meetings, I

look forward to the morrovr with every hope, especially since my

return from the Americas. I found enthusiasm, hard work, achieve-

ment, creativity, splendid and original new developments for

poor boys; fresh and lively modes of prayer among the young

confreres; in many Provinces an influx of very mature young men

trying their vocations; an interest in Don Bosco and the Congre-

gation, and finafly a generous offer to go on the missions from

very many confreres, a high proportion of them being youngsrers.

f must say that this is a source of. geat comfort and hope.

The letters that I receive ftom these young confreres tell me that

there are strong, healthy forces at work in the Congregation that

remind me of the young men of our Golden Age. Surely we

can look to the future with hopeful eyes?

The Missionary Gentenary

I In this Centenary Year, repeat, each Province and Com-

muniry should feel that it is really mobilized, so that it can inspire

others with that sense of missionary fervour that is characteristic

of our vocation. There in no lack of things to do: we offer a

number of suggestions, and all you have to do is to make use ol

them. Your loving care and methodical application will generate

enthusiasm, which will blossom into vocations.

And so in this number of the Acts you will find some useful

indications of how to go about it. I In particular, recommend

that you take gteat pains to prepare for 1lth November, the Day

of Spirituality. It musr be a day when the whole Congregation,

1.6 Page 6

▲back to top

and each Communiry, should be united, without fuss or triumpha-

lism, in prayet, reflection, ftatetnal. remembrance of our deceased

missionaries, and in thanksgiving to the Lord fon all the good the

Congregation has done through them in this hun&ed years of

mission work.

The commemoration smikes me as being a singular grace in

this year 1975-6, which is likely to see a decided recovery after

the years of trial. It is the business of each one of us to make

his own contribution to this work of spiritual recuperation and

apostolic rebirth.

TUISSIONARIES OF YOUTH

Let me now illustrate the first of t}e three conclusions I

I mentioned above: it is about our rruission shall discuss, then,

olurr raison d'€tre, ouf vocation in the Church generally, and our

vocation in the Church of today.

r07e have been described as 'Missionaries of Youth', a preg-

nant and compelling deseiption at this moment of history when

youth holds the stage and we, for that very reason, are called

into action.

Missionarie.t, that is, those sent to bear the Good News;

ol youtb, the people chosen by Don Bosco for himself and his

sons as tecipients of the Good News.

So the young constitute the whole point of our missionary

presence 'in the Church and in society'.

!7e have a considetable literature in Don Bosco, the evan-

j-grkerrftoiz*ep,rrgiwt"uhdtohierwosou,rgakhneddthyewoBiuthiowgtrhialelphsmieceoaslhtiMmoerirgsnuionciacrsel scosairvteeaclynhyeatosicfathtlhemeeSbtuhenottddeasry.-

juggler to the adults, the yokel to the boys of his own age, the

yo""g

of hii

pilirtietlset

roaming the meadows in the middle of a noisy crowd

brats', the good shepherd recognizing the lost sheep

and bringing it home to the Father thete at the road-side or up

1.7 Page 7

▲back to top

-7

on trhe box of the mail-coach, then the apologist of the Letture

Cattoliche or the Storia dei Papi, the zealous strategist \\raglng

the war of the religious tracts with his fecund imagination and

tenacious will, the apostle of the South American missions, the

inspired dreamer... all in Don Bosco. His whole Iife is the expres-

sion of the urge to evangelize. Such was his profound sense of

particular mission that the words of St. Paul could approptiately

be applied to him: 'For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing

to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me,

if I preach not the gospel!' (I Cor.,9, 16).

lst. Our mission: taking the Good News to the young

Coming back to the fmes we are living in, we ate consmained

to ask at once: where precisely does our mission lie if Don Bosco's

mantle has fallen on us, as obviously it has? Here the Church

provides sure guidance with its teaching and its policies: today

'mission' means essentially prodaiming the Good News and edu-

6). cating in the FalLth (Direttorio Catechistico Generale,No.

And

the realities of the religious and social situation set us in the same

direction.

Eaangelization is still iust starting

'Old Europe', as we all know, has become a true mission

land, a temitory to be evangelized. And not only in certain social

enclaves or cultural coteries, as might have appeared to be the

case thirty or forty years ago; but in the widest and deepest sense.

Then, the phenomenon of neo-paganism affected the Chutch

as a place or moment of religious and cultural life; now, it sttikes

down at the inner being of the Church as a living, vital body.

And the situation on the other continents is, unfortunately, no

better, though for &fferent reasons. So the terms are reversed:

1.8 Page 8

▲back to top

the enclaves and coteries are now islands of faith rising up from

the sea of a social and cultural environmentthat, to put it mildly,

is areligious (taking 'religious' in the sense of seeking a red, rcla-

tionship with God, and not a mere window-dressing for it).

The Cburcb is one great catechesis

The Church, then, sufirmons everyone to the task of spread-

ing the Gospel, All its documents on catechesis are couched in

terms, explicit or implicit, of. evangellzation or re-evangelization

(e.g., v. No. 6 in the Direttorio Catecbistico Generale). Further,

I would say that the Church, at the recent Council, saw itself as

a great work of evangehzation and catechesis, and ptesented itself

as such. A very special catechesis, since the Council Fathers were

at the same time masters and pupils, aposdes and faithful, under

the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with his grace. This was a

true evangelization and catedresis, that is, in the words of Pope

John: 'a penetration of doctrine and a formation of consciences,

corresponding more perfecdy with fidelity to authentic doctrine,

.which is to be more thoroughly studied and explained at greater

depth through the method of enquiry and of hterury formulation

developed by modern thought' (Opening address of the Council:

ll-LO-L962). And why could not the Council have been anything

else but a vast catechesis? Because the Church herself is iust

that: the living mansmission of one truth, the \\7ord of God

(ct. A.G. 35; G.E. 4; D.H. 14), the !7ord of Jesus Christ (cf.

L.G. 3; John 20,2t; Matt. 28, t9).

The 'History of Salvation', that is, the ensemble of histori-

cally established acts by which God,effected and continues to effect

the salvation of His chfldren, is itself a marvellous, divine cate-

dresis, a ransmission of religious truths (the God-man relationship).

It is as though men were called to higher and higher realities until

the Son of God, becoming man in the person of Jesus Christ, made

1.9 Page 9

▲back to top

-9

it possible for us to be grafted on to the same divine life though

the life of grace won by the Redemption (S.C. 10).

The prime importance o[. evangelszationf catechesis was under-

scored by the last Bishops' Synod (27th Sept.-26th Oct., L974),

which was devoted entirely to the theme.

Naught for your comfort

I have said above that, with the present situation, we have

no alternative but to look around and see where we stand, 'we'

being the Church, as individuals and as members of groups playing

their part in the mission that Christ passed on to His Mystical

Body. Let us look at our own situation; and we cannot get a

proper grasp on our mission to evangeltze the young unless we

see it against the broad canvas of the general situation. I must

say, more's the pity, that what the Church and her missionaries

see around them could hardly be called encouraging.

First of all, and above all, there is an abysmal ignorance of

religious truths in general, and of Christian and Catholic doctrine

in particular, even with people who are professionally competent

in their field and who therefore consider that they know quite

enough, thank you, to find their way around the truths of religion

(cf. G.S. 4). They are, in fact, very numerous, these recidivist

unbelievers or pagans, just as there are recidivist illiterates.

Then there are the people whose religious knowledge is very

skimpy and entirely inadequate for their age and the responsibili-

ties they bear. It may even be distorted to the point where they

confront the most serious problems of life, inclu&ng family and

social problems, with complete indifference and disastrous results.

The next stage is that religious truths are discredited to the

point of being thrown out entfuely as inadequate to face and solve

the geat questions of life. Sometimes the attitude is: 'I couldn't

care less'; sometimes it is openly hostile, whfle at other times

there is an a priori condemnation of the Church and its priests.

1.10 Page 10

▲back to top

-10-

Interestingly enough, we find Tertullian in the 2nd-3d century

of our era addressing these words to his pagan fellow-citizens:

'The Church asks only to be heard and undetstood before being

condemned'.

In the end there is an open denial of religion and of God

Himself, atheism is erected into a system of life, and often becomes

a system of political and social action, with the accompanying vio-

lence and strife, overt and covert, dirccted against the Church and

the whole Christian ethic.

Yoang people uith tbeir laith at peril

And on to this rickety stage marches youth, the ones to whom

we Salesians have been sent (cf. Const. 39). No longer are they

in a situation where their faith is sheltered; on the conuary, it

is menaced from all sides.

The statement of the recent Bishops' Synod spot-lights these

dangers to the faith: 'In our discussions we have never closed

orr eyes to the difficulties and obstacles, some old, some new, that

seem to be set up against evangelization. Indeed, we have given

cateftrl consideration to a number of the phenomena of our time.

Secularisation, for instance, which does present some positive

aspects, but is bent towards secularism. That means excluding God

from human horizons and, with Him, thete is lost a deepened sense

of the meaning of existence. There is atheism, that many-headed

hydra, which is widely spread in a number of countries. Ve have

studied these things catefully and have examined their underlying

causes to see if we can discover in them the call of God, ![ho

calls us to a gteater purity in the confession of our faith and in

it. our witness to Neither did another great difficulty escape us,

one that is often laced with cunning and violence: that is, the

cutting-back of teligious liberry, and resuictions on the life of the

Church, with the objest ol muzzltng her completely.

2 Pages 11-20

▲back to top

2.1 Page 11

▲back to top

-11 -

'Nor have we forgotten the oppressed, particularly all those

who are being persecuted for the Gospel, bearing in themselves

the Good News of the Cross, pressing on with an excellent work

of. evangeltzation, and making a very significant conmibution to

the fulfilnent of the Church's mission' (Third Bishops' Synod,

Statement, No. 8).

Ideological pluralisrn and lreedom ol conscience

Besides these attacks on the faith, we must take other aspects

of out times into account. The most important is ideological

pluralism in the field of religion, which exposes the young to a

welter of conmadictory ideas, convictions and life-ideals, offering

a sharply opposed alternative to Christian concepts. It is plain

that arguments based on authority and positions of privilege cut

no ice at all with them; the only thing that works is the conviction

behind the message and the way it is put across.

Today, especially since the Conciliar Declaration on freedom

of conscience (Dignitatis Humanae: l-L2-1965), many think that

personal teligion is also a mattet of choice. However that may

be, the fact remains that, for many of our youngsters, the choice

of Christ is by no means taken for granted; it is an obiect of

suffering and laboured research, with ever-elusive final solutions.

Wby baue tbe eoangelizers not been more successful?

'But just a minute', you may say, 'I thought you were telling

us a litde while ago to look at our world with the optimism of

Don Bosco (d. A.S.C., No. 278, p. 11). Isn't this all mther

contradictory?' Not at all!

I want to make sure that the optimism does not veer off into

illusion and woolly-mindedness on such an important matter as

evangelization.

2.2 Page 12

▲back to top

t2-

The Pope has appealed explicitly to us Christians and reli-

gious to feel that we have been called petsonally to the cause:

'In these stormy, fateful days, what is evangelization's greatest

need? Men: it needs rnen. And it is such a simple answer that

it can elicit the disappointed response: "Tell us something we

didn't know". But wait: if it was known, where arc al7 the men?

Or perhaps there were not enough of them?

'And today, now that our reflection on the common priest-

hood has made us all alive to the fact that every Chtistian, every

baptised person carries within him a missionary vocation, a calL

to the apostolate, to the honour and responsibility of spreading

the Gospel, just tell me how it is that evangehzation is still

crawling along painfully and laboriously? If we knew all the

time that the economy of the Gospel was based on the freely-

given service of every Christian, freely-given, but at the same

time morally binding, does not the lack of men who have made

the apostolate their way of life constitute an accusation of sloth

and disloyalry against many of Christ's followers, who don't care

about Christ, and are perhaps deserters?' (Address: 30-70-7974).

Our reply

!7ith such a situation before us and such a plaintive cry

ringing in our ears, our Congregation has already pledged its ser-

vice: the S.G.C. has got down to the roots of the matter and

produced some 'working guide-lines' that are precise and practical,

courageous and right up-to-date. In particular, it made evange-

lization and catechesis the criteria of the genuineness of the will

to renewal in our works and communities. This it did repeatedly

and insistently.

Here's the proof:

'The )O( General Chapter considers it desirable to endorse what

the XIX Chapter authoritatively affirmed: "Salesians, consecrated

as they are to to the service of youth, especially the poorest, in

2.3 Page 13

▲back to top

_13_

order to be amongst them the efficacious presence of the love of

God, will consider the religious education of youth as the first

apostolic activity of the Salesian apostolate; it asks therefore for

a rethinking and for a rcorganization of all Salesian works so that

they may have as their main purpose the formation of the man

of faith."' (No. 279).

But the S.G.C. goes further: 'Every Salesian, besides being

a catechist, must consider himself as one who forms care-

chists. Euery Salesian community must study bow it can eaan-

gelize as a group and become a centre for promoting catechetics.'

(No. 333) And to clinch the point: 'It is necessary for it (the

community) to respond to the new needs because the extent to

wbich it is eaangelical uill be tbe rneasare of its being saresian.'

(No. 339)

So we are dealing with something to which a serious obli-

gation is attached, something that cannot be left to the resource-

fulness or good will of some pioneers. It will be decisive for

the future of the congregation; we could say that its future is in

the balance and that future will be conditional on its generous

response to the 'signs of the times' as an expression of a provi-

dential work of education.

Tbe post-capitular reaieu

The Provincial Chapters of L975 and the Continental Meet-

ings, provided for in the S.G.C., have been reviewing the progress

mofadthee-

and the members are still

Congregation's commitments

aot vite-r

in the

the last

implemintation

three years.

The general verdict is that some headway has been made...

but not much. There is a need to intensify and speed up the work

on the more urgent items; in other sectors, it is a matter of recti-

fying defects and specifying improvements, but always with a mind

to evangelizing. It is interesting to note how much was said at

the conclusion of the meetings on this priority Salesian topic,

2.4 Page 14

▲back to top

_14_

with a sense of responsibility, humble sincerity and vigorous

decision. All very significant.

The Eutopean Piovincials state: 'I7e are fully aware that

the present situation makes an urgent demand on us to attend

to the evangelization and religious education of youth"' The

religious education of the young cannot be considered simply as

u ,J.to, of our work; rather, ii is a permanent dimension of all

our pastoral work, whatever the sector of structufe (school, club,

yorrth centre, parish...).' (Practical Conclusions of the Continen-

tal Meeting at Rome)

In their turn, the Provincials and Delegates of Latin Ame-

rica, refeging to the analysis of the situation made at the meeting,

d..tr. that,-with its heip, they have been shown 'iust how far

our obligations go. These bind us to a stfategy of combined

planning; for the coming years... Realities in Latin America are

pr.rrioj o, us Salesians, especially in the field of the evangelization

if yo","tr. The urgency of the situation has been made deater

by t,rr reflection together on how much we have to do"' in the

way of. evangehzation and catechetics. These ate priority ateas

ani determini our lines of action (restructuring of works, new

)6t). p-Cref.sences,

S.C.C.

qualification

)79,329,

personnel, training programmes, etc'

(Practical Conclusions of the Conti-

nental Meeting, Latin America)

And this is our mission. It is desperately needed by the

youngsters who have gone astray, duped and manipulated by a

^4 ryrr"t that has fixed them psychologicullv

ideologically, no

matter how. You can see clearly enough the lack of. evangelsza-

tion in the embittered, shrill 'demos' that arc a cofllmon feature

of the juvenile scene. And you cannot blame the young for that;

it is the people whose duty it is, the educators, the counsellors,

the apostles *ho ut. to blame for failing to evangelize'

Th.r. is a pressing need fot our mission in the times and

situations we afe living in (we have aheady seen the Pope calling

them 'these stormy, fateful days'). As the going gets tougher,

2.5 Page 15

▲back to top

_15_

it becomes more demanding, more powerfully charged with deve-

lopments and consequences and closely-spaced dead-Iines.

But all this needs something more than a simple diagnosis

leading to generalized proposals, which, of themselves, resolve

nothing into practice. It is necessary to work out a series of

well-coor&nated practical measures and initiatives in catechetics

that arc nailed down to places, times, methods and means, and

are related to the people being evangelszed.

