25th GENERAL CHAPTER

part 1:             part 2:             part 3:      

List of participants

General Council
1	RMG	P	VAN LOOY	Luc		Vicar General		Belgium
2	RMG	P	NICOLUSSI	Giuseppe		Coun. Formation.		Italy
3	RMG	P	DOMENECH	Antonio		Coun. Youth Min..		Spain
4	RMG	P	MARTINELLI	Antonio		Coun. SF and CS		Italy
5	RMG	P	ODORICO	Luciano		Coun. Missions		Italy
6	RMG	P	MAZZALI	Giovanni		Economer General		Italy
7	RMG	P	BARUFFI	Helvécio		Regional Coun.		Brazil
8	RMG	P	CHAVEZ V.	Pascual		Regional Coun.		Mexico
9	RMG	P	D’SOUZA	Joaquim		Regional Coun.		India
10	RMG	P	FEDRIGOTTI	Giovanni		Regional Coun.		Italy
11	RMG	P	RODRIGUEZ T.	Antonio		Regional Coun.		Spain
12	RMG	P	RODRIGUEZ M.	Filiberto		Regional Coun.		Spain
13	RMG	P	VAN HECKE	Albert		Regional Coun.		Belgium
14	RMG	P	MARACCANI	Francesco		Secretary Gen.		Italy
Salesian Region: AFRICA – MADAGASCAR
15	AET	P	ROCA	Alfredo		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Spain
16	AET	P	BARAKI	Weldegabriel		Delegate		Ethiopia
17	AFC	P	SWErtvagher	Camiel		Provincial		Belgium
18	AFC	P	TSHIBANGU	Joachim		Delegate		Dem. R.Congo
19	AFC	P	RUVEZI	Gaston		Delegate		Dem. R.Congo
20	AFE	P	CHALISSERY	George		Provincial		India
21	AFE	P	LOWE	Glenford		Delegate		India
22	AFM	P	GORE	Robert		Sup. Vice-Prov.		South Africa
23	AFM	L	Thusi	John Butana		Delegate		Svaziland
24	AFO	P	OLIVERAS	Lluis Maria		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Spain
25	AFO	P	FERNANDEZ	Antonio César		Delegate		Spain
26	ANG	P	PICCOLI	Luiz Gonzaga		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Brazil
27	ANG	P	FAVARO	Gino		Delegate		Italy
28	ATE	P	OLAVERRI	Miguel Angel		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Spain
29	ATE	P	ASSIENE	Grégoire		Delegate		Cameroon
30	MDG	P	MIELE	Giuseppe		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Italy
31	MDG	P	SALVO	Bartolomeo		Delegate		Italy
32	ZMB	P	SOCHA	Kazimierz		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Poland
33	ZMB	P	LEWANDOWSKI	Grzegorz		Delegate		Poland
Salesian Region: LATIN AMERICA – SOUTH CONE
34	ABA	P	REPOVZ	José		Provincial		Argentina
35	ABA	P	Lapadula	Enrique		Delegate		Argentina
36	ABB	P	LOPEZ	Joaquín		Provincial		Spain
37	ABB	P	LAXAGUE	Esteban		Delegate		Argentina
38	ACO	P	JARA	Walter		Provincial		Argentina
39	ACO	P	BARBIERI	Horacio		Delegate		Argentina
40	ALP	P	FIERENS	Antonio		Provincial		Argentina
41	ALP	P	PERERA	Ramόn Darío		Delegate		Argentina
42	ARO	P	BOSIO	Carlos Alberto		Provincial		Argentina
43	ARO	L	DEVIT	Eduardo		Delegate		Argentina
44	BBH	P	SCARAMUSSA	Tarcísio		Provincial		Brazil
45	BBH	P	CARRARA DE MELO	Alfredo		Delegate		Brazil
46	BCG	P	WINKLER	Josef		Provincial		Czech Rep.
47	BCG	P	VENDRAME	Paulo Fernando		Delegate		Brazil
48	BMA	P	SUCARRATS FONT	João		Provincial		Spain
49	BMA	L	LOBATO	Antonio		Delegate		Brazil
50	BPA	P	SANDRINI	Marcos		Provincial		Brazil
51	BPA	P	Moser	Assis		Delegate		Brazil
52	BRE	P	SOBRINHO	Raimundo Ricardo		Provincial		Brazil
53	BRE	P	VANZETTA	Diego		Delegate		Italy
54	BSP	P	PESSINATTI	Nivaldo Luiz		Provincial		Brazil
55	BSP	P	SPINOSA	Benedito		Delegate		Brazil
56	CIL	P	BASTRES	Bernardo		Provincial		Chile
57	CIL	P	Strahsburger	Hugo		Delegate		Chile
58	PAR	P	CARDOZO	Miguel Angel		Provincial		Paraguay
59	PAR	P	AQUINO	Severo		Delegate		Paraguay
60	URU	P	BISIO	Enrique		Provincial		Uruguay
61	URU	P	STURLA	Daniel		Delegate		Uruguay
Salesian Region: AUSTRALIA-ASIA (AUSTRALASIA)
62	AUL	P	MURDOCH	Ian		Provincial		Australia
63	AUL	P	PAPWORTH	John		Delegate		Australia
64	CIN	P	Hon Tai-Fai	Savio		Provincial		China
65	CIN	P	LAM	Simon		Delegate		China
66	FIN	P	GUSTILO	Francis		Provincial		Philippines
67	FIN	L	FERRER	Jose Maria		Delegate		Philippines
68	FIS	P	BUZON	Patricio		Provincial		Philippines
69	FIS	P	BACLIG	Mario		Delegate		Philippines
70	GIA	P	FUJIKAWA	Nagaki Stefano		Provincial		Japan
71	GIA	P	PUPPO	Orlando Lorenzo		Delegate		Argentina
72	INB	P	COELHO	Ivo		Provincial		India
73	INB	P	FURTADO	Adolf		Delegate		India
74	INB	P	NORONHA	Romulo		Delegate		India
75	INC	P	ALENCHERRY	Francis		Provincial		India
76	INC	P	Berger	John		Delegate		India
77	INC	P	Ye Maung	Joachim		Delegate		Burma
78	IND	P	MULAYINKAL	Thomas		Provincial		India
79	IND	P	PULIMOOTTIL	Alex		Delegate		India
80	ING	P	BARJO	Philip		Provincial		India
81	ING	P	VARICKASSERIL	Jose		Delegate		India
82	ING	P	MALIECKAL	Francis		Delegate		India
83	INH	P	MEDABALIMI	Balaswamy		Provincial		India
84	INH	P	Arimpoor	Jose		Delegate		India
85	INK	P	MARUVATHRAIL	Matthew		Provincial		India
86	INK	P	Fernandez	Joseph		Delegate		India
87	INK	P	KollashanY	George		Delegate		India
88	INM	P	FERNANDO	Bellarmine		Provincial		India
89	INM	P	KANAGA	Maria Arokiam		Delegate		India
90	INM	P	PUTHOTA	Benjamin		Delegate		India
91	INN	P	KEZHAKKEKARA	Joseph		Provincial		India
92	INN	P	PEEDIKAYIL	Michael		Delegate		India
93	INT	P	THEOPHILUS	James		Provincial		India
94	INT	P	SUSAI	Amalraj		Delegate		India
95	ITM	P	WONG	Andrew		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Philippines
96	ITM	P	CARBONELL	José		Delegate		Spain
97	KOR	P	KLEMENT	Václav		Provincial		Czech Rep.
98	KOR	P	KIM	Benjamin		Delegate		Korea
99	THA	P	KITNICHI  SOMCHAI	Philip		Provincial		Thailand
100	THA	P	SARACHIT	Niphon Peter		Delegate		Thailand
101	VIE	P	NGUYEN VAN TY	Giovanni		Provincial		Vietnam
102	VIE	P	NGUYEN VAN THEM	Giovanni Battista		Delegate		Vietnam
Salesian Region: NORTHERN EUROPE
103	AUS	P	VöSL	Josef		Provincial		Austria
104	AUS	P	OBERMÜLLER	Petrus		Delegate		Austria
105	BEN	P	PALMANS	Piet		Provincial		Belgium
106	BEN	P	LOOTS	Carlo		Delegate		Belgium
107	CEP	P	KOMÁREK	Jan		Provincial		Czech Rep.
108	CEP	P	KAŠNÝ	Jiří		Delegate		Czech Rep.
109	CRO	P	MATUŠIĆ	Ambrozije		Provincial		Croatia
110	CRO	P	KRPIĆ	Josip		Delegate		Croatia
111	EST	P	BOGUSZEWSKI	Henryk		Sup. Circumscr.		Poland
112	EST	P	Baczyński	Andrzej		Delegate		Ucraine
