Fr Victor Hajdukevich, Rector of the Salesian community in Minsk welcomed those present introducing “John Bosco as a priest capable of holding a dialogue with the political class, founding a religious community, being a friend of the young, having a profound culture. Today it is a fine thing to meet together as the representatives of the Salesian Family in Poland, the Ukraine, Germany and Italy together with a group of young people to reflect on the importance of Don Bosco”.
The Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez, had sent from Rome a message to those gathered in Minsk: “Let us look at Don Bosco the priest yesterday, today and always, in spirituality, in the apostolate and in his educational experience in Valdocco. Today we are looking at him through the Salesian Constitutions which were written starting from that lived experience.”
Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Minsk, considering pastoral work with the young, “the future of the Catholic Church,” invited those present to look at “Don Bosco as a gift from God who with his charism for education, gave his life in the not-easy task of educating the young.” Recalling that “his educational system was based on reason faith and love ,” the Archbishop emphasised that the symposium itself would be of help in assessing the contribution of Don Bosco to the educational system.
The Archimandrite Sergey Gaek, Apostolic Visitor of the Catholics of the Greek Rite in Belarus, underlined how “Saint John Bosco is present today and will be present throughout the world thanks to his followers.”
Fr Augustyn Dziedziel, secretary of the Special Circumscription of Eastern Europe described the activities of the Salesians in Eastern Europe from the times of the Soviet Union until the present. Fr Stanislav Zimniak, from the Salesian Historical Association spoke on the subject: “Don Bosco’s activities as part of the cultural heritage of the Catholic Church.”
The missionary contribution of the Salesians in the East during the time of Don Rua was the subject of the talk given by Fr Norbert Wolff, lecturer at the Salesian Theological Faculty in Benedickbeuern, Germany. The final talk in the symposium was given by Fr Zenon Klawikowski, Rector of the seminary in Lendz (Poland), with the title: “The history of foundation of the Salesians and the charism of the Salesian Family today.”
Published 25/11/2009
