The purpose of the visit was described last year by the Rector Major, who at the end of the Extraordinary Visitation by the then Councillor for Northern Europe Fr Stefan Turansky, asked that an assessment be undertaken of the structure of the Circumscription in preparation for the restructuring and reorganisation of the works.
Almost 20 years after its being set up, the Circumscription is experiencing the effects of the changed political, social and religious conditions in the area, and the Rector Major with his Council has decided on a two-phased process of assessment: an examination of the situation of the works and their effective restructuring. The first phase was undertaken by a Commission, composed of Fr Chrzan, Fr Cereda, Fr Pellizzari and Fr Onorino Pistellato, Superior of the Salesian Delegation of the Byzantine-Ukraine Rite.
Starting from Minsk, the two Councillors began their fact-finding mission getting to know the religious and the Salesian works in Belarus, visiting the foundations in the capital and then Smorgon’. They then moved on to stop in Moscow and Saint Petersburg-Gatchina, before entering the Ukraine, where the visited first of all Korostyshev and Peremyshlany-Bibrka and then the community and the Salesian foundations of the Byzantine-Ukraine Rite.
At the end of the Visit the Commission met the Provincial Council of the Circumscription. Fr Chrzan, Fr Cereda and the members of the Council examined the various works to identify on the basis of the observations received in the meetings future prospects capable of ensuring the development of the Salesian charism in the present circumstances.
The Commission for the re-organisation of the Salesian foundations in the East Circumscription will meet again in Rome on 3 May. Between 15 and 19 of the same month the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez himself will visit the Circumscription. After this there will be the phase of the effective re-organisation of the foundations.
Published 13/04/2011
