2. LAY COLLABORATORS IN PLURIRILIGIOUS AND PLURICULTURAL CONTEXTS2.1 Ecclesial references [183] There is a fundamental unity among all human beings, in so far as they have God as their origin and the fullness of life in God as their destiny.5 There is also a single history of salvation for the whole human race6 with at its centre Christ Jesus, who in his incarnation "in a certain way united himself with each individual".7 The presence and activity of the Word and of the Spirit, even beyond the confines of the Church,8 give origin to positive values and elements of grace also in the various religious traditions.9 This does not imply that everything is good in these religions. Because of the consequences of sin, truth and error, good and evil, cannot always be clearly distinguished. This requires careful discernment.10 The fundamental unity of all human beings, the positive values and elements of grace present in the traditional religions, encourage the Church to enter into "dialogue and collaboration" with them.11 Faith in Christ and baptism, the sacrament of unity, are in Christians of other denominations the foundation of a communion, albeit imperfect, with the Catholic Church, and this communion makes possible a deeper dialogue. Dialogue is of various kinds:
The Church is ready for dialogue and collaboration with everyone: with Christians of other denominations, with members of other religious traditions, with persons who respect human values, and even with those who are opposed to the Church and persecute it.13 In this way the Church, while avoiding the dangers of syncretism and without failing in the duty of evangelizing and proclaiming the Good News, tries to collaborate with all for the building of God's Kingdom, definitively inaugurated by Jesus Christ,14 which is the duty of every individual, of society, and of the whole world.15 Ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue and collaboration are a serious obligation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life, and this requires an adequate formation.16 2.2 Salesian references [184] At the beginning Don Bosco's collaborators were Catholics. But
he was ready to accept the help and collaboration of others. In
1881, writing to a Jew who had expressed surprise and
bewilderment at finding his name included in a list of
cooperators, he said: "It is perhaps very unusual for a
Catholic priest to propose an association of charity to an
Israelite! But the Lord's charity has no limits, and excludes no
one on grounds of age, condition or belief...".17 Don Bosco's attitude fosters in us the same openness at the present day. We can invite lay people of different beliefs to collaborate with us in an educative project applicable to different situations and cultures: The aspect of religious transcendence, the cornerstone of Don Bosco's pedagogical method, is not only applicable to every culture but can also be profitably adapted even to non-christian religions".18 "There, (in territories of first evangelization), it will be possible to work efficaciously, even with lay people who do not belong to the Catholic Church, provided that there is the ability to live to the full the experience of Don Bosco and to put forward in an integral manner both his educative system and his apostolic spirit".19 For such contexts it is important that the Salesian live in fidelity to his own charism and to the evangelizing mission of the Church,20 inserting various elements into his intervention: the witness of Christian life, commitment to human advancement and social justice, prayer and contemplation, inter-religious dialogue, direct proclamation of Christ's Gospel. 2.3 Guidelines [185] From the ecclesial and Salesian references we can deduce two criteria for our guidance in the delicate process of communion and sharing with lay people of other traditions and convictions. a. The fundamental criterion is the preventive system. With those who do not accept God we can journey together, basing ourselves on the human and lay values present in the preventive system; with those who do accept God and the transcendent we can go further, even to welcoming their religious values; and finally, with those who share our faith in Christ but not our membership of the Church, we can walk still more closely on the path of the Gospel. b. Since the mission to youth leads to an education which is at the same time evangelization, no collaboration is possible with those who are not open to a search for God. Nevertheless they will not be excluded from our pastoral concern. This is the case especially with persons adhering to certain sects, movements or ideologies with convictions hostile to the Christian faith. 2.4 Practical commitments [186] a. The GC24 asks the Salesians and the CEPs for a greater awareness of the rich possibilities offered us by lay collaborators of other religions and convictions, and asks urgently for a vital and practical dialogue to be begun with them in the area of the education of the young. b. In the next six years a deep and accurate study should be made of our rapport with them in all its breadth, having always in mind the ultimate objective of the fullness of the proclamation of Christ. c. Their presence should be exploited in our works, meeting their desire to be recognized as valid collaborators in the Salesian mission. d. Together with them a qualified and adequate formation should be promoted on he salient aspects of the preventive system, and on the humanistic, ethical, transcendent and religious values contained in it. e. An intelligent collaboration should be fostered with other
public or private organisms which work for the benefit of the
young. 17 Collected Letters, V n. 2247 19 Message of Pope to GC24, Oss. Rom. [Eng. Edtn], 13 March '96 |