| ORIGINAL | ENGLISH | COMMENT | CITATION |
|---|
| vademecum [IT] | handbook, ready reference | Sometimes the term is retained in English in its original form. Reference is made in English occasionally to a famous Vademecum of the Congregation, written for novices by Fr Barberis. This is accepted as part of the Salesian Tradition. The General Council of today has a vademecum which is more directly a handbook of procedures. | Viganò ACG332:...altri scritti certamente importanti. C'è da ricordare, tra gli altri, il 'Vademecum' di don Barberis per i novizi. |
| Valdocco [IT] | Valdocco [place name] | Probably from ''Val d'Occo'' or ''Vallis de Och''. Pious tradition would have it that in fact it comes from a shortened version of ''Vallis Uccisorum'', or ''Valle degli uccisi'', a reference to the Turinese martyrs. Reference to Valdocco in Salesian circles is often as a shortened form for the Valdocco Oratory. It can also be a reference to the Valdocco community, either originally or now. | |
| valore umano [IT] | human goodness, human worth | | Costituzioni:...e testimoniamo il valore umano e cristiano del lavoro.. |
| Variara, Luigi [IT] | Louis Variara | Louis Variara was born at Viarigi (Asti) in 1875. Don Bosco had preached a mission there in 1856. It was to Don Bosco that Luigi's father entrusted him, when he brought him to Valdocco on October 1, 1887. Just four months later the Saint died. But Louis' knowledge of him was sufficient to mark his whole life. He asked to become a Salesian and entered the novitiate on August 17, 1891. Variara did his philosophical studies in Valsalice, where he got to know Andrea Beltrami. In 1894, Fr. Unia, the celebrated missionary who had just started his work in Colombia, in the leper colony Agua de Dios, visited them. "You can imagine my surprise and joy", Fr. Variara said later, "when, from among my 188 companions, all of whom had the same aspiration, he looked at me and said: This one is mine". The young Variara reached Agua de Dios in August 6, 1894. The leper colony then had 2000 inhabitants, of whom 800 were lepers. He became totally immersed in the mission. He began to organise a band. The inauguration took place in the presence of the President of the Republic, who was moved to see that 'city of sorrow' come alive, for the first time, in an atmosphere of celebration. In 1898, he was ordained a priest and soon proved himself an excellent spiritual director. At the house of the Sisters of Divine Providence, in Agua de Dios, an Association of Children of Mary had been established, with about 200 members. He was their confessor. It was not long before he discovered that some of the group felt called to religious life. But their dream could never be realised! No Congregation would accept the daughters of lepers, and still less, someone suffering from leprosy. A daring project grew out of this very impossibility. It was something unique in the Church - an Institute that would accept even those suffering from leprosy. Today the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary has 600 religious. One day it was discovered that he too had leprosy. On being told, he simply said: "Todo viene de Dios y todo va a Dios" (Everything comes from God and everything goes to God). He died far from his beloved sick, as obedience had asked of him. Now he reposes in the chapel of his Sisters in Agua de Dios. John Paul II beatified him on April 14, 2002, in Rome. | |
| vasto movimento (di persone) [IT] | vast movement (of people) | The term is found in C.5 and is descriptive of Don Bosco's desire to link together all the forces for good on behalf of the needs of young people. It is descriptive also of the Salesian Family in its broadest sense. In fact the term is Don Bosco's own and can be found in his unpublished works vol 29 pg 468. Under the leadership of Fr Chávez the term has become significant for re-launching this charismatic element of Don Bosco's desire to involve as many people as possible in the work of salvation of the young. Italian ''persone'' is mostly best rendered in English by 'people' rather than 'persons'. | Costituzioni:..Da Don Bosco trae origine un vasto movimento di persone che, in vari modi, |
| Vaticano II [IT] | Vatican II | The normal term of reference, Vatican II, is in fact a shorthand for the full term, the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Vatican II was convened by Pope John XXIII in 1958 with a view to making the Church of the 20th Century more adapted to proclaiming the Gospel to humankind. It resulted in renewal especially of ecclesiology and ministry. Notions such as 'communion', 'mission', 'collegiality', 'renewal' all belong to this era. In the Salesian context Fr Viganò developed a veritable magisterium of teaching based on his experience of Vatican II and subsequent major Church events - the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, Puebla... | |
