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1013.3 1013.4 1013.5 1013.6 1014.1 1015.1 1015.2 1015.3 1015.4 1016.1 1017.1 1018.1 1019.1 1019.2 1019.3 1020.1 1021.1 1021.2 1021.3 1021.4 1021.5 1022.1 1022.2 1023.1 1023.2 1023.3 1024.1 1024.2 1025.1 1025.2 1025.3 1026.1 1027.1 1028.1 1028.2 1029.1 1029.2 1030.1 1030.2 1030.3 1031.1 1031.2 1031.3 1031.4 1031.5 1031.6 1031.7 1031.8 1032.1 1032.2 1032.3 1033.1 1033.2 1033.3 1033.4 1034.1 1035.1 1035.2 1035.3 1035.4 1036.1 1036.2 1036.3 1037.1 1037.2 1038.1 1040.1 1041.1 1042.1 1042.2 1042.3 1042.4 1042.5 1042.6 1042.7 1042.8 1042.9 1042.10 1042.11 1042.12 1042.13 1042.14 1042.15 1042.16 1042.17 1042.18 1043.1 1044.1 1045.1 1046.1 1047.1 1048.1 1048.2 1048.3 1049.1 1049.2 1050.1 1050.2 1051.1 1052.1 1053.1 1054.1 1055.1 1055.2 1056.1 1057.1 1058.1 1059.1 1060.1 1061.1 1062.1 1063.1 1064.1 1065.1 1066.1 1067.1 1068.1 1069.1 1070.1 1071.1 1072.1 1073.1 1074.1 1074.2 1075.1 1076.1 1077.1 1078.1 1079.1 1080.1 1081.1 1082.1 1083.1 1084.1 1085.1 1086.1 1087.1 1088.1 1089.1 1090.1 1091.1 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"For those who know how to read deeply in the life of Don Bosco, He appears together with the priest of youth and the priest of the Pope ...". To the very happy synthesis that Pope John XXIII made of all of life and of all the work, of the soul and heart of Don Bosco. And again: «We cannot fully understand the spirit that always animated Saint John Bosco, if we forget his very special devotion to the Chair of Rome. This is why Our glorious Predecessors manifested for him a paternal esteem and a profound trust "(John XXIII). On the threshold of eternity the Saint confided to Mons. Cagliero: "To the Holy Father you will say what until now was kept as a secret: that the Salesians have for special purpose the support of the Pope's authority, wherever they are, wherever they work" . But already at the beginning of his apostolate he could confide to Pius IX in an hour of his tribulation: "Holy Father, my children love you! They have you in your heart! Your name carries it entwined with that of God! For over 40 years of the Saint's life the Roman Pontiff, in the person of Pius IX and Leo XIII, had to pass through many trials and tribulations: we can affirm that they also touched the heart of Don Bosco. This devotion to the Vicar of Christ, the journeys to Rome and the precious services to the Church in difficult times earned him the benevolence, esteem and gratitude of the Popes. In this collection we present all the speeches and even simple thoughts in praise and glory of St. John Bosco, which four Pontiffs, from Pope Pius XI to Paul VI, happily reigning, paid to the faithful servant of the Pope. Rarely was the Church rendered a more filial and devoted service and it rarely had a wider and more complete recognition on the part of the Popes. DON AMEDEO RODINÒ Achille Ratti was born in Desio (Milan) on 31 May, 1857. He was ordained a priest on 20 December 1879. He worked extensively in the Ambrosiana and Vaticana Libraries, of which he was prefect. In 1918 he was elected Apostolic Visitor in Poland and Lithuania; in 1919 he was appointed Nuncio and consecrated Bishop. In 1921 he was elected Archbishop of Milan and created Cardinal. On 6 February 1922 he was Pope. He died on 10 February 1939, at 82 years of age. As a young priest in the autumn of 1883, he went to visit Saint John Bosco, and at his Oratory, where he stayed for two days, he sat at Don Bosco's table and left full of deep and sweet memories. That contact he had with the Saint was almost always a source of pride for him. He spared no means to rapidly promote the apostolic process of Don Bosco, for whose canonization he decided to establish 1st April, Easter Sunday 1934, the closing of the Holy Year. He extended his feast to the universal Church. He was rightly called the Pope of Don Bosco. It is due to him that the cause of Dominic Savio overcame what seemed to be insurmountable difficulties: on 9 July 1933 he signed the decree of the heroic virtue. On May 11, 1936 he also proclaimed the heroic virtues of Saint Mary Domenica Mazzarello, whom he beatified on 20 November 1938. Other signs of predilection for the Salesian Society were the granting of the precious Indulgence of sanctified work (1922). In 17 years of Pontificate he appointed the second Salesian Cardinal, H.E. Augustus Hlond (1927) and 22 Bishops (Salesians 12.763). On the occasion of the reading of the Decree on the heroism of virtues. Beneficial meteors and terrifying meteors. After a detailed analysis of the canonical process, the admirable synthesis of the Holy Father. The figure of the new saint as the Pope took it. Magnificent gifts of mind and heart. Equipment and aspirations for great scientific works. The golden key: in the generosity of his heart. The enchanting vision of his works. Still he is the director of everything. His examples. Present to everything; the spirit always above, in continuous prayer. The great glory of his sons and daughters: the imitation of his examples. There are, most beloved children, men, aroused by the Spirit of God, in the moments chosen by Him, which pass through the sky of history just as the great meteors sometimes cross the substellar sky. Such men - just like the great meteors that are sometimes beautiful and sometimes terrifying - are of two categories. There are those who pass by terrifying, much more than benefiting, arousing the wonder, the fear, sowing their path of indubitable signs of great size, of quick visions, of incomprehensible audacities almost, but also of ruins and victims sowing the path. They are of those men whom God sometimes stirs - as the great Corsican said of himself - as rods and scourges to punish the peoples and rulers! But there are also other men who come to cure those wounds, to raise charity and rebuild on those ruins; men no less great, indeed greater because they are great in good, great in love for humanity, great in doing good to their brothers, in helping their needs; men who pass arousing true admiration, an admiration full of sympathy, gratitude, blessings, just like the Redeemer of men, the Man-God, who passed by blessing and making himself blessed; of men whose name remains in blessing for centuries. The Ven. Don Bosco belongs precisely to this magnificent category of men chosen in all humanity, to these giants of beneficent greatness; and his figure is easily recomposed, if to the meticulous, rigorous analysis of his virtues, as was done in the previous long and repeated discussions, the synthesis takes place which brings together the scattered lines and reconstitutes it beautiful and great. It is a figure, most beloved children, that Divine Providence imbued with its most precious gifts: beautiful figure, which we have always appreciated and now, at this moment, more than ever we appreciate, looking at it well, duplicating and multiplying in the memory the joy of this Now. We have seen this figure up close, in a non-brief vision, in a non-momentary conversation: a magnificent figure, which the immense, unfathomable humility could not hide; a magnificent figure, which while wrapping itself between men, and wandering around the house as the last comer, as the last of the guests (he, the arousal of everything), everyone recognized at first glance, at the first approach, everyone recognized as a figure by far the dominant and enthralling figure is a complete figure, one of those souls who, no matter how they set off, would certainly have left great traces of themselves, for he was so magnificently equipped for life. Strength, vigor of mind, warmth of heart, energy of hand, of thought, of affection, of works, and luminous and vast and high thought, and uncommon, even far superior to the ordinary vigor of mind and spirit. ingenuity, and also (generally little known and little known) of those geniuses that could be called properly called geniuses; the genius of the man who could have been the learned, the thinker, the writer. So much so that - he himself confided it to us, and I do not know whether he made the same confidence to others; perhaps the origin from the same environment of books encouraged him - he felt a first invitation in the direction of the books, in the direction of the great ideal understandings. And there are the surviving signs like scattered limbs, scattered elements - let us say so - which show that from a first concept it should have been the composition of a great scientific body, of a great scientific work; there are signs in his volumes, in his pamphlets, in his great press propaganda. In this the great, very high brightness of his thought appears, which traced to him the inspiration of that great work, of which he had to fill first his life and then the whole world; and there one finds that first invitation, that first tendency, that first form of his powerful genius: the works of typographical and book propaganda were precisely the works of his predilection. We also saw this with our eyes and heard from his lips. These works were his noble pride. He himself said to us: "In these things Don Bosco - so he spoke of himself, always in the third person - in these things Don Bosco always wants to be at the forefront of progress": and we talked about works of printing and typography. The golden key of this golden, precious mystery of a great life, so fruitful, so industrious, of that same invincible work energy, of that same indomitable resistance to fatigue, daily fatigue and of all hours - this we also saw - from all hours, from day to night, from evening to evening, when it was necessary (and often needed); the secret of all this was in his heart, he was in the heat, in the generosity of his feelings. And we can say of him, and for him too, as for some of the greatest heroes of charity and of charitable activity, those magnificent words appear: Dedit and Dominus latitudinem cordis quasi arena quae est in littore maris. Here is his work which, forty years after his death, has truly spread through all the countries, for all the Sicilian Arena Quae Est beaches in Littore Maris. Wonderful vision, one that can be summarily given, of about seventy Provinces (as we would say: of Provinces), more than a thousand Houses, which means thousands and thousands of churches, chapels, and hospices , of schools, colleges, with thousands, even hundreds of thousands, but many hundreds of thousands, of souls approached to God, of youth gathered in kindergartens of security and call to the banquet of science and of the first Christian education 1. Statistics of 1927. Today (1965) there are 73 Salesian Provinces and those of the Daughters of MA 55 (a total of 128). The Salesians are 22,560 and the Daughters of MA 18,300 (together, over 40,000). The Institutes (or Houses): 1378 of the Salesians, 1436 of the Daughters of MA The Salesian Cooperators, the third spiritual family of Don Bosco, are over 300,000 in the world. They are the children of the Pious Salesian Society, they are the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, they are professed, novices and aspirants, now sixteen thousand - and perhaps today, in the hour we speak, even more - workers and workers of this immense and magnificent work. And among these workers and workers, more than a thousand overall are in the first trenches, in the first approaches to the enemy, in the missions of the most distant, which earn new provinces to the Kingdom of God, the greatest title of glory that Rome itself held for the ancient Roman triumphs! And he gave almost twenty pastors to the episcopate as well, who settled in civil dioceses and were scattered in distant missions. And the comfort grows when one thinks that all this magnificent, this marvelous development of works, goes back directly, immediately to him, because he continues to be the director of everything, not only the distant father, but the ever present author , always operating in the perennial vivacity of its addresses, its methods, and above all its examples! Your examples! the part for Us, most beloved children, even more useful, perhaps only useful, than the great feast of this day. Because, it is true, it is not given to everyone to enjoy this so wide and wonderful abundance of divine gifts, this powerful equipment of thought, affection, works; not everyone is given the same measure of grace, it is not given to all to follow those bright streets; but also as imitable for all - as it was well pointed out - in that life so active, so collected, so active and so praying! In fact, this was one of his most beautiful features, that is, to be present to everyone, busy in a continuous crowd, besetting stresses, among a crowd of requests and consultations, and to have the spirit always elsewhere: always high, where the serene was always unperturbed, where calm was always dominating and always sovereign; so that in him work was really effective prayer, and the great principle of Christian life was fulfilled: qui laborat, orat. This was and must remain the great glory of his sons and daughters. How much of meritorious in that life he forgets about himself to strive for the smallest, the most humble, the least attractive, if one can say so, of miseries! Even in that marvel of works, even the most beloved children, our weakness should not find, so to speak, a justification to itself. If it is true that not everyone can literally imitate the perfection and effectiveness of works that can be done; - from the life and works of Don Bosco, this - we said - we can also recognize and deduce: since not everyone can do what they want or want, it is important that everyone really wants what everyone can. How much, dear children, the good of souls, of individuals, of families, of society, would be increased, if everyone were to do what everyone could; if, in the modest measure of his power, each wanted what could do good for himself and for others! The example of this great Servant of God spurs all of them to go that way, even if they must necessarily remain at a great distance from him; for that way, in which he has spread so much and so much light, so many shining examples of Christian construction ... On the occasion of the reading of the Decree of approval of the two miracles proposed for the Beatification. The great voice of miracles on his sepulcher. Dear coincidences: the feast of St. Joseph and the recent conciliation of Italy with the Church. Conciliator and non-conciliatorist. Memories and impressions of the visit made to the Oratory in 1883: the calm of the Saint, the absolute mastery of time. The miracles proclaimed are a simple supplement to those which in every respect shine forth in the figure of the Saint. «Quot opera, tot miracula a. The apostolate for the good press. The secret: «From -alibi to. Catholic Action . The light of the next Easter Resurrection. It is the voice, the great voice of miracles that descends on the tomb of his faithful servant, to add glory to him, to make the splendors of his glory ever greater and more splendid. And it is truly admirable (to say what leaps to the eyes of the heart) how, in its delicacy, and one would say, even elegance, the divine goodness knows so well how to dispose, combine and bring things together. The decree of the miracles of Ven. John Bosco, of this great devotee of St. Joseph, was to be published precisely on the feast of St. Joseph, and when this feast is happily and certainly a day of celebration for all, in the same way and in the same sense, in full unity of minds and hearts. And we are reminded of whether St. Joseph himself was in any way charged with contributing to rewarding the great, very great servant of Mary, of his most chaste bride, to whom Ven. Giovanni Bosco always paid so much tribute of piety and devotion in that particular cult of Mary Help of Christians, indivisible now by her name and by her work and by the innumerable branches of this in all parts of the world. And that other coincidence of things appears to be equally beautiful, delicate, meaningful, and it was thus properly remembered. Indus hands of that event of which today and, certainly, for time still the whole world enjoys and will thank with us the Lord; in the aftermath of that event, the proclamation of the miracles of Don Bosco resounds, of this great faithful and truly meaningful servant of the Roman Church, of the Holy Roman See; because he was always such. And we ourselves have been able to draw from him, from his own lips: this composition of the lamented disagreement was really on top of the thoughts and affections of his heart, but how could it be in a truly sensible and faithful servant; not with the desire for a conciliation as it was, just as many had gone for a long time, almanacando, ruffling and confusing things; but so that first of all the honor of God, the honor of the Church, would be secured. We said we had this from his own lips because (and in this we recognize another admirable disposition of God, another of his most delicate combinations) they are now forty-six years old and it seems to us yesterday, or better today, to see him again like this as we saw it then and listened to it, spending a few days of our life with him, under the same roof, at the same table and having several times the joy of being able to hold on to him for a long time, even in the indescribable crush of his occupations; for this was one of Don Bosco's most striking features: a calm sum, a mastery of time, to make him listen to all those who flocked to him so calmly, as if he had nothing else to do. This was not the least among the perfections that we were given to admire in his life, which was not lacking even in the gift of prophecy, which, however, did not manifest itself in foreseeing what has happened today. Who would have said then that after so many years, after an event as great as the one we have just described with joy, God would have called us to proclaim those miracles in the solemnity and in the authority of the Decrees of the Church, whose light now shines on the sepulcher of Don Bosco, preparing the highest honors of the altar? And all those miracles now know that they are nothing more than a supplement to those who in every respect shine in the figure of Don Bosco. In fact there are countless miracles that already in life his and after his death with the marvelous continuation of his work God came operating in the name of his faithful servant. Those that have been chosen among the many to be subjected to the most accurate investigation and to the most rigorous judicial tests, are but a representation, in the juridical forms, that could not be missed. They are beautiful, but many others are no less beautiful and splendid, to the point of having such a divine elegance in the circumstances. But there are so many other wonderful things; and all those who have read some of the many lives of Don Bosco, who have been published so far, and in so many different languages, those who will read below, may well realize how true it has been - as has so been aptly said now - that in his life the supernatural had almost become the ordinary. In the Bull of Canonization of St. Thomas Aquinas, it is said that, although no other miracle had occurred, every article in his Sum was a miracle. And we too can well say that every year of Don Bosco's life, every day, every moment of this life was a miracle, a series of miracles. When one thinks of the solitary campaign of the Becchi where the poor boy fed the paternal flock, at the first small beginnings of the work of Santa Filomena and then the more serious and painful ones (for those who knew how to think) of Valdocco; when one thinks of the great works to which he gave life precisely from nothing, as at the temple of Mary Help of Christians he began with forty cents in his pocket; and then look at the marvelous development of his enterprises, at those three Salesian families proper, of the Sisters of Mary Help of Christians and to that admirable legion of Cooperators whom he himself used to call the "longa manus of Don Bosco" and truly (we heard it from his own lips) he had long hands and knew how to extend them to embrace everything, to penetrate the whole world, to multiply things in a magnificent way; when one thinks of the hundreds and hundreds (and we do not go back in memory to the memories of forty-six years ago, but to others closer than twenty years ago) of Salesian churches and chapels of which as many as three hundred were already open to penetrate the whole world, to multiply things in a magnificent way; when one thinks of the hundreds and hundreds (and we do not go back in memory to the memories of forty-six years ago, but to others closer than twenty years ago) of Salesian churches and chapels of which as many as three hundred were already open to penetrate the whole world, to multiply things in a magnificent way; when one thinks of the hundreds and hundreds (and we do not go back in memory to the memories of forty-six years ago, but to others closer than twenty years ago) of Salesian churches and chapels of which as many as three hundred were already open is a twenty years; when one thinks of the hundreds of thousands and certainly of a few million former students who have come out of the various houses of Don Bosco, from those of the highest education, to professional schools for the most humble trades; when you put all this to mind you will only be able to remain truly astonished as in front of one of the most extraordinary miracles. And for twenty years now, up to this moment, what number have the Sons of Don Bosco, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesian Cooperators ever reached? When it is reflected that Don Bosco was a man who seemed to have anything to do, far from the time for proper study, and that many books also came out of his pen, because there are at least seventy books and booklets of popular education of which he was the author; when one thinks that his "History of Italy" has had twenty-six editions and thirty or forty editions so far he has had his "Sacred History" and his books of piety "The Younger Spouse", "The Christian Daughter" which, twenty years ago, they were already at their seventeenth edition; and then to the popular readings, to the "Catholic Readings" which had already reached ten million specimens twenty years ago, and to the "Salesian Bulletin" which sees the light in many languages, and then was published in three hundred thousand specimens and now certainly much more ; when one looks at such an immense amount of good, one wonders: Why did all this happen? And the answer can only be this: it is the grace of God, it is the hand of the almighty God who has arranged all this. But whence did this great servant of God draw the inexhaustible energy to suffice for so many things? There is the secret, and he has continually revealed it in a motto, which very often occurs in Salesian works; is the phrase dictated by the heart of the venerable Founder: Da mihi animas, caetera tulle, give me souls and take everything else. Here is the secret of his heart, strength, the ardor of his charity, love for souls, true love because it was the reflection of love for our Lord Jesus Christ and because the souls he himself saw in thought, in the heart, in the precious blood of our Lord; so that there was no sacrifice or undertaking that he did not dare to face in order to gain so intensely loved souls. This is precisely the beautiful peculiarity of this figure of a great lover of souls (amator animarum just as it was said) that is resurrected in the world today in the light of the miracle and now more than ever imposes itself on attention, admiration, imitation of all. Why, if not everyone can aspire to do so much - as much as a great love, a great solicitude, a great commitment in every direction and in every condition would be able to work miracles; and those who had a little self-denial in their hearts, of that sacrifice that can inspire true charity, could work true wonders for the good of souls; - if not everyone can aim so high, who cannot do something good when you see evil spreading so frighteningly, when you see so many souls, especially young people, overwhelmed by the mirage of the vanity that makes you lose the sense of good? And this is precisely that participation in the apostolate to which we continually call all those who have a heart or a feeling, that participation in the hierarchical apostolate which is the purpose and soul of Catholic Action and which must all penetrate it in all its activities. But another thought of the wonders of Don Giovanni Bosco, highly beautiful and consoling, We want to express and it is around God's fidelity to his humble, faithful, generous servant. Because this is really among the most beautiful and most consoling promises of God's goodness towards his creatures. That faithful servant who answered in his simple, humble fidelity to his Lord, that poor good-for-nothing son according to the world, behold, God chose him to make his voice resonate even in the most remote parts of the world and today under the eyes Our opens his tomb, turns the stone that closes that tomb and calls this faithful servant to a day of glory and resurrection, precisely in these days that herald the memory of his divine Resurrection. It is a thought that we must remember especially when God commands us some work, some self-sacrifice, some sacrifice for his glory. And what we have to answer we know well when we remember that the divine Redeemer said: "Here confitebitur me coram hominibus confitebor et ego eum ante Patrem rneum: whoever confesses me before men, I too will confess him before my Father" . Don Bosco with all his life, with all his work, with life and with the work of the institutions that have continued his activity , has really confessed God before men, and behold, God recognizes him and glorifies him before to the Father and to the whole world. We are not left, with these and under these high luminous reflections, that we impart Our Apostolic Blessing above all to the Sons of Don Bosco, to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, to the Salesian Cooperators, to all their homes and missions scattered throughout the world. On this whole so vast, fervent and fruitful set of holy works comes down Our Blessing. On the occasion of reading the Decree of "Tuto". Saint John Bosco, glory of Italy and of the whole Church. One word of comment: on divine loyalty. "Fidelis Deus". Trust in God's fidelity: warning and example of our Saint in the personal memories of the Holy Father. The wisdom of the Church: before the martyrs, before the saints. Wisdom still in proposing them to our imitation. "Celebrationes martyrum sunt exhortationes martyriorum". The unity of the Church and the Italian conciliation. Merit of the Saint for Conciliation. You have heard, beloved children, and with Us received with pity and jubilation, with an intimate sense of the holy things, the two decrees now read, the first for the proclamation of the martyrdom of Cosmas of Carbonian, glory of the Aymenia, and the another for being able to proceed with solemn spirit to the solemn Beatification of the Venerable Servant of God the priest John Bosco, glory of Italy, and, immensely greater, glory of the whole Catholic Church. In these two statements it is already so much splendor, so much height, so much edification of great and holy things that really the temptation would be to let them all speak with their inimitable meaning alone. But it is also a matter of great things to ask for some comment, a comment which corresponds to the duty of adding to things themselves something for the greater spiritual fruitfulness of them. And here we must also add the need of our heart, we want to say of our personal, profound, cordial sympathy towards the two themes of the double decree. We will therefore say this word also, we know it well, to respond to your desire, or most beloved children. And it will be a single brilliant word, in a great richness and variety of things; a word on divine fidelity, and on the incomparable wisdom of that great Mother and Teacher who is the Church; a word of admiration and adoration for all those subtleties of infinite goodness and, we were about to say, infinite elegance whereby Divine Providence knows how to embellish things already in themselves infinitely precious. We say divine fidelity. And it really seems to us that this is the idea that imposes itself upon hearing (as we have heard in the Decree and in the eloquent warm word of its interpreter, in which we like to see almost all of Armenia present here) the evocation of the Servant of God Cosmas of Carbonian dating back to the distant date of his birth in 1658 and to that, slightly less distant, of his death in 1707. We are centuries later, most beloved children, but even after centuries the divine Goodness, the divine loyalty has not forgotten that faithful, generous, heroic servant until death. It would seem that she herself took care to go and reopen her glorious tomb that seemed almost forgotten, and to bend down to make those bones almost live again, proclaiming their glory in the presence of men, coram Ecclesia, and calling the ancient martyr to the splendors of the highest honors. This is God's custom, it is the custom of his divine will. It may sometimes seem that God no longer thinks of us, as sometimes some soul falls into the depths of sadness, that God does not care about us. But it is precisely then that the Lord shows in the most evident ways the constant care he has of his things. Fidelis Deus, this is the word that the martyr shouts to us from his glorious sepulcher. And we, most beloved children, will always be wrong, always, inevitably, in every circumstance of things, when our trust in God even for little vacillation. as sometimes says some soul fallen in the depths of sadness, that God of us does not care. But it is precisely then that the Lord shows in the most evident ways the constant care he has of his things. Fidelis Deus, this is the word that the martyr shouts to us from his glorious sepulcher. And we, most beloved children, will always be wrong, always, inevitably, in every circumstance of things, when our trust in God even for little vacillation. as sometimes says some soul fallen in the depths of sadness, that God of us does not care. But it is precisely then that the Lord shows in the most evident ways the constant care he has of his things. Fidelis Deus, this is the word that the martyr shouts to us from his glorious sepulcher. And we, most beloved children, will always be wrong, always, inevitably, in every circumstance of things, when our trust in God even for little vacillation. And it is precisely this that a holy priest, a humble Servant of God used to tell us in the beginnings of Our priesthood now at the age of 50: "Mind you, what we most often lack is trust in God's faithfulness, as well as it is truly, that is to say without limits and without measure ". Dear children, we leave you with the memory that comes to us from the tomb of the martyr and from the words of the good and humble Servant of God, because it is not only a useful lesson that often comes to us in so much bitter lesson of things, in so much darkness of the present and in so much darkness of future, but also in these cases it becomes a great consolation and a great comfort. And then we must add that it is precisely this immense, inexhaustible trust, rising to the magnitude of a continuous moral miracle, the one that left one day to his children and now, it may well be said, to the whole Catholic world, Ven. Don Giovanni Bosco. It is enough to compare the humble beginnings of his work with the splendours that it offers us today, it is enough to reflect on the difficulties of every kind, material and moral, from enemies and sometimes even from friends, to the infinite difficulties he had to overcome and to the magnificence and to the the elegance of the world triumph, still alive, to understand how much trust in God can be, trust in God's fidelity, when a soul can really say: I trust you trust me. This is the very impression that we still have in our soul and which we brought back in our youth years from the knowledge we were able to have with Divine Goodness and disposition with the Ven. Servant of God, a man who seemed then and then always invincible, insuperable, precisely because firmly, solidly founded in a full, absolute trust in the divine fidelity. We then hinted at the unsurpassable wisdom of this great Mother and Teacher who is the Church, since it is she who comes as a benign Mother, grateful to the son who glorified her, comes to lay this great crown of the proclaimed martyrdom on the tomb of Cosmas from Carboniano; it is the great Teacher who comes to propose it to the admiration and imitation of all. This is a great honor of the Church, but truly and wisely proportioned to the greatness of the merit. The Church is wise when, being a martyr, she does not look for anything else: dixi martyrem, satin