I The Provincials were well aurare of this necessity in review-

ing the situation at their continental Meetings and dealt wirh

the practical consequences, as you will see from the report further

on in this n,,mbef.

The three obligations entered into by the S.G.C.

This gomplex subject cannot be reated exhaustively, but keep

in mind that the S.G.C. had already worked out a general pro-

gramme embodying the basic thinking without which methods and

means are nothing more than a confidence ffick.

The S.G.C. says in pangtaph )39: 'Since the )o( General

Chapter emphasizes the rcnewal of Salesian communities, each one

of these must develop a new mentality and outlook; it must adopt

a new "community" style of thought and action and present itseif

to the world in a new guise.'

As you see, tlere are three items of capital importance:

1) to bring about a change of mentality;

2) to adopt a new style of community thought and action;

3) to present a new image to the world.

Let us think about these for a while.

L. To bring about a cbange ol mentality

Frcm, the very beginning rhe capitular document ('Eaangeli-

zation and catecbesls') shows an awareness to this necessity, de-

2.6 Page 16

▲back to top

-1.6-

claring (para. 274.L): 'It is not concerned with giving an ex-

harrrtirr" list of principles but rathet with pointing out the urgency

of a change of mentality in the field of evangeT:zation.'

This change of mentality is needed because today catechesis

is not what it was before. I would like this reality to be sincerely

and effectively acknowledged by everyone, especially those who

afe getting on in years. Many Salesians who are doing catechetical

or pastoral work or teaching religion arc today experiencing some

dismay at finding that they can no longer do what perhaps they

have Leen doing successfully for many years. Perhaps they have

not realized the profound changes that, in the course of a few

years, have changed society, youth, pastoral criteria and cateche-

iical methods, bicause the new audio-visual society has created

a nevr type of man, a new u/ay of looking at the universe, a new

lrngrug.. \\7e older men have to 'learn' this language so that

we can use it for the Gospel message.

T1ne Direttorio Catecbistico Generale echoes these anxieties:

'This (catechetical) renewal seems to be in danger today from those

who fail to grasp how deep the renewal has to be, as if all. that

was needed *rt to remedy religious ignorance. For them, the

remedy is more and more catechesis. This solution obviously

does not measure up to rcahty. The catechesis itself has to be

renewed, and not only for chfldren either, but also for the con-

tinuous education of adults in the faith' (No. 9).

There has to be a change of mentality, then, a change that

demands a true convefsion, in the sense of a rudtcal recasting and

resetring of one's range of pastoral thinking and pastoral action.

It is a law of life, and we know that life can impose some vefy

drastic mutations on nature, which is hard on nature, but necessary.

2. To adopt a neu style ol cornmunity tbought and action

The communiry dimension of pastoral catechetics is seen today

to be of prime importance. The Direttorio again: 'Catechesis

2.7 Page 17

▲back to top

necessarily depends on the support of the witness given by the

ecclesial community. It is more compelling when seen against the

back-drop of what the community is and does, visibly. The cate-

chist is in a way the interpreter between the Church and those

who are being catechized' (No. 35).

IDThat has been said above of the community of the Church

applies also (indeed, more trenchantly) to a religious community.

du.l of our Communities plies its catechesis much more effectively

by what it is than by what it says. The days ate long past when

catechesis was off-loaded on to some member of the Community,

whflst the others, their duty done, went happily about their lawful

pursuits.

In this way, catechesis goes beyond the religion class: the

entire ectivity of the Community is part of an organic work of

Christian education undertaken as a common effot. Rectors,

otganizets of group activities, teachers of any subject, assistants

and confreres, are all responsible for a united action in catechetics.

The whole Community of Salesian educators is therefore a living

witness to what is announced in the catechesis (cf. S.G.C. ,L8-321).

They become the verification of their own words, which

otherwise lose their credibility and become 'so much hot air.

According to the ltalian Bishops' Conference, 'Just as it is impos-

sible to conceive of a Christian community without a good cate-

chesis, so it is impossible to have a good catechesis without the

participation of the entire community' (Il rinnouarflento della ca'

techesi, No. 200).

So the work of catechising requires from the religious com-

muniry a constant commitment to progressive conaersion thtough

a living witness of faith and love. This acquires greater depth

and urgency these days with the accent of the catechetics-aposto-

late falling heavily on evangelisation. It is a matter not only of

increasing fac1ual knowledge, but also of rediscovering the vital

values of the Christian choice. The question is: will our Com-

munities become so convincing that they will persuade the young

2.8 Page 18

▲back to top

-18-

that it is worth their whfle to remain Christians? And ir is a

question that needs a constructive answer.

3. To present a neu irnage to tbe world.

Here is another endlessly thought-provoking tleme to sharpen

our sense of commitment. catechetical action nowadays seems

to have more to do with a total relationship with the world than

with modernizing methods and techniques. Again, the temptation

to over-simplify is avoided and stress is laid on the close relationship

between the commitment to evangehzation and the attitud;

of service to the world: 'The Gospel would lack credibiliry if the

Christian did not atempt to face up to and resolve the great

problems of the world today by coming to close grips with th1m.'

(s.G.c. 315).

We all know the famous saying of Gandhi,s: 'For many

men, the idea of God is expressed as a piece of bread'. Our

Communities will nor be able to evangelize if they turn in on

themsleves and on their work, even though they manage to otgantze

a plush catechetical set-up. It is the contary that happens, th"

more they get out of themselves, the more they go o,ri of their

way to meet the needs of the people (as Don Bosco and the great

missionaries did), the more effective their evangelization will be

and the greater its credibility.

So it is that our S.G.C. summons us to do our duty as a

'dedication to justice' for the liberation of the oppressed, and to

reneu/ our social and political commitment to work for a society

'It that is less inhuman (cf. S.G.C. 67-77). Again, the Bishops' Synod

of. L97L tells us: seems clear that working for juitice and

helping to transform the world forms part of the task oi preaching

the Gospel, that is, of the mission of the Church for the redemp-

tion of the human mce and its liberation from every form of

oppression' (La giudizia nel mondo,Introduction, and also cf. the

2.9 Page 19

▲back to top

-t9-

Synod 1974, No. 14). In this matter, the Latin-American Pro-

vincials were quite right to refer to Don Bosco, who worked for

justice rather than tfuesh about denouncing people here and con-

ironting people there, which is all too often the cause of deep

divisions and negative chain-reactions.

2. Our problem: how to evangelize today

Let us novr get down to more detailed considerations. The

catechesis of. evangelization, in its method, assumes the ptesence

of three essentials if the Divine \\7ord and the mystery of salvation

are to be transmitted coherently and effectively as a body of

truths. These three fundamentals can be worded in this way:

- above all, personal conviction; and with it

personal conversionl

personal superabundance of truth and grace.

In short, what the catechist will give to others, whoever they

may be, but especially the young, will be only what he has himself

in supetabundance: the richness of truth and grace that fill his

mind and soul, his convictions and his love for Christ, the

Redeemer.

This is what the Council says about it, speaking to all the

children of the Church: 'Yet let ;f,lrcaliz.e that their first and most

important obligation toward the spread of the faith is this: to

lead a profoundly Christian lrtd (A.G. 36)... 'lest any of them

become "an empty preacher of the word of God outwardly, who

is not a listener to it inwardly"' (D.V.25, quotrng St. Augustine,

Sermon L79,1). \\Tithout this listenin1, anY method we care to

try will be useless, or downright dangerous, certainly not accord-

ing to the mind of Christ and the Church.

These arc al7 statements based on a profound reality, and

should lead us to a setious examination of conscience.

2.10 Page 20

▲back to top

-20-

Leading them to friendship with the Risen Christ

The obligation to cateclize is therefore a permanent feature

of all our educational work, and not of iust one specific sector.

Catechesis goes with the liturgy, with religious and secular culture,

with group activities, with all our educational action in any form,

and, of course, with the living witness of the Community and of

its individual members.

The target arca that all our evangelizing and catechetical action

is converging on, with everything that goes with it, all our love,

- thinking, expertise, is not an abstraction, but a rcahty indeed,

a Person, the radiant figure of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, harmo-

ruzing in Himself all the work of salvarion.

Atticle 21 of. the New Constiturions says rhis: 'Education to

the faith means above all leading people to rhe person of Jesus

Christ, the risen Lord. Our highest knowledge is to know Him,

out deepest joy to reveal the unsearchable riches of His grace, so

that men may be renewed by discovering the supreme meaning of

their lives in Him and in His gospel. As they accept Christ, He

draws them into union with the Father, to adore Him in spirit and

in truth as servants of His kingdom'. And it is precisely to this

friendship, this intimacy with Christ, our Redeemer, thar we have

to direct our efforts in catechetical evangelization, whether it is

instruction as such or the action of witness; a witness that will

be given through conduct so thoroughly ifluminated by the Truth

that is Christ, so deeply nourished by His Life that anyone listening

to us or watching us, or just seeing and iudging us, will easily

find the Vay that is Christ Jesus. (Cf. S.G.C. 22; Pope Pau.l:

Address, 3-2-1,965).

Encounter in the Eucharist

The supreme moment of this encounter, the fulfilment of all

true catechesis, is the Eucharist, the mystery of thanksgiving un-

3 Pages 21-30

▲back to top

3.1 Page 21

▲back to top

-2L-

derstood as f.ar as comprehension goes, accepted fully in faith, lived

personally in generous participation with the pascal mystery of

the death and resurrection of Christ, our Redeemer. Again it is

the Council that gives the lead: 'Hence the Eucharist shows itself

to be the source and apex of the whole work of preaching the

gospel. Those under instruction are introduced by stages to a

it riirrg in the Eucharist. The faithful , aTready marked with the

sacred seal of baptism and conffumation, are, through the reception

of the Eucharist, fully ioined to the Body of Christ' (P.O. 5),

And we are led on straight away to consider the strategy of

Christian education adopted by our Father, which hinged on the

Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our whole mis-

sion of education is affected.

There remains the question of what part the Eucharist plays

in the life of the educational community, and the initiation of the

young into a full, conscious and active experience of the litutgical

iif.. T*o questions remain to be looked into: first, the part played

by the Eucharist in the life of the educational communiry; and

second, the inroduction of the young to a fuIl, active experience

of the liturgical life. Article 2) of. the Constitutions says: 'Our

aim must be to encouruge alJ. people to "full, conscious and active

participation" in the liturgy. Frequent encounter vrith Christ in

ih" ruiru-ents of penance and the eucharist are invaluable aids

to educating Christians to liberty, to persevering conversion and

to generosity and love within the Christian Community.'

Wanted: well-prepared Salesians

Obviously, there is no place here for do-it-yourself methods,

either for the individual or the Community: prepafation is needed.

And it has to be specific to a place and its work, not a vague,

generalized alfair.

The preparation of pemonnel properly qualified in the cate-

chetics apostolate is a key factor in the Congregation's plans for

3.2 Page 22

▲back to top

-22-

catechetics. rU7ithout it, all the dedicated paper-work and inspired

planning stay as dead as Marley undoubtedly was.

If we have enough experts, it will be possible to revise the

methods for teaching religion, instrucr and help the confreres in

the difficult job of passing on the \\7ord of God to the youngs-

ters of today, organsze the ffaining of catefists and parents, and

so on.

In short: an imaginative scheme for preparing our men in

catechetics at all levels seems to me to be a priority for renewing

the Congregation.

Plenty of scope lor experts

It is absolutely necessary for each Province to have fully-

qualified men working fulI-time at catechetics:

a) for teacbing catechetics in tbe stud,entates, many of

which have nothing or nexr ro nothing in this line. This is a

very serious state of aftar:s. The impotant thing is not so much

to have it down on the time-table as a subjest (perhaps in the

form of a crash-course lasting a few weeks and given by outsid-

ers!), but that, f.or the whole of the period of formation, cate-

chetics should be there as an ingredienr educationally active in the

whole maining programme, so that the right environment is created

for those aspiring to become teachers and catechists (cf .

s.G.c. 341,);

b) for working with rhe staff of the Catechetical Institute

at the Uniaersitd Pontilicia Salesiana on rhe theology and metho-

dology of catechetics, and at the Salesian Catechetical Centres

(e.g., Leumana, Turin; Madrid, and any of the national centres)

for research, publications, study courses, etc. I am very pleased

with the decision taken by Provincials at rhe Latin-American

Meeting to establish two important centres for the Spanish-speak-

ing and Portuguese-speaking areas respectively;

3.3 Page 23

▲back to top

-T-

c) for working at Proaincial leael on formulating schemes

for catechetics and the Youth Apostolate;

d) Ior collaboration uitb tbe Daugbters ol Mary, Help ol

Christians, and the Salesian Family in arranging catechetical cour-

ses and refresher courses;

e) to meet the great demand for help at diocesan and na-

tional leael. Teams of expetts in catechetics will enable us to put

on adequate training and up-dating facilities for the confreres at

these levels:

field-):

inlsvrlzsdiate (between the academics and the men in

preparation of organzers and experts to work in

the

parishes, schools and youth centres within the field of planning

and structuring for the catechetics apostolate at Provincial and

Interprovincial level;

ordinary training of all Salesians, specially (as stated

above) in philosophy, theology and pastoral work;

- on-going formation for all Salesians carrying out their mis'

sion as evangelizers in our various works;

- aduisors, consaltants and collaborators for the whole Sa'

lesian Family: Salesians, Salesian Sisters, Volontarie di Don Bosco,

Co-operators, Past Pupils, etc. in thefu educational and catechetical

mission.

Gatechesis in the liturgy and in life

Let us make it more practical still. In the evangelization

through catechesis that goes on in our groups and associations

(v. S.G.C. 321-326), thete is a close interworking with the litur-

gical action of the people concerned and with their lives, dght

down to the arranging of their timetables and the oryanztng ot

their activities. The Kingdom of God proclaimed in catechesis

needs to be celebrated n the liturgy and shared in the com-

3.4 Page 24

▲back to top

24-

mon life. \\fith us, then, a balanced creativity and inventiveness

is encouraged in preparing our Masses, celebrating the sacraments

and in discovering and understanding the 'liturgical signs.'

This is the place and field of action, after the best Salesian

tradition, of the associations with their groups, including the infor-

mal ones. These constitute a 'privileged place', where the !7ord

of God is welcomed, assimilated and set against the day-to-day

problems of the Christian life. The Salesian catechist-educator

should guide his youngsters to accept the ITord of God 'as a key

to their problems, an answer to their questions, a broadening of

their values and, at the same time, the satisfaction of their aspi

rations' (Italian Bishops' Conference, op. cit., No. 52).

In the Christocentric vision mentioned above, there is a con-

fluence of the taditional Salesian values of sacramental., and par

ticularly Eucharistic piety, devotion to Mary and a strong attach-

ment to the Pope as the centre of the Church. It is in this

synthesis that such values fall into place and into gear.

I hardly need to say that this work, demanding inrelligence,

study, self-sacrifice and sublimation to the supernatural, is like

the action of gtace: intimately personal. Forget mass-production;

it is absolutely essential. at a:l,y given moment to address the indi-

vidual to the highest degree possible. The young people to whom

we direct our apostolate must have ready access to a service of

personal spiritual guidance.

Salesian style and atrnosphere

Much of what has been said above is of general application

to education and evangeluation. '$7e cannot claim to lay down

any immutable laws or to pull out anything new in this field,

which is as vast as the Church and as old as the Gospel itself.

But, as I said at the beginning, our outstanding 6le in the Church

is that of working for youth. '$7e can therefore talk about a

'Salesian atmosphere' in which our pastoral and apostolic action

3.5 Page 25

▲back to top

-25

takes place (and, I might say, we are not the only ones to recog-

nize this; see the Holy Father's address to the General Chapter

XIX, 2Lst May L965: v. Acts of the Chapter, pp.295-300). The

friendly presence, the lucidity of Christian docmine, educating to

liberty: there must be something distinctive about it, and that

is the 'Salesian style.'

Educating to liberty

I really must add something on educating to liberty. It is

more than ever necessary today, and it is an extremely important

part of any deliberately formulated and soundly based attempt at

Christian formation of the young. But education to liberry, where

the young pefson chooses what he wants, should not be confused

with

part

oafgnthoseticSisamlesoiarn-eduuc/aotrosre,

sotfilla-ny

the abandonment,

attempt to make

on the

positive

suggestions to the boys, or to give them religious guidance and

motivation. But, from the very nature of the case, they have

need of this help, and can claim it from us by right, because we

have a strict obligation to provide effective guidance.

f am not speaking here of the abnormal case where an edu-

cator gives the boys doctrines or rules of conduct that ate clean

against the ideology or the pastoral teaching of the Church; this

would be a betrayal of our Salesian vocation and mission. The

young will accept education to liberty, but they do demand that

their educators should prepare them to make proper use of it

with guidance that is realistic, intelligent and methodical, cultu-

rally adequate and sharpened by insight.

