TRAINING - LETTERS

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR WORKS DON BOSCO
Via della Pisana 1111 - 00163 Rome

The General Councilor for Formation

Rome, 7 May 2012
Prot. 12/0177

To the Reverend
Provincial Formation Delegate,
Your Home

For information to the
Reverend
Mr. Inspector
His Seat

Subject: Reading of some statistical data for the year 2011

Dear Delegates,

                               at the beginning of each year, the statistical data of the Congregation for the previous year are studied in the General Council. I think it is useful that they are also known in the Provinces; they invite us to reflect and make specific choices in a targeted manner.

Initial formation in the Congregation

* To read the first three columns, you need this attention. Novices entering a certain year, make their first profession the following year; therefore the novices who came out are the difference between the novices entered in a given year and those who professed the following year. Example: in 2002, 607 novices entered and in 2003 they professed 470 newly professed; therefore the difference between the novices entered in the year 2002 and the novices who professed the following year 2003 is 137 novices; this number is placed in the line "novices left" in 2002. In 2011, 414 novices entered; but we will know the number of the newly professed and therefore of the novices left, at the end of 2012.

Ongoing formation in the Congregation

* For the reading of the columns concerning the dispensations from the celibacy, the secularisations and the resignations, the numbers do not concern those for whom in a given year the request was presented, but those for whom in that particular year the practice came to conclusion.

Novices according to the Regions

Quantitative surveys

Seeing the statistics, we must first of all thank God for the vocations he sends us. On the other hand, there are some worrying data that require careful consideration. In reading the data for the 2002-2011 period it seems that the year 2007 is a discriminating moment.
1. The novices entered the novitiate in 2011 were 414, that is 118 novices less than the previous year, equal to 22.18% less. From 2002 until 2006 the novices were on average around 585 a year. From 2007 to 2011 there is an annual average of 511; in this period there was therefore a vocational decline of about 74 novices per year, equal to 12.65% less than the average of novices of the period 2002-2006. This is the first worrying fact.
2. The novices leftduring the novitiate from 2002 until 2010 there were 1,119 out of a total of 5,077 novices entered; this means that out of an annual average of 564 novices, an average of 124 came out, equal to 22% of novices entering. From 2002 to 2006, on an annual average of 585, an average of 130 novices a year came out, around 23%; while from 2007 to 2010 on an average of 535 novices an average of 116 per year came out, equal to about 21%. Therefore the exits during the novitiate tend to decrease a little in proportion. This is a slightly positive figure.
3. The temporary professed who leftfrom 2002 to 2011 there were an annual average of 218 confreres; from 2002 to 2006 there was an annual average of 226 temporary professed who left; from 2007 to 2011 there was an average of 209 temporary professed who left. In this second period, even if the average has decreased, not only have we not yet had a true turnaround, but the situation has worsened, given the decrease in the period of temporary professed due to the decrease in novices. This is the second point that we must question.
4. The perpetually professedfrom 2002 to 2011 they were an average of 240 per year. From 2002 to 2006 there was an annual average of 258 and from 2007 to 2011 an annual average of 222. Although in 2010 we had 177 perpetual professed and in 2011 we had a recovery with 231 perpetual professed, the average decline in perpetual professed continues . This is the third negative figure.
5. Perpetually professed Salesian brothersthey entered from 2002 to 2006 an average of 33 per year, while from 2007 to 2011 they were an average of 17 per year; also in this case a decrease is noted. In addition, the perpetually professed Salesian brothers who came out between 2002 and 2006 averaged 13 per year, while from 2007 to 2011 they were an average of 10 per year. Considering the perpetually professed who have entered, the number of Salesian perpetually professed brothers who have come out is worrying, and in proportion to the income in the second period is increasing.
6. The Salesian priestswhich were ordered from 2002 to 2006 have been an annual average of 221 per year; from 2007 to 2011 they were an average of 200 per year. Furthermore, the Salesian priests, who came out of a dispensation from celibacy, secularization "praevio experimento" and "simpliciter", resignation, were 88 + 39 + 54 + 127 = 308 from 2002 to 2006, with an annual average of 61 presbyters per year. From 2007 to 2011 there were 67 + 84 + 61 + 152 = 364, with an annual average of around 73 per year. Also these two data of presbyteral ordinations and presbyterate exits are negative.
7. The proportion between Salesian brothers and clericsat the end of 2011 it is 1 to 7. From 2002 to 2006 the proportion of newly professed brothers, compared to the newly professed clerics, was of the order of 1 to 8; from 2007 to 2011 the proportion of newly professed brothers, compared to the newly professed clerics, is 1 to 11. As can also be seen, the numerical situation of the Salesian brothers is decreasing.
8. The regional vocational trendalso deserves attention. From 2002 until 2011, looking at the number of novices, there is a strong drop in vocations for Western Europe, Italy - Middle East and America South Cone; the continuous decrease for Interamerica and Northern Europe; the number of novices remains constant for South Asia and East Asia-Oceania; finally, in these years there has been a strong increase for Africa - Madagascar. Vocations therefore diminish in a worrying way in five regions; in one they remain constant in two and in one increase.

