Contents:
- Introduction.
- Don Bosco’s canonisation.
- Our religious consecration.
- The main qualities in salesian holiness: serve the Lord in gladness; an oratorian heart; attracting the love of our charges; the asceticism of the daily grind.
Anthony Nguyen – God as father and Don Bosco as father
Don Bosco is a saint who is honored as the “father and teacher” of the youth. However, we may be curious to ask ourselves: In what sense do we understand the term “father” as it is attributed or applied to Don Bosco? Surely, it is not in “biological” sense of the word. But it is not simply in spiritual sense because Don Bosco did not only provide spiritual nourishment (heaven) to the young, but also “work and bread” (something for bodily/biological needs). Continue reading “Anthony Nguyen – God as father and Don Bosco as father”
Francis Preston – Response to Paper of Fr. Joe Boenzi
Towards the end of his paper, Fr. Boenzi makes reference to the “pastoral heart” of Francis de Sales and how “as he looked at the separated city of Geneva, his longing converted into a program of action and a journey of continual conversion.” And with reference to Don Bosco Fr. Boenzi comments: “At the end of the day, the Da mihi animas is a prayer and a gesture that becomes a life long investment. Continue reading “Francis Preston – Response to Paper of Fr. Joe Boenzi”
Morand Wirth – Saint Francis de Sales. A Program of Integral Formation
In the wake of Renaissance humanism, St Francis de Sales developed a pastoral rather than theoretical program of education and integral formation of the person. Every human being is called to perfect themself in all their dimensions as an individual: the bodily senses, the passions and affections of the soul, the spiritual faculties of memory and intellect, and especially the heart, the seat of the will and freedom.
As someone immersed in society, St Francis de Sales shows himself to be attentive to the promotion of the dignity of each individual be it in the family, in social relationships, at work, in leisure time or in the service of country. Finally, St Francis de Sales cannot think of the person without an openness to transcendence. His program is original in this area too: he has a positive image of a God who attracts the human being while respecting our freedom; the devotion he promotes is a “civil devotion”; moreover, the love of God is to be lived in daily life, while love of one’s neighbour is characterised by “gentleness”, the flower of charity. St Francis de Sales program is an antidote against a one-dimensional formation that neglects the multiple resources of human nature
Translation and Typesetting: Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco in collaboration with Australia-Pacific and Korea Province
Content:
PRESENTATION
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
Part One: FORMATION OF THE PERSON
1. EDUCATING AND FORMING
A duty to be done with love
Elements of child psychology
Sense of purpose in education
Beginning from the heart
Commanding, advising, inspiring
Correcting
Gradual education
2. THE BODY WITH ALL ITS SENSES
Salesian realism
Close link between body and soul
Love and control over the body
Educating our senses
The eyes and ears
The other senses
The body and spiritual life
3. THE SOUL WITH ALL ITS PASSIONS
The passions are the vibrations of the soul
I am as human as anyone could possibly be
Pleasure and aggression
The twelve passions of the soul
The role of images and the imagination
A difficult ideal to achieve: a constant mood
4. THE MIND WITH ITS FACULTIES
Reason, divine torch
The eye of the rational soul
Cultivating our intelligence
The memory and its storerooms
We need to have a well-balanced and reasonable mind
5. THE HEART: WILL, LOVE AND FREEDOM
The will, the master faculty
The affections that move the will
Love, the first and foremost affection
Inner struggle and the choices of freedom
The fruits of the will are our good resolutions
Fortifying and motivating the heart
6. EDUCATING YOUNG WOMEN
Francis de Sales and the women of his time
Educating young wome
Instruction and preparation for life
Education to love
Making a choice in life
Women and devotion
Part Two: THE PERSON IN SOCIETY
