Rector Major’s Strenna - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Rector Major’s

Strenna

2018

An Introduction for Salesian Family

Consulta

Discussion and Collaboration

1Slide2

2Slide3

Strenna 2018 – Let us Cultivate the Art of Listening and Accompanying The Strenna within an ecclesial contextThe Strenna’s basic teachings

The Strenna and Don Bosco’s educational methodThe Strenna and our situation in North AmericaThe Strenna and Suggested SF planning and initiatives

3Slide4

Strenna 2018 – Let us Cultivate the Art of Listening and Accompanying Part One: The Strenna in an ecclesial contextThe Strennas of the past two years have to be seen within the context of the Church’s Synod Movement (2012 - 2018)

This movement began in 2007 with the Latin American Bishops’ Pastoral: Aparecida4Slide5

Pope Francis’ Pastoral Initiative

May 2007

Aparecida: Pastoral Plan of the Latin American Catholic Bishops2012 Bishops’ Synod on Evangelization2013 Evangelii Gaudium by Pope Francis: Summing up the synod on evangelizationA watershed document for the Catholic Church

5Slide6

Pope Francis and the Strennas of 2017-2018First Application of Evangelii Gaudium: Family and Marriage:

2014 Bishops’ First Synod on the Family2015 Bishops’ Second Synod on the Family 2016 Amoris Laetitia by Pope Francis summing up the synods on the family

2017 Strenna 2017. We are Family, Every Home, a School of Life and Love

6Slide7

Pope Francis and the Strennas of 2017-2018Second Application of Evangelii Gaudium: Youth

2017 Pope Francis Calls for a Synod of Catholic Bishops on the young to be held in October 2018A letter and preparatory document was developed to listen to the young with regard to their lives and faith.➣

Based upon the belief that young people are called by God to fulfill some purpose within society and the church.2018 Strenna 2018. Let us Cultivate the Art of Listening and Accompaniment

7Slide8

Synod of Bishops 2018

8Slide9

Part Two:

What does the

Strenna

2018 say?

We in the Salesian Family have to focus on

responding to the challenge of pastoral care and vocational discernment with the young

(18-35 years) in Don Bosco’s spirit.Walk with boys and girls, youth and their families, fathers and mothers Cultivate a vocational culture (plan of life)

Foster an intense spiritual atmosphere (personal relationship with Christ)Witness to the joy with which we live.

9Slide10

Strenna 2018 – Connected with the Bishops’ 2018 Synod on Young People

10Slide11

Strenna

2018: The Salesian Family Response

The Church’s mandate to engage the young by calling them to faith in Jesus and participation in the Church is vital in our world today.The young have a vocation from God to holiness of life and making a positive difference in society.Encounter is the spirit which is effective in helping the young identify their call and discern a vocational response. Listen, discern, accompany

11Slide12

Strenna

2018 calls the SF to encounter the young in three movements:

1. Listening:2. Discerning:3. Accompanying:

12Slide13

Encounter the young through:

13Slide14

Part Three:

The

Strenna

in Don Bosco’s educational method

Salesian Family Spirituality Days: Turin 2018

Don Bosco’s educational method and

Strenna 2018ListeningDiscerning AccompanyingTalks by Sr. Paola Casalis and Fr. Michal

VojtasWitness talks by young adults in Salesian FamilyPanel discussion with RM and young adults14Slide15

Listening/Discerning

Listening requires a conversion in our way of acting and interacting with the young. “She listened to me as if she had nothing else to do.”“He looked at me as if I was the only one there.”The listener seeks to identify the inner motivation and/or need of the young person.