Don Bosco fully accepted the reasonable demands of youth

-andhweegnatvfeufruthIlerer.inHtoe gdoidodnostenhseesiitnatehistoshysatveemsoomf eedoufcahtiisonbo-ys

undetaking to help him give a Christian education to the others.

If this would appear to us, who are witnessing the increasing

infilmation of politics into our lives, as an excursion into political

3.6 Page 26

▲back to top

-26

manipulation, it should come as no surprise to find it creeping

into the economy of evangelization. At least the gtowth was

a benign one and not a cankerous erosion; and it did ansvrer a

keenly-felt need.

The liturgy, the theatre, singing, sport

Turning to the Salesian atmosphere, we have to be able to

infuse something eminently cratactedstic of this atmosphere into

our liturgy, while retaining all the formative power that Don Bo-

sco could pack into it (cf. Const. S 2r). Also the new forms and

the new means of communication, emptied of anything that is

unbecoming or slovenly, can become things of dignity when used

for the liturgy, rich in signs and values.

And together with the liturgy, we should exploit the present

common-places of our Salesian repertoire, singing, theaffe, sport

and so on, and they should once more be made to reach out beyond

themselves and contribute to the work of helping people to become

mofe matufe.

A friendly presence

This represents one of the Salesian values, established by

Don Bosco and valid everywhere and at any time: the friendly

presence of the Salesian among the boys.

Just recently I heard this remark from our Co-operators

(these brothers of ours often give us something serious to think

about): 'Ma come! The Salesians were founded to look after

the abandoned, and yet they are the ones who are doing the aban-

doning. lfhy aren't they in the midst of the boys any more?'

Our friendly presence among the boys is the moment par

excellence for us Salesians to do our evangelizing (taking the term

in its wider sense, but still incisive and still valid), it is the Salesian

3.7 Page 27

▲back to top

-27 -

educational system: it is what Don Bosco did. Listen to the plea

of the collaborator of the Abb6 Pieme: 'AIl right, close a hundred

houses, give up any work you like, but for heaven's sake don't

abandon Don Bosco and his way!' And the key to Don Bosco's

way was the presence of the Salesian among the boys.

I would like you to heighten your awareness of this Salesian

characteristic that bears such a high efficiency-rating in the Chris-

:i.an formation of the young. It is all there in our Constitutions

(S 16, 25) and the Acts of S.G.C. (299-300), set down with force

and clarity; please give it your serious thought.

'Associationism'

The recent Synod fully recognized the need for the presence

of the young wherever evangelization is actually going on: '!7e

turn in a special way to the young, whom we regard not only as

an objects of evangelization, but also as evangelizers, above all of

their own age-group. And, what is more, we are firmly convinced

that it is the young who must arouse us adults and spur us on

incessantly to renew our commitment to evangeltzation,

'This the young people are well able to do, with their earnest

search for the fundamental Gospel values, never satisfied with

anything less than the authentic message and honest witness to

it' (Statement of the Synod, No. 5).

This involvement of the young today labours under the name

of 'associationism', which covers all youth movements and group

activities: sport, the arts, the press and the other forms of mass

media, social work and religious activities, right up to actual apos-

tolic and missionary work. Let me say a few words on this highly

interesting development of our times.

\\7e all know about the difficulties being experienced by the

big youth orgaruzations. This constitutes the crisis of associatio-

nism. Our own organizations are similarly afflicted. Perhaps it

would be mote comect to say that we have let them lapse without

3.8 Page 28

▲back to top

-28

putting anything in their place.The phenomenon is part of, and

symbolical of, something bigger and deeper that has violently con-

vulsed many institutions in the 70s.

However, from the ashes of the old organaations have arisen

new groups, movements and associations, along new lines and

with new sensibilities: all shapes and sizes and sorts, many of them

doing real spiritual and apostolic work. One thing stands out:

the young are not averse to getting together to do something that

interests them. But it has to interest them, and here lies the &f-

ference that needs to be taken into account.

For instance, the youngsters today ate not at all indifferent,

given the right handling, to forming a group and doing something

of a strictly spiritual nature. They need plenty 6f dms, they go

all out, and straight for the essential, and arc impatient of too

many structures. However, they accept the adult, the priest that

understands them, that is an unpretentious and honest witness, and

is willing to put himself out for them. And they are open to

contact with Chtist. Th"y love prayer, including prolonged me-

ditation, their generosity in the service of others, especially the

down and out, is often astounding.

These are the positive things on which to build the dialogue

with the 'associationists', where externals and formalities come

to mean less and less.

Behind the committed youngsters, there is always the Salesian

Don Bosco would not have held back from these young people,

but, driven on by love, he would have found some way of bring-

ing them together and taking them to Christ. And hete's the

point: the man must be there, the priest, the Salesian, the Don

Bosco man, who can take an interest in them and win them over.

In fact, if you look carefully, you will find that, behind these young

neo-Christians, or 'full-time Christians', as one journalist styled

them with much more admiration than irony, behind them is the

3.9 Page 29

▲back to top

-29-

priest. And how does he do it? By Iiving his priesthood intense-

ly. He prays, he studies, he loves the Church with all its kinks

a1d fi.man miseries, he keeps clear of sterile wrangling; and he

passes on to the young the riches of sound doctrine. To be in

his presence is to experience the assurance and joy of his own

interior life; and that in turn rests on a living faith and the love

of a hean in tune with the love of Christ and with His Vicar on

earth. Isn't that how Don Bosco was? E non faceaa cosi Don

Bosco, from his famous Joy Society to his many associations crea-

ted to bring his boys to Jesus and to His law of love?

Well now, dear Confreres, we have thousands and thousands

of young people on our hands. Surely there must be some among

us who can stimulate and main flocks of them to acquire this faith,

this personal fibre. The import of the question musr be examined,

and I think it will prove to be something of a nemle. The prickly

bit, perhaps, will be the answer in terms of the actral consequen-

ces, of the remedies that will have to be applied.

By way of consolation, even pafiid, you should know that, in

the last few years, a start has been made in some places in getting

some youth movements going with the new-style associationism

and aiming at evangelnation, This is happening in both Europe

and the New World, afld, here and rhere, there have been some

comforting results, some of them on the missions.

Then there are a number of magnificent Brothers who are

promoting these movements, in the fullest sense of the word 'pro-

mote', and we have already had some first-class vocations from

them.

I like to think of how much good will soon be radiating

from these groups of young people once they have become men,

;olidly prepared, strong-willed, generous and well-grounded in

docmine.

3.10 Page 30

▲back to top

-30-

3. Situations and stages in our mission

What has been said so far is true of our evangelizing and

catechizing mission to youth. The individual stages of our pastoral

action vary with the different situations. Some of them we have

seen already; let us take another brief look at them.

Glub and Youth Gentre

In the club and youth centre, v/e see catechesis under its

primary aspect, that is, the passing on of the Gospel message of

salvation, because the youngsters come entitely of their own ac-

cord and enjoy an experience of Church that is part of a very

effective and valuable character-training process. The General

Chapter insisted on infusing new life into this activity, whic-h is

typical of Don Bosco's work. He popularized the boys' club

and with it won the heats of thousands of boys and the goodwill

of the world.

Whatever name it goes under in different parts of the world,

the boys'club is still a very popular and simple way of evangelizing,

particularly for the pre-adolescents. It is flexible and teeming

with possibilities for new ideas, its structures are minimal, it opens

up new horizons for boys without subjeaing them to means' tests

or rigid discipline, and it all happens in a climate of freedom,

spontaneity and friendship where a boy can really expand his

chest.

A few generous Salesians, full of apostolic zeal, with the help

of lay people who have been enthused by the idea (they are often

the products of that same club or centre), can change the face

of a whole dismict by stretching out to the parents and other

adults through the chil&en.

All this is history, plain facts that we can see for ourselves;

but there is another fact, and it is this: to keep the story as it

is, we need men with strong faith and sincere love to work in

4 Pages 31-40

▲back to top

4.1 Page 31

▲back to top

-)L-

these areas, which, in some ways, I would call privileged. Vith

faith and love, the rest will mateiahze, withoui fan.

fhe Salesian school

The Salesian school fits naturally into the larger conrext of

the evangelizing mission of catholic education. The conception of

a school completely immersed in work that is broadly evangelizing

ii and involves everyone, Salesians, lay stafif., pupils and parents,

no Castle in Spain. I recall the words of a provincial, who was

talking about certain schools oryanizedin this way: 'As far as their

activities go, and the spirit that pervades them, they are large

parishes brimming with life and activity.' Of .oorr., you have

to have the right men to do this sort of thing, patient, steady

types.

When tbe school is genuinely Christian

Brother Buttimer, the Superior General of the De la Salle

Brothers, who organized an enquiry into all their schools through-

out the world, gave his reporr to the recenr Synod. Thire

follows a summary of this report; you can find the complete text

I among the documents of the Synod. would like anyone inte-

rested in schools to pay attention to u/har he says and think

about it.

'The Catholic school has the responsibility of introducing a

it.spiritual dimension into today's pluralistic society and developing

This can be done:

- through teaching that is inspired by the Gospel values;

through moral attitudes that pervade every act of the life

of the individual and of the community, attitudes that have as

their point of departure a Christian anthropology inspired by the

4.2 Page 32

▲back to top

)2-

Gospels and cogrizant of the findings of the human sciences so

much in vogue today;

-'ThethrCoautghholitchescdhioreocl tmruasntsmabislesioton

of the

satisfy

message.

the pupils

its

answefs to

Catechesis,

their

then,

questions on the ultimate

is an integral part of the

meanings of existence.

school apostolate' If

the responsibilities outlined above are met, every genuinely-Chris-

tian sciool represents an outstanding service to the men of today

in procuring their salvation.' So much for Bro. Buttimer's paper

at the Synod. It is clear that a school in this sense of the term

is performin g a very valuable function. Don Bosco would cer-

tainly have underwritten this ptoposition, and we fuIly agree

with it.

The next question, of course, is: do our schools measure up

to these criteria? Do they render an outstanding service to the

young for the salvation of their souls?

Tbe big questions

lWe have to answer these questions:

tian

f-.orm\\Vathioant

are

the

reasons

PuPils?

for

the

negligible

impact

Chris-

nately-

Sflhy

large?

are

the

numbers

those

affected

dispropottio-

hours-

Why are schools reduced

of teaching without any

to learning factories, to

other contacts during

so many

or after

school?

are

n-ot

\\7hy is

working

there such a large number of

in harmony with the Salesian

lay teachers

apostolate?

who

effect-ive

rilflhatevet happened

instrument?

the

educational

communiry

4.3 Page 33

▲back to top

-)3-

- Why are our catechetical and evangelizing operations suf-

fering ftom a shortage of qualified personnel?

- Have the Salesians, because of the social class of the

pupils or the low snob-va1ue of the school, allowed themselves

io desert the people they ought to be serving by reason of their

vocation?

- Can we eliminate the blank-waIl situations?

How?

- In those cases where we have to give up certain schools,

- what else do we propose doing as our pastoral commitment?

The answers to these questions may make lhe next one

relevant:

- if there are serious gaps in a work that compromise the

feasons for its existence, and if the gaps cannot be filled or ade-

quate adjustments be made to meet the needs of the present wotk

of evangelization or pastoral care, what is the point of keeping

a work going that, as fat as out mission is concerned, is having

negative results?

The S.G.C. urgently invites us to make a serious examina-

tion of the state of things, to carry out 'a constant check on

syllabuses, on methods, on the culture transmitted, on the values

entailed, on relations with the social system, on the image of man

which is formed, on religious education and on pastoral vocatio-

nal guidance.' (No. 384). And it places before us the drastic

alternative of EITHER a courageous renewal OR a closure, if

it should happen that the work does not ans\\Ief to the requirements

of our basic objectives (cf. S.G.C. 385).

Co-edacation

This seems to be the right place to deal with the viability

of mixed schools. Some of these have been set up on the strength

of an interpretation of Reg. No. 12 that, to say the least of it, is

4.4 Page 34

▲back to top

-34

very questionable indeed. Reg. 12 opens: 'I7hen chcumstances

so require...' According to the thinking behind the article, the

it 'circumstances' cannot include expediency or opportunity-snatching ;

nor the desire, nor even the need, real though may be, of

families ot friends or pasr-pupils; and it certainly does noi include

the desfue to give a shot in the arm to a work that has oudived

its original purpose.

But we cannot slough these situations off. The question to

be faced is this: how will these co-ed. schools g.t ro,rnd the requi-

rement that the indisputable object of our mission should be

the evangelization of BOYS? How is our catecheticsf evangelizing

service going to fare in these schools? How is the Salesian me-

cwthoionthddi-ttihoenmosu, -fopf,regisnoedinnecgeed,t,ooiutloriosckopnootansccsteisbliwet ithtohastahbdeeaeppntuipatidlsaa,ptoteaud1r7tw?oo'Srtkh7ei'nhsaget

sort of people in these schools have had sufficient teaching pre-

paration to undertake a delicate task such as this? And how

many of them are there? This is a special educational situation

with its own requirements, which are recognized as such even by

non-religious educators: how will our men react to thesl

requirements?

- - In fine and this is a mosr important quesrion with all

t'he pressures of the vocations crisis and of qualifying personnel,

who are abeady thin on the ground and completely extended on

urgent work, surely the strains imFosed by these new obligations

will only hold back the vital process of renewal in the provinces?

I put these questions, to which you yourselves might like to

add at some time, as an invitation to all to examine and re-examine

similar initiatives with your usual circumspection, so as to avoid

cteating situations that, sooner or latet, can cause serious

difficulties.

When there is a plethora of schools

In these times of profound changes, we must have the courage

4.5 Page 35

▲back to top

-35-

to look at the individual situations with objectivity and foresight

to see where they are taking us. This, after all, is what our boys

require of us. it is a bad mistake, fot example, to wait for the

death-tattle before closing a wotk, since it only prolongs and aggra'

vates the confreres' frusration and lack of confidence. These are

distressing problems, but they must be faced.

I For now, shall make five statements that seem to me to

be beyond question, and you must draw the appropriate conclusions.

1. In some parts, the schools are over-developed, especially

in the middle/upper-school range, which ceates all sorts of cri-

tical situations.

2. One consequence of this plethora has been an under-

development of the youth centres, clubs and suchlike activities; and

it is the quality that is lacking, besides the quantity.

l. Another effect is to put the wrong face on the work as

a whole, or at least a face that is not always typically Salesian.

It has the limited the resources we can throw into the work for

the poor and needy, the people who should rank first in our

preferen.es. At the same time, with the way some of the schools

are functioning, there has been a flattening of the community

profile and a drift towards the bourgeois among the confreres.

4. This commitment to schools is out of all proportion to

our available man-power, hobbling and paralysing, or at any rate

slowing down, even the qualification of personnel and on-going

formation, which are of. overriding urgency in the renewal of the

Provincial Communities. In plain langaage, it is holding back

the renewal programme to an unwarranted extent.

5. Therefore a serious examination is badly needed to see how

the individual situations stand against the state of the Province

as a whole, keeping in mind alternative lines of development that

are purely Salesian and easier to set going (we were pleased to

... thut the Provincial Chapters'75 had aheady moved in that

direction with solutions that were well thought-out and courageous).

4.6 Page 36

▲back to top

-36-

I wish to lay particulady heavy stress on the following sectors:

a) tecbnical courses for apprentices, including evening

classesl

b) yotxh centres, clubs and youth groups, not so much

the starting of new ones (although this is not excluded) as the

overhaul and refit of existing ones ro make them efficient in the

context of today's pastoral needs;

c) bostels for young apprentices, workers and orphans, but

there is no need to abandon the ones we have if they are doing

a socially acceptable job;

d) leaders and organizers lor pastoral work at Prouincial

ir leael, especiully the field of catechetics and of the mass media.

In this latter arca there is serious shortage of men, while the

needs are mountainous.

It all adds up to an inspection of the workings, carried out

without premature judgements in order to see that our work is

attaining the end for which it exists, and that is evar\\gelization.

