Rector Major’s Strenna 2018 An Introduction for Salesian Family Consulta Discussion and Collaboration

Strenna 2018 – Let us Cultivate the Art of Listening and Accompanying The Strenna within an ecclesial context The Strenna’s basic teachings The Strenna and Don Bosco’s educational method The Strenna and our situation in North America The Strenna and Suggested SF planning and initiatives

Strenna 2018 – Let us Cultivate the Art of Listening and Accompanying Part One: The Strenna in an ecclesial context The 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: Aparecida

Pope Francis’ Pastoral Initiative May 2007 Aparecida: Pastoral Plan of the Latin American Catholic Bishops 2012 Bishops’ Synod on Evangelization 2013 Evangelii Gaudium by Pope Francis: Summing up the synod on evangelization A watershed document for the Catholic Church Pope Francis’ Pastoral Initiative

Pope Francis and the Strennas of 2017-2018 First Application of Evangelii Gaudium: Family and Marriage: 2014 Bishops’ First Synod on the Family 2015 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

Pope Francis and the Strennas of 2017-2018 Second Application of Evangelii Gaudium: Youth 2017 Pope Francis Calls for a Synod of Catholic Bishops on the young to be held in October 2018 A 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

Synod of Bishops 2018

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. Part Two: What does the Strenna 2018 say?

Strenna 2018 – Connected with the Bishops’ 2018 Synod on Young People The entire Church invites the young to fill out the questionnaires on the synod (18 to 35 years) The rest of the church is asked to read and reflect on the Synod preparatory document. The Salesian Family is invited to study and implement the teachings of the Synod preparatory document. Strenna 2018 – Connected with the Bishops’ 2018 Synod on Young People

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

Strenna 2018 calls the SF to encounter the young in three movements: 1. Listening: 2. Discerning: 3. Accompanying:

Encounter the young through: Listening – Personal Empathy, encouragement, support Listening Discerning – Move forward with Holy Spirit in faith and vocation Recognize, interpret, choose Discerning Accompanying – like Jesus Gaze, be a neighbor, walk side by side Accompanying Encounter the young through:

Part Three: The Strenna in Don Bosco’s educational method Salesian Family Spirituality Days: Turin 2018 Don Bosco’s educational method and Strenna 2018 Listening Discerning Accompanying Talks by Sr. Paola Casalis and Fr. Michal Vojtas Witness talks by young adults in Salesian Family Panel discussion with RM and young adults Part Three: The Strenna in Don Bosco’s educational method

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.

Listening/Discerning in Don Bosco’s vocational development Mamma 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)

Listening/Discerning in Don Bosco’s vocational development Mamma Margherita Dream at age 9 CHALLENGE Don Bosco meets Don Calosso (11 years) TRUST Don Bosco’s confessor (uncle of Louis Comollo) CRISIS Don Bosco’s mentor and spiritual guide (St. Joseph Cafasso) DECISION/COMMITMENT

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.

Accompaniment (from the biographies of young saints written by Don Bosco) Welcome: Bartholomew Garelli Challenge: Mickey Magone Confidence and Trust: Dominic Savio, Mickey Magone Environment: Magone, Francesco Besucco Hidden Curriculum Crisis: Savio, Magone, Besucco Decision (Discernment): Magone, Besucco Cheerful, Study, Piety Commitment: Savio, Besucco (Sodalities)

Listen and Accompany Welcome Challenge Confidence and Trust Environment Crisis Decision (Discernment) Commitment Listen and Accompany

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 2015 PEW research (2015) on the religious beliefs and practices of people in the US and Canada A research team assembled to interpret the findings Interviews with young adults who had disaffiliated from the Catholic Church Publication of findings: Going, Going, Gone (Sept. 2017)

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. Public Religion Research Institute

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 denomination 36% 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)

Our Salesian Response: “How might the dynamics of disaffiliation be affected if our primary pastoral motivation and action were to accompany young people on their spiritual journey, especially as they wrestle with belief through questioning and doubt?” (Going, Going, Gone p. 34) “In Don Bosco’s style, both the person accompanying and the person accompanied are not limited to meeting each other on the basis of a specific agenda on a set day or time, but daily share environments, recreation spaces, and moments of work, prayer, and joy,” (2018 Strenna) Our Salesian Response:

Part Five: Suggested Salesian Family Planning and Initiatives Some pastoral initiatives from Strenna 2018 Apply 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 couples Ministerial Formation for the SF in Don Bosco’s mission and spirit (systematic and comprehensive)

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)

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 Jesus Focusing 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