(ANS – Rome)The pilgrimage of the 220 members of the forthcoming 27th Salesian General Chapter to the places of origin of Don Bosco began on the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. This in itself added to the significance of the moment.
In the homily he gave during evening Mass in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco, the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chavez, reflected on the expression that St. Peter uses in his first letter to exhort the elders or presbyters to be "witnesses of Christ's suffering and sharers in the glory to come."
"These words indicate our need" he said "for pastoral conversion: to feed the flock willingly, without worrying about our own interest, and in this way to be an example to others." Here is the heart of the spiritual experience that the Salesians propose for their ministry, and it is in this spirit of courage that we wish to approach the authoritative work of the Chapter which will open in Rome on 3 March.
This meeting of the Congregation will also lead to the election of a new Rector Major after the two six-year periods of the mandate of Fr Pascual Chavez. The theme is "Witnesses of Gospel radicalism". The total and irrevocable acceptance of the invitation of Christ lived by the fisherman Peter is still an example for those who are called to the religious life. According to Fr Chavez, when the Major Religious superiors gathered at the Vatican asked Pope Francis what he expected from their congregations today, his answer was: “the full giving of oneself to Jesus."
This awareness leads us to rediscover without hesitation the essence of the vocation that Don Bosco presented to his sons with the guarantee of "bread, work and Paradise." This return to the roots of Salesian charismatic life, as pilgrims visiting the place where it had its original expression, is the privileged condition for regenerating the capacity of the Congregation to meet the new challenges of the world of young people. In the afternoon the pilgrims visited the House of Valsalice, where Don Bosco had the first major challenge in dealing with the scholastic education of the young (and where the body of Don Bosco was originally buried). Here they had a reflection by Fr Aldo Giraudo on Don Bosco’s spiritual testament (given also in English by Fr Joe Boenzi and in Spanish by Fr Horacio Lopez). They highlighted heroism as an element that characterizes the consecration of a Salesian. Don Bosco added a warning for himself and for his sons at the time, but with foresight also for his sons of today, to prepare well for this consecration: "when we make this profession, we must make sure we keep it, even at the cost of long and hard sacrifice."
There were elements of this same idea in the entertainment presented that evening by the post-novices from Nave in the grand theatre at Valdocco, as well as in the Good Night given by Fr Chavez at the end of this first day in the "Bethlehem" of the Salesians.
Published on 23/02/2014
