SALESIAN BROTHER IDENTITY AWARENESS
Fr. Joseph PHUOC (VIE)
Introduction:
- The talk does not directly speak about the identity of Salesian Brothers. That topic will have been directly discussed on the first day of the seminar (Identity)
- It will not discuss how to make the Salesian Brother Identity to be recognized, accepted and presented among Salesians and the Salesian Family (visibility).
- It will not speak about the task to promote this vocation among the young (vocation promotion).
- It will deal with the PROCESS OF BECOMING AWARE of the identity of Salesian Brothers to show how the Salesians and the young come to know about this identity as well as what are the challenges and difficulties in this process.
I- WHY: why do we have to discuss this topic?
1- The calls of the Rector Majors and General Councils since the Special General Chapter (1972) and until recently:
* SGC: It is necessary that we be prepared to make more far-reaching experiments than those tried to date. This is demanded by the times we are living in, and by the need to promote the vocation of the brother in all its originality. (SGG, 151)
* GC21 has done this in most systematic fashion in its Document 2, "The Salesian Brother: a lay- religious vocation at the service of the Salesian mission" (GC21, 166-211)
* Vigano: the Salesian Brother is a topic of vital importance. Indeed in today's situation this theme should be a matter of vital interest and study in every province, in every house: it should occupy the mind and heart of every single confrere (During his lifetime the first four General Chapters dealt with this particular topic; in fact it has been on the agenda of almost all succeeding Chapters). We must rethink this dimension in genuine fidelity to Don Bosco and the times.
2- The present situation of the vocations of Salesian Brothers.
3- The requests from the Salesian Brothers and the Salesian Family.
4- The nature of the human, Christian, religious and Salesian vocation in the mystery of History of salvation.
5- The expectations from the young served by the Salesians: They need to know the identity of SB: They are not only loved but also need to know that they are loved: They need to know who and why they are served by the SB.
II- HOW: How do we come to KNOW the Salesian Brothers?
1- From the direct encounters with the Salesian communities, especially with particular Salesian Brothers: their original lifestyle and teachings:
* SB (2.0): “It is clear from our history that every Salesian vocation is a mystery which is manifested, given, received and grows while in contact with the situation of the young and the poor, and while being exercised in their service. Self-sacrificing dedication to others leads to a development of the vocation itself.”
2- From the studies of the Salesian Magisterium.
* SB: Today we have available a wealth of information. It is a question of going into it more deeply and making it more clearly understood, keeping in mind also the relevant reflection in the Church.
3- From the process of self-internalising the values presented by Salesian Brothers as well as by the Magisterium
* SB (2.1.4) Every Salesian has his identity. He lives and reveals it in his way of working, praying and speaking, in his behavior with his confreres, with the young and with those with whom he comes in contact. He may be more or less conscious of it, and become especially aware of it in moments of difficulty and when he takes stock of his life.
*SB (2.1.4) The ideal identity is that aimed at as a goal to be attained, because considered more perfect than the one actually being lived, which is always defective in some way. In redefining our identity the Constitutions have taken into account the experience of Salesians and their communities, and hence their real, qualitative and communal identity. They have applied the criterion of experience. But at the same time they have sought also to define our ideal identity, so that it can conform as closely as possible to the Gospel, the example and teaching of Don Bosco, and the authoritative indications of the Church’s present-day magisterium.
III- CHALLENGES
1/ The process of being aware of SB identity is located in historical contexts: personal, communal, societal ones.
- Social context: advantages and disadvantages for religious life.
* advantages: eager for spirituality (Asia is the bedrock of world religions), for being more than for having; for “greater things;” tending toward self-affirmation; being equipped with critical spirit.
* disadvantages: some form of materialism, individualism, indifferentism in regards to authentically human and religious values; strong hierarchicalism, authoritarianism.
- Communal (ecclesial) context: advantages and disadvantages for lay religious life.
* Advantages: new ecclesiology stressing that the reason for the existence of the Church is to serve the world, bringing it back to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (L.G. & G.S.). Just remember how Don Bosco had difficulties to get his Constitutions to be approved. Clear identity of the Church, hierarchy, laity in the Church.
* Disadvantages: Vatican II’s teachings not yet understood and correctly applied into local churches.
- Personal context: strength and weakness at the personal level. Self-identification is a life-long process with ups and downs. Bad experiences can distort the values of new experiences or knowledge. Yet, it is the person who has to be responsible for the maturing of his self-identification (The situation makes one to be hero; yet, it is also true that the hero makes up the situation).
2/ Magisterium: Don Bosco’s words; General Chapters’ deliberations; Circular letters of the Rector Majors (Paul Albera; Rinaldi; Vigano; Vecchi; Chavez; Acts of General Chapters (SGC, GC 21; Constitutions); the “Golden Book” on Salesian Brothers.
- Linguistic context: linguistic expressions of Salesian Brother identity has not always been finalised. They have been formulated along the history of the society. Not all expressions are definite about the Salesian Brother identity.
- At different historical stage of the Salesian Society, Salesian magisterium at different levels has reflected upon the shared awareness of the Salesian Brother identity. The nature of magisterium is descriptive (what is a Salesian Brother) as well as prescriptive (how to live up to the ideal of Salesian Brother vocation /how to relate to this vocation (in different levels). As a consequence, to grasp deeply at the historical identity of Salesian Brother requires the readers to have a larger view of different contexts of the magisterium.
3/ From the vocation identity of the Salesian Brothers: self-identification is a dynamic and wholistic process. Therefore, confusion, challenges and difficulties take place at this level when there is an explicit or implicit option for a uni-dimensional (reductionistic) view of identity: functionalistic, pragmatist, task-related versus simply supernatural view of Salesian identity and mission).
IV- PROPOSALS
In order to have a clear awareness of Salesian Brothers, it is necessary:
1/ to be clear about one’s historical context: personal, communal as well as societal.
2/ to study better Salesian magisterium in its different historical contexts (cfr. The Spiritual Identity of the Salesian Brother identity in the light of Salesian magisterium)
3/ to delve more deeply into one’s wholistic experience of one’s life and mission.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1- What is your personal historical context to know Salesian Brother’s vocation?
2- What are the challenges from your societal, communal context for the awareness of Salesian Brother identity?
3- How is the magisterium helping us to understand better this identity?
4- How has the magisterium on Salesian Brother identity/vocation been incorporated in Salesian communities?
5- What misconceptions, unfounded perceptions need to be identified and challenged to arrive at a better understanding of the Salesian Brother’s vocation?