Redimensioning takes courage

There are three very important problems here.

Fitst there is the famous redimensioning of the works. Con-

trary to the image that seems to have formed in some places, it

is not a matter of applying a suitable anaesthetic and folldwing

it up with a decent burial (for example, the averuge cadaver would

hardly feel the urgent need for training catechists, spirituality

teams and prayer-group leaders, which we have noted above). It

has to be seen as an action of courage and foresight coupled with

the realistic, dynamic assessment of the situation that precedes the

assault operation. There follows a period of bold and vigorous

adjustment to the changed circumstances. I7hen all is said and

done, it is not the bricks and mortar that count, but the persons

who live among them. This is work for men who can adapt them-

4.7 Page 37

▲back to top

-)7 -

selves to a juvenile world that is changing fast and will not wait.

It is a great mistake to persist in dragging out the life of a

work that, for all its meritorious recotd, has long lost its apostolic

effectiveness. Creeping patalysis overtakes whatever is moving

aheadz the intetesting opportunities for renewal that could have

made the Province a much livelier place, the attraction of vocations

struggling to survive the emptiness and boredom of life in the

uban jungle. Everything stagnates.

This reshaping operation, then, is a complex but vital one,

and the Provincial and his Council needs the direct collaboration

of everyone. Remember that, the longer we leave it, the more

,difficult it is likely to be, and the less effestive.

Laymen in the educational community

One important development we have in mifld for our evan-

gehzation apostolate is to bring the parents into the circle of the

educational community, since they have the primary responsibility

for the education of their children. It is our duty to help them to

shoulder that responsibility and to collaborate in a fuIler work

of. evangehzation in which everyone both bears and receives the

message of the Gospel.

There is the further problem: it is not only in the schools

that lay people have close ties with us, but in the other sectors

as well. This duty was clearly indicated by the S.G.C., and we

are coming to see the whole thing as of extraordinary impotance

to our present situation. I7e recognize that we need lay people,

not simply or even primarily out of necessity, but for obvious

ecclesiological and educational reasons; lay people who can be-

come capable co-workets with us to accomplish an efficient inte-

gration of our work in education, evangelTzation and pastoral care.

There are youth centres, for instance, clubs, parishes, gtoup acti-

vities and any number of other activities where lay people are in

their element.

4.8 Page 38

▲back to top

-38-

The lay people are the first to say to us: 'Leave to us the

things that arc not part of a priest's ministry, and you get on

with the work that no one else can do.'

Obviously, this cannot be done without preparation, which

means that ideas, plans, schemes have to be rounded up and con-

sidered. Moreovet, the Salesian, particulatly the Communities,

need to be persuaded that the problem exists and has to be solved.

There is no alternative but to have the lay people working

alongside us. Some Provinces, and groups of Provinces, have

akeady made a good start in this. For instance, a group of Latin-

American Ptovinces recently held a study-week at C6rdoba, whete

laymen and Salesians met to study the problems of collaboration

in teaching and pastoral work. I hear that everyone came away

fired with the idea and determined to continue and improve on

what they had started.

In the interesting scheme started by the German and Flemish

Provinces, the matter was tackled with sensitivity and the will to

get things done. I know of other enterprises in this line, where

systems are stea&ly being hammered out and made to work.

But we must not waste any more time. so aaanti, without

letting the difficulties get the better of you. Set your sights ac-

curately on what you intend to do, and then do it systematically.

The fruits will appear.

If we prepare laymen for collaboration understood in this

way, and not as mere employment fot a salary, we shall have

some very well-qualified people who can become teal Co-operators.

It is for us to take the appropriate steps to make them rcalize

what it means to belong to the third branch of our Family, with

obvious advantages to our common mission. Clearly, howevef,

our contact with the Co-operators does not end there; they have

a much wider scope. But I want to call your attention to the im-

portance of having these people at our side in our work of

education. And that wider scope I mentioned above is really

4.9 Page 39

▲back to top

,9-

wide. They can work in parishes, with immigrants and social

rejects, in boys' clubs and youth centres and other apostolic works.

Given the dght help and propetly integrated, they can perform

a valuable service for us, which is already happening in some

places.

Our contributlon to the catechetical movement

T1ne Direttorio Catecbistico Generale, in part VI, earnestly

recommends collaboration among those who work in the cate'

chetics apostolate. Now, the mission that we have in the Church

of carrying the Gospel mesage to the young obliges us to make

our conffibution to the progress of the general catechetical move-

ment in fraternal union with those engaged in it: diocesan priests,

religious, lay people, etc. Fumher, a number of circumstances

that we rcgard as providential have already placed our Congte-

gation in the huppy position of being able to offer out services

to the Local Churches.

By the very fact that we ate Salesians we should see the

responsibility we have in the Church joday to provide an efficient

catechetical service. The Provinces must see where they stand in

this and otganize the training of as many men as are required to

meet the actual needs. And don't leave it too long before things

start to happen.

Gonclusion: tornorrow may be too late

\\7e have dealt with some serious matters regarding our work

of evangelization, which is a vital factor in the renewal of the

Salesian Congregation, the incarnation in the Church of the charism

of Don Bosco.

And here f want to say this: we must seize the ptovidential

moment in which we are called to live. Tomorrow it may be too

4.10 Page 40

▲back to top

40-

late to do anything in some local situations for which, at the

moment, we are unprepared or undermanned. !7e must perform

our task in the Churc-h and for the Church with conviction and

determination, knowing what we have to do and the way vre are

going to do it. $7'e must have, individually and com-unal7y, a

nice sense of the hierarcJ:y of values that are curent today.

Tuo exbortations from the Pope

To finish off, I think we should do well to take the words

of the Holy Father to the last Synod and apply them to this

fundamental problem of our existence as a congregation: 'Our duty

is to make a choice, which stands guard over the beginning of the

roads the Church must follow in her search for an ever more

incisive exFression of her doc*ine. s7e cannot afford to take

wrong turnings; if we do, we shall fail in our fundamental obli-

gation of confirming our bretlrren.

'One fact stands out here, and that is the unanimous will to

give the Church a new, generous and world-wide impulse towards

evangelization. The Church has perhaps never before rcalized

this basic duty to such an extent or so clearly. It seems a worthy

chapter indeed of the recent Council: in keeping with the essential

action of the Church, meeting the needs of the world, resolving

certain countervalent phenomena that we know so well...

'I7e must do the will of God, \\7ho has sent us on our mission.

This whole marvellous world is waiting to hear the message o{

the liberation from sin and from the evils caused by sin, the

message of salvation in the Cross of Christ... And for this we

trust solely in the help of the Lord.

'The difficulties are enormous, the expectations manifold, the

tesponsibilities formidable. "But be brave!" says the Lord, "I

have defeated the world" (ln. 16, 13). Christ is with us and

in us, He speaks in us and through us, and will see that we do

not lack the help we need.'

5 Pages 41-50

▲back to top

5.1 Page 41

▲back to top

-41 -

Again, speaking directly to our Fimily, the Holy Father said

with patent sincerity: 'This is no time for the timorous, or the

lazy, ot the absentees, but fot the generous, the strong, the pure,

the convinced; for the people who believe, hope and love, who

are ready to pay in person for the expansion of Christ's Kingdom

and for the dawning of better times' (Audience given in St. Peter's

for the boys of the Roman Province, 11-5-1966).

And, dear Confreres, may our beloved Father give us all the

light and smength to translate the words of the Vicar of Christ

into a fruitful work of evangelization.

Fr. Lurcr Rrccpnr

Rector Major

5.2 Page 42

▲back to top

I!. INSTBUCTIONS AND RULINGS

Among the many suggestions sent in by confreres to underline

the spiritud ctraracter of our Centenary, there is a special prayer for

the Missions to be said every day. this proposal echoes the com-

mand of Jesus: "Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send

out workers to gather in his harvest" (Matt. 9, 38), and expresses

2 ssntimsat dose to the heart of Don Bosco.

As it is felt that it will meet with general approval, communi-

ties and individual confreres are uged to append the following invoc-

ation to those used at Spititual Reading, or, better still, to the

Intercessions at Morning Prayer/Lauds or Evening Prayer/Yespers;

or it can be used at other suitable time during the day. The

text is:

^ny

: Prayer-leader / Hebdom. Eternal Shepherd,

It is your will that all peoples should be saved:

Response: Renew the missionary commitment

in the Churc-h and in the Salesian pamily,

and rekindle the zeal for the salvation of all men

that Don Bosco inspired in his followers.

The prayer is short but pithy: it is to be said by all, every

day, as a teminder of the need to rethink the rationale and the set of

values we base our lives on. For Don Bosco they are allT contained

in the words: 'To seek souls and serve you alone'.

5.3 Page 43

▲back to top

III. COMMUNICATIONS

1- New Provincials

The Rector Major has appointed t}e following confreres as

Provincials:

NATrd,E

Fr. Jos6 Canroxer.r.

Fr. Mauro Cesenotrr

Fr. Luis Cruucrnr.r.e

Fr. ITallace ConNsLr

Fr. Josd Mero

Fr. Mictrael ffucrs

Fr. Jos6 Gunnucnece

Fr. Aatonio M-e,nnoNe

Fr. futuro Monr,upr

Ft. Salvador Neve

Fr. Pierre PrceN

Fr. Adriaan VeN LuyN

Fr. Angelo VrceNd

PROVINCE

Philippines: Manila.

India: Bombay.

Central America.

Australia.

Portugal.

Ireland.

Mdxico.

Italy: Subalpine.

Italy: Sicily.

Guadalajaru.

France: North (Paris).

Holland.

Italy: Lombardy.

2. Salesian Bishops

Two NBw Brsnops

The Holy Father has recendy raised two Salesians to the bishopric.

They are:

Mgr. Edvaldo GoNGelvBs Avtlnel, formerly Rector of the Salesian

House at Natal in the Province of Recife in Btazil, has been appointed

Titular Bishop of ZaTTaca and auxiliary to fuchbishop Cabral of

fuacajd (announced in the Osseraatore Rornano of 20th Feb:, 1975);

5.4 Page 44

▲back to top

-44-

and Mgr. fugimire Daniel Mounr, formerly Provincial of. La Plata,

has been appointed Titutar Bishop of Comodoro Rivadavia in fugentina

(o.R., 6.4.1975).

This brings the number of Salesian Bishops consecrated so far

to 108.

Dpern or Mcn. SrcoNoo Gmcfe

Mgr. Secondo Gxda, Tiarlar Bishop of Olimpo and, wrtl 1974,

Vicar Apostolic of Alto Orinoco, died of heart failure on 6.6.1975

whflst accompanying a Venezuelan pilgrimage to Rome for the Holy

Year.

NBw nrspoNsrBrlrTrEs

In the last few months four Salesian Bishops have been transfetred

to new sees, with greater responsibilities.

Mgr. Miguel A-ngel Alnrvrex, Titular Bishop of Puppi and Apo

stolic Administrator of Viedma, has been transferred to the Cathedral

Churdr of Rio Gallegos (O.R., 6.4.1975).

Mgr. Mario Prcer, Tinrlar Bishop of Orea and formerly Auxiliary

to Bishop Eugenio Peyrou of Comodora Rivadavia, has been appointed

Auxiliary to fuchbishop Plaza of La Plata (O.R., 6.4.t975\\.

Mgr. Jos6 Gotrenor, Titular Bishop of Belcastro and Auxiliary

to Bishop Cabreru of Mercedes, has been appointed Auxiliary to Bishop

Parteli of Montevideo (O.R., 12.5.1975).

Mgr. Andrds Ruolo, Titular Bishop of Foro Traiano and Auxiliary

to Bishop Pameli, has been promoted to the Cathedral Church at

Mercedes (O.R., 29,5.L97 5).

Two other Salesian Bishop have also been giuen beaoier respon-

sibilities by tbe Holy See:

Mgr. Rosalio CAsrtLlo, Titular Bishop of Precausa and Coadiutor

to Bishop Roias a Trujillo in Venezuela, has been appointed Secretary

of the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon

Law' (O.R., 27.2.197 5).

Mgr. Antoni BAnAmAx, ArcJrbishop of Poznafi, has been appointed

member of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints (O.R,

t0.3.1975).

5.5 Page 45

▲back to top

-45-

3. Solidarity Fund (t6th report)

a) Pnovncrs rHAT Haw snut oFFERrNcs

Irar.y

Turin (Mother House)

Liguria

Lombardy

Rome - Sardinia

Venetia (St Marh)

Venetia (St Zeno)

Eunopr

Ausffia

Belgium (North)

Belgium (South)

Ireland

Germany (South) - f.or BraziT

Netherlands - for various places

Spain (Bilbao)

Spain (Madrid)

Lire

400.000

2.575.000

850.000

2.t20.000

600.000

500.000

1.739.760

1.750.000

22L.827

379.687

6.750.000

6.446.400

1.210.000

1.000.000

ArraBnrce

U.S.A. (East)

U.S.A. (!fest)

Venezuela

Asre

India (Gauhati)

Middle East

Thailand

Total receipts between l0 Marcb L975 and 12 fune

7976

Balance b/d

Total as at 12 lune 1975

7.fi6.000

3.165.000

210.000

1.000.000

250.000

200.000

38.843.674

39.771

38.882.845

5.6 Page 46

▲back to top

b) DrsrnrsurroN oF MoNEY REcETvED

Eunope

Belgium (North): Centrum de lVaai for young

immigrants

Jugoslavia, Liubljana: the missionary apostolate

of the diaspora

Italy: holiday camp at QamFo Reale

Aunnrce

Antilles, Haiti: slum-dwellers

Argentina, Bahla Blanca: Patagortia (from Bilbao)

Bolivia, Sucre: equipment for Youth Centte

Central America, San Salvador: enlarging of the

Ricaldone Boys' Club

Brqzilz Course of Continuous Formation, Salesian

lgzding-matter

BtaziT: Belo Horizonte, Jacarezinho: slum-area

relief

Bl,,zjl Campo Grande (from Mtindren,

Germany)

Braz:/.; Guiratinga (from Miinchen, Germany)

Brazi: Humaitd (from Miindren, Germany)

Brazl: Manaus: studentate (from Miinchen)

Bruzi; Porto Velho (from Mtinchen)

BtaztT: Recife (frcm Mtinchen)

BraztT Rio Negxo (from Miinchen)

Colombia, Bogoti: catedretics at Bucaramanga

do., do.: dothing and medicines for 'Porvenir'

Ecuador, Guayaquil: slum parish of Domingo

Savio

Arnrce

Central Africa: Poor students

Ethiopia, Adigrat: houses for the poor (from the

Netherlands)

South Africa and Swaziland: feeding and

education of needy Africans

1.000.000

1.900.000

200.000

1.000.000

825.000

1.000.000

2.000.000

700.000

3.000.000

1.000.000

750.000

1.500.000

1.000.000

750.000

1.000.000

700.000

l3$.000

700.000

5.7 Page 47

▲back to top

-47-

Asra

Burma: lepers

Hong Kong: lepers and the handicapped at

Coloane (Macao)

India, Bombay: sftrm-ds,sllers at \\Tadela

India, do.: work at Panijm, Goa (from the

Netherlands)

India, Calcutta: refugees from Bangladesh

India, Gauhati: do. do. do.

fndia, do.: irrigations works at Golaghat (from

the N'lands)

fndia, do.: hospitalization at mission-hospital

India, Madras: housing for the poor ar Cochin

India,,Gatrh ati: hospttalization ar mission-hospital

(from the N'lands)

India, do.: lepers and handicapped at

Vyasarpady

Korea: lepers

Middle East: poor Arab children

Thailand: Viatnams5g refugees

do.: lepers at Thavd

do.: mission at Surar Thani (from the

Netherlands)

Refund: Missions Office

Total d.isburse?ileflts lrom l0 Marcb 1975 to 12 June

1975

Balance cfd

Total

c) Cesn - Flov

Total receipts as at 12 June L975

Total disbursements at sarne date

Rernaining lund

1.000.000

700.000

t34.300

700.000

2.148.800

500.000

390.L50

2.686.000

1.000.000

700.000

IjJ4.300

5r0.000

38.861.r50

21.295

38.882.845

,40.334.71.4

340.313.4t9

21.295

5.8 Page 48

▲back to top

-48-

4. Gontinuous Formation Course for Missionaries

This

promoted

course lasts from 10th May till

by the Rector Major as part of

10 Juty. It has been

the celebration of the

il4issionary i.nt*ury and has brought to the Pisana forty-two mi_ssion-

aries from Latin Amlrica, Asia and Africa. The analysis is as follows:

Latin America: 18 missionaries, with 7 from Brazil; others ftom

fugentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Pangaay, Venezuela' Asia:

l4-missionaries, 14 from India, the others from Thailand, Japan, Cape

Verde and Timor.