est. Recognizing martyrdom, no more miracles are needed, because this is enough that human misery, with the support of divine grace, has known. to produce. And the Church is satisfied with it, glorious in its wisdom, even in this sobriety of needs that in other heroes of holiness, as it was just heard for Don Bosco, is so scrupulous researcher not only of the truth, but also of the proofs of the discussed, controlled truth, demonstrated not only with any certainty, but with the full legal certainty, full also in the tests. Instead of martyrdom, the observation of this is enough, because the Church in her wisdom knows that truly a great and extraordinary thing is in martyrdom. He was well said with a word truly worthy of genius the observation of this suffices, because the Church in her wisdom knows that truly a great and extraordinary thing is in martyrdom. He was well said with a word truly worthy of genius the observation of this suffices, because the Church in her wisdom knows that truly a great and extraordinary thing is in martyrdom. He was well said with a word truly worthy of genius that human weakness, or rather human greatness, could never make a more magnificent gesture than that which makes a poor man wrap himself in the purple of his own blood and take his place as witness, defender, advocate of truth and justice, of that truth and that justice that everything judges and measures everything and of which the martyr rises in defense and tries again. This is the magnificent spectacle that the humble Armenian priest gives us. But it would seem that this holy Mother, the Church, failed in her wisdom when she proposed such greatness and splendor of things to imitation. How would you propose such great and heroic things to common imitation? And yet the Church knows, that these examples are sufficient, at the necessary moment, to arouse the heroes, a true crowd of heroes, a true crowd of elected representatives: words that might seem a contradiction in terms, but that perfectly correspond to reality, to that reality, which is one of the most divinely splendid trials in the history of the holiness of the Church. But there is also another imitation that the wisdom of the Mother Church suggests in proposing martyrs to the imitation of the faithful, since there is not only bloody martyrdom of blood, but there is also bloodless martyrdom, indeed there is an infinity of bloodless martyrs through the different conditions and all the different degrees of the social scale. And here too there is a beautiful word of an ancient saint, and a doctor who says that the celebrationes martyrum sunt exhortationes martyriorum, the celebrations of the martyrs are exhortations to the martyrs. In fact, there are the souls, the Christian lives that, inflamed by the examples of martyrdom, voluntarily consecrate themselves to the precious bloodless martyrdom, necessary to preserve chastity inviolate. There is the bloodless martyrdom of so many souls that voluntarily, even when everything is offered to them and everything is in their hands, they abandon everything and give up everything to embrace all the deprivations of poverty. There is the bloodless martyrdom of so many wills that in full awareness of their rights and their dignity, they renounce their freedom to submit themselves entirely, inviolably to obedience, even when it is enveloped in the darkness of councils that are not well known and not well made understand. Finally, there are many and many martyrs who are bloodless in the simplicity of the most humble Christian homes and families; they renounce their freedom in order to submit wholly, inviolably to obedience, even when it is enveloped in the darkness of councils that are not well known or well understood. Finally, there are many and many martyrs who are bloodless in the simplicity of the most humble Christian homes and families; they renounce their freedom in order to submit wholly, inviolably to obedience, even when it is enveloped in the darkness of councils that are not well known or well understood. Finally, there are many and many martyrs who are bloodless in the simplicity of the most humble Christian homes and families; how many true martyrs faced to preserve the purity and dignity of families! How many struggles, sometimes truly bloody, of that moral blood which is deprivation and tears, so as not to buy too expensive at the price of honesty! How many bloodless martyrs to keep themselves pure, honest, worthy of the name of men and of Christians in the midst of such profound depravity, to keep themselves righteous in the midst of so much and so unrestrained race for money, to preserve themselves humble, of true, Christian humility of spirit and of heart in the midst of so much pride of life and so much unbridled race for power and power! And the Church expects the heroism of martyrdom from all its children, why really who can escape those martyrs who are bloodless? For wherever there are duties to be performed, wherever difficulties and obstacles arise to the fulfillment of duty, And we want to end up remembering the very fine and elegant combinations and dispositions of divine Providence. This humble martyr already so glorious, that after so many difficulties and setbacks of men, of times, of things, comes, so to speak, to the forefront of history just today, comes from the disunity of before to the union wanted, sought, carried out in the unity of the Catholic Church and packaged with blood, it comes to tell us all these things at a moment in which for the whole Catholic Church there is so much study, with zeal higher than any eulogy, for unity. And again this ancient knowledge of Don Bosco and (we can say) an ancient friendship, although we were at the beginning of our priesthood and he was now near his bright sunset, this Our priestly friendship that makes us relive him in Our heart with all the joy, the joyfulness, the edification of his memory, is revived precisely in these days and in these hours, while the figure of the great Servant of God is profiled to the a horizon not only of his whole country, but also of the whole world, just as events of such particular and solemn importance were recorded in the history of the Holy See, of the Church, of the Country. Since it is good to remember what we have already recalled with some knowledge of the facts, as Don Bosco was just one of the first and most authoritative and most considered to deplore what one day happened, to deplore so much tampering with the rights of the Church and the Holy See, to deplore what those then edification of his memory, it is revived precisely in these days and in these hours, while the figure of the great Servant of God appears on the horizon not only of his whole country, but also of the whole world, just as events of so particular and solemn importance have been recorded in the history of the Holy See, of the Church, of the country. Since it is good to remember what we have already recalled with some knowledge of the facts, as Don Bosco was just one of the first and most authoritative and most considered to deplore what one day happened, to deplore so much tampering with the rights of the Church and the Holy See, to deplore what those then edification of his memory, it is revived precisely in these days and in these hours, while the figure of the great Servant of God appears on the horizon not only of his whole country, but also of the whole world, just as events of so particular and solemn importance have been recorded in the history of the Holy See, of the Church, of the country. Since it is good to remember what we have already recalled with some knowledge of the facts, as Don Bosco was just one of the first and most authoritative and most considered to deplore what one day happened, to deplore so much tampering with the rights of the Church and the Holy See, to deplore what those then but also of the whole world, just as events of such particular and solemn importance have been recorded in the history of the Holy See, of the Church, of the country. Since it is good to remember what we have already recalled with some knowledge of the facts, as Don Bosco was just one of the first and most authoritative and most considered to deplore what one day happened, to deplore so much tampering with the rights of the Church and the Holy See, to deplore what those then but also of the whole world, just as events of such particular and solemn importance have been recorded in the history of the Holy See, of the Church, of the country. Since it is good to remember what we have already recalled with some knowledge of the facts, as Don Bosco was just one of the first and most authoritative and most considered to deplore what one day happened, to deplore so much tampering with the rights of the Church and the Holy See, to deplore what those then they held the fate of the country they had not often avoided by paths that could not be covered except by trampling the most sacred rights. Also among the prlmi was the same Don Giovanni Bosco to implore from God and men some possible remedy for so many troubles, some possible arrangement of things, so that the serenity of peace in the spirits would return to shine with the sun of justice. Divine Providence leads him, proposes him to the fullness of sacred honors in this very hour, and the Beatification of Don Bosco will be the first that we will have the consolation of proclaiming in the face of the world after the conclusion of the events already desired by him. All that remains is to thank and admire. When we have to do with such a faithful Lord, with Providence so exquisitely and elegantly generous in its dispositions, what can we fear or what cannot we hope, trust, in the certainty of being heard? It is with these sentiments that we give you the Apostolic Blessing also to respond to the filial request that was made of it ... In response to the address of homage of the Rector Major Don Rinaldi, in the solemn audience granted to the Salesians, to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, students, alumni and Cooperators in the courtyard of San Damaso. Charm of the spectacle offered in the name of the Saint. The affectionate participation of the Pope in the joy of his children. Acknowledgments for the prayers given in His Priestly Jubilee. The joy of the universal fatherhood of the Pope. Superb affirmation of the Sons of Don Bosco. The spirit of the soul in the concept of the Saint. Greetings. To the celestial glory must correspond the terrestrial glory: "Gloria patris filii sapientes". The watchword: always at the forefront! "Praised be Jesus Christ! »- the Holy Father begins in a loud voice, and after all the audience replied:« Always be praised! », He continues:« This beautiful, solemn, glorious hours, this environment, which can be said to be famous throughout the world, the courtyard of San Damaso, has seen them, not even counting except those to which the divine Goodness wanted grant us that we will assist, especially in the Holy Year, and still in other circumstances. But rarely has it occurred to us to see and contemplate what we see and contemplate today, such, such a large crowd of elected children of the Pope and of the Church, so much glory and so much joy of true charity, so much branch enthusiasm pity, so many demonstrations of faith, of true love to the Holy Church, to this ancient Holy Roman Church, Mother of all churches and to the Vicar of Christ, Father of souls, the common Father of all believers. And all this in the name already so illustrious and glorious throughout the world, in the name of Don Giovanni Bosco, now in the name and glory not only earthly and worldly, but heavenly and eternal, in the name and in the glory of the Blessed Don Giovanni Bosco ( applause). You know, perhaps most of those present know, with how much participation of heart, of the whole soul, We divide your joy and your exultation because we too (we have it so many times and always with so much repeated consolation) we are not only among the admirers of Don Bosco, but we were still, by the great grace of God, among his personal connoisseurs, among those who had by himself alive and paternal signs of benevolence and would be to say of paternal friendship, as there could be between a glorious veteran of the Catholic priesthood and apostolate and a young priest, young then and, as you well know, now aged, that you yourselves come to console with these your demonstrations of filial piety (vivid applause). We thank you, dearest children, and we know that you have participated in Our Priestly Jubilee in an infinitely more important way than with your welcome applause, with your prayer, that is, of which we give you particular thanks. We are particularly pleased, in this reminder of old memories, to see around us those veterans of the Salesian students, those workers of the early hours, of those first hours which are always the most difficult and the most arduous when it comes to opening furrows, of to tear the first fruit from unexplored lands and inaugurate their cultivation; honor to you ancient soldiers of the Salesian institution, to you first companions of Blessed John Bosco! And all of you who have come from all over the world have come to make the first fruits of veneration more glorious and grandiose, to yours, indeed to Our glorious Blessed One. We, by the grace of God, have been able to raise him, as a sign to the nations, to the honor of the altars. You from all peoples have come to pay tribute to him, rarely so universal, in the actuality of the Beatification, in the splendid glory of Saint Peter in the Vatican. And you have not only made us more vividly enjoy, with your presence, this elevation to the honors of the altar, but you have also made us more vividly feel and taste that universal paternity that divine Providence wanted in its divine goodness and in its arcane inscrutable, entrust our poor heart. Never as in these moments in which we see around us so fervent souls of Christian charity as yours, souls come from all parts of the world; never as in these moments do we feel that we are truly the Father of all believers, of all the great Catholic family that you truly represent, so grandly, so worthily, that an eloquent testimony of the merits of Blessed John Bosco and of the fruitfulness and preciousness of his work would already be in your presence alone. When we think that you, Salesians and Salesians, students and pupils, alumni and co-workers, bishops, prelates, cardinals, are only a representation, a weak representation of the many and many who are inspired, like a great apocalyptic vision, we see behind to you, above you, together with you, our soul is truly enraptured with admiration and exultation. How many are the sons of Don Bosco and those who participate in his work? Even if only to count them in the present moment, there are thousands and thousands of them: the Salesians from eight to nine thousand, the good Daughters of Mary Help of Christians from seven to eight thousand. And how many Salesian students are there? We will not answer this last question except with the response of your own major Superior, who, asking Him if we could at least give us a total approximation of the total number of Salesian students at this time, modestly answered that he did not know and could not give it to us. Here is a beautiful testimony of modesty, and here again, let us say, a superb affirmation (vivid applause), because in essence the good father meant that they are so many that we do not even know how many there are. We congratulate you, most beloved children, in any place, in any office, in whatever humble degree you find yourself of this great family, this great army, this great real army of good and truth. When one thinks of what the value of a single soul is, when one thinks that a great treasure is a single Christian education, a Christian education like Don Bosco intended it, that is profoundly, completely, purely Christian and Catholic; when one thinks of this treasure multiplied by such great multipliers, it is truly an exaltation of joy and gratitude towards God who knows how to raise his works so great and knows how to keep them alive in this world, in this wretched world, in which he is still the struggle of evil against good, against Christian truth is so pertinacious. We rejoice with each and every one of you, beloved children, with all the great Salesian Family, and we find in this review, in this consoling observation of a past so fruitful for good, the most solid security for an ever more splendid future, ever richer in spiritual treasures, treasures of God's glory, treasures of consolidation and extension of the Kingdom of Christ, treasures of salvation and sanctification of souls, treasures of honor and glory for the Holy Church, Bride of Jesus Christ. We could not make you, beloved children, another or more paternally loving wish than this, in the moment in which your work is illuminated with such beautiful reflections, so admirable, so glorious with divine light, while we have been able by great mercy of God to raise the yours and Our Blessed Don Bosco to the honors of the altar and lift the edge of the golden veil that hides the splendours of Heaven from us, trying to show in some way, The glory of heaven must be matched by the terrestrial glory, and you have come precisely to establish this correspondence with the expression of that world-wide veneration for which hundreds of thousands of souls have prayed and venerated Blessed Don Bosco everywhere with you. But you still have to think that the true glory of Blessed Don Bosco on this earth is in your hands and depends on you. It is not Our word that we now pronounce, but it is the word of God: Gloria patris fluii sapientes; your father will be glorified with the most beautiful glory that even humanly can make him happy, if you are the wise sons of so much a father; if you know how now, or better and better, always understand his spirit and that of his work, if you will always know better to continue it, precisely as he wanted, without measuring work (let us remember what he himself said, glorious uniform: Who does not know how to work is not a Salesian) without measuring (We still seem to see him with Our eyes) dedication, or rather the whole abdication of everything concerning his own person to everything that could contribute to the good of souls. And we ourselves remember the beautiful words that he himself, looking to the future with brilliant intuition, used to tell us when we congratulated him for having seen so many beautiful things in his houses, in his workshops, in his schools. And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra Whoever does not know how to work is not a Salesian), without measuring (We still seem to see him with Our eyes) the dedication, or rather the whole abdication of everything that concerned his person to everything that could contribute to the good of souls. And we ourselves remember the beautiful words that he himself, looking to the future with brilliant intuition, used to tell us when we congratulated him for having seen so many beautiful things in his houses, in his workshops, in his schools. And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra Whoever does not know how to work is not a Salesian), without measuring (We still seem to see him with Our eyes) the dedication, or rather the whole abdication of everything that concerned his person to everything that could contribute to the good of souls. And we ourselves remember the beautiful words that he himself, looking to the future with brilliant intuition, used to tell us when we congratulated him for having seen so many beautiful things in his houses, in his workshops, in his schools. And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra whole abdication of everything that concerned one's person to everything that could contribute to the good of souls. And we ourselves remember the beautiful words that he himself, looking to the future with brilliant intuition, used to tell us when we congratulated him for having seen so many beautiful things in his houses, in his workshops, in his schools. And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra whole abdication of everything that concerned one's person to everything that could contribute to the good of souls. And we ourselves remember the beautiful words that he himself, looking to the future with brilliant intuition, used to tell us when we congratulated him for having seen so many beautiful things in his houses, in his workshops, in his schools. And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra And note that it was not even the good in itself, but simply the equipment of the good, in which he proceeded with confidence of very happy inspiration. To our congra he replies that, as you know, when he always used the third person, he replied: "When it comes to something that concerns the great cause of good, Don Bosco always wants to be at the forefront of progress." This word that we have gathered one day from the lips of your beloved father, we think of leaving it as a reminder, as a fruit, as a purpose of work, as the finest conclusion of this magnificent hour that you have procured for us. When it comes to the good, the truth, the honor of God and the Church, of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, of the salvation of souls, always at the forefront of progress! This will be your watchword, excitement will continue to proceed ever more spiritually through those beautiful ways to which the word, the exhortation, the example and now the intercession of Blessed John Bosco will take you. It is in this magnificent vision of the past and anticipation of the future that we give you the Apostolic Blessing, all those blessings that you have come to ask your father in such a beautiful moment; all those blessings that each of your families asked of you, our most delighted interpreter; all those blessings that at this moment to you, to all and to each one, young and no longer young, we wholeheartedly impart, together with all those and all that, dear things, dear people, institutions, works, aspirations, houses, colleges, missions, which each of you carries in your mind and heart and wishes to be blessed with you. On all this the paternal blessing descends and remains forever. On the occasion of the proclamation of the heroic virtues of Ven. Domenico Savio. Don Bosco returns with his little, great student, the fruit of his admirable educational system. Providential return at a time when youth is so threatened. The miracles of the education of Don Bosco: like the hand of God. True education to Christian life of perfection. Life of purity, of piety, of apostolate. Life of prayer and penance. Life of intense apostolate. Life of true Catholic Action. Under the banner of prayer, action, sacrifice. The life that led Don Bosco; life that is: of incessant apostolic zeal; animated by an admirable spirit of recollection, tranquility and calm; the calm that always accompanied the true spirit of union with God. Christian life lived with the utmost precision. Back, beloved children, the great figure of Blessed Don Bosco returns to our midst, and precisely in this place, almost accompanying and presenting, in person and by his own hand, his small, indeed great pupil, Ven. Domenico Savio. And we think we see him again, the great Servant of God, just as we have seen him - a great favor, this, which we put among all those of whom the divine Goodness has bestowed on us - just as we have seen him, among his students and his cooperators again. And it is truly admirable in the designs of God, in the drawings, in the preparations of divine Providence; this return of Blessed Don Bosco is truly admirable, with this fruit, among the first, among the most beautiful, among the first the most beautiful, we can say, the most exquisite of his educational work, of his apostolic work, since throughout his life, all his work was always an apostolate. In fact, in a spirit of apostolate, all his pervades pervaded his existence, already imbued with the spirit that expressed itself concisely and completely in his words, in what was his real password, which he then inherited so faithfully from his sons: from mihi animas, caetera removed. This return is really providential: when one thinks of the conditions in which one finds today, one can say throughout the world, youth; when one thinks of all the dangers and all the evil arts which undermine its purity; when one thinks of this flurry of external life, of this excessive care - and even those who are only led by considerations of human pedagogy say so - to this cult of the body, of physical and material forces, of material development, of material, of physics education, as they say, in this so widespread and, one can say, one's education in violence, in no respect for anyone or anything. When one thinks therefore of these conditions made to today's youth, to these dangers which are faced at every turn; when one thinks of this unfortunate apostolate (if one can apply this word), an apostolate of evil, so actively, and with such a terrible and evil industry conducted by means of the press, of the easy press appropriate to every condition, to every gradation of age; to this continuous, general, almost inevitable display of those who live in the midst of it, to this display of things that are not only inediting, but truly provocative to evil, when the most beautiful, the most brilliant discoveries of science are abused, which should to serve only the apostolate of good, the spread of truth, of goodness; when one thinks of all these things and of the degree that they have achieved in our own day, then it is truly to thank God, to thank the divine Providence which arouses and enacts, in full light, There is precisely to be, in a special way, profoundly grateful to the Lord for this holiness of life, for this perfection of Christian life in a young man who has none of those great helpings that are so suited to the accomplishment of great things: poor, humble son of modest people and of very modest family, not rich in Christian aspirations, of Christian life, lived, although in the most modest conditions, in the ordinary exercise, in the fulfillment of the ordinary duties of a common life; a young man who does not spend his years locked up, as the decree just mentioned, in a garden particularly guarded; but, first in the midst of the world, and then where Providence had placed it, and therefore in the midst of a youth that the great soul of Blessed Don Bosco gathered and formed, and was forming, reforming, sanctifying, but where so much mixture was good and not always good examples, give good and not always good elements. It was, in fact, the secret of the great Don Bosco, to put his hand sometimes on elements that were not good, with wonder of those who did not have his trust in God and in the fundamental goodness of the creature of God; it was his secret to put, to enlarge, to stretch his hand everywhere, to draw the good from evil, just like the hand of God does. But to return immediately to the new venerable, here is the first happy observation. At the school of Blessed Don Bosco, this life of an adolescent who, at the age of 15, had to close, grew to his example above all, in a quick but brief run; this life, as it was said with full truth, of the small, indeed of the great giant of the spirit: at 15 years! At 15 years a real perfection of Christian life, and with those characteristics that we need in our day to be able to present it to the youth of our day, because it is a Christian life, a perfection of substantially made Christian life, we can well to say, to reduce it to its characteristic lines, of purity, of piety, of apostolate; of spirit and work of the apostolate. A truly lilial, angelic purity, inspired by the Most Holy Virgin, inspirational Mother of all purity; and surrounded by the most solicitous care: first the maternal and paternal care, then the care of the great Servant of God and of his cooperators; but from the young man kept, always guarded, one would almost say, with a true instinct, with a true continuous aspiration of purity, a most noble need; whence all that seemed even from afar to offend this candor, awakened all the energies of that small, indeed great soul, to the most prompt attention, to the most faithful custody. Purity: this first provision, a premise to all the other gifts of God, a gift of the highest vocations; the purity, this love of Mary, this love of her divine Son, of the divine Redeemer; tissima; purity: how much need to elevate a banner of this splendor, of this candor in the midst of today's youth! But one would say that the little, great Servant of God said to himself the words that the divine Wisdom puts in his mouth precisely to the spirit that goes in search of purity: "When I saw and considered, my God, that without help Your I could not be continent and pure, I turned to you and to you I asked for this treasure ». This is why the purity of Ven. Domenico Savio was always assisted by a great spirit of piety; in him it was pity to care for purity; a piety made of prayer, of devotion to the Blessed Virgin, of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, of the highest inspiration, of inspiration to the highest coefficients of purity itself. To this pity then, to this prayer of the spirit, another prayer was always joined, that which can well be said the prayer of the body, the prayer proper to the flesh, the prayer of the body, as was well defined, enlivened by the spirit, that is, the practice of Christian penance, which, almost by instinct, knows and feels the possible complicity of the body and of matter, of offenses to purity, the dangers of purity; and runs to the shelter, just like instinct: the instinct of the lamb that defends itself from the wolf, from the enemy power. A life therefore that of Dominic Savio, all of prayer and penitence, that penitence which, if it does not rise to the harshness that the history of holiness knows, it is indeed true penance: indeed it is that of more useful instruction to us all and especially to our youth, because it is a penance for everyone possible; in fact it is reduced to its best substance, it consists in a continuous exercise of vigilance, of domination, of the empire of the Spirit on the matter, of command of the noblest part on the less noble part; in the empire, in short, of the soul, of the one who has to command, over the part that must obey her; a very precious spirit of penitence that, by itself, drives away so many dangers, which, alone, nobly, fruitfully exerts the best energies of the soul and spirit, which teaches the body, And with all this, and as a supernaturally natural preparation, a spirit of apostolate that animates the whole life of the happy adolescent, the whole life of this small and great Christian. Specifically we said: a supernaturally natural preparation, because, basically and essentially, it is that natural tendency of the good to spread, to expand, to communicate its benefits as widely as possible, especially where the need is most visible, the deprivation: a tendency that is greatly found in the dear youth. Small, but great apostle, on all occasions: careful to seize, to create them, becoming an apostle in all situations, from the formal teaching of catechism and Christian practices to the cordial participation in the entertainment of the early age, in order to bring everywhere the note of the good, the call to the good. Now here is the true providence for our days. This is what we always proclaim and inculcate in the dear youth, who, with so noble enthusiasm, he replies, in all the countries of the world - and we are pleased to note it with a very vivid sense of gratitude to God and men - to our call; this dear youth who answers our call in all parts of the world; of taking sides in favor, in service of Catholic Action, which wants nothing else to be, nothing else but the very participation of the laity in the hierarchical apostolate., And in order to be such, to be able to enter this line, it must first of all be a more profound, conscious, exquisite formation of Christian life, of Christian conscience, and above all in the purity of life, in the spirit of piety, in the participation before all to this great piety of the Church, to her incessant prayer and union with God. Such correspondence is so vast and, in its abundance, so exquisitely precious, that it truly fills Our heart with the highest gratitude, and also opens our heart to the most beautiful hopes, which are not only ours, of the Church, of the holy religion, but, out of happy necessity, are also the hopes, the sure promises for the family, for society, for all humanity. It is true: we have always called these young people under the glorious banner of prayer, action, sacrifice, because it is with prayer and the sacrifice that action is prepared, it is with prayer inspired by piety, with the first intimate