By Fr. Joan Lluis Playa, SDB
Central Assistant VDB and CDB
RMG, 4 August 2019 -- We are glad to share that a bi-monthly formation-animation newsletter on 'Salesian Secular Consecrated Life' has been published since February 2019 in the main languages of these institutes (Italian, Spanish and English). Already in the First greeting to the Network of "Ecclesiastical Assistants of the VDB and CDB" (February 2019) we started from this simple motivation:
"Secular institutes are little known, often ignored, or are confused with Lay associations and movements”. These opinions are often expressed also by the participants in the meetings of delegates of the Salesian Family, the Assistants themselves and, in general, the Salesians and other members of the Salesian Family whom we have met."
Hence, the scope of this simple communication is to facilitate a better understanding of this consecrated secularity within the Salesian Family; to know, value and be grateful to this charism in the Church in such a way that we can give more impetus to the vocational accompaniment that we are increasingly asked to do towards the groups of the Salesian Family."
From the August 2019 issue (no.4)
The voice of Pope Francis on Consecrated Secular Life:
"I would like, finally, to suggest spiritual attitudes that may help you on this path and that may be summarized in five verbs: to pray, to discern, to share, to give courage, and to have sympathy.
- Pray, to be joined to God, close to His heart. Listen to His voice, before every event in life, living a luminous existence that takes the Gospel in hand and takes it seriously.
- Discern, to be able to distinguish essential things from ancillary ones; this means refining that wisdom, cultivating it day by day, to enable you to see what responsibilities it is necessary to take on, and what the priority tasks are. It is a personal but also a community path, and so individual effort is not enough.
- Share the fate of every man and woman: even if the world's events are tragic and dark, I do not abandon the fate of the world because I love it, as and with Jesus, unto the end.
- Give courage: with the grace of Christ never lose trust, which knows how to see good in everything. It is also an invitation we receive in every Eucharistic celebration: Lift up your hearts”.
- Have sympathy for the world and for the people. Even when they do everything to make you lose it, be animated by the sympathy that comes to us from the Spirit of Christ, that makes us free and passionate, that makes us “stay within” like salt and leaven."
NB: As a matter of fact in the Salesian Family there are also other Secular Institutes, such as the 'Disciples' (India) or the 'DQM" (Daughters of Queenship of Mary, Thailand).
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