Pascual Chavez Villanueva – “Da mihi animas, cetera tolle”. Charismatic identity and apostolic zeal. Starting again from Don Bosco to reawaken the heart of every Salesian” in “Acts of the General Council of the Salesian Society of St John Bosco”

The letter acknowledges the unexpected passing of Fr. Valentín De Pablo, a General Councillor for the Region of Africa and Madagascar, expressing gratitude for his Salesian vocation and requesting prayers for him. It mentions his involvement in choosing the theme for the upcoming General Chapter and calls for continued prayers for his soul and the success of the General Chapter and the Region of Africa and Madagascar.

Contents:

• 1. CONVOCATION OF THE GC26
  • 1.1 Reasons for choice of the theme
  • 1.2 Steps that led to the choosing of the theme
  • 1.3 Fundamental purpose of the theme
  • 1.4 Other tasks
• 2. CONTEXT OF THE GC26
• • 2.1 Needs and expectations of the young
    • Life: needs and threats
    • Love: needs and threats
    • Freedom: needs and threats
  • 2.2 Social and cultural challenges
    • Basic tendencies
    • Challenges at a social and cultural level
    • Cultural challenges of the Congregation
  • 2.3 Guidelines of the Church.
    • Starting afresh from Christ: holiness as a pastoral programme
    • Bearing witness to Christ: evangelisation as the primary mission
    • Returning to the young: presence as a sign of Christ’s love
  • 2.4 Challenges and perspectives in Consecrated Life
    • Challenges of Consecrated Life
    • Prospects for Consecrated Life
  • 2.5 The process followed by the Congregation
    • GC22:the Chapter of fidelity
    • GC23: the Chapter of the mission
    • GC24: the Chapter of sharing with lay people
    • GC25: the Chapter of the Salesian community
  • 2.6 What the Provinces say
• 3. THE THEME OF THE GC26
  • 3.1 Programme of life of Don Bosco and of the Salesian
  • 3.2 Charismatic identity: the Salesian spirit
  • 3.3 Apostolic zeal: “the glory of God and the salvation of souls”
  • 3.4 Da mihi animas
    • 3.4.1 Urgent need for evangelisation
    • 3.4.2 Need for recruitment
  • 3.5 Cetera tolle
    • 3.5.1 Evangelical poverty
    • 3.5.2 New frontiers
  • 3.6 Requirements for bringing the theme down to earth
    • Steps to be taken
    • Mentalities to be changed
    • Structures to be changed
• 4. PRAYER FOR THE GC26
• PRAYER TO DON BOSCO

Reference time period: 2006

Reference institution:
Direzione Generale SDB