THIRD PART

The work is one of inculcating awareness: change and ecclesial renewal, the attention being given to the emerging culture with the upgrading and liberation of women, the practical situations of communities which can no longer face up alone to the obligation of evangelization — all these things make it urgently necessary at a practical level that Salesians and communities take on the function of "centers of communion and participation, capable of gathering together and stimulating those whom the Spirit calls to work with youth" (GC23, 218).

The development of such awareness will surely lead the Salesian community to organize itself in a renewed form. A lay project, compelling the community to look also at the world’s point of view, requires a different way of organizing the communal and apostolic dimension, even as regards the material space destined for their religious community.

The GC23 defined very appropriately what such formation means: "to foster their professional approach, educational ability, and witness as regards education to the faith" (GC23, 237). Professional competence, educational ability, gospel witness, together form the frame of reference for the development of a spirituality (called by us Salesians SALESIAN YOUTH SPIRITUALITY) centered on the daily life of the lay believer.

The commonly used phrase here takes on a new weight and value, and prompts the development of new forms of relationship with the persons concerned: such things as trust, friendly rapport, sharing, respect for differences, etc.

We must not stop at merely external aspects, important though they be, but aim at practical communion and the broadening of responsibilities to be assumed by persons and groups. The making of responsible interventions is a right and duty of all before being a privilege of a few; it is a question of the common good and not of some people having to give way. And so such structures should be laid down, with times, manner of working, and means of participation.

In our Salesian tradition we already have various applications of lay participation in the life and mission of the community: working groups, consultant bodies for various sectors, management councils, etc.

The presence of lay people in the educative and pastoral project inserts the Salesian community into the local neighborhood in a more evident and committed manner. Don Bosco’s idea was to involve the greatest possible number of people of every social level and profession in a project for the salvation of the young and the preparation of a "Christian" society (cf. Braido, Progetto Operativo).

The field of education, once thought of in a restricted manner, has been gradually enlarged until it now embraces both cultural and political aspects: looking first of all to the future, the educative character of social life and the urban environment, and culture as the origin and bearer of particular moral criteria.

Social communication has made it possible to launch enterprises not circumscribed by a particular locality, and to create ways of collaboration that do not require those involved to be in the same geographic location.

Non-institutionalized working environments of this kind can be produced by free promotional and cultural initiatives, or by channels of communication which create references to reality and common values, even though there may be variety in the places of work and activity: centers for producing messages, the animation of scattered groups, retreat houses, teams promoting voluntary work or working to influence public opinion, publications designed to keep particular groups together etc.

Initiatives of this kind can also be linked to pastoral and educative works.

This way of looking at Salesian activity is in line with our fundamental options: the educative option for the poorer classes, wide collaboration, a proper idea of the function of the laity, evangelization of the culture of the middle and lower classes.

An educative process is required. The provincial and local communities must first assess their own present situation as regards their involvement of the laity and the sharing of responsibility with them. The happy discovery of what is already being lived and realized will lead to a continuation of the process towards what is new.

This is the most significant way of sharing because it simultaneously commits both Salesians and lay people to a process of growth and maturing. The shared process is sustained by the inspiration of the same charisma. The "originality" of the gifts present in the Salesian community and in the lay people, while needing harmonious composition and arrangement, also enriches the different groups that cooperate in the same educative and pastoral project.

The originality, sharing and harmonious arrangement require that the roles be defined and respected.

The Salesian community, in drawing up the educative and pastoral project, has already given sufficient definition to figures and roles.

The work must be taken up again and reformulated from the standpoint of the "originality" and "responsibility" of the lay person inserted in our works and activities.

We cannot exclude a priori that lay people may assume directive roles. There are certain situations in which this in fact is already the case. In other cases it can be foreseen as a future possibility. The situation must always be viewed in a context of respect for both person and role.

The communities have a long way to go as far as the cordial reception of the changing reality is concerned.

NB. The Apostolic Exhortation on the lay faithful points to the formation of lay people as an urgent pastoral priority at the present day. Aspects of the question are specified in Chapter 5 of the Exhortation. But It would be a mistake to concentrate our attention only on the indications and specifications found in that chapter. It is indispensable to consider the document as a whole, as regards the

• identity of the lay person (ch.1);
• his secular characteristics (ch. 2)
• the new frontiers of his obligations (ch. 3)
• his various possibilities for service (ch. 4)

But the elements emerging must then be considered in the light of local problems where we are working, and of the challenges of the emerging culture.

The constitution of the educative community is the first specific and concrete objective of the lay project.

This is not something left to individual choice; it has to be an obligatory model at provincial level. There is no lack of practical indications in the General Chapters. From the GC19, the Congregation has been reflecting on the matter and has indicated the nature, composition and function of the educative community. The terminology used for the various areas of evangelization must not detract from the substance of the reality: "it involves young people and adults, parents and educators, in a family atmosphere, so that it can become a living experience of Church and a revelation of God’s plan for us" (GC23, 232).

The educative community is called to be the subject with overall responsibility for the whole process of growth; it is the natural place for formation and for educational, spiritual and Salesian formation. When it becomes active, the educative community generates other participating organisms.

The fundamental areas whose growth should be fostered are the follow

• the area of youth animation,
• the area of culture and education,
• the area of professional competence,
• the area of evangelization and religious experience,
• the area of spirituality and Salesianity.

Programming is always a very concrete operation: it defines, describes, and organizes objectives, structures, means, experiences and times.