113	GEK	P	VON SPEE	Meinolf		Provincial		Germany
114	GEK	P	VON HATZFELD	Ulrich Hatto		Delegate		Germany
115	GEM	P	BIHLMAYER	Herbert		Provincial		Germany
116	GEM	P	GRüNNER	Josef		Delegate		Germany
117	GEM	P	MENZ	Heinz		Delegate		Germany
118	GBR	P	PRESTON	Francis Joseph		Provincial		Gr Britain
119	GBR	P	DICKSON	William John		Delegate		Scotland
120	IRL	P	SMYTH	Michael		Provincial		Ireland
121	IRL	P	MANGION	Victor		Delegate		Malta
122	OLA	P	SPRONCK	Herman		Provincial		Holland
123	OLA	P	FLAPPER	Wim		Delegate		Holland
124	PLE	P	STRUŚ	Józef		Provincial		Poland
125	PLE	P	KOWALIK	Krzysztof		Delegate		Poland
126	PLE	P	NIEWĘGŁOWSKI	Jan		Delegate		Poland
127	PLN	P	WOREK	Jerzy		Provincial		Poland
128	PLN	P	BALCERZAK	Antoni		Delegate		Poland
129	PLN	P	CHMIELEWSKI	Marek		Delegate		Poland
130	PLO	P	KRASOń	Franciszek		Provincial		Poland
131	PLO	P	KEMPIAK	Ryszard		Delegate		Poland
132	PLS	P	ROZMUS	Tadeusz		Provincial		Poland
133	PLS	P	KRAWCZYK	Wojciech		Delegate		Poland
134	PLS	P	CHRZAN	Marek		Delegate		Poland
135	SLK	P	FEKETE	Vladimir		Provincial		Slovakia
136	SLK	P	turanský	Stefan		Delegate		Slovakia
137	SLK	P	GRACH	Pavol		Delegate		Slovakia
138	SLO	P	DOBRAVEC	Alojzij		Provincial		Slovenia
139	SLO	P	ŠTUMPF	Peter		Delegate		Slovenia
140	UNG	P	HAVASI	József		Provincial		Hungary
141	UNG	P	Mészáros	György		Delegate		Hungary
Salesian Region: WESTERN EUROPE
142	BES	P	Jeanmart	José		Provincial		Belgium
143	BES	P	VAN der SLOOT	André		Delegate		Belgium
144	FRA	P	INISAN	Job		Provincial		France
145	FRA	P	FEDERSPIEL	Daniel		Delegate		France
146	FRA	P	CHARMOILLE	Jean-Noël		Delegate		France
147	POR	P	MENDES	Joaquim		Provincial		Portugal
148	POR	P	PEREIRA	Artur		Delegate		Portugal
149	SBA	P	VALLS I FERRER	Domènec		Provincial		Spain
150	SBA	P	CODINA	Joan		Delegate		Spain
151	SBI	P	LETE	Ignacio		Provincial		Spain
152	SBI	P	GUTIERREZ	Luis Fernando		Delegate		Spain
153	SCO	P	ACOSTA RODRÍGUEZ	Felipe		Provincial		Spain
154	SCO	P	MUÑOZ	Eusebio		Delegate		Spain
155	SLE	P	FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME	Ángel		Provincial		Spain
156	SLE	P	GuzÓn NESTAR	José Luis		Delegate		Spain
157	SMA	P	GUERRA IBANEZ	Jesús		Provincial		Spain
158	SMA	P	APARICIO SÁNCHEZ	Manuel		Delegate		Spain
159	SMA	P	DÍEZ ANDRÉS	Julio		Delegate		Spain
160	SSE	P	PEREZ GODOY	Juan Carlos		Provincial		Spain
161	SSE	P	VIGUERA FRANCO	Valentìn		Delegate		Spain
162	SVA	P	SANCHO	Juan Bosco		Vice Provincial		Spain
163	SVA	P	ORDUNA ABADÍA	Cándido		Delegate		Spain
Salesian Region: INTERAMERICA
164	ANT	P	SOTO		Angel	Provincial	Dominican Rep.
165	ANT	P	ROSARIO Peña		Luis Emilio	Delegate	Dominican Rep.
166	BOL	P	HERRERO		Miguel Angel	Provincial	Spain
167	BOL	P	ZABALA TÓRREZ		Juan Pablo	Delegate	Bolivia
168	CAM	P	GUIJO GONZÁLEZ		José Manuel	Provincial	Spain
169	CAM	P	Echeverría		Rolando	Delegate	Costa Rica
170	CAN	P	LANTAGNE		Luc	Sup. Vice-Prov.	Canada
171	CAN	D	Harkins		George	Delegate	Canada
172	COB	P	RIVERA		Nicolàs	Provincial	Colombia
173	COB	P	REYES ZAMBRANO		Mario	Delegate	Colombia
174	COM	P	ALVAREZ		Armando	Provincial	Colombia
175	COM	P	Angel CampuZano		Alvaro de Jesús	Delegate	Colombia
176	ECU	P	ORTIZ		Esteban	Provincial	Ecuador
177	ECU	P	Farfán		Marcelo	Delegate	Ecuador
178	HAI	P	NAU		Jean-Baptiste	Sup. Vice-Prov.	Haiti
179	HAI	P	FLORIVAL		Elan	Delegate	Haiti
180	MEG	P	Guerrero Cordova		Héctor	Provincial	Mexico
181	MEG	P	PLASCENCIA		José Luis	Delegate	Mexico
182	MEM	P	Valerdi Sánchez		Luis Rolando	Provincial	Mexico
183	MEM	P	OCAMPO URIBE		Ignacio	Delegate	Mexico
184	PER	P	DAL BEN LAVA		Santo	Provincial	Italy
185	PER	P	Zegarra PINTO		José	Delegate	Peru
186	SUE	P	ANGELUCCI		Patrick	Provincial	U.S.A.
187	SUE	P	DUNNE		Thomas	Delegate	U.S.A.
188	SUO	P	REINA		Nicholas	Provincial	U.S.A.
189	SUO	P	ITZAINA		John	Delegate	U.S.A.
190	VEN	P	MASIERO		Bruno	Provincial	Italy
191	VEN	P	REYES SEQUERA		Johnny	Delegate	Venezuela
Salesian Region: ITALY – MIDDLE EAST
192	IAD	P	SCAGLIONI	Arnaldo		Provincial		Italy
193	IAD	P	DILETTI	Pietro		Delegate		Italy
194	ICP	P	TESTA	Luigi		Sup. Circumscr.		Italy
195	ICP	P	MARTOGLIO	Stefano		Delegate		Italy
196	ICP	L	MARANGIO	Claudio		Delegate		Italy
197	ICP	P	BOSCO	Giovanni Battista		Delegate		Italy
198	ICP	L	BOMBARDA	Guido		Delegate		Italy
199	ILE	P	RIVA	Eugenio		Provincial		Italy
200	ILE	P	CACIOLI	Claudio		Delegate		Italy
201	ILE	P	VANOLI	Stefano		Delegate		Italy
202	ILT	P	COLAJACOMO	Giorgio		Provincial		Italy
203	ILT	P	DAlessandro	Giovanni		Delegate		Italy
204	IME	P	GALLONE	Francesco		Provincial		Italy
205	IME	P	COMITE	Gennaro		Delegate		Italy
206	IME	P	SAMMARRO	Pasquale Italo		Delegate		Italy
207	IRO	P	CARNEVALE	Mario		Provincial		Italy
208	IRO	P	Pussino	Gian Luigi		Delegate		Italy
209	IRO	L	Magagna	Giuseppe		Delegate		Italy
210	ISA	P	LILLIU	Giovanni		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Italy
211	ISA	P	GALIA	Gaetano		Delegate		Italy
212	ISI	P	LA PIANA	Calogero		Provincial		Italy
213	ISI	P	DI NATALE	Francesco		Delegate		Italy
214	ISI	P	RUTA	Giuseppe		Delegate		Italy
215	IVE	P	FILIPPIN	Claudio		Provincial		Italy
216	IVE	L	Pettenon	Giampietro		Delegate		Italy
217	IVE	P	Trevisan	Alberto		Delegate		Italy
218	IVO	P	BREGOLIN	Adriano		Provincial		Italy
219	IVO	P	BONATO	Giannantonio		Delegate		Italy
220	MOR	P	MURRU	Mario		Provincial		Italy
221	MOR	P	CAPUTA	Gianni		Delegate		Italy
Generalate community
222	RMG	P	MOTTO	Francesco		Delegate		Italy
Salesian Pontifical University
223	UPS	P	CEREDA	Francesco		Sup. Vice-Prov.		Italy
224	UPS	P	PELLEREY	Michele		Delegate		Italy
Observers
225	AFC	P	VANDECANDELAERE	Frans		Invited		Belgium
226	ANG	L	FONTAINE	Gastón		Invited		Argentina
227	CAM	L	GRANADOS	Wilfredo		Invited		Guatemala
228	FIN	P	BARBERO	Valeriano		Invited		Italy
229	ICP	P	CASTELLINO	Riccardo		Invited		Italy
230	INM	L	DAS	Joseph		Invited		India
231	POR	P	DE PABLO	Valentin		Invited		Spain

