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GC28, the second week of work: friendship and mutual listening

02 March 2020

(Turin, March 1, 2020) - Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin, in the homily he addressed to Chapter members on Saturday 29 February, said: "In the community, simple words are needed, together with concrete life experiences and, above all, a lot of friendship and mutual listening: this manages to arrive directly to people's hearts, more than anything else." Friendship and mutual listening are part of the air one breathes in these first days of capitular commitment.

"There is a concentrated, intense atmosphere, a constructive will, a lot of understanding for the travel and some necessary discomfort, but the feedback from this first half is absolutely positive. The discussion on the Rector Major's report and his responses was perfect and exemplary," said Fr Saimi Ezhanikatt, Chapter Secretary and deus ex machina of the whole organization.

On Monday, 24 February, the language translation test trials and a test on the votes were carried out. 222 voters contributed to fine-tuning the system.

This was followed by the appointment of the Secretaries, proposed by the Regulator and voted by the assembly. Fr Enrico Gaetan, Fr Luca Barone and Fr Daniele Merlini were elected.

It was then the turn of the Moderators. The following were elected: Fr Manuel Cayo, Provincial of Peru (PER), Fr Jose Kuruvachira, Provincial of India-Dimapur (IND) and Fr Manuel Jimenez Castro, Visitor of Africa Congo Congo (ACC).

The capitulars then immersed themselves in the individual reading of the Regulations and then divided into the four commissions on the subject and the one on the juridical subjects.

Next day, 25 February, Fr Andrea Bozzolo, SDB, professor of Dogmatic Theology at the Turin Section of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University, presented the Working Tool of the 28th General Chapter (GC28) to the capitulars gathered in the Teatro Grande of Valdocco. With this beautiful image: "The fire and the canoe". 

The fire of the Spirit of God marks and illuminates the course that the Chapter canoe must follow. Embarked on it, the Salesians must stay the course together with the young people who row vigorously, all facing the same goal that is the objective of the Chapter, made up of three groups: the priority of the mission for young people, with all the challenges it implies, the profile of the Salesian, and the co-responsibility with the laity.

The Chapter - it has been remembered - is not a "parliament", but knowing how to recognize God in the voice of one's brothers.

Hence the successive stages that will lead to choices, through the triple sieve: recognize-interpret-choose.

There is a tangible good and positive focus and everyone's commitment is clearly visible.

An organization that is functioning with admirable efficiency. The teamwork is highly coordinated: from behind the scenes, where the operators of the digital network that supports all forms of communication are stationed full-time, as are the translators, hospitality workers and liturgical moments; but what matters most is the collaborative attitude of the Chapter members.

The basic media coverage is also excellent, aiming to create communion between the participants of the GC28 in Turin-Valdocco and each local "Valdocco" in the outskirts of the Congregation. In this case, digital media have the ability to put the center on the same level as the communities and works of the periphery.

"The commissions and subcommittees were created in very little time and immediately went to work," continued Fr Saimi.

The commissions are formed by language areas and subdivided in turn into subcommittees to foster the maximum possible dialogue. The only slightly different commission is the one that deals with legal issues, some of which are urgent and not easy to resolve.

Naturally, there is much anticipation for the week of March 16-21, the election week, which can mean a lot to understand the orientation of the Congregation.

In all there is that will "lit" by Pope Francis and that the Archbishop summarizes thus: "The Church cannot be satisfied with waiting for the young to return, but must seek them and meet them where they are, opening the doors, going out into the open sea, challenging the cultural and environmental storm, mass media and digital ... in short, the new world where young people swim like fish in water."

The frequent moments of prayer in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, "place of the heart" of Don Bosco and of all the Salesians, are sipped at the source of that spirituality that originated here.

Photos on ANSFlickr

INTERVIEWS

  • Democratic Republic of Congo – Fr Owoudou on the situation in the eastern parts of the country: “No matter how dark the night may seem, dawn will inevitably come”

    (ANS - Goma) - During his latest phase of the Extraordinary Visit to the "Mary Most Holy Assumption" Province of Central Africa (AFC), Fr. Alphonse Owoudou, Councillor for the Africa Madagascar Region, conducted an interview with the magazine "JAMBO VIJANA," representing the youth engaged in the Salesian works of the Province's Eastern Delegation. Addressing the ongoing violence and conflicts in the region, Fr. Owoudou expressed hope, saying: "No matter the length of the night, dawn will inevitably come."

EDITORIAL

  • “Speaking with the Heart”: A great Antidote for the Ills of today’s world

    ‘Revolutionize the world with your kindness, by speaking with your heart’, is the dream that Pope Francis envisions for humanity through his 57th World Communication Day message, that falls on this Ascension Sunday, 21st May 2023. ‘Speak with your heart in truth and charity’, and this is the best antidote that can cure the ills of today’s society.

EVENTS

  • Italy – "Labs To Future": the final event of the "Labs To Learn" project in Valdocco

    (ANS – Turin) – The final event of the "Labs to Learn" project was held on Tuesday, 5 March 2024, entitled "Labs To Future: The path – The results – The challenges" . The project was selected by the "Con i Bambini" social enterprise  within the framework of the Foundation for the Fight against Child Educational Poverty and came into being with the intention of combating early school leaving and preventing educational poverty, increasing the number of young people with difficulties who fulfil their school obligation, access higher education and/or job placement, and opening the way for personal growth according to their inclinations and aspirations.

SPECIAL REPORTS

  • Peru – Centenary of the High Altar of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Lima

    (ANS – Lima) – The centenary of the consecration of the high altar in the Crypt of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Lima was celebrated on 19 March, on the feast of St Joseph and in homage to Fr José Calasanz Marqués, then Provincial of the Salesians in Peru and Bolivia – now recognised as Blessed by the Church – on account of his name.

MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR

  • DREAMS THAT KEEP COMING TRUE!

    THE MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Card. Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB

    When reflecting on all this, I feel I have a little authority to say: “Dear Don Bosco, your Dream is still VERY ALIVE.”

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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