austraLasia 1556
Brothers pose challenging but essential questions
EAO: 9th May 2006 -- Ongoing analysis of the results of the wide-ranging questionnaire put to Salesian Brothers in the region last year is enabling many of the essential challenges and questions to be distilled by a lengthy but ultimately fruitful process of both machine and human 'distilling'. A sort of Brothers' 'still', then with a pure result!
The Brothers' Assembly will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 20-25 August, five full days (i.e. it begins the morning of 20th and concludes the evening of 25th). The venue for the meeting will be Don Bosco Technical School, though accommodation will be through local hotels, since the community would be unable to host the large group that is expected from the eleven provinces, vice provinces or delegations in the region.
The questionnaire indicated a series of central questions - the absolute necessity of the Brother, the question of awareness of identity within consecrated Salesian life, questions concerning vocation promotion, the Brothers' mission today, Brothers in the Salesian community. Some of these questions have tentative answers - and in some instances quite clear answers (again, drawing from the questionnaire results rather than a priori). But they include unanswered questions - often the question of discernment of this vocation remains unanswered in practical terms, certainly until there is clarity on the other major questions listed above.
Any good analysis also notes what wasn't said, or what was passed over in relative silence. While individual Brothers responded in quite some detail - and many of them - there were fewer group responses by groups such as Provincial Councils; in some cases there were groups of formators who responded, though as several responses by Brothers noted, these would be mainly priests reflecting on the issue. Less was said, too, about the impact of the beatified 'model' for the Brother, Artemides Zatti.
The survey identified some of the indicators of unease - often as practical as terminological issues such as reference to 'Salesian Fathers' or efforts on behalf of 'theology students', an exclusive term, when the efforts are meant to similarly benefit Brothers. In fact, while there are deep and essential questions to be asked and answered, the question of terminology is one not to be passed over lightly in our Congregation, indeed in any worldwide organisation. The 'Brother issue' helps focus that reality.
What all of this says is that there has been, and in the few remaining months will be, an intense preparatory phase leading to the five days together. Keynote contributors have been chosen, a directory of all Brothers in the Region is being put together, Salesian Family representation has been thought of and addressed, and important issues from all the above questions sent to keynote contributors so they can think through likely responses and processes to help address them.
Further information concerning the Brothers, including dozens of models of Brothers from around the world (short biographies) are available from the Brothers' page on Bosconet.
GLOSSARY
Still: machinery (and location) for distilling whisky!
a priori: assumed from already established 'answers'.
___________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please
contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml
Brothers pose challenging but essential questions
EAO: 9th May 2006 -- Ongoing analysis of the results of the wide-ranging questionnaire put to Salesian Brothers in the region last year is enabling many of the essential challenges and questions to be distilled by a lengthy but ultimately fruitful process of both machine and human 'distilling'. A sort of Brothers' 'still', then with a pure result!
The Brothers' Assembly will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 20-25 August, five full days (i.e. it begins the morning of 20th and concludes the evening of 25th). The venue for the meeting will be Don Bosco Technical School, though accommodation will be through local hotels, since the community would be unable to host the large group that is expected from the eleven provinces, vice provinces or delegations in the region.
The questionnaire indicated a series of central questions - the absolute necessity of the Brother, the question of awareness of identity within consecrated Salesian life, questions concerning vocation promotion, the Brothers' mission today, Brothers in the Salesian community. Some of these questions have tentative answers - and in some instances quite clear answers (again, drawing from the questionnaire results rather than a priori). But they include unanswered questions - often the question of discernment of this vocation remains unanswered in practical terms, certainly until there is clarity on the other major questions listed above.
Any good analysis also notes what wasn't said, or what was passed over in relative silence. While individual Brothers responded in quite some detail - and many of them - there were fewer group responses by groups such as Provincial Councils; in some cases there were groups of formators who responded, though as several responses by Brothers noted, these would be mainly priests reflecting on the issue. Less was said, too, about the impact of the beatified 'model' for the Brother, Artemides Zatti.
The survey identified some of the indicators of unease - often as practical as terminological issues such as reference to 'Salesian Fathers' or efforts on behalf of 'theology students', an exclusive term, when the efforts are meant to similarly benefit Brothers. In fact, while there are deep and essential questions to be asked and answered, the question of terminology is one not to be passed over lightly in our Congregation, indeed in any worldwide organisation. The 'Brother issue' helps focus that reality.
What all of this says is that there has been, and in the few remaining months will be, an intense preparatory phase leading to the five days together. Keynote contributors have been chosen, a directory of all Brothers in the Region is being put together, Salesian Family representation has been thought of and addressed, and important issues from all the above questions sent to keynote contributors so they can think through likely responses and processes to help address them.
Further information concerning the Brothers, including dozens of models of Brothers from around the world (short biographies) are available from the Brothers' page on Bosconet.
GLOSSARY
Still: machinery (and location) for distilling whisky!
a priori: assumed from already established 'answers'.
___________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please
contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml
