DOUBLE-WHAMMY! Card. Bertone - Rector Major
You can read Card. Bertone's Homily on the GC26 website (it'll hit you in the face as soon as you open the page). But here are some 'extras' which were not in the official version. And below, the RM's summary of things at the Chapter so far.
ROME: 15th March 2008 -- In the major church at the Pisana (for those who haven't been here there are half a dozen churches or chapels in place for the Chapter) Cardinal Bertone, besides his homily for the liturgically shifted Feast of St Joseph, added a few extra points:
- after being welcomed by the RM, who expressed his gratitude for Pope Benedict XVI's letter to the GC and the forthcoming audience for GC26 members, the Cardinal began by saying he wanted to try to avoid the 'narrative temptation' to share his many international journeys, from Peru to Azerbaijan... but then, Don Bosco shared his missionary dreams! During the homily he managed to slip in another couple of references to Azerbaijan, appreciating that it is also possible to proclaim the Gospel in a prevalently Muslim country (as had in fact been said in the Aula a day beforehand, though he did not know this, by one of our Indian confrère, though more in reference to Hindus and Buddhists than to Muslims). He mentioned he had enjoyed the dialogue in Azerbaijan with Catholic and faith-search groups (Some Muslims, Iranians) who posed some challenging and interesting questions.
- Before his final blessing, and in the light of the recent Vatican meeting on China, he added 'don't forget China'. Following the Pope's Letter on the subject, next May 24th the Universal Church will pray for the China Church, and in China itself many pilgrims will head for the Sheshan Shrine near Shanghai. (Cardinal Bertone did not mention this, but readers of Zenit and other agencies would also know that the Pope has asked Cardinal Zen to write the meditations for the Way of the Cross this Good Friday - the Way of the Cross will be led by Benedict at the Colosseum. This morning, too, Sr Maria Ko FMA will offer the Lectio Divina for GC26 members).
- The Cardinal asked those present to pray that his health may hold out for the road ahead which includes further international journeys.
ROME: 15th March 2008 -- The Rector Major himself decided this morning to sum up where the Chapter seems to be at.
"The second week (10-15 March) was completely dedicated to studying the key themes:
(1)“Return to Don Bosco”,
(2) “The urgency of evangelising” and
(3) “The need for a vocation ministry”, as well as some matters taken up by the Juridical Commission, especially questions concerning the Salesian Brother and the configuration of the General Council, with a view to arriving at the elections already having answered the questions put by provinces or individual confreres".
He went on to say that "one thing we should acknowledge is the acceptance of the Working Document as a departure point, meaning that what we find here is not only the excellent service of the Precapitular Commission but also and especially the support from Provincial Chapters".
Is it all positive? This is how puts it: "There might be more than one who is thinking that this Chapter could be reduced to something cosmetic, meaning a few external improvements but with no profound modification. Personally, what I see from the work of the Commissions is that they have taken on the work of producing a Chapter rather than a pre-Chapter text, which will be a document and not just a useful training item". Then he adds: "What I am asking myself is if this is a Pentecostal experience where the Holy Spirit is acting through us to renew the Congregation by firing up the heart of each confrère. My answer is 'yes'. The Holy Spirit does not change the outward expressions of life, but those within and similarly he transforms people and renews the face of the earth. In fact his first action is to bring us together, involving us in a common project, making us responsible for drawing up everything that makes it possible to once more take up our identity, and the visibility and credibility of our life and mission".
As is often the case with the Rector Major, he turns to Scripture to throw light on his experience: "What comes to mind for me is the work of the prophet Haggai who was one of those who motivated the material rebuilding of the Temple without which the return of the exiles would have been a failure and not an occasion for unity for the people; and, particuarly, it brings us to recall Esdra's work: rebuilding the wall of Jeruslaem for him was not enough for the spiritual rebirth of the people, something only made possible by listening to the Word. In fact by re-reading the Pentateuch Esdra succeeded in setting Israel's rebirth into actiion (cf. “Memories of Esdra”, Esd 8:36; Neh 8:1-18)".
And finally: "With regard to the work carried out by the Juridical Commission, its members are taking in hand each of the proposals coming from Provincial chapters, individual confrères, The General Council. The Congregation's history tells us of the weight of General Chapters when it comes to shaping the structures of animation and government at various levels (local, provincial and congregational), even if, in order to achieve certain changes, it has taken several General Chapters, not due to the slowness or something of an innovative spirit lacking in Chapter membersi, but because there hasn't always been the overall complete view of what it was they were dealing with. Just the same, coming back to a study of certain aspects of the shape of the General Council means there is a need for serious study to offer something different which could present a quite different set of alternatives.
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Title: australasia 2095
Subject and key words: SDB General, Cardinal Bertone, Rector Major
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2095
