| ORIGINAL | ENGLISH | COMMENT | CITATION |
|---|
| Pacificatori [IT] | peacemakers | A role at the Oratory in DB's day. | |
| padre [IT] | father | Salesian priests do not normally use padre in Italy. Don DB preferred to use the term used by secular clergy rather than the term for religious priests.The term is often found, obviously in reference to God as Father (''Padre'') or to the role of, say, the Rector as a father in the community, or to Don Bosco as ''Padre e Maestro'' (Father and Teacher) | Dbtrelet:..Sii sempre l'amico, il padre, dei nostri confratelli; aiutali in tutto quello che puoi nelle cose.. |
| Padre e Fondatore [IT] | Father and Founder | A classic phrase in reference to Don Bosco by Salesians, favoured especially by Fr Viganò and to be found in other documents (e.g. GC24). Usually capitalised and nearly always expressed as our 'Father and Founder'. | CG24:..attenuato il legame col nostro Padre e Fondatore. |
| Padre e Maestro [IT] | Father and Teacher | A title that was applied to DB already by Card.Cagliero in 1922 and finally 'crowned' by JPII in 1988 in his letter ''Iuvenum Patris'' where he bestowed the title of 'Father and Teacher of Youth' on DB. Usually capitalised on Italian and English. cf also [I#iuv |Iuvenum Patris]] | Cartcom:..Lo Spirito plasmò in lui un cuore grande come le arene del mare, lo rese Padre e Maestro.. |
| padre, fratello, amico[IT] | father, brother, friend | A trinomial that often came to DB's lips and which we retain today. | PV3:.. Il salesiano - amorevole, come padre, fratello, amico. |
| Parola di Dio [IT] | Word of God | Synonymous with the Gospel. It is God's initiative, challenge, gift. Don Bosco used the term often enough and made it prominent in his expression of his educational method. He commented that Dominic Savio had understood that the Word of God was guide for man and the way to heaven. But it is in the post Vatican II period of renewal that an entirely new depth has been added to the term, and new ways of appreciating God's Word, amongst which lectio divina. | |
| parolina all'orecchio [IT] | word in the ear | A simple ploy of DB's to pass on a word of comment, encouragement or even reproof in the midst of a game or other activity. Now part of tried and proven Salesian tradition. | Chavez384:...convinti di essere i prediletti. Ricordiamo la "parolina all'orecchio" e la conoscenza della loro situazione. |
| parrocchia [IT] | parish | The parish is one of the main mission settings for the Salesian mission. A Salesian parish is distinguished by its popular nature, its attention to the young. It regards the oratory/youth centre to be an integral part of its pastoral plan (R. 26). C. 40 which is the so-called Oratory criterion indicates that every Salesian presence has the character of 'parish' insofar as it is a centre for evangelisation. We recall the history of Don Bosco's presence in Turin when he began to respond to the reality that many young people had no sense of belonging to a parish, and saw to it that the Oratory gave them such a sense of belonging. | Costituzioni:.. i giovani casa che accoglie, parrocchia che evangelizza, scuola che avvia alla vita |
| parrocco [IT] | parish priest, pastor (US) | | |
| partita doppia [IT] | double accounting | Accounting terminology | |
| passeggiate autunnali [IT] | The Autumn Walks | Occurred over three or four weeks in September-October from 1847-1864. Particularly aimed at the dangers of the holiday period, but also as an opening to apostolate (the boys would do useful things and edifying things for the villages they visited) and to demonstrate how God could be served cheerfully. Cf also teatrino. | Viganò ACG341:..passeggiate autunnali era sempre attento a scoprire e incoraggiare vocazioni. |
| passione [IT] | passion | No problem in glossing this word either in its singular or plural form (passions). What is of interest, however, is the increasing importance of this term in Fr Chavez' period as Rector Major. He draws it from GC25's reference to the 'evangelical passion of the ''Da mihi animas'''. The term has a long pedigree in Greek and Latin predating its Christian usage. What we need to be aware of is the 'Enlightenment' derailing of its meaning from a deep positive rage and energy which gives dynamism to the human spirit, to something much more low key, low energy by way of 'mood'. | |
| passività [IT] | liabilities | Accounting terminology | |
| pastorale [IT] | ministry | 'Pastoral' to be avoided especially in the phrase 'youth pastoral', since 'pastoral' is an adjective in English. | SDB-Regolamenti:..inseriscano con iniziative e servizi specifici nella pastorale delle Chiese.. |
| pastorale giovanile PG [IT] | youth ministry YM | Cf. discussion of ''pastorale'' above. The term 'youth ministry' allows us to retain the idea of ''pastorale''. ''Pastorale giovanile'' is one of the key sectors of the Salesian mission under the direction of a Councillor for YM | SEMINARIO PDO:..Pastorale Giovanile Salesiana, si deve garantire che ci siano, in forma strutturale.. |
| pastorale giovanile salesiana [IT] | Salesian youth ministry | The abbreviation SYM would be a problem and is not regularly used in this instance, since it is used more commonly for Salesian Youth Movement. PGS does not have the same difficulty. | |
| pastorale organico [IT] | integral ministry, holistic ministry, structured ministry | But NOT 'organic ministry' which sounds like an agricultural venture! The term is relatively new in our discourse. | Chavez ACG387:..L'elaborazione e la messa in pratica di un piano di pastorale organico, sistematico |