sacrifice, personal sacrifice, that sacrifice that takes its roots always in the spirit, in penance, in Christian mortification; it is so, it is uniquely so that one can prepare oneself for the fruitful action of the apostolate, an action that cannot be accomplished with only human tricks, however high, however generous, but which needs the essential help of the divine which does not you can get it otherwise. However, precisely for this reason the figure of the great Servant of God, of the Blessed Don Bosco, master of the small Ven. Domenico Savio; that great figure returns as we ourselves have seen it so closely and not by fleeting now, and just like this, as his little disciple has presented it to us in his life, in the most conspicuous characters of his short existence: an ardor incessant, devouring of apostolic action, of missionary action, truly missionary, even between the walls of a humble chamber; missionary among the small crowds of children, children, adolescents who continually surrounded him; spirit of ardor, of action; and with this ardor a truly admirable spirit, of recollection, of tranquility, of calm, which was not the only calm of silence, but that which always accompanied a true spirit of union with God, so as to allow a glimpse of a continuous attention to something that his soul saw, with which his heart was entertained: the presence of God, the union with God. Precisely so. And with all this a heroic spirit of mortification and real penance, for which, even in the most solemn terms, that life of his that was continually lavished on the good of others would have been enough, always forgetting all of its own usefulness, of every even poorer rest; a life of penance, not only mortified, but of true penance, by dint of being apostolic. That's right. And with all this a heroic spirit of mortification and real penance, for which, even in the most solemn terms, that life of his that was continually lavished on the good of others would have been enough, always forgetting all of its own usefulness, of every even poorer rest; a life of penance, not only mortified, but of true penance, by dint of being apostolic. That's right. And with all this a heroic spirit of mortification and real penance, for which, even in the most solemn terms, that life of his that was continually lavished on the good of others would have been enough, always forgetting all of its own usefulness, of every even poorer rest; a life of penance, not only mortified, but of true penance, by dint of being apostolic. We have found these things a little in the memories of Our spirit, and, even more so, in the very dear suggestions of the short but noble life of Ven. Servant of God Domenico Savio. These things, these examples, these broad lines always remain the substantial, essential lines, even of the life drawn in lines the most gigantic by the hand of God; and these elements, after all, what The elements of the Christian life, of the lived Christian life, not as it is, as unfortunately many and many are reduced to doing, but with generous fidelity to the principles, but with delicate care, and not with negligence. Now it is just a worthless thing to negligently serve such a good Lord, such a generous Redeemer; the Christian life, as We were told, is not much in the presence of some devout pilgrimages, it must be lived not with a fragmentary correspondence, discontinuous to the precepts, to the teachings, to the examples of the divine Redeemer, of the divine Master and of His best disciples , like the one we admire today, but with a spirit of noble precision. This is Christian life, and it is already a great thing to be able to call it this because the treasure that that name expresses is priceless; but how much Christian life is there, today, with no sense of precision, without any diligent, generous, at least a little diligent care, a little generous, corresponding to the examples, to the teachings, to the desires of our divine Master! How much need instead of these precisely examples of precision , of Christian lives, diligent, generous like the Heart of God, the Heart of the Redeemer wants them. This is a thought all the more opportune in the providential and magnificent consolantissimo to develop, to which we assist, of this Holy Year of the Redemption, because the benefit that we celebrate and we remember with gratitude we must also with every diligence, after nineteen centuries from the great fact of our Redemption let us bear fruit in ourselves by nourishing the true Christian life, for it is precisely the total life that came to us from the divine Redemption; The world did not know this life; he knew pagan life, with all its horrors; as soon as it began, the Christian life immediately took place with a marvelous flowering of heavenly beauties, of celestial preciousness; from the first moments, from those children that the divine Redeemer caressed and embraced Himself, up to the Tarcisi of all times, up to this new Ven. Servant of God. Here is the gift, the great gift, the complete gift of Redemption; it is always the same thing brought to the different degrees of perfection to which the hand of God knows how to carry it; for it is divine perfection, however unattainable in its fullness, that that is proposed to us; and this perfection is the Christian life, that which presents itself to us in the humble faithful, in the most modest measure even of the last faithful, up to the highest figures, the most magnificent, the most gigantic figures of hagiography, the holiness of all the centuries; it is the Christian life, the great, immense richness that we carry from the instant of the gift of holy baptism, since it is in that blessed hour that we began to live this life, and what a precious treasure we carry within our souls, in our bodies. Therefore, the call is therefore continuously immanent in each one and precisely incessant: to take advantage of this great gift and not leave it inert, neglected, discovered with our inaccuracies; take advantage, instead, with precision, of this magnificent treasure, On the occasion of the reading of the Decree of approval of the two miracles proposed for the Canonization. A brief summary look at all that was already said, heard and seen by Don Bosco. Personal synthesis: bright, vivid, insightful, vigorous intelligence; heart of gold; giant, indomitable and indomitable will; predilection for the little ones, for the poor; miraculous physical endurance. General, objective summary of the Saint's work. Totally, profoundly Christian education. The key: "Da mihi animas ...". His particular mission: to continue the work of Redemption. The teachings of the Cross. Here is the third time, most beloved children and most beloved daughters; here is the third time that Don Bosco - we say "Don Bosco" to remember sweet memories, to go back to where we must go back, to the Becchi, to the poor canopy of Valdocco - he invites us, in fact, puts us in the happy need to speak of him, almost in remembrance, and it would also seem dear to him, of the now distant personal encounter and of that little of momentary, but not fleeting custom, which the divine Goodness has granted us to have with the Blessed One. What do we say and add, after what has already been said, after what the Decree and the words that followed it, recalled about the Servant of God? What to add, after what so many biographies, lives and publications on Don Bosco, in maximum and minimum proportions, have said of him to those who wanted to know and to those who did not want, imposing themselves even to the most inattentive for the wonders they narrate of the Blessed ? And yet We feel the sweet temptation to at least give a quick synthetic look at everything that has already been seen, heard and said. It is in fact a magnificent synthesis that emerges - with regard to the life and activity of the Blessed - in a vast horizon. First of all a personal synthesis: it can and must be said that this magnificent creature of God in the natural order is also a creature chosen in the supernatural order - since the same God is the Creator of the natural world and of the universe that is above the nature; - we can say of this magnificent figure suffused with multiple splendours and made up of multiple values, of this generous goodness, of this great genius, of this luminous, vivid, perceptive, vigorous intelligence that, even if it were limited to the path of studies and of science, he certainly would have left some deep traces, as some traces in this same field have left. Another synthesis may be the following: this man who had no time except for activity and action, the constant and incessant work in the midst of little children, young people, old people, he was able to write a great deal: more than seventy, in fact, his publications, his printed writings, some of which, already already living, have had a fabulous number of editions and some have even reached one million copies. And besides this intelligence so superior and surprising, a heart of gold, virile paternal and, at the same time - everyone who has approached it knows it - a heart that has known all the tenderness of the maternal heart, especially for the little ones, for the poor among the little ones, for the poorest and smallest among the poor and the small. And together with this heart a giant will, indomitable and indomitable, as it was not tamed by so much quantity of works and extraordinary work! In the service then of this intelligence and of such a will a physicist, a body that, a little by happy temperament and for the soon known hardships of poverty, but even more by strong will and discipline, by real voluntary penance, showed a resistance to work truly admirable and there is no hesitation in saying it miraculous. It would be enough to summarily remember the activity of the Blessed and see how he did everything well: if he starts to write - and We remember just having seen it applied to this special activity it seems that he should do nothing else: they are pages and pages, pamphlets, innumerable letters: many spiritual benefits. It would have been said that he had no other occupation and no time except to speak, to listen to everyone, to respond to everyone; a duty to familiarly descend among children to satisfy especially the most unfortunate among those little ones and to begin to play and to play with them as if in his life no other task or occupation required his precious presence; as if he didn't have to do everything he so admirably accomplished. It is a wonder therefore to think how he could have found so much time and how and when he allowed himself that minimum of rest or quiet, even for him as for everyone, of absolute necessity. But this synthesis, or rather this set of personal syntheses, already so great and magnificent, almost disappears, to then reappear as a cause before its own effects, in comparison with the objective synthesis of the work of the Blessed, especially if contemplated for so many years away: from the pastures of the Becchi, from the first humble beginnings of Santa Filomena to Valdocco, to the grandiose blooms of today. Giving an overall general look, the sons and daughters of the Blessed, the Salesians and the Sisters of Mary Help of Christians are counted on the 18,000: an army; and, one would say, all in a line, on the front line, all applied to a great and productive work, since the sign of the Blessed and what is then the sign of his religious inheritance is work, and does not appear well in the file of Salesians or Sisters of Mary Help of Christians who is not a worker, that which is not a laborer: work is the badge, the card of this providential army. And other data prove it: 1400 houses, 80 provinces or, as the Salesians say, the provinces; thousands and thousands of churches, chapels, hospices, colleges; indeed it is difficult to list them all: several hundred thousand students are present; millions must evaluate the alumni; another million and more members of the third great family: that of the Cooperators, this longa manus, as Don Bosco called it, and We have just heard it define it this way, when, with humble complacency, proper to those who want to give importance to others , the Blessed One said that, thanks precisely to so many Cooperators, Don Bosco - he always used the third person when he spoke of himself - Don Bosco has long enough hands that can reach everything. of subsidiary missions where the sons and daughters of Don Bosco work diligently for the conversion of the infidels. An immense, extraordinary good: it would be enough to think only of that fervor of education, so manifold - civil, professional, commercial, agricultural - but still one, always the same, when it is reflected that it is Christian education, totally, profoundly, exquisitely Christian. Here, even in a distant and tenuous glimpse, the most beautiful synthesis that evokes before us the spirit the great work can well be said as the world, and the figure of Blessed Don Bosco, revived and returns among us, in these happy moments. It is really a question of asking: what is the secret of this miracle of work, of extraordinary expansion, of immense energy and of great success? And it was precisely the Blessed One who gave it to us, the explanation, the true key to all this magnificent mystery: he gave it to us in that perennial aspiration, indeed continuous prayer to God - because his intimate, continuous conversation with God was incessant and it is rarely as in him the maxim is fulfilled: qui laborat orat, since he identifies precisely the work with prayer - he gave it to us in that constant invocation: Da mihi animas, caetera, after: the souls, always, the search of souls, love of souls. - How appropriate this call is, this personal prayer of the Blessed Servant of God in the so beautiful, holy, uplifting, fruitful unfolding of this Holy Year of the Redemption: Blessed Don Bosco had indeed studied and meditated, well meditated, constantly, the mystery and the work of Redemption to be able to carry out all his stupendous effort. Indeed, it must be said that this is the only thing that explains it: he had a specific mandate from God, the particular mission to continue the work of the Redemption, to spread and apply ever more abundantly to souls the most precious fruits. Thus the greatness of his activity results well both when one thinks of the souls called by him to the Redemption during his life, and when one thinks of those called by the longa manus of his sons and his Cooperators: or bringing so many for the first time to true spiritual resurrections, or bringing back lost or forgotten souls to the path of health; in everything and for everything and always the propagation of Redemption. The Blessed therefore meditated profoundly on the mystery of the Redemption. Here is a call today more than ever appropriate, since it is just as much as We for this Holy Year, we have ardently desired and hoped: that the thought of all the redeemed souls, of all saved humanity, returns with mindful remembrance, with grateful attention to the grandiose work of which the priceless benefits are gathered, to the Redemption and to its Author, the Redeemer. From mihi animas, caetera removed! And what does the Redeemer tell us? What does it say to those souls who willingly put themselves on this path? The first word that comes down from that Cross, where the Redemption in the Blood and in the Death of the Son of God is consummated, is the same word that from Jesus was said almost as a preface to this divine work of his: quid prodest ho-mini si mundum universum lucretur, animae vero suae detrimentum patiatur? What is the use of conquering the whole world if the soul were to suffer detriment? And this was already saying the invaluable transcendent value of souls, the incomparable value of souls. Now this same word, this same divine lesson, gives us from the Cross the Redeemer as the testament of the dying, written with His divine Blood: behold, he says in that supreme hour, the value of all souls; of each of our souls. For it He did not believe he was giving too much, giving all His Blood and His Life, he did not believe that he was paying too much money to pay this divinely infinite value ... On the occasion of reading the Decree of the "Tuto" for the Canonization of Don Bosco. (3 December 1933) The gigantic and dear figure of Blessed Don Bosco accompanies and honors the Martyrs of the Society of Jesus, venerable Rocco Gonzales de Santa Cruz, Alfonso Rodriguez and Giovanni del Castillo. The teaching of the Martyrs. Inspiration to fulfill the duties of the Christian life. Reduced martyrs ... the challenge of human respect. The martyrdom of virgins and virgins. Martyrs of Christian life in families and in society. The way of martyrdom: perseverance in the small martyrs of everyday life. The life of Don Bosco: a life of true martyrdom. Honor and congratulations. You have heard, beloved children, the Decrees read, you have also collected the beautiful, pious, fraternal illustration that has been made of them: you have seen how the gigantic and yet dear figure of Blessed Don Bosco accompanying us and making the return to us due homages to the Martyrs of the divine Redeemer, since martyrdom is the supreme honor, as is the supremely precious fruit of the Redemption, of that Redeemer, a quo omne martyrium sumpsit exordium, as so well and so solemnly says the Church. And since the Divine Goodness has already allowed us to speak and entertain us other times around the Blessed Don Bosco, We will pause to admire these great Martyrs - without neglecting, as we shall see, It is too appropriate, in regard to the new Martyrs, that each of us ask ourselves some questions about what we must not only admire, but also imitate; for it is also always in the highly educative economy of the Church to never present such exalted figures to the veneration of the faithful except with the aim of exciting their healthy imitation: ut imitari not pi geat quos celebrate delectat. And first of all, what can we do if we do not pay our admiration, when we find ourselves before these heroes of faith, heroes to the point of blood and even death? Yet here is immediately a great utility for the souls, for all the souls, precisely in this admiration that is imposed on all: the utility is in this same honor admiration in front of actions that, as it was so well said, constitute the most sumptuous, the most magnificent and splendid testimonies that are granted to human nature, to us poor men, to be able to render to the Truth what all and everyone judges, that all and everything dominates and survives everything, a testimony more than any other great and worthy : the testimony of blood. A genius has said so brilliantly: this is the most magnificent gesture that man can make. And in this field, faced with such magnitudes, it is already a reported benefit even the simple dwell in such a vision of things. For as it would not awaken, even in the souls most distant from the supernatural world, even if it were endowed with natural gifts, as the appreciation of such great things would not awaken in them too, with appreciation, and with appreciation, who knows, perhaps a principle of desire, and with desire a principle of struggle, of effort towards these sublime elevations? this alone would already constitute an immense gain for the education of souls. But then what and how many obvious advantages also in the very elevation of these supreme heroisms, even if they remain more admirable than imitable; for a little reflection will suffice to make it clear that there are certain moments and special situations of life and also some ordinary conditions of life, which require us to draw inspiration from what these supreme examples of fidelity, patience and heroism taught to us teach us higher sacrifices. Situations and moments of life, in which the fulfillment of a duty, the renunciation of a forbidden gain, an unlawful pleasure can cost sacrifice: then, precisely in those moments, it is these great spirits who admonish us, who tell us to in the face of all the weaknesses and hesitations, to all the trembling struggles between duty and pleasure, the way to go, the law to be observed; they who gave the blood and the life to triumph, with the Christian fortitude, of all obstacles, to all repeat: nondum usque ad sanguinem restitistis: what is asked of you compared to what was requested of us? And there are so many who gave their blood and life to remain faithful to God, so as not to lose the fruit of Redemption. And since all this can become very practical, what is it - say the Martyrs - what, for example, is the sacrifice that the profession of Christian life, the honor of the name, of Christian dignity requires of poor children , to young women, calling them to renounce a fashion that offends God, which offends the name of Christian, which indeed offends the same human dignity? and what is this renunciation in comparison to these supreme sacrifices offered for fidelity to God? what is, in comparison with them, the human and Christian duty of renouncing an unjust industry or an easy non-honest gain, of which perhaps no one will ever know, but which does not escape the eye of God? What is asked of a young life, of a young man who feels all the dignity of his Christian profession, Here, in all this, reduced, very reduced martyrs, who from the great, complete martyrs must derive a force, a celestial light, an inspiration to which no one must refuse. 5.72-But then there are whole conditions of life, orders of things, in which there is a magnificent practice of martyrdom. How many times the beautiful word of St. Augustine comes true: "Virginity is not honorable because even among virgins and virgins martyrdom took place, but rather because it is that which makes martyrs; non ideo honorabilis virginitas quia etiam in virginibus martyrium reperitur, sed quia facit ipsa martyres ". Magnificent word; for, in fact, here is a life, a practice of virtue, an elevated life nourished by this virtue, which resembles not just a long martyrdom; a life so high, precisely modeled on that brought to earth by the Lord of the Angels with his example; a life made entirely of sacrifices to what social life seeks instead with such greedy greed. Now, shots, just as St. Augustine himself, speaking of the multiplicity of martyrs, said: "The celebrations of the Martyrs are exhortations to martyrdom; exhortationes sunt martyriorum ». With the same wonder that makes us pay honor to the martyrs of blood we consider these other true martyrs, so many and so admirable in our eyes, but often unknown, buried in a religious house, at the foot of an altar, in the most complete concealment, in a penitence of innocent life, in complete immolation, in the desire, indeed, very much alive, to reach the blood and the death, while maintaining fidelity to God. The world does not know, nor will it ever know these martyrs made by so many souls forgotten about themselves, true innocent victims, and with no other purpose than to drive away - and how many times they drive them away! - from the world the rigors of divine Justice, especially in these difficult and sad times, to attract them to their own people. And again: outside of these truly serious situations, which often do not lack even the tragic note of being martyrs, how many more serene lives that take place, at least apparently, without difficulty: but even though they are so filled with noble obstacles, Christianly exceeded. There are many lives that are consumed precisely in the fulfillment of modest tasks, without particular hardness, but with precise duties that do not lack certain responsibilities and always fulfilled every day, every day, all the same. And this in the tremendous monotony of so many lives obliged to a duty that does not even present any of those elateris or forces of propulsion and incitement that so many times facilitate their performance precisely; in that terrible daily job that never changes and that always requires the same diligences, the same conscience, accuracy and punctuality, without moral compensation. Here are martyrs much more modest, much less lavish than the great martyrs, but also true martyrs themselves. And there are so many: and also pessi i Martiri del ripetono fresh blood to the vital incoraggiamento not yet resisted unto blood. And yet another reflection. Glorifying these new martyrs we admire and honor them when they have reached the top of their calvary, which is not as dark as the Calvary of the King of Martyrs, but receives splendid light from him; and we do not think that these great arrivals have prepared themselves for very modest journeys, with that patience, perseverance and fortitude that was required by the small martyrdom of their daily life. An example will be worth: the holy bishop Fructuosus, of Tarragona, is led to the extreme torture, after a whole day of torments and torments: one of his thugs seeing him so exhausted, exhausted, thirsty for so much lost blood, offers him a water goblet; the holy bishop thanks, but he refuses saying: I cannot because it is a day of fasting and we are not yet at sunset. And rightly the great Christian writer, Alessandro Manzoni, comments: «Who does not feel that this respect so reverent, so diligent and thoughtful towards the divine law was precisely what the Martyr had prepared for the last sacrifice? Here again a reference to Blessed Don Bosco, who finds his place well in this magnificent environment and context of things, is appropriate. Here is a life - and We have been able to see it up close and really particularly appreciate - here is a life that was a true, proper and great martyrdom: a life of colossal work that gave the impression of oppression even if only to see it, the Servant of God; a life of unaltered, inexhaustible patience, of true charity, so that he always has a gesture of his own person, of the mind, of the heart, for the last comer and in whatever hour he arrived and after any work; a true and continuous martyrdom in the hardships of a mortified, fragile life that seemed the fruit of a continuous fast. Honor one, honor the other of these great Families who today so rightly and more than ever rejoice in their memory and exaltation! With both of us we congratulate ourselves for having produced such athletes and such examples to the world, to redeemed humanity, since only Redemption could produce them. But also examples and champions for humanity without adjectives, since it is never more honored as when it is from these products that come out of its ranks, true grandiose rewards for other manifestations, for other men who carry yes. the name of men, but such are not for the honor of humanity, since they do nothing but feed their most ignoble passions against virtue, against God, against truth and good, against all this, in a word, that it can form and shape the honor of humanity itself. We therefore congratulate the family of Blessed Don Bosco and the family of St. Ignatius, indeed with the whole Church, with the whole world, since the glories exalted do not belong only to one people, but are the product of the human race and belong to all redeemed humanity. Thus, the living and affectionate felicitations of the Vicar of Jesus Christ have received education and encouragement from the Divine Founder of the Church, Lord and King, to humanity, to the glory of these new heroes. Latin homily - in his Italian text - on the solemnity of Easter and in honor of the new saint, read by the Holy Father after the Gospel of the Papal Mass, celebrated during the Sacred Rite of Canonization. (April 1 - Easter 1934) Venerable brothers and most beloved children. In this Easter of the Jubilee Year, a twofold joy is poured into Our soul and pervades the whole Church: while in fact today we solemnize the victory of Jesus Christ over death and the power of hell, we are given to pose, almost as a crowning of the Holy Year, which also saw so many triumphs of faith and popular piety, the solemn Canonization of Blessed Don Bosco, which we ourselves counted a few years ago among the Blessed, and which - we still remember him with great pleasure - in the distant time of our youth there was comfort and stimulation in our studies, and profound admiration for the great works accomplished. With true trepidation We are preparing ourselves today to outline this great figure of Saint and Apostle of youth; Dedicated entirely to the glory of God and to the health of souls, he did not stop before the distrust and hostility of his brothers in the priesthood; but with boldness of concepts and with modernity of means, he proceeded to the implementation of those brand new purposes which, by superior illustration, he knew to be in conformity with the will of God. Seeing the streets of Turin innumerable hosts of young people abandoned to themselves and deprived of every assistance, he tried to draw them to himself, to win their spirits with his persuasive and paternal word and, combining the pleasure of honest entertainment, the teaching of religion and the rudiments of science, he tried to make them good Christians and excellent citizens. And here arise the "festive oratories", which he founded not only in Turin, but also in neighboring towns and cities, and wherever he extended his providential institutions, which worked so well and operated among the young. Wishing also to provide for youth, an honest and safe means of making a position in life, he established the schools of arts and crafts for the working class; and for the higher classes, he founded colleges where many students are welcomed, educated and set off with the right breadth and security of methods in the path of knowledge. The secret for which his educational system obtained such abundant and wonderful fruits is all here: he carried out those principles which are inspired by the Gospel, which the Catholic Church has always recommended and which we ourselves have traced and inculcated so many times . He aimed at forming in the young the citizen and the Christian, the perfect citizen worthy son of the earthly homeland, the perfect Christian mere a day to become a glorious member of the heavenly homeland. For him, education must not only be physical but above all spiritual, it must not be limited to strengthening the muscles with gymnastic exercises , corroborating the body's forces with the healthy exercise of the same, but above all must exercise and strengthen the spirit by disciplining the displaced motions , fostering the best tendencies and directing everything towards an ideality of virtue, probity and goodness. Education, therefore, full and complete that embraces the whole man, that teaches the sciences and the human disciplines, but that does not neglect the supernatural and divine truths. This task, so delicate and arduous, our Saint not only tried to implement it by any means during the course of his life, but also entrusted him, as a sacred inheritance, to the very numerous religious Family he founded, to which he also entrusted the task. to bring the light of the Gospel and Christian civilization to so many peoples still lying in the darkness of ignorance and error. And in front of the difficulties of every kind, in front of the derision and mockery of many, he raised his luminous eyes towards Heaven, he used to exclaim: "My brothers, this is the work of God, it is the will of the Lord: the Lord is therefore obliged to give the necessary aid ". Events then showed the truth of his words, so much so that the jokes changed into universal admiration. We have traced, in venerable brothers and most beloved children, in the principal lines, the marvelous life of this hero of holiness: I urge you now to let yourself all be inspired by the ardent imitation of his virtues. In this way, in fact, we trust that we will all be able to conquer that virtue of the spirit that Jesus Christ has brought us with His Resurrection and that all men, therefore, united in one family, will be able to raise with us the Paschal canticle: « In order for you to be, O Jesus, perennial joy to our souls, free, we pray you, from the death of sin those you have brought back to life. So be it ". On the occasion of the memorial audience granted to the Salesian Families in St. Peter's Basilica, two days after the Canonization. We have prepared for you the most beautiful, great, magnificent hall in the world. We are once again in this splendid environment, which still resounds with songs of glory to your magnificent Father. The meeting of the Redeemer with his faithful servant in the closing of the Holy Year of the divine Redemption. Magnificent encounter! and as splendid and in place within the framework of the Holy Year. The specific fruit of the Holy Year manifested by Jesus the Redeemer with the revealing words of his heart: "Ego veni ut vitam habeant et abundantius habeant". Don Bosco's triple secret: love for Jesus Redeemer, devotion to Mary. Help of Christians, love for the Pope. The greatest, the