A reference model ensures gradual growth in the interior assimilation of a proposal. Moreover it prompts experiences of communion and innovations linked with the effective and determining presence of the lay people.

The third Capitular Deliberation (GC23, 232-238) points several times to the importance of a particular animation of the Salesian Family within the giving of proper value to the laity (GC23, 233-234).

In areas where various groups of the Family are inserted, the comprehensive nature of the Salesian family must be made manifest. The capacity for internal communion in the Family will be expressed also through a public and official plan on the level of education and on that of evangelization. To this end the consulting groups and councils of the Salesian Family at local and provincial level, provide an experience that helps to create and strengthen the Family sense.

FOURTH PART

For the drawing up of a "provincial project", what has already been said may well suffice. The purpose of this fourth part is to offer further points that specify and apply our COMMITMENTS WITH RESPECT TO LAY PEOPLE, with more particular reference to two aspects:

• the educative community
• the Salesian presence in the locality.

For a greater involvement and formation of lay people, the main obligations of-the educative community may be set out as follows:

• keep up to date as regards the youth situation and sensitize the whole of the educative community with respect to it,
• create opportunities for young people to take part and follow them up in their maturing process;
• draw up an educative plan which is rich in suggestions;
• check periodically on how it is being carried out;
• give lay people responsibility for directive tasks;
• define the tasks of the Salesian animators of the educative community, giving due attention to the growth process of each one, and considering the starting point and rhythm of each one as criteria for action.

In this connection it will be necessary to:

• maintain the identity of the project, following up its realization in particular sectors and activities;
• willingly accept different levels of collaboration and integration;
• preserve an open dialog on matters of life and faith;
• adopt in institutions of a cultural and secular character the criteria obtaining in society: professional approach, quality of intervention, guidance by experts, etc.

Obligatory steps for rendering the educative community efficient include the following.

• Define at provincial level the time and manner for the constitution of the educative community in schools and training centers, oratories and parishes.
• Prepare rectors and directive personnel in school, oratories and parishes, for the animation of the community through the organization and exercise of shared responsibility.
• Draw up a program at local level for the motivation and cultural, professional and Christian growth of the laity, through the elaboration, realization and verification of the project and other specific proposals.
• Bring together from all over the province lay people from our various works for annual days of meeting and reflection, and also for verification in common on a wider scale.
• Try out new forms of shared responsibility and management: directive responsibilities, delegating lay people to manage works which still remain part of the province, separation of administration.
• Put the "Salesian Family" to them as a setting for their human and ecclesial commitment.

The gifts of religious and those of lay people are lived simultaneously in the same geographic space. The local neighborhood makes it possible to reach the greatest possible number of people and to involve them in the problems and concrete possibilities of a human group. In the concrete local area a more committed formation should be organized for those lay persons who will be animators of others of the laity.

The neighborhood, moreover, can become the practical scene in which exemplary initiatives of collaboration and shared responsibility between religious and lay people can give rise among the latter to new vocations. For this reason we suggest the following:

The individual "works" become centers for educative and cultural interests outside the primary scope of the foundation. The educative communities and the province itself should see to it that they are involved in the neighborhood by their competence in educational matters when human problems are being discussed, especially when they concern young people. Components present in all works (e.g. parents, past pupils) should be organized at a social level on a wider scale.

Due value should be given to new forms of involvement: voluntary work, conscientious objection, the formation of animators, collaboration of various kinds at practical and economic levels.

Educative communities and the province should keep in touch with those working in the fields of evangelization and human advancement, and try to support them both practically and spiritually. Lines of communication should be established to ensure contact with all who feel themselves linked in some way; with what the Salesians are doing.

The Congregation has a great deal of experience in the matter of the EDUCATIVE COMMUNITY. In the spirit of the deliberations of the GC23 the General Council undertakes the following obligations:

• Diffusion of experiences concerning the participation, shared responsibility and formation of lay people in the educative communities.
• Indication of outlines for a provincial statute concerning the participation of the laity.
• Provision of guidelines for the formation of lay collaborators.

The General Council will study forms of linkage and communication at regional and world level of the Association of Parents in schools and oratories.

The foregoing material is offered to Salesian provinces. The provinces should organize work with a view to the drawing up of a "lay project", so that the material offered may provide a framework within which to insert the needs and perspectives of each province.

The General Council, following the lines already explained, will continue to stimulate the work of the provincial communities, and will be ready to follow up processes of growth.

We are convinced that in all this we are meeting a challenge that bodes well for the future.

N.B. All concerned in drawing up the Lay Project are recommended to take a good look at certain texts of the magisterium: LG (Chap 4.), AA, CL.

A further study is recommended of the aids published by the Department for Youth Pastoral Work:

Elementi e linee per un progetto educativo pastorale;

Comunità salesiana sul territorio. Presenza e missione (1986).

All concerned in drawing up the Lay Project are recommended to make a common study of the following texts:

Fr. E. Vigaṇ: "The Association of Salesian Cooperators", circular letter of 24-2-86.

Fr. E. Vigaṇ: "The Past Pupils of Don Bosco", circular letter of 24-2-86.

AA. VV. La Donna nel carisma Salesiano: apporto della donna e in particolare de S. Maria Mazzerello al carisma Salesiano, LDC 1981.

AA. VV. Le vocazioni nella Famiglia Salesiana, LDC 1982.

AA.VV. I laici nella Famiglia Salesiana, LDC 1986.