| pastorale vocazionale [IT] | vocation ministry | cf. comments elsewhere on vocazionale and pastorale. | CG20:..Darò massima importanza alla catechesi, alla pastorale vocazionale, alla preparazione dei catechisti, |
| pastoralità [IT] | pastoral work | Like many '-ità' nouns in Italian it cannot be represented by a single term in English. | PV3:.. evangelizzazione e promozione umana, tra pastoralità e docenza. |
| paternità [IT] | fatherliness | Beware glossing as 'paternity'! Favorite term of Fr. Rinaldi, who had been a Superior for something like 48 years, so naturally enough saw Don Bosco's qualities through that prism. It is said: ''Don Rua-la Regola'', ''Don Albera-la Pietà'', ''Don Rinaldi-la Paternità''. ''Don Ricaldone-il Lavoro''. | |
| patrimonio [IT] | heritage, patrimony, legacy | In English, the term 'patrimony' is more often applied in a canonical sense to the material goods (including land, buildings) of an Institute or House. When we meet the term in Salesian literature in Italian. however, it almost always means heritage in the broad sense of values, charism... Hence we find: spiritual heritage, heritage of values, of Saleisan holiness, precious Salesian inheritance (or heritage), cultural heritage etc. 'Patrimonio-patrimony', then is a 'false friend' to be wary of in translation. | SSCS:..Preservazione del proprio patrimonio storico; |
| Patroni [IT] | Patrons | A role at the Oratory in DB's time, (but also refers to the patrons of the Society such as St Joseph).... 'they have the most important role of looking after the poorest and most abandoned, as also the apprentices and working boys attending the Oratory, to see that they are not being minded by those who might put their eternal health in danger' | |
| peccato [IT] | sin | Desramaut includes the term among his 100 words of Salesian spirituality, because it is a term that belongs to spiritual consideration and was clearly part of DB's language and understanding of what it meant to save souls. | DBdomsav:..Ma non è peccato I' andare in quei luoghi? |
| pedagogia [IT] | pedagogy, education | A need for some caution when translating this word since it is more widely in use in Italian, especially in its derivatives, than in English. Frequently in English, ''pedagogia'' can be rendered by education. The adjective 'pedagogical' is used in English though. In Italian and for DB ''pedagogia'' was not just formal instruction or theory of education, both of which it tends to be in English, but the entire process involving home, school, Church etc. | PV7:...spiritualità e anche della pedagogia di Don Bosco.' |
| pedagogia della preghiera [IT] | pedagogy of prayer | In fact there are a number of ''pedagogia di/della.''.. expressions in Salesian literature, of which 'pedagogy of prayer' is one. It comes especially from a need to form young people (and ourselves) in Christian prayer, based on the experience of the disciples who asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.The Salesian formation process involves a pedagogy of prayer. The term is currently popular in Salesian circles as we speak of listening to the Word, providing experiences of prayer for young people today. | CG20:..pedagogia della preghiera, poiché lo stesso Spirito chiede a noi, uomini liberi, sforzo e collaborazione. |
| penitenza [IT] | penance | When this term is encountered in Salesian discourse, at least in traditional discourse, it will almost always refer to The Sacrament of Penance (Confession, Reconciliation), and hence will be capitalised in English. The term 'Sacrament of Penance' has been kept by the Code of Canon Law. Common parlance speaks of 'Reconciliation', however, in English, while in Italian one finds ''Penitenza'' rather than ''Riconciliazione''. | Rfcncap1:..colloquio con il Direttore, della direzione spirituale, del sacramento della Penitenza.. |
| pensionato [IT] | hostel | There are several categories of Salesian hostel - junior, middle, senior, university and worker level. | CG24:..scuola, pensionato universitario, giovani in difficoltà) |
| Perfectae Caritatis [IT] | Perfectae Caritatis | The Decree on the adaptation and renewal of religious Life proclaimed by Pope Paul VI on October 28th 1965, at the Vatican Council II. Literally 'on the perfection of charity', a phrase which harks back to one used by St Francis de Sales. | |
| perfezione della carità [IT] | the perfection of charity | The term comes from St Francis de Sales in his'' Introduction to the Devout Life and describes a devout life as the perfection of charity. The term has been adopted by the Church in its documents on religious and consecrated life. Most famously ''Perfectae Caritatis''. | Vecchi ACG360:..Il cuore, il centro e il senso della vita consacrata è, dunque, la ricerca della perfezione della carità, |
| pericolante [IT] | at risk | When DB first used it of a certain group of young people there was negative reaction. But he means those who are at risk of becoming anti-social because neglected. | DBmem:..alla pericolante gioventù colle opere, col consiglio, col buon esempio o semplicemente colla preghiera |
| pericolanti e pericolosi [IT] | in danger and dangerous | Implies youngsters without work and education,, just hanging around and exposed to problems, who could therefore be problems to society itself. The use of this terminology in a circular on 20th December 1851 caused some offence, it seems. In fact DB did not use the term ''pericolosi'' very often in this way. His view of young people was generally more positive. | |
| perquisizione [IT] | search,(the House Searches) | The famous House Searches of the Oratory in 1860, organized by the local police, fearing that DB was involved in revolutionary tactics that might influence politics. School inspections by the Education Ministry also formed part of this intrusion. | MO: ...perquisizione ad alcuni allievi, furono trovati libri empi ed osceni di ogni genere |