strongest help you can count on. Unlimited and heartfelt devotion to the Church, to the Holy See, to the Vicar of Christ. We have spoken of a Salesian Jubilee and we have not without intimate joy felt that we were shouting around Us: Don Bosco's Pope lives. Our Blessing. No longer in the splendours of the grandiose, holy rites, or most beloved children, but in a true (we can well say) beautiful vertigo of joy and filial piety, We will see you again in this magnificent place. You see that to receive you we have prepared the most beautiful, great, magnificent hall of the world. We did not believe that it was too much for what had to return to your great and Our great Saint John Bosco; we did not believe that it was too much to accommodate such a beautiful, so remarkable, so impressive even for the number; such an elect of her children who have come from all over the world, even from the most distant; beautiful especially for Us because your presence and all that we have heard in the speech pronounced a little while ago, It makes us feel, with vividness that we have rarely tried, which divine Providence has entrusted to us. And you are not only children who have come from all parts of the world, but belonging to all the very varied categories that make up the great Family, or rather the great Families of Don Bosco, or rather of Saint John Bosco, which the world will always continue however to call Don Bosco (applause). And it will be good, because it is like repeating his name of war, of that beneficent war, one of those wars, that one would say the divine Providence wants to grant from time to time to the poor humanity, almost to compensate for the other wars not at all beneficial, but so painful and pain sowers. We therefore noted, the most beloved children, the diversities, the various representations of the great Salesian families. We must also add to them the different degrees of the hierarchy: the priesthood, the episcopate, the cardinalate: something, even this, so beautiful and truly complete. As for the rest, most beloved children, what can we add to what your presence tells us? Is your presence so eloquent, even in this almost palpable silence that makes your expectation of your paternal word so sensitive to us? What can we say, when we are again in this splendid environment that still resounds with songs of glory to your magnificent Father; when is that wonderful set of things that yesterday came to fulfill your expectation, your desire, so unparalleled? Yet, in order not to have the remorse of having lost such a beautiful opportunity, to say something useful to your souls, we will say what Saint John Bosco himself so eloquently tells you with his figure, which is visible to all spirits and speaks to all hearts. Precisely with a particular, providential opportunity, this canonization of yours and Our Don Bosco came at this closing of the Holy Year of the divine Redemption; and certainly yours and Our dear Saint has gained immensely from all these circumstances and circumstances. It was first the meeting of the divine Redeemer, of the divine Captain, arousing every holiness, every apostolate and every good, the encounter with a servant so faithful, with a soldier so intense in his holy battles. On the one hand we would say that Don Bosco came to give to the divine Redeemer all that he owed Him, as we all owe him all. In fact, from him all holiness, every martyrdom, every good began; from him all that remains of good in this world, even paganeggiante, all that remains of good in this civilization and that it comes to her from the Cross, from the Heart, from the Blood of the Redeemer and that makes her still to be a Christian civilization. Don Bosco came to pay tribute to his Chief, to his Lord, to his Leader, and the divine Redeemer ordered, precisely on the end of the Holy Year of the Redemption, to come almost in person to crown the merits of his servant faithful, to keep with him those divine promises that he made to all those who serve him faithfully. Great meeting! and as beautiful, splendid, as if in place within the framework of the Holy Year, within the context of all that procession of holiness that accompanied the Redeemer during this Jubilee of His Redemption! It is a choice among the most beautiful, fresh, fragrant fruits of the Redemption, in homage to the Author who is the first of all holiness. And for this reason we all, and you especially, you who are bound by so many bonds to our dear Saint, we must learn what must be the specific fruit of this Holy Year, the one that differs from all the others, and for you it differs with the glorification of your dear Father, indeed Patriarch. And what is most appropriate for you is such a fruit of the Holy Year that can be called "Salesian Holy Year! »(Applause). For everyone, the first fruit for you too is that of the Holy Indulgences, a precious treasure to which one cannot but think with a lot of humility and a feeling of confusion because to say indulgence, great indulgence, maximum indulgence means forgiveness, great forgiveness, forgiveness maximum. And of what? Of sins and especially mortal sins. And who can say they don't need it? It might as well say that there are no sins, and the Holy Spirit says that whoever claims to be without sin does not tell the truth. But this Holy Year of the Redemption must say something more special. And in fact he said it, because the Redeemer himself said so. He expressly indicated the fruit of all his work of Redemption and we cannot therefore neglect such fruit which is like the continuation of the Redemption itself. The Lord said this in words revealing his heart, his intentions, when he announced that he had come because men had life and had it in abundance, in ever greater abundance. Ego veni ut vitam habeant et abundantius habeant. Just as if he were saying to his dear souls: have life, and have it abundantly, in ever greater abundance. And this is the Christian life, because, it is Christ who gave it to the world: Christ the Redeemer, Christian life. This Christian life that you already have so abundantly, you must have it, developed with ever-increasing abundance; you must put it in accord with the words of the Redeemer when He says that it must be abundant and abundant life. And our dear Saint tells you: "This is how Christian life is lived"; as he lived it, as the Saints lived it, not only those who in this year made a procession to the Redeemer, but all the Saints. What did they practice to achieve holiness? One thing: Christian life abundantly, overabundantly lived, that Christian life from which all those vast and magnificent ramifications of the apostolate and the good that conquer all hearts are born. The Redeemer said: "Live the Christian life and live it abundantly". Here is Don Bosco today telling us: "Live the Christian life as I have practiced and taught you". But it seems to us that Don Bosco to you his children, and so particularly his, add some words even more specifically indicating in the sense that we are considering. It seems to us that he says: "Listen in which direction you must let yourself be guided". It seems to us that, in order to show you to proceed ever more and always better in those ways, give you three notions of Christian life, teach you a triple secret. The first is love for Jesus Christ, for Jesus Christ the Redeemer. One would say that this was one of the thoughts, one of the dominant feelings of his whole life. He revealed it with that password: Da mihi animas. Here is a love that is in continuous, uninterrupted meditation of what souls are not considered in themselves, but in what they are in thought, in work, in Blood, in the Death of the divine Redeemer. There Don Bosco saw all the priceless, the unattainable treasure that is the soul. Da ciò la sua aspirazione, la sua preghiera: Da mihi animas! Essa è un'espressione dell'amore suo per il Redentore, espressione nella quale, per felicissima necessità di cose, l'amore del prossimo diventa amore del divino Redentore, e l'amore del Redentore diventa amore delle anime redente, quelle anime che nel pensiero e nell'estimazione di Lui si rivelano non pagate a troppo alto prezzo, se pagate col suo Sangue. È proprio quell'amore del divino Redentore che siamo venuti ricordando, ringraziando, in tutto questo anno di moltiplicata Redenzione. Un altro insegnamento vi dà il padre vostro. Egli vi insegna il grande aiuto, il più forte aiuto sul quale si deve contare per mettere in pratica quell'amore al Redentore che si risolve in amore delle anime, in apostolato per le anime. Maria Ausiliatrice è il titolo che egli ha prediletto tra tutti quelli della Madre di Dio: Maria aiuto dei cristiani, quell'aiuto sul quale egli contava per mettere insieme le milizie ausiliarie per marciare alla salvezza delle anime. E Maria Ausiliatrice è la vostra eredità, dilettissimi figli, quella eredità che tutto il mondo potrebbe invidiarvi se non avesse altre vie per ricorrervi. E in questo ricordo si deve scorgere un'altra di quelle congiunture, di quelle che si chiamano combinazioni, ma che sono delicati incontri, provvide preparazioni che la divina Sapienza sola sa mettere insieme. Uno dei frutti più preziosi della Redenzione è la Maternità universale di Maria. E non si sarebbe potuto celebrare il centenario della Redenzione, senza ricordare che dalla sua Croce, mentre più acute e terribili erano le sue sofferenze di morte, il Salvatore diede a tutti noi la stessa sua Madre per Madre nostra: « Ecco il tuo figlio »; « Ecco la tua madre ». È il divino Redentore che ci ha dato Maria Madre nostra universale, e tale è l'intimo nesso che passa tra la Redenzione e la Maternità umana di Maria. Si direbbe che Don Bosco abbia veduto, in modo speciale, questo intimo legame e lo abbia apprezzato quanto valeva e perciò accanto al Salvatore divino abbia voluto mettere Maria e affidare Maria, nel titolo che più le conviene, Maria Ausiliatrice, a tutte le opere che il suo gran cuore si proponeva per la salute delle anime. Anche a voi si deve indicare il grande aiuto su cui potrete contare, aiuto che non ha limitazioni nella sua potenza: perchè viene da Maria, Madre nostra, che nulla desidera più che give us his help in the works that we propose for the glory of God, for the good of souls. But wise and loving Father, your Duce has thought of guiding you also with another sure guide in the great battles, a truly glorious war, for the salvation of souls, those battles that must be extended to the whole world. Don Bosco indicated it in unlimited and heartfelt devotion to the Church, to the Holy See, to the Vicar of Christ. It is an admirable program, as he himself said to Us with his own word, in a true intimacy that lasted many years and that in addition to being heart was, in many respects, intimacy of intelligence: a continuous and necessary program in all the very clear directions, very bright and even more of facts than of words, for which the Church, the Holy See, the Vicar of Christ filled his life. And we know it for the direct knowledge we had of him, for the testimony of his own word, for the expression of the thoughts that he confided in his true paternal friendship, even in so much age difference. Divine Providence arranged things so that those expressions that could best make it known personally were entrusted to the One who Providence itself, in its secret design, We have spoken of a Salesian Jubilee and, not without joy, we have heard that around us people were shouting: "Long live the Pope of Don Bosco! (Thunderous applause, very loud cries of "Viva il Papa di Don Bosco". The Pope smiles then points to continue). Enough, most beloved children, this is enough to indicate that the beautiful word was a word of joy for Us, as it was for you, that you are so good children. But that word, more than a word of joy, is a warning word to you. It means that Don Bosco, Our and your dear Don Bosco, tells you that the Pope, whatever name he is called, at any time, wherever he comes from, the Pope for Don Bosco was an element of life, and something without which he could not have been what he was. Here, then, are the three things of the first importance, three things that come to give you those fruits of the Holy Year which ends with these exaltations of St. John Bosco: the love of Jesus Christ the Redeemer who is love for souls, an apostolate for the souls; fervent and constant devotion to Mary Help of Christians, wanted by him to preside over the whole body of his work; devotion, obedient attachment, most faithful to the Holy Church, to the Vicar of Christ, as to the visible guide, sensitive that the divine Redeemer wanted souls not to lack so that they never had to doubt neither his thought nor the way to start the Christian life and superabundantly Christian, conforming to the desires of his heart. It is with this courageous observation, with this paternal wish that we bless you all and individuals, and we want to bless all that that you represent and you cannot fail to represent. You represent all that you have left in the different places from which you come, all the great Salesian Family and of Mary Help of Christians, all the houses where this Family does not so much dwell as it works, all the apostolic works in all forms, all that other world, that army of Cooperators; and then another whole world of souls already come to Don Bosco or who still come to him: a vision as big as the world, as beautiful as the love of God and of souls, as beautiful as the graces of Mary Help of Christians; a vision that we see on you and behind you as far as the eye can see, up to the ends of the world, as far as Our vision arrives. You will carry this blessing in all those directions towards which your thoughts and affection go. We want to bless everything you hold most dear in your thoughts and hearts and you wish to be blessed. There is no need to add that we think not only of your spiritual families, but also of those of real names, to your domestic families. Our blessing wants to follow your thoughts and rest where you want. If in your thought you have souls who need or deserve the paternal Blessing of the Vicar of Christ, to all these intentions and desires we want to respond. And with special affection, like yours and our dear Don Bosco, we think of the little ones, of the children of the divine Redeemer, of whom St. John Bosco was so paternally solicitous. We bless them first of all because they are such a precious treasure and so often abandoned and neglected, a desert of beneficial attentions; and then why they have life before them and Our Blessing wants to bless in them their future with all the promises and hopes and also as an antidote to all dangers and threats. And we do not want to forget those who are at the other end of life, your elders, your elders, especially those who have worked for the works of Don Bosco, especially if they are sick, infirm, therefore having greater right to the solicitude of your charity as to the comfort of Our Blessing. You will carry this Our Blessing in different regions and we pray God that it will accompany you not only in what remains of your Roman sojourn for you to succeed in great good and profit of your souls, not only in your imminent return to your houses, but there always accompany, and always remain with you for life. (From interviews and various speeches of the Holy Father Pius X1). Audience with the Rector Major Fr. Filippo Rinaldi (6 June 1922). 11 June 6, 1922 the Holy Father in particular received the Rector Major Fr. Filippo Rinaldi, and with exquisite paternal goodness he was pleased to remind him how he could, during two days spent at the Oratory, treat familiarly with St. John Bosco and admire the singular amiability and unalterable calm, clear indications of his intimate union with God. Granting the precious indulgence of the Sanctified Work, he read the first words of the plea "WORK AND PRAYER" he observed: "Work and prayer are one; work is prayer, and prayer is work: work is worthless for eternity, if it is not conjoined with prayer: and in order for it to be accepted by God, it requires the elevation of all the faculties of the soul. Work and prayer are inseparable and go hand in hand in ordinary life: first, however, it is prayer, then work. NOW ET LABORA: it has always been the watchword of the saints, who in this too have simply modeled themselves on the examples of Our Lord Jesus Christ. For industriousness to be advantageous, it must go hand in hand with union with God, incessant, intimate ... "and benignly nodded to the request, repeating the purest complacency that the sons of Don Bosco had asked him for such a favor. Then he kindly lingered to express the trust and the lively desire that the sons of Don Bosco had to profit greatly from the singular concession and concluded: "For the industriousness of the Salesians to be advantageous, it must go hand in hand with union with God, it must always be preceded by personal sanctification. And why, the Salesians get this more surely, I nod to the plea presented to me, to help them sanctify their work, enriching it with the treasures of the Holy Indulgences. So far these came granted to the faithful only on the condition of certain external pious practices: but from here on, the Salesians will acquire them with their own work, each time some devout invocation will join it, however brief. In this way their individual sanctification will more easily be achieved, through the usual union with God ». We believe well to remember the precious indulgence here. The indulgence of sanctified work. - The Salesians, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, their students, alumni and Cooperators of both sexes, who combine work with some devout invocation - toties quoties, as the Saint expressed himself. Father, devout quaelibet invocated ° labori jungetur - can gain the indulgence of four hundred days and the plenary indulgence once a day - semel in die a jungentibus lucranda - applicable to the souls in Purgatory, according to the following plea humiliated by the Rev.mo Don Rinaldi: Most Holy Father, The motto "WORK AND PRAYER", which our Venerable Father and Founder Don Bosco left us, continually inculcates the duty we have to join the industriousness to the advantage of the young by the incessant union of our spirit with God, following in this is the admirable examples that he himself gave us. Knowing the great benevolence of Your Holiness towards the Salesian Work, a benevolence which I was already pleased to testify repeatedly, I dare to implore from your paternal heart a grace, which would be a powerful help to carry out with ever greater perfection the program contained in that motto. Prostrated therefore to the kiss of the Sacred Foot, I humbly beseech Your Holiness to want to deign to grant that the Salesians, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, their pupils, former students and Arab Cooperators the sexes, EVERY TIME THAT WILL UNITE THE WORK OF SOME DEVOTE INVOCATION can profit the INDULGENCE OF FOUR DAYS, and the PLENARY INDULGENCE once a day, applicable also to the souls of Purgatory. On the initiative of FIAT executives (Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino), the indulgence of sanctified work was extended to all the faithful by Pope John XXIII with a decree dated 7 October 1961. Audience for young people of the "Villa S'ora" Institute in Frascati (8 June 1922). Most beloved children, We look at you, or dearest of the dearest, lined up before Our eyes and Our heart. Yes, young people, you are dear to us among the dear ones and for various reasons. First of all you are small, you are young, for this you form the predilection of the Heart of Jesus. This' assures you of Our predilection, because the predilections of the Vicar of Jesus Christ are identical to those of the Redeemer. If you saw Jesus here, as He is here, you would hear Him repeating to these little ones: "Let the little ones come to me": and, turning to you older ones, Jesus would look at you with that look of complacency that he addressed to the generous young man of the Gospel. Jesus would reserve for you the tender and affectionate predilections that he reserved for his beloved Apostle Saint John the Evangelist. Therefore with special affection Our eye, Our heart, look at you. But you have a very personal reason, young people, for Our predilections. You, in your address, have glorified yourselves with all reason to be Sons of Ven. Don Bosco. Ineffable grace, most beloved children, that which the Lord has granted you to enter into the wide furrow opened by that great savior of souls who was the Ven. Don Bosco. Among the greatest graces of our priestly life We include Our meeting with the Venerable, with whom we had the good fortune to spend not only a few hours, but for two days to be guests in Turin, participating in his penitent table, rather than poor, and benefiting above all from his inspired word. We enjoy feeling somehow part of the family of Ven. Don Bosco, sparse or never for Worldwide. With greater complacency we have therefore learned from your words the thought of the importance that you make of this grace, the firm intention of wanting to portray all the fruit, so that honor is given to Don Bosco and good to your souls. Voi non potrete mai comprendere abbastanza la grazia che il Signore vi ha fatto di un'educazione veramente, profondamente, schiettamente cristiana, non solo nell'apparenza, ma nella sostanza. Voi crescerete, i piccoli grandi, i giovani uomini, e vi accorgerete che questa è stata la più bella grazia di Dio. È vero: c'è la fede, ci sono i SS. Sacramenti che sono grazie della infinita bontà di Dio. Ma che sarebbe della fede e dei Sacramenti senza una buona educazione? Quanti di quelli che il mondo chiama sapienti, felici, a cui s'inchina, perchè ricchi, sono invece poveri e miseri. Essi han perduto il vero senso della fede, perchè privi di un'educazione cristiana, perchè privi, ohimè, di tutta la grazia, di tutta la bellezza, di tutta la purezza che vi rende cari a Dio e alla SS. Vergine. Holy intention, therefore, the one you have expressed of wanting to honor the education given to you by the sons of Don Bosco. You have to do it all the more, to show your gratitude to God, according to the precept of the Apostle Saint Paul: Grati estote. The lack of gratitude would be too serious! Therefore be Apostles of faith, religion, devotion to the Holy See. Be apostles of the Christian life. Show always and everywhere how to become men and Christians, how you can be what you must be, and you will show it not with words, but silently, with your life. But you who go through the normal courses, you especially this apostolic purpose, you must feel and to this you must from now on come preparing. Holy is the work to which God calls you. It is the work of the apostles, missionaries who spread the seed of the word of God in the most remote parts of the earth: it is among the most noble works the highest and most sublime. You will not go, perhaps, to distant missions: but how well you can lavish yourself in our cities, in our countryside, on the young people who will be entrusted to you. Oh, they know so many things today, they acquire so much knowledge, but they learn nothing of what is the true, indispensable science. Follow, young people, the examples of Ven. Don Bosco, who aspired to nothing but to be an apostle of good among souls: "Da mihi animas! We impart to you the Apostolic Blessing: and we give it to you with all our heart, so that you may indelibly imprint on your memory, in your soul, our words. Let Our Blessing ascend to God and obtain for you all the graces, but above all: that the Christian education that you will receive from these your teachers, bears its fruits of ever greater and better good. Then only you will be all that those who love you desire, and only on this pact, whatever may be your career, will it be fruitful for you of the most chosen satisfactions. Receive therefore the Apostolic Blessing that we give you with all the outpouring of our hearts and we intend extended to all your relatives, friends, benefactors, to all your holy intentions so that all may be fulfilled. Audience with the students of the Sacred Heart Institute (25 June 1922). We are, dear ones among the dearest children in Jesus Christ, dear to Us especially as they were dear to him, Our divine model, dear as the seeds of the future and hopes of the future; We are among the oldest - I say ancient for Me, and not for you who are not yet aware of antiquity - We are with profound complacency among the oldest personal friends of Ven. Don Bosco. We have seen it, this glorious father and benefactor of ours, we have seen it with Our eyes. We have been close to him heart to heart. It was not short of us and not a vulgar exchange of ideas, thoughts and considerations. We have seen this great advocate of Christian education, we have observed it in that modest place which he gave himself among his own, and which was also such an eminent commanding post, vast as the world, and how vast it is equally beneficial. We are therefore enthusiastic admirers of Don Bosco's work, and we are happy to have known him and to have been able to help his divine work with divine grace. We have seen this work in Italy, in Galicia, in Poland, from the Carpathians to the Baltic, and we have seen the sons of that Great all consecrated to the work of him so holy, so great, so beneficial. It is therefore with particular consolation that we find ourselves in your midst today, again after the one your little interpreter so happily recalled, in which we had the consolation of seeing your scholastic profits and of handing our hand to the most worthy most coveted reward. Our soul opens itself to you and greets you, and congratulates you and congratulates you on seeing you again and envelops you with a great blessing that you have asked for through your interpreter. It is a blessing that surrounds you all present here and all those you want to represent and they want to be represented by you: all of you from the Circle, who represent the completely ripe fruit, the fully blossomed flower of Don Bosco's work: all you internal and external students of the college of the Sacred Heart, and especially you, war orphans, that for your misfortune you are the beloved of the Heart of Jesus and that therefore you are also dearer and more beloved to Our heart that with this blessing would like to compensate you for your misfortune: all of you who with the vocal and instrumental concerts have wanted to adorn this meeting. All of you envelop Our blessing: but above you and before you it goes to those who deal with your education with particular affection: to those who in the name of Jesus and his servant Ven. and of which every day, every hour, will make you feel the immense and inestimable value more solidly. It is impossible for us to see you without looking at the great spectacle that arises and is explained behind you, by thousands, by hundreds of thousands, by millions now of young people, of men made, in all social positions, in all the most varied conditions of life, which at the springs of Ven. Don Bosco drew the treasures of Christian education. This magnificent spectacle is the greatest and most glorious monument that you can ever raise to your Father and before which every other material monument is small and poor. In this breadth of views it is beautiful to hear ourselves in unison with another solemn feast that is celebrated today in Turin in honor of that honor of the Salesian Family which is Card. Cagliero. We thank God for having granted us the contribution of our particular complacency and of our paternal affection towards such a generous champion of the Salesian Work which - for what he did and for the generosity he explained - did indeed work as a missionary and Christian regeneration and civilized throughout a vast plagiarism of the world. And we are glad from a long time to see him sitting beside the well-deserved figure of the priest Don Francesia, so veiled in modesty and yet so frank and solid glory of the Family of Don Bosco. It is therefore particularly pleasing to us to pour out our blessings in the beauty of this hour on you all, Salesians and students, near and far. May the Spirit of God descend upon you and establish his abode in you and give you all the graces and favors of his. It seals in you students that priceless benefit of the Christian education that you come receiving or have received under the guidance of the sons of Don Bosco. May this treasure remain in you and mature and bring ever more abundant fruits of which it is inexhaustible source. And this divine blessing will accompany you in all the steps of your life, of this life that to you all, small or large, still opens up almost unexplored, and consecrate your every worthy feeling and especially the commitment and purpose to preserve in you inviolate the goods of Christian education and to propagate its benefit with the example of generous and animated fidelity to Jesus Christ, to His Holy Faith, to the Holy Church, to the Holy See. This was in fact the privilege of which Ven. Don Bosco left you the splendid and very eloquent example, which we ourselves have been able to read and feel in his heart, when we could have seen how above all glory he placed that of being the faithful servant of Jesus Christ, of his Church, of his Vicar. Audience with Salesian Theology students and the young people of the Mother House present at the Beatification (6 June 1929). You did not want to leave the Holy City, without seeing the Father again, and you have guessed the desire of the Father, which was precisely that of reviewing and rebelling such good and dear children; and we see you with much greater desire precisely because we have already seen you in the courtyard of San Damaso and that immense spectacle of souls and prayers in the Basilica, made more beautiful by the glorification of yours and Our dear Don Bosco. You are a chosen portion of the great family: the theologians of today, priests of tomorrow, the exponents of the great Salesian Family, teachers and instruments of many souls who will come to you, to this great Convito that the Blessed Servant of God has been able to prepare ... You, dear young people, dear little ones, beloved of the people who preceded you, of your great father, of the divine Shepherd of souls, for whom the little children were and remain the special predilection, you pupils of the Mother House, as you love to say to you , you return to the place of the first shoots by the Blessed Servant of God ... We do not want to keep you long; we just want to say a few words to each other, knowing that we will lay them in good soil, that it will be enough to cultivate it, as the Salesians know how to do. To theologians, we make a recommendation that Don Bosco himself would have signed. You study theology and you must study it, because it is the science of God and of faith; you must teach it, make known the beauties of God, to whom you will have to lead souls. Well, we recommend to theologians what is the Salesian characteristic, work, work, and of course, prayer, careful cultivation of the spirit, because without this there can be no profitable work. Prayer, meditation, are for everyone, great and small, and in these lies the secret of action, which makes the work fruitful. Try that theology has profound, wide, effective ascetic aspiration. We address an even more paternal word to young people and youngsters. Speaking in the meeting in the courtyard of San Damaso, we said that the Pope had thought of Don Bosco's heavenly honor; to earthly honor you had to think about it yourself, with the word, with the work, with the demeanor, with the conversation, with work. Then you will be wise children and your Father will be glorified by you. To this you will have to add the intimate aspiration of the whole life to the deep awareness of what you are, of what you expect from you. Everyone can say that they are children when they are united in a universal holiness, but when one has saints in the family one must honor this honor of the family. We recommend this thought to you knowing that the recommendation is superfluous for you, and you will welcome it to preserve it, to root it in the heart and mind: the sons of a saint must honor this family glory and make themselves worthy of such paternity. This thought will help you to keep up high, it will help you to give your life a true and holy imprint, a noble loft worthy of the children of God, of the children of a saint, and Don Bosco will be pleased with you: you will glorify him and you will be recognized as children of a saint. Thus the holy father will be glorified by his children ... Receiving the Alpine Guides gathered in Rome on November 16, 1929, His Holiness Pius XI, after having blessed them, distributed a medal to them bearing the effigy of His and Don Bosco. Poscia: Not by chance - said the Pope - we want you to keep this tenuous memory. Don Bosco was indeed a great spiritual guide. May he watch over you and protect you in the hours of the hardest trial: may he make you ascend the highest spiritual heights with the same success with which you climb those of the mountains. He received the commemorative medal of the Jubilee bearing the effigy of Blessed Don Bosco to the two hundred bankers of the Dopavoro of the National Bank of the Credit, received as a token of his gratitude, pointing out that: Don Bosco was a great laborer of a job immensely beneficial and well conceived; who for him was a source of reward and great merits not only before God, but before men. In the Menscial Encyclical of December 20, 1929, the Holy Father Pius XI, urging the priests of the secular clergy to attend the Spiritual Exercises according to the prescriptions of the Code of Canon Law, wrote: So they always heard the most zealous priests, so they practiced and taught all those who distinguished themselves in the direction of souls and in the fanning of the Clergy, as, to quote a modern example, Blessed Giuseppe Cafasso, whom we recently raised to the honors of others , which of the Spiritual Exercises was used to sanctify himself and his fellow priests, and it was at the end of one of these retreats that he could with a certain supernatural intuition indicate to a young priest his penitent that way which Providence gave him and which then led him to become Blessed John Bosco: to which name no eulogy is equal. In the Encyclical Quinquagesimo ante anno of December 23, 1929, His Holiness Pius XI, reviewing the consolations of the Jubilee Year, recalled with particular complacency the Beatification of Don Bosco, using these words: In what way could we then describe the consolation of which we were inundated, when, having inscribed John Bosco among the Blessed, we venerated him publicly in the same Vatican Basilica? Recalling the dear memory of those years, in which, at the dawn of the priesthood, we enjoyed the wise conversation of so much man, we admired the mercy of God truly "admirable in his saints" for having opposed the Blessed so long and so providentially to sectarian and nefarious men, all intent on undermining and depressing with accusations and insults the supreme authority of the Roman Pontiff. In fact, as a young man he used to convene others of his age to pray together and to teach them in the elements of Christian doctrine, after he became a priest he began to address everyone his thoughts and concerns for the salvation of the youth who was most exposed to the deceptions of the wicked; to attract young people to himself, keeping them away from dangers, instructing them in the precepts of the evangelical law and training them in the integrity of customs; to associate themselves with companions to expand so much work, and this with so happy success, as to procure for the Church a new and very numerous array of soldiers of Christ; to establish colleges and workshops to educate young people in studies and arts between us and abroad; and finally to send large numbers of missionaries to spread the Kingdom of Christ among the infidels. Thinking about these things during that visit to the basilica of St. Peter, we not only reflected with what appropriate aids the Lord, especially in adversity, used to help and corroborate his Church, On December 30, 1929, receiving in audience the students and former students of the Institutes of St. John the Baptist de La Salle in Turin, His Holiness gave them the commemorative medals of the Jubilee with his effigy on one side, and with the image of the Blessed Don Bosco on the other hand, saying: "that a lot of them suited such a medal because it shows what a profoundly Christian education can do, the benefits of which can be summed up in two words, which the Pope warmly recommended: Christian education" . 