The purpose is to help the young person discern God’s will.The adult avoids giving answers. Helps the young person to come to a decision in his or her life. The process is based on the conviction that each young person has a call from God. 15Slide16

Listening/Discerning in Don Bosco’s vocational developmentMamma Margherita Dream at age 9 Don Bosco meets Don Calosso (11 years)Don Bosco’s confessor (uncle of Louis Comollo

)Don Bosco’s mentor and spiritual guide (St. Joseph Cafasso)

16Slide17

Listening/Discerning in Don Bosco’s vocational developmentMamma Margherita Dream at age 9 CHALLENGEDon Bosco meets Don Calosso (11 years) TRUSTDon Bosco’s confessor (uncle of Louis Comollo

) CRISISDon Bosco’s mentor and spiritual guide (St. Joseph Cafasso) DECISION/COMMITMENT

17Slide18

Accompaniment Don Bosco’s style of accompaniment:Help to internalize values and experiences in which they live (e.g., service to the poorest)In addition to personal and systematic dialogue, use short, occasional meetings with other people, members of the Christian community, the faith group or religious communities.

18Slide19

Accompaniment (from the biographies of young saints written by Don Bosco)Welcome: Bartholomew GarelliChallenge: Mickey

MagoneConfidence and Trust: Dominic Savio, Mickey MagoneEnvironment: Magone, Francesco Besucco

Hidden CurriculumCrisis: Savio, Magone, Besucco Decision (Discernment): Magone, BesuccoCheerful, Study, PietyCommitment: Savio, Besucco (Sodalities)

19Slide20

Listen and Accompany

Welcome

Challenge

Confidence and Trust

Environment

Crisis

Decision (Discernment) Commitment

20Slide21

Part Four:

Strenna 2018 and Our Situation in the United States and Canada

Research commissioned by St. Mary’s Press with CARA of Georgetown University in 2015PEW research (2015) on the religious beliefs and practices of people in the US and CanadaA research team assembled to interpret the findingsInterviews with young adults who had disaffiliated from the Catholic ChurchPublication of findings: Going, Going, Gone (Sept. 2017)

21Slide22

Catholic Losses…

Pew

:

Catholicism has experienced the greatest net losses as a result of affiliation changes. 31% of Americans were raised in the Catholic faith, today fewer than 24% describe themselves as Catholic.PRRI: Catholics have experienced the largest net loss of adherents due to switching, but these losses have been largely offset by Hispanic immigration to the United States. Notably, 12 percent of Americans today are former Catholics.

22Slide23

Existing Research

A majority leave

before

age 21. Many were not raised in practicing households. Disproportionately male. About ½ become unaffiliated “Nones” and the other ½ begin to identify with a Protestant denomination36% of young millennials (18-24) are religiously unaffiliated and 34% of older millennials (25 – 33) are religiously unaffiliated. 22.8% of the general population is unaffiliated – about 56 million people (Pew Study).

There are an estimated 5.4 million former Catholics between 15-25 years old. (CARA)23Slide24

24Slide25

Our Salesian Response:

25Slide26

Some pastoral initiatives from Strenna 2018Apply Don Bosco’s educational approach (listen, discern, and accompany) on a daily basis.Pastoral Plan to gather young adults in encounter settings Small groups of young adults meeting informally

Family Ministry and Ministry to Married couplesMinisterial Formation for the SF in Don Bosco’s mission and spirit (systematic and comprehensive)

Part Five:Suggested Salesian Family Planning and Initiatives26Slide27

Some pastoral initiatives from Strenna 2018 (cont.) Grow the Salesian Family younger and more diverse ADMA for Youth and Families Salesian Cooperators Past Pupils

Pastoral experiences (mission trips, volunteer service) with listening, accompaniment, and follow-up Insertion of encounter type experiences for youth in SF gatherings (e.g., Marian Day, Visit of Rector Major, Don Bosco Feast, Salesian Family Spirituality Days)

27Slide28

Some pastoral initiatives from Strenna 2018 (cont.) Broaden the reach of SF spiritual gatherings to include young adults on days of recollection, retreats, pilgrimages, and encounters. Centering on relationship with JesusFocusing on vocational discernment within the Church

Call young adults to membership on leadership teams within the province, local presences, and apostolates. Encourage them to become protagonists in DB’s mission. Foster active membership in the Salesian Youth Movement

28Slide29

29