austraLasia 1410
The changing map of the Salesian world, and thanking God for the gift of Don Bosco
ROME: 27th January 2006 -- Whatever map of the Salesian world you have now might not serve for much longer; that world is gradually being re-drawn. This is not just about numbers. The Rector Major's comments at the end of the Winter Session for the General Council gave a clear indication of that much. Fidelity to Don Bosco and his mission is what he concluded with, and it was the notion underlying his masterful summary of an intense two months of work.
But let's start with some figures anyway. If some Provincial secretaries are feeling a bit battered after being pressed for urgent final 2005 figures, it was so Fr Maraccani could finalise the state of the Congregation numerically, as he is wont to do, and must. EAO registers a small increase in numbers in the wash-up between novices at one end, deaths at the other and losses in between. There are 61 novices in the EAO region, ITM and VIE accounting for most of them. Novices included, the Region has 1319 men (1316 in 2004). What the figures do not include, however, are the 11 missionaries who went out to other regions in the course of 2005, and the 39 students from the region in Italy or Jerusalem, plus sundry others listed in other circumscriptions. What is actually being 'redrawn' in our region? The Congregation has directed an additional 9 confreres towards PNG-SI, who are also working hard at their own vocation-formation development. A decision to take the Delegation forward to Vice Province status is on hold, but no one doubts that intention sooner rather than later. And connected with a vast study of the Formation Houses and Centres throughout the Congregation carried out by Fr Cereda, some moves are afoot to strengthen existing centres, their sense of Salesian identity, and to address the urgent need for formation of the Brothers. That will impact on our region. If some other statistics for the region are of interest to you, there are 8 Bishops, 729 priests, 203 Brothers, 326 men on the way towards priesthood. The region lost 34 men in 2005, 6 of those through death. The majority of others were in temporary vows. Our neighbour, South India, has a whopping 156 novices this year, 10 more than last year. There are 2379 confreres in that region
Amongst major themes studied in this session was the Salesian presence in the Muslim world - touching on a number of places in our region. No policy as such has been drawn up, rather an extended and in-depth study has been set up under Fr Alencherry's direction. Other themes included vocational fidelity, and reflection on the Instruction on criteria for discernment of vocations with regard to persons with homosexual tendencies in view of their admission to seminaries and Holy Orders.
Western Europe is being redrawn: the number of Provinces in Spain will be fewer as several are unified over the next two years. Salesian Africa too, is changing shape. Sudan will become a circumscription with a special statute, to handle the situation where members of AFE to which it currently belongs, cannot gain entry (Provincial, Councillors...). Mozambique will detach from Portugal and become a Vice Province. Uganda detaches from AFE (Nairobi) and joins with Ruwanda and Burundi to make a vice province. Sub-Sahara Africa is a ticklish area. Morocco and Tunisia. Tunisia will stay with Ireland-Malta, Morocco most likely will detach from France and go with the new Cordoba-based combined Province. Numbers in Africa-Madagascar continue to increase, with just short of a hundred novices.
The Catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome came in for special mention. It is a commitment the Congregation is proud of, and one our Region is giving vital support to. The Salesian commitment to this aspect of the Universal and ancient faith is being renewed and will be bolstered.
The Rector Major has drawn much inspiration and consolation from the energy of these months but more particularly the spiritual energy of good, holy confreres. He was forcibly struck by the quality of the recent Salesian Family Spirituality Days. His personal experience kneeling before Don Bosco's exposed body recently was nigh on a mystical one, to hear him speak of it. He sees the coming Feast as our opportunity worldwide to thank God for the gift of Don Bosco, and to commit ourselves ever more deeply to regenerating Don Bosco in ourselves personally, through fidelity to the Rule or, as he put it 'to our project of life'. And now he is off to India to close one centenary, China to open another, and South Africa for a Team Visit.
_______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
The changing map of the Salesian world, and thanking God for the gift of Don Bosco
ROME: 27th January 2006 -- Whatever map of the Salesian world you have now might not serve for much longer; that world is gradually being re-drawn. This is not just about numbers. The Rector Major's comments at the end of the Winter Session for the General Council gave a clear indication of that much. Fidelity to Don Bosco and his mission is what he concluded with, and it was the notion underlying his masterful summary of an intense two months of work.
But let's start with some figures anyway. If some Provincial secretaries are feeling a bit battered after being pressed for urgent final 2005 figures, it was so Fr Maraccani could finalise the state of the Congregation numerically, as he is wont to do, and must. EAO registers a small increase in numbers in the wash-up between novices at one end, deaths at the other and losses in between. There are 61 novices in the EAO region, ITM and VIE accounting for most of them. Novices included, the Region has 1319 men (1316 in 2004). What the figures do not include, however, are the 11 missionaries who went out to other regions in the course of 2005, and the 39 students from the region in Italy or Jerusalem, plus sundry others listed in other circumscriptions. What is actually being 'redrawn' in our region? The Congregation has directed an additional 9 confreres towards PNG-SI, who are also working hard at their own vocation-formation development. A decision to take the Delegation forward to Vice Province status is on hold, but no one doubts that intention sooner rather than later. And connected with a vast study of the Formation Houses and Centres throughout the Congregation carried out by Fr Cereda, some moves are afoot to strengthen existing centres, their sense of Salesian identity, and to address the urgent need for formation of the Brothers. That will impact on our region. If some other statistics for the region are of interest to you, there are 8 Bishops, 729 priests, 203 Brothers, 326 men on the way towards priesthood. The region lost 34 men in 2005, 6 of those through death. The majority of others were in temporary vows. Our neighbour, South India, has a whopping 156 novices this year, 10 more than last year. There are 2379 confreres in that region
Amongst major themes studied in this session was the Salesian presence in the Muslim world - touching on a number of places in our region. No policy as such has been drawn up, rather an extended and in-depth study has been set up under Fr Alencherry's direction. Other themes included vocational fidelity, and reflection on the Instruction on criteria for discernment of vocations with regard to persons with homosexual tendencies in view of their admission to seminaries and Holy Orders.
Western Europe is being redrawn: the number of Provinces in Spain will be fewer as several are unified over the next two years. Salesian Africa too, is changing shape. Sudan will become a circumscription with a special statute, to handle the situation where members of AFE to which it currently belongs, cannot gain entry (Provincial, Councillors...). Mozambique will detach from Portugal and become a Vice Province. Uganda detaches from AFE (Nairobi) and joins with Ruwanda and Burundi to make a vice province. Sub-Sahara Africa is a ticklish area. Morocco and Tunisia. Tunisia will stay with Ireland-Malta, Morocco most likely will detach from France and go with the new Cordoba-based combined Province. Numbers in Africa-Madagascar continue to increase, with just short of a hundred novices.
The Catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome came in for special mention. It is a commitment the Congregation is proud of, and one our Region is giving vital support to. The Salesian commitment to this aspect of the Universal and ancient faith is being renewed and will be bolstered.
The Rector Major has drawn much inspiration and consolation from the energy of these months but more particularly the spiritual energy of good, holy confreres. He was forcibly struck by the quality of the recent Salesian Family Spirituality Days. His personal experience kneeling before Don Bosco's exposed body recently was nigh on a mystical one, to hear him speak of it. He sees the coming Feast as our opportunity worldwide to thank God for the gift of Don Bosco, and to commit ourselves ever more deeply to regenerating Don Bosco in ourselves personally, through fidelity to the Rule or, as he put it 'to our project of life'. And now he is off to India to close one centenary, China to open another, and South Africa for a Team Visit.
_______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