Africa: 2 missionaries.

This course differs from its predecessors in two ways' First' it

lasts for only two months

-irri"orti"t a*ry fto- their

instead of four so

posts for too long'

as not to

Second, it

keep the

is slanted

towards missionaty pastoral requirements.

wmCoi.sorskriQ,o"titu:h'a,aerltyifhmieseidlpsCisreiioht*unpreaoisr-l'nitsryont,hftret,hMoelsoJagakleicc'ssatiialoGnpnroaoosnbpfldeetmlnh,osern,e-HtlsihgaoeiloelycusoisaSuninpn, cihsritailtluvdiegnotcliegumcnmitsuesornieontdn'aAtohrdyne

missions, the elements of sacramental theology, and salesian topics.

All the participanrs are feeling the accumulated spiritual_ eifects

of the pilgfimrg"r to valdocco and colle Don Bosco, subiaco and Assisi,

th. ."p"ri.d ericounters with the Pope, and the atmosphere of fraternal

cordiality.

This is

is being

the first

followed

experience of its

with particular

kind in

interest

the Congregation, and

to make srue that it

ptaUs*Uw.,etfhrao"-pireto"tfooitwadbolweahtaotnso"tm,oe*aJtviomiadelsowinh_ tetohnepwifnue-tupcrooeim.nte

the

deficiencies. nfle

repeat the course'

5. Other news from the Missions Depafiment

a) Tbe Centenary Missionary Expedition

Many confreres have requested to go as missionaries on the

c.nt"nary Expedition. Fi{ty-five have already been in{ormed of their

destinations. The many other requests, a considerable numbet coming

5.9 Page 49

▲back to top

-49-

from confrers5 in training, are receivrng the carefrrl consideration of

the Superiors.

b) Reqaests for Personnel

Continue to arrive at the Department from Salesian missionaries,

and also from non-Sa1esian missionary Bishops. Ten Bishops from

Africa alone (e.g., {rom Ruyigi in Burundi, BtazzavllTe in the Congo,

Tananarive in Madagascar, etc.) have turned to the Congtegation.

Requests have come from as far away as Tahiti in Polynesia. As fot

the Salesian missionary Provincials and Bishops, their requests atrive

in a continuous sffea"m.

c) A line exanPle froru Central Arnerica

Many Provinces are particulady sensitive to the needs of the

missions. Take the Province of Cenual America, for example. In

its last Provincial Chapter a number of sc-hemes were debated t'hat are

worthy of emulation. !7e read in the documents:

'The Centenary Year, 7975, wt1J, receive the special attention of

our Province. The Chapter proposes to:

a) respond to the missionary initiatives of the Rector Major and

the Missions Department with an extraordinary effort to send economic

ad as a sign of solidarity;

b) ofler one of their men to the Rector Maior for the Missionary

Expedition 1975;

c) send another confrere to the San Pedro de Carchi' Mission,

/,Jta Yerupaz, in Guatemala;

/) establish a new missionary presence at Panamd;

e) offer really generous economic aid to the missionary schemes

at Carchd and Campur;

l) establish a common Provincial fund {or the missions;

g) establish a missionary exhibition on wheels, etc.'

5.10 Page 50

▲back to top

d) Missionary Carnpaigru

-50

Meanwhile tle Department is conrinuing its missionary campaign

in various forms. The Councillor, Fr. Bernard Tohill, in the mont'h

of May made a short visit to the missionary parishes in the sourh of

Jugoslavia,

Provinces

agnivdinsgpetaalklisngtotothemsotruedetnhtasnosf itxhteeoelnoggyrooufptsheoftwSoisJteurgsosalanvd

parishioners.

6 Pages 51-60

▲back to top

6.1 Page 51

▲back to top

IV. ACTIVITIES OF THE SUPEHIOR COUNCIL

AND TMATTERS OF GENERAL INTEBEST

Tur Rpcron Melon

The Rector Major went to Cachoeira do Campo in Brazil on

23rd May to meet twenty-five Provincials and the accompanying

Delegates from Latin America to hold the cJreck-up, ptovided for by

the S.G.C., on how far the directives of the Chapter had been applied.

Jhg sgstings lasted till the 31st.

Fr. Ricceri was accompanied by some Superior Councillors: Fr.

Viganb of Salesian Training, Fr. Raineri of the Adult Apostolate, Fr.

Dho of the Youth Apostolate, and the Regionals, Frs. Vecclei and

Henriquez.

The agenda covered the problems and options, and therefore the

futute, of the 550 Houses and mote than 4,800 confteres in Latin

America.

The Rector Major left Rome in plenty of time to visit the

U.S.A. On 16th May he was in the theological studentate at Columbus,

Ohio, where he conferred the 'ministries' (oli- 'minor otders') on a

group of clerics. He also had the satisfaction of seeing for himself

the local Recreation Centre in ftll swing; it is run entirely by the

cletics themsleves.

On lfhit Sunday he was at Newton for the Clothing of the seven-

teen novices.

The next day he was received by the Archbishop of New York,

Cardinal Terence J. Cooke, who expressed the greatest satisfaction

with the work the Salesians were doing in his immense diocese and

he took advantage of the occasion to ask for more Salesians to colla-

borate in the evangeltzation of the five million Catholics and mote

in his charge.

6.2 Page 52

▲back to top

-52

On 20th and 21st May he was at New Rochelle for a meeting

with the Rectors and the Provincial Council. The opportunity was

seized for celebrating his Jubilee of Ordination.

There were more festivities fot the happy occasion on 24th May

at Cachoeira do Campo in a'day of fraternity and prayer' in honour

of the Help of Christians, whilst the Daughters of Mary, Help of

Christians, had their turn on lst June at Belo Horizonte.

On 4th June Fr. Ricceri returned to Rome, leaving the other

Superiors to finish off their prograrnmes, which consists of specialist

msetings and individual visits.

Fn. Trn Scnunn, Regional for Cenual Europe, presided at two

retreats organizsd fot the Rectors of the tfuee German-speaking Pro-

vinces, one held at the new Retreat House at Johndorf in Ausffia,

and the other near Mtind:en.

He also attended the meeting of the French-speaking Provincial

Councillors, which was held at Lyon. Amongst other things, they dealt

with the problems of the early training and continuous formation of

the confreres, and those connected with the Salesian Bulletin.

In April-May he cartied out the extraordinary visitation of the

Southern French Province.

6.3 Page 53

▲back to top

V. DOCUNTENTS

1. Practical Gonclusions of the Gontinental Meeting at Rome

The Continental Meeting took place at tbe Salesianum, Roxte,

frorn lst to 9tb April, 1975. Taking part uere tbe Rector Maior, a

nurnber of Superior Councillors, tbe Prooincials ani!, Delegates lrom

tbe Prooinces ol Europe, tbe U.S.A. and Australia. The obiect was to

find out wbat had. been done about the reconruendations ol tbe

S.G.C. (for a report, see the O.R. lor L6.4.1975).

Imnopucrror.t

\\7ith the help of the PC'75s, we have come to the end of our

assessment of how far the tenewal mooted by the S.G.C. has been

lgalizsd, and we wish to outline a definite plan of action drawn

up in the light of the experiences of the last few years. I7ithout suclr

a plan of dynamic action, we shall have wasted our time over the

last week. As it is, vre are looking forward to generating an action

based on reality and related to the common point of reference offered

by the Constitutions and Regulations and by the Acts of the S.G.C.

(cf. the Rector Maior's Report, p. 1).

Through discussion, excJrange of views, research and evaluation,

we have determined the priority areas on whid: to base our operational

stfategy fot the time that remains between now and the next General

Chapter.

6.4 Page 54

▲back to top

-54-

I. I7B ARE FULLY A\\TARE THAT T.IIE PREsENT sITUATIoN MAKES AN

URGENT DEMAND ON US TO ATTEIID TO THE PV.ENCU,IZTT(O OF TIIE

YOUNG AND THEIR EDUCATION N THE FAITTI

The orperience of the last tfuee or four years has vindicated the

choice of the S.G.C. in clearly marking the upper and lower limits of

Salesian identity between which the path to renewal must ruJr.

Educating youth in the faith cannot be considered just as a

sector of our workl rather, it is a permanent dimension of all our

pastoral work, whatever the sector or structure (sdrool, club, youth

centre, parish . . .). Hence the following tasks have top priority:

L. The redimensioning that we are effecting must be cen*ed more

and more on the dominant function of our youth apostolate: the educ-

ation of the man of faith (S.G.C. 279\\; to renerr the existing works

(S.G.C. 398); to think out new forms of presence (S.G.C. 361) starting

from the premiss given above and from the actual nee& of the young

(cf. Const. # # 17, 20, 26; S.G.C. 39r).

2. To work out, perfect and put into operation the plan for

qualifuing and updating the Confreres as required by the S.G.C. (v.

paragt. r3T b), gruing priority to catechetics and Salesiana (S.G.C. 341).

3. To take positive steps to develop apostolic co-responsibility

among adult lay people and the more mafure youngsters; to select,

train and cultivate them, and so form with them genuine educational

and apostolic communities (cf. S.G.C. 428).

' 4. To give teeth to the recommendations of the S.G.C. (para.

338) on the organszation at Provincial level of a specialized and

flexible service that will launch and run projects for evangelization

and catechetics, and also arrange for a merger with the apostolate of

the Local Church by establishing links and collaboration with analogous

diocesan organtzations (S.G.C. )40 c; 399).

II. TsB co-ExrsTENcE oF UNITy AND DECENTRALTZATIoN

Now that the Congregation is busy with decentralization, it is

all the more urgent that the value of unity should be clearly seen,

because it gives direction and enrichment to pluralism.

6.5 Page 55

▲back to top

-55-

Hence it is necessary:

1. To cultivate an appreciation of the potential for unity that is

in the Constitutions. After all, they provide a working model of

our evangelical Iife and of faithfulness to our vocation, define our

presence in the Chur& and transmit the ridres of our tradition.

So it is incumbent on the Community to find ways of making

Iife deeper and richer. Basically, this will mean studying the Constitu-

tions, meditating on them, and discussing them. The present phase

of experimentation does not imply the right to opt out, but should

lead to a gteatff determination to get things done.

2. To strengt[en authodty at all levels so that, in its turn, the

Community mission may be s6engthened. This is to be done with

a ftatetna! searching for the will of God, with the aid of the corpus

Salesian rules and practices,

the Supetior and accepted as

and with

a duty by

a,Iliu. diIcfiotuhsisdiesctisoiohnapmpaedne,

thete must be the proper functioning of the collegial structures provided

for in the Constitutions as an aid to the exercise of authority, sudr

as councils, assemblies and meetings of particular groups.

3. To ptomote Salesian communion through active two-waw

.o66,ni6ation between the centre and the periphery, and everywhere

in between.

Heoce:

a) the Superiors should try to pa& greater punch into Salesian

information and to improve the quality;

6) Provincials and Rectors should put it at the disposal of all

the confreres and exploit it in every possible way as an instutment

of communication, letting the Cenffe know about any enterprises

and sdlemes that could stimulate inventiveness and creativity in the

Congregation (S.G.C. 5L6; 72L-722).

4. To defend and smenghen the communal character of our

mission (S.G.C. 29; 84).

This can be done:

a) by helping the confreres to develop fi:lly their own aptitudes

by giving them a chance to contribute to the common plan of action;

6.6 Page 56

▲back to top

D) by giving Community approval to all those who run special

activities for the Salesian mission as part of the service rendered by

our Family or by the Local Church;

c) by avoiding individualism through the application of the

existing code of procedure in an atmosphere of fratemal dialogue with

the person concernedl

/) by resolving the abnormal situations that some confretes find

themselves in vith the decisiveness demanded by the situation and

by considerations of humanity.

III. Tnr pRovrNCE As A 'TRATNTNG coMMUNlTY'

The third field on which to concentrate is tbe lurtctioruing ol tbe

Proaince as a 'Troining Corumunity'. The S.G.C. (512) saw the

'rediscovery and revaluation of tfie Provincial Co--unity' as funda-

mental to our renewal (cf. Const. SS 52, 162,1"67, L68). The process

of decentralization that has been going on for three yeats now has

brought out how extremely urgent it is for each Ptovince to assume,

deliberately and systernatically, its essential r6le of 'Training Com-

mu.ity'. The formative function of the Provinces has to be properly

defined and carried out, especially under t}e following aspects:

1. Our experience of God

In today's cultural climate, with its horizontalism and pursuit of

material well-being, tle superiors of the Province must make well-

timed moves to deepen the true sense of our Salesian mission (cf'

S.G.C. 179), and to re-establish a deep union with God by a life of

work and self-restraint (d. 5.G.C.127\\.

Hence:

a) panio,iar importance should be attached to making the most

of the times of heightened fervour, especially the annual retreats;

D) steps should be taken to educate the confreres to personal and

community prayer, as circumstances dictate;

c) ways should be sought of 'renewing the divine element in our

6.7 Page 57

▲back to top

-57-

apostolic com,mitment' (Const. S 48), practising the confreres in revising

the motivations that inspire the work.

2. Cultiuating our oocational identity

One of the most frequendy recuring statements in the various

reports was tllat there has been a dilution of the distinctively Salesian

characteristics, that tle 'generalizing' of the mission and of the spirit

is damaging the identity of the Congegation. There is an urgent

need for each Province to intensify its efforts to correct this tendency.

Hence:

a) as mucJr as possible should be made of the typically Salesian

aspects of our mission and spirit in special meetings, organized as

pan of, Continuous Formation schedules, in each Community, in each

Province and in each group of Provinces;

b) great care must be taken in the period of initial training,

that is, the steps leading to admission and the early development of

the members, to preserve the Salesian quality of the Novitiate, to

make sute that there is no loss of unity and continuity in the various

stages of the formative process, and to avoid excessive instability and

variation in the ffaining structures;

c) to ensure that better afrangements are made and that there

is greater stability in the way the Province sets to work on the two

sectors mentioned above, a manual of Salesian training should be

compiled as soon as possible (cf. Const. # 106), following the criteria

suggested by the Formation Department;

d\\ t}e concept of the Salesian Family should be put into proper

focus: knowing one's r6le in the whole set-up of the Salesian Family

is a great help to deepening our identity as a Congregation (cf. Const.

# 5; Re& # 30, 3t; S.C.G. 1,58-t7o; 740).

3. Preparation and training ol Rectors

General extrrerience shows that all renewal has to 'take', as t}e

gardeners say, in the Local Commrnigyl that all efforts at formation

6.8 Page 58

▲back to top

-58-

at Provincial level tottet feebly until the Local Community takes them

up; and that the Local Community takes is cue from the Rector.

On the other hand, the urgent need is felt everywhere for masters

of the spiritual life and for men with drive.

So:

a) the Province should prepare its Rectors for their term of

office either by putting them on courses artanged independendy, or

by organizing Interprovincial/Regional courses of training for Rectors,

in which work priorities will be indicated (initiatives, reports, schedules,

organizations);

b) the Province should help the Rectors with regular meetings

for instruction and ptayet, and also with de-briefing session on their

exercise of authority.

2. Practical Gonclusions of the Gontinental Meeting for Latin

America

Tbis rneeting, the coanterpart ol tbe one at Rome, took place at

Catboeira do Canapo, Brazil, frorn 24th to Slst May, 1975. The

Latin-Arnerican Prooincials and' Delegates took part. Here is their

rcpoil.

Coming together to see how far we have taken our post-capitular

renewal, we have been able to experience the vitality of Salesian

community, to see the vindication of our conviction that the Spirit

of the Lord visited the Congegation in its Special General Chaper,

and to find

total loyalty

-to

with gratitude to Don Bosco,

the cause in this centenary of

Father and Founder

the transplanting of

h-is

charism on our Latin-Amedcan continent.

