RMG - "Heretical" reflections of a Salesian Brother
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01 August 2018

(ANS - Rome) - Salesian Brother Jesús Julián Garcia Garrido, known simply as Signor Jess, is the current Community Economer of the Salesian Central Office in Rome, a position he was called to about a year ago. A native of Spain, he served as a missionary in the Philippines and in Papua New Guinea, for a total of 35 years. In view of the VII Congress of Salesian Brothers of East Asia and Oceania, he contributed to the reflections with a short essay entitled, "My heresies. A personal reflection on the Salesian Lay Person."

The Reflection is formed around 5 points.

  • Importance of good Formation
  • How do I see my Vocation as Salesian Brother?
  • With Don Bosco and With the Times
  • Some Statistics and Article 45 of the Constitutions
  • Possible answers to the challenge of Salesian Vocation

Taking the time to read and ponder the reflections of Br. Jess is certainly a worthwhile effort. The author begins from personal life and vocation experience sharing, then ponders on the deeper connection between Salesian mission and two forms of one Salesian Vocation, that is, the BROTHER SALESIAN and the PRIEST SALESIAN (emphasizing the NOUN, not the ADJECTIVE), and pondering on our present faithfulness to Don Bosco and the 130 years of Salesian vocation statistics.

One of the ongoing question he delves into is: 'Observing our Mission, I'm wondering, why are there so many Priest Salesians...'

But the most rewarding are the few concrete and practical conclusions formulated around three points:

-       Closeness to young people and laity (involvement in education, esp. technical field);

-       postponing the decision to become a cleric instead of a Brother, despite the pressures: recruit vocations of Salesian Brother among the Salesian 'Clerics' (candidate to the priesthood);

-       Implementation of art. 45 (SDB Constitutions) that quotes: “The significant and complementary presence of clerical and lay Salesians in the community constitutes an ESSENTIAL element of its make-up and of its apostolic completeness” - a gradual implementation of this article might make the Congregation more proactive in looking for “balanced vocation solutions”.

The full version of his reflections is available on the Boscolink webiste.

InfoANS

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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