1116 February 1930 His Holiness received the Pontifical Institute of Saint Apollinaris in audience, which he donated to the Pontiff numerous sacred objects for the Missions. Pius XI thanked him heartily, and in turn wanted to give a gift to all present, referring to Bishop Sica the medals for all with the effigy of the Vicar of Jesus Christ and of Blessed Don Bosco. The medal will always say - the Holy Father concluded - the memory of the beautiful audience and will turn the thought to that radiant apostle of the Christian education of youth that the Pope had the double fortune to know personally, enjoying his conversation, and to raise to honors of the altars. Il 12 marzo 1930 il Santo Padre Pio XI, ricevendo in udienza il Comitato romano d'onore degli Amici dell'Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, chiuse il Suo paterno discorso con queste parole : Vogliamo infine rimettere a tutti i presenti — e le consegniamo alla Presidente del Comitato d'onore — una medaglia-ricordo dell'udienza, recante, con l'effigie paterna, anche quella del Beato Don Bosco, il quale è fulgido esempio della duplice carità : se infatti pensò tanto, con le sue memorabili fondazioni, alla cura dei piccoli, dei fanciulli poveri e abbandonati, non tralasciò di dedicarsi a tutta un' opera grandiosa di illuminazione delle menti e di diffusione della verità, curando lo sviluppo di tali opere sante. Da questo modello gli Amici dell'Università Cattolica possono moltissimo imparare e Noi vivamente lo auspichiamo. Il 13 aprile 1930 Sua Santità ammetteva all'udienza circa duecento pugliesi dimoranti nel Nord America e venuti in Italia per rivedere la madre patria. Erano accompagnati da Mons. Ernesto Coppo, vescovo salesiano. A loro pure Sua Santità rivolgeva la sua fervida parola e consegnava in dono « una medaglia che sarà insieme ricordo della vostra antica terra madre. Questa medaglia reca l'effigie di Don Bosco che è stato non solo un grande educatore cristiano, ma anche un glorioso figlio della patria sua e un vero amico dei lavoratori di tutto il mondo. Siamo dunque ben lieti, mentre benediciamo alle vostre fatiche e ai vostri lavori, di darvi un tale ricordo nella ferma speranza che la figura di Don Bosco ricorderà a voi sempre il dovere di santificare il lavoro e tutta la vita ». Audience in the courtyard of San Damaso to 15,000 Salesians, Daughters of Maria Ausi liatrice, students, alumni, Cooperators, after the inauguration of the Institute «Pius XI» The August Pontiff began by saying that as a welcome to the Father's heart the homage of the children reached, so, equally dear and solicitous, the applause of the Father had to reach the children, for the affectionate receptions that they had paid him with their good concerts, with magnificent songs and choirs. And he continued: It is enough to have heard, as We have done, the sober, positive, historical story of your, indeed of Our dear Don Ricaldone, concerning the 50 years of Salesian works in Rome, to understand how all the sons of Don Bosco, Salesians , Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, students and former students, Cooperators, Cooperators, should be right to celebrate this Jubilee of the works of dear Don Bosco, with the most legitimate and comforting satisfactions of the heart, with that heart myth of "do not lie glory", as you, dear children, have rightly sung. We have rightly defined the address just read by the dear Don Ricaidone "sober, positive, historical story" because in that frank enunciation of works and activities, there is nothing, not even a hint, of work, of harsh labor, of sacrifice, of the immolations that those works and those activities had had to cost and certainly cost. We also have particular and dear reasons to participate in this holy thrill of hearts to which the fiftieth anniversary celebration of Salesian work in Rome gives rise; and these reasons are offered to us by the dear memories of the past. We were in fact in the first year of our priesthood, when the Salesian work of Rome, begun with the construction of the magnificent sanctuary of the Sacred Heart, rose from the foundations. And we were still in the early years of our priesthood when the goodness of divine Providence made us meet personally with Blessed Don Bosco, and spend a few days with him of joy and consolation, which alone can evaluate who had that divine fortune. Blessed Don Bosco was then at the end of his gigantic life, and he already looked forward to the joy that the heavenly life of eternal reward would have reserved for him. Finally, another reason makes us participate in a particular way in common joy. After 50 years of active life, that your presence, most beloved children, particularly remembers, that same divine ineffable goodness that everything has so wisely led, It has allowed us to proclaim and decree to the Blessed Don Bosco the honors of the altars. And now, from the place where divine Providence has placed us, we cannot but turn our eyes to all that good harvest which, beginning with Rome, extends throughout the Catholic world. We cannot but think of the thousands of sons and daughters of Don Bosco, scattered among all peoples in the continuation of a work of Christian life, so fiercely and happily active. And when we think of the hundreds of thousands of young souls who have come and come to the Salesians all over the world; when we imagine all this innumerable youth of every social class , but a working-class species, to whom Don Bosco continues to teach, with his example, with his faith and with the apostolic charity of his children, the paths of life, the nobility of work and the material and moral rewards that it must expect and that life so needs; when, in a vast vision of people and immense of good, we think all this, We cannot do without, in the name of our glorious Predecessors, and in the very name of that God who has deigned to call us to His Vicar, to thank Don Bosco and his children for all the good they have done and do everywhere. He smiles at Our heart and shines in Our mind the thought of an even greater future of good, which cannot fail to have such a splendid past and a present so full of certainty. We therefore thank you, dearest children, for having wanted to associate the name of the revered Don Bosco to our poor name; to have also united what you, dear children, can consider your Jubilee with the Pope's Jubilee, thus taking part in our personal events and associating you with Our name day. We are particularly grateful to you because you wanted to combine the Pope's name with the new Professional Institute which, together with the temple of Mary Help of Christians, wants to constitute a center of multi-faceted activities, fruitful for good. This Institute We want to place it among the most beautiful works of which we liked to sow, in this year, our Jubilee; and therefore we pray to God wholeheartedly, so that he will want to bless it, the new work, and bless all the wonderful complex of Salesian works: works of divine glorification and human salvation. Faced with such beautiful and so great works We love to repeat a phrase that many have heard from us: "More and more is always better". But speaking to the sons and daughters of Don Bosco, we prefer to address another word gathered from the very lip of the Blessed Founder. When, in fact, in that first year of our priesthood, we congratulated Don Bosco for the beautiful work begun, for the schools and laboratories so well equipped, through all the most complete and modern discoveries of mechanics, the beloved Blessed, with that smiling good-natured and with that wit that everyone always noticed in him, He had replied: «Ah! in these things Don Bosco always wants to be at the forefront of progress! The Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians must be and aspire to always be at the forefront of progress. With this sure and comforting foresight we impart the blessing that you, dear children, have come to ask the Father in his house, which is also your home. Blessing that we want extended to all those present and those whom you so well represented. How many will they be? In the universe world I am sure an immense crowd, an innumerable multitude, like the arenas of the sea. And like the endless arenas of the sea the heart of Blessed Don Bosco was great. Con tale mondiale visione di opere, di cose, di apostolato, di lavoro, e soprattutto di persone — tra le quali mettiamo al posto d'onore quelle che combattono alle trincee della fede, cioè i missionari e le missionarie — ci apprestiamo adunque a dare la Benedizione Apostolica, auspicando dal Signore i più larghi favori del Beato Don Bosco e la sua più valida intercessione. Il Santo Padre il 19 novembre 1930 benediceva e inaugurava la nuova Centrale Telefonica dello Stato della Città del Vaticano offertagli in dono dalla Telephone and Telegraph Corporation di New York. Ringraziando pubblicamente la Società americana -aggiunse nel suo discorso : Tale dono corrisponde interamente al nostro pensiero, che è il pensiero stesso di un Grande, del Beato Don Bosco, il quale si gloriava, parlando un giorno con Colui che doveva poi essere il Successore di San Pietro, di essere sempre all'avanguardia del progresso. Ciò corrisponde parimenti ai meriti del Beato: ed è la stessa frase ed è il medesimo intento che Noi siamo soliti di dire e di volere raggiungere sempre, con grande semplicità, e con forti propositi, in tutto quanto riguarda la nostra piccola, ma pur tanto grande Città. Udienza ai giovani dell'Istituto Salesiano « Pio XI » e dell'annessa Scuola Agricola del Mandrione (30 maggio 1931). Se tutti sono benvenuti i figli che vengono nella Casa del Padre comune di tutti i fedeli, tanto più lo siete voi, o dilettissimi, che siete venuti sotto gli auspici di Maria Ausiliatrice e del Beato Don Bosco : due nomi, due presentazioni, una più bella e più preziosa dell'altra. Siete poi venuti con un pensiero squisitamente filiale, alla vigilia del genetliaco del Papa, alla vigilia del proseguimento di un cammino, non più verso la gioventù, ma verso la vecchiaia, che non « sorride lungo la strada » — come direbbe il poeta — come la prima, ma sussurra invece le memorie. Squisito, graditissimo è stato il vostro pensiero e lo rende ancor più gradito e soave al nostro cuore, la triste ora, la più triste fra quante di tristi si sono succedute nella Nostra vita. E dopo aver parlato ai giovani di quell'ora d'angustie, Sua Santità terminava dicendo : Tutto questo lo diciamo per impegnare tutti quanti i figli Nostri a pregare per il Papa, per le Sue intenzioni perenni e permanenti, ma specialmente per le attuali e quotidiane. Noi sappiamo che voi, cari giovani, sempre fate questo e pertanto confidiamo assai nelle vostre rinnovate preghiere. E con tale particolare ricorso e calcolo alle vostre preghiere vi facciamo l'augurio di conservare quella educazione, che, nella varietà delle cose, degli insegnamenti e delle esperienze, ha una nota esclusivamente cattolica: come era nel pensiero e nel cuore di Giovanni Bosco e come è sempre nei figli del Beato, i quali per i giovani sono padri e ad essi consacrano le loro migliori energie. E vogliamo che la Nostra Apostolica Benedizione scenda su di voi, su tutti e ciascuno, tanto più affettuosa quanto più si tratta di piccoli; e scenda su tutto quello che portate nel pensiero e nel cuore. Altra udienza ai giovani dell'Istituto « Pio XI» e dell'annessa Scuola Agricola del Mandrione. All'udienza erano presenti diversi Ispettori e Delegati, alcuni dei quali anche delle lontane missioni, venuti per l'elezione del nuovo Rettor Maggiore (30 maggio 1932). Al suo ingresso il Santo Padre fu salutato da entusiastici applausi. Durante il baciamano la schola cantorum dell'Istituto; eseguì le Acclamationes, l'Inno a Cristo Re del Maestro Antolisei, e l'Exultate Deo del Palestrina. Dopo che Sua Santità si fu assiso in trono alcuni alunni offrirono dei doni: e quindi un alunno a nome di tutti lesse un indirizzo di devo zione e di omaggio all'Augusto Pontefice il quale si benignava di rispondere con affettuose parole : Con intimo piacere abbiamo udito esporre cose così pie e filiali con l'eloquenza dei vostri interpreti e col sentimento di tutti voi e di ciascuno di voi; poichè il modo come avete sottolineato l'indirizzo a Noi rivolto, significava che il pensiero e il sentimento degli interpreti erano identici ai pensieri e ai sentimenti di ciascuno di voi. We have seen you with intimate satisfaction as you entered among you and reviewed one by one, while You renewed in your heart the most sincere paternal emotion. We thank you for all the beautiful things heard, for the beautiful songs, for the beautiful gifts: this, wise, of your professional skill; particularly precious and dear things because they are offered in the name of Blessed Don Bosco. Of all these we thank you; but especially of your presence: we thank you, above all, for your words when you said you enjoyed remembering the date of a particular circumstance. You say in the completion of Our 750 year, and this means in the inexorable progress of our old age, you say the wish in the name of Mary Help of Christians. And we want to add that we are very happy to be with you in this closing of the Marian month, in which your heart is particularly fervent in presenting prayers and sacrifices according to Our intentions, according to Our words that you have received with so much eagerness and care of pity. Be blessed all; you especially blessed, that you come to Us in the singularly dear name of Our and your Blessed Don Bosco. We express to you all the intimate pleasure in noting how, under the guidance of good teachers, through many avenues of industriousness but above all in the way of love for the Vicar of Christ, be worthy of all praise. This does nothing but hope for your certain fortune, for you and for all the environments where you will work, expounding your professional activity together with an exemplary method of Christian and Catholic life as Don Bosco wanted it and how his disciples learned in this way good to transmit in the souls. We are also very happy to see you at this time, while the great Salesian Family is recomposed under a new head with the new Rector Major: a circumstance which has given us the opportunity to bring many representatives of the Salesian Family, near and far, to us. But We, not with material eyes but with spiritual ones, see before Us not only this representation but the immense multitude of the sons of Don Bosco scattered throughout the earth; and this vision fills our hearts with joy. You have asked for the blessing for you and for how much it is dear to your heart; and we all willingly bless everything and first and in particular the great exquisite work of Christian education that is being carried out among you and for you by the sons of Don Bosco. May our blessing correspond to your desires for yourselves, for your superiors, for your companions, for the teachers, for the individual families from which you come, for the great family in which you live. This great Salesian Family We particularly want to bless the moment it meets under the new Rector Major that Providence has given it, since it is so much more of a family so large and so vast that, due to its vastness and greatness, it brings such great interests that they are dear to everyone, because they are the interests of all families, of all countries, of the Church. We wish - the Holy Father concluded - to bless in a special way this Institute which a great goodness of children wanted to call with Our name; this Institute which your good will and the abnegation of the Superiors makes an institute exemplarily fruitful of good. We bless in a very special way the new church that arises, which will be, as it began to be even before itself, a new parish; something so important and so dear to Our heart as Bishop of Rome, head of Our Diocese; a new parish that comes to take such an important and bright place of hope. This really seems to us the most effective antidote against the plague, so painful to Our Heart, of the trap of the Catholic Faith: work, the direct apostolate for the struggle against heresy and the To tell you this is to say how our heart is with you; with Our and your dear Institute, with those who dedicate the best activity to its flowering and to the flourishing of its works; it is to tell you with what feelings we have greeted you and we bless you and with you we bless your director and Our parish priest. Blessed Jesus, for that predilection he loved the little ones and all those who consecrate themselves to the glory of His Father, yours and Our dear Help of Christians want to accompany this Blessing. On June 17, 1932, His Holiness, receiving in special audience the Pontifical Roman Major and Minor Seminaries, with the Rectors of the Rectors, gave them a paternal speech urging them to pity and science to be priests worthy of their high mission. Before blessing them, His Holiness said he had so comforting for that hour, found a happy memory. They were small medals that he gave to them and his cardinal, to distribute them in the name of the Vicar of Jesus Christ. They were medals that with the effigy of the Pope - which would have been for each one, as for the Poet, with a sweet paternal image bearing the sweet image of Don Bosco in the act of cultivating, as he knew how to do, the first youths, and to lead them to God. "It is your youth that walks to God by so high, with such sublime aspirations, he finds in Blessed Don Bosco - a great cultivator of priestly vocations so that he can say, that he works in this direction even today, indeed today more than ever, he feels - your model of priestly preparation before, and then life and priestly activity. We have been able to see the Blessed very closely, to build ourselves in the presence of both preparations and to see everything that not everyone had the pleasure of seeing even among his children. Since his preparation for sanctity, the preparation of virtue, the preparation of piety, was seen by all because it was the whole life of Don Bosco: his life at all times was a continuous immolation of charity, a continuous recollection of prayer : this is the impression you had most of your conversation: a man who was attentive to everything that happened before him. There were people who came from all over, from Europe, from China, from Africa, from India, who with one thing, who with another: and He stood on two feet, as if it were what of a moment, he felt everything, he grasped everything, he responded to everything and always in a high concentration. One would have said that he was not waiting for anything that was said around him: he would have said that his thought was elsewhere and it was really so; it was elsewhere: it was with God in a spirit of union; but then here he is to answer to all: and he had the exact word for everything and for himself so really to wonder: in fact before he surprised and then too surprised. This is the life of holiness and meditation, signatures and relentless daylight hours. But many missed what was the preparation of his intelligence, the preparation of science, the preparation of the study and there are many who do not have the idea of what Don Bosco gave and devoted to study. He had studied very much, he continued for a long time to study vastly and one day he told us what he had not confided to anyone, but that, meeting with a man of books and a library, he seemed to have to say: he had a vast curriculum, a vast plan also of ecclesiastical historiography: "but then - he added - I saw that the Lord was calling me. for another way: perhaps I lacked the equipment of spirit, of intelligence, of memory". And so he thought of giving himself to the life of charity, to the work of charity by applying itself to lavish all the treasures and all the studies that it had been collecting. But this explains how he was able to write so many useful things especially for youth, not things of a special scientific level, but suitable for everyone, so that they could better reach their goal that the great Apostle set himself. Audience with the Superiors of the Salesian Houses of Italy (August 23, 1933). The Salesians have as their motto what the dear Don Bosco felt in meditation, in the light of the Redemption: Da mihi animas, the souls! each of which represents, so to speak, a drop of the Blood of the Son of God! Audience with the Dutch Cooperators (2 October 1933). Given thanks for the joy that the visit of those dear children of little Holland gave him, small but also great for his zeal in the field of Missionary Apostolate and Catholic Action, His Holiness added: This visit is even more welcome, because you come to Our presence in the name of Blessed Don Bosco; a well-known name dear to all Catholics, as its charitable work is widespread, a name particularly dear to our heart, because divine Providence has placed the great educator of souls among those men whom we have been able to know, receiving traits of true benevolence; and again because divine Providence has chosen us to raise it to the first honors of the altars, while, with God's help, we hope to be able to do even more. For all these reasons the welcome was addressed to those children with special effusion; just as was the special wish for abundant and lasting fruits to draw from the Holy Jubilee, fruits developed and used in the best way, because those good children "Salesian Cooperators" were animated by the apostolic spirit of the Family of Don Bosco. Then tracing briefly the program of the "Salesian Cooperator", which means collaborator with Jesus Christ in the work of the Redemption (of which precisely the nineteenth century was celebrated), a work of salvation for souls, precisely according to Don Bosco's program which he had the motto "Da mihi animas ...", he invited the Cooperators to redouble their zeal for the salvation of souls, especially of the young, so threatened and threatened in our day and therefore so dear to his heart. ... the words - noted His Holiness - "Da mihi animas, caetera tulle" with which the Founder of the Salesians designated his intention to bring souls to the life of grace, are the same words with which the Savior summed up His whole work of Redemption, whereby souls had to obtain "life" with an ever greater abundance. This admirable and faithful correspondence of Don Bosco's program to that of the Redeemer, must urge all children to work with zeal and with particular enthusiasm, to realize in themselves and spread the great program, which is the main goal of this Holy Year ... Audience with the students of the "Villa Sora" Institute in Frascati (27 October 1933). You are the favorite of the Catholic family and then you have a very special title, because you come to Us in the name of Don Bosco who is so dear to us even before the whole world called him Blessed, because not only the great Servant of God calls us, who We have had the good fortune, indeed the grace, to raise to the first honors of the altars, in the desire and waiting to bring it to even higher honors; but he says an ancient knowledge and almost, we were about to say, a paternal friendship, when in the early years of our priesthood, we spent some time with him. It is to tell you with what complacency we see you, we salute you. Let us add another title for which you are dear to us: you come to Us for the extraordinary Jubilee that we have proclaimed to the whole world in the memory of the accomplished work of our Redemption, which is 19 times centenary. You must then make a special reflection on the condition of students of Don Bosco. In fact this treasure you receive every day comes directly from the Cross, and is the treasure of Christian education. Because the overall fruit of the Redemption is the Christian life which the world had lost and which is precisely the invention of Jesus who brought it from Heaven and held it in his name. You must think that from this life you enjoy all the riches to the point of luxury, and that every particle of this life that you receive every day is a drop of the Blood of Our Lord. It is to say then with how much diligence you must treasure everything to prepare yourself for the great life that awaits you and guard it against all those who could rob you of it. Because the day will come when you have to go out into the world and then we tell you what a great Christian writer said to his daughter: "Be careful, when you will be in the world then, look carefully that it is stronger than you and could do you much harm" ( Manzoni). You must think that from this life you enjoy all the riches to the point of luxury, and that every particle of this life that you receive every day is a drop of the Blood of Our Lord. It is to say then with how much diligence you must treasure everything to prepare yourself for the great life that awaits you and guard it against all those who could rob you of it. Because the day will come when you have to go out into the world and then we tell you what a great Christian writer said to his daughter: "Be careful, when you will be in the world then, look carefully that it is stronger than you and could do you much harm" ( Manzoni). You must think that from this life you enjoy all the riches to the point of luxury, and that every particle of this life that you receive every day is a drop of the Blood of Our Lord. It is to say then with how much diligence you must treasure everything to prepare yourself for the great life that awaits you and guard it against all those who could rob you of it. Because the day will come when you have to go out into the world and then we tell you what a great Christian writer said to his daughter: "Be careful, when you will be in the world then, look carefully that it is stronger than you and could do you much harm" ( Manzoni). It is to say then with how much diligence you must treasure everything to prepare yourself for the great life that awaits you and guard it against all those who could rob you of it. Because the day will come when you have to go out into the world and then we tell you what a great Christian writer said to his daughter: "Be careful, when you will be in the world then, look carefully that it is stronger than you and could do you much harm" ( Manzoni). It is to say then with how much diligence you must treasure everything to prepare yourself for the great life that awaits you and guard it against all those who could rob you of it. Because the day will come when you have to go out into the world and then we tell you what a great Christian writer said to his daughter: "Be careful, when you will be in the world then, look carefully that it is stronger than you and could do you much harm" ( Manzoni). Audience with the Guardia Palatina d'Onore (May 27, 1934). The Holy Father, receiving the Palatine Guard, referring to the Commander small medals to be distributed to the participants and their families, so he closed his paternal speech: They are current medals and bear the effigy of a great soldier: St. John Bosco, who the rest of the world will continue to call Don Bosco. He was a great subject, an exemplary soldier of Christ and most honorable guard, most faithful of the Holy Church and of what the Heart of the Redeemer and of the Church hold dearest: the youth, bearer of the future, for which he, in a special way , much work. Don Bosco was therefore not only a model of virtue, of perfection, of priestly activity, but he was also, in all directions of good, the soldier, the invincible and tireless worker. Don Bosco will therefore be a powerful intercessor also for the members of the Palatine Guard, for everything the heart of each one desires, and for the purpose of achieving all the good for their own persons, for their families and children. Audience with the "Piccola Missione Gualandi" for the deaf and dumb, in the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation (28 May 1934). The Holy Father, after having highly praised a work so beautiful and divine, while holding Don Bosco's medals at hand, expressed himself as follows: For you, for this very auspicious circumstance we hold a medal in store which we will distribute to you with Our own hands: keep it dear, since we consider it to be truly topical, we will only say it yesterday; keep the medal of St. John Bosco, of Don Bosco as everyone calls him, of this great saint whom we have had the greatest pleasure of raising to the sublime honors of the altars. Keep it as a dear memory of the circumstance: this is the medal of a Saint who so loved youth and especially poor and derelict youth. Take him dear Don Bosco as one of your dearest friends and also invoke him as one of your particular Protectors. Audience with journalists from Rome (10 June 1934). At the end of the speech to the speakers, the Holy Father, before imparting the Apostolic Blessing, added: " We want to give all those present a remembrance of this dear audience and refer the lawyer to Vignoli, so that he can deliver them to everyone present, in Our name, of the medals of Don Bosco, Saint John Bosco - all of whom will continue to call him always Don Bosco - who can be proposed to all as a type and