Translators

 

          French                        Fr Lambert PETIT

                                               Fr Christian BIGAULT

                                               Fr Joseph OCCHIO

          English                       Fr Bernard GROGAN

                                               Fr George WILLIAMS

                                               Fr Rocco RAGONE

                                               Fr Chrya SALDANHA

         Portuguese                 Fr Ervino MARTINUZ

                                               Fr Hilario PASSERO

         Spanish                       Fr Oswaldo GORZEGNO

                                               Fr Gabriel LARRETA

                                               Fr Angelo BOTTA

                                               Fr Ambrosio BOEM

                                               Fr Francesco BALAUDER

          German                      Bro. Johannes BORCHARDT

                                               Fr Josef PRIVOZNIK

---

Chronicle of the 25th General Chapter

(24 February – 20 April 2002)

The Chapter begins

         On 24 February 2002 the 231 members of the GC25 arrived at the Generalate to begin the 25^th General Chapter, with the central topic “The salesian community today” and the complementary theme “The verification of the structures of central government.”

         They represented the 16,805 Salesians who are working in 128 countries in the world. For over 160 of them it was the first time that they were taking part in a General Chapter. They came from all five continents:   6 from Africa, 55 from America, 40 from Asia, 2 from Australia  and 128 from Europe. The average age was 52 with the eldest 74 and the youngest 27.

         At 7.30 a.m. on Monday 25 February the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr Luc Van Looy presided at the solemn concelebrated Mass to invoke the Holy Spirit. The words of the homily set the scene for the task of analysis and reflection facing the Chapter: “It is not us who will be guiding this part of salesian history. Following Don Bosco’s experience throughout his life we want to put the tiller in the hands of God, of the Spirit, and of Mary Help of Christians.” 

At 10.30 a.m. in the Aula Magna of the “Salesianum”, renovated and furnished with the latest technology, the opening session of the GC25 took place. Some salesian cardinals and bishops were present together with those responsible for some of the groups of the Salesian Family. Among the former we may mention:  Cardinal Antonio M. Javierre Ortas, Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, Mgr. Vincenzo Savio, Bishop of Belluno, Mgr. Alois Kothgasser, Bishop of Innsbruck, Mgr. Vartan Boghossian, Eparch of S. Gregory of Narek for the Armenian faithful in Argentina, Mgr. Gennaro Prata, Archbishop emeritus of Cochabamba.

         After the Moderator, Fr Antonio Domenech, had declared the Chapter open, Fr Luc Van Looy read the Message of the Holy Father. In it the Pope, after recalling the memory of the late Fr Juan Vecchi, invited the chapter members to follow in his footsteps, asking them and all the Salesian Congregation to be “attentive educators” and “competent spiritual guides.”  John Paul II expressed the hope that in addition to Duc in altum becoming the thematic motto of the Chapter, it would also become the same for all the apostolic work of the Congregation in the future.  

         The Message of the Pope was followed by the address of Cardinal Eduardo Martínez Somalo, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and by the greetings of some representatives of the Salesian Family: Mother Antonia Colombo, Superior General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Mr Rosario Maiorano, General Coordinator of the Salesian Cooperators Miss Anita Meertens, the Superior of the Volunteers of Don Bosco – on behalf also of the Volunteers with Don Bosco – and finally Mr Antonio Guilhermino Pires, World President of the Past Pupils. The opening address of the Vicar General followed.

        

The Chapter Assembly takes its first steps.

         At 4.00 p.m. the same day, Monday 25 February, the first ordinary working session was held. The Moderator began by presenting the outline timetable for the chapter members and explained the mechanics of the work of the Assembly and of the Commissions, according to the Regulations of the Chapter.

         The following day, Tuesday 26 February, the Vicar General presented the Report on the State of the Congregation for the six year period 1996-2002.  Fr Luc Van Looy briefly described the aims, the contents, those addressed and the nature of the report, that contained among other things the relevant statistics regarding Salesians, works, collaborators, and those to whom the apostolic mission is addressed. 

         Starting from a consideration of the facts, he then underlined some particular aspects and the more important problems regarding the situations in which salesian communities are living and working. He indicated also some of the issues that the present General Chapter would need to consider in its work of reflection and analysis: the community as the place for the ordinary ongoing formation of the confreres; the key role of the Rector in the religious community and in the work confided to it; the significance of the work as evidenced in its chosen priorities, and in those for whom it works by preference. He concluded offering the slogan “We shall exist as mystics, or we shall not exist at all!” 

         The Moderator invited the chapter members to read the Report carefully and to prepare for the discussion which would be held with the Vicar General in  the following week 

         In the afternoon the two working documents prepared by the Precapitular Commission were presented: the one on “The salesian community today” by Fr Francesco Cereda, Superior of the UPS Vice Province, and the other: “Verification of the structures of central government” by Fr John Dickson of the Great Britain Province 

The Retreat      

At 7.20 p.m. on 26 February the retreat began in preparation for the work of reflection and analysis that awaited the chapter members. It was preached and led by the salesian, Mgr Alois Kothgasser, Bishop of Innsbrusk (Austria), who offered meditations on the theme Duc in altum, in reference to the Apostolic Letter of the Pope Novo Millenium Ineunte and the Strenna that the late Fr Vecchi left the Salesian Family for 2002.

At the end of this first day the chapter members gathered together for the “Good-night” which was give by Fr Camillo Maccise of the Discalced Carmelites, former President of the Union of Superiors General. In his short reflection Fr Maccise concentrated on the challenges – of which he mentioned seven – which are found facing consecrated life in the Church and in the world of today at the beginning of the third millennium.  

On Thursday 28 February, after the first reflection by Mgr Kothgasser, the chapter members made a pilgrimage to the Catacombs of St Callistus where are buried, in addition to Fr Vecchi, his two predecessors as Rector Major, Fr Egidio Viganò and Fr Luigi Ricceri. After a moment of prayer led by Fr Van Looy, in the chapel of the San Tarcisio salesian community, the chapter members went in procession to the tomb of the late Rector Major and spent some moments there in personal prayer for the repose of his soul.   

The second day ended with the “Good-night” of Mother Antonia Colombo the Superior of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians who, referring to the approaching 125^th anniversary of the first FMA missionary expedition to America, expressed her gratitude, saying that as on that occasion, “also today without the Salesians we would not be in many parts of the world” and concluded with the remark: “without you we would not be ourselves”.  Mother Antonia then mentioned the theme for their own 21^st General Chapter to be held in September: “In a renewed covenant, the commitment to active citizenship”

The following day began with a Mass at which Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga presided. Starting from the scriptural readings for the day he encouraged the Salesians to be always promoters of a  culture of life in face of the culture of death so evident in contemporary society. 

The retreat finished on Saturday 2^nd March with the Mass at which Mgr Alois Kothgasser presided. In the evening a group of the chapter members took part in the recitation of the rosary with the Holy Father on the occasion of a meeting organized by the diocese of Rome with young university students from the city.  

The Chapter gets down to work.

The second week of the chapter began with the appointment by the Vicar General of Fr Antonio Martinelli as his substitute as President of the Chapter during his own absence following a road accident in which he had been involved the previous Saturday.  

