austraLasia #1798
The Rector Major - Rumours of angels
SPANISH CYBERSPACE: 30th March 2007 -- The following came to me via South America but belongs somewhere in Spain where the Rector Major has recently visited. It appears in www.periodistadigital.com which seems to range fairly widely on religious matters. But I thought it might be of interest to our readers nonetheless.
"It is not easy to succeed a Saint, and especially if one considers the charism and attraction of St John Bosco, founder of the Salesians. Nor is it easy to succeed a 'legend'. Nevertheless, the current Rector Major of the Salesians, Mexican Pascual Chavez, is doing so, humbly but sincerely. He has things to proclaim but also to deny. He is gentle, open, ready for dialogue, modern and experienced. At least that was the experience yesterday of 'the angels' who supped with him.
The Salesians are a 'power' in the Church, but in a simple, unadorned way. They give the impression that they do not believe this. But they are the most widespread of all the Congregations - currently in 130 nations. Numerically, only the Jesuits are larger. Presently, the sons of Don Bosco number 16,500 members and around 50,000 lay Salesian Cooperators. A great family! [note: no mention of the Sisters? I am translating directly from the article. They were not mentioned].
And besides, they all the rage and in touch with power in the Church. They have a number of cardinals of international repute, such as the Honduran Rodriguez Maradiaga, 'papabile' at the last conclave. And, of course, there is the current number two in Vatican circles, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
However, Pascual Chavez continues to do what he has always done - give attention to the young, the typical charism and 'playground' of the Salesian. It is a charism that Fr Pascual incarnates to perfection and to which he has joined, at the same time, an ability to point out what's wrong, something not so common amongst religious superiors of the large Congregations.
Fr Pascual completed his doctoral thesis in Salamanca under XaBier Pikaza. That lends it character. Congratulations, Xabier, for whatever part you played in it!
From the playground, from his regular contact with the young around the world, Fr Pascual puts his finger on the problem: "The young are seeking a more committed, enculturated Church, one less colour blind, less closed, less bureaucratic and with a liturgy more adapted to them".
He recognises that we have arrived at the time, especially in the secularised western world, of fattened beef and that we attend a Church which is a "creative and countercultural minority".
He doesn't renege on Theology of Liberation ("it's necessary"), but notes that Latin America's greatest problem "is neither poverty nor injustice nor diseases, but culture".
He claims right to the memory of "the Latin American prophets". Amongst them, Casaldaliga, Helder Camara, Leonides Proaño, Bishop Romero, even the time of Medellin and Puebla. On the other hand, he assures us that he does not perceive "a Church with fervour or bubbling over with regard to 'Aparecida', the next CELAM summit to take place in May in Brazil.
The difficulties do not prevent him from pointing to enemies of the Church, for example, Salinas de Gortari, "great Mason, like all the former presidents of Mexico". Or to the "new fathers of Europe today who have renounced being believers because they are Masons". One of the best known of them - Valery Giscard d'Estaing.
As president of the Union of Superiors General (USG), Chavez openly recognises that "with John Paul II, Religious felt themselves marginalised". It has been 15 years since this group of Major Superiors was received at a Papal audience. Benedict XVI, on the other hand, has promised to receive them next November. He criticised the Curia for believing that "te weight of the new movements would substitute that of the Religious Orders and Congregations".
He also showed an ability to enjoy himself with journalists, and to crack jokes. He left us with his frank smile and open countenance. Thank you Fr Pascual! Your steps along the APIR* have been a breath of fresh air!
___*associacion periodistas informacion religiosa______________
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