| persona umana [IT] | human person | The term is spread evenly across the range of Salesian documentation from Vatican II onwards. Don Bosco employed the practical formula honest citizens and good Christians, where today he might have spoken of the dignity of the human person. The term is also found in the Ratio is an aim of formation, as a subject to be studied (as part of philosophical anthropology). | SSCS:..La persona umana - un essere di comunicazione, in dialogo, un essere per l'altro, |
| pia [IT] | pious | The term collocates most typically with ''Società'' as in ''Pia Società'' or the full term ''La Pia Società Salesiana''. It was dropped from any official reference to the Salesian Society from 1926 onwards, given that by this time society was not considered to give any cause for wrong interpretation. Don Bosco used add it in to make it clear that his 'society' was not one of political or even of secret leanings, but a society interested only in good. The Superior Chapter in 1925 decided that ''Pia'' would be attached only to the ''Pia Unione dei Cooperatori Salesiani'' | DBCircolari:..(Dist. I. e. II. art. 23), affinché ciascuno dei Confratelli della nostra Pia Società sappia.. |
| Piano di Azione del Settore [IT] | Sector Action Plan | Strategic device developed by the General Council in recent years to plan activities of a Sector (e.g. Social Communications) for a six year period. | SSCS:...PAS - Piano di Azione del Settore |
| Piano di qualificazione [IT] | Preparation Plan, Qualification Plan | A plan for the formation of the formators. Referred to in the Regulations but reinforced by Fr Vecchi in his Letter Io per voi studio, For you I study. It was further reinforced by GC25.By forming the formators the reference is to formation in general, even to education, not specifically to religious formation. It belongs to the area of ongoing or continuing formation. | Vecchi ACG371:..Nel piano di qualificazione di una Ispettoria, richiesto dai Regolamenti e ribadito nella lettera Io per voi studio, |
| Piano di Regolamento per la Casa annessa all'Oratorio di S. Francesco di Sales [IT] | Draft Regulations for the Annex to the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales | First sketched out in 1853-54. Spelt out in more detail both in the short work on the Preventive System 1877 and in the Regulations for the houses of the Society of St. Francis de Sales. | |
| Piano Ispettoriale di Comunicazione Sociale PICS [IT] | Provincial Social Communication Plan PSCP | | Chavez ACG390:.. sociale (cf. CG23), della sua équipe e del piano ispettoriale di comunicazione sociale |
| Piano Ispettoriale di Formazione PIF [IT] | Provincial Formation Plan PFP | | Chavez ACG38:...Preparare ed aggiornare il 'Direttorio' e 'Piano ispettoriale di formazione. |
| piccolo clero [IT] | altar boys, Altar Boys Society | | DBricdirett:..Il piccolo Clero, la Compagnia di S. Luigi, del SS. Sacramento, dell'Immacolatta Concezione |
| pie, devote, attente [IT] | piously, devoutly and with care | The phrase is not normally translated, but quoted as is. It comes from DB's Confidential reminders to Rectors and is the third reminder: celebrate Mass and recite the Breviary ''pie, devote, attente''. | DBricdirett:..3. Celebra la Santa Messa e recita il Breviario 0pie, attente ac devote. |
| pietà [IT] | piety, devotion | Traditionally one of the terms that most readily distinguished the Salesian spirit from any other. Therefore the term needs to be understood in context. Part of the problem for us in English is that our piety loses much of the richness of the Latin ''pietas'' and the Italian '' pietà'', even today. For us it is 'devotions' - for Latin and Italian it is first of all 'devotion', and there lies the difference! There are practices of piety, but these are informed by true piety. E. Ceria describes it adequately in his comments in the ''Annali Vol'' I in reference to the Chapter on Salesian spirit. Note that his final reference to nourishing piety by 'word' refers to human word (Good Night, word in the ear, etc.) not 'The Word'. | PV3:...qua e là nel testo delle Costituzioni, specie per ciò che riguarda la pietà |
| Polaris [IT] | Polaris | A group of religious Congregations take active responsibility in the financial sector. Polaris Investment S.A. (anonymous society) was a society for common Investment Funds registered in Luxemburg for the management of Common Investment Funds. It was a Salesian managed enterprise, but had only a brief existence in the early 21st Century. Pressure from the Vatican to dismantle the operation eventually saw the enterprise closed down. | |
| Pontificio Ateneo Salesiano PAS [IT] | Salesian Pontifical Atheneum | Now obsolete - became the UPS. | CG20-3:. Il Pontificio Ateneo Salesiano. |
| portale [IT] | Portal | The term is applied to the Congregation's website www.sdb.org. 'The Portal' is all that is contained within the web-space that opens up when one clicks on the address www.sdb.org. The portal contains 4 main websites that host a total of more than 10,000 pages of information, 800 links to external websites, a powerful search engine, and a protected reserved area. | SSCS:..Il Portale Web |
| positio [IT] | dossier | A term used in canonical processes (e.g. for approval of a Congregation, or in the process for canonisation) to indicate a collection of relevant documents, protocols. In his Don Bosco History and Spirit series, Arthur Lenti calls it a 'docket'. | |
