Brief Reflection about the “Salesian Brother” – General Council session

By Bro. Jean Paul Muller, SDB
Economer General

General House in Rome, 21 July 2016 -- During the summer session 2016 of the General Council was presented a short reflection about the Salesian Brother, based also on the present statistics of the Congregation. In the rich discussion does shine a brief and passionate input from the only Salesian Brother in the General Council:

I’m happy with the rich reflection offered about the ‘Salesian Brother’ by the Formation Sector and i’m reflecting especially on the 3rd section about the ‘Lay character’, suggesting two topics to be re-think in my opinion.

First - I’m happy with considering the sound reflection of Don Viganò. From this departure point would be adequate to explain better what does it mean the ‘Lay Religious’ today, when we translate the Gospel into the life style and this specific vocation offers answer to many secular themes and values, to the challenges and needs of the world today, especially to the young. I see that your reflection consideres also the mutual – bidimensional - relationship between the Salesian Brother and the Lay (Mission Partners). This relationship makes it very important for the present and future development of our mission and works.

Second – In my own view about the vocation situation within our Congregation, we need to point out more the figure of the Salesian Brother as the model for the youth of today. The Salesian Brother is like a ‘Salesian YouCat’ (know, share , meet, express) of today. It does mean he is the real expression of the catechism, put into practice in all daily actions. Hence he is a living actor of the Gospel and of Salesian ethic and moral values (prophecy of lay dimension).

When we think about the Salesian Brother, it comes to my mind a parable or metaphor of water: The Salesian Brother is like water, with its capacity to expand, to reduce in order to be infiltrated in any structure and space. In this way the Salesian Brother can enter any youth reality or youth space without any pre-conditions. In this way the Brother can also raise up spiritualy of these ‘difficult’ spaces in which he works, bringing there hope and salvation.

Yes, Salesian Brother is a figure able to offer an ongoing input for the renewal and improvement of the Congregation and of the Church.

Also Salesian Brother is like a bridge between the secular and religious reality, because from his own role raise the possibility to embrace the diversity of our present world without any bias about any current issues. To be a Salesian Brother should move us in different ways – to a community builder through fraternity, to be a sign of cooperation in the spiritual dynamics and also in the daily work.

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