tion is follow ing in the w riting o f history. It is therefore necessary and ur
gent that the C ongregation as such develop such a policy and program it seriously. To the internai m otives o f the SD B s other external reasons m ay be added: requests from the social and ecclesial com m unity, from develop- m ents in the sciences, from the dialogue needed w ith cultural institutions, from the adoption o f new research techniques, etc.
M y personal opinion is that in the C ongregation (and in the Salesian Fam ily):
a. The conviction needs to be spread in a better and m ore detailed m an- n er th at the p reserv atio n , prom otion and ex p lo itatio n o f cultural values constitutes an investment fo r the future, one o f the best m eans for keeping faithful to the foundational charism and fo r preserving the spiritual patri- m ony we have inherited.
b. Incentives should be provided for increasing attention and sensitivity to the history o f the Congregation itself and to our particular locai history, w hich seem s at present to be lim ited in m any provinces to the repetition o f stereotyped phrases (“w ithout the past there is no future” etc.), or to the conviction - evidently false as has already been said - that w hat has been w ritten (even a long tim e ago) m ust autom atically be alw ays valid and rele
vant to the present day.
c. A n effective pian m ust be set up for the preparation o f locai experts (at provincial level) in salesian history and a better coordination o f research centres (far too few in num ber at present), enjoying proper freedom and au- to n o m y in th e ir o p tio n s and study p ersp e c tiv e s. T h e c ritic a i tex ts, the
“sources” , the resulting studies, m ust not rem ain only in the hands o f the a u th o rs and lo c a i c u s to d ia n s , b u t m u st be w id e ly d iffu s e d an d u sed th ro u g h o u t the C o n g reg atio n for the purpose o f d e e p e r study and ev er m ore valid and rich er interpretation. Is it necessary to rem ind ourselves that a history built on the shifting sands o f partial, unreliable and uncertain sources has no value from the outset?
d. Serious consideration m ust be given to the “salesian ” preparation o f the form ative personnel, w ho do not always have the practical possibility o f adequate updating, and often do not know or do not have available suitable instrum ents for the purpose (for them selves and those they are training). In the C ongregation it is not difficult to note unequal levels o f “updating” in this regard, especially w here Italian presents a serious problem . Suitable conditions are not alw ays present for the realization sic et simpliciter o f w hat is w isely prescribed (or can be prescribed in future) by the Ratio.
e. Languages certainly cause a problem. B ut it is also true that nowa- days inform ational technology has reached a stage w here it is sufficiently
easy and cheap to transm it and print in proprio facts, sources, texts and studies from other eountries. B ut it w ould seem useful to have a stable co- ordination and organization o f the efforts made in eountries o f the same language and available for locai productions and for the translation o f con- tributions com ing from others.
f. It is d esirab le m o reo v er th at updating in the fa c ts o f salesian histo- riography be m ade available fo r rectors, retreat preachers, ed ito rs o f sale
sian new sletters, bu lletin s and review s, and those spreading Inform ation through the m ass m edia. T he production and large-scale diffusion o f p o p ular p ublications does not m ean that their content be superficial, contain inaccurate and unscientific Inform ation about salesian history, and repeat past “facts” now know n to be unreliable. T hose w ho have the gift, duty or opportunity o f speaking o r w riting, o f form ing and ed ucating others, have a duty to be always up-to-date on the su b ject they are talking or w riting about. T h eir w orking instrum ents (the library) o f even those who w rite fo r ch ild ren and o rd in ary people should not be o f an in fan tile or p o p u lar level, but o f high scien tific q uality and w orthy o f the g reatest possible reliability.
g. Salesian libraries, retreat houses, bookshops, and selling points for books and religious objects attached to houses, churches and salesian sanc- tuaries should not confine them selves to selling the usuai popular item s like holy pictures, leaflets and m edals, but should also have a section of greater cultural depth. T hose w ho buy such item s o f salesianity are not al
w ays and only persons o f little culture, and in any case it is a question of m aking it understood that the story o f D on B osco and the Salesians has a cultural depth and prom inence w hich is often problem atic and som etim es dow nright traum atic; it is not alw ays a m atter o f am using com ic-strips or delightful little em bellishm ents.