| postnoviziato [IT] | postnovitiate | A phase in continuity with the novitiate where one deepens one's common understanding of religious identity and takes up a preparation to be an educator and pastor. Normally at this stage candidates for Salesian priesthood and Brother candidates are to be found in the same formation community at this stage. It is worth noting that the English term 'postnovitiate', written as a single word, is unusual and will not normally be found in a dictionary. It would normally be hyphenated, but our Salesian literature in translation rarely hyphenates the term. It is a time of identification with the Salesian vocation. We tend to distinguish between an immediate postnovitiate (usually a time of study of philosophy and other areas), which is also the period of first profession, and a later period after vows have been renewed. In practice this merges generally with the period of practical training. From 'postnovitiate', we also have 'postnovice', again a term peculiar to us in its unhyphenated orthography. | ACG382 - Coadiutore:..attenzione alle fasi del postnoviziato (FSDB 408-409; 420-421; 424) e della formazione specifica |
| postulancy [IT] | postulancy | Not an official term in the Salesian Ratio but some provinces designate the advanced stage within the pre-novitiate (which is an official term) as 'postulancy', and even have two stages, that of 'pre-postulancy' and 'postulancy' e.g. in the Philippines. | |
| postulatore generale [IT] | Postulator General | Usually capitalised in English. Person nominated by the Rector Major to follow up all causes for canonisation. | Costituzioni:..la nomina del procuratore e del postulatore generale (145 C); |
| poveri [IT] | poor | When the term appears in the typical ''poveri e abbandonati'' (poor and abandoned) it means any kind of poverty - physical, economic, spiritual, cultural. The question arises, from the earlier Constitutions, and varied subsequent usage, of the difference between 'poor, poorer, the poorest' especially in the early Constitutions' Chapter on Purpose. The following insights are from Lenti, Don Bosco History and Spirit Vol 4. In the chapter on Purpose, the term occurs in various grammatical forms...The Latin forms ''pauperes, pauperiores, pauperrimi'' (Italian ''poveri, più poveri, i più poveri/poverssimi'') constitute a system having a twofold semantic value. These forms may be used either in an 'asbolute' fashion as quantifiers, or in a 'relative' fashion as classifiers...As quantifiers they express the quantity or intensity of a person's poverty 'absolutely', that is without comparison to the poverty of other persons. As quantifiers the three forms express degrees of poverty by reference to a social standard. As classifiers the three forms express degrees of poverty in relation to a person or group. (where 'poorer' might mean 'less well off'). 'poor, poorer, poorest' in the chapter on Purpose, and indeed throughout the Constitutions, are used as quantifiers, not as classifiers. It was not Don Bosco's intention to classify young people by the criterion of poverty and to choose the poorest of all to the exclusion of others. | PV10:...specialmente i più poveri, e gli ambienti popolari. |
| povertà [IT] | poverty | Straight translation is not a problem. The problem begins when we have to explain what 'poor' and 'poverty' mean - these are quite elastic terms with many synonyms in our languages today, with implications not only economic and social but psychological, cultural... From Don Bosco himself, we retain in the renewed Constitutions the following reference: 'that we follow the Saviour who was born in poverty...' in other words, DB begins with a reflection on evangelical poverty, and this is the term we use when speaking of the vow of poverty. Cardinal Raul Silva Henriquez, famously commented at Vatican II on evangelical poverty (fruit of grace) and socio-economic poverty (fruit of sin). | SDB-Regolamenti:... servizio dei giovani poveri: dei giovani anzitutto che, a causa della povertà |
| pratiche di pietà [IT] | practices of piety | Dbps:..pratiche di pietà, vi si accosteranno volentieri con piacere e con frutto. | |
| predilezione per i giovani [IT] | predilection for the young | A term contained in the Constitutions (C.14) and descriptive of DB's comment that 'it is enough for you to be young for me to love you very much'. Described as a special gift of God and an expression of pastoral charity. It gives meaning to the whole of our Salesian life. | IL NUOVO LOGO:...predilezione per i giovani. Nella sua persona tutti gli educatori... |
| prefetto [IT] | prefect | A term in Salesian communities which is now obsolete. The 'bursar', in today's terminology | DBcenstor:..dipende; un prefetto ne fa le veci ed è responsale della contabilità e della corrispondenza; |
| prefetto generale [IT] | prefect general | Now rendered obsolete in the post-conciliar revision of terminology for Salesian leadership. | |
| preghiera [IT] | prayer | The term is among Desramaut's 100 words of Salesian spirituality and is probably a contender as a key concept of Salesian discourse. We speak of personal and community prayer, not strictly distinguishing the two but noting that one arises from the other. We speak also of Salesian prayer, synonymous with apostolic prayer, with the chief reference points being St. Francis de Sales and Don Bosco. DB was different to many Saints in this regard - his prayer was profound but in terms of formal prayer, appeared minimal. This became a point of contention during the process of canonisation. It is also a feature of our contemporary Salesian 'theology', expressed as the grace of unity, or in St Francis de sales' terms as the ecstasy of action. | Strenna05:..ricupero, sorretto dalla preghiera dell'intera Famiglia Salesiana che lo affidava |
