The Salesian Brother: History, Pedagogy and SpiritualityMoving Towards the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s Birth

East-Asia Oceania Salesian Brothers’ Congress19-23 August 2013Hua Hin, Thailand

Work and Temperance Today

Mystics of the SpiritProphets of Togetherness

Servant of the Young

Mystics of the Spirit

Spiritual Plan of LifeVisible, Credible, Fruitful

Union with God (Article 12)

 As he works for the salvation of the young, the Salesian experiences the fatherhood of God and continually reminds himself of the divine dimension of his work:  "Apart from me you can do nothing".1   1. Jn 15,5.

He cultivates union with God, aware of the need to pray without ceasing in a simple heart-to-heart colloquy with the living Christ and with the Father, whom he feels close at hand. 

Attentive to the presence of the Spirit and doing everything for God's love he becomes like Don Bosco a contemplative in action.

“The Rule invites us to “experience” God, i.e. not only to live an interior and spiritual life but to have a conscious awareness that we are in a relationship with God in our daily life.” We have Don Bosco as our example. (The Project of Life of the Salesians of Don Bosco: A Guide to the Salesian Constitutions 1986)

He cultivates union with God

To Experience God

God ChristianLoving Relationship

Christian Vocation

Neighbor

God Don BoscoLoving Relationship

Don Bosco’s vocation

Poor and Abandoned Boys

God MeLoving Relationship

My Salesian Vocation

Those to whom I am sent.

Those who are entrusted to my care.

My God Image

Reflection Question:

1. Who is God for me?2. What is He like?

The Christ whom we follow and contemplate

(Indications for a Process of Growth in Salesian Spirituality: Some key points in the teaching of Fr. Egidio Vigano, SDB 1995)

The Good Shepherd

The Friend of the Young

Christ, the New Man

The Heart of the World and the Mystery at Work In Creation

Image of Myself

Mystic

Prophet

ServantAll embracingUnifying

Dynamic

“I’ll have to do everything I could for God’s glory and for the good of my soul, so as not to be what I’ve been and be what I should be, that is a saint Salesian.”

“His entire life was inspired only by the love of God and totally consecrated to the poor and the sick in a total self-donation and sacrifice of his own life with great joy.”

Salesian Brother Stephen Sandor (1914-1953)

Religious, Martyr, Servant of GodI would like to highlight the witness to the radical nature of the Gospel which this confrere gave, something that becomes particularly eloquent given the upcoming General Chapter. When we draw up an account of Stephen Sándor's life we see a real and profound journey of faith...(RM)

“ I have given myself, I have devoted myself, I have sold all of myself to my God. Therefore I cannot be any longer

either of myself or of the world.”

Being Real Before God

Seekers of God

Aware of the need to pray without ceasing

Prayer is the place of encounter and of transformation

Imagination, Heart, ActionSimple and continuous

Based on the Word of God and the Sacraments especially the Eucharist

and Reconciliation

Constitutional text 1864, Don Bosco had already said that if the Salesian is prevented from making mental prayer by some urgent call of the sacred ministry “will make up for the deficiency by more frequent quick prayers or little prayers, and by directing to God with fervour and devotion those particular labours which are thus hindering him from the ordinary exercises of piety (MB VII, 884).”

In a simple heart to heart colloquy

“God sees you!”

First draft of the Constitutions of 1858 until 1972:“The active life towards which the Society more especially tends, renders its members unable to perform many exercises of piety in common. They shall therefore supply for these by giving one another good example, and by fulfilling perfectly the general duties of a good Christian (BM V, 644).”

With the Living Christ and with the Father, whom he feel close at hand

Father: Trust in Divine ProvidenceJesus the Good Shepherd

Pastoral CharityLoving Kindness

Assistance

Attentive to the presence of the Spirit

Interior attitude(Interiority)

Discerning attitude( Finding God’s will in everything)

Contemplative attitude(We become Christ in the World and for the World)

Attentive to the presence of the Spirit

Discerning attitude( Finding God’s will in everything)

What are my patterns:Good Decisions(Graced History)

Bad Decisions(Shadow History)

And doing everything for God’s love

What is the more loving thing to do? Charity!

Charity is the soul of every apostolate and the apostolate becomes the soul of

the Salesian’s prayer.

He becomes like Don Bosco

Example of Don Bosco of what it means to be a contemplative in action.

A Contemplative in Action

Lived experienceLiving out the Da Mihi Animas, Cetera Tolle

Salesian SpiritualityMysticism and Asceticism

Give me Souls – MysticismTake away the rest – Asceticism

Give me Souls – Mysticism

Sanctified Work

He associated work with “union with God”.

Take away the rest – Asceticism

Temperance

Strength to control his heart, to master himself, and remain

even-tempered

Ecstasy of Action

Prayer is necessary for union with God

Stimulus Response

COMPULSIVE

Ecstasy of Action

Prayer is necessary for union with God

Stimulus Response

CONTEMPLATIVE

Sacred SpaceCreativity

Love

Freedom

Imagination Creates Reality

Jesus’ StoryDon Bosco’s

Life StoryMy Story

PrayerOur Story

Contemplation

How We Contemplate the World: Contemplatives In Action