DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR WORKS DON BOSCO
Via della Pisana 1111 - 00163 Rome
The General Councilor for Formation
Rome, 28 May 2012
Prot. 12/0195
To the Reverend
Your Headquarters
For knowledge of the
Reverend
Your Headquarters
Dear Delegate,
I am writing to you about the service that initial and ongoing formation can offer to the journey towards the GC27 in these years 2012-2013. It is a journey that is intertwined with the second and third years of preparation for the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco.
It is up to you, together with the Provincial, the Regulator of the Provincial Chapter and the Provincial Formation Commission, to reflect on how to harmonize this double attention of preparation to the General Chapter and the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco. It is also up to the Province to see how to keep in mind and value the ecclesial events that will characterize this period: the Year of Faith and the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the new evangelization.
To help the confreres "reflect praying" on the fundamental themes of the GC27, the Salesian Biblical Association is preparing the "lectio divina" on some topics concerning the three nuclei of the next Chapter. Thus, in addition to the reflection of the communities during the year of preparation, there will also be support for their personal and community prayer in the light of the Word of God. To see "if, how and when" to take this proposal, which seems to me interesting and authoritative.
The Salesian Biblical Association, which has renewed the Presidency Council and has as its president Don Juan José Bartolomé, has also planned the exegetical - spiritual deepening of some significant biblical texts on the theme "Witnesses of evangelical radicalism", with the contribution of Salesian biblical scholars. This work is expected to be ready before the GC27.
I cordially greet you and thank you for your attention.
Don Francesco Cereda
"Lectio divina" on the essential nuclei of the GC 27
A proposal of the Salesian Biblical Association
The "lectio divina", which in reality is a simple start to it, will develop in three or four pages and will have an identical structure:
The biblical texts and the authors of these meditations to start the "lectio" on the fundamental nuclei of the GC27 are the following:
a) Mystics in the Spirit: Don Juan José Bartolomé
Paul's vocation: Gal 1,13-17
The rich young man: Mk 10,17-31
b) Prophets of the fraternity: Fr Giorgio Zevini
Primitive common life: Acts 4,32-35
Common life and gifts of the Spirit: 1 Cor 12
c) Servants of young people: Don Frank Moloney
Feeding the multitudes: Mk 6.30-44
Everything for everyone: 1 Cor 9
The choice of these themes and their justification refer to the "Letter of the Rector Major" for the call of the GC27 and to the "Trace of reflection and work on the theme of the GC27", as found in the Acts of the General Council number 413.
Meditation texts with their translations will most likely be ready by the end of June. As soon as they are translated, I'll get them to you.
