Contents:
- Introduction
- Convocation in accordance with the Constitutions
- Particular character of the GC23
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Egidio Viganò – Vatican II, still a powerful force at the present day
Content:
- Introduction
- Pentecostal atmosphere
- Twenty years of accelerated history
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Egidio Viganò – Letter of John Paul II to youth of the world
Contents:
- Introduction
- The Year of Youth
- Values of youth
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Egidio Viganò – A requirement of the Preventive System
Contents:
- An authentic and urgent request
- Original inspiration
- A requirement of the Preventive System
- The idea of youth Associations today
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Egidio Viganò – ln the ever-growing splendour of the gospel
Contents:
- Our over-riding choice for Christ
- Unravelling the coils of ambiguity
- The seventies and the announcing of the Gospel
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Joseph Boenzi – What is salesian in Don Bosco?
Joseph Boenzi writes of the many times that the figure of St. Francis de Sales enters into the life and ministry of Don Bosco. The final word may never be written on why Don Bosco chose Francis de Sales as the patron of his Congregation but What is Salesian in Don Bosco? throws light on the subject.
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Giovanni Bosco – “Memoirs of the oratory”
Written over several occasions between 1873 and 1875, the manuscript of the Memoirs of the Oratory remained unpublished by Don Bosco’s explicit will.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.”
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Giovanni Bosco – Zeal for the salvation of souls Don Bosco’s models
Efforts to reform society along Christian lines, undertaken in the Turin diocese after the fall of Napoleon’s Empire, in addition to taking up systematic parish catechesis once more, fostering popular missions, the Forty Hours and retreats for all kinds of groups, focused above all on reform of the clergy, beginning with more careful selection of candidates for the priesthood and diligent care in their preparation. With this in mind diocesan authorities first reorganised the seminary in the capital (1819), strengthening disciplinary and spiritual aspects, and encouraged the initiatives of Fr Luigi Guala, approving the Rule for the Pastoral Institute [Convitto ecclesiastico] (1821), then extended the seminary at Bra (1824-1825), and finally set up a new seminary in Chieri (1829) in the old house which belonged to the Oratorians (St Philip Neri’s priests), putting trusted formators in charge. The model of formation espoused by the archbishop, the Camaldolese Colombano Chiaveroti (1754-1831), drew its inspiration from priestly ideals belonging to post-Tridentine Catholic tradition, with a strong emphasis on apostolic charity and pastoral sacrifice (the priest had to be a “victima charitatis”). Meanwhile groups of generous clergy, supporting his reform efforts, made themselves available for preaching to the people, the ministry of confessions and spiritual direction, along with some orders and congregations that had been set up once more after the suppression in the French era.
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Giovanni Bosco – The companion of youth
The first edition of Il giovane provveduto (in English The Companion of Youth) appeared in 1847 and was Don Bosco’s greatest publishing success. The year he died it had reached its 119th edition. It was reprinted with minor adaptations until 1961. It is also the book which Don Bosco most liked and constantly recommended.
Pietro Braido – Contemporaneità di Don Bosco nella pedagogia di ieri e di oggi
Per contribuire fin dall’inizio alla chiarezza del dialogo, si crede opportuno riassumere le conclusioni a cui si vuole arrivare, nello svolgimento del tema: 1. Don Bosco non è l’unico educatore o pedagogista del suo tempo, nè l’unico « grande » anche solo nel campo cattolico. 2. Don Bosco non è l’unico prete che nel suo tempo si sia interessato di ragazzi, di gioventù povera e abbandonata o no. 3. Tra essi Don Bosco è, indubbiamente, un «Grande»: soprattutto per avere approfondito intuitivamente e praticamente comuni esperienze educative, attuandole in forme ardite e organiche, e con vastità di visuale. Continue reading “Pietro Braido – Contemporaneità di Don Bosco nella pedagogia di ieri e di oggi”
Gustavo Fabian Cavagnari – Salesian youth ministry and family in the light of Amoris Laetitia
In these pages I would like to reflect on youth ministry with a special focus on family. I hope that, by the end of this reflection no one could say that most of the considerations made were on family ministry rather than on youth ministry. Nevertheless, I think we cannot have a different approach to the subject – youth ministry – when as Church and as Congregation we have had recently at least three magisterial indications in that direction: the letter of the Holy Father on the bicentennial of the birth of St. John Bosco, his apostolic exhortation on love in the family, and the 2017 Strenna of the Rector Major.
Sabino Frigato – Educazione ed evangelizzazione. La riflessione della Congregazione salesiana nel Postconcilio
Lo studio che viene proposto prende in esame “quanto” e “come” la Congregazione salesiana, a partire dal Concilio Vaticano II a oggi, ha riflettuto sulla natura della sua missione educativa e pastorale tra i giovani. Punto di partenza di questa indagine è il CG19 celebratosi nella primavera del 1965 a lavori conciliari ancora in corso. Negli Atti del CG la Congregazione esprime in modo netto la propria identità educativa consolidata dalla tradizione salesiana e sintetizzabile nello slogan formare “buoni cristiani e onesti cittadini”. Continue reading “Sabino Frigato – Educazione ed evangelizzazione. La riflessione della Congregazione salesiana nel Postconcilio”