I7e have felt the crisis of recent years acutely' Today, we can

state with humility and gratitude that things are coming round, and

that there has been a recovery in the crisis-areas of Salesian identity, of

the dynamism of our apostolic presence, and of vocations. The serious-

ness with which this overhaul in common has been carried out over

the last week, the comparisons between Provinces, the frank, fraternal

6.9 Page 59

▲back to top

59-

exchange between outpost and centre, have all gone to show how

important it is to apply the capitular policies.

The objective analysis of the realities we

the forces at our disposal has revealed

face and of the Iimitations

perilous deficiencies and

defects, and has shown us just

bind us to a sffategy of c_ombined

how far

planning

tooucrovoebrlig-taht.ionn.s*t"gt*oo.

rhese

y*r.

our attention has been centred on three priority areas, and on

these we shall concenrrate our efforts following th. liiht shed by the

constitutions, Regulations, capitular Documents and the sources of ou,

Congregation.

I' Rrer,rrrps rN LATrN AMERTcA ARE pREssrNG oN us saLEsIANs,

ESPECIALLY IN TI{E FIELD OF THE EVANGELIZATION OF YOUTH

The urgency of the situation has been made clearer by our reflec-

tion together on how mud: we have to do, as a congregation, in evange-

laation

lines of

aacntdionca(treecshtreutcictusr.inTgheosfewaorerksp,rinoerivtrypure"sue-nc^eisd,

determine our

qualification of

personnel, training programmes, etc. (cf. S.G.e . 27g, 1r9g,361).

l.l. Lines ol action tbat ue propose to follow

1.1.1 These priorities will be observed and publicised in all

new works, meetings, think-tanks, exchanges of e*perience, mutual aid

contacts, publications, etc.

1.1.2 Each Province will undertake to get catechetics started

lrong the differenr groups of the Salesian family, particularly the

Co-operators.

1.1.3 In the next two years, each province will study the problem

of-launching new experiences in the field of catechetics, espdci-ally the

priority sectors in the service of the Local Church (S.G.C. 340 c), so

that salesians, their lay co-workers, committed youngsters and the

fathers of families may be impregated with and motivited by a new

awafeness, a new sense of commitment.

6.10 Page 60

▲back to top

-60-

1.1.4 Each local Qommunity, whatevet its mission and work,

will take on the task of involving the lay people in co-responsibility

for the spreading of the lrord. The community will select, train

and help them as rcquired {S.G.C. 428).

1.2 Infra-structures that uill baae to be prooided

t.2.1 At Provincial level:

in ca-tedpreetricfesc, taasnrdeqburiinregdtobyfruSi.tGio.nC.th)3e7pbla;n for qualifying salesians

- tfanslate into reality and perfect a flexible, specialized pastofal

service for involving every confrere (s.G.c. )4t) of the local communi-

ties and all the Ptovincial Communities (S.G.C. )38, fi9) in catechetics'

L.2.2 At Inter-provincial level:

for

t-raintoingstucdayiecthheirter,stawbiltishhmtheent

of one or

possibility

two catechetical centres

of connections with the

U.P.S. and of collaboration with it.

2. TIJin pRovINcE: A TRATNTNG CoMMUNTTY

(Cf. Const. SS 52, 106, 162, 167, !68, 172, 177; SG'C' 512'

672, 29, 84, 185, 402, 4ll, 506,720 A.S.C. No' 272: Circular on

'Unity and Decenff afization' ),

The process sf dsssnllalization in our Regions since the S'G'C'

hu, .rr.oritered a readiness to react and to accept responsibility that,

as we see it, is entirely positive. certainly mudr still remains to be

done to attain to the- ideal of a Province that is a real 'Training

Community'.

2.1 Growth of life in the Spirit, securing the primacy of our

personal and community experience of God. To do this, we need to

- educate to prayer and meditation on the !7ord of God;

7 Pages 61-70

▲back to top

7.1 Page 61

▲back to top

- assert the cennaliry of the Eucharist in every Local community;

- reassess the whole subject of Christian penance;

- reactivate our devotion to Mary.

2.L.2 deepen tle values of Salesian identity.

As we have already mentioned, in this line today there is to

be.seen not only a greater consciousness of identity, but also a gtqter

striving

to thg-

towards

Salesian

creativity in fulfilling our mission and

spirit. However, there is a feeling

faithiulness

urgency in

attending to the following aspects:

2.2.1 'work and self-restraint': to see afresh what our salesian

discipline really means in

of ffue religious chastity,

the light

round in

of rhe

theory

'sacnrdutpinriaucmticpJa;u'pertaris'

and

2.2.2 use and study of the Salesian way:

- reading of the constitutions, also combined with the liturgy;

- and-

policy

deeper acquaintance of

pronouncements of the

the S.C.G. documents,

Congegation;

the

circ,lars

- knowledge of Salesian literarure;

2.2.3 inrense effort to build up the figure of the Brorher, an

indispensable part of our community ldentity:

- *rqng the Provinci?l Community and Salesian Family to the

vocational values of the Brotherhood;

- putting a Brother on the Vocation Team and on the road.

2.3 Mavimizing the uaining capabthty.

rt is felt that there_is an urgent need to see that the new generations

3isreupsd{aetleyd-

incorpo,rated inro our Salesian

through Continuous Formation.

Family

and

thai

..r*yor.

So:

2.3.1 There should be a commitmenr to step up the efficiency

of the training given duing the posnrlanry, the nouitirie and the posr-

novitiate periods.

7.2 Page 62

▲back to top

-62-

2.3.2 The Provincials should see that the Formation Team is

doing its job, and he should attend to the editing and periodical revision

of the Manual.

23.3 Every Provincial Council must have a personnel qualifi-

cation scheme, particulady with regard to early training'

2.1.4 collaboration

degree at Interprcvincial

should

level

be organized to the highest possible

(confeience or region) in the field

of formation, both initial and on-going.

23.5 Groups should be fotmed at continental, tegional- and

conference levels to researc-h and discuss, with maximum Salesian

realism, the complex problems of the ffansformation of Latin America.

3. UNrrv AND DEcENTRALTZATToN

i(n72th0e-E7xl2iag;)mh, tianonifnd"gtthheteogieleewtttheeCrrootnfhstethiteuptrRiooebncsletom(rt2sM5oa-1ifo2ru7n()'4,it"yt'hl'eCan'AdNctods'eoc2{e7nt2hf)fe,alwtSze'aGtci'oCann'

,trt" th"i, even in the diversity of the social and cultural situations

;i i;; Ameri.u, there is a lively and fraternal feeling for Salesian

communion.

However, it is clear that there is an urgent nged to strengthen

rhis sense of unity. And so we shall pursue the following lines of

action:

3.L \\7e shall take steps to get to know more thoroughly the

basic texts of our Salesian life and to hand them on wit} greater care:

the constitutions, which give the broad plan of our vocation;

- the Regulations, which show how the values contained, in the

- Constitutions are to put into practice.

).2 In order to make the sources of our spirituality more easily

accessible,

7.3 Page 63

▲back to top

_63_

3.2.1 the Salesian editing houses will collaborate in the preparation

of a plan for the production and distribution of salesian lit.ruiri.;

tun-iti?e.s2t.o2

the

use

superiors,

these aids.

every

level,

will

give

the

confreres

oppor-

3.3 I7e take it upon ourselves to see to it that the groups

9rtahy.nfed-P4C]-r9reiosnvRtircneeocg),euiosnn, catihll,ecaoPnudrnocvaiilnnlocurian(lgJuecarosrnatafnentredeeniinncgge-soufantnihoden

th" pruin.irrr-, [+la

with the Rector Major

situation u, ,.." r.o.

3.3.1

accorded to

do in fact wield the powers

them by the S.G.C. )O(;

and

perform

the

functions

+thefrL:3o.nc3ea.wl2Crhioninmsktmrinuugcn.taittynhdgwspietrhoemntghoaetg. eptdhro.ivnRin"cp.tiroaorlm'saonlitdaini"gswooncodfmdum;C;ourmn, imtyuilnaoiftkfiaei"isrg.s

the

3.4. \\7e shall foster active communication at all levels between

Cenme and the Provinces, and in all directions, ;r;r*r-n.*r,

injomltio-n and experiences. !7e shafl study ways rr a.rir*irgiat"rirl

of particular interest to particular confrerer, .rp.aily ,:r.* *i, ,* i,

Tgnmc

Salesian

and those responsible for

Family (S.G.C. j16,721,

promoting

i22).

ih.

*rriow

grorp,

the

3.5 !7e shall reassert ,5" .epp

mission in a practical way (Const. S

rnity dlaracter of the

34; S.G.C. 29, g4):

Salesian

. 3.?.1 by mlting dre instruments of dialogue work in the exercise

wote_lla:utthheo_rictyo,mamnudnaifyll

the other

search for

means

the will

commurrity participation as

God, the'Rectoris^Jecision_

making, rhe exercise of co-responsibility, the community plan (S.G.C.

367,640).

35? by helping the confreres to fit their capabilities into the

community plan and to develop them within its fradework;

perf-o3rm.5in:g3

by recognizing {p semprrnity

a mission for the Salesian Family

character of

or the Local

those who-

Crrri.rr,

are

7.4 Page 64

▲back to top

_64_

1.5.4 by applying a course-cortection, diseeedy but firmly' to

thor..ooft"t.t *ho are tending towards individualism;

).5.5 by eliminating, agun with charity bry with firmness' the

irregular situations in *lrl"l, iom. confreres may be enmeshed'

Here, at Cachoeira do Campo, which is associated with Mgt' La-

,rgrr, *J',he first great sons of bon Bosco to arrive in Latin America,

we have

oi."l,;tt6*r"t

borne witness to one and the same vocation through the

our various social and

expetience of identity

cultural situations' Our meeting

in diversity, an earnest of growth

in Salesian unity.

7.5 Page 65

▲back to top

VI. FROM THE PROVINCIAL NEWSLETTERS

This section is compiled from the P. NLs sent in to H.Q. It is

essentially an INFORMATION column (cf. A.S.G.C. 763, 3b: 'digest

of the principal initiatives undertaken in the field of Salesian renewal'),

and implies no value judgement on the part of the Superior Council.

1. Bahia Blanca Province · Patagonia and the Missionary Cen·

tenary

Salesian Patagonia 'feels involved in a particular way in these

celebrations, and will try to carry them out with the consciousness of

being the first recipients of Don Bosco's missionary efforts.' These

are the introductory words of Fr. John Cantini, the Provincial of Bahia

Blanca, in his communication to the confreres on the Centenary celeb

rations to be held in the land of Don Bosco's dreams (Bahia Blanca

NL., 11.3.1975, pp. 3, 4). Here is a summary.

Recalling the past is a stimulus and inspiration to revivifying the

missionary enterprises of the pioneers who have gone before us. For

this reason we are mounting celebrations and initiatives at national,

Provincial and local level.

Among the national projects there are days of study on evangeliza

tion and days of Salesian spirituality; meetings for our lay co-workers,

the directors of the Youth Associations, and Co-operators, respectively;

the 'Song-message Youth Festival'; the Salesian Youth Olympics; a pil

grimage for the Past Pupils; two publications (a life of Don Bosco and

a book on the Salesian missions).

The Provincial projects are particularly interesting. First of all,

the religious celebrations in the churches used by the first Salesian

missionaries: those at Viedma and Patagones, the first two truly missio-

7.6 Page 66

▲back to top

- 66-

nary foundations. Then there is the civic commemoration to be held

at Bahfa Blanca. We are also planning the construction of halls and

halls-cum-chapels for the use of the Christian communities in the

missionary districts and on their outskirts: seven places are already

ear-marked. We plan to expand the work known as the 'Summer

Youth Missions'. Groups of young people go to work in the deprived

areas under the guidance of Salesians This has been going on for some

years already, with ten groups going strong and many others in the

pipe-line. The Salesian Sisters will organize a catechetical meeting

to discuss evangelization.

As for the activities at local level, here are the words of the

Provincial: 'We shall try to encourage people to get to know Don

Bosco and his missions better, to look around at the missionary pro

spects in Patagonia itself and in other places where the needs may be

greater. And from knowing we pass on to doing and living, in an

attempt to repeat the misisonary undertakings launched by Don

Bosco in his own day.'

The Provincial goes on to remind his readers that, in fact, it

means realizing the aims set by the Rector Major for the Centenary

Year: 'To revive the missionary spirit in the whole Salesian Family.'

3. Province of Recife · a Bishop's farewell

Mgr. Edvaldo G. Amaral, who was appointed Auxiliary to the

Archbishop of Aracaju last February, sent the following farewell message

to his Province. It reflects the �fate of mind of a Salesian taken away

from his confreres in obeying the Holy Father (NL., March, 1975,

pp. 7, 8).

Following the Holy Father's decision, I have to leave the educa

tional apostolate and community life in our houses to serve the people

of God in the hierarchy of His Church. But this will not take me

out of the Congregation, to which I intend to belong to the end

of my days.

What I am and have I owe chiefly to the Salesian Congregation:

physical sustenance, courses of reading, a wide range of experiences over

thirty-six years. The basic training, fololwed by ten years of pastoral

7.7 Page 67

▲back to top

-67-

work with the Co-operators, the years of responsibility and school

administration in the houses, the marvellous experience of the General

Chapter at Rome ... are all opportunities offered to me by the Congrega

tion, far beyond what I deserved.

For all this I thank God and our religious family, which I have

always wished to serve with complete dedication. But now, dear

confreres, after many uncertainties and much parleying, I have not been

able to bring myself to say •no'.

I am not allowing myself to be carried away by the present spate

of lionizing and back-slapping; I know that I am in for some difficult

times when I shall not be able to fall back on the support provided

by the community-structure of the Congregation. I known that I

shall not be without loneliness and misunderstanding, that I shall

make my mistakes; but I hope to pull through with trust in God. If

it is a hard task to head a community of consecrated people, how

much more difficult must be the government of a diocese. However,

I see that the episcopacy is nothing else but the fulness of the priest

hood. If Don Bosco called himself a father, always and everywhere

a father, a bishop will also have every reason for being a father, indeed,

'more-than-father', as one of our thinkers has it.

I beg the pardon of all my confreres of the North West for the

bad example that I have given over the years, and for the mistakes

that I may have committed as Rector of three Communities. I trust

in the prayers of everyone.

May the confreres of my Province remain faithful to the ideals

of Don Bosco in the service of the youth of our time and of our

country. May the older men accept the new times and understand

the new historical context we have been given to live and work in.

And may the boys prepare to shoulder their responsibilities in the

new age of the Congregation and the Church with sincere intentions,

self-sacrifice and deep convictions.

7.8 Page 68

▲back to top

VII. PONTIFICAL MAGISTERIUM

1. Need for strength

In spite of all the manifestations of force, including the most

savage violence, it is not easy to find today examples of true strength,

either as a natural virtue or as a Christian virtue: strength in one's

personal life, strength in asserting the values of a decent way of life.

Pope Paul has called everyone's attention to this in the course

of his General Audience in St. Peter's Square on 28th May.

Our own vocation, always in need of an increase of faith, needs

a constantly renewed spiritual and moral strength, especially today.

(O.R., English Edition, 5.6.1975).

We all remember that one of the programmatic subjects of the

Holy Year, which we are celebrating, is the renewal of Christian life.

Now, to instil this renewal in our Christian life, we must restore, with

other virtues and resources of the Spirit, the virtue of fortitude, as it is

understood in our moral teaching.

Yes, fortitude. For is there any justification for the idea of a

weak Christianity? A Christianity without firmness in its convictions,

agnostic, indifferent, fickle, opportunistic, cowardly? Motivated by

fear of what people will say? Is it a new and authentic Christianity,

one which, in practice, is ready to conform in every way with the

surrounding environment and which is tacitly anxious above all to

avoid difficulties, criticism, irony, and is clearly eager to take advantage

of every opportunity to cut a fine figure, or gain advantages, steer

clear of trouble and carve out a career?

What has become of the old education to personal character, moral

courage, social consistency? To the sense of duty? And of responsi

bility?

7.9 Page 69

▲back to top

-69-

Moral and spiritual strength

Let us keep it clearly in mind: a Christian, a Catholic particularly,

must be strong. We mean strong spiritually and morally. A follower

of Christ must not be afraid. He feels wrapped in an atmosphere of

divine Providence, which turns to· good even hostile things, which can

also cooperate for our good, if we love God (Rom 8, 28). He has a

duty of testimony, which frees him from timidity and opportunism,

and suggests to him, at the right moment, an attitude and words,

coming from an interior source, the existence of which was perhaps

unknown to him before the ordeal. Even if you are overcome by

adversaries stronger than yourselves, the Lord teaches us in the Gospel,

"do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for

what you are to say will be given to ou in that hour; for it is not you

who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you" (Mt

10, 19-20).