| Vecchi, Juan [IT] | Vecchi, Juan | Rector Major from 1996 - 2002. Juan Edmundo Vecchi Monti, was born at Viedma (Argentina) on 23 June 1931, the youngest of seven children of a family of Italian emigrants who between 1898 and 1906 moved from Emilia Romagna to Argentina in a period in which many Italians dreamed of escaping from the poverty of their own country by finding work and tranquility in foreign parts. His father Albino Vecchi came from Boretto (Reggio Emilia), and his mother Maria Monti from Montescudo (Forlì). They became acquainted in Argentina and were married there. Juan was a nephew of the Blessed Artemide Zatti, a Salesian Brother. Juan got to know the Salesians in Viedma and decided to follow a salesian vocation. He made his first vows at Fortín Mercedes, 29 January 1947, and studied theology at Turin-Crocetta, where he was ordained priest on 1 July 1958. In the same year at Turin he obtained the licentiate in theology. On his return to Argentina he was Rector at Viedma from '65 to '72. In the same year he began his long service - some 30 years - to the Congregation as a member of the General Council. From '72 to '78 he was Regional Councillor for the Atlantic part of Latin America; from '78 to '90 he was General Councillor for Youth Ministry; from '90 al '96 Vicar General; and finally from 20 March 1996 he was the eighth successor of Don Bosco. He will be remembered as an innovator in youth pastoral work, but also for his outstanding gifts of government. He could listen and give due weight to all suggestions and opinions, and to individual needs. He had a strong sense of fatherliness and of fidelity to the founder's charism, and was moreover a competent leader and animator of teamwork, sensitive and open to signs of the times. As Rector Major from the time of the GC24, the Chapter on the laity, Fr Vecchi always believed in them and kept up a trusting and sharing relationship with the thousands of lay people who take part in different ways in Don Bosco's mission for the service of the young. Noteworthy too was his post-conciliar sensitivity, in which he followed his predecessor Fr Egidio Viganò in believing in a 'Church-communion' and in a 'Church-mission' for the service of the poor, in a Congregation incarnate in all cultures and reaching out to the poorest and most marginalized of every continent. But as distinct from Fr Viganò, what stands out in Fr Vecchi is the prominence of the anthropological and educative aspect over the theological and spiritual, while the latter characteristic remains high in his personality (cf. his many letters and publications on this latter aspect). The eighth successor of Don Bosco was also a man of communication, a pastoral sector in which he firmly believed and to which he gave strong encouragement. In the program of his six years as Rector Major, the communication dimension entered every environment, and found concrete expression, among other items, in the renewal and relaunching of the 52 editions of the Salesian Bulletin. | |
| Venerabile [IT] | Venerable | We can pluralise the term to read 'Venerables'. It doesn't sound so well in English in its plural form partly because we are unaccustomed to it. The plural form of the term appears on websites of religious congregations and the Vatican. In Italian it is not always capitlaised. 'Venerable' is actually the stage of formal beginning of the process towards beatification and canonisation. The preliminary stage is that of Servant of God, after which (usually ten years or more afterwards) the person can be declared Venerable, meaning in effect that he or she has demonstrated effectiveness as a holy intercessor for the faithful and is therefore worthy of veneration. | Vecchi ACG377:..parte nostra, ricordiamo i Salesiani sofferenti, come il venerabile Andrea Beltrami.. |
| verifica [IT] | evaluation, checkup | It is probably best to avoid 'verification', and 'verify' as the verb form, though this may at times apply. | Progetto della Comunita:..comunitaria ed a fare la verifica dei progetti delle singole comunità (CG25 16, 74). |
| Versiglia e Caravario [IT] | Versiglia and Caravario | Term of reference to Bishop Luigi Versiglia and Callistus Caravario, Salesian proto-martyrs in China. They were canonised by Pope John Paul II on 1st October 2000. On June 25th 2005, in the town where Versiglia was born, Oliva Gessi, near Pavia, a monument was blessed in honour of both martyrs. The monument is called the Martyrs' Ascent. | |
