Charles N. Bransom, Jr. has graciously offered his study of Salesian Bishops for our publication. This study of 196 Salesian bishops stands as a historical record of Salesian presence in the hierarchical Church.
Mary Greenan – Towards intimacy: beyond power games and control needs
Sr. Mary Greenan, FMA presents the theme of collaboration in a commentary on the recent letter of Fr. Juan Edmundo Vecchi, rector major of the Salesian Society, and Mother Antonia Colombo, superior general of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
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Arthur Lenti – Politics of the “Our Father” and the holy father: Don Bosco’s mediation in Church-State affairs
Fr. Arthur J. Lenti tells the story of Don Bosco’ s efforts to mediate between the Holy See and the Italian government during the tense years of Italian unification. Of special importance was the appointment of bishops. After offering background on the historical events leading to the estrangement between the Church and state in Italy, the author goes to the sources in an effort to answer the question why someone so politically unimportant as Don Bosco, should become involved in a capacity of “negotiator.”
Giovanni Bosco – Indicators to the Holy see for the choice of new bishops for vacant sees (1867-1877)
One of the most difficult conflicts to resolve in relationships between the Holy
See and the new Kingdom of Italy was that of the dozens of Episcopal sees left vacant
for political reasons. Both parties were aware of the seriousness of the situation, but
attempts to exit from the situation were shipwrecked by the persistent serious friction
brought about by proclaiming a Kingdom which comprised territories taken from
the Papal States (1861). Only in 1865-1867 did a process of détente coming
into place, where, having overcome mutual resistance, the Holy See succeeded in
appointing many bishops with the agreement of authorities of the Kingdom.
Giovanni Bosco – Interventions to solve the matter of Bishops’ ‘Temporalities’ (1872-1874)
The Law of Guarantees on 13 May 1871 and decrees applying to this required that for newly appointed bishops to enter into possession – the so-called temporalities – they had to present the Minister with the original decree of appointment and formally ask for the exequatur to be granted. This act, in the Holy See’s judgement, implied recognising the Kingdom of Italy which came into being in 1861, and included part of the Papal States ‘illegally’ taken from the Pontiff.
Giovanni Bosco – Confidential letters to the Pope concerning the political situation (1858-1867, 1873)
In the years immediately preceding and following Italian Unity (1858-1866), Don Bosco kept constantly in touch with Pius IX by letter. He did this not only for interests directly relating to his work, but also in reference to the worrying situation the Church was going through in Piedmont, to encourage him in his defence of the faith against the enemies of religion, and to pass on to him any likely reserved information in his possession. As already indicated, Don Bosco was with Pius IX and his Secretary of State, Card. Antonelli, on the Roman question. Slowly however, he became convinced that a too vigorous resistance to the “revolution” was becoming ever more pointless, even risked worsening the situation, so after the capture of Rome he chose, also politically, the principle of doing whatever good could be done.
Dominic Veliath – Encounter of the salesian charism. South Asian context
The theme of this reflection, entitled: “Encounter of the Salesian Charism: South Asian Context, is self-explanatory. Drawing out its implications, the topic can be articulated in three focal points, implied in the very title, that is, “Salesian charism,” “South Asia,” and finally, the issue of the “Encounter…”.
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John Roche – Salesian evangelization. At the threshold of the bicentennial of Don Bosco’s birth – Part 1
Roche offers us a reflection on Salesian evangelization and how this is seen to share with the Church and the global community the precise and specific gifts that the Salesian Spirituality of accompaniment offers the world of youth ministry and education.
John Rasor – The concept of Secularity in salesian documents
This article examines the theological meaning of the term “secularity” in Salesian official documents. It begins with a survey of the meanings of secularity in recent theological dictionaries, then shows how these meanings are present in reflection by the sons of Don Bosco.
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Anthony Bailey – Salesians and the Internet
As early as 1989 Pope John Paul II alerted the Church to the pastoral possibilities that technology presented to those who had concern for young people.
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Stephen Whelan – The Catholic Readings: writing for the masses
The Letture Cattoliche or the Catholic Readings was St. John Bosco’s imaginative brainchild in his effort to bring good, decent and inspiring reading into the home. It appealed to a wide spectrum of persons from young to old, from commoners to high-born.
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