La Pastoral Juvenil Salesiana requiere la convergencia de las intenciones y de las convicciones por parte de todos aquellos que están implicados en el proyecto y en la realización de la Comunidad Educativo-Pastoral, espacio donde aquella se ejerce. En este capítulo expondremos su identidad comunitaria, sus dinamismos, su estilo de corresponsabilidad y las modalidades de animación de su crecimiento. De igual forma, la comunidad está llamada a invertir en la fi gura del educador salesiano.
Sembra ormai accertato che don Bosco è all’origine di una straordinaria esperienza educativa più che di una teoria pedagogica sistematica. Può ritenersi altrettanto indubitabile che la sua effettiva comprensione non possa essere garantita dalla sola analisi (teologica, filosofica, pedagogica, psicologica, sociologica e simili) dell’apparato concettuale ad essa soggiacente. Integrativa, anzi primaria, dovrebbe considerarsi l’attenta ricerca dei fattori contestuali che le conferiscono la caratteristica fisionomia vitale, esperienziale. Tra essi entrano certamente in gioco le persone, l’ambiente (o gli ambienti), la temperie culturale e affettiva. Continue reading “Pietro Braido – Don Michele Rua primo autodidatta «Visitatore» salesiano. Relazione di «ispezioni» nelle prime istituzioni educative fondate da don Bosco”
Written over several occasions between 1873 and 1875, the manuscript of the Memoirs of the Oratory remained unpublished by Don Bosco’s explicit will. However Fr John Bonetti drew on it abundantly for his History of the Oratory of St Francis de Sales, (which found its way into English under a different title Don Bosco’s Early Apostolate) published as a series in the Salesian Bulletin between 1879 and1886. And Fr John Baptist Lemoyne included it in its entirety in the first volumes of the Biographical Memoirs, adding in other information and anecdotes drawn from other witnesses. The first complete edition of the Memoirs appeared in 1946. The decision to put the book in the public domain in its entirety was motivated by the universal dimension that the Saint has taken on, as Eugene Ceria wrote in the presentation: “Today Don Bosco has become part of history and also been listed among the saints.”
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Memoirs of the oratory””
The biographical profiles of Louis Comollo (in the 1854 edition), Dominic Savio, Michael Magone and Francis Besucco are among the spiritual and pedagogical documents which are most representative of Don Bosco’s outlook. From these stories comes a horizon of meaning, a way of thinking and acting thoroughly rooted in his cultural context. At the same time however, beyond historical contingencies, they highlight a range of elements which better illustrate the characteristic features of the saint’s spiritual pedagogy.
Amongst the documents drawn up by the third (1883) and fourth (1886) General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation – which the founder also took part in – of particular merit is the new Regulations for the festive oratories and deliberations regarding Orientations for the working boys in Salesian houses. The two documents were published, as already recorded, in 1887.
The financial contributions asked for and obtained from public authorities and institutions were certainly not enough to help him confront the huge expenses of the Salesian Work. It was necessary to appeal to private charity. Logically, Don Bosco turned especially to families and individuals who had financial possibilities, meaning those belonging to the nobility, mostly large property owners, and the upper and middle class of the time who were notably ready to dispense charity. Some of these, albeit modest in their private savings, could actually find an outlet in educational and charitable works such as those of Don Bosco.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Appeals to private charity”
While preparing pilgrimages and spiritual exercises in Annecy and the neighborhood, I discovered reliable sources among the German and Dutch Oblates of St Francis de Sales. As a consequence of keeping contact with various participants, they invited the undersigned to take part in the annual meetings of their Arbeitsgemeinschaft (“study group”) in Eichstätt, Germany.
The present article is not concerned with the new constitutions. No comparative study will be attempted, nor any reference will be made to them. This would be carrying coal to Newcastle. I shall instead attempt simply to identify and briefly discuss some of the spiritual insights and principles for religious life and action which Don Bosco embodied in his constitutions.
In this article, I will attempt to trace how Don Bosco’s original experience was translated in such a way that his work could be established in Malta – an island country in the Mediterranean with a distinct tradition and culture from that in which the Salesian story first began and developed in Turin, Italy. I will place special emphasis on the Salesian Oratory, Sliema.
Continue reading “Paul Formosa – Historical sketch of the oratory of Don Bosco in Malta”
The first part of this study, however, will examine that other body of Salesian particular law, the Regulations. It will trace their development from their earliest beginnings around 1850, the era of Father Rosmini’s and Father De Guadenzi’s Sunday afternoon visit, up to 1967.
Continue reading “John Rasor – Early salesian regulations: formation in the Preventive System”
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