model for that specimen of perfect humanity that he implemented in himself: but it can also be rightly held up as a special protector of journalists, since for the press he had a special predilection, making it the particular object of all his immense good, especially the one operated for the benefit of dear youth and which still persists. Don Bosco had a special predilection for the press and it was precisely with regard to printing presses that one day, to ourselves that we rejoiced with him around the perfection of his typographical system, the dear Saint replied, speaking in the third person like him he used to do hinting at himself: "Don Bosco wants to be, as always, at the forefront of progress". Audience at the Roman Seminary (16 June 1934). The presence of those chosen children revived in the Holy Father the memory of the Holy Year: of that divine Redemption of which they, as future priests, were preparing to become the instruments, the conservators and the dilators; and together with this memory it also evoked the figure of St. John Bosco: But the Holy Year of the Redemption ended, above all the horizons, calling up the attention of the whole world, recalling - it would almost say - the attention of heaven and earth; - therefore, the Holy Year ended with the figure of a great priest, who had the true and active awareness of being the instrument of Redemption, especially with regard to the youth so threatened, so unsafe, so needy. Therefore, Saint John Bosco agrees that it will be proposed as a model of you, of you future priests. If St. John Bosco is considered from a first point of view, he appears as a priest who has had no other aspiration than the pious and devoted cultivation of souls. We recall, in fact, that we saw him, personally, everything and completely understood in the confessions: to the consolation of the souls who entrusted themselves to him: to the priestly exercise. And this was what St. John Bosco did because he knew how the first, the most profound, was pity. But then, from another point of view, one can still look at the figure of St. John Bosco. And we, in fact, also had the opportunity to ask ourselves if Don Bosco had not, by chance, followed a true vocation that called him to study. Certainly Don Bosco had a great love of study, a sympathy and - one would almost say a seduction of study, so much so that he could even run the risk of falling victim to the studio. Don Bosco thought of giving the Church and Italy a story that was for the Church precisely what for Italy was and is the work of Muratori, a holy priest himself. Here are two aspects of the figure of St. John Bosco; and from this double consideration you, young seminarians, are called to reflect on what is right for you, precisely for you: on piety and study. Here, in fact, is what the Most Eminent Cardinal, Superiors and Teachers inculcate in you: piety and study, study and piety. But pity must always be in the first place, because if the study is instead put forward to everything, it becomes a sumptuous uselessness and a splendid danger. Instead, aiming at the figure of St. John Bosco, you young people can freely prepare yourselves for life and action; for that figure constitutes a true wonder for all, so few are they in the history of the priesthood and of the apostolate that they have done so much and have prepared so much for the health of souls. - "Da mihi animas: give me souls" - is the motto of Saint John Bosco. Here, then, is a figure that you, or young seminarians, have opportunely come to evoke at the closing of the Holy Year, at the end of the school year. We hope, therefore, as we wish you, that that figure is an example of a life lived for the life you are preparing to live. And with this vow, after being congratulated for all the good we have done, we want to finish Our words, recognizing that you, beloved children, do not just want to keep yourselves where you have reached the way of perfection, but instead proceed further. Finally, at the Juridical Seminary, at the Major Seminary, at the Minor Seminary, we present to all those present the implored Apostolic Blessing; but with special predilection we want this to come down to the little ones, to the little ones; since life is before them in life; since they most need divine blessings. • But we still want to give you, beloved children, a memory of your visit, and so we hand over the medals of St. John Bosco to our beloved Cardinal, so that you can all rightly say that you received them from the very hands of the Pope . And we do this so that you always have a memory that tells you what the Pope hopes with joyful certainty from all of you: - that you are, that is, priests aspiring to be holy priests; for that is an aspiration not only permitted, but a duty. Hearing at the Pius XI Professional Institute in Rome (30 May 1934). Two auspicious coincidences. Thank God and His divine Mother. Imitate Don Bosco. Faithfulness to duty. The preciousness of souls. The secret of all Saints. The Salesian Family. We really don't know where to start to thank you for so many beautiful and very consoling things, for which we feel the duty, indeed the urgency, to express Our gratitude. All that you brought us beautiful things: happy welcome branches, canticles, the sublime sweet Ave Maria Dante, I remember, far in time, but present in the soul and in the heart. And we can well say, admiring your gifts, work of your technical ability, to be in a certain way in your own home, as we were then and as you are now in our House, in the House of the Father. Then the beautiful volumes in which you wanted to collect the words Nostre around the dear Saint John Bosco, from the first to the last, to the most recent. All this was crowned by a dear, incomparable, holy interpretation, so warm with affection, like the one your partner presented to us as an expression of those filial feelings that animate you all. But nothing more beautiful, dear and precious than the gift of your people, of your filial visit. It is the most beautiful gift you have come to bring us: it is the gift, it is the strenna for Our birthday. This date is certainly not indifferent to Us: it is the chime of the years that pass, it is the memory of all the gifts that the divine Goodness has granted us, it is a paternal warning that is getting closer and closer to the day, as the peasants say of the Po valley, to go home. You have chosen these two moments so beautiful: the end of May and the birthday to come and bring us your best wishes, to say your gratitude, that of all the great, world-wide great Family of Don Bosco Santo - and say well: Don Bosco Saint - because the world will not be able to call him St. John Bosco, but always Don Bosco, Don Bosco Santo. Great recognition, true spectacle of gratitude, because so great is your Family, of which you are only the representatives and the interpreters. And all this is to say to you, most beloved children, with what feelings we have passed you in this quick review that has given us the opportunity to approach one by one and make of each one your personal knowledge, that knowledge that Don Bosco Santo had so admirably easy for everyone His sons. We congratulate you on these feelings, because the whole world recognizes them clearly, in their place; so much was the favor with which God has distinguished the sons of Don Bosco, and all those to whom the benefit of his work is extended, truly descended "dn1 heaven on earth to miraculously show". We believe we must also be at the forefront in the expression of these duties of gratitude, because we have had the privilege of knowing Don Bosco as a pastor in this land, and then having him, with a lip and a heart, proclaimed and placed among the districts of Heaven. It is a privilege that we recognize to ourselves with all humility and of which we cannot but thank the Lord in special fashion. It is telling you how and how much we feel in unison with you, with the sons of Don Bosco, with all his family, in any part of the world, everywhere he explains and continues the work of him that was the work of an apostle, a staunch soldier of Jesus Christ, of incomparable friend of the youth, of savior of so many souls: "Da mihi animas". We thank God and his divine Mother, who was truly the Help of Christians of Don Bosco Santo; the divine Mother who entered with so large a contribution in everything that has taken place in this so beneficial crowning, from the first light of Don Bosco Santo: and here indeed, always under the influence of this maternal help for which Don Bosco knew how good to express gratitude, here is the new church that stands near Noi. Dear children, let us thank the Lord and admire his work: and to the Lord above all we must render honor and glory, that the honor and the glory that the Church never ceases to pay. But then it is necessary - and this is what suits everyone, and all the more to you to propose to imitate what is celebrated and honored with so much joy. Imitating Don Bosco may seem very difficult to the first, so complex, gigantic, his figure appears; yet his sanctity is one of the most imitable. Moreover, all holiness can be imitated; one can imitate the very holiness of God; since imitating, even in all other directions such as in art, does not mean copying, it does not mean reproducing, no; to imitate means to enter into a certain order of ideas, into a deteiminata tendency of spirit; make some effort to go up a certain direction. This is what art does by imitating nature, and indeed Dante says the Now in Don Bosco's life we must imitate his heroic fidelity to duty at all times, just as in the succession of daily occupations it presented itself. He was always ready to dedicate himself to the last meeting, at the last request. He was ready to dedicate himself to everything and everyone, as if everyone and everything were the only thing and the only person. Now responding with devout readiness to duty, whatever it may be, is possible and necessary for everyone. Therefore do your duty; this is the foundation of all sanctity. But, beloved children, there is also something else that you will have to learn from the examples of your Saint, your great Founder. You have a particular reason to remember the "da mihi animas" of your and Our Don Bosco. When he did this prayer he prayed for you, and God heard him and gave him your souls, so that he might benefit them according to the spirit of God. With this he taught you and put forward a great idea, a great work: the idea of the preciousness of the souls that must be saved, the need to preserve the benefit of Christian education and an uncommon Christian education, but sincerely, generously, brightly Christian, an invaluable benefit for you, for families, for society, for the Church. You will be distinguished sons and then fathers of families; distinguished citizens of society and children of the Church always ready to perform worthily all your duties to yourself, to God, to the State, to society. You you will be profoundly Christian, and with this everything is said. You will feel, in a word, duty as imposed by the word of God, and you will know that you must carry it out before men and God. And another particular duty to appreciate this preciousness of souls lies in reflecting on so many other young souls who do not have the spiritual treasures of education that are imparted to you so richly! This is why, dearly beloved children, you owe as much as you are given, with prayer and example, with your work, even with your missionary work so characteristic of the Salesian spirit, to study to communicate also to others the great benefit you have received. And there is still another reflection. Where did Don Bosco draw this love for souls? It's clear. He loved them so much, because he loved Jesus Christ. He considered that even for one of these souls, Christ would give his blood. This is the secret of all Saints. They considered what Jesus Christ did when he did not believe he was paying too much for the health of souls, even of one soul, by shedding all his precious blood. It is the word of God, "pro animabus" and the Apostle remembers it and then adds that other word so heard: "dilexit me et tradidit semetipsum pro me". Here, most beloved children, what Don Bosco Santo said to himself so many times in his meditations, in his busy life. Here's what you need to do. To thank and then above all to imitate. And it is that, most beloved children, that we know that you always want to do and that is why in the blessings that we are to give to those present and to all those who represent us, we also want to put a sense of gratitude. We see how in a magnificent vision, in a most welcome vision that you evoke to Our spirit, the whole Family of Don Bosco, as big as the world. And with this vision, we want Our Blessing to reach the extreme horizons. We bless those you represent most particularly: your families, homes and relationships, all that is dearest to you. In a special way we bless this Work that you are carrying out, this journey of primary importance, which is the preparation for life, and what will be the fruit of the present Christian education. When in life you will bear the fruit, the apostolate of the example of a life lived in a Christian way, you will say not in words but in deeds, how do you become good Christians and good citizens. It will be the apostolate of your life, the apostolate of the good word, of that good-natured word that does not want to be a teaching but goes amicably to the heart; and then again that apostolate which is the easiest and most powerful, the apostate day of prayer, so that the Kingdom of God may come. But first of all you will be diligent for your souls, so that they do not fall into temptation, because the world does not it will be for you without danger and therefore you must now pray and prepare yourself to defend the treasure you possess. Manzoni, to the daughter who was about to enter the world, said: "Dear daughter, now you are rich in all the treasures of divine grace, but you enter the world; care that this world does not have to be stronger than you ». They are words of profound humility and of high Christian prudence. Sure to interpret the sentiments of your gratitude, we intend to impart a special blessing to your superiors, directors, teachers, teachers, to all the sons of Don Bosco, to all those who lavish for you the highest energies of their souls and of the their life. These blessings should be accompanied by all the blessings of God that come down from Heaven and always accompany you, for the whole life that lies before you, while on the contrary we are almost completely behind you now, and they will accompany you now and always. We want to give you a memory. They are small medals of the glorified Saint on the solemnity of Easter; you already understand that I am of Don Bosco Santo; you will certainly already have it and in abundance, but we give them to you by our hand, we hand them over to your director so that he can distribute them to each of you and so everyone can and must say that they have received them from the hands of the common Father of all the faithful. Speech of Pius XI on the occasion of the proclamation of the heroic virtues of Ven. Maria Domenica Mazzarello. The most humble simplicity. Government talent. The secret of humility. The divine school of humility. "Ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes" It is for happy, and not by chance, that we find ourselves gathered on this day, and for the subject that the Ven. Servant of God Maria Domenica Mazzarello presents to us. That meeting was in fact good in these early beginnings of the holy month of Mary, of the month of May; it was good that at this juncture we were dealing with the Servant of God, who in her name was gathered together, of her who was the ancient Daughter of Mary and who, at the beginning of a month of May, saw the light of life, and in the first half of another month of May he opened his eyes to the eternal light. The Venerable was an exemplary Daughter of Mary: there is already something great in a life that unfolds and takes place under the gaze and guidance of this Mother. But, beyond that, here is that in the first aspect, and not only in the first, this Venerable presents herself with all the characters - and they are not easily found in the measure she had - of the most humble simplicity. A simple, very simple figure; but of a simplicity typical of simpler bodies, such as, for example, gold; simple, but rich in many very special prerogatives, qualities and qualities. Precisely this was the humble Servant of God. The Decree read in fact and the beautiful, very edifying comment that the Rector Major of the great Salesian Families had added to it, already eloquently they had said the many details of holiness of this figure of Ven. Maria Mazzarello and his life. But there is a word of its own in the Decree that beautifully refers precisely to the center of this holiness and invites us to consider the most suitable case: it is when it says that the Lord has blessed in a special way the humility of the Servant of God. It is truly this, humility, the characteristic note of the life of the Venerable. His great humility: one could say that he is a full conscience, and the continuous practical memory of his humble origin, of his humble condition, of his humble work. Peasant girl, little village dressmaker, of humble formation and education: Christian education is true, therefore extremely precious, but which was lacking, we can say, all that is commonly meant by education; even the most modest instruction, albeit in the most modest measure. There remained that simplicity which God, the only preparer of souls, had in fact prepared in such a chosen soul; and it seemed to the Holy Father to enter into the tastes of God and of the same Venerable following and studying the secret of life lived by the Servant of God and of the posthumous life that she comes by expounding so many people and works. His humility. It was so great as to invite us to ask ourselves what God sees blessed in a humble, truly, profoundly humble soul, who, precisely because of humility, so much, one would say, seduces him, and makes him do it to the highest wonders in favor of that same soul and other wonders through it. There is first of all an observation: this small, simple, poor peasant girl, who had only a rudimentary education, soon shows what is called a talent, one of the greatest talents: the talent of the government. This is a very great thing: and she proves that she possesses it and possesses it to such an extent that a man like St. John Bosco, the famous Don Bosco, so profound connoisseur of men, and so intelligent and expert in the government of men and of things, he immediately sees that rare and precious talent, and he is worth it. Who knows then how many will have said: what ever comes to mind to Don Bosco? But even the choice could not have been better; and that choice was the fruit of the discovery of that talent; and the opportunity and effectiveness of choice was demonstrated not only by the stable, secure foundation of the new Family of Mary Help of Christians, but also by the rapid, marvelous enlargement and propagation of the thriving Institute. Here we are indeed before the language that eloquent numbers: in 1881, on May 14, the Servant of God was still alive, and she in a few years he had already seen his work expand, multiply. At the time we live (1936) there are 734 houses, 66 mission houses, 8352 nuns, nuns, 1100 novices. Here is the great eloquence, the great poetry of the numbers: true wonder, true poetry that makes the question legitimate: what then sees God in this true, profound, total humility to prove himself so wide of his most precious gifts, since it is here of such a high talent, of such a great work, of such widespread multiplication of souls? When we think of the value of the soul - the Lord gave his life for me, exclaims the Apostle - what, then, in the humility that adores him sees the Lord? The question imposes itself, especially when reflected by contrast, with what the world sees in humility. Rarely does the world prove so foolish in its albagia and its supposed wisdom. For the world humility, simplicity is poverty in the most miserable and compassionate sense of the word. What does God instead see in humility? He himself, the Lord, has taken care of dissolving this problem, which presents itself in a discouraging way. He told us this in one of the most beautiful words of Saint Paul, when he had the Apostle say to the address of the non-humble, of the proud, of those who believe they can boast and boast of something: quality, deeds, works, the word so solemn, so admonitory: Quid habes quod non accepisti? si autem accepisti, quid gloriaris almost not acceperis? Here is the whole secret of humility: for it the soul esteems and sees real splendors of truth, majesty of justice, sweetness of gratitude; the relationships that must intercede between the soul and God. Through humility the soul sees what God is in truth; he knows what God must do, in justice; performs what is an obligation towards God, in gratitude. Here is the substance of humility: in truth; to go back to the origin first; for everything comes from God: what have you got that you have not received from God? in justice: in the attribution of glory to God: non nobis, Domine, sed name from gloriam; What God sees in humility, the views of God about humility are perfectly opposite to what the world sees. What therefore sees God? He sees in humility, in the humble soul a light, a form, a delineation before which he cannot resist, for he depicts in his most wise beauty and in the most fundamental and constructive lines, the physiognomy of his delighted only-begotten Son. And this is a thought expressed by the same divine Master. It is he himself who says, in this regard: "Learn from me". What to learn? "Learn from me that I am gentle and humble of heart". Truly we will never consider enough what these few words say: "Learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart". He is the divine Master, bearer of all the treasures of Wisdom, of Science, of Holiness, who tells us: "Learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart", as if he had nothing else to teach us, these poor men , to this poor humanity that had also lost the traces of truth, even the thread to trace it and that had everything, everything to learn. Come to the Lord told her, all men are told: "Learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart", as if we had nothing else to learn, as if this learned had learned all that we need from us for the reconstruction of souls, for the moral reconstruction of the world. Here are some lessons that only the infinite wisdom of God could give us; here, through infinite transparencies, what God sees in humility. And as far as the divine sympathy of the Heart of God for humility has come, he tells us today, the Holy Church reminds us of it, on this day of the Invention of the Holy Cross, when it makes us remedy those words, great words that powerfully recall the tops of the paths traveled by the divine Incarnate Word: Humiliavit semetipsum ... usque ad mortem, mortem autem Crucis. Here is how far love has come, the divine sympathy for humility: to a summit of love, to a summit of humiliation that also leads, however, to a summit of exaltation, of glory, of reward: "Propter quod Deus exaltavit Illum, et dedit Illi Nomen, quod est super orane nomen, ut in Nomine Jesu orane genu flectatur coelestium, terrestrium et infernorum ... ». The world does not think, is not capable of thinking that all this universal genuflection, adoration, exaltation of the divine Name is the recognition of humiliations, of humility exercised, as far as it could be, by the love of God. Here is something very precious and of which we can thank Ven. Mazzarello, for the memory she gives us. From her, in fact, there comes this indication, and the whole Mazzarello, for the memory he gives us. In fact, this indication comes from her, and the whole Mazzarello, for the memory he gives us. In fact, this indication comes from her, and the whole his life and work are precisely in this order of ideas, in this divine caption, and divine school of humility. The Holy Father did not want to add except the Blessing, which those beloved children had asked him for all the families of St. John Bosco and of Ven. Mazzarello, the exemplar, an ancient daughter of Mary. And she also reminds us of Mary and repeats to us the supreme lesson of humility, since the Mother of God exclaimed that she owed herself her election and glory to humility: "Respexit humilitatem ancillae nuns". The Mother of God is called the servant, the servant of God; and therefore, "ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes". It is beautiful to consider Ven. Maria Domenica Mazzarello in this light, in the very light of Mary. She too can repeat: the Lord has looked at my humility, my simplicity and for this with infinite kindness: "Beatam me dicent omnes generationes". And in fact all the people of the world already know his name, the houses, the works, his religious; here on this very day that reminds us and reminds us of the great humiliations of the Cross, the possibility that the Servant of God may one day repeat, and more appropriately: «Beatam me dicent omnes generationes ». The Holy Father Pius XI wanted to entrust the technical and administrative direction of the two Vatican printers to the Salesians. We report here the words addressed to the Director Sac. Don Giuseppe Fedel and the Salesian sects, who formed the new community with the title «Salesian House of Saint Francis of Sales s. His Holiness, wrote L'Osservatore Romano, admitted everyone to the kiss of the hand, paternally asking for news of each one and addressing all wishing words of trust and encouragement. He said that the idea of calling the Salesians to the leadership of the Poliglotta Vaticana Printing Office was all his own, and had long been giving them permission, having always followed and admired the vast and exemplary work of the Salesian Society in this field too, which the Holy Founder had shown them, with the intuition of the seer, he saw and felt the decisive help in typographic and editorial art, in our day, for the apostolate and Christian education. The typography of the Holy See, for its traditions, for the works which it gives hand to, look, from the highest summit of the activities of the Catholic press, to these ideals that guided and comforted the sons of Don Bosco in an ascent worthy of such a goal. Here, as in the Oratory, the press takes place in all its expressions, culminating in the newspaper. And this His Holiness especially recommended to the care of the new Directorate being well known to everyone as much as he loves him and wants him more and more responsive to his noble mission. Before imparting his very special blessing, the Holy Father had a program, a special "slogan" to give to those who liked it, to define his new cooperators. A program, a word especially dear to them: for he loved to repeat them directly from St. John Bosco. The first time the Pope met the Saint and his works, he admired the flourishing promises of the Oratory Typography. It was then that the Saint told him he was and wanted to stay at the forefront of progress. This purpose of the Founder, so splendidly implemented in all Salesian printing houses and publishing houses, had to be, from now on, entirely proper to the Salesians for the Vatican Polyglot Typography. To implore God's help for the successful implementation of this vow and mandate, His Holiness imparted with all his heart to the onlookers the Apostolic Blessing. Eugenio Pacelli was born in Rome on 2 March 1876. He was ordained a priest on 2 April 1899. He worked in the Secretariat of State. In 1917 he was elected Apostolic Nuncio in Germany and consecrated bishop by the Supreme Pontiff himself on 13 May. In 1929 he was created Cardinal and Secretary of State. In the very short conclave of 1-2 March 1939 he was elected Pope and crowned on 12 March. Pius XII approved the Decree of the Congregation of Seminaries and of the University of Studies of May 3, 1940, which he erected. the Pontifical Salesian Athenaeum (PAS). On the 24th, June 1951 he canonized Santa Maria Mazzarello. Beatified (5 March 1950) and canonized (12 June 1954) San Domenico Savio. He proclaimed the heroicity of the virtues of Don Michele Rua (26 June 1953). He introduced the cause of Beatification of Zeffirino Namuncurà (10 December 1956). Introduced the cause of Beatification of Dorotea de Chopitea ved. Serra (June 21, 1957). In 19 years of Pontificate he elected 37 Bishops (Salesians 19.553). In the general audience to a great multitude of faithful, including numerous newlyweds. One of the purest glories of the Church and of Italy. Destined for a providential mission. Oratory, not laboratory. Becchi, a kind of Oratory. Reason and religion. The lesson of the example. Fear branch. «Try to make yourself loved 5. Now it is more than a century, in a petty farmhouse in Piedmont lived a little boy with a very modest condition with his two little brothers. Having been left fatherless early, he, who then had to be called the father of the orphans, had only his mother's care. With what wisdom, however, this simple peasant woman without education, but guided by the Holy Spirit, educated her son in the fullest and highest sense of the word, we can say that the Church herself recognized it, raising on the altars the one, of whom today is celebrates the festival with the name of San Giovanni Bosco. This humble priest, who later became one of the purest glories of the Church and of Italy, was a marvelous educator, and therefore his life offers you, dear sons and daughters, future fathers and mothers of families, the most useful and healthy ones. lessons. When God entrusts a child to Christian spouses, he almost seems to repeat to them what Pharaoh's daughter said to the mother of little Moses: "Take this child and raise me" (Ex. Parents in divine intention are the first educators of their children. However, it should be recognized that in the current conditions of social life the urgent concern of daily bread makes it sometimes difficult for them to fully fulfill such an essential duty. Such was also the situation, when John Bosco was already dreaming of helping and al need to replace parents in this serious office. That he was providentially destined for such a mission, his heart told him with an early attraction; his soul had as its revelation in a dream of his early years, in which he saw wild animals suddenly changed into meek lambs, which he led obediently to the pasture. To know how he translated this dream into action, we need to remember the education he received and the one he gave; one is in him joined with the other; the mother, whom he had, largely explains the father he was to others. Don Bosco, by founding his first house of education and teaching, wanted to call it "not a laboratory, but an oratory", as he himself said, because he intended to make it first and foremost a place of prayer, "a small church where young boys could gather" . But his ideal was also that the oratory would become, for the boys he would have collected, almost a domestic hearth. Was it not because "Mamma Margaret" had made a sort of oratory for him of the Becchi house? Imagine the young widow there with the three children kneeling for the morning and evening prayer; see them, like little angels, in their festive dresses, which she has carefully removed from the wardrobe, go to the village of Morialdo to attend Mass. In the afternoon, after the frugal meal, in which the only sweet pastry was a piece of blessed bread, here they are gathered around her. She reminds them of the commandments of God and of the Church, the great lessons of the catechism, the means of health; then he tells, with the delicate poetry of pure souls and popular imaginations, the tragic story of the sweet Abel and the evil Cain, the idyll of Isaac and Rebecca, the ineffable mystery of Bethlehem, the painful death of the good Jesus, put into cross for us on Calvary. Who can measure the profound influence of the first maternal teachings! Don Bosco, who had become a priest, attributed to them his tender and trusting devotion to Mary Most Holy and the Divine Host, which another dream showed him later as the two columns, to which the souls of his students, thrown like fragile ships into stormy sea of the world, they had to firmly anchor themselves to find salvation and peace. Religion is therefore the first foundation of a good education. But Don Bosco wanted reason associated with it; reason illuminated by faith. This true reason, as indicated by the very origin of the Latin word "ratio", consists above all in measure and wisdom, in equilibrium and in equity. Would it be, for example, consistent to want to correct in a child the defects that occur