TWO RAILS, ONE TRACK; TWO BLADES, ONE PAIR OF SCISSORS
Salesian life in metaphor
MELBOURNE: 17th Feb -- The opening addresses of the 4th East Asian-Australian Brothers Congress were filled with metaphors of complementarity. Bishop Belo, who expressed his delight at being 'here with you to open this historic gathering...the frist time Salesians have this kind of encounter here in Australia' dwelt on the complementarity of Brother and Priest in the one consecrated Salesian life. 'For Don Bosco we are all one'. the Bishop said. 'Priests and Brothers, Bishops and Cardinals, like the two blades that make up a pair of scissors or the two metal rails that make up the one railroad track'. Never one to miss an opportunity to urge people to peace, Bishop Belo asked the Salesians present to 'make this occasion a jumping-board to be better Salesians. Let each of us in our own way bring peace to others. Let us learn the ways of non-violence. May this conference help us to face the challenges of the Year 2000 and beyond'.
A similar theme of complementarity came from the lips of Fr. Joaquim D'Souza, Regional Superior. The 'honest citizens and good Christians' of Don Bosco's langauge is today expressed in the idea of education and evangelization. 'Thus', said Fr. D'Souza, 'we are engaged in bringing together culture and faith, and in closing the gap between them, a gap which Pope Paul VI once said is the great tragedy of our times'. From this notion, Fr. Joaquim ephasised the special configuration of the Salesian Congregation. 'In other words', Fr. Joaquim said', 'because his mission to young people has a twofold dimension - the secular and the sacred - the Congregation he founded for them has a twofold inner composition - the consecrated layman and the priest'. In a series of metaphors, Fr. Joaquim further developed the brother-priest complementarity: 'like the farmer who tills the ground...like the miller who grinds the wheat...like the baker who kneads the dough...the priest needs him to have bread to consecrate. They both complement each other to offer the Eucharist...and to prepare young people for life in its fullness in the secular and sacred dimension'.
_____________________
BOSCONET - website of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Australasia region, serving especially the Asia-Pacific area, operating out of Fiji, and found at http://www.bosconet.aust.com
'austraLasia' - English language internet news service for the Salesian region of Australasia.
Contact the webmaster at jbfox@ozemail.com.au or jbfox@bosconet.aust.com or jbfox@is.com.fj
BOSCONET - website of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Australasia region, serving especially the Asia-Pacific area, operating out of Fiji, and found at http://www.bosconet.aust.com
'austraLasia' - English language internet news service for the Salesian region of Australasia.
Contact the webmaster at jbfox@ozemail.com.au or jbfox@bosconet.aust.com or jbfox@is.com.fj