| vicario [IT] | Vice Provincial, Vice Rector, Vicar | The Salesian Vicario is always a priest (since he can take the place of the RM/Provincial/Rector who will always be a priest. Only relatively recently (after the renewal of the Constitutions) was the role of vicario also applied at the local (house) level. The Italian term Vicario as applied in Salesian government and animation usually needs to be specified since it applies to three levels - world level (of the RM), Province level, Vice provincial, and local level (Vice rector). In each case the vicario is the first collaborator of the RM/provincial/rector, and can take his place when that person is absent or impeded. The term was also applied in DB's time to the Vicar of the city of Turin, Marquis Michele Benso di Cavour. | DBmem:..Il mio vicario d'accordo col prefetto prepari e legga in Capitolo una lettera da dirigersi a tutti i... |
| vicario del Rettor Maggiore [IT] | Vicar of the Rector Major | Substitutes an earlier term, 'prefect general'. | Costituzioni:...essere professo perpetuo da almeno dieci anni. Per il vicario del Rettor Maggiore... |
| vicario generale [IT] | vicar general | Cf. also ''vicario del rettor maggiore'' above. | DBtrelet:...di stabilire un mio Vicario Generale che sia un alter ego per l'Europa, ed un altro per l'America. |
| Vicuña, Laura [ES] | Vicuña, Laura | A significant example of holiness in the Salesian Family and as a result of the work of the Salesian Sisters. The term remains in Spanish and works easily in English that way - but efforts should be made, given the ease of word-processing and font choice today, to retain the ñ. Beatified in 1988 at Colle Don Bosco. The event gave rise to another term, the Hill of the Beatitudes. | |
| VIDES, Volontariato Internazionale Donna Educazione Sviluppo [IT] | VIDES [International Volunteer Movement for Development and the Education of Women] | International association of youth volunteers under the auspices of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (or the Salesian Sisters) (www.fmaitalia.it) for the advancement of women - acts on behalf of women, children and disadvantaged people of both genders, especially in developing nations. | |
| Viganò, Egidio [IT] | Viganò, Egidio | Rector Major from 1977 - 1995. Egidio Viganò was a native of Lombardy, but deeply rooted in the Latin-American culture because of his long stay in Chile (1939-1971). Strengthened by culturally significant traditions and a good theological school (where he was also a teacher), he took part in Vatican Council II as an expert, bringing to that the pastoral and educative experiences he had gained overseas along with a scientific rigour. As the Superior General of a relevant Religious Institute and of many other associated groups, he was particularly attentive to the world's problems and especially the Third World. He systematically shared the Bread of the Council with his confreres through detailed letters formulated as proposals of life (in the Church and for the Church in the charism of Don Bosco). The Pope nominated him as a Consultor for the Pontifical Council for the Family, for the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and for the Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. He was also a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, of the preparatory session for the Synod of Bishops of Europe, and a member too of the Permanent interdepartmental Commission for a more equal distribution of the clergy. For two years also he was President of the Union of Superiors General (USG). Little by little he continued to update himself through his participation in Medellin, Puebla, Rome and their various Synods, and also as president of the Union of Superiors General (USG). Along with two other Superiors General (one Benedictine the other Jesuit) he was assigned by Pope John Paul II as a member of the extraordinary Synod on the 20th anniversary of the Council. Because of this and of other notable experiences and accomplishments, the period of leadership of Don E. Viganò brought about in the Salesian Family that 'sentire cum ecclesia' and that fidelity to the Pope that were such noted and important characteristics of Don Bosco. These characteristics also carried forward in the ecclesial dimension the renewal 'in fidelity' to which the Salesian Family was called at the threshold of the Millennium. As a member nominated by the Holy Father he took part in 6 Synods of Bishops which were celebrated in Rome from 1980 to 1994, in the special meetings in the Vatican in 1981-1982 with cardinals, bishops and superiors general concerned with problems in Central America, while in 1983 he took part in the dialogues of the superiors general with the Holy Father on problems and perspectives of Religious Life in the Church. In 1986 he was invited to preach the annual Retreat to the Pope and the Roman Curia. He gave a particular contribution to the last synod on consecrated life. Struck down by a tumour, he spent the final months of his life in suffering. Don Viganò will be remembered also as the celebrated author of numerous publications of spiritual and theological character. | |