| Preg.ma Signora [IT] | Dear Madam | A salutation often found in Don Bosco's letters. | |
| prenoviziato [IT] | prenovitiate | One of the official stages (the first) of initial formation. Could be hyphenated in English. | Progetto personale - Formazione iniziale italiano:...Qualunque sia fase che stai vivendo - prenoviziato, noviziato, postnoviziato, tirocinio, formazione |
| presbiterio [IT] | sanctuary, presbiterium (body of priests) | Note: 'false friend.' Not 'presbytery', but the sanctuary surrounding the altar in a church, or a reference to the 'presbiterium'. | |
| presbyter P [IT] | priest P | As found in the Year Book. | |
| presenza [IT] | presence | The ''Elementi Giuridici'' (2004) suggests by implication that a 'Salesian presence' may be simply that-an 'opening' of a house involving Salesians in a determined place for a particular mission (with due permission of RM and Council) [8.1.1]. But the term applies equally to canonical erection of a house. Should there not be a more precise definition of this use of 'presence'? In some parts of the Salesian world 'presence' implies the widest sense, e.g. as used in #391 of SGC, where it is an educational or otherwise Salesian witness outside the normal structures, or on the other hand the stricter 'presence' that comes from a regular community. Perhaps the outer sense of the word could be a 'missionary residence'? Another favourite Salesian reference is to 'presence' as a style, e.g. ''presenza animatrice'' or 'animating presence' (of a Salesian community). | EG08-Casa Religiosa e Comunità Locale:..L'apertura è il fatto di iniziare una presenza salesiana in un determinato luogo per una... |
| presenza di Dio [IT] | (The) presence of God | Both Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello made particular use of this term. In Don Bosco's case it is clear from his own reflections on his childhood and his mother, that Mamma Margaret had taught him this essential element of Christian life. The communities of Valdocco and Mornese made such a presence transparent. GC23, outlining a youthful Salesian spirituality for today, emphasised the experience of God in daily life as a key element. | DBGiovprov:..Pensando quindi alla presenza di Dio |
| presenza salesiana [IT] | Salesian presence | The term is employed in two ways - to mean either a particular physical presence of a community of Salesians (a work, e.g. a school) or something more descriptive of the whole: a dynamic reality, a network of relationships, the set of projects and processes motivated by pastoral charity, carried out amongst and with young people, lay people, the Salesian Family. In its broadest sense Salesian presence is not something restricted only to the SDB community. The term often associated with 'new' as in new Salesian presence, or with ''significatività'' or 'meaningfulness', 'significance. | EG02-Il Capitolo Ispettoriale:..nel caso di una presenza salesiana non ancora canonicamente eretta: |
| preside scolastico [IT] | school principal, headmaster... | Different parts of the English-speaking world use different terms. | |
| Presidente confederale [IT] | Confederal President | The term applied to the leader at world level of the Past Pupils of Don Bosco. | CG20:...del Dr. José M. Taboa da Lago, Presidente Confederale degli ExAllievi, |
| presidenza [IT] | executive (committee) | The Italian term has wider extension than its English equivalent. Presidency refers to the office of president and/or to time spent in high office. Salesian Regulations 120-124 employ the term but with its Italian extension of meaning to group leadership in 120 and most likely also in 124. This is pushing the boundaries, although the Mormon Church already uses presidency in this way, and there are indications that EU countries (some) think of presidency as a group. An example of 'Executive Committee' as an appropriate gloss: 'The management of the DBF is vested in an Executive Committee. The current Committee, elected in 2003, consists of its chairman Mr. John Wong and his team of 6 members.' from DBF Foundation, Hong Kong. | |
| prete [IT] | priest | in DB's day mothers would tell their children not to use this term. But it was in frequent and correct use to describe the priest. It is just that it was also used as a disparaging term. Preferred Italian term is ''sacerdote''. Nevertheless, there is no difficulty in using the term ''prete'' in Italian then or today. Italian at least has a choice! | MO:...diventerai guardiano di capre, di pecore o di altri animali. Mia madre: Chi sa che non abbi a diventar prete |
| preventività [IT] | prevention | Avoid 'preventivity'. | Viganò ACG330:...approfondita valorizzazione della 'preventività' dovrà continuare ad arricchire la prassi educativa salesiana |
| preventivo [IT] | preventive | The immediate concept of 'preventiveness' is not adequate for fully defining DB's pedagogical system. In DB's case it implies both a defensive (negative) element and a promotional (positive) one. | |
| primato di Dio [IT] | primacy of God | The term hardly needs definition. Note that it appears in the Ratio, and is an important thrust of Fr Chavez as Rector Major. '''Dio ti vede''' Don Bosco wrote on the walls at the Oratory, to emphasize that we are to discover God to be familiarly present. | CG24:..primato di Dio e celebra l'amore del Padre nel cuore dell'uomo.. |