The Moderator of the Chapter, Fr Antonio Domenech, then read the message of thanks sent to the Holy Father on behalf of the members of the GC25. In it Fr Van Looy wrote: “We shall be studying the topic of “The salesian community today” following the lines that Your Holiness traced out for us, with the desire to make the mission of Don Bosco in the new millennium a prophetic one,” with the promise of the fidelity of the Congregation “to Your Magisterium and the desire to collaborate always with the universal and local Church”.    

         Subsequently the Assembly moved on to the vote on the Regulations of the Chapter which were approved with a large majority.

In the afternoon the full Presidency of the Chapter was constituted with the election of three Chairmen from the list of names presented by the President of the Chapter. The following confreres were elected Fr Savio Hon Tai-Fai, provincial of Hong Kong, Fr William John Dickson, from the Great Britain province and Brother Claudio Marangio, from the Special Circumscription of Piedmont and the Valle d’Aosta.     

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 5–6 March, the Chapter members divided into 15 language groups and began the consideration of the Report of the Vicar General on the state of the Congregation and the two working documents on the topics of the salesian community and the verification of the structures of government.

Each group, according to its own interests and experience, chose three priorities starting from those mentioned in the report of the Vicar General; a small group made a summary which the Moderator presented to the Assembly as a help for the reflection to be carried out on the topics of the chapter.

After a lengthy discussion on the two working documents in the afternoon of Wednesday 6 March, both were approved as the basis for the initial work of the Commissions and of the Assembly. The document on the salesian community was accepted almost unanimously and the one on the verification of the structures of central government by slightly more than two thirds.   

From the very beginning the work of the Assembly was characterized by numerous interventions and requests for clarification, demonstrating that every day the GC25 was getting up steam and the topics dealt with were closely followed. Many Chapter members were speaking for the first time, while some of the contributions showed the speakers to be much more at home. Among the most frequent requests was for a final document that would be simple and practical, something for the life of the community directed more at a practical than at a theoretical level.  

The Chapter Commissions

In the afternoon of Tuesday 6 March the Vicar General, Fr Luc Van Looy, underwent an operation at the Pius XI hospital in Rome. After assuring the Assembly of its successful outcome the Moderator of the Chapter went on to present a proposal for the setting up of the Chapter Commissions. There were six of them which were to deal with the following subjects:  the first, the theme of fraternal life; the second, evangelical witness; the third, animating presence among the young; the fourth, the theme of the Rector and ongoing formation; the fifth, new situations and kinds of salesian community. To the sixth commission was assigned the topic of the verification of the structures of central government and the various proposals for changes to the Constitutions and Regulations. To these working commissions of the Chapter should be added a commission for communications, composed of one representative from each region.   

Once the commissions were set up the program envisaged the consideration of the proposal regarding the date of the election of the Rector Major and his Council, and the presentation of the process of discernment. After discussion the Assembly approved the proposed calendar with the elections to take place during the week 2 to 8 April.

During this time the chapter members would be assisted in the discernment process by Fr Anthony McSweeney, of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, former Superior General of his Institute and former President of the Union of Superiors General (USG).

In the meantime the six commissions began work and proceeded at once to the election of their presidents, spokesmen and secretaries. The six presidents together with the President of the Chapter, the Moderator and the three Chairmen constitute the Central Commission, which met for the first time at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday 7 March.   

A first hand experience of community

         The Chapter members not only talked about community – they lived it intensely during the two months of the Chapter. This first hand experience created close relationships of communion, helped in the sharing of experiences and ways of thinking, expressed especially through prayer and eucharistic celebration which are the roots and the source of life in community and make of each one not only a teacher but also a witness.  

The daily timetable of the Chapter provided for the celebration of Morning Prayer and Mass in the morning, usually in language groups except on Wednesdays, when all came together and the celebration was led by each region in turn. There were two working sessions during the morning: from 9.00 until 10.30 and from 11.00 until 12.45.  The time immediately after lunch was recreation time for the Chapter members, spent in different ways: some walked along the paths of the Generalate, some played basketball, some football, on the pitches specially prepared at the Salesianum, while some played the traditional salesian game of “bocce”. Every so often a chapter member would be found on roller skates or cycling around the grounds. Work resumed in the afternoon at 3.30 p.m. and usually finished at 7.00 with a break for half an hour at 5.00. Then Vespers were said together followed by a “good-night” given in turn by provincials from the different regions; these were particularly appreciated as they encouraged a spirit of family and communion. Afterwards there was supper.      

Each working week concluded with a proposed outing organized by a group responsible for animating the life of the community. These were occasions for getting together and sometimes opportunities for meeting different salesian communities (for example in the Naples Province or that of Liguria-Tuscany).

At the beginning of each week the chapter members could watch a short summary of the previous week’s work on a video prepared by the Eurofilm centre of the Don Bosco Missions Office in Turin.  

The work of the Commissions

         Returning to an account of the work of the Chapter, the efforts of the commissions took up the third week  The first five, to which the study of the various aspects of the topic on the salesian community was assigned, examined at some depth the reports from the provincial chapters and identified the more important elements of the situation; they then selected the most pressing challenges and sought the most suitable guidelines to respond to them. In this work, time for personal study and in small groups alternated with discussion and the sharing of ideas in the commission.

For its part, the sixth commission concentrated its attention on the examination of the proposals to modify the Constitutions which could have reference to the elections. On Wednesday 13 March it presented in the Assembly some alternative proposals regarding the duration of the time in office of the Rector Major and of the members of the General Council, the procedure for the election of the Economer General, and the subdivision of the Australasian region into two separate areas, with the consequent increase in the number of regional councillors.    

Discussion of these proposals began in the Assembly and there were many interventions regarding all the various options. At the end of the debate the commission proposed a series of straw votes on the various proposals to ascertain the mind of the Assembly. This expressed an opinion favourable to the subdivision of the Australasia region, confirmed the form of direct election of the Economer General, supported the proposal to limit the term in office of the Rector Major to two consecutive six-year periods, and finally invited the commission to find a different formulation of the two proposals on the term in office of the members of the General Council and on the possibility of their being eligible for election to another department or region after the completion of two terms of six years in the same office.      

In the meantime the other commissions presented the results of their work to the Assembly for discussion. In this way the third week of the Chapter came to an end.

Visit to the new library of the UPS

In the afternoon of Saturday 16 March the members of the GC25 went to see the new premises built to house the Don Bosco Library of the Salesian Pontifical University.  A tour of the new buildings in language groups was led by the Vicar General, just released from hospital.

In a brief address Fr Van Looy recalled that the Library was born in the mind of Fr Egidio Viganò during the centenary year of the death of Don Bosco and its construction was begun by Fr Juan Vecchi; it is to be considered the Library not only of the UPS but of the whole Congregation.

Following that of the Vicar General there were speeches by the Rector of the University, Fr Michele Pellerey, who gave a brief outline of the Library’s history and highlighted its capacity and functionality; by Fr Francesco Cereda, Superior of the UPS Vice-province, who recalled and thanked all who had taken part in the construction of the new building; by the Economer General, Fr Gianni Mazzali, who illustrated the financial story behind the enterprise; and by Fr Juan Picca, Prefect of the Library, who emphasized the particular innovations and value of the new structure.

Fr Van Looy remained at the UPS infirmary until Monday 18 March for a brief period of convalescence, and then returned to take his place in the General Chapter.

Discussions in the Assembly

On Monday 18 March discussion began on the various nuclei of the theme on the salesian community prepared by the first five commissions.  A host of interventions insisted on the need to focus more on the challenges arising from the situations described, and especially to choose guidelines that could help communities to become more significant and prophetic.   These suggestions and those made in writing were collected by the commissions concerned for a reexamination and redrafting of their document. 

Meanwhile the sixth commission had reformulated their proposals and brought them back to the Assembly.  Discussion centered particularly on the separation of the Departments of the Salesian Family and Social Communication, with the possibility of the assignment of responsibility for the animation of the Salesian Family to the Vicar General.

After the discussion on the modifications to the articles of the Constitutions, the sixth commission prepared a first draft which it submitted for voting with the possibility of further changes (iuxta modum), and subsequently for definitive approval just before the Easter Triduum.

