The launching of the Chapter's work

2 March 1996

[268]

A word about the twelve days we have already experienced. They have been marked by some effective realizations:

• the opening of the Chapter, with a general vision of its nature and tasks;
• the 4-day retreat, to lift us to a proper spiritual and Salesian level;
• we have heard, studied and gone more deeply into the Report on the state of the Congregation to an extent that went beyond the practice of previous Chapters; and we deduced the urgent need for a study of the present theme and the elements of a global response to the Salesian vocation;
• we have studied and approved the Chapter Regulations, not as a mere formality but as a condition for validity and for mutual understanding;
• we have approved the basic working document after an intense discussion in which many took part;
• the presidency has been completed with the election of the chairmen and the completing of the Central Coordinating Committee;
• the Commissions have been set up and have already elected their own presidents, secretaries and spokesmen;
• the overall general calendar has been approved, covering:
• elections
• meeting with the laity
• definitive polishing up
• closure;
• we approved a manner of communal discernment to combine in the best way possible the personal process with access to all the information that could come from the community. Fr. Vecchi emphasized that the choice had been made on the basis of a specific request from the GC23 in view of a phenomenon that had been pointed out: some items of information remained concealed in national groups or tendencies; it ensures that there will be nothing to fear on grounds of discretion because there will be no general assemblies during the discernment process and no signatures will be asked for at any stage; what is asked for is absolute purity of intention;
• the Committee for Information has been set up; it is responsible before the Congregation and public opinion for the diffusion of information about the Chapter; naturally the committee can use the services of other agencies and preferably the ANS, which has our confidence, for passing on correct information about the aims and content of the GC24; the responsibility for such information cannot be delegated to others.

The work of this first phase of the Chapter has been abundant, and the results more than satisfying. The conduct of business has been skillful, sure and respectful.

In this first phase the assembly has practised the responsible use of: study, participation in discussion, request for clarifications, voting, and acceptance of results.

We now have available all the instruments needed for working with intelligence, wise choice and discernment.

Some communal and decisive objectives for the attainment of the Chapter's goals have been launched or achieved: our community has become progressively integrated at fraternal, cultural and Salesian level, with the knowledge, esteem and appreciation of our differences; we have celebrated personal birthdays, feast days, etc. in a suitable manner at table, and in praying together. We recognize that language imposes a barrier, but that somehow we have to get over the difficulty, accepting the use of translation as necessary for communication. We have developed trusting relationships: when we express our opinions we have no hidden intentions: we keep nothing up our sleeves.

Realizing that we are a Capitular Community, we have accepted and made our own the need to adopt a universal perspective which rises above regions and nations in exchanging experiences and cultures at personal level and in sharing liturgical moments. The latter are not closed to exclusively linguistic groups; we must remember that the Region is seen as an exclusive element only for the election of the Regional Councillor.

All this serves to place us on a charismatic platform which unites us in the sense that all matters, problems and proposals, are seen in the perspective of the nature, form and structure of Salesian originality, i.e. in the light of the charism and not of fleeting facts and circumstances.

We now prepare ourselves to face the second stage:

1. the drawing up of guidelines on the theme of the Chapter;
2. integrations in the Constitutions and Regulations.

The quality of the work of the commissions is of great importance. All the capitulars without exception are obliged to make use of their time and intelligence in study, research, reading and discussion. In this work it is essential that there be communication between commissions and the assembly, which alone has authority; the function of the commissions is to prepare and facilitate the work of the assembly.

Fr. Vecchi concluded emphasizing that we must "let ourselves converge", i.e. bring about an interior convergence which will also be the result of a rethinking of what is necessary, urgent and possible.