(ANS – Rome) – Addressing the assembly at the close of the 33d Salesian Family Spirituality Days, Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime stated: “It’s a great responsibility for me as Rector Major during my six-year term to get this point across to my confreres, and I emphasize it: the option to involve the laity is not discretionary.” The SFSD at the Salesianum in Rome ended on January 18.

by Bro. Andres Felipe Loaiza, SDB

The final day of this gathering of the Salesian Family began with the Eucharist, offered for the young, each group that belongs to Don Bosco’s Family, and the mission that is unfolding in the Church and in society on behalf of the poorest and most abandoned people. Then the assembly united to proclaim the Credo of the Salesian Family, which reaffirms the conviction that, “docile to the Spirit, in the unity and diversity of our vocations, we come together and we think, work, and pray together for the salvation of the young,” especially those most in need.

Then the Rector Major gave his closing address, in which he laid out six points to be kept in mind, taken to heart, and worked for by the members of the Salesian Family. “These are fundamental points,” the Rector Major said:

1.   Our DNA must remain that of Don Bosco, centered on Jesus.

2.   Our charismatic predilection is for the young, especially the poorest.

3.   Fidelity to our charism: always to be evangelizers of the young

4.   Sharing the spirit and mission of Don Bosco in the Salesian Family and with the laity

5.   The missionary dimension of our Family guarantees our genuine fidelity to Don Bosco’s charism

6.   Not with power and force, but with humble service.

With reference to the unity of the Salesian Family, Fr. Fernandez pointed out that, through our fidelity to Don Bosco’s spirit, “those for whom our mission is intended determine the type of activity and works through which we carry out our mission in concrete situations”  (cf. SDB C 1,2,14,21; FMA C 1,6,65; PVA 2,2b; ADMA 2; VDB 6; DS 17,c,d; IHSCJM C 23). He stressed that these citations refer to the Salesian Family groups whose basic documents he has copies of; he invited the other groups to send him their Constitutions, so that he could go more deeply into their charism.

Then he said, “At times, some of our groups say, ‘We don’t need lay people yet,’ but according to our charism all of us need the laity,” even repeating the words of the participants of the 27th General Chapter: “Sharing the mission with the laity is no longer optional—in case anyone should still think so.” He added: “I must say that among us Salesians around the world, some think, ‘We have many Salesians, so we don’t need them’; exactly because of this we do need them, and I can tell you that it’s a great responsibility for me as Rector Major during my six-year term to get this point across to my confreres, and I emphasize it: the option to involve the laity is not discretionary, ‘I like it or I don’t like it.’ Whether you like it or not, it must be done! ... and this is a chore for our whole family, and I will be the first.” The assembly approved the reminder of the need for greater communion with the Rector Major, showing that with thunderous applause.

The Rector Major’s talk can be heard in Italian or downloaded in different languages on the site www.sdb.org

Published 19/01/2015