In addition to these first deliberations, Holy Week was characterized by the presentation in the Assembly by all the other commissions of the second draft of their own documents.  The sixth commission too presented the first draft of the document on the verification of the structures of central government which it had been compelled to delay so as to give priority to the constitutional questions which concerned the coming elections of the Rector Major and members of the Council.

During these same weeks the Chapter community lived also some other fraternal occasions.  On 18 March news was received of the assassination of Bishop Isaias Duarte Cancino in Colombia two days earlier.  In the name of the Assembly the Vicar General, as President of the GC25, expressed the solidarity of the capitulars to Bishop Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo, President of the Colombian Bishops Conference, in a letter signed by all the members of the GC25.

In the evening of the same day after supper, the assembly hall became a theatre for a performance by the salesian magician, Fr Silvio Mantelli, of a fascinating display of illusions and conjuring tricks which kept the capitulars entranced and amused for the best part of an hour.  Some of the capitulars were directly involved in the performance, willingly responding to invitations of the “magician”.

         After supper on Wednesday 27 March, Fr Vecchi was commemorated by the presentation of a book published by the SEI and put together by the Salesian Fr Vittorio Chiari, entitled “Globalizzazione, crocevia della carità educativa”.  It is a text that synthesizes the thought of Fr Vecchi about the exploitation of juveniles from various aspects.  At the end of the evening, after a brief sketch by a clown of the group of Fr Chiari, Fr Vecchi’s obituary letter was distributed.

The Easter break

The intensive work of the past weeks had made a pause desirable in the rhythm of the Chapter’s work, not least to allow for a deeper participation in the Easter Triduum.  But before the break, on the Wednesday evening, Fr Anthony McSweeney presented to the Assembly the process of discernment that would be followed during the elections and replied to some questions submitted in advance by the capitulars.

         In the second part of the morning of Holy Thursday the Vicar General, Fr Luc Van Looy, replied in the Assembly to questions on the Report on the state of the Congregation, which had been sent in much earlier by the capitulars but to which he had not been able to reply because of his accident and subsequent surgery.

At the end of the work, the Assembly met in church at 6.00 p.m. for the solemn celebration In Coena Domini, at which Fr Joaquim D’Souza, Regional Councillor for Australia-Asia presided.

In the days that followed more than a hundred capitulars left for the Mother House in Turin, where they spent the Easter weekend visiting the salesian places of Valdocco, Colle Don Bosco and Mornese.

Election of the Rector Major and General Council

         After the Easter break work was resumed on Tuesday 2 April at 9.00 a.m. with the launching of the discernment process by Fr Anthony McSweeney that would lead to the election of the Rector Major and the members of the General Council.

On Tuesday evening, after a day spent in language groups reflecting on the challenges and strong points of the Congregation and on the qualities required in the new Rector Major, the capitulars gathered in church to invoke the Holy Spirit together and so prepare for the elections.  On Wednesday morning, 3 April, at the invitation of Fr McSweeney, each capitular sent in a sheet with a single name proposed as Rector Major.  At 11.00 a.m. the list of names proposed was distributed for the personal reflection of each member.

The election itself took place in the afternoon at 4.00 p.m. and resulted in the election by a large majority on the first ballot of Fr Pascual Chávez Villanueva.

         The solemn celebration of Vespers, with the singing of the Te Deum for the new Rector Major and his first “Good-night”, followed by supper, concluded the first day of the elections.  In the refectory after supper there was a simple but sincere family function during which the various regions expressed their joy in different languages at the election of the new Rector Major.

         Thursday 4 April began with a eucharistic concelebration at which Fr Chávez presided, and continued with the process of discernment for the election of the Vicar General.

         The election took place at 5.30 p.m., and on the second ballot Fr Luc Van Looy was confirmed in office by a large majority.

         On the following days the Councillors for the various Departments were elected, with the following results.  On Friday, 5 April: Fr Francesco Cereda for the Formation Department  and Fr Antonio Domenech for that of Youth Pastoral Work; and on Saturday, 6 April: Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa for Social Communication, Fr Francis Alencherry for the Missions, and Fr Gianni Mazzali as Economer General.

         At this point the capitulars suspended the work and took it up again on the Sunday afternoon with the discernment for the election of the Regional Councillors;  the list of the candidates – prepared by each Region – was presented to the Assembly on the Sunday evening.      

         On Monday 8 April, the Assembly confirmed in office Fr Albert Van Hecke for Northern Europe, Fr Joaquim D’Souza for South Asia, Fr Helvécio Baruffi for Latin America – Southern Cone, and Fr Filiberto Rodríguez Martín for Western Europe.  Then were elected the four new Regional Councillors: Fr Adriano Bregolin, provincial of West Venice for Italy and the Middle East; Fr Esteban Ortiz González, provincial of Ecuador, for Interamerica; Fr Václav Klement, provincial of Korea, for East Asia–Oceania and Fr Valentín de Pablo, of the Mozambique Delegation for Africa-Madagascar.

An intense week of work and experiences

With the ending of the week of the elections which gave the Congregation the new Rector Major and General Council, the Chapter returned to its work of reflection, re-drafting and presentation of the various themes. 

From Tuesday 9 to the afternoon of Friday 12 April there was discussion of the  second drafts of the documents of the first five commissions which had in the meantime rewritten the definitive version of their texts on the basis of the observations received.  The sixth commission presented the second draft of its own document, suitably revised after the contributions received from the Assembly.

On Friday morning, 12 April, the capitulars were received in audience by Pope John Paul II.  About 11.15 a.m. they entered by the Bronze Gate to reach the Clementine Hall of the Vatican.  At 11.40 the Holy Father joined them and paused to greet personally the new Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez.  A warm and lengthy applause was evidence of the joy of the capitulars at being received in the Pope’s house.  The meeting lasted 25 minutes in all.  The Pope urged the Salesians to be saints: “Dear Salesians”, he said, “be holy – holiness is your essential task, as indeed it is for all Christians!”.

Strengthened by the Holy Father’s words, the capitulars returned in the afternoon to the work of the Chapter which was approaching its end.  A small group of three capitulars was formed to work on the texts of the individual commissions, in order to give unity of style to the document on the salesian community today.

The gift of the Beatifications

Almost at the end of the Chapter, on Sunday 14 April the Church offered the Salesian Family the gift of the beatification of three of its members: Fr Luigi Variara, Founder of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; Sister Maria Romero Meneses, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians; and the Salesian Brother Artemide Zatti.

In preparation for this event, the Chapter reflected on the figure of the Salesian Brother, following the indications and prompting of Fr Juan Vecchi in his letter “Beatification of Bro. Artemide Zatti:  a sensational precedent”. In language groups the capitulars sought for suggestions and experiences to stimulate the Congregation and the Salesian Family to a better knowledge of this concrete form of the salesian vocation and to propose it with greater conviction.

         In the afternoon of Saturday 13 April the capitulars went to the Don Bosco Church at Cinecittà to join in a prayer vigil with the Salesian Family of Lazio and those who had come to Rome to take part in the celebration the following day.

         The Beatification ceremony on the Sunday morning brought together in St Peter’s Square large numbers of pilgrims from all parts of the world.  Participating with them were the Rector Major, the General Council and the members of the GC25.   Also present were numerous civil and religious personalities, including the Presidents of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, representatives of Argentina and Colombia, the Mayors of the Italian cities where the Beati had been born, the Salesian Cardinals Miguel Obando Bravo and Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, with many other salesian Bishops.  The crowd in St Peter’s Square was estimated at more than 15,000 faithful. During the celebration the relics of the Beati were carried to the altar by those who had received the graces presented for the beatification.

         In the afternoon the Rector Major and the capitulars took part in the commemoration of the new Beati in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican.

The final activities of the Chapter

         The Chapter was moving towards its close;  during the final week the different commissions presented the texts for the voting “iuxta modum” with the possibility of further modifications, followed by the final vote on the definitive text.

         On Monday afternoon, 15 April, at the Don Bosco Theatre of Cinecittà, took place the official commemoration of the centenary of the erection of the Roman Salesian Province.  Taking part in the event were the Rector Major and the members of the GC25, with a large number of civil and religious personalities, amongst whom were Cardinal Javierre Ortas, Abps. Tarcisio Bertone and Gennaro Prata, with other salesian bishops present in Rome for the beatification of the three members of the Salesian Family.

