GC25 CLOSES: INSPIRATIONAL FINAL ADDRESS BY RM
After a handful of final tasks, including approval of the message to the young, the Chapter Moderator, Fr. Domenech, invited the Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chavez to address the assembly. Below, in point form, are the main elements of that address. No doubt it will come out in due course as a complete text, but the opinion of those who heard its delivery yesterday (20th) is that it was inspirational and that we can look forward to more of the same from this man!
THANKS
* Began by thanking the various persons who helped in the planning and the execution of this 25th General Chapter.
OUR IMMEDIATE CONTEXT
* During the course of the chapter there were events happening which touched us: viz., the question of the war in Palestine, the scandal in the United States Catholic Church, and the situations of war in various parts of the world.
* The 25th General Chapter in the context of the last two General Chapters.
* Each of the five chapter reports presented by the five committees worked together to give a well-rounded picture of the Salesian community and what it needs to do in the next six years. Then there are the structures and the changes voted upon by the chapter.
OUR WORLD
* Our present times: the social and cultural realities of today, with its secularization, globalization, and fragmentation.
* Our present times: the social and cultural realities of today, with its secularization, globalization, and fragmentation.
* Pope John Paul’s encyclical, "Novo Millennio Ineunte" confronts some of these issues prevalent in our time.
* Finally, a broader context: since the Special General Chapter in 1971 our Salesian congregation has responded to the various changes taking place both in the world and in the church. It’s not a question of refounding the congregation today, we have been doing that for the past 30 years.
OUR CHAPTER
* With regard to the 25th General Chapter, what is called for today is a spiritual renewal at the level of the individual Salesian, the local community, and the province.
* With regard to the 25th General Chapter, what is called for today is a spiritual renewal at the level of the individual Salesian, the local community, and the province.
* It is easier to renew structures and buildings and works. The danger becomes, though, that we fail to renew ourselves spiritually and interiorly.
* Religious life is a prophetic call to preach the kingdom of God;
* In our prophesying as Salesians we must always give the privileged place to persons and not to programs, buildings or projects.
THE FUTURE - FIVE PROSPECTS
THE FUTURE - FIVE PROSPECTS
* The first one is the spiritual renewal of every Salesian. This must be the first and primary preoccupation. Read Constitution Article #95. It stresses that God is waiting for us in the young so that God can meet us in them. We must be prepared spiritually to meet God there.
* The second element is the consistency of the community—both quantitatively and qualitatively. We must live together as men who are helping each other to grow in human and spiritual maturity.
* The third prospect for the future is the significance of our presence. We need to make a significant difference in the places in which we are working or living.
* The fourth perspective is our pastoral education. We must concentrate on evangelizing, forming our young people and lay people to a deeper faith in God through the educative community.
* Finally, and most important, is the formation of the Salesian. If our religious life is to be renewed, then the Salesians must be in continual formation.
CONCLUSION
* The Rector Major concluded by calling upon the beatification ceremony of last Sunday to remind the assembly that in the general audience with the Pope, John Paul II called us to be saints. The RM asked us to follow the example especially of Artemides Zatti who lived a profound experience of God in his daily life because he recognized and lived God’s presence in others, especially those who were sick. Finally, he asked us to have courage. He cited Luke 5: 1 – 11, and called upon us to reflect seriously on God’s Word in this passage, and to note that the fishermen were tired and fatigued, but at the Lord’s word, they set out again. In that courageous act they learned to put their faith and trust in the Lord. The Lord then called them to follow Him, and they immediately left all to be his disciples.
* The protection of Mary, Mother and Guide
* The Rector Major concluded by calling upon the beatification ceremony of last Sunday to remind the assembly that in the general audience with the Pope, John Paul II called us to be saints. The RM asked us to follow the example especially of Artemides Zatti who lived a profound experience of God in his daily life because he recognized and lived God’s presence in others, especially those who were sick. Finally, he asked us to have courage. He cited Luke 5: 1 – 11, and called upon us to reflect seriously on God’s Word in this passage, and to note that the fishermen were tired and fatigued, but at the Lord’s word, they set out again. In that courageous act they learned to put their faith and trust in the Lord. The Lord then called them to follow Him, and they immediately left all to be his disciples.
* The protection of Mary, Mother and Guide
Which brings 'austraLasia's' regular coverage of GC25 to a close. As they say on radio networks, other stations may now return to their own programming! I shall leave recent additions to the list as is, however, until such time as you ask to be drooped off. May I offer a word of sincere thanks to those who provided insights and 'inside' information - a special word of thanks to Nick Reina who must have been amongst the most prolific of the commentators amongst the mob there.
Julian.
