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30 March 1996 A week with the laity [274] 1. Presence of lay brothers and sisters They arrived as expected and have been involved in the life and realities of the Chapter; they have taken part in discussions in the assembly; they have been responsibly implicated in the subsequent redrafting of documents, and have helped to increase our knowledge of the different branches of the Salesian Family. Their presence has been of real worth because of the consistency of their contributions, and has also had a symbolic value as a sign for the Congregation. Certainly its influence will be multiplied in Salesian communities. Fr. Vecchi renewed his thanks to them for their contribution to the
Chapter, and referred to the difficulties that had been experienced in
getting them there: first they had to be sought and invited, and then there
were problems to be overcome with regard to employment and other obligations;
but the results had been more than satisfactory, and well repaid all the
efforts. [275] 2. The first discussion in the assembly had been completed in respect of each of the six parts into which the Capitular Document had been divided. Interventions and personal contributions had been abundant. The first commission had received 137, the second 70, the third 49, the fourth 37, the fifth 61 and the sixth 36. A total of 390 interventions (verbal or written) - an average of 1.8 pages per capitular (including the lay participants). Some were frequent contributors, some wrote nothing at all but took part through the soundings and straw votes, but wisdom is made up of a combination of words and silence. Some determining aspects received many comments, e.g. the relationship
between the laity and consecrated life: that rapport which goes beyond
courtesy and welcoming acceptance, and consists rather in the exchange
of talents for the building of the educative community and the education
of the young; the animating nucleus; the definition of Salesian Movement
and Salesian Family. From the lengthy discussions Fr. Vecchi emphasized certain elements, without going into details of the contents which will come later. The first element is the concrete nature of approach and the effort at definition. We did well not to seek enthusiastically utopian terms in trying to define the precise practical significance of terms. Perhaps here lay the source of the desire for a vocabulary of terms, and examples of a kind we could not accept (cf. the suggestion made in the assembly of an example on the lines of the McDonald's fast-food chain). A second element is the many references to lived experiences which enable
all to see the possibilities of realizing the suggestions made. Moreover
there was a constant search for foundations and inspirations for evaluating
individual experiences and for maintaining the charismatic originality
of different solutions. [276] 3. The third achievement was the examination of the discussions on the part of the commissions; thus began the preparation of the second draft of the document. Great care went into the effort to integrate into the text the different contributions, including those of the laity, and even the Apostolic Exhortation Vita consecrata which had only recently been published. Sometimes these integrations brought about a reduction in the number of pages and at the same time a concentration of the contents. And so we are moving towards the definitive text; there will be further discussions, more soundings with straw votes, and then the definitive systemization. 4. The future path of the document from its present state to its conclusion is now clear; it must be completed in the three weeks of the Chapter which now remain. In the process has also been included the work of the group which will give unity to the style of the document and make the final text easier to read. 5. The results at personal level are evident: all have been able to get a universal vision of the situation, all know where we are and what we still have to do, and all know the conditions to be fulfilled if we are to realize our objectives. 6. The seventh commission has finalized the definition of the Regions after overcoming mountainous difficulties. All these "regions" have been approved by the assembly with a majority of more than two-thirds. This brings me to the end of the points I had listed, and so I have
reached the goal ahead of the others (applause). And now one or two comments about the discussions [277] 1. Looking for equilibrium There is an equilibrium or balance to be fostered personally, in the document, in the government of the provinces and houses, and there are some other complementary requirements. The documents are reaching this balance. The Rector Major spoke rather about some aspects indicating a "strong disparity".
