« Alla vista di que’ belli lavori che la grazia divina compieva in quell’anima innocente, ho più volte detto tra me : “ ecco un giovinetto di ottime speranze ” ».
Continue reading “Ceslao Pera – La santità raggiunta dal Savio”
Agostino Favale – Progetto missionario di Don Bosco e suoi presupposti storico-dottrinali
Vi fu in don Bosco un altro ideale, non disgiunto da quello dell’amore ai giovani, che va messo in luce. Si tratta dell’anelito missionario che, sbocciato nel periodo degli studi seminaristici, venne da lui coltivato fino a trasformarlo in un orientamento di fondo della sua esistenza e delle sue iniziative apostoliche, a porlo tra gli obiettivi precipui delle due Congregazioni da lui ideate, e a trasfonderlo nell’animo dei suoi figli e delle sue figlie spirituali.
Francesco Motto – Start afresh from Don Bosco. Meditations for a Spiritual Retreat
And so the main object of our reflections will be the figure of Don Bosco, a figure we shall try to make contact with, not so much to understand his external actions which we all know about already, but rather to understand the conditions, the motivations, the spirit which led him to make specific choices, to work in a specific way, to write about particular matters, to reach a particular form of holiness which is specifically his own, different in some ways from that of other saints.
Autori Vari – Il Sistema Educativo di Don Bosco tra pedagogia antica e nuova. Atti del Convegno Europeo Salesiano sul sistema educativo di Don Bosco
Il nostro convegno sarà destinato, precisamente, non alla ricerca scientifica pura o alla celebrazione commemorativa, ma a una riflessione vitale e impegnativa sulla attuale efficacia educativa e pastorale del sistema
Pietro Braido – Il Sistema Preventivo di Don Bosco
Il presente lavoro, senza svalutare alcuno dei precedenti, è finora il saggio più completo e metodico sul sistema preventivo nell’educazione della gioventù, quale Don Bosco lo concepì, lo attuò e lo inculcò per oltre quarant’anni con la parola viva e con l’esempio quotidiano.
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Pascual Chavez Villanueva – «Da mihi animas, cetera tolle». Let us draw upon the spiritual experience of Don Bosco, in order to walk in holiness according to our specific vocation. «The glory of God and the salvation of souls». Third year of preparation for the Bicentenary of his birth
Contents:
- Premise: A reflection on the inescapable task of evangelisation, in reference to the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium of Pope Francis.
- Commentary on the Strenna for 2014.
- Features of Don Bosco’s spirituality.
Pascual Chavez Villanueva – Inculturation of the salesian charism “So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could” (1Cor 9,19)
Contents:
- “The Law of all evangelisation”
- Changing cultural paradigms
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- Globalisation
- Interreligious dialogue
- The youth situation
- The digital world, a continent to be leavened
Pascual Chavez Villanueva – “But who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8,28). Looking at Christ through the eyes of Don Bosco
Contents:
- 1. Contemplating Jesus Christ from a salesian standpoint
- 2. Jesus Christ in the life of Don Bosco
- 2.1. The Christ of the Gospel
- 2.2. Conformed to the image of Christ
Egidio Viganò – “Our African commitment”
Contents:
- “Our African commitment”
- The Rector Major in Black Africa
- This is Africa’s hour
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.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Zeal for the salvation of souls Don Bosco’s models”
Emmanuel Camilleri – Don Bosco’s writings. A theological perspective & means for accompaniment
Don Bosco’s writings are diverse, and yet they had one particular aim: educating the young to religion and life in general. Through the medium of writing, he managed to direct and accompany the young on a journey that would lead them to achieve Christian perfection and personal holiness.