In these final days the texts were presented in the Assembly of the Messages addressed to the Salesian Family, to international organisms concerned with youth problems, to young people, and also a message from the Chapter on the figure of the Salesian Brother, the result of the reflection made in the Assembly in the previous week.  After the members had been given the opportunity to express their observations and make suggestions, the Messages were approved by the Assembly.

The Chapter ended on Saturday 20 April with the closing session.  When the final requirements of the Regulations had been complied with, the Rector Major gave his concluding address in which he summed up what had been done and offered some indications for the application of the Chapter’s guidelines.

The final act was the Eucharistic Concelebration, in which each Region committed itself to pass on to the confreres and communities the experience and message of the Chapter;  all entrusted themselves and the results of their efforts to Mary Help of Christians.

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ANALYTICAL INDEX

Accompaniment

–     spiritual of SDBs 31

–     of young people 37, 45, 141, 143, 146

–     and vocation suggestion 38, 48, 185

–     of processes of change and in animation and government 95, 99, 120, 121, 122, 125, 135

Animation

–     of community

-      made principally through ongoing formation 185

-      task of community itself in new pastoral model 183

-      fundamental role of Rector in 185

-      must be able to activate processes 186

–     of EPC 80

–     of laity 39, 70, 79

–     by Provincial 65

–     by Rector Major with his Council

-      as centre of unity and animator of communion at all levels 87, 89

-      positive assessment  of animation and government of Rector Major with his Council 91

-      some difficulties 93, 95

-      programming and verification of interventions 116

Assembly of community

–     promotes dialogue between confreres 34, 73

–     setting for functioning of community organisms 73; and for sharing at special times 53

Charismatic identity

–     growth in 14, 20, 26, 88, 142, 158, 190

–     Christian and salesian vocational identity as centre of ongoing formation 14, 50, 57, 58, 179

–     Rector at service of salesian unity and identity 64

–     salesian community as reference point for identity of animating nucleus of EPC 39, 43, 70, 71, 78, 79, 80

–     General Council follows up process of inculturation ensuring charismatic fidelity 88, 94

Christ    v. Jesus Christ

Church

–     our vocation in 2, 3, 41, 158, 163, 168

–     fidelity to 146, 147

–     community as experience of 19, 48

–     house and school of communion 144, 181, 188

–     we share spirit and mission of Don Bosco in local Church and locality 37, 68, 150, 153, 195

–     Study and comparison with magisterium of, especially as regards social doctrine 47, 53, 73,

Coadjutor  v. Salesian Brother

Communication   (v. also Social communication)

–     need and difficulty of 7, 11, 13, 54

–     in project of community life 15

–     with provincial community and congregation; guidelines that foster it 111, 159

Communion  (v.  community, sharing, spirituality of communion)

Community day

         –   esteemed and lived creatively 11, 15, 53, 58, 61, 62

Confreres

–     sick and elderly 12, 60

–     young and in formation

-      in pastoral work 48

-      attention to in initial formation 54, 56, 60

-      primary task of Rector 64

Consecrated life

–     new contexts for its insertion 158, 166

–     vast movement of re-foundation of 2, 51, 189

Consistency, quantitative and qualitative

–     condition for fraternal life, evangelical witness and presence among the young 71, 75, 77, 185, 192

         –  Provincial with his council assesses the consistency of communities 77, 84

Constitutions

– Modifications to:  v. Deliberations

Context

–     attention to be given to 3, 22, 53, 187, 188, 189

         –   salesian response to 44, 47, 57, 84, 187

Co-responsibility

–     growth needed in, for more efficacious sharing in mission 39, 46, 83, 159

–     to be fostered in every confrere 73, 74

         –   in animation of EPC 79, 80, 163

Council / Councillors

          General Council  (v. also Rector Major)

-         role of in Congregation 87, 88, 107

-         dialogue with provinces and regions 94, 98, 100, 106

-         works through projects, foresees processes, and verifies 77, 79, 104, 186

-         promotes evaluations in provinces and regions to endorse salesian presence 77

-         Limitation of time in office of 132

Departmental Councillors

-         arrangement of Council in Departmental and Regional Councillors considered positive for government of Congregation 87

-         service of animation of 108, 109, 110

-         presence of and closeness to the provinces 102, 104

-         technical offices and consulting groups at service of 116

-         assignment of Salesian Family to Vicar General 133

-         constitution of specific councillor for social communication 133

Regional Councillors

-         positive arrangement for animation and government of Congregation 87

-         appreciation of figure of 118, 119

-         organization of provinces of Europe 129

-         configuration of regions for next six-years 130

Provincial Council (v. also Province)

     -   obligations entrusted to 16, 60, 74, 77, 84

         Local Council

-         promotes dialogue in community 34, 73

-         place for ongoing formation 76

-         coordinates with EPC and its council 81

Deliberations (modifications to Constitutions and Regulations – guidelines)

–     limit to term of office of Rector Major (C 128) 131

–     limit to term of office of Councillors General (C 142) 132

–     assignment of Salesian Family to Vicar General and constitution of Councillor for social communication (C 133. 134. 137) 133

–     modification of R 24  134

–     division of Australia-Asia region 135

–     guideline on manner o carrying out General Chapters 136

Dialogue

–     and interpersonal communication

  -  availability for by fostering participation of all 13, 15, 53, 54, 65, 73

      -  in community as search or God’s will 23, 32, 34, 74

      -  as instrument of ongoing formation 51, 56

–     with the young and their culture 46, 48, 81, 85

–     between centre and provinces 97, 100, 108, 114

         –   intercultural and interreligious 3, 44, 46, 188

Discernment

–     by community in light of Word of God and Constitutions 13, 15, 32, 44, 73, 81, 185

–     vocational 48

Don Bosco

–     mission of 4, 37, 71, 149, 180

–     at Valdocco began family experience 7, 20, 151, 156

–     following example of 21, 37, 141, 144, 178, our Father, Model and Teacher 49, 179, 195

–     God’s finest gift to us: a secure way for our human realization and the following of Christ 179

–     fraternal and apostolic community inspired by oratorian criterion of 37, 46 ff

Education

–     verify implementation of GC23 guidelines concerning integral education of the young 37, 47

–     offer competent educative and evangelizing responses to challenges of youth world 84, 140, 141, 151, 157

–     education to love and to value of chastity 36

–     attention to educative processes rather than activities 37, 157

–     collaboration with ecclesial and civil institutions in field of education 46

–     Rector the guide in educational commitments 64

Educative and Pastoral Community (EPC)

–     salesian community point of reference for charismatic identity of animating nucleus of EPC 80, 155, 183

–     efficacious involvement of all confreres in animation of 34, 70, 73, 79

–     EPC and council to be coordinated with local community and council 79, 81

–     setting for follow-up of vocational options 48, 185

Effectiveness

–     aspects which influence significance of living and working together 69, 159

–     to be evaluated inorganic provincial project 84

–     efficacious presence of Rector Major and Council in provinces 98

–     Salesian Family significant field of action among apostolic priorities of mission 133

–     relocate province where needs of young are most pressing and our work most fruitful 193

Eucharist (Celebrations)

–     source of spiritual life and foundation of that of community 1, 19, 31, 61, 142, 166

–     daily celebration 31, 54

Evangelical counsels

–     ascetical dimension of 20

–     individual and community witness to 28, 33

–     explicit humanizing values of 33

·     obedience

-         dialogue and fidelity to community project 34, 185

·     chastity

-         community expression of love for God and dedication to the young 23, 28, 185

-         prophetic sign of kingdom and dignity of each individual 36, 135

-         program of education to love and to esteem for chastity 36

·     poverty

-         value of evangelical 23, 145, 161, 185

-         concrete nature of evangelical 28, 35

Evangelization

–     community and its witness – a trump card in evangelization 155, 170, 197

–     presence which educates and evangelizes involving the EPC 40, 44, 47, 162, 183

–     formation for evangelization in new contexts 47, 81, 84, 194, 197

–     more mature youngsters protagonists in evangelization of peers 47

Extraordinary Visitations

–     appreciated as opportunities for province to evaluate and renew progress, 91, 119

–     verification of indications of, in particular concerning inculturation 99

–     difficulty of Regional in balancing time for with other commitments 121

–     different ways of realization 125

Faith

–     vision and motivation of 12, 20, 41, 54, 151, 152

–     communication of experience of 31, 37, 85, 86

–     synthesis of with culture and life 44

–     EPC, community of 48

Family spirit

–     With this, salesian community becomes point of reference for charismatic identity of EPC 80, 85, 144