every day in front of him? the willing submissive and obedient, if the leaders, the ecclesiastical or civil superiors are criticized in his presence, if he disobeys the ordinations of God or the just laws of the State? It would be reasonable to want your children to be loyal if you are malicious; sincere, if you are liars; generous, if you are selfish; charitable, if you are stingy; sweets and patients, The best lesson is always the example. At the Becchi farmhouse the "Mamma Margherita" did not do too many exhortations at work. But, since the head of the family had disappeared, the brave widow put her own hand to the plow, to the sickle, to the hoop, and with her example - one reads - she tired the same men of toil, taken to the day in the time of the harvest and of threshing. Formed at this school, little Giovanni, at the age of four, already took part in the common work, unraveling the hemp stalks, and having grown old, consecrated all his time to work, giving only five hours to sleep and even keeping watch a whole night every week. In this, it must be confessed, he goes beyond the right limits of human reason. But the supernatural reason of the saints admits, To displease a father or mother: the supreme pain of a well-bred child! This is what John Bosco had also experienced in his domestic hearth, where a slight sign, an attracted glance from his mother were enough to make him repent of a first movement of infantile jealousy. Therefore he wanted the educator to use constant concern as the main means of action, animated by a truly paternal tenderness. Parents must therefore also give their children the best time available to them, instead of dissipating them far from them in dangerous distractions or in places where they would blush to lead them. With this love directed by reason and with this reason enlightened by the spirit of faith, family education will not be subject to those deplorable leaps, which too often compromise it: alternatives of an indulgent weakness and a gruff severity; passages from a guilty condescension, which leaves the child without a guide, to a violent correction, which leaves him without help. Instead, the experienced tenderness of a father or a mother, to which corresponds the filial confidence, distributes with equal moderation, because it is mistress of itself, and with equal success, because it possesses the hearts of its children, deserved praise and blame needed. "Try to make yourself loved," said Saint John Bosco, and then you will be easily obeyed. " May you too, or newlyweds, future fathers and mothers of families, Pontifical decree (May 24, 1946) How great, in these times when technology and science have reached the maximum of their development and diffusion, the influence of books, newspapers and the press in general is a thing to all known . All this, as can be seen from the experience, while it is often good for the good and the salvation of men, can sometimes even return great harm to them and corruption. To prevent, so far as is possible, so much evil, it seemed good to the Society of Italian Catholic Publishers to ask for the high protection of a heavenly Patron, from whom all those who work in this field took the example and to whom they were inspired to shape the own thinking and mentality. Now, this exalted task did not seem to be better entrusted to others than to Saint John Bosco, who did not spare labor or effort to spread healthy books everywhere, and reached the point of making large purchases of writings infected with heresy, of replacing them with good books, and to write others himself, adapting them to the mentality and culture of the Christian people. In undertaking and pursuing this kind of apostolate, he in turn chose St. Francis de Sales as guide and protector; and being distinguished himself by virtue and all lit up with zeal for souls, he also instituted a religious society whose purpose was also to divulge everywhere books and periodicals of clear Christian inspiration, providing for this the subsidies and the necessary tools to give stability to this enterprise. And in fact, he chose first of all several collaborators, distinguished by science and culture and all turned to the same love for souls; therefore he founded printing houses, equipped with modern and the most perfect machinery. With these means, in addition to the series of brochures written by him tolate Catholic Reading, which spread among the people and especially among the student youth to attract them to the good, he succeeded in offering great achievements in school book publishing, just then when the others disputed not to finish on the opportunity or not to have them read the ancient classical authors, elegant certainly in the form, but opposed to the purposes of a Christian education. Under his direction, therefore, were later published works by Latin, Greek and Italian writers, wisely purged according to the needs of the young soul, together with a series of the best Christian writers: and in such noble labor, he lacked neither capacity nor the encouraging number of employees. Always on the initiative and under the impulse of Saint John Bosco, dictionaries of various languages and general culture, or concerning special subjects, were printed and disseminated; books on history, physics, philosophy, theology, art and music, as well as plays for theatrical performances. In a word, supremely solicitous of the good of the young students, he strove in every way to keep away from them, so delicate and inconsistent, every danger, and to educate them in the sense of modesty and piety by reading books in which the Christian virtue is highlighted and the exemplary life of the Saints is narrated. Also at heart were the people of God, who were also studying to teach with various publications: suffice it to say that, among these, of the already mentioned Catholic Readings, 50 years after their foundation, almost 10 million copies had already been published , and that the same zealous Master spread in every where popular books of history and religion and flying leaflets without number, to counter the bad colluvie of insane or hostile writings to the Catholic truth. Finally, having ignited in the minds of many, with the publication of the official period of the Salesian Congregation entitled Salesian Bulletin's love for missionary works and aroused so many priestly vocations, he has himself made himself supremely worthy in the Church precisely through this same typographic art. So now, so that those who have the grave responsibility for printing books and periodicals can have in such an important work a Model to be inspired and a Patron from which to be helped and protected, the Society of Catholic Editors of Italy Ci he addressed a lively prayer because we deigned to be their main Patron Saint John Bosco. And We, fully approving this purpose as supremely opportune in this time so perverse of ours, in which we see so many errors in ponderous volumes and in the insignificant sheets of many newspapers and in which, therefore, it is very important to oppose print to print and to present to the eyes of the readers the pastures of genuine truth, we have willingly decided to nod to these votes. Therefore, after having heard the Venerable Our Brother Carlo Salotti, Bishop of Palestrina and Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, of certain science and after mature Our deliberation, with the fullness of Our Apostolic Authority, by virtue of this Letter we establish and proclaim Saint John Bosco, confessor, principal heavenly Patron with God of the Society of Catholic Publishers of Italy, with all the honors and liturgical privileges that by right belong to the main patrons of associations. Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Fisherman's ring, May 24, feast of Mary. Help of Christians, 1946, VIII of Our Pontificate. Pio PP. XII DECREE The children who with their clear voices perform the sacred praises, while they make the Christian temples resound with festive songs, move the minds of the listeners and elevate them towards the invisible, to heavenly thoughts. For this reason this Apostolic See has always favored and encouraged these choirs and we ourselves have surrounded the "Pueri Cantores" with particular kindness when, some years ago, in the basilica of San Pietro, around us rejoicing, they made resounding enchanting executions under the dome Michelangelo. Their presidents, belonging to 26 nations, gathered in a recent assembly, they sent us the petition because we proclaim SAN DOMENICO SAVIO, who under the guidance of St. John Bosco sang the divine praises with fervent love, as heavenly Patron with God of « Pueri Cantores ». To this plea, supported by the recommendation of our dear Son Maurizio Feltin, card. arc. of Paris, with a happy heart, We have decided to comply, We who have raised to the honors of the Saints this child, full of sweetness and fragrant with filial candor, whose imitation We have proposed to all the youth. Therefore, by decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, We, of certain science and after mature deliberation, with the fullness of the Apostolic Power, elect and declare with the present letter and forever, SAN DOMENICO SAVIO, confessor, as CELESTE PATRONO with God of "Pueri Cantores", with all the honors and liturgical privileges normally attributed to the Patrons of Associations and Orders. Despite any contrary provision: we proclaim and establish, Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Fisherman's ring, June 8, 1956, XVIII of Our Pontificate. Pio XII Homily of Pius XII for the Canonization of the heroic virgins Emilia de Vialar and Maria Mazzarello. The Christian fortress of the two virgins. Multiple Apostolate. Serene and sweet tranquility. Inflamed charity. Light that invites supernal things. While we meditate on the life of the holy virgins, that today, in this so great majesty of things and crowd of men, we have decorated the insignia of holiness, of them, indeed, to our mind, the virtue of the Christian fortress is presented , with which the two Saints, from an early age, endeavored to overcome all obstacles, which they prevented the arduous journey to achieve evangelical perfection and inculcate it, with every effort, in their companions. Abandoning the paternal home, saying goodbye with a strong and generous spirit to the joys of this life, which in high and in humble condition is also permissible to hope, nothing else to desire, nothing else to ask but the Will of God, who invited them to great missions : all these pious desires let us know their nature, which, if, by nature, was strong and courageous, was also abundantly nourished and strengthened by superior grace, so that it could grow in a marvelous way. This invincible fortitude of mind shone splendidly in the two virgins, when it was necessary that, under their guidance and moderation, the two nascent communities faced and overcome serious difficulties of every kind. Without neglecting anything, and overcoming continuous difficulties, schools for girls were opened in many places, especially of modest condition; for the same reason colleges, factories, hospices were founded. Moreover the Daughters of the two Congregations, driven by the inflamed charity of the Foundresses, lent their work to relieve anxieties, miseries, troubles, and to cure the diseases of the body they devoted themselves with so sweet manners that, often, raised the souls of the languishing and of the sick in the hope of a better life and of greater happiness. Nor is this enough: but both Emilia de Vialar and Maria Domenica Mazzarello, strongly desiring to propagate the Christian name even in distant regions not yet illuminated by the evangelical truth, sent their Daughters to help the missionaries, because in a special way they assisted them in education of girls and women. In the manifold affairs and serious enterprises it is admirable especially that the Foundresses of these sacred virgins, though distracted by such serious care, solicitude, and fatigue, and were oppressed by so many dangers, difficulties and difficulties, nevertheless lost nothing of the serene and gentle tranquility, which seemed almost an innate gift of their soul. But it was not entirely innate, it was, rather, grace infused by the sky, nourished from above, confirmed and strengthened by a strong love for God and for one's neighbor. They were, in fact, closely connected and always with the divine Redeemer; it was their delight to speak familiarly with Him and to love Him intensely. And from this inflamed charity derived an impetuous force so that it was easy to win and overcome every obstacle. This explains that golden book of the Imitation of Christ, in which we read the following phrases worthy of careful meditation: "Great is love, great good in every respect; because it only makes all weight light, and tolerates every inequality with equal heart. Pòrta, in fact, the weight without feeling it, and makes any bitterness sweet and tasty. The noble love of Jesus urges on great things, and always leads to desire more perfect things. Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger, nothing more sublime, nothing more expansive, nothing more cheerful, nothing more abundant, nothing better in heaven and on earth, since love is born of God, nor can it over-do things create quiet, but in God alone. The lover flies, runs, rejoices, is free and can not be kept. He gives everything for everything, and everything finds in all things; because it rests in that one, which is above all things, from which all good emanates and proceeds "(Imitation of Christ, 3, 5). This century of ours has much to learn from such admirable and healthy examples; many things to learn from the holy life of these virgins; men today too often repudiate the eternal good in order to aspire to the mutable and transitory, as if the pleasures of this earthly life could satisfy their infinite desires, and it happens that they are continually agitated by the mutability of things and events; they with their minds and their hearts are always prey to restlessness, since they do not rest in the love of God. They easily decide and resolve, and since their will lies unnerved, they do not rise to the splendor of the sublime things, but rather they linger in the unhappy moral baseness. All of you, therefore, who are present here, and you who are absent and who feel these words of ours by the radio, or who will read them through the press reports, turn your mind and soul to the light that emanates from these Heavenly saints, who invites you so strongly to supernal things. Be assured that there can be nothing in this mortal life more beautiful than virtue, nothing more lovable, nothing more fruitful. Christian virtue, in fact, reinforces and directs the turbid movements of the soul, tempering the will and pushing us to act strongly and rightly; in anxiety it gives quietness, in the troubles of comfort, in sorrow, serenity and in the works of the apostolate, which today belong not only to the clergy but also to the laity, it confers that prompt alacrity that requires the health of souls from all. May these two saints procure from God, the giver of all goods: in this way almost a sacred and new spring flourishes on this miserable earth; and all, each faithfully fulfilling their duty, enjoy the light of that intimate tranquility, which is the image and hope of eternal happiness to be achieved one day. In the general audience with the Religious and the Representatives convened in Rome for the Canonization of the Sante De Vialar and Mazzarello. She walks simply in the shadow of Don Bosco. Under the invisible action of Providence. United in one and the same hymn of actions of grace your joy and your gratitude, beloved daughters of the two great Saints, of whom you celebrate together the supreme glorification. According to what they consider both from the worldly and superficial side, or instead from the serious and Christian one, they appear, in turn, dissimilar to the contrast, similar to the fraternity of spirit and works. At the time when Emilia de Vialar wrote her Constitutions, she was born of simple Campagnuoli Maria Mazzarello. She grows piously, placidly, in the work of the house and the fields. In matters of human sciences and letters, she is and will always remain - and she will be pleased to proclaim him highly - poorly educated. Far from having to impose herself in order to respond to a clearly known vocation of foundress, she, on the contrary, will have to struggle in vain to screen herself. Almost by divine inspiration, the Superior is created, even before she herself and her companions had a precise idea of what religious life is. Except for a few passing clouds, she walks in the light. She does not lack either support or advice; sustained and guided by eminent men for holiness and qualified, object of the care of attentive and attentive spiritual directors, it would seem that he had only to let himself be led, and his Institute, in the shadow of that of the holy Don Bosco, was founded, established, consolidated, almost by himself. Without doubt the tribulations were not lacking to Mary, like the joys to Emilia, but they are of a very different character. How different are the two fields in which the life of the two Saints takes place, and the spirit, the object, and the development of their Institutes are equally important for their conformity. The spirit of both is to assist needs and miseries in all the most active ways, turning frequently to the most urgent and most pitiful. Therefore the object of both is very varied and manifold, and it can be said that it embraces all the branches and forms of teaching and assistance: the visit to the destitute, the solicitude for the prisoners, the care of the sick, the vigil of the dying at home and in hospitals, the dispensaries, the free teaching to the poor, made possible with that of the children of wealthy families. In this summary enumeration is the activity of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition: would there be much to change to indicate that of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians? Some incisive words of Don Bosco respond sufficiently to this question: "Their Congregation is equal to ours; has the same purpose and the same means a. Both Institutes, due to the visible influence of very different secondary causes, however, advance, under the invisible action of Providence, at a prodigiously accelerated rate, and the two Foundresses continue to carefully follow their development with their visits and their correspondence. The thought of vocations, necessary to be sufficient for so many enterprises, does not induce them either to loosen the severity in the choice and the preservation of the aspirants, or to hesitate in answering the questions of new foundations. The news, which reached the wonderful apostolic works of the Salesians in Latin America, fostered the zeal of Maria Mazzarello and her daughters and aroused, one after the other, numerous departures, not only for Argentina and Uruguay , but soon also for the Indian regions of Patagonia. Speech to the Salesian Cooperators on the occasion of the great international Convention in Rome. (12 September 1952) Most effective auxiliaries of Catholic Action. New providential Catholic lay movement. Light militia of activists of the cause of good. Supported by the Institute of which you are happy scion. Valid supporters of the Catholic Hierarchy. Implement the Salesian ideal. The visit we are receiving today from such a large representation of the great Salesian Family - the Cooperators and Cooperators of the valiant militia of St. John Bosco - is one of those delicate traits arranged by Divine Providence to put us once again before one of the duties more serious and more dear to Our heart, that is to say, those that are the care of every day, a daily instant (2 Cor. 11, 28), of our apostolic ministry. This duty, to which our soul is assiduously addressed, but to which your presence reminds us even more today, concerns that provident Catholic Action, of which the Salesian Cooperators are very effective auxiliaries. In fact you do not ignore, beloved children, that your pious Union, grafted onto the prolific lineage of the religious family of St. John Bosco, and a participant in its multiform activities and spiritual assets, does not however have for its immediate purpose to come to aid the Congregation from which you take the name, but rather, as your Holy Founder declared, "to help the Church, the bishops, the parish priests, under the high direction of the Salesians; and this, in charitable works, such as catechisms, the education of poor children, and the like ». Apostle born and arousal of apostles, Don Bosco divined, a century ago, with the intuition of genius and holiness, what was to be later in the Catholic world the mobilization of the laity against the action of the world enemy of the Church . Thus one day in 1876 the man of God, speaking of his Cooperators, was able to come out in these bold thoughts: "So far it seems a small thing; but I hope that by this means a good part of the Italian population will become Salesian and open the way to many things for us ». The farsighted zeal foresaw, under the signs of the Salesian institution, a new providential movement of the Catholic laity, which, under the overwhelming urge of the forces of evil and the illuminating conduct of the Spirit, was preparing to take the field, ordered in his paintings, formed to action, to prayer and to sacrifice, working side by side with the forces of the first line, which for divine mandate are the direction and the primary part in the holy battle. Intimately imbued with the Salesian spirit, you understand well, beloved children, what close relationships are yours with the complex of those works that are supported and promoted by the Catholic laity in aid of the Hierarchy according to the times, places and circumstances; and what assignment we can make about your cooperation. Catholic Action has the right to expect a great deal from you in the field of charity, of charity, of the good press, of vocations, of catechisms, of festive oratories, of missions, of the education of poor and unsafe youth. This is the primary purpose that the ardent soul of Don Bosco pointed to your activity; and signaling oneself in this field must be, as has always been the case here, your glory. Today this duty and this boast are, as you can see, an urgency that goes beyond the very expectation of your Founder. The Catholic world is, as never before, the target of all the forces of evil, and the youth, that is, the future of the world, is the coveted stake of these forces, which gives the guarantee of victory. If in the anguish of the present it is Our imperious office to renew without ceasing the cry of awakening, to summon, to awaken the sleepers and the unconscious, to encourage the willing, "to preach the word, to insist in time, out of time, to resume, to plead, to exhort "(cfr. 2 Tini. 4, 2), it is equally strict duty of all Our children not to desert the arena, but to do honor with the deeds to the solemnly professed Christian militia. To the facts they commit themselves, with a new explicit enlistment, the ascribed to the Catholic Action; and you, who carry the banner in the name - cooperate - you are, in the shadow of the Salesian Family, the light militia, the "activists" of the cause of good, who are scattered in all classes and exposed to all the most varied circumstances , work with life, with words, with action, to repair the ruins, to prevent evil, to throw into the minds the seeds of truth, virtue, faith, religion and piety. With life above all - let us say - you, beloved children, must conduct a good spiritual fight, side by side with the Institute of which you are the happy scion. Because in this kind of activity it is not so much the doing, the overdoing, the writhing in all the senses, as the mirrored Christian behavior, that in the heart of your families and of the society, of which you are members, makes the testimony of the facts to your multiform apostolate. With the opinions, the logic and the customs of the world, in all its parts it contrasts the message entrusted by the Divine Master to this apostolate, which his parents cannot think of exercising effectively for the simple fact of their external action. The pagan or pagan society that receives it, both in the community and in individuals, even if convinced and admired, cannot but be perplexed if the apostle says and does not; and even when the effect of this apostolate is not ruined rather than edifying, the world will continue to consider the effective ordering of life according to the norm of faith and Christian morality to be utopian or of a select few. Life, therefore, exemplary in all senses must be your beloved children, because the cooperation to which you are devoted is not a polished one, but makes good fruits, whatever the field on which it is called to apply should be. The irresistible strength of every kind of Christian apostolate is piety, of which St. Paul said that "it is useful to all, and has the promise of the present life and of the future" (1 Tim. Piety is itself the first, the great apostolate in the Church of Jesus Christ; and those who claimed, in homage to the external activity, to reduce their cult or to have less consideration of it, would show little or no intelligence of the essence of Christianity, of its substantial nucleus, which is the union of the soul with God in the active and obedient love. Let us insist on this serious affair, dear Cooperators and Cooperators, so that the key to the successful success of your work as a valid supporter in the deployment of the Catholic Hierarchy may not escape you, indeed, continually present you to your spirit. They have called you - and you are in reality - the Third Salesian Order, in the way that their Tertiaries have other religious Institutes and Orders, with the difference that in them the element of piety is emphasized, in you, the charity factor . Now, as the danger of the first is that, next to the prince element, prayer, they do not leave sufficient field for action, your danger is, on the contrary, that the action extinguishes the flame of prayer, and lacking this , the action without Think therefore, beloved children, as the very urgency of your manifold work, today, we would say almost, anxiously requested by the Church, obliges you to the most jealous care of your interior life; of that life, that is, to which the wisdom of the Saint of action provided well, dictating to you, no less than to his double family of Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, a Rule of spiritual life, ordered to form you, albeit without the common life, to the internal and external religiosity of those who seriously make his work, of all the most sublime, of Christian perfection in his family and social world. At this point, let you, beloved children, let our paternal spirit, aware of its tremendous vicarious mission, rise, with the hope that it does not confuse, to the contemplation of a society disseminated in all its classes, professions, jobs, professions , - of men and women who fulfill the Salesian ideal fully, with faith, perseverance, love, in the midst of the world of the distracted, the superficial, the weak, the scandalous of every name. "Salt of the earth" that penetrates with the ardor of faith lived in all the meanders of the family and civil consortium: this ideal, affirmed with the strength of evangelical meekness, which seeks nothing, fears nothing from men and things, from which magnificent, albeit slow, transformation of hearts will not, in the long run, be capable! And you, Cooperators and Cooperators of the great complex Salesian work, who, on the jubilee date of your foundation, went back to the origins and history of such a fruitful movement, you more than others, while blessing the Lord for the great good accomplished by your means, today you must remember above all your responsibilities and the commitment that binds you to God and to men to collaborate in the establishment and spread of the Kingdom of God on earth. Grateful We ourselves and the joys of good that you sow and the fruits you harvest, all Our vows in this auspicious circumstance are for the greatest increase of your Pia Union in number and fervor. To this end we implore on it the widest outpouring of the divine Grace. And while we ask the Lord that the active zeal of the Cooperators and the Cooperators never lose anything of his vigor, and your institution under the auspices of Mary Help of Christians and of Saint John Bosco is flourishing at all times in works and in spirit, we impart of great heart to its leaders, to its members, to all its holy undertakings the Apostolic Blessing. Exhortation to over a thousand children of the "Borgo Don Bosco" for the celebration of the five-year term of their institution. Your presence is full of enchantment. The parable of the workers in the vineyard. Let Jesus form your young souls. The shining example of the holy Founder. There is something new today in this House, which has seen many people of different ages and conditions come together, even in the last few days: a few times, however, the air of a festive and bursting spring has penetrated this House like now of the common Father, invaded by a multitude of lively and dear boys. Perhaps you have received those who know how many recommendations to be good, not to make a fuss, and truly give a magnificent example of order and discipline. But we wish to assure you that, if you were not so numerous, we would have liked to come down among you, to show you even more manifestly how much the Pope loves you. We have before our eyes the spirit that should have happened whenever the children could make their way through the crowd and reach Jesus. It would not be an exaggeration to imagine that they even took it over; and he let them do and defended their intemperance and the audacity of those who led them, from the reproaches of the Apostles and of those who feared that those little ones disturbed the quiet and provoked disorder. Thus the words of Jesus resounded in the streets of Palestine, sweet and steadfast: "Let the children come to me" (Mk. We would like to tell you, beloved children, boys of Borgo Don Bosco, like a tender love, similar to the one that filled the divine Heart of Jesus for all the children, lights up Our and makes it overflow with joy today that you wanted to gladden You with your presence so full of charm. We therefore give you, dear children, our fatherly welcome and take advantage of the occasion to address a simple word to you, eager as we are to imitate in some way what Jesus would tell you, if he were visible here in place of his unworthy Vicar on earth . You certainly remember - for having heard it so often recounted - the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Mt. 20, 1 et seq.): "Once there was a landlord, who needed workers for his vineyard, and he went out early to look for them. Then he returned at the third, sixth and ninth hours, and each time a group of workers moved to go to work. When he left at the eleventh hour, he found others who were lying there idle, and he said to them: "Why are you here all day idle?" They replied: "Because no one took us". And the master added: "You also go to my vineyard" ". This evangelical scene makes Our thought run into a fairly recent event: one of the many facts, which pierce, like bright stars, the firmament of the Church in all its history. In some of the most popular neighborhoods of Rome there were so many kids on the street. Some played, others quarreled and repeated bad words and perhaps offended the Lord in many ways. And one day a priest came out, driven by the anxiety to save those adolescents, and he managed to go among them and asked: "Why do you stand all day in the street doing nothing? Some replied: "Dad works, and his mother has no time to look after all the children: we are so many! Others murmured: "Dad and mum are out looking for something to eat: dad is unemployed". Someone crying said, "I don't know where Papa is, and my mother is dead." Everyone observed: "Nobody picks us up, nobody wants us: for this we are idle all day in the street". Then the priest exclaimed: "Come, we will give you a house, we will try to replace for you mother and father. Come: we have a small church, where Jesus, a friend of children, will teach you to become more good. Come: next to the church we will build workshops and schools; you will have thoughtful teachers who will help you be better. Come: you will not lack nourishment; you will have the necessary medicines; there will be fields to play. So you will become stronger. Come, and we will make a village all for you, and we will be your friends. We will work with you; we will study with you; we will play with you; we will weep, if necessary, with you. We will be a great