GENERAL CHAPTER 26GENERAL CHAPTER 26

DA MIHI ANIMAS, CETERA TOLLEDA MIHI ANIMAS, CETERA TOLLE

GIVE ME SOULS, TAKE AWAY GIVE ME SOULS, TAKE AWAY THE RESTTHE REST

CHANGE OF ATTITUDESCHANGE OF ATTITUDES

theme 1theme 1

STARTING AFRESH FROM DON STARTING AFRESH FROM DON BOSCOBOSCO

““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)

CHANGE OF ATTITUDESCHANGE OF ATTITUDES

(from…TO….)(from…TO….)

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.

theme 2theme 2

THE URGENT NEED FOR THE URGENT NEED FOR EVANGELISATIONEVANGELISATION

““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)

CHANGE OF ATTITUDES CHANGE OF ATTITUDES (from…TO)(from…TO)

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

NEED FOR VOCATION NEED FOR VOCATION MINISTRYMINISTRY

theme 3theme 3

““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)

CHANGE OF ATTITUDES CHANGE OF ATTITUDES

(from…TO….)(from…TO….)

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

EVANGELICAL POVERTYEVANGELICAL POVERTY

Theme 4Theme 4

““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)

CHANGE OF ATTITUDESCHANGE OF ATTITUDES

(from…TO….)(from…TO….)

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

NEW FRONTIERSNEW FRONTIERS

Theme 5Theme 5

““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)

CHANGE OF ATTITUDESCHANGE OF ATTITUDES

(from…TO….)(from…TO….)

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

CHANGE

OF

ATTITUDES

The End