At this point there is a paradox to solve: are we not weak owing

to our infirm nature? Yes, it is true; even Jesus said so at Gethse

mane: "the flesh (that is, our human nature) is weak", but He affirmed

at the same time that "the spirit is willing" (Mt 26, 41); and St Paul

explained that just when, humbly and realistically, we confess we

are afflicted, then we are strong, because the Lord had told him

inwardly: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made

perfect in weakness" (2 Car 12, 9-10). Weakness and strength,

therefore, can be complementary in the Christian (cf. among the ancients:

Origen: Exhortation to martyrdom; among the moderns: G. Bernanos:

Les dialogues des Carmelites).

Truth frees us

And there is a courageous orientation to impress on our Christian

life, private and public, in order not to become meaningless in the

world of the spirit and perhaps accomplices in common ruih. Do we

not seek, moreover, in undue recourse to our personal freedom a

pretext to surrender to the yoke of other peoples's inadmissible

opinions? "That which is the cause of itself is free" (St Th. Metaph.

11, 9); "only beings that move themselves have freedom," Master

Thomas teaches us (St Th. Contra Gentes, II, 48). And the only thing

7.10 Page 70

▲back to top

-70-

that legitimately binds us interiorly, is truth; and truth, the Lord

says, "will make us free" (cf. Jn 8, 32).

The modern tendency, therefore, to abolish all ethical or personal

effort (except on the sports field, which is all very well, but it is

not enough) is not the prelude to real progress in the really human

sense. The Cross is always straight in front of us, and it summons

us to moral strength, spiritual fortitude and sacrifice (Jn 12, 25), which

makes us like Christ and can save ourselves and the world. With our

Apostolic Blessing.

2. Vocation

As our faith bas its supportive reasoning, so our vocation, and our

faithfulness to it, bas its rational basis. There are certain moments,

certain situations, becoming more and more frequent as the crisis of

values becomes more acute, when this basis bas to be clearly perceived.

This is asserted authoritatively by Pope Paul, whose words we

quote from the 'message addressed to bishops, priests, religious, lay

people, educators and the young' given on the occasion of the World

Day of Prayer for Vocations, held 20th April, the Fourth Sunday

of Easter. (From O.R., English Edition, 17.4.1975).

Crux of the problem

But when the Lord calls someone in a special way, through an

interior illumination and the voice of the Church, to serve him as a

priest, as a religious or as a member of a Secular Institute, he stirs

up in him or her and demands an absolute choice for his person and

for the work of his Gospel: "Follow me." This choice is enthralling;

it can really overwhelm the human heart. It presupposes a very firm

attitude of faith. And here, dear sons and daughters, is the crux

of the problem of vocations. In our time, when the serenity of believers

is to a certain extent shaken, the willingness to commit oneself totally

and definitively to following Christ seems still more difficult. This

choice also presupposes a willingness to make a break, in the first

place of course with sin-deceit, impurity, selfishness and hate-but

also with certain human values which are not ends in themselves, but

8 Pages 71-80

▲back to top

8.1 Page 71

▲back to top

-71-

means: the satisfactions of human love, wealth, professional advance

ment, pleasure, success and power. For a person who is serious,

upright, and generous the values of God's Kingdom can win the day:

pure and simple joy, the thirst for God encountered in prayer, the

service of others, concern for their spiritual needs. An effort must

also be made to free oneself from the materialism of the times in

order to make this judgment and take this decision.

3. From the Holy See: the Censorship of Books

On 19th March 1975 the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of

the Faith promulgated the Decree 'The Censorship of Books'. The

text appears below in the translation given in the 0.R., English Edition,

dated 24.4.1975.

The Pastors of the Church, who are entrusted with the care

of proclaiming the Gospel all over the earth ( 1 ), have the task of

preserving, expounding, spreading and safeguarding the truths of the

faith and promoting and defending the integrity of morals. Certainly,

"God in his gracious goodness has seen to it that what he had revealed

for the salvation of all nations would abide perpetually in its £ull

integrity and be handed on to all generations. Therefore Christ the

Lord, in whom the £ull revelation of the supreme God is brought to

completion, commissioned the Apostles to preach to all men that gospel

which is the source of all saving truth and moral teaching, and thus

to impart to them divine goods" (2). Therefore the office of interpret

ing authentically the word of God, written or handed down by tradi

tion, is entrusted solely to the living Magisterium of the Church ( 3 )'

The Bishops, successors of the Apostles, exercise this office, and in

a special way the successor of Peter exercises it, as the perpetual and

visible foundation of unity both of the Bishops and of the multitude

of the faithful ( 4). Even the faithful themselves, each according to his

own function, and especially students of sacred sciences, have the

duty to cooperate with the Pastors of the Church to preserve and hand

on in their integrity the truths of faith and to protect morals.

To preserve and defend the integrity of the truths of faith and

morals, the Pastors of the Church have the duty and the right to be

8.2 Page 72

▲back to top

-72-

vigilant lest the faith and morals of the faithful be harmed by writings;

and consequently even to demand that the publication of writings

concerning the faith and morals should be submitted to her prior

approval; and also to condemn books and writings that attack the faith

or morals. This office belongs to the Bishops both individually and

gathered in particular Councils or in Episcopal Conferences, as regards

the faithful entrusted to their care, and to the supreme authority of

the Curch as regards the whole people of God.

As regards the publication of books and other writings, this

Sacred Congregation, after consulting various Ordinaries of places

where publishing activity is more intense, established the following

norms in Plenary Congregation:

ARTICLE 1

1. If not otherwise established, the local Ordinary, whose

approval is to be sought for the publication of books, according

to the following norms, is the local Ordinary of the author or the

Ordinary of the place in which the books are published. If either of

them has refused approval, however, the author may not ask for the

other's approval without informing him of the previous refusal.

2. What is established by these norms with regard to books,

must be applied to all kinds of writings intended for public circulation,

unless otherwise established.

ARTICLE 2

1. The books of Holy Scripture cannot be published unless they

are approved either by the Apostolic See or by the· local Ordinary;

similarly for the publication of their translations into the vernacular,

there is required the approval of the same authority and also that they

be furnished with the necessary and sufficient explanations.

2. With the consent of the local Ordinary, translations supplied

with suitable explanations, can also be prepared and published by the

Catholic faithful in collaboration with the separated brethren (5).

8.3 Page 73

▲back to top

-73-

ARTICLE 3

1. Liturgical Books and also their translations into the vernacular,

or their parts, may not be published except by order of the Episcopal

Conference and under the surveillance of the latter, after the previous

confirmation of the Apostolic See.

2. To publish a new edition of liturgical books approved by the

Apostolic See and also their translations into the vernacular, made

and approved in accordance with the terms of par. 1, and their parts,

it is necessary to obtain from the Ordinary of the place in which they

are published an attestation that they conform to the approved edition.

3. Also books that propose prayers for private use may not be

published unless with the permission of the local Ordinary.

ARTICLE 4

1. The approval of the local Ordinary, or of the national or

regional Episcopal Conference is required for the publication of cate

chisms and other writings dealing with catechetical instruction, or their

translations.

2. Unless they are published with the approval of the competent

ecclesiastical Authority, books concerning questions of Holy Scripture,

Sacred Theology, Canon Law, Church History and religious or moral

disciplines, cannot be used as teaching texts in elementary, intermediate

and higher schools.

3. It is recommended that books dealing with the subjects in

par. 2 should be submitted to the approval of the local Ordinary, even

though they are not used as text books. The same applies to writings

that contain anything of special interest to religion or morality.

4. No books or other writings dealing with religious or moral

questions can be displayed, sold or distributed in churches and oratories

if they are not published with the approval of the competent ecclesiasti

cal Authority.

8.4 Page 74

▲back to top

VIII. OBITUARY NOTICES

Felix Avendano, Deacon

* Managua, Nicaragua: * 7-9-1946. t Guatemala City: 19-4-1975. 29 years

old; 11 prof.

Almost on the eve of his ordination to the priesthood, he was cut

down in a bad motor accident. Four boys from the Colegio Don Bosco

at Guatemala City were killed with him. They were returning from an

educational trip. He was a Salesian of outstanding apostolic spirit, deeply

attached to his vocation, generous and self-sacrificing in his work.

Bro. Bernardo Belmonte

* Mojacar, Almeria, Spain: 10-12-1903. t Matar6, Barcelona: 11-2-1975. 71

years old; 46 prof.

Orphaned himself at an early age, he was well prepared for the

mission that Don Bosco had marked out for him in his forty years plus

of Salesian life. He finished his days in Salesian theatricals, tired but happy

after a life-time of teaching typography and of endless assisting. Many of

his pupils hold highly respected positions in society as a result of his teaching.

He was a faithful man, punctual and at the same time humble, simple,

not given to idle chatter.

Fr. Alphonsus Di Cairano

* Staten Island, N.Y., U.S.A.: 23-9-1913. t Ramsey, U.S.A.: 29-4-1974. 6l!

years old; 37 prof.; 28 priest.

An excellent Salesian, faithful to the Rule and the spirit of Don

Bosco, he won the affection of confreres and boys by his charity, cheerful

ness and optimism. Humble and unpretentious, he did not ask things

of others but, on the contrary, was always ready to help anyone who

came to him in need. He was an expert in photography and journalism,

8.5 Page 75

▲back to top

-75-

and this expertise he put at the service of the school. He was a whole

hearted community man, and he was always seeking to promote its well-being

and its human relationships.

Fr. Vitantonio Camarda

* Cistemino, Brindisi, Italy 9-7-1917. t there: 5+1975. 57 years old; 38

profession; 29 priest; 6 Rector.

From his family and birthplace he inherited his kindness, and a

dignified poverty, a virtue that was to become an ever brighter light in

his life. His words went in inverse proportion to his works, which were

numerous. The secret of his success as priest and Salesian lay in his

ability to love the boys and make them see that he loved them, in

spite of his forbidding mien. Whilst his last illness was gnawing at

his vitals, he busied himself with visiting the sick, looking after the

library, and spreading good literature. He was always available and

self-sacrificing to the very end.

Fr. Domingo Coffea

* Santa Isabel, Uruguay: 4-8-1895. t Asunci6n, Paraguay: 19-5-1974. 78 years

old; 60 prof.; 52 priest.

He devoted his considerable gifts of mind and body to the most

needy. A man of refined appearance, he was distinguished for his missionary

spirit. For fourteen years he laboured at the evangelization of China

among the poor and the little ones, for whom he had a consuming love.

With the ebb and flow of politics, he had to transfer to the Chaco Paraguayo,

where he helped Mgr. Muzzolon. There he expended the rest of his

energies in a humble and ardent zeal for souls.

Fr. Sabino Doldan

* Montevideo, Uruguay: 16-7-1910. t There: 26-10-1974. 64 years old; 45

prof.; 36 priest; 6 Rector.

'To feel with the Church' was his motto as a priest, and he lived it with

total dedication. His ten years of work for the Secretariat of the Apostolic

8.6 Page 76

▲back to top

- 76

Nunciature at Montevideo earned him special recogrutton from the Hbly

See. The liturgical Eucharist was his great enthusiasm, and this showed

in his performance of the ceremonies and in his studies of the subject. He

was also very keen on the history of the Society, and he collected valuable

documents for a history of the Province. He was orderly and methodical,

an affable and solicitous samaritan to the needy of the poorest part of the

town, whom he took into his generaf hospital.

Fr. Vincent Donohoe

* Oswaldtwisle, Lancashire, England: 11-11-1910. t Dublin Ireland: 341975.

64 years old; 43 prof.; 38 priest.

He was a good Salesian, always willing, affable, cordial and simple,

kind and generous, winning the friendship of all who knew him. He spent

his time teaching music and did valuable work in a number of houses

in England. Then he went to Ireland to do book-keeping, doing a good

job of work in administering the agricultural school at Warrenstown.

He passed on to higher things after an illness that - had been undermin

ing his constitution for some years.

Fr. Ruben Donoso

* S. Rosario, Aconcagua, Chile: 1-1-1895. t Santiago, Chile: 8-11-1974. 79

years old; 57 prof.; 45 priest.

For more than half a century he held the centre of the stage at the

Colegio Don Bosco, Iquique. Cheetful, optimistic, a good sportsman, he

gave himself entirely to his mission of Salesian educator, intent on making

good Christians and honest citizens of his pupils. Love of God and the

fatherland, music, sport, confession and a happy disposition were the means

he used to instil into his pupils' hearts love of and loyalty to the fundamental

values of life. Hlundreds of Past Pupils venerate him as a father. The

city of Iquique gave him the freedom of the city and paid him its last

respects.

8.7 Page 77

▲back to top

-77-

Fr. Carlos Dornak

* Bylnica, Czechoslovakia: 19-1-1924. t Bahia Blanca, Argentina: 22-3-1975.

51 years old; 33 prof.; 23 priest.

He was a very good exponent of Gregorian Chant, organist and choir

master. He gave concerts in various towns in Argentina with the 'Coro

de Camara Bahia Blanca', which he founded and directed till his death.

Characteristically, his deep spirit of the priesthood was expressed in his

faithfulness to the Office, and in his attention to the decorum of the

sacred functions, which was his way of observing his ordination motto:

'Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house'. He was an upright

man, sound as a bell, utterly loyal in friendship. He took his religious

poverty as a serious, personal matter, and he practised it as administra

tor of the school and of the affairs of the Community. He died the in

nocent victim of a terrorist attack.

Fr. Henrique Ferreira

* S. Salvador de Lavia, Braga, Portugal: 30-3-1881. t Watsonville, Calif., U.S.A.:

15-3-1975. Nearly 94 years old; 76 prof.; 69 priest.

When he was still a cleric, he edited the Portuguese edition of · the

Salesian Bulletin and became secretary to Blessed Michael Rua. Then

for forty-five years he worked at Oakland among the Italian and Portuguese

immigrants. Deeply attached to his vocation, he always used his fine gifts

of mind and soul as Don Bosco would have wished.

Fr. Juan Fioroni

* Villa Col6n, Uruguay: 31-1-1904. t Montevideo, Uruguay: 14-3-1975. 71

years of age; 55 prof.; 47 priest.

Returning to his homeland after nearly forty years of Salesian work

in the Antilles, he appeared before the Provincial saying that he was

available for any work that was going, even the most difficult. :ill: had

worked all his life with an open mind in the Salesian service of the young.

He easy command of language was always at the disposal of the Word

of God. It cost him much to have to leave l'Avana, where his boys'

club was and where he had built a church in honour of Mary, Help of

Chrisitans.

8.8 Page 78

▲back to top

-78-

Bro. Antonio Gon�alves

* Moredo, Bragan�a, Portugal: 7-5-1910. t Bragan�a: 23-4-1974. Nearly 64

years old; 37 prof.

A model Salesian Brother, he was outstanding in spirituality, work,

spirit of sacrifice, and love of Don Bosco and the young. His spiritual

life was fed on the love of the Eucharist and of Our Lady; before the

tabernacle he found the strength to triumph over his trials and sufferings,

especially towards the end. He was pained to see how the younger cooled

in their love of Don Bosco, whose life he often read. His work for the

indigent young led him to offer his life to the Lord to prevent the closing

of the house at Vendas Novas. The Lord accepted this offering made with

so much love and heroism.

Fr. Stanislay Jurecka

* Lipnik nad Besvou, Czechoslovakia: 4-2-1909. t Olomouc, Czechoslovakia:

9-4-1975. 62 years old; 42 prof.; 37 priest.

He was ordained priest at Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, on 3rd July 1938.

From then till 1950 he devoted his life and gifts to the boys in our

houses in his own country. In the last ten years of his life he was

successively curate and parish priest at Olomouc.

Fr. Franc Kmetic

* Log di Bostanj, Slovenia, Yugoslavia: 14-9-1890. t Bostanj: 16-1-1975. 84

years old; 62 prof.; 53 priest.

Although his health was always on a knife-edge, he managed to achieve

old age through rigid self-discipline and a methodical day's round. These

enabled him to carry through his mission of the spiritual direction and

shriving of generations of Salesians. He followed closely the Don Bosco

St. Francis of Sales axis in his work of education and conscience-formation.