h. In the field o f salesian historiography, as indeed in every sector o f the salesian m ission, all the various groups o f the Salesian Fam ily should work together, and in particular the Cooperators and Past-pupils, m any o f w hom are already professionally prepared for carrying out research in the field of salesian history. The problem necessarily arises as to who can com petently follow them up in their studies, and how the financial costs are to be met.
Can special funds be set up for the purpose? C an form ai collaborative
rela-tionship[s] be established w ith cultural centres and non-C atholic U niversi- ties (in C atholic areas or not) traditionally d o s e to salesian w ork? These are questions w hich aw ait a reply.
i. H istory needs docum ents: w ithout docum ents there is no history. And the docum ents, for the m ost part, are to be found in the archives (documen- tary, photographic, audiovisual and computers) and in libraries. We can therefore rightly ask:
• W hat is being d o c u m en ted in our arch iv es co n cern in g the opening, closing and transform ation o f houses, changes in activities, the m ove- m ent o f lay and salesian personnel, the suppression o f long-standing trad itio n s? A re the reaso n s idealistic o r co n tin g en t? A re they condi- tioned by legislative, educative or territorial considerations?
• W ith w hat precision are registers o f Salesians, collaborators and pupils kept? W ith com plete and exhaustive d eta ils? H ow are fin an cial and scholastic registers kept, the m inutes o f co m m u n ity assem b lies, and those o f m eetings o f the house council?
• H ow and w here is being docum ented the contribution m ade by SD Bs to civil and ecclesiastical organism s outside the com m unity, their partici- pation in activities m anaged by others, their publications, radio and tel- evision interview s, collaboration w ith o ther religious institutes? R ea
sons, duration, content, nam es etc.
• W hat attention is given to the adequate preservation, m aintenance, cata- loguing and enrichm ent o f the archived m aterial itself (type o f paper, m agnetic, electronic and digitai m aterial, etc.)? Is a copy o f the invento- ry o f the a rc h iv e s d e p o site d w ith the S a le sia n C e n tra l A rc h iv e s in R om e? D oes the R ector feel responsible for it, and has he had from the provincial secretary all the indications sent out by the Secretary G eneral for the ordering and organization o f archives?
• O n the death o f a confrere, w hat steps are taken to collect and put in or- der his m anuscripts or the books preserved in his office or room ?
• Is not perhaps the preparation o f obituary letters sadly lacking from the aspect o f historical docum entation, given that they frequently co n stitute the only (or alm ost the only) source o f Inform ation about the confrere. (It should be kept in m ind that an y th in g not p reserv ed by docum ent or testim ony, published or unpublished, historically runs the risk o f having never existed).
• To draw up the chronicle o f the house is a truly intelligent thing to do.
M aybe for som e chronicles stili applies w hat F r C. G usm ano w rote in the nam e o f Don A lbera (w ho was m aking the E xtraordinary Visitation in A m erica) on 13 January 1902, to F r Barberis: “Few houses have a chronicle, and for those that do it is alm ost as if they had none at all, be
cause they m ake note o f trifles o f no im portance and leave out neces
sary item s: so that after plugging m y w ay through 60 or 70 pages, I have picked up perhaps 4 or 5 lines o f interest; it seem s that the w riter can think only o f the tim es o f church services and an occasionai change in the house” .
• The house library should contain in indexed fashion at least the funda- m ental books w hich constitute the historical docum entation (scholastic teaching, pastoral, form ative and educative) o f the w ork. A nd in the case o f the closure o f the house, how is all that patrim ony preserved?
