RMG – Meeting of the Masters of Novices |
Italy – The Novitiate of Genzano in Rome, present in the peripheries |
GHANA - A day with the Novices |
Italy - Meetings of the Rector Major with the novices |
(ANS - Rome) - "Don Rua was the most faithful, therefore the most humble and at the same time the most valiant son of Don Bosco." This is what Pope Paul VI wrote about Don Rua, who was the first Novice Master, even if for only one year. But it is worth noting, as Fr Motto has pointed out, that "Giulio Barberis was chosen as the first Salesian Novice Master, because in him Don Bosco had discovered a very delicate searcher and educator of souls."
After more than twenty years since the last meeting in 1993, twenty Masters of Novices of the Salesian Congregation have come together to reflect on fundamental and important issues of Salesian life. Their meeting will be led by Fr Ivo Coelho, Councillor General for Formation, Fr Cleo Murguía and Fr Silvio Roggia. The meeting, which is taking place at the Generalate of the Salesian Congregation, opened on Sunday 28 February with a welcome from Fr Coelho and will run until 12 March. On that day there will be a meeting of the Masters of Novices with the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernandez Artime, and the closing Eucharistic celebration.
In the meeting they will address important issues such as the "challenge of formation in religious life"; "The young candidate for the religious life, present-day cultural and family conditions"; "The nature, object and Salesian formation process of the novitiate"; "The affective-sexual dimension and interpersonal relationships: personal capacity for real love"; "Formation to Salesian prayer," etc.
"The main objective of this meeting is to help the novice masters to be Salesians capable of bringing to the novices the heart of Christ in a Salesian way," said Fr Murguía, organizer of the event.
Undoubtedly, looking back and remembering two great Masters of Novices, Fr Michael Rua and Fr Giulio Barberis, we can still find the model the Congregation needs for these times.
Published 29/02/2016