| prior [EN] | prior | It may seem strange to find this term amongst a list of Salesian terms! Interestingly, it is applied, as far as we know, in just one situation. The Rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of Bandel Shrine in Hooghly, (Kolkata) is also known as the Prior. The Bandel Church became a minor basilica in 1988. Today it is a vibrant Salesian parish with many groups and associations. Bandel Basilica was founded in 1599 by the Portuguese Augustinians. In 1928 the Shrine was entrusted to the Salesians. The first Salesian in charge of the Basilica took the title prior in continuity with the long history of the Shrine's administration, and that continues to today. | |
| procura [IT] | Mission Office, Development Office | While there is an ongoing debate about the various levels of Mission Office, there is no such thing in English as a 'procure' (N). This term is a verb in English. A distinction can be made sometimes between a Mission Office and Development Office, but the distinction is currently not a hard and fast one, and there is a growing tendency to combine the two in a single label: Mission and Development Office. | |
| procuratore generale [IT] | Procurator General | The task of dealing with the Apostolic See is ordinarily entrusted to a procurator general who is appointed by the Rector Major with the consent of his council and remains in office ''ad nutum''. | |
| professio fidei [IT] | profession of faith | Canonical requirement for those accepting ecclesiastical office, e.g. rector. Prescribed by Constitution 121 also. | EG01-L'Ispettore e il suo consiglio:..la "professio fidei" e il giuramento di fedeltà |
| professionale [IT] | technical | In its various combinations, the Italian term refers to something like (though not precisely) technical training. 'Technical School' might be one of the glosses acceptable for ''Scuola professionale''. Alternatively and perhaps even more accurately, it could be 'Vocational Training' or 'Vocational School'. Cf. also formazione professionale. | Costituzioni:..competenza professionale e la formazione culturale. |
| professione [IT] | profession | Often in Salesian circles a reference to the act whereby one dedicates oneself to God formally by vow, to imitate Christ obedient, poor and chaste. | SDB-Regolamenti:..possesso dopo la professione. |
| professione perpetua [IT] | perpetual profession, final profession | Vatican II's renewal of Religious Life meant a rediscovery of the value of perpetual profession. Fr Viganò expresses the theology of profession in many of his letters to the Congregation. The rite of perpetual profession was rewritten to enhance its liturgical and communal significance, especially the nature of consecration (by God) which has its basis in Baptism. The energy behind perpetual profession is the sequela christi, the following of Christ poor, chaste and obedient. This energy exists at any level of religious profession but finds its fullness in perpetual profession. A synonymous term is 'final profession', often used in common language but lacking the full significance of the other term. | PV10:...La professione perpetua non è posta al termine della propria.. |
| professione temporanea [IT] | temporary profession | The third period of formation (after prenovitiate and novitiate) is known as the period of temporary profession. This is normally divided into two sets of triennial vows, but can vary (annual vows initially, gradually increasing in number. Normally this period is of six years, but can be extended to nine as a maximum. The period of temporary profession is not considered simply as a time of passage, but as something in its own right: the beginning of consecrated life. The other perspective is to see it as a period is in view of final or perpetual profession. | ACG385_orientfragvoc:..professione temporanea, che nell'ultimo sessennio per noi sono aumentati notevolmente |
| professore [IT] | teacher, professor | While the term can mean 'professor' mostly it does not! In Italian a teacher, any teacher, is a ''professore''. It can also be used in casual comment like ''Buon giorno, professore''! The term is even used in non-academic situations, like a visit to the dentist where one could be going to see one's ''professore''. | MO:risposta andò all'orecchio del professore, che di poi mi divenne assai più affezionato; |
| profetico [IT] | inspired (prophetic) | Can of course also be 'prophetic' but check the context. | Vigano ACG296:.. Preventivo come sintesi originale di atteggiamento profetico, di criteri pastorali e di metodi di evangelizzazione |
| progettazione [IT] | planning | | SDB-Regolamenti:..suggerire linee e criteri di progettazione e riorganizzazione delle opere |
| progetto [IT] | project, plan, enterprise, proposal | A favourite word in Salesian Italian one has to say. Has a number of possible glosses in English, however, not just 'project'. Cf. the range of 'projects' in the items to follow. | Vecchi ACG377:..la comunità può incorporare nel proprio progetto qualità e prestazioni anche originali. |
| Progetto Africa [IT] | Project Africa | 1978 GC21. Was officially closed in 2007. | Viganò ACG303:..Il tema delle Missioni e l'informazione sul Progetto Africa ha risvegliato e irrobustito l'impegno salesiano |
| progetto apostolico di Don Bosco [IT] | Don Bosco's apostolic project | Another way of speaking of C.96 which speaks of our living out our Father's project as apostles of the young. Variants of this, or more correctly synonyms, are terms such as 'The Founder's Project', or 'The Founder's apostolic Project'. | PV1:..Il progetto apostolico di Don Bosco intende, infatti, condurre i professi.. |
