GENERAL OBJECTIVE:
Accompanied by Jesus, Mary, Founders and Patron Saints, we journey with the Educating Community and young along the paths of conversion and communion towards love which is ‘the greatest of all’.
We the FMA
Of the Province of St. Thomas the Apostle – Chennai
As ‘Open Cenacle’ in today’s world
Let the sap of the Spirit run into our being and have Fire in our hearts,
Word on our lips and Prophecy in our glance
Satiated by the Word of God
We commit ourselves
To walk with the young and women
In communion, to make their future rich in hope
With Mary, our Founders and Patron Saints,
We, as Salesian Family, revive the ardour
Of the Da mihi animas cetera tolle,
Restore the prophetic and mystical dimension
And make a home of love.
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We acknowledge that…
Jesus Christ is the most amazing sign of God’s love, but we do not always keep him at the centre of our life and mission.
We are called to be a living memorial of Jesus’ way of living and acting.
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We acknowledge that…
In the Church, our founders are signs of God’s love for the young and for the world, but we do not always succeed in being transparent expressions of this love.
We are called to give new life to the Da mihi animas cetera tolle of Don Bosco and to Mary Mazzarello’s response to the assignment: I entrust them to you.
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We acknowledge that…
Young people are the Father’s gift of love for us and for society, but we do not always make them feel that we love them and that they are loved by God.
We are called to be, with them, a sign and expression of the foreseeing love of God.
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We acknowledge that…
The educating community is a sign that makes God’s love visible, but at times, we find it difficult to assume and to share the educative mission co-responsibly.
We are called to Believe that foreseeing love is more effective when we witness to it as an educating community.
COMMITMENT | ACTION PLAN | |
1.1 | Rediscover the fascination of a personal relationship with Christ , in the radical quality of a chaste, poor and obedient life |
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1.2 | Persevere in our commitment to be Missionary disciples of the Word |
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1.3 | Be reconciled with God, purifying our hearts and renewing them in love |
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1.4 |
Celebrate and live the Eucharist as the power that generates communion in the Church, witnessing to the beauty of belonging to the Lord in a joyous gift to our brothers and sisters |
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1.5 |
Value the Personal encounter and reciprocal accompaniment as privileged means of discernment for personal and community growth in following Christ. |
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1.6 |
Live the service of authority within our communities with an evangelical heart, promoting the conditions that favour the growth of life and joy and valuing each one’s contribution in the style of coordination for communion. |
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2.1 |
Enhance the prophetic and mystical dimensions of our vocation in our communities vitally assuming the educational spirituality of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello. |
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2.2 |
Return to the Charismatic sources of foreseeing love lived in the joyful and demanding style of the Preventive System. |
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2.3 |
Rediscover the roots of our Spirituality in Francis de Sales and Teresa of Avila, both signs of a life unified in God and given to others and expert guides on the path to sanctity |
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2.4 |
Rediscover the Missionary courage of the ‘da mihi animas’ overcoming the risk that the administration of our works could suffocate the energy of the Charism.
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2.5 |
Adhere to the demands of cetera tolle, by renewing our trust in Divine Providence and living evangelical poverty in a real and concrete way as individuals and as communities |
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3.1 |
Move outside of our comfort zone to be with the young, to listen to them, to share our time, to open our hearts and homes, creating family environments like those of Valdocco and Mornese |
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3.2 |
Believe that there is a part of every young person’s heart that is open to goodness and develop it, so as to make each one a protagonist in his/her own growth. This enables young people to offer their own contribution towards building a society founded on peace, justice and care for creation |
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3.3 |
Getting into step, in the style of preventive education with the new generations’ ways of communicating so as to encounter them, to dialogue and to promote their active participation and self-expression.
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3.4 |
Witness to the foreseeing love of God in our ever- changing ministries and in the new educative ministries we assume, so as to reach the young where they are and to welcome them as they are |
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3.5 |
Announce Jesus to young people and accompany them as they encounter Him personally, as they assume apostolic commitments and as they discover God’s plan for their life
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3.6 |
Promote a vocational youth pastoral,educating the young to mature in love, in interpersonal relationships and in social responsibility, also through volunteering; teaching them to open themselves to God, the source of an authentic love that enables them to give of themselves to others
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4.1 |
Joyfully live our identity as FMA, giving new meaning to our communities in fidelity to the Gospel and to our charism – in dialogue with other vocations in the local Church and particularly within the Salesian Family – working together to create a culture of vocations |
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4.2 |
Grow in our awareness that the educating community is the way of being and working together in the style of coordination for communion and commit ourselves to consolidating the animating core group
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4.3 |
Form ourselves together so as to assume an integral vision of the Preventive System, giving it new expression in keeping with the cultural, evangelizing, social and communications perspective characteristic of our Institute
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4.4 |
Dedicate special attention to families, especially to young couples, collaborating with them so that they become ever more aware of their own educational, Ecclesial and Social responsibilities
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4.5 |
Strengthen a network mentality appreciating the intercultural and international richness that characterizes our Institute; promote interaction with Church and civil institutions that are involved in the fields of education and evangelization
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4.6 |
Assume the ethical criterion of moderation and voluntary self-limitation where our needs are concerned, as a Gospel alternative to consumerism, in line with economic solidarity |
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4.7 |
Continue to offer a response to the phenomenon of human mobility primarily through education and formation – particularly to children, women, and young immigrants – and promoting intercultural and inter-religious dialogue |
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4.8 |
Create the conditions for establishing intercultural communities and become ever more available to transfer from one community or province to another, where human migration is most prevalent and when required by the mission ad gentes. |
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G
U I D E L I N E 1 |
Continuing the process of vital renewal |
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2 | Poverty and sharing of goods |
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