| virtù [IT] | virtue | The term was used often enough in DB's time and by DB - in his case most frequently as The Virtue, meaning the virtue of purity. Then for much of the 20th century it dropped out of Salesian use! Now it has reappeared. | Costituzioni:...virtù. Ma la virtù che si deve sommamente coltivare... "la virtù della castità" . |
| visita d'insieme [IT] | team visit | The 'Team Visit' (more often than not capitalised) is not codified in proper Salesian law, nor is it prescribed by the Constitutions and Regulations; it is in fact an initiative that has begun to form part of Salesian practice, to 'foster unity of the Congregation as the fruit of communion and of fidelity to the charism' (GC25,88) | |
| visita ispettoriale [IT] | provincial visitation | Sometimes also referred to as the 'Canonical Visitation'. | SDB-Regolamenti:..Una volta all'anno farà con particolare cura la visita ispettoriale alle comunità. |
| visita straordinaria [IT] | extraordinary visitation | The 'extraordinary visitation' is a fixed term in Salesian discourse, and can be found in R.104. It is a visit undertaken in the name of and with the authority (delegated of the Rector Major. Ordinarily it is a visit made by the regional councillor for that area, but occasionally the Rector Major entrusts it to another councillor or indeed another person whom he appoints. The one who carries out this visit is known as the Visitor (always capitalised in English). | |
| Visitatore (straordinario) [IT] | (Extraordinary) Visitor | The person appointed by the Rector Major to carry out the extraordinary visitation of a province or circumscription. Usually shortened, in both languages simply to 'The Visitor'/''Il Visitatore''. | EG13-L'archivio ispettoriale e gli archivi delle case:...Le osservazioni lasciate dall'Ispettore (o dal Visitatore straordinario) a conclusione della Visita |
| visitatoria [IT] | vice province | .A vice province is a juridical circumscription similar in nature to a 'province', though not enjoying the complete autonomy of the latter. It is usually because of factors like distance, number of members or other circumstances requiring a number of Houses to be detached from the main province, or from several provinces. It might also be because a special mission is assigned to this group of Houses, sufficient to warrant a separate circumscription. The superior of a vice province is called 'Superior', not 'provincial' and certainly not 'vice provincial' which is another role altogether. | EG09: L'Ispettoria.txt - Erezione di una Visitatoria. |
| vita apostolica [IT] | apostolic life | In its most general sense (and uncapitalised) the term refers to the life of the Apostles. But when we use it today we do so often as a technical term, part of a more extended term such as 'Institute of Apostolic Life', 'Society of Apostolic Life', where it is contrasted with 'Institutes of Consecrated Life'. A third and general usage is by analogy with the life of the Apostles. We are religious of apostolic life, that is active life, by contrast with religious of contemplative life. | EG01-L'Ispettore e il suo consiglio:...secolari che nei loro statuti affermano di vivere un progetto di vita apostolica... |
| vita attiva [IT] | active life | The term is a technical one in the Church today in reference to Institutes of Societies of active life, of which the Salesians are part. Clearly, the term can also be used as a non-technical and general reference e.g. as in a Gospel project of active life, a spirituality of active life. The term does not distinguish between lay and clerical ' there are Institutes of active life which are entirely lay, with no priests. | Vecchi ACG375:...nostra vita attiva, consacrata o laicale, si manifesta una tensione tra il rapporto personale con Dio, vale a dire, |
| vita comune [IT] | common life | 'Common life' for DB was closely linked to the bonds of fraternal charity, obedience. It is something practical rather than doctrinal for him. | Costituzioni:..legittimamente eretta e fanno in essa vita comune in unità di spirito sotto l'autorità... |
| vita comunitaria [IT] | community life, the life of the community | The term is found very frequently in Salesian documentation, often in a more complete form as The Salesian community life project, which implies planning, co-responsibility. Within recent times, a set of criteria is under consideration to determine the right number and quality of confreres to ensure a meaningful apostolic community life.. The core element common across cultures and situations is "living and working together". The local circumstances may vary considerably: small communities, communities in complex works, communities sharing the life of the people, communities with lay people and/or young people as part of them. | SDB-Regolamenti:...promuovano incontri per favorire la vita comunitaria, l'aiuto reciproco, la crescita... |
