The 10th successor of Don Bosco visits to Indonesia

By Fr. Prastowo Vincent de Paul, SDB

Jakarta, Indonesia, 6 February 2018 -- Major Rector met with the Salesian Novices of the Indonesia Delegation. In his meeting with the Novices the Major Rector gave some directives to them, the first Rector Major advised that novices learn to know what it means to be a salesian. The second the Novices were invited to spend time during the novitiate to find what burned their call. If you want to be an apostle of young people then the choice to be a salesian is appropriate.

During the question and answer session the Major Rector was impressed with the novices' honesty. Of the 12 novices who attended three of them have decided to become a coadjutor and two novices have been convinced by choosing to be a clerical salesian, while the rest are still doing discerment. According to the Rector Major this is a good and healthy reality because during the novitiate they must find their call.

On the same day, after meeting with the novices, the Rector Major met with a large family of Indonesian salesians. Some important points that should be the responsibility of the Salesian Delegation of Indonesia, among others:

1. Indonesia is the largest Islamic country in the world hence it is very important for Salesian Indonesia to learn to cooperate with Muslims in developing Salesian charisma in Indonesia. This is a Salesian reality in Indonesia that works to serve the young who are predominantly Muslim.


2. The Salesian Delegation of Indonesia has hope and a convincing future with the requirement that every salesian understand the salesian charism. Salesian charism is not based on many school buildings, magnificent churches, modern technological tools but lies in a lifestyle that is always close and serves young people.


3. To instill a Salesian charism then the Salesian Delegation of Indonesia must have strong formation stages. Strong formation is a guarantee for the future of the great congregation.


4. It is important for every salesian to pay attention to the maturity of affection, personality, sexuality and maturity of faith. The logic of maturity of a salesian is not based on age but on continuous formation.


5. Regarding the life of the community, the Rector Major reminds the salesians to care for the values ​​of community life. Community life does not mean first to live in the same place but moreover the testimony of life together is filled with a sense of kinship, a spirit of togetherness, open communication.


6. The Rector Major reminds also of the dangers of clericalism. The culture of clericalism causes a salesian to place himself above God, he feels himself knowing everything when a salesian's life must work with others, in the spirit of collaboration with young people. In addition to the dangers of clericalism, the Major Rector also warned of another danger, namely “power”. The search for power obscures the salesian spirit and slowly destroys the congregation.

Closing the meeting with the salesians in Indonesia, the Rector Major called for purification movements in the salesian congregation and especially in every life of a salesian.

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