7. THE DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON
Know the dignity of the human being
Freedom is the most valuable part of the person
Conscience and responsibility
Respect and self love
The respect due to others
The Salesian “unidiverse”
8. MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
Marriage is a vocation
Love in marriage
Marriage is a school
Parents, cooperators with God
The child, the living image of its parents
Family union
9. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Civility
Ways of dressing
Good behaviour
Conversations
Salesian gentleness
Friendships
10. WORK AND SOLIDARITY
Preparation for an active life
The dignity of work
Work carefully and diligently, but without fatigue or anxiety
Encouraging the country’s economy
Solidarity with the poor
11. REST AND LEISURE TIME
Fresh air, walking, hunting
Games of skill
Dancing and balls
Society games
Cultural amusements
Feasts, banquets, dressing up
Happy and friendly conversations
Salesian humour
12. THE IDEAL OF THE GOOD CITIZEN
Loving and serving your country
Overcoming certain social barriers
When justice is wronged
Francis de Sales “the European”
Citizen of the world
Part Three: OPENING TO TRANSCENDENCE
13. THE HUMAN AND THE DIVINE
A question of happiness
Reason and faith
Virtues of the pagans
Affinity between God and man
A pedagogy of faith
Youth and God
14. AN IMAGE OF A POSITIVE GOD
God is good
Providence
A God who draws us to himself, respecting our freedom
Human beings are God’s cooperators
A God who is passionate about communication
Fear and love
And the devil?
An educator God who “anticipates” the human being
15. DEVOUT LIFE IN THE WORLD
True and false devotion
Religion within everyone’s reach
Intelligent and discreet devotion
Choosing proper models
The need to follow the laws of the world
Witnesses to Christian joy
16. LOVE OF GOD IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Choosing one’s spirituality
The need to flourish where God has planted us
The daily practice of virtue
Encountering God in everyday events
Combining prayer and life
Daily life transfigured
17. LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR
Why love our neighbour?
How do we practise love of neighbour?
Gentleness, the flower of charity
Showing love
Love up to what point?
CONCLUSION
The essential role of education
Choosing preventive education
In an attitude of trust and joy
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Works of Francis de Sales
2. Translations and Salesian studies in Italian
3. Salesian studies
4. Studies of a general nature
5. Relationship between St Francis de Sales and Don Bosco
6. Translations in English
Reference time period: 1700 – 2022
Morand Wirth, Saint Francis de Sales. A Program of Integral Formation. (= Pubblicazioni del Centro Studi Don Bosco, Studi e Strumenti 5), LAS, Rome 2022.
Reference institution:
Centro Studi Don Bosco
Juan Edmundo Vecchi – La Familia Salesiana cumple veinticinco años
Índice:
- Introducción.
- Una historia abierta al futuro.
- La nueva sensibilidad eclesial.
- Partir de las Constituciones.
- La Familia Salesiana: Principios constitutivos.
- 1. Es un conjunto;
- 2. Un conjunto de grupos;
- 3. Una precisión necesaria: la eclesialidad;
- 4. La exigencia definitiva: ser grupo “instituido”.
- Continue reading “Juan Edmundo Vecchi – La Familia Salesiana cumple veinticinco años”
Juan Edmundo Vecchi – The Salesian Family is 25 years old!
Contents:
- Introduction
- A history open to the future
- The new ecclesial sensitivity
Continue reading “Juan Edmundo Vecchi – The Salesian Family is 25 years old!”
Juan Edmundo Vecchi – La Famiglia Salesiana compie venticinque anni
Indice:
- Introduzione. – Una storia aperta al futuro.
- La nuova sensibilità ecclesiale.
- Ripartire dalle Costituzioni.
- La Famiglia Salesiana: principi costitutivi.
- 1. È un insieme;
- 2. Un insieme di gruppi;
- 3. Una precisazione necessaria: l’ecclesialità;
- 4. L’esigenza definitiva: essere gruppi “istituiti”.
Continue reading “Juan Edmundo Vecchi – La Famiglia Salesiana compie venticinque anni”
Juan Edmundo Vecchi – La Famille salésienne a vingt-cinq ans
Sommaire:
- introduction.
- Une histoire ouverte sur l’avenir.