–     in service of authority 23

Follow-up  v. Accompaniment

Forgiveness (v also Fraternal correction, Pardon)

–     fundamental source of spiritual formation 31, 54, 61, 144

–     to be taught to the young, in lived moments with them of intense spiritual experience: Eucharist, Reconciliation, “lectio divina”, prayer, meetings retreats 47, 48

Formation

–     initial formation

-  attention to young confreres in 54, 60

-  prepare confreres to acquire convictions and attitudes needed for ongoing formation 56, 60

-  firth task of Rector 64

–     ongoing formation 195

-  salesian community first place for 55, 56, 58, 159

-  instruments of: programming, libraries etc. 60, 61

-  some important  environments for 57

–     formation of SDB and lay people together, using appropriate processes 26, 46, 50, 60, 138, 157

–     commitment of community to formation of laity in EPC 39, 50, 60

–     of Rector:  v. Rector

Fraternal correction

–     factor in building community 14, 15, 54, 85

Fraternal life v. Community

General Chapter

–     great occasion for formation, discernment, participation 149; time of communion and efficacious work 141; setting for deciding on projects 152

–     GC25 first of new millennium, objectives 141, 142, 148, 155, 160, 184

–     guideline on functioning of future Chapters 136, 186

God

–     Primacy of 22, 30, 31, 185, 190

      -  God calls us to live in community 5, 9, 17, 49, 66, 85

–     Response to God’s gift 25, 31, 37, 86, 191

- total donation to God and young people 21, 23, 24, 37

- fraternal life a witness and prophetic sign of God’s Kingdom 7, 18, 25, 36, 47, 66; with the splendour of chastity 36

Grace of unity

– living it 24, 26, 30, 32, 184, 185

Growth

         human, vocational

-         local community is setting for 13, 15, 49, 163, 166, 185

-         responsibility of each confrere 53, 54

-         Rector is point of reference and animator for 52

-         EPC setting for vocational growth of young person 41, 48

         personal

    -    stimulated by community life 13, 185

    -    different areas of 47, 57

        community

-    linked with maturing of individual member 10

-    fostered by moments of sharing, ‘lectio divina’, follow-up, etc. 54, 58, 61

-    helped by serene and fraternal environment, 36, 49, 159

Holiness

–     preventive system as school of holiness and fraternity 6, 57, 143, 188

–     living one’s own vocation in, in spirit of Don Bosco  1, 52, 86, 170

–     and communion: gifts we want to share with young people 86, 143, 168, 196

–     models of 138, 154, 168

–     appeal of Pope: educators of young people to 143, 170, 188

Holy Spirit

–     Don Bosco, moved by 7

–     we follow Jesus through force of 17, 85

–     community, gift of 1, 24, 152

–     community fosters deep life in 34

Interpersonal relationships

–     of high quality 9, 11, 136

–     special attention to affective areas 60

Jesus Christ

–     fraternal communion a gift of the Father in C.J. 8, 49, 85

–     community and personal journey in following of 17, 23, 25, 30, 33, 35, 37

–     every community is called to “start from Christ” 188

–     faith in unites community and makes it joyful and prophetic 157

–     community testimony to radical following of 33, 184, 195

Laity

–     sharing of fraternal life with 11, 46, 68

–     sharing of spiritual experiences with 30, 31, 46

–     salesian community, school of prayer for young people and 61

–     involvement of  in mission and animation of EPC 37, 39, 79, 80, 84, 142

Marginalization  v. Poor

Mary (Help of Christians)

–     following her example community makes God the unifying centre of its existence 21, 31, 181

–     with her as Mother and Teacher we seek with confidence a common educative and pastoral project 37

–     we believe the salesian community to be guided and sustained by her motherly presence 85, 164, 198

–     “May the most holy Virgin, whom you venerate with the title Mary Help of Christians, guide your steps and protect you always and everywhere” 171

Neighbourhood (v. also Context)

–     active insertion in as animating and transforming presence 37, 43, 46, 81, 84, 193

–     knowledge of situation and urgent needs of, and permanent dialogue and collaboration with 82, 83

Pardon  v. Forgiveness

Participation (v. also Co-responsibility)

–     building communion through participation in the common life and mission 8, 15, 37, 43, 53, 68, 81, 157, 159, 163, 185

–     facilitated for all by fraternal dialogue and by harmonizing personal and community life-plans 74

–     more mature young people protagonists in evangelization of peers 47

Planning mentality (v. also community project)

–     working with a 73, 90, 97, 99

–     community planning, an opportune time for formation in daily life 56, 58, 62

–     six-year program of Rector Major with his Council 90, 104, 115

Poor (v. also Young people)

–     salesian community among the poor 6, 22, 23, 35, 46, 84, 96

–     practical attention to new and old forms of youthful poverty 35, 39, 44, 103, 112, 140, 166, 187

–     more simple and austere lifestyle needed in welcoming and sharing with the poor 28, 47, 161

–     educate to justice and solidarity young people who live in contexts of poverty and also those who are well to do 44, 47, 185

–     promote peace and justice by a concrete response to needs of the poor 80

–     appeal to save the young people of the world (in situations of poverty, marginalization, violation of their dignity) 140

Pope (John Paul II)

–     called to welcome Pope’s invitation to proclaim Christ, especially to the young, as a permanent model of new humanity 3, 148, 162, 188

–     message for beginning of GC25 141-146

–     message during audience for capitulars 169-171

Prayer

personal

-         difficulties 54

-         priority of times for personal reflection and 58, 62, 162

-         “lectio divina” 31, 47, 61, 73, 185

community

-         united by to listen to God’s Word 1

-         specific moments of 15, 18, 26, 31, 58, 185

-         source of spiritual formation 61

-         quality needed to be school of prayer for community, young people, Salesian Family and lay collaborators 31, 144, 159

-         with young people 46, 47, 48

and work

-              balance between times for 26, 27, 30, 54

-              periodic verification needed 32, 54

Presence (v. also Young people)

– salesian

   -  dynamic reality, network of relationships, collection of projects and processes, activated by pastoral charity and realized with young people, laity and Salesian Family 42

   -  made visible by community that animates it 38

   -  subject of is not exclusively the salesian community 42

–     renewal of quality of among young people 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 139, 145, 162, 193

–     of SDB in EPC and Salesian Family 4, 14, 43

–     animating nature of in neighbourhood and where decisions are made about youth condition 43, 46, 97

–     criterion for is that of Oratory and preventive system 37, 39, 46

Preventive system

–     still maintains validity 6, 85

–     family spirit lived according to 9

–     knowledge and practice of a way to salesian holiness, even among laity 14, 26, 57

–     practice of  gives us significant place in education of the young 138

–     a great treasure of the sons of DB 153

–     is centred on charity 151

Project

community

-         nature of:  ensure unity of action, convergence of criteria, harmony between individuals 46, 72, 73

-         elaboration of involves whole community 15, 61, 64, 73, 74

-         harmonize with personal project 31, 74

-         to be in line with that of province and EPC 74, 78

organic provincial (OPP)

-         nature of 82

-         objectives 83

-         criteria for elaboration 84

personal (life-plan)

-         responsibility of each confrere for his own 14, 56

-         helps for elaboration of 16

-         integration with that of community 31, 74

-         topic for discussion with Rector 62

educative pastoral (SEPP)

-         elaboration involves all confreres in animating nucleus of EPC, and in application 34

-         leaven of communion with young people and laity, encouraging collaboration in educative mission 39, 46, 159, 194

Prophecy (prophetic presence)

–     salesian community called to prophetic proclamation of love of God and values of Kingdom among young people living in secularized contexts 19, 25, 30, 40, 44, 47, 66, 197

–     through austerity and simple life that proclaims value and dignity of each person 35, 36

–     priority of as authentic expression of salesian mission in locality 83, 84

Province / Provincial

–     responsibility of Provincial and council for application of GC25:

-  promoting authentic sharing of goods 35

-  establishing norms of conduct with reference to chastity 36

-  drawing up, through formation commission, yearly program for ongoing formation 60

-  drawing up provincial plan for qualification of personnel 60

-  promoting formation of Rectors 65

-  drawing up Organic Provincial Plan 82, 83, 84

 - suggesting ways and helps for drawing up personal life-plan and that of community 16, 74

–     relationship of Rector Major and Council with the provinces 91, 98, 102, 106, 114

–     organization of groups of provinces 126-130

–     division of Australia-Asia group 135

Rector

–     centre of unity, pastoral guide, animator of vocational fidelity 52, 63, 64

–     challenge of his mission 54, 63

–     selection and formation of 53, 64, 65

–     and fraternal colloquy 34, 54, 62, 65

–     relationship with Provincial 53, 65, 74

–     animates by involving all the confreres 185, especially Vice-rector and council 65, 74

Rector Major (v. also General Council)

–     service of unity of 91

–     six-year program of 90, 104, 186

–     circular letters of 92, 93, 101

–     limit in duration of office 131

Relationship of community and work (community–EPC)

–     must allow salesian community to live and work together 69, 71, 78

–     avoid overlapping of structures of community and work 79

Relationships, interpersonal  v. interpersonal relationships

Retreats

–     specific moments of community life 15, 53, 62

–     times of intense spiritual experience with young people 47

Salesian / Salesians

Note: The whole capitular text is full of references to Salesians to whom it is specifically addressed.  The index refers only to some elements concerning the vocation of the Salesian Brother, emphasized by the Chapter.