| progetto comunitario [IT] | community project | This term is often found in its more profound significance of the entire project of community life or even of evangelical and consecrated life, as incarnated in a particular group or place. The Salesian mission is a community project brought about by a local educative and pastoral community. In this broad sense it is not a written project, but communities are urged also to draw up a community plan, and this, then, is the written version of the community project, or at least one aspect of it. | Progetto personale - Formazione iniziale italiano:..salesiana nel contesto della tua Ispettoria; il progetto comunitario infine ti offre un quadro.. |
| Progetto Cina [IT] | Project China | A dream of Fr Viganò as expressed in his letter to confreres entitled '''Da Pechino verso l'88''' or 'From Peking toward '88.' This dream is now much closer to realization given the gradual opening-up of China, and remains under consideration at General Council level. | |
| Progetto Europa [IT] | Project Europe | A dream of Fr Chávez, put into place by GC26, deliberation 115, under the coordination of the three dicasteri della missione salesiana, or 'departments of the Salesian mission'. | GC26OmaggioRMSanto padre: Per tutto ciò il Capitolo Generale è orientato a formulare un “Progetto Europa”, mirato a ridisegnare la presenza salesiana con maggiore incisività ed efficacia in questo continente. |
| Progetto di Animazione e Governo del Rettor Maggiore e suo Consiglio per il sessennio [IT] | 'Project of Animation and Government of the Rector Major and his Council for the Six-year period'.. | This project first came into being with Fr Vecchi. It would seem that it will continue as a regular practice after each General Chapter. Cf. also programmazione below. | |
| Progetto di Vita [IT] | Project of life, life project, plan of life, The Commentary on the Constitutions | Capitalised it tends to refer to a commentary on the Constitutions, which is also a common synonymous term probably better known amongst English-speaking Salesians. Italian is fond of ''progetto'' where English might occasionally used 'plan'. In other contexts, in lower case, it could simply be a reference to a life project. | |
| Progetto Educativo Pastorale Salesiano PEPS [IT] | Salesian Pastoral and Educative Project SEPP | Often shortened to PEP or EPP. | |
| progetto evangelico [IT] | Gospel (or evangelical) project | Usually part of a more extended phrase: 'Gospel project of a particular Institute', 'of the Founder', 'of Don Bosco', of the ''sequela Christi'', 'of the Constitutions', 'of life (and action)', ''The Gospel Project of Life'' was the title of a work by Fr Viganò (''Un Progetto Evangelico di Vita Attiva''). The Constitutions use a phrase 'the Gospel path traced out...' | Cartcom:..riferirsi a quelli che con loro sono i portatori del progetto evangelico del Fondatore |
| Progetto Ispettoriale di Formazione [IT] | Provincial Formation Plan | This is once instance where English prefers plan to project. | Direttorio Ispettoriale Formazione:..Direttorio e progetto ispettoriale di formazione |
| Progetto Marketing Istituzionale [IT] | Institutional Marketing Project | Born from collaboration between ''Missioni Don Bosco'' Media Center and Telepace ...a project of communication, education and propaganda, with the purpose of giving information on the Congregation's activity, highlighting certain aspects of Salesian work, spreading Salesian educational method and spirituality, educating to a sense of mission and solidarity. | |
| Progetto Organico Ispettoriale (POI) [IT] | Provincial Project or Overall Provincial Project or plan (OPP) | cf. discussion on organico above. In ordinary discussion mother-tongue English-speaking provinces tend to prefer 'Provincial Plan' and be done with it! But bearing in mind discussions above, it may still be useful to gloss the Italian POI with 'OPP' by saying 'Overall Provincial Project (or plan)'. Are we hedging our bets? | Chavez ACG378:..1 attuare il progetto organico ispettoriale. Alcune di queste condizioni si riferiscono al livello locale, |
| progetto personale di vita salesiana [IT] | Salesian personal project of life | | CG25:.."Progetto personale di vita salesiana", |
| Programmazione [IT] | planning | The term (with capital P) was employed by Fr Vecchi when he set out the planning project for the six year period 1996-2002. This was the first time a ''programmazione per il governo a l'animazione della Congregazione''had been set out thus. | CSmanImprese:..una programmazione un po' povera di prospettiva e preoccupata |
| promessa di carità [IT] | promise of charity | On 26th January 1854, according to a note by Don Rua, four young men along with Don Bosco came together in DB's room and were invited to undertake a proving period in the practical exercise of charity toward neighbour, which would then be a promise but ultimately would be vowed. Instead of using the word 'novitiate' which may have frightened them off, Don Bosco cleverly used 'proving time'. Note how he had in mind, however, (after a year of proving time!) the professing of a vow. Cf. also conferenza. | |
| promozione della donna [IT] | advancement of women | Avoid glossing with 'promotion'. The theme of advancement of women is an important one in contemporary society. The issue of women's position in modern culture is at the roots of the crisis in contemporary culture. The Salesian Sisters, through their Auxilium Institute and VIDES have attempted to give both a theoretical and practical contribution to the theme on a worldwide basis. | Vecchi ACG364:...bambini da ogni abuso, per la promozione della donna all'uguaglianza ed alla libertà, |