R om e, January ls t2 0 0 0
Per sopravvivere abbiamo bisogno del nostro passato e di identità collet
tive in cui affondare le nostre radici, così come abbiamo bisogno di una identità individuale”. (R Pr o d i, Introduzione allo studio della storia m o
derna. B ologna, Il M ulino, 1999, p. 19).
IN D E X
Preface... ” 6
Introduction... ” 7
Thefirtst day: Faith... ” 12
1. Living w ithin the history of Don Bosco, in the C hurch of C h rist... ” 15
Introduction... ” 15
1. A struggling Church at the dawn of the third m illennium ... ” 16
2. Re-establishing the “minority” phenomenon of consecrated life... ” 17
3. The historical forms of consecrated life ... ” 18
4. Trends o f change and the manner in which it took p lace ... ” 21
5. Some fixed points... ” 23
Conclusion... ” 25
2. D on Bosco: secrets o f su ccess... ” 26
Introduction... ” 26
1. A very high esteem of every individuai called by God to salvation... ” 27
2. Deep values expressed in social actio n ... ” 29
3. A clear priestly id en tity ... ” 31
4. The universal allure of his p e rso n ... ” 33
5. A great communicator of the youth problem ... ” 34
6. Resurgence of holiness... ” 35
Conclusion... ” 36
The second day: Hope... ” 38
3. Those form idable first tw enty years (1815-1835)... ” 38
Introduction... ” 41
1. In his native surroundings (1815-1831)... ” 42
2. Young student at the Chieri High School (1831-1835)... ” 45
3. The vocational choice: summer 1835... ” 49
4. Consequences of the c h o ic e ... ” 51
Conclusion... ” 52 P resentation o f the co llec tio ri... pag. 2
4. Ten y ears of p re p a ra tio n (1835-1844)... ” 53
Introduction... .... ” 53
1. In the Chieri seminary (1835-1841)... ” 53
2. At the Turin Ecclesiastical College (1841-1844)... ” 57
3. A new priest with a specific program ... ” 57
4. Don Bosco, priest and educator, writes to c le ric s... ” 58
Conclusion... ” 64
The third day: Charity in the Holy Spirit... .... ” 65
5. The fu n d am en tal option: the young (1844-1846)... ” 68
1. A fundamental docum ent... ” 69
2. “The problem lies in finding ways to bring them together, to be able to speak to them and teach them some moral principies” ... ” 71
3. Evolution of the Oratory: from the first festive oratory to a vast range o f educational works in response to em ergencies... .... ” 73
4. Types of young people cared fo r ... .... ” 76
5. Kinds of youngsters extraneous to the activities of Don Bosco... ” 77
Conclusion... ” 78
6. The vital choice: consecrated an d sent fo r a com m unal mission (1854-1874)... .... ” 79
1. The two dimensions of the Salesian: consecrated and sent... .... ” 79
2. The two dimensions inherent in the choice of vocation... ” 80
3. A strange omission: Don Bosco as a “Salesian” ... ” 81
4. Conditions: the vow s... .... ” 82
5. In com m unity...” 85
6. Two instruments o f choesion... .... ” 87
7. Communities in developm ent... .... ” 89
Conclusion... ” 90
The fourth day: Personal rapport with Christ... .... ” 91
7. The strateg ie tu rn in g point: the m issio n s... .... ” 94
1. The missionary turning point of the congregation... ” 95
2. Features of “missionary spirituality” in the “Souvenirs for missionaries” ... ....” 97
3. Features o f “m issionary spirituality” in correspondence with
superiors on the m issio n s...” 99
4. Fragments of spirituality in letters of anim ation...” 103
Conclusion... ....” 106
8. The Salesian mission at the present day...” 107
1. Mission: explicatio terminorum... .... ” 107