All are equal in dignity and in the vocation to holiness and in the possibility of formation, but as regards the human condition the Spirit has made them different so as to enrich communion. An example is provided by man and woman, who are equal in dignity in marriage and hence there is a reciprocal relationship, but each has the specific elements of their particular human condition: this not for the purpose of establishing a hierarchy but so as to make the personal gift with generosity. In this way we have to think of the gifts or endowments of the laity, but also of what is given by consecrated Salesians to the laity, amongst which we must not forget the priestly manifestations. To be a priest means not only to exercise a particular function, but also to allow oneself to be moulded interiorly so as to be conformed to Christ, the "Good Shepherd". The Salesian Family can be extended to include all those who make some gesture of empathy with Don Bosco; but one must then consider whether the bonds created are such as to enable the person concerned to be a bearer of the spirituality which makes the Salesian Family to be the animating nucleus of a boundless movement. Such movements cannot function without the input of "leaven", and we have to think at the same time of extending the influence and of fostering the "leaveners". Certainly all could be part of the educative community, even those who intend to limit themselves to human values and have no intention of considering the possibility of the faith. education and pastoral work ordinary and extraordinary conditions. In some circumstances an educative community can take up certain items difficult to manage, but one has to consider whether such a situation can be proposed as a general norm for giving consistency either to the province or to our educative and pastoral activity. Maintaining the elasticity between these priorities is a guarantee of operative concreteness, and means actuating the "grace of unity" which is always quoted. The General Chapter is called upon not only to point to goals and utopias,
but also to present practical ways of realizing them. [278] 2. The "animating nucleus". Another comment concerns the "animating nucleus"; this is a theme which provoked a great deal of interest, and rightly so because it involves the new position of the Salesian community in a work or initiative. And here there is the question of the educative and pastoral identity of the Salesian community, and also of its educational results. This is a problem which had caused concern to Don Bosco himself in the conditions of his own time, when he had emphasized the importance of the Rector and his council, and had given to the Rector indications for animating both young people and adults. It will be well in the first place to give clear expression to the various levels of animation: those of organization, daily coordination, methodical follow-up, educative guidance (as regards content and objectives), then spiritual and Christian formation, and above all the ensuring of the spiritual identity of everything. These levels are interlinked, but a distinction can be made between them. Some aspects are more decisive than others. Secondly, it is important that the SDBs, wherever they are present, be always the animating nucleus; that every SDB be capable of animating and dedicate himself to animation, and that the community as a group sees it as a primary function to be carried out together. This is something that belongs intimately to their vocation as Salesians and consecrated persons. The consecrated community is always a strong point of formation of the Church. Around it become created circles of communion and participation. This does not mean that it is at the centre as an organizing nucleus, nor that it is alone in the task of animation; in the latter lay people too take part, in line with their own progress and that of the community. It is a good and desirable thing that lay people be present in the animating nucleus, but it is most important that SDBs be not lacking in it. It is even possible to have an animating nucleus at local level made up of laity alone, but with the assistance of SDBs as a reference point, either at provincial level or from a nearby community which will see to charismatic aspects and provide a ministerial presence. And this not in any weak form; in fact, the stronger the presence of the laity, the more substantial must be the assistance of the province or the nearby community, because Christian availability must never be left without corresponding encouragement and support. Finally, with reference to such situations in a province one must ask:
how many can be sustained efficaciously? Because the principle is not to
"occupy" the greatest possible space, but rather to see whether
the enterprise is fruitful in terms of formation of Church, of evangelization,
in giving rise to vocations. [279] 3. And here there is another discrepancy. It is true that we are for the world, but the Church has never thought of the world without thinking of herself at the same time; and this not to impose on others or seek privileges for herself, but to examine her own identity and the conditions for her activity. Being 'for' the world is not to be interpreted only in terms of extension,
but as providing strong Christian leaven. The world does not live in terms
of quantity alone, but both world and culture progress in terms of the
quality of stimulation. [280] 4. Finally we must remember that there can be other subjects totally responsible for works which are called Salesian, because they intend to apply the Salesian spirit and style, and it is not in the interests of the Congregation to take on the main responsibility for all these works, especially if there are people available who are able to do so in their own name. One thinks of Cooperators, Past-pupils, 'Damas Salesianas', etc. This implies on our part a different kind of assistance and follow-up, which does not correspond to the action of an 'animating nucleus'; the latter belongs to the subject with responsibility for the work. As the Rector Major drew towards a conclusion, he emphasized that what
he had said was not intended to close any horizons but to point to paths
it was possible to follow. But before closing his wide-ranging, rich and significant comments which threw light on what the Chapter had done and what still remained for it to do, he had also a word for the laity present. They would not be present during the work which still lay ahead, and this caused a certain nostalgia. Theirs, in fact, had been a welcome and enriching presence, for which we must thank them once again, but there will not be any formal leave-taking. What is happening is that they are being sent-out, so to speak, on a mission as though we are saying: "Go", go to the places where Salesians and laity are working together, go to the communities of consecrated Salesians. They are sent to proclaim an innovation: "we believe that it is
possible, and we intend to work as an integrated family, as a movement
that wants to gather up even the crumbs of good will and empathy of all
who want to place themselves at the service of the young, and especially
the poorer ones among them". |