(ANS – Rome) – Today, Tuesday, October 2, at the Auditorium of Saint Pius X in Rome, Fr. Pascual Chavez Villanueva, Rector Major of the Salesians introduced his book: "Witnesses of the living God".

The volume, published in Italian by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, is, explained in the subtitle "The nature and future of consecrated life". A Salesian vision – a real essay on consecrated life, from a Salesian point of view and a tool to inform both the priests and the laity of the great richness of religious life and its chances of renewal, relying both on the recommendations of Vatican Council II and the theological reflection gained from within the Congregation.

Drawing on his experience as the Rector Major and President of the Union of Superiors General (USG), Fr Chavez in nearly 400 pages unrolls insights and suggestions on how to be authentic disciples of Jesus in the modern world and and true apostles in the work of the salvation of mankind. "The fidelity to the Church and a fortiori the Congregation depends on the inseparable union of these two factors: charismatic identity and social relevance. (…) It is not seen as an alternative, but an integration!", wrote Fr Chavez in the preface of the book.

The presentation was also attended by Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; Brother Enzo Bianchi, Founder of the community of Bose; Fr. Gianpaolo Salvini, S.J., former Director of "La Civiltà Cattolica"; and Fr. Wojciech Giertych, O.P., Theologian of the Pontifical Household. To coordinate the interventions will be Dr Vania De Luca, journalist of RaiNews24.

During the month of October there will also be the publication of the Spanish version, edited by the Central Salesian Catequistica of Madrid.

Published 02/10/2012