With him closed an era of tradition that may be defined as 'the old way'.

8.9 Page 79

▲back to top

-79-

Fr. Spartaco Mannucci

* Chianciano, Siena, Italy: 1541901. t Ravenna: 4-3-1975. 73 years old;

53 prof.; 48 priest; 15 Rector.

Rector and Parish Priest in our houses at San Marina and Ravenna,

he put all his energies at the disposal of the young, and, during the war,

of the evacuees. He was a strong character yet mild and amiable, serene,

optimistic, attentive to others' needs, a full-time worker, open to new

horizons, a prudent and much sought-after counsellor who encouraged

everyone with a friendly smile.

Bro. Miguel Martinez

* Val-La Merca, Orense, Spain: 20-1-1892. t Orense: 30-11-1974. 82 years old;

48 prof.

He spent all his Salesian life in the house at Orense. He was always

hard at work at the cost of great sacrifice in the kitchen-garden and with

the cattle. He gave this work up only when ordered to do so because of

failing energies. His devotions, the motive force of his life, then became

his chief occupation. He would spend hours before the Blessed Sacrament

and at Our Lady's statue. He may not have been an apostle of the Word,

but the eloquence of his prayer and example said more than a torrent

of words.

Fr. Walter Montaldo

* Salto, Uruguay: 7-9-1896. t Montevideo: 27-12-1974. 78 years old; 60

prof.; 52 priest.

A well-balanced religious and priest of solid orthodoxy, he led a

private life of monastic austerity, whilst working steadily and tirelessly.

He was an e:xipert in physics and chemistry and an excellent teacher. He

was much appreciated as band-master, and he was the apostle of the

boys' club. He stood in for the P.P. at Lascano ... and was still standing

in twenty-five years later. He made great sacrifices to bring the Sisters

into the parish to look after the little ones. In the last years of his

life he was the efficient and trusted helper to Bishop Nuti of Canelones,

who, in his panegyric, called him 'the faithful friend'.

8.10 Page 80

▲back to top

- 80-

Fr. Duilio Pini

* Florence, Italy: 12-6-1913. t La Spezia: 11-4-1974. 60 years old; 40 prof.;

30 priest.

He lived his vocation as Salesian and priest with great zeal and

generosity in his apostolate among the young. As a teacher he prepared

his classes meticulously and gave them with great clarity and simplicity,

which earnt him much esteem. Hle took great pains to follow up his

past pupils, who recognized in him their true educator and master.

Bro. Jorge Richards

* Nuiioa, Santiago, Chile: 12-12-1915; t Talva, Chile: 14-7-1974. 58 years

old; 37 prof.

He spent all his Salesian life teaching at elementary level in various

houses of the Province. With his fine character and calm bearing he was

well liked by boys and confreres. When he started to slow up in his

work, it was a sign that the end was approaching. He had a heart

attack and passed on to the Father's House surrounded by his confreres and

with the serenity that, had been with him all his life.

Fr. Esteban Rivas

* Liano, Santander, Spain: 21-3-1922. t Santiago, Puerto Rico: 27-2-1974. 51

years old; 30 prof.; 22 priest; 15 Rector.

He was charged with positions of responsibility both in his home

Province and in the Antilles. He was distinguished as a man of culture

and refinement, and worked very hard for vocations. As Rector he bent

his energies to the character formation and spiritual development of the

aspirants; he was always in their midst. He was highly esteemed as

chaplain to communities of nuns and organizer of Catholic leadership

groups (to whom he dictated courses on the Bible). Everywhere he made

himself loved because his own love was apostolic.

9 Pages 81-90

▲back to top

9.1 Page 81

▲back to top

-81-

Fr. Adolf Rohl

* Bottrop, Germany: 10-2-1905. t Cologne: 17-2-1975. 70 years old; 45 prof.;

36 priest.

Immediately after his novictate he left as a llllss10nary for Brazil.

After some years of teaching, he went among the tribes of the Upper

Amazon, and built them a hospital and a number of small churches. He

bore all sorts of troubles with a spirit of self-denial for the e:x:pansion of

the Kingdom of God. He came home to visit his mother, who was

seriously ill, and he was himself seized with an illness that prevented him

from returning, much as he champed at the bit in his impatience to return

to the missions.

Fr. Rocco Rubino

* Triggiano, Bari, Italy: 12-3-1910. t Bari: 9-2-1975. 64 years old ; 46 prof.;

38 priest.

A number of houses of the Roman Province, where he worked with

great enthusiasm as teacher, preacher and confessor, have vivid memories

of him, especially as he was during the difficult war years. He kept lists

of all his pupils, and he maintained a correspondence with them, not to

mention affectionate friendship, all his life. For many years he had eye

trouble, and eventually he became quite blind, which limited his activity

to the confessional. He went to the Southern Province, where he generously

offered his services as confessor to various houses and to communities of

nuns. The day he died, he had gone to the sacristy to receive Holy

Communion. After he had received it, he laid his head on his stick ...

and folded up.

Bro. Tarcisius Sona

* Ghoti'bera Vil!., Norogpur, Arissa, India: 14-8-1922. t Krishnagar: 6-6:-1974.

51 years of age; 31 prof.

The thirty-one years of his service of God and his neighbour bear

doquent witness to how much his vocation meant to him. The Mem.

Biog. of St. John Bosco were for him an object of frequent study and

deep meditation. The scrupulous observance of the Rule was the way

9.2 Page 82

▲back to top

- 82-

he expressed his love for our Founder. Among the boys he was a multiplier

of good works, a promoter of vocations and a missionary apostle.

Bro. Simon Sossau

* Giinching, Gemiany: 13-10-1898. t Helenenberg uber Trier, Germany: 28-1-75.

76 years old; 48 prof.

He spent more than forty years in our house at Helenenberg looking

after the cattle, which he did very capably and conscientiously. lfu found

comfort and consolation when things got difficult in his deep and simple

spirit of prayer, and especially the rosary. His confreres will keep a

happy memory of his most characteristic virtues: exemplary willingness,

kindness of heart and humble modesty.

Fr. Edward Staszewski

* Opalenca, Poland: 19-9-1909. t Wor6w: 5-2-1975. 65 years old; 45 prof.;

34 priest; Rector 12.

A zealous, fervent priest, he was Master of Novices for eleven years at

Kopiec. Richly gifted in music and song, he led the liturgical functions

for the fifteen years that he was P. P. at Marszaki. While he was Rector

at Kieke, he exercised great charity in helping his friend, the P. P. of

Wor6w. A heart attack did for him during the night: his confreres found

him dead the next morning.

Fr. Franciszek Szymanik

* Stanislowice, Poland: 31-5-1915. t Szczyek: 17-2-1975. 59 years old; 36 prof.;

30 priest.

Endowed with a strong practical sense, for fourteen years he was

administrator in our houses at Kieke, Marszalki and Oswiecim. For ten

years he worked zealously as hospital chaplain. From 1971 he stayed

at our house in the mountains whilst disease slowly tightened its grip on

his frame, and proved resistant to surgery's best efforts.

9.3 Page 83

▲back to top

-83-

Fr. Antonio Tavarozzi

* Asunci.6n, Paraguay: 10-1-1886. t Ypacaraf, Paraguay: 27-12-1974. 88 years

old; 72 prof.; 60 priest; 15 Rector.

He spent a life of service in responsible posts and in the ministry.

Humble and prudent, a calm and shrewd counsellor, he helped many

Salesians to their personal and religious £u1£ilment. He practised as well

as preached poverty. He nourished his spirituality with the simple and

deep piety that draws a man close to God. Bk! was a zealous promoter

of devotion to Don Bosco. In his last year he was stretched on the cross

of illness and he taught us to say 'Amen' to the will of God.

Fr. Luis Torreno

* Madrid, Spain: 12-10-1919. t Logrono: 13-4-1975. 55 years old; 34 prof.;

25 priest; 11 Rector.

Born into a deeply Christian family that gave him the support he

needed to overcome the difficulties of following his vocation, he gave

himself utterly to youth. An excellent, observant, obedient religious, he

spoke out when he saw any breach of the Rule. Always attentive and

available to anyone who needed him, he gave of his best with Salesian joy.

Fr. Rosario Tropea

* Giarre, Catania, Italy: 8-7-1882. t Bari, Italy: 28-2-1975. 92 years old;

72 prof.; 64 priest; 6 Rector.

The Rector Major called him a 'venerable and exemplary worker'.

At 92 he was a precioas living relic, 11 direct link with the early years of

the Congregation. He was to be found in church first thing in the morning

at his place in the confessional, which was always crowded. He was

highly valued as a confessor, much in demand also by priests both religious

and diocesan. He prepared the youngsters for First Communion, and adults

as well. He took care of the sick. Fr. Tropea shone with the light of

goodness and simplicity in this life, and now he is shining with celestial

light with Don Bosco, whom he loved so much.

9.4 Page 84

▲back to top

-84-

Bro. George Viegas

* Shagpur, India: 3-12-1897. t Bombay: 18-2-1975. 77 years old; 39 prof.

He was a late vocation, 38 on arrival, but he fitted in immediately

with his joviality, his love of prayer and work. From the age of 14,

when he became a telegraphist, he worked with loving care and a sense

of responsibility. His work became sanctified with his profession. He

spent the last thirty-nine years in our house at Bombay, and he became its

patriarch. Four months ago, going out of the church, he slipped and broke

his femur. This and other ailments were the calvary that prepared his

soul for Paradise.

Fr. Jan Wodowski (formerly Kot)

* Rodowice, Poland: 2-4-1914. t Czestochova: 8-4-1975. 61 years old; 38

prof.; 29 priest.

Straight from the nov1t1ate he went to the Middle East Province,

where he prepared for the priesthood; then he worked in various houses

and countries. In 1966, he returned to Poland. Wherever he was, he

worked zealously and happily to the end. And he did it all with a humility

that made him an exemplary son of Don Bosco.

Bro. J6zef Wr6nski

* Przemiarow, Warsaw, Poland: 7-11-1905. t Santiago, Chile: 5-9-1974. 68

years old; 38 prof.

He was 30 when he entered the Congregation, but he always kept the

transparent soul of a child. His great joy was to be with the boys not only

in the class,room but in the play-ground, where he continued his mission

as educator. He spent his Salesian life in the remote province of Magallanes,

until the years began to tell and the superiors transferred him to Santiago.

A Salesian to the core, he used the few months of rest to potter around

the garden, where he did a skilled job. Then a cerebral haemorrhage gave

him the coup de grace and he took off for Don Bosco's garden.

9.5 Page 85

▲back to top

-85-

Bro. Eugenio Yanez

* S. MarJ:fn de Grove, Pontevedra, Spain: 26-4-1890. t Gerona, Spain: 30-12-73.

83 years old; 58 prof.

Orphaned early on, he had a try at the priesthood but could not

make the grade. Then he found with the Community the understanding

and affection he needed. He taught at Gerona, including the backward

pupils, and was a model assistant. He was a humble, devout, poor Salesian,

very punctual in attending the Community activities. He expressed his

love for Don Bosco by observing his Rule faithfully and by his love for

things Salesian. He always had a special regard for the Cooperators and

the Past Pupils.

Fr. Ernesto Zanon

t * San Vito al Tagliam.ento, Udine, Italy: 23-8-1905. Calcutta, India: 25+75.

69 years old; 48 prof.; 41 priest; 12 Rector.

He was a missionary first in Assam, then at New Delhi, and finally

Parish Priest in the parish of St. John Bosco in Calcutta. Tireless in his

work, calm and taciturn, he spent the first thirty years of his priesthood

in the Brahmaputra valley and on the Garo hills, where there are now

many fervent Christian communities. He took easily, indeed, joyfully to

the hard pioneering life. Complete forgetfulness of self and a total dedication

to souls were his daily bread for the fitfy years of his life in India. He was

very tough and never had a day's sickness; work for him was his elixir

of life. He gave himself entirely to the thousands of souls he accosted,

loved and carried to Christ.

Fr. Mario Zanotto

t * Gabiano, Alessandria, Italy: 1-5-1903. Saluzzo, Cuneo, Italy: 16-3-1975:

71 years old; 52 prof.; 45 priest; 15 Rector.

Barring a few years at Turin and Cuneo, he spent his life as a priest

in the house at Saluzzo, where he was Rector and the first P. P. He was

a great worker in the boys' club, and he gave to generations of boys the

riches of his heart and mind. In typical Salesian style, he was faithful

to the example of the great Salesians at whose feet he sat, as he himself

9.6 Page 86

▲back to top

-86-

made no bones about admitting. As parish priest, he lived his priesthood

in complete dedication, 'a convinced and zealous priest always and every

where': And as such he was esteemed and loved, and is remembered by

everyone.

9.7 Page 87

▲back to top

-87-

2° Elenco 1975

t 48 Sac. CAMARDA Vitantonio Cisternino (Italia 5.4.1975 a 57 a.

t 49 Sac. MANNUCCI Spartaco Ravenna (Italia) 4.3.1975 a 73 a.

t 50 Sac. MINI Duilio La Spezia (Italia) 11.4.1974 a 60 a.

t 51 Sac. RUBINO Rocco Bari (Italia) 9.2.1975 a 64 a

t 52 Sac. TROPEA Rosario Bari (Italia) 28.2.1975 a 92 a.

t 53 Sac. ZANOTI'O Mario Saluzzo (Italia) 16.3.1975 a 71 a.

t 54 Sac. ROHL Ad0lfo Koln (Germania) 17.2.1975 a 70 a.

t 55 Coad. SOSSAU Simone Helenenberg Trier 28.1.1975 a 76 a.

t 56 Coad. BELMONTE Bernardo Mataro (Spagna) 11.2.1975 a 71 a.

t 57 Coad. GONc;ALVES Antonio Bragan� (Portogallo) 24.4.1975 a 64 a.

t 58 Coad. MARTINEZ Michele Orense (Spagna) 30.11.1974 a 82 a.

t 59 Sac. TORRE.1'10 Luigi Logrono (Spagna) 13.4.1975 a 55 a.

t 60 Coad. YA&EZ Eugenio Gerona (Spagna) 30.12.1973 a 83 a.

t 61 Sac. JURECKA Stanislao Olomouc (Cecoslovacchia) 9.4.1975 a 66 a.

t 62 Sac. KMETIC Francesco Bostanj (Jugoslavia) 16.1.1975 a 84 a.

t 63 Sac. STASZEWSKI Edoardo Worow (Polonia) 52.1975 a 65 a.

t 64 Sac. SZY'MANIK Francesco Szczyrk (Polonia) 17.2.1975 a 59 a.

t 65 Sac. WLOOOWSKI (gia KOT) Czestochova (Polonia) 8.4.1975 a 61 a.

t 66 Diac. AVENDAAO Felice Guatemala C.A. 19.4.1975 a 28 a.

t 67 Sac. CORREA Domenico Asuncion (Paraguay) 19.5.1974 a 78 a.

t Sac. DOLDAN Sabino Montevideo (Uruguay) 26.10.1974 a 64 a.

t Sac. DONOSO Ruben Santiago (Cile) 8.11.1974 a 79 a.

t Sac. DOR.RAK Carlo Bahla Blanca (Argentina) 22.3.1975 a 51 a.

t Sac. FIORONI Giovanni Montevideo (Uruguay) 14.3.1975 a 71 a.

t Sac. MONTANDO Walter Montevideo (Uruguay) 27.12.1974 a 78

t Coad. RICHARDS Giorgio Talca (Cile) 14.7.1974 a 58 a.

t Sac. RIVAS Stefano Santurce (Puerto Rico) 27.2.1974 a 51 a.

t 75 Sac. TAVAROZZI Antonio Ypacaral (Paraguay) 27.12.1974 a 88 a.

t 76 Coad. WRONSKI Giuseppe Santiago (Cile) 5.9.1974 a 68 a.

9.8 Page 88

▲back to top

Sac.

DFDEIORNCRAOEIHIRROAAENEOVnirAniccloefonntzosoWttatDsRouanbmvliislreliey((I(UUrlSaSnAAd))a)12593..3.44..1.11999777545

60 a.

64 a.

93 a.

Coad. SONA Tarcisio t

Coad. VIEGAS Giorgio

Sac. ZANON Ernesto t

(India) 6.6.1974 a 51 a.

t Bombay (India) 18.2.1975

Calcutta (India) 25.4.1975 a

a 77

69 a.