- La nouvelle sensibilité ecclésiale.
- Repartir des Constitutions.
- Continue reading “Juan Edmundo Vecchi – La Famille salésienne a vingt-cinq ans”
Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «Vous êtes une lettre du Christ, écrite non avec de l’encre mais avec l’esprit du Dieu vivant». Informations et réflexions sur les derniers voyages
Sommaire:
- Visite en Albanie (lME)
- Le Borgo Ragazzi “Don Bosco” de Rome
- Retraite spirituelle à Fatima
- Retraite spirituelle du Recteur maieur et du Conseil
- Continue reading “Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «Vous êtes une lettre du Christ, écrite non avec de l’encre mais avec l’esprit du Dieu vivant». Informations et réflexions sur les derniers voyages”
Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «Voi siete una lettera di Cristo, scritta non con l’inchiostro, ma con lo spirito del Dio vivente». Informazioni e riflessioni sugli ultimi viaggi
Indice:
- Visita in Albania (IME)
- Il Borgo Ragazzi “Don Bosco” di Roma
- Esercizi spirituali a Fatima
- Esercizi spirituali del Rettor Maggiore e del Consiglio
Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «You are a letter from Christ, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God». News and reflections on recent journeys
Contents:
- Visit to Albania (IME)
- Don Bosco Boys Town, Rome
- Retreat at Fatima
- Spiritual retreat of the Rector Major and his council
- Continue reading “Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «You are a letter from Christ, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God». News and reflections on recent journeys”
Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «Vosotros sois una carta de Cristo, escrita no con tinta, sino con el espìritu del Dios vivo». Informaciones y reflexiones sobre los últimos viajes
Índice:
- Visita a Albania (IME)
- El Barrio Muchachos «Don Bosco» de Roma
- Ejercicios espirituales en Fátima
- Ejercicios espirituales del Rector Mayor y del Consejo
- Continue reading “Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «Vosotros sois una carta de Cristo, escrita no con tinta, sino con el espìritu del Dios vivo». Informaciones y reflexiones sobre los últimos viajes”
Egidio Viganò – En recuerdo de don Egidio Viganò: un mensaje de esperanza
El pasado 23 de junio de 1995, nuestro Rector Mayor don Egidio Viganó, séptimo sucesor de san Juan Bosco, volvìa a la casa del Padre. Habìa muerto en la casa generalicia, asistido por sus hermanos Angel y Francisco, confortado por la oración y el afecto de salesianos e Hijas de Maria Auxiliadora y rodeado de numerosos signos de estima de sus muchos amigos. Continue reading “Egidio Viganò – En recuerdo de don Egidio Viganò: un mensaje de esperanza”
Egidio Viganò – In memoria di don Egidio Viganò: un messaggio di speranza
Il 23 giugno c.a., il nostro Rettor Maggiore don Egidio Viganò, 7° successore di Don Bosco, è tornato alla casa del Padre. Si è spento alla Casa Generalizia, assistito dai fratelli don Angelo e don Francesco, confortato dalla preghiera e dall’affetto di confratelli e consorelle e circondato dai segni di stima di numerosi amici. Il Santo Padre gli aveva fatto giungere personalmente per telefono la sua parola di conforto e la sua benedizione. Continue reading “Egidio Viganò – In memoria di don Egidio Viganò: un messaggio di speranza”
Egidio Viganò – En mémoire du P. Egidio Viganò: un message d’espérance
Ce 23 juin dernier, notre Recteur majeur, le Père Egidio Viganò, VII° successeur de Don Bosco, est entré dans la maison du Père. Il s’est éteint à la maison générale, assiste de ses frères, les Pères Angelo et Francesco, réconforté par la prière et l’affection des confrères et des consæurs et entouré des marques d’estime de nombreux amis. La Saint-Père lui avait fait personnellement parvenir par téléphone sa parole de réconfort et sa bénédiction. Continue reading “Egidio Viganò – En mémoire du P. Egidio Viganò: un message d’espérance”