general chapter 26. da mihi animas, cetera tolle give me souls, take away the rest
TRANSCRIPT
DA MIHI ANIMAS, CETERA TOLLEDA MIHI ANIMAS, CETERA TOLLE
GIVE ME SOULS, TAKE AWAY GIVE ME SOULS, TAKE AWAY THE RESTTHE REST
““Keep doing all the things that you learntKeep doing all the things that you learnt
from me and have been taught by me andfrom me and have been taught by me and
have heard or seen that I do” (Phil 4:9)have heard or seen that I do” (Phil 4:9)
a ministry focused on activities to bea ministry focused on activities to be
carried out carried out
to to
a ministry more attentive toa ministry more attentive to
encountering the young where they areencountering the young where they are
to be foundto be found
a superficial knowledge of Don Bosco a superficial knowledge of Don Bosco
to to
a serious and committed study of thea serious and committed study of the
history, pedagogy, ministry andhistory, pedagogy, ministry and
spirituality of our Father and Founder,spirituality of our Father and Founder,
and of the reflection of theand of the reflection of the
CongregationCongregation
a routine practice in our spiritual life anda routine practice in our spiritual life and
pastoral work pastoral work
to to
living the “da mihi animas cetera tolle”living the “da mihi animas cetera tolle”
as daily prayer and passion.as daily prayer and passion.
““If I preach the Gospel, this is no reasonIf I preach the Gospel, this is no reason
for me to boast; it is a duty for me. Woe tofor me to boast; it is a duty for me. Woe to
me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Corme if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor
9:16)9:16)
a mentality that favours roles of directa mentality that favours roles of direct
management management
to to
one that favours an evangelisingone that favours an evangelising
presence among the youngpresence among the young
an evangelisation made up of events lackingan evangelisation made up of events lacking
continuity continuity
to to
a systematic and integrateda systematic and integrated
evangelisation programmeevangelisation programme
an individualist mentality an individualist mentality
to to
a communal style which involves thea communal style which involves the
young, families and lay people inyoung, families and lay people in
proclaiming Jesus Christproclaiming Jesus Christ
an attitude of pastoral self-sufficiency an attitude of pastoral self-sufficiency
to to
one of sharing in planning by localone of sharing in planning by local
ChurchesChurches
considering the effectiveness of ourconsidering the effectiveness of our
presence in terms of the esteem of others presence in terms of the esteem of others
to to
understanding it in terms of fidelity tounderstanding it in terms of fidelity to
the Gospelthe Gospel
a mentality of cultural superiority a mentality of cultural superiority
to to
one of positive acceptance of culturesone of positive acceptance of cultures
different from our owndifferent from our own
considering the Salesian Family only as aconsidering the Salesian Family only as a
chance to meet, get to know, andchance to meet, get to know, and
exchange experiences exchange experiences
to to
a commitment to making it a truea commitment to making it a true
apostolic movement on behalf of theapostolic movement on behalf of the
youngyoung
a model of evangelisation aimed only ata model of evangelisation aimed only at
transformation of the person transformation of the person
to to
an evangelisation which also looks toan evangelisation which also looks to
transforming social and politicaltransforming social and political
structuresstructures
““Look around you, look at the fields.Look around you, look at the fields.
Already they are white, ready forAlready they are white, ready for
harvest” (Jn 4:35)harvest” (Jn 4:35)
thinking that we are the ones who thinking that we are the ones who take thetake the
lead in vocation ministry lead in vocation ministry
to to
humbly recognising that we are humbly recognising that we are butbut
mediators of God's action in this mediators of God's action in this regardregard
a vague and occasional vocational a vague and occasional vocational invitationinvitation
to to
one of focused and attentive one of focused and attentive planningplanning
that creates a vocational culturethat creates a vocational culture
a vocation ministry which we conducta vocation ministry which we conduct
alonealone
to to
projects shared with groups in theprojects shared with groups in the
Salesian Family and with the localSalesian Family and with the local
ChurchChurch
setting up vocation ministry as asetting up vocation ministry as a
response to the problem of a lack ofresponse to the problem of a lack of
vocations vocations
to to
one where we rediscover the joy ofone where we rediscover the joy of
helping young people find out God'shelping young people find out God's
plan for themplan for them
a mentality where we delegate a mentality where we delegate vocationvocation
ministry to a few peopleministry to a few people
to to
one where we involve every one where we involve every confrère,confrère,
community and the laitycommunity and the laity
a vocation ministry which is separate a vocation ministry which is separate fromfrom
youth ministry youth ministry
to to
one understood and experienced one understood and experienced asas
the very crowning of youth the very crowning of youth ministryministry
““If you wish to be perfect, go and sell If you wish to be perfect, go and sell whatwhat
you own and give the money to the you own and give the money to the poor,poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; and you will have treasure in heaven; thenthen
come, follow me” (Mt 19:21) come, follow me” (Mt 19:21)
a half-hearted apostolic commitmenta half-hearted apostolic commitment
to to
the unconditional gift of ourselves the unconditional gift of ourselves forfor
the needs of the missionthe needs of the mission
a theoretical esteem and formal a theoretical esteem and formal observanceobservance
of poverty of poverty
to to
effective practice and true innereffective practice and true inner
freedom in the spirit of the freedom in the spirit of the BeatitudesBeatitudes
a vague understanding detached from a vague understanding detached from thethe
circumstances of poverty circumstances of poverty
to to
one of concrete solidarity with theone of concrete solidarity with the
poor and a greater commitment topoor and a greater commitment to
social justicesocial justice
a local mindset which is closed in on a local mindset which is closed in on itself itself
to to
a provincial and global spirit ofa provincial and global spirit of
solidaritysolidarity
inadequate skills inadequate skills
to to
a more professional approach ina more professional approach in
administrationadministration
management of resources from amanagement of resources from a
proprietary mindset proprietary mindset
to to
an awareness that we are an awareness that we are stewards ofstewards of
the goods entrusted to usthe goods entrusted to us
““The spirit of the Lord has been givenThe spirit of the Lord has been given
to me, for he has anointed me. He hasto me, for he has anointed me. He has
sent me to bring the good news to thesent me to bring the good news to the
poorpoor” (Lk 4:18) ” (Lk 4:18)
occasional attention to poor youngoccasional attention to poor young
peoplepeople
to to
lasting and focused projects inlasting and focused projects in
their servicetheir service
a welfare mentality a welfare mentality
to to
involving poor young people ininvolving poor young people in
being active agents of their ownbeing active agents of their own
development and active in thedevelopment and active in the
social and political field social and political field
intervention directed to the victims ofintervention directed to the victims of
injustice injustice
to to
networking to combat the causesnetworking to combat the causes
of injusticeof injustice
a youth ministry insufficiently attentivea youth ministry insufficiently attentive
to family contexts to family contexts
to to
one of greater investment ofone of greater investment of
energies on behalf of the family energies on behalf of the family
a timid attitude and sporadic presencea timid attitude and sporadic presence
in media in media
to to
one of responsible use and a moreone of responsible use and a more
incisive educative andincisive educative and
evangelising animation evangelising animation
a situation of progressive weakening ofa situation of progressive weakening of
our works in some countries in Europe our works in some countries in Europe
to to
a re-launching of the charism a re-launching of the charism
a tendency to focus on management ofa tendency to focus on management of
works already consolidated works already consolidated
to to
one of courageous and creativeone of courageous and creative
flexibility flexibility
educative activity which is too selfeducative activity which is too self
sufficientsufficient
to to
networking with whoever has thenetworking with whoever has the
needs of the young at heart needs of the young at heart