| promozione integrale cristiana [IT] | Christian wholistic growth | Avoid simply transliterating into 'promotion'. Cf. SGC's explanation of the meaning of the whole term - (''promozione'') development of the person, including everything from divine sonship to holiness (''integrale''); with the charity of Christ as the source of it all (''cristiana''). The SGC, 1971 explains what it means by this term: '''Promozione' indica il processo di sviluppo della persona; 'integrale' indica tutto l'arco di questo processo, fino alla figliolanza divina e ala santità; 'cristiana' indica che la fonte e l'energia che animerà tutto il processo - la stessa carità di Cristo'''. | Viganò ACG290:..Il nostro CGS aveva parlato di 'promozione integrale cristiana' e di 'educazione liberatrice cristiana' |
| promozione umana [IT] | human development, human progress | The Italian term ''promozione'' entered ecclesial language at the time of Vatican II and Salesian language shortly afterwards (SGC, 1971). It is often accompanied by the adjective ''umana''. English perhaps best glosses this with 'development' rather than 'promotion' though context could recommend the latter at times. Vat. II's Gaudium et Spes has a paragraph where it explains what it means by ''promozione umana'' (or its Latin equivalent): it clearly indicates the development of the human being as such, rather than development in any commercial or material sense. The term 'progress' could also be used then - 'human progress'. | SDB-Regolamenti:..evangelizzazione e promozione umana. Favorisca lo sviluppo della vocazione... |
| promozione vocazionale [IT] | vocation work | ''Promozione'' can certainly be glossed as 'promotion', but often the phrase in which it is used simply means 'vocation work'. | ACG363-famsal:..conoscenza, l'aiuto reciproco, la promozione vocazionale, la comunicazione.. |
| proposta pastorale [IT] | pastoral suggestion | ''Proposta'' can be glossed as proposal but often in English 'suggestion' or offering will do just as well, unless it is more formal. | Chavez ACG380:..Promuovendo in ogni proposta pastorale |
| proposta vocazionale [IT] | vocation ministry, suggestion | Considered to be an essential feature of the process of education to faith, therefore to be understood in its broad sense, in the first place, as a proposal for each individual. In English, though, we might speak of 'vocation ministry', assuming that proposal is part of this. Then, secondarily, it applies to a specific proposal of a Religious or priestly vocation. But 'suggestion' might do just as well, depending on context. 'Vocational guidance' (again understood broadly) is regarded as the summit and crowning of our educational and pastoral activity. Hence this term may be regarded as synonymous with our educative and pastoral proposal. | Vecchi ACG357:..una pastorale organica, proposta vocazionale. |
| protagonismo [IT] | taking the initiative | Difficult to translate in a single word and we need to see the context - could be main actor in a situation (as in the theatre but not only). The derivative ''protagonista'' is often 'chief character, chief actor' | SGS:...nostra voglia di protagonismo. |
| protocollo [IT] | register | e.g. ''protocollo ispettoriale'' is the file which registers all correspondence relating to provincial offices. In practice it may be a number or code assigned to an item. There is a Registry Office (''Ufficio Protocollo'') which links the ''ufficio anagrafico'' and the archives. | EG03-Il Segretario Ispettoriale..il 'protocollo ispettoriale', inteso a registrare tutta la corrispondenza ufficiale degli uffici |
| protomartiri [IT] | proto-martyrs | The term is in more general use in the Church, but is applied in the Salesian case to Versiglia and Caravario, the Salesian proto-martyrs in China. 'proto' meaning 'first'. The first Salesian martyrs for the faith. Martyrdom has been a feature of the Church in Asia and Oceania which has given a million martyrs if we include all those in Korea over a 200 year period, the Vietnamese and Chinese martyrs, those in Japan and elsewhere. | Vigano ACG323:...venerare e ringraziare i nostri protomartiri; |
| providenza [IT] | Providence | Or its more complete term: Divine Providence | chavezFMA02:..1 nell'amore di Dio, 'che previene ogni creatura con la sua providenza, |
| provincia [IT] | province | The Salesians SDB employ the term ''ispettoria'' in Italian but always 'province' in English. Most other groups in the Salesian Family employ the term ''provincia'' in Italian. And for that matter ''provincia'' (ES) is preferred in Spain to ''inspectoria'' amongst Salesians SDB. | |
| Provveditore [IT] | assistant (to bursar); superintendent of schools | We meet this word no fewer than 321 times in the MB, but in 90% of those it forms part of a phrase such as 'regio Provveditore agli studi' of Turin or Genoa or wherever, in other words a superintendent of schools. But Don Bosco did call his key Brother, Giuseppe Rossi, the ''provveditore delle nostre case'', and in a letter authorising Rossi to work on his behalf in France he describes his role as that of buyer, one who sets up business contracts and markets industrial goods (e.g. those from our trade schools). At one point (VOL 10 of MB) there is a discussion about calling the Salesian in charge of schools the ''Provveditore'' but this idea is not accepted - possibly because that role, or rather those persons, were not held in high regard by DB! They constantly put obstacles in his way when the colleges were on the increase. He stayed with ''Consigliere Scolastico''. The ''provveditore'' label as applied to Brother Rossi is translated in the English BM as 'assistant to the Economer General'. One cannot help but feel this gloss does not do justice to what the role actually envisaged. | |
| PVA Progetto di Vita Apostolica [IT] | PAL Project of Apostolic Life | Official document of the Salesian Cooperators which contains the Statutes and Regulations. | |