Qualitative surveys

After the quantitative reading of the data, a qualitative reading is needed; the statistics can suggest us some questions. Why does the number of novices decrease? Why is there still a substantial number of novices leaving the novitiate? Why does a large number of students continue to come out during temporary profession? Why do the vocations of Salesian brothers diminish? Why do so many Salesian priests ask to go to the diocese? Why does the number of resignations increase? This reading is for the Provinces and Regions; I now offer some relief at the level of the Congregation.

Substantial decrease in novices. This year, compared to the previous year, the novices have fallen by 118. We must ask ourselves if our communities live a life that attracts vocations or if they are not very credible. Vocations are the result of quality youth ministry, including good vocational animation centered on prayer, proposal, accompaniment. Our vocational animation instead is still weak; a model of local vocational animation is lacking, which can involve every Salesian community and educative pastoral community and which knows how to train lay people in pastoral work and in the care of vocations. It is necessary to make the vocational culture grow and to value the vocational opportunities of the Salesian Youth Movement, especially with apostolic groups, volunteering and mission animation.
Novice exits during the novitiate . The number of novices they leave during the novitiate is decreasing, but we still have to work in this direction. If the experience of the aspirantate and the prenovitiate is strengthened, then we can hope for an improvement in the situation; we have good guidelines in this regard; this will allow for more prepared candidates for the novitiate. In these two phases it is necessary to ensure the centrality of the spiritual experience, the strengthening of vocational motivations, personal accompaniment in the various forms of spiritual guidance, psychological help and Confession, the consistency of the teams.
Formandi leave during temporary profession. There has been a slight decrease in those in formation who leave during temporary profession, but there has not yet been a reversal of the trend; the number of those who leave at this stage is still substantial and is not only the consequence of a more accurate discernment. While once the specific training was the most difficult phase, today the phases of the post-novitiate and of the training are very delicate. We have already reflected on the training several times; we must pay more attention to the post-novitiate, in all its dynamics, including that concerning studies and their educational value.
Releases of Salesian Brothers after perpetual profession. These outputs are numerous, as are the revenues. The revision of the "Ratio" about the formation of the Salesian brother will help us to face the new formation situations of this vocation. Certainly it is necessary for everyone to strengthen our identity as a Salesian consecrated vocation in its entirety.
Resignation from the Congregation. The number of resignations, compared to other forms of exit after perpetual profession, is high. On the one hand, this means that we have taken into greater account irregular situations and cases of lack of religious discipline. This also asks us to pay more attention to preventing unpleasant situations and to taking care of vocational fidelity; it is necessary to better focus the phase of the first insertion in the responsibilities during the "quinquennium"; account must be taken of the local and provincial community climate and the joy that the confreres find in fulfilling the Salesian mission.
secularizations. This year, the secularizations "simpliciter" and "praevio esperimento" were 28, while the previous year were 37; these are confreres who choose to go to the diocese. It should be noted that there are difficulties in community life, individualism increases in the mission, full awareness of the identity of consecrated life is lacking, it is necessary to know how to prevent situations of pastoral, economic and community independence.

I offered you some reflections in the margins of the statistical data; I invite you to share this letter, in the light of your provincial situation, with the Directors, formators, the Provincial Formation Commission, the Provincial and the Provincial Council.
The choice of the theme of the GC27, " Witnesses of Gospel radicalism ", can also help us overcome some of these situations, as well as making Salesian consecrated life beautiful and attractive. We entrust ourselves to the care and protection of the Virgin Help of Christians. Sincerely

Don Francesco Cereda