(ANS – Rome) – Today, 31st December, in the early afternoon, respecting tradition, the Rector Major officially presented the Strenna 2013 by visiting the Generalate of the Salesian Sisters. The tradition started in 1849 by Don Bosco, continues with an issue devoted to knowledge and deepening of its pedagogy; the second theme of the three-year journey of preparation for the celebration of the bicentenary of his birth (1815-2015).

In the auditorium of the Generalate, in the solemn simplicity of a family atmosphere, Fr. Pascual Chávez met Mother Yvonne Reungoat, a large representation of the FMA, and some members of the Salesian Family.

The theme and structure of the Strenna 2013 was presented, briefly, expressed in the now famous slogan: “Like Don Bosco the educator, we offer young people the Gospel of joy through a pedagogy of kindness”.

The true "gift" (hence the term Strenna), however, is the text that the Rector Major presents today to the whole Salesian Family. These are pages that must be read, researched, in-depth  personally and in the various animation groups locally and territorially.

“Once again this time our approach will not be only an intellectual one. – writes the Rector Major - On the one hand a deeper study of Salesian Pedagogy is  certainly necessary in order to update it according to the sensitivities and the demands of our own times. Nowadays the social, economic, cultural, political and religious contexts in which we are trying to live our vocation and carry out the Salesian mission have profoundly changed.  On the other hand in order to be faithful to the charism of our Father it is equally necessary to make our own the contents and the method of the education and pastoral care he offered. In the context of society nowadays we are called to be holy educators as he was, giving our lives as he did, working with and for the young”.

Besides some reflections on the well-established principles of the Preventive System (Reason, Religion, Kindness, good Christian and honest citizen), the Rector Major offers great benchmarks and commitments for the Salesian family.

A true path to knowledge, verified with stimuli for a training and programming and more effective.

The emphasis is strong – as suggested by the verse that goes with the slogan: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice” (Phil 4,4) – on the Gospel of joy that must be understood not as an “joy rather than being a passing sentiment is an interior force which is able to resist in the face of the difficulties of life”. “Don Bosco took the desire for happiness the boys had and translated their joy of life into the language of cheerfulness,  of the playground, of celebration; but he never stopped pointing out to them that God was the source of true joy.” , writes the Rector Major in his comment.

In conclusion, Fr Chavez focuses on the Venerable Mamma Margaret. “From her Don Bosco learned those values and attitudes that he used with his boys, and that as the years passed became the foundation of his pedagogy left to his Salesians”. A simple and direct way that recalls how the effectiveness of good Salesian pedagogy is intrinsically linked to the educator which  inevitably by assimilation, transmits the values they believe in to whoever they can relate to and have a dialogue with. This aspect is underlined by a reference to a poem from a Salesian India that the Rector Major makes his own.

The full text of the Strenna is available in this language on the site sdb.org with video commentary. The text of the Strenna is also available in the proceedings of the General Council no 415.

Published 31/12/2012