| vita fraterna... [IT] | fraternal life... | The term may seem to be synonymous with community life, but there are two distinct elements in it: fraternal life and in community. One of the weaknesses of the post Vatican II renewal was precisely in the second area. Life in community is distinctive and proper to religious communities as distinct from other forms of consecrated life e.g. secular institutes. The Synod on Consecrated life used the term as a title for one of its chapters in the final document. | ACG385 orientfragvoc:...primato di Dio, il dono di sè per i giovani, la sequela radicale di Cristo, la vita fraterna in comunità, |
| vita quotidiana [IT] | daily life, existence | We recognise the term especially as employed in the Constitutions e.g. we educate the young to develop their human and baptismal vocation with a daily life progressively inspired and unified by the Gospel. Daily life is built into the expression of Salesian youth spirituality by GC23 | Cartcomune:...concreto della vita quotidiana. Richiede infatti dedizione alla profondità spirituale e all'interiorità |
| vocazione alla santità [IT] | the call to holiness (vocation to holiness) | The term comes from ''Perfectae Caritatis'', Vatican II's document on religious Life, n.2. This is a universal vocation stemming from Baptism. The call to personal holiness has become a catch-cry of Fr Chavez as Rector Major. | CG25comunità:...profondità la propria vocazione alla santità nello spirito di Don Bosco . |
| vocazione salesiana [IT] | Salesian vocation | While the term appears to be a general one it is, like Salesian tradition, a specific entity also. The gift of predilection for the young is synonymous with Salesian vocation. DB also indicated that there could be no Salesian vocation without reference to the intervention of Mary. The events of 8th December 1842 are regarded as emblematic for the Salesian vocation. The lay dimension is an essential element of the Salesian vocation as is also the priestly element. | Costituzioni:..La vocazione salesiana ci situa nel cuore della Chiesa e ci pone interamente al... |
| vocazionale [IT] | vocation (adj) | The English gloss here is considered as an adjective which may be combined with other terms, as in 'vocation guidance', for example (distinct from vocational guidance, which is general career guidance). | EG000-Presentazione:...l'annesso testo di "Criteri e norme di discernimento vocazionale salesiano". |
| vocazioni tardive [IT] | late vocations | | |
| Volontari Con Don Bosco CDB [IT] | Volunteers With Don Bosco | Founded in Rome 1994 by Fr Viganò, a group of lay men along similar lines to their 'sister' organization VDB. They claim that they find thcharismatic inspiration from Don Bosco's original idea of the 'extern Salesian'. The group has an Ecclesiastical Assistant at world level - the Salesian appointed to work with them. The leader of the CDB is called The Moderator General in English (Il Responsabile Maggiore in Italian). Leaders of local groups are called 'The Moderator'. | |
| volontariato [IT] | volunteer movement | English does not have a single word term for this; ''voluntariate'' is awkward. | Animazione missionaria:...nel volontariato e nei gruppi di animazione missionaria; |
| VIS, Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo [IT] | VIS, [International Volunteer Movement for Development] | One of the founding members of the Don Bosco Network | |
| VDB, Volontarie di Don Bosco [IT] | DBV Don Bosco Volunteers | Founded by Bl Philip Rinaldi in 1917. Consecrated women in secular institute. Their leader is referred to in Italian as Responsabile Maggiore which is best glossed in English as Moderator General. Over the years there have been other efforts to gloss this as Responsible Major (!!), and President General - a better term, but Moderator seems the better choice. There is also the question of the acronym - Often seen written as VDB, but in English the preferences is certainly for DBV. Members of the Salesian Family. The Salesian appointed to work with them is called the Ecclesiastical Assistant. | |
| voto [IT] | vow | Normal reference is to the plural term, especially when speaking of the act of profession of the three vows. But as part of the theological debate, we note that we profess "the vow" of.... St Thomas Aquinas spoke of a vow of profession, in the singular (cf. S. Th. II-II, q. 186), considering the act of profession to be a unity, made explicit in three forms. | DBtestspir:...gloriarsi del voto di povertà. |
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