2. The Salesian way of “mediation” ... ....” 108
3. Phenomenology of attitude to what is “new” ... ....” 109
4. Three innovations that require careful consideration... ....” 111
5. Practical guidelines... ....” 114
Conclusion... ....” 117
The fìfih day: Salesian Holiness... ....” 119
9. Is the policy of the Pater Nosterstili valid?... ....” 123
1. The “politicai credo”of Don B osco... ....” 123
2. The present-day world... ....” 126
3. Some questions we can put to ourselves... ....” 128
4. A first step forward: educate ourselves and others to politicai virtues... ....” 131
5. A second step forward: educate ourselves and others to the Christian social virtues... ....” 132
Conclusion... ....” 132
10. Don Bosco’s preventive system today...” 134
1. Premise: relevant Preventive System because put into practice ... ” 134
2. Two versione o f preventative education... ....” 136
3. Greater “openings” for a preventative education...” 137
4. A new anthropological and theological foundation for “honest citizen and good C hristian” ... ....” 138
5. Pedagogical and psychological concerns... ....” 140
6. Holiness and salvation... ....” 141
7. The familiar trilo g y ... ....” 142
8. Educator who is father, brother, friend...” 146
Conclusion... ....” 147
11. Final homily... " 1 5 1 Appendix... " 1 5 6
An invitation to reflection about congregation’s history... ” 156
Introduction: Relevance of the th e m e ... ” 156
1. At the Salesian origins... ” 157
2. The function of H istory... ” 158
3. The present situ atio n... ” 164
4. For a renewed historiography, non contingent and of high profile... 166
The sixth day: A cco m p a n ied by the m o th e r... ” 148
Index ” 171
A S S O C IA Z IO N E C U LTO R I ST O R IA S A L E S IA N A VARIA
1. F ran cisco C a s t e l l a n o s H u r t a d o , El Colegio Salesiano del Espiritu Santo en Guadalajara (Mexico). R om a 2005.
2 . N esto r I m p e l i d o (ed.), The Beginnings O f The Salesian Presence In East Asia.
Acts O f The Sem inar On Salesian History, Hong Kong, 4-6 D ecem ber 2004. Part One: The Salesians o f Don Bosco. H ong K ong 2 0 0 6 (in via d i preparazione).
3. N esto r I m p e l i d o (ed.), The Beginnings O f The Salesian Presence In East Asia.
Acts O f The Sem inar On Salesian History, Hong Kong, 4-6 Decem ber 2004. Part Two: The Salesian Family (FMA, CSM, SIHM, DQUM, DBV). H ong K ong 2006 (in via di preparazione).
4. F ran cesco M o t t o , Starting afreshfrom Don Bosco. M editations fo r a Spiritual Retreat. R om a 2006.
ALTRE PUBBLICAZIONI ISS-ACSSA
M o t t o F ran cesco (ed.), Insediamenti e iniziative salesiane dopo don Bosco. Saggi di storiografìa. Istituto Storico Salesiano, Studi 9. R om a, LA S 1996, 595 p.
M o t t o F r a n c e s c o ( e d .) , L ’Opera Salesiana dal 1880 al 1922. Significatività e portata sociale. 3 vo li Roma, LAS 2001.
- Voi. I: Contesti, quadri generali, interpretazioni. Istituto S torico S alesiano, Studi 16, 469 p.
- Voi. II: Esperienze particolari in Europa, Africa, Asia. Istituto Storico Salesiano, Studi 17, 470 p.
- Voi. Ili: Esperienze particolari in America Latina. Istituto S torico Salesiano, Studi 18, 557 p.
R icerche Storiche Salesiane, 44 (2004) 23-312: Atti del IV Seminario Europeo del- ΓISS-ACSSA. Vienna 30 ottobre - 2 novembre 2003.
Via della Pisana, 1111 - 00163 Roma
Tel. 06/656121 - Fax 06/65612650 - internet: w ww .sdb.ore/donBosco/A CSSA E-mail: issasdb.org - fm otto@ sdb.org
Stam pa AB1LGRAPH - Roma
finito di stampare nel mese di luglio 2006