Salesian Brother

–     community witnesses to vale of vocations of salesian priest and salesian brother 48

–     Artemide Zatti manifests value and relevance of role of 143, 196

–     new specific commitment for this vocation in every province 137, 138, 196

–     care of Brothers after initial formation 60

–     message of GC25 to confreres with reference to this vocation 137

Salesian community

Note: The entire first part of the capitular document deals primarily with the salesian community.  The following refer to certain aspects..

–     identity and central nature of 8, 17,  85, 142, 155

–     community life expresses primacy of God 26, 30, 38

-      spiritual experience of 40, 41, 47, 61, 163

-      prophetic aspect of 40, 44, 47

–     local community setting for human and vocational growth 15

–     conditions for fraternal life in 12, 13, 40, 67, 68, 69, 185

–     among and with young people in the style of preventive system 37, 39, 43, 46, 152, 155

–     community life and salesian mission 40, 46, 66, 69, 71, 160

-      community and salesian presence 38, 39

-      in animating nucleus of EPC 39, 70

-      relationship between community and its work 71, 78

-      planned working 47, 65, 73

–     and vocational suggestion 45, 48

–     different situations of life of 68

–     qualitative and quantitative consistency of 77, 84

–     provincial community

-      subject of the mission 66

-      promotes awareness of common mission 76

Salesian Family

–     salesian community centre of animation and communion in Family and vast Movement taking inspiration from Don Bosco 6, 37, 43, 84, 85, 133, 138

–     co-responsibility in mission with collaboration of groups of Family 39, 43, 46, 48, 70, 138

–     school of prayer for itself, young people, members of Family and lay collaborators 31

–     attention to vocational pastoral work in Family 41, 84

–     ongoing formation in Family 60

–     message of GC25 to Family 138

Salesian Movement

–     SYM a setting in which salesian community can be among young people 41, 47, 48

–     the salesian lay movement (v. also Laity) 138

Sanctity  v. holiness

Sharing

– of life

-      witness of and readiness for 8, 11, 14, 18

-      challenge of life and mission to 13, 71

–     of spiritual experience 31, 61, 185

–     of goods with other people and the poor 35, 47, 68

–     of the mission

-  collaboration and sharing in EPC 39, 46, 58, 138

–     in six-year planning 102

–     of significant experiences in General Chapter 136

Social communication

–     fosters sense of belonging 11

–     lessens time for fraternal relationships 12

–     educating to appropriate use of 33

–     collaboration with ecclesial and civil institutions in 46

–     new and vital space for youth meetings 47

–     Councillor for 133, 137

Solidarity (v. also Poor)

–     evangelical witness in communion of goods 23, 28

–     main regulator of our way of living and acting 35, 44, 186

–     promote culture of 161

–     offer suggestions to young people to educate them to justice and 47

Spiritual Experience

–     living an intensive spiritual experience in community 30, 31, 40, 192, 197

–     propose strongly spiritual environments and experiences to the young 47, 48

Spirituality (salesian)

–     clear awareness of nourishes commitment to fraternity 11, 26, 60

–     spiritual renewal of Salesians 191

–     revision of life on essential elements of 31

–     living it by young people and laity 46, 138, 162

–     plan of Christian life 183

Spirituality of communion (v. also Community)

–     animate community to 58, 163, 188

–     be a house and school of communion 1, 37, 86, 144, 166

–     become centre of animation and communion in Salesian Family and Salesian Movement 6, 7, 8

–     presence which builds communion through interaction in management of problems 46, 98

Structures (of animation and government)

–     GC25’s verification of:  cf. second part of document 87-130

–     at the service of the young and especially the poor 35, 37, 44, 46, 186, 194

–     avoid overlapping of structures of government of community and of its work 79

–     reorganization of structures in Generalate, 113

Study

–     to be balanced with times for work, community life, prayer and rest 32, 54, 58

–     General Council to promote and guide reflection in provinces and regions 98

–     lack of and interdisciplinary planning between Departments can be an obstacle to a full understanding of the youth situation 112, 115

Team

–     Team mentality in working 29, 47, 48, 57

 

Team Visits

–     positive assessment of 91

–     verification of conclusions of 99

Verification / Evaluation

–     continual effort at every level 14, 32, 33, 47, 74, 99, 104, 186

–     of fundamental conditions making community life possible 32, 67

–     of project of community life 61, 72, 73, 77

–     of organic provincial project 82

–     of SEPP, involving the EPC 47

–     meetings for planning and verification, privileged times for ongoing formation 56, 58

–     of celebration of recent General Chapters by General Council 136

Vicar General

–     modification of C 134, with assignment of Salesian Family to 133

–     Limit to duration in office 132

–     commitment of for coordination of Departments with Regionals 115

Vicar of the Rector Major  (v. Vicar General)

Vocation

–  be aware of our own 1, 2, 4, 6, 37

–  salesian community, first place for vocational growth 41, 48

–  testify in community to vocation of salesian priest and salesian brother 48,      137, 196

–  presence that accompanies and becomes vocational suggestion 41, 48

–  salesian community lives its vocation as point of reference for charismatic identity of animating nucleus of EPC 80, 163

–  Rector as animator of fidelity and vocational growth of confreres and lay collaborators 52

Vocational proposal / suggestion

–     in style of salesian assistance 37, 41, 45, 48, 144, 196

–     method for, and follow up 48, 185

Witness

–     daily personal and community witness to fullness and happiness of life in following of Christ becomes vocational suggestion for young people 19, 20, 28, 33, 36, 48, 138, 155, 157, 189

–     difficulties in making it perceptible 29, 30

–     testify in community to vocation of salesian priest and salesian brother in visible, joyful and attractive way 48

–     Consistency of salesian community a fundamental condition for each community to experience fraternal life and give evangelical witness 75, 192

Word of God 

–     Central place of Word of God in community and personal life 11, 14, 31, 151, 197

–     Fostering “lectio divina” among confreres and young people 47, 61, 73, 185

Work (v. also Prayer)

–     balanced distribution of times for work of community 26, 27, 32, 44, 68

–     as a team with planning mentality 47, 57, 69, 71, 72, 81

–     to be constantly marked by evangelical love 170

–     with strength to live grace of unity, harmonizing fraternal life, prayer and work 26, 30, 32

Young people (v. also Presence)

–     know and share situation of world of youth 3, 57, 85, 112, 150, 157, 187

–     care for youngsters who are poor and in difficulty 35, 39, 46, 47, 84, 103, 140

–     educate to solidarity and justice 44, 47, 48

–     a community for and with the young 6, 7, 19, 21, 37, 46, 137, 139, 146, 147, 151, 185

–     and becomes an evangelical sign for them 23, 36, 37, 40, 84, 85, 166

–     make community visible among the young, sharing time with them 43, 46, 48, 68, 69

–     evangelization of, sharing experiences of salesian spirituality with suitable methods 22, 30, 31, 40, 44, 46, 47, 146, 162, 194

–     gift of holiness for 170, 191, 196

–     follow-up and formation of in groups and in SYM 41, 47, 48, 80, 141, 146, 167

–     vocational suggestions for 41, 45, 48, 152, 197

–     co-responsible for the mission 46, 47

–     young confreres 48, 54, 137

–     message of GC25 to 139

–     appeal to save young people of the world 140