family, entrusted to the omnipotence and wisdom of our Father who is in heaven ". And the boys, taken by the priest's hand, went: first some, then others, then others. Today you are more than a thousand, and we have been informed that in the Borgo Don Bosco, in Via Prenestina, there is all a fervor of works to your advantage: over three hundred internal and seven hundred external students, who spend the whole day there, working, studying , playing. And meanwhile the tireless Salesians religious - while they procure, with so much self-denial and hard work, that nothing is lacking in the perfect course of the «Borgo» - they do their utmost for your civil, religious and moral education, so that, once grown up, you can be good citizens, skilled and skilled Christian workers. Respond, dear ones, generously and honestly to their care. Take advantage of playing fields, gymnastics and sports in general, to be and keep you physically healthy. Be diligent in elementary, professional, technical schools, and in laboratories, to become ever better. Above all let Jesus, by using the work of the priests and their collaborators, be forming your young souls. Certainly it is necessary that your limbs become stronger and your intelligences develop; but what good would it be to have a healthy and strong organism and a sharp and ready intellect, if then the will were bad, if the soul were dead, because deprived of divine grace? Our word is now addressed briefly to you, fathers, mothers, relatives of these boys. We are well aware of the difficulties and distresses, among which you often struggle and which prevent you from dedicating yourself, as you would like, directly to your children; therefore try at least to assist, as far as possible, the priest in the educational work. Sometimes - it is painful to say - it happened that some families instead came to destroy what had been built in the souls of children in the mystical recollection of the devout chapel or in the classrooms. We implore you in the name of the Lord: take care of these young lives, pupils of Our eyes, and above all pupils of the eyes of the divine Master. And you, beloved Salesian sons of Don Bosco, have all our paternal satisfaction and gratitude for all that you have done and continue to do for the benefit of these children. All your care, your every aspiration, your every anxiety, you have had it for Jesus. Faced with wolves, who try to penetrate the fold of the Church to devastate that temple of God which is the youthful soul, your action of salvation stands firm and powerful. Do not get tired, beloved children, in this providential work of redemption and education. Always have the shining example of your great Father and Founder alive before your mind. Double your efforts to multiply the number of children you assist. And blessed are those who collaborate with you: those who spend their energies, or who with the generous offering put you in a position to courageously overcome many difficulties, to maintain your Home, and indeed to complete it, increase it and equip it, so that it responds to all the most urgent needs that the present conditions require for the physical and spiritual good of your protégés. "FATHER AND MASTER" "In order to be able to withstand the formidable burden placed on him by divine Providence, St. John Bosco was held in habitual union with Heaven, from which he drew that wisdom, which we all admire in him with wonder". Sacred Congregation of the Rites, 26-VI-1953 Message of Pope Pius XII in the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Coronation of Mary Help of Christians (17 May 1903-53), for the volume "The Help of Christians of the Church and of the Pope". In the book of Marian Studies which the mercy of the worthy Salesian Family lays gratefully at the feet of their heavenly Patron, Maria Auxilium Christianorum in the fiftieth anniversary of the Coronation, invites our own mercy to insert the flower of the ancient and always new gratitude, which binds Our person and all of Our Pontificate to the Mother of God. Loving seal of a most worthy homage paid to the Queen of Heaven, Our word also wants to be a prayer, even a cry of plea to Colei, who, in the anxious trepidation now turning, cannot but move, to multiply the prodigies of her help to Christians. Auxilium Christianorum, now pro nobis, repeats with us every page of this volume, where the doctrine, history and art of the word comment in a fraternal contest on the glorious title, which with admirable consensus bears witness to the Christian family of all times and of everywhere. Neither consensus will be lacking if, with the faith of Saint John Bosco, the devotee of Mary, the Christian family will once again want to restore itself to a healthy renewal of spirit and custom to raise its plea for the plea to the Victorious of heart in sincerity of heart. all the hostile forces of the world and hell. To this same renewal the Immaculate Virgin help the children of a century that is also impressed by so much oima of evil. Help the wanderers, help the condottieri and the masters. And like faith, piety, love dripping in the pages of this volume are the noble tribute of an apostolic family indebted to Mary for its existence and its beautiful vitality, so may whole Christendom, rediscovered itself, hope for the powerful intercession of the great Mother of God, to bring to her feet, a new wreath of much higher value, the homage of a purified life and the flower, no longer fragile and transient, of regained peace. Pio PP. XII Speech for the Canonization of five Beati, including San Domenico Savio. While the three heroes that we have commemorated heads had lavished all their virile energies in the hard fight against the forces of evil, here appears to our eyes the image of Domenico Savio, a frail teenager, with a weak body, but with a soul stretched out in a pure oblation of oneself to the sovereignly delicate and demanding love of Christ. In such a tender age one would expect to find rather good and amiable dispositions of spirit, and instead one discovers in him with wonder the marvelous ways of the inspirations of grace, a constant and unreserved adherence to the things of heaven, that his Faith perceived with a rare intensity. At the school of his spiritual Master, the great Saint Don Bosco, he learned how the joy of serving God and making him loved by others can become a powerful means of apostolate. THE' December 8, 1854 saw him elevated in an ecstasy of love for the Virgin Mary, and shortly afterwards he gathered some of his friends in the "Company of the Immaculate Conception", in order to make great strides in the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. ecstasy of love for the Virgin Mary, and shortly afterwards he gathered some of his friends in the "Company of the Immaculate Conception", in order to make great strides in the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. ecstasy of love for the Virgin Mary, and shortly afterwards he gathered some of his friends in the "Company of the Immaculate Conception", in order to make great strides in the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. and shortly afterwards he gathered some of his friends in the "Company of the Immaculate Conception", in order to make great strides in the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. and shortly afterwards he gathered some of his friends in the "Company of the Immaculate Conception", in order to make great strides in the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. to advance at great speed on the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. to advance at great speed on the path of holiness and to avoid even the slightest sin. He incited his companions to piety, to good conduct, to the frequency of the Sacraments, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the flight of evil and temptations. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. Without letting himself be intimidated by bad reception and insolent answers, he intervened firmly, but charitably, to call the wretched and perverse to duty. Already filled in this life of familiarity and the gifts of the sweet Guest of the soul, he soon left the earth - to receive, with the intercession of the heavenly Queen, the reward of his filial love. Telegram of His Holiness Pius XII for the celebrations of Turin. Paternally present with the Salesian youth of Italy and the world at the solemn celebration of the new Saint Dominic Savio, the August Pontiff is pleased to point out to her the angelic pupil of Saint John Bosco, the new shining gem in the dense cohort of young winners of the century, followers of the Mystic Lamb. From him imploring the youthful hosts of every country, which accompany his triumph, light and comfort to the holy bravery of the Christian life, to them His Holiness sends of great heart, spur to the virtue and wish of grace for the noblest enthusiasms of the good, the begged Apostolic Blessing. Response of the Holy Father to the many letters bound in volume sent by members to Salesian Youth Companies for his 800th birthday. SECRETARY OF STATE OF HIS HOLINESS N. 365587 Dear Lord, the volume of letters with which the Salesian Youth Companies throughout Europe are united in these days around the white Father to celebrate the two anniversaries is a tribute to great eloquence. The August Pontiff looks at this singular epistolary library and admires. With His gesture, full of meaning and affection, He spreads his arms in the midst of so many crowds with open faces, sparkling eyes, quivering lips, children, children, adolescents of every climate and every language, that unseen and yet seen, with accents known or ignored, and even understood, open their hearts to the Vicar of Jesus Christ, each one saying in his clear page, much more than the bulky pen tries to say and does not say if not with muted or discouraged accents. But the Father means. To all, indeed to each, He responds with His benevolence. In the confused multitude of such His little friends He sees the apostles of tomorrow, who, mindful of him and of today's celebrative dates, will be the bearers of Jesus Christ and his good News in the world, with the word and with life. Under the signs of St. John Bosco they will be among men, ignorant and forgotten, the good ferment of the Gospel, ordered to raise the mass; it will be the Christians of the better world, who today fills hope with the heart of the sweet Christ on earth. With these senses the Pope of the little ones invokes upon them the generating Spirit of new creatures, grace, which will keep them firm in their purposes of virtue and apostolate. And on their heads that bow down under His paternal hand, he lets a special Apostolic Blessing descend, so that it may remain in perpetual comforting and admonishing. With distinct esteem I confirm, devoutly in the Lord ANGEL OF WATER Substitute The Pope's reply to the letters of the students of the Istituto Elvetico of Lugano (Switzerland), for his 800 birthday. SECRETARY OF STATE OF HIS HOLINESS N. 365587 Rev.mo Signore, in the grand concert of good wishes and the many expressions of affection with which the worthy Salesian Family has solemnized the recent auspicious recurrences of the Holy Father, the Argentine voices - so varied and so synchronous! - of the students of this Helvetic Institute they moved the heart of His Holiness to paternal tenderness. They have committed themselves - from the oldest to the youngest - in a noble race to tell the Common Father, with the most intense expressions, full of their filial affection, the sentiments of their good heart, the prayers and sacrifices that for him have facts, the "pebbles" that they put in the boxes to count their little flowers, their gratitude for the canonization of San Domenico Savio, and - unanimous! their affliction for the suffering that the Pope derives from persecution against the Church. May the Reverend Lord, to these children, express the deep satisfaction of the August Pontiff for such a moving tender of filial love. How willingly the Pope would answer personally, and to each one! But ... how is it done? - dear little Ferriero Della Chiesa, that you would like a whole for yourself and for your family - how do you do it, if many other children, too many, and from all over the world, have written to the Pope? However, the Pope has present you, everyone, and pray! Pray, dear Brunello Molteni, for the healing of your father who has been ill for four years, in a sanatorium; pray for you, dear Pier Giorgio Donada, who, as an aspirant of Catholic Action, aspires to become a priest; and also for you, another Pier Giorgio Violino, who, from "worthy" (you say so!) President of the Society of the Blessed Sacrament, you want to become a Salesian priest; pray also for you, little Ivan Rajover, that you are "Jewish", but that you would like to "be a Christian" in order to "give a kiss" to the Pope and be able to see him at least once in your life. The Pope prays for all and thanks! Thanks little Claudio Alberti, who expects to grow older to write him more expressive words - but the ones you've written to him are already so expressive! And you too, Luciano Panzer: sure! the heart told you just because your letter really liked the Pope; and you, Fabio Locatelli that, for the Pope, you have listened to six Masses, you have made six Communions and you have recited six Rosaries. The Pope reminds you well, dear Andrea Mazzario, that one day you brought him "together with eight other boys, tricolor flames" a beautiful planet; but ... this time not "just three words" was "your part!" And thanks also to you, little Flavio Filippini, who wished to express your satisfaction with the "beautiful speeches that the Pope makes from the Vatican". And you, dear Daniele de Ritis, will you imitate the life of your august Ancestor Pius IX? So rich anthology, Most Reverend Lord, and so flamboyant florilegium of limpid, ingenuous devotion, they have spiritually brought the Holy Father into the midst of these most beloved children, pleased to see the face of their white souls reflected in the childlike expressions. To all, with his gratitude, his paternal complacency, and for all the invocation to Mary Help of Christians and to the angelic Saint Dominic Savio so that this garden of innocence may not be contaminated by evil. In this trust and with these sentiments, the Vicar of Jesus Christ imparts with great heart, to the SV Rev.ma, to his Confreres, to the Cooperators, to the Benefactors, and to all the students and alumni of this praiseworthy Elvetic Institute, as a pledge of the His special kindness and the wish of the most abundant divine favors, the implored Apostolic Blessing. Profit of the meeting to confirm me with senses of distinct esteem, of the Lordship of your Most Reverend in the Lord ANGEL OF WATER Substitute Letter of His Holiness Pius XII to the Rector Major of the Salesians, on the occasion of the 1st Centenary of the death of Saint Dominic Savio. In the same way that during the Marian Year, the celebration of which was proclaimed by Us for the whole world on the occasion of the centenary of the Dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, We experienced supreme joy because It was granted to us in grandeur of the Piazza San Pietro, in the presence of a huge multitude, to decorate with the honors of the saints of the sky the most innocent adolescent Domenico Savio, so in the present, closing himself the first century since he flew among the Celestials, We are again very welcome to take take part in your celebrations in his honor and paternally exhort all the Christian faithful, and especially those who, when still young, come to you with due care and education and care, to fix their gaze carefully, as a model,in this very dear disciple of John Bosco. No doubt there is nothing more beautiful or more amiable than an immaculate youth, which shines with beautiful talents of mind and heart and above all shines with the splendours of sanctity, as we joyfully see to have happened in this pupil of your Father and Master. And while we carefully consider its life, it seems to us that the Provident of God wanted to present it as the luminous ideal of that upright system of education for youth, in which the Founder of the Salesian Society was so eminent. As soon as he entered the family, subjecting himself spontaneously and willingly to the counsels and exhortations of his Master, he did nothing but run, with a pace that is faster every day, at the summit of holiness. This is the aim of his firm decision to endure all damage and even death rather than ugly the soul of any small stain of sin; this is the aim of his intense piety towards the divine Redeemer hidden under the Eucharistic veils and his Most Holy Mother; his still living flame of apostolate aims at this, for which he strove with every means to wrest his peers from the attractions of vice proper to their age, and associate them in the practice of Christian virtue. But what is particularly pleasing in this adolescent is the whiteness of the most innocent soul and its very firm intention to keep the lily of purity intact throughout life, so that he effectively shines at the eyes of our youth, threatened today by so many and so serious ambushes and dangers. It is therefore our lively desire that he honor, venerate and strive to imitate adolescents, and expressly those who are entrusted to your care for their education; for in such a way it will come about that with the favor and the divine help a chaste, serene, happy and strong youth will grow happily, according to the hopes of the Catholic Church and civil society. To achieve this we want them to benefit the centenary celebrations that will soon take place; and meanwhile, as a wish for heavenly favors and as a sign of Our special benevolence, with the greatest affection in the Lord, we impart to you, the beloved son, and to all the superiors of the Salesian Society, the Apostolic Blessing to the confreres and students. Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, on the 31st of January, on the feast of St. John Bosco, the year 1957, XVIII of Our Pontificate. Pio PP. XII Words of His Holiness Pius XII to the over 4,000 boys of the Salesian Religious Societies of Lazio and Sardinia. The Holy Father was visibly moved by the meeting with young Salesian students. Although St. Peter's Basilica was as full as on great occasions, the boys - over 4000 - gave a special tone to the event. Going down among them, the Pope was heard repeating: «What a providential work! What a providential work! He was pleased to receive a parchment in which the young people said they wanted to offer their renewed heart by the grace of Communion; he listened carefully when the Inspector Don Fiora told him that they wanted to represent all the Salesian boys in the world; he appreciated the homage of the Life of Saint Dominic Savio. When he was asked to take him to the youth, he undoubtedly accepted and smiled at the boys' assault. Then the Holy Father spoke. Having said that it was impossible to address a special word to individual groups, he continued: "But an exception, however, we are allowed to do seeing this large, numerous, magnificent gathering of young leaders and members of Salesian Companies. A very numerous and fervent group of those companies founded and inspired by Don Bosco who had the best fruit of St. Dominic Savio, whom we had the good fortune to raise to the honors of the altar and of which you celebrate the centenary of death, a sublime model of adherence to duty and a constant aspiration to the sky. These Companies, established a century ago, have spread providentially wherever the Salesian work has come and have a vital part in the implementation of the Salesian pedagogical system as they directly exploit the energies of the young for their formation and for the apostolate. Let us invoke the divine help upon you, of which our very special, paternal blessing is a pledge ». Decree of Pius XII. The divine Savior Jesus Christ, who in his adolescence, spent in the house of Nazareth, did not disdain to practice the profession of blacksmith, offer to all workers and honest workers of every admirable example of diligence in work, and in a certain sense made the same manual work sacred. The Church therefore, founded by Him, guided by His maternal love towards the less favored by fortune and towards the workers, turns all its vigilant care to obtain that their life conforms to the true dignity of the human person and to the dictates of Religion and of the Pietà; especially in this age of ours, in which the seeds of perverse doctrines, aimed at placing at the center and end of everything, are disseminated with full force, not the God the Creator of the world, but the matter. It is also evident that we must have a very special care of those who, in the flower of their age, give themselves to learning a trade, so that, in the midst of so many difficulties, they may take the right path of life. It therefore seems all the more appropriate to place them under the special protection of a Saint from Heaven, to keep them away and to guard them from all evil and to strengthen them on the path of honesty and piety. Our beloved son, Luigi Gui, Minister of the Italian Government for Work and Social Security, persuaded us of this. He gave us a humble petition to declare us a celestial patron of the young apprentice workers of San Giovanni Bosco, that distinguished man, worthy of the Church and civil society. , who, putting himself at the forefront of progress, formed countless groups of young people for the various professions, educating them in the honesty and holiness of life. Finding this supplication full correspondence in our mind, especially as it reached us widely recommended by the Venerable Brother Our Ismaele Mario Castellano, Titular Archbishop of Colossi and General Assistant of the Italian Catholic Action, we gladly heard it. Therefore with the favorable opinion of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, of certain science and after mature deliberation, in the fullness of the Apostolic Authority, by virtue of this letter, we elect, we declare, we confirm forever St. John Bosco, Confessor, heavenly Patron with all God the young Italian apprentices with all the honors and liturgical privileges that are the responsibility of the Patrons of Associations or Orders. Notwithstanding any contrary provision: This We order and establish, decreeing that Our Letter be and always remain stable, valid and effective. Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, under the ring of the Fisherman, on January 17th 1958, XIX of Our Pontificate. Pio XII Address to the Members of the XVIII Salesian General Chapter in Castelgandolfo. Happy development of the Salesian work. In the footsteps of the Father. Exhortation to enrich oneself spiritually. Dear children, when Our last Predecessor Pius XI, of happy memory, solemnly raised to the honor of the altars your Founder John Bosco, in praise of him he uttered these words among other things: "Totally dedicated to procuring the glory of God and the salvation of souls, guided by his special supernatural instinct, he endeavored to bring to fruition whatever idea he had recognized as conforming to the divine will, even though it seemed rash, without letting itself be spoiled at all by the incomprehension of others, intrepid in following ways and methods in keeping with modern times ". Now, we consider the activity carried out by your Religious Society during the century that has passed, starting from when your Father and Legislator came to Rome and with the most complete and humble submission asked Pius IX, another of our predecessors of immortal memory , who was grateful to approve the Constitutions and Regulations of the society he founded; and it seems to us that everything he hoped for and undertook was happily developed with every industry and by all means by those who preceded you and by yourselves, thanks to the inspiration and help of God. Giovanni Bosco "in seeing wandering through the streets of the city of children abandoned by their parents and deprived of any assistance, he drew them paternally to himself; and, having gained their confidence with opportune and various diversions, instructed them in the precepts of the Catholic religion and effectively induced them to abide by these precepts through the practice of virtue and the frequency of the Sacraments ". We know well that, following in his footsteps, in almost all nations you have gradually opened the so-called festive oratories, elementary schools, high schools and colleges for the Christian education of youth, in almost incalculable numbers; we also know that you have founded houses or institutes in which adolescents can not only be routed to virtue, but can also train themselves with particular care in any profession or job, with which they will one day ensure the necessary to live to themselves and, when they will have to their children. Recently it was therefore a source of joy for us to solemnly proclaim St. John Bosco the patron saint of apprentices, in order that they may have him as a model and enjoy his supreme help. To this are added the books of every subject you have published in great numbers, to divulge in an appropriate way the divine and human sciences, to offer honest relief to the soul, to refute the error; there are also the parish works you have assumed in many places, where the diocesan clergy is insufficient for the needs of the people; finally, the heralds of the Gospel are added, sent by you to distant regions, to establish a tenor of Christian and civil life or to spread it, if already established. Many are therefore the initiatives, the works and the merits of your Religious Society; and We with paternal pleasure see the hosts of your push almost in every corner of the earth, to extend the boundaries of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, bearer of peace. Therefore you must give thanks to God, giver of all goods, and carve the mind of the Apostle James in your mind: "From above comes every great benefit and every perfect gift, and descends from the Father of enlightenment" (Giac. Above all, however, you must be persuaded of one thing (and after all we do not doubt it at all): it is necessary that the more the works extend in breadth and are enriched with fruitfulness, the more they tend to purchase and firm up those spiritual ornaments which are the virtues, especially for those who have consecrated their being and all their things to God with the commitment of the vows. First of all the rest, therefore, with the utmost diligence take care of this: let the spirit of each one of you shine Christian humility, in harmony with that jovial simplicity of trait for which St. John Bosco shone so beautifully; that flames charity more and more towards God and neighbor, because without it nothing could be achieved of lasting and fruitful; that piety, which is nourished by love for prayer, pervades your every activity; that love for poverty, in accordance with your rules, accompanies you everywhere and induces you to flee (as befits religious) from the excessive and bourgeois wealth, as well as from any worldly enticement; let all and individuals strive to reach, with the help of divine grace, that exalted form of holiness of which your Founder is a shining example. May the reminder of the Apostle of the Gentiles always be in your memory: "All that is pure, all that is right, all that is lovable, all that is honorary, if there is any virtue, or some praise of discipline, to everything you think. Fulfill how much you learned and the God of peace will be with you "(Phil. Because nowadays the human soul is easily polluted by an aura and a craving for pleasures without restraint, since they are so abundantly available that they openly avert thought from the sky and turn it to the earth (such as printed matter, entertainment, and every sort of pleasant pastimes), aim with all your strength to direct you and your aspirations above all towards eternal values, even if by necessity you must find yourself in the midst of these changing and fleeting things. To this end the constant exercise of holy prayer, the daily meditation on the heavenly truths and that fervent love of God, under whose impulse you may strive to take little account of all the things of this world, if these are sought, will be of the greatest benefit to you. only for the benefit of mortal life and not even for attaining your eternal salvation. This grace imposes upon you, with his patronage always vigilant, your Legislator and Father John Bosco; May this grace also obtain for you from God the Apostolic Blessing which we impart wholeheartedly to each of you present here, first of all to the Rector Major, and also to all the Members and "Cooperators" of your Religious Family. Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born in Sotto il Monte (Bergamo) on 25 November 1881. He was ordained a priest in Rome on 10 August 1904; consecrated bishop on March 19, 1925; Patriarch of Venice January 15, 1953. He was elected Pope October 28, 1958. He called the Vatican II Ecumenical Council. He died on June 3, 1963. John XXIII was pleased several times to recall that as a boy he read Don Bosco's Catholic Readings, "the first and most effective complement to his religious and civil formation"; who, still a child, learned of the death of Don Bosco from the Salesian Bulletin, which came to his house; that the image of Mary Help of Christians, taken from an issue of the Salesian Bulletin, hung on the wall near her bed. Solemnly inaugurated in Rome the new temple of San Giovanni Bosco in the Appio district (1959). In five years of his Pontificate he elected the third Salesian Cardinal (Raul Henriquez Silva, 1962) and 12 Bishops (Salesians 21.500). In the liturgical feast of St. John Bosco, His Holiness John XXIII was pleased to celebrate Mass for the employees of the Vatican Printing Houses, gathered in the Consistory Hall. The exhortation of simple virtues. Memories of childhood. What made Don Bosco great. The souls: the great anxiety of Don Bosco. Help of Christians: a wonderful name. The circumstances and the sacred Liturgy present us with numerous Johns. The text of the Evangelist which closes the divine Sacrifice had been read for a few moments; the Holy Mass was that of St. John Bosco; in the lessons of the Breviary there is the comment made by another great John, the Chrysostom, to the passage of the Gospel of St. Matthew, whose meditation is proposed by the Church on January 31st. In fact, in the homily of the great Constantinopolitan Bishop the luminous background is explained from which, many centuries later, the exalted figure of St. John Bosco would have emerged. In the reported tract of the Gospel the dominant motive is the smallness of the child placed near Jesus, and on which the divine words descend: talium est enim regnum coelorum. Now the great Father of the Church dwells on this episode with profound eloquence. What is the ordinary judgment of the world? If a human being - it proclaims - is not endowed with special qualities, it must be eliminated. The child, as long as he remains, is completely useless. The Lord instead - the Chrysostom notes - speaks very differently. From the humble, the little ones, Jesus takes effective images to consider true greatness; indeed, with it he will put forward salvation: If you do not convert and become like the little ones, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. We therefore have the exaltation of the simple virtues, of humble and meek things, considered as those which constitute true wealth even on earth, and, it may well be added, the true glory of Christianity. Beautiful harmony! For the feast of St. John Bosco, his praise, that is the exaltation of the doctrine from which Don Bosco took inspiration and vigor for all his work, is made by St. John Chrysostom. May the humble Successor of so many John be allowed to pay homage to the memory of the dear Saint. The August Pontiff retains a precise memory among the many of his childhood. He was seven years old when, on a festive morning, after he had already served Holy Mass, he saw the participation of Don Michele Rua in the house of one of the first Salesian Cooperators, where he was located. death of the Founder. Little Roncalli had already read the Salesian Bulletin; but now he remembers that, from that day on, he saw more and more the reverence for Don Bosco and the esteem for his work, which was already so prosperous, despite having had very modest beginnings. There is therefore no wonder that the Lord chooses some other poor and humble priest, and gives him what is necessary to carry out even grave tasks. This prodigy, which at other times has been implemented, assumes, with San Giovanni Bosco such a singular prominence, and an aspect so penetrating as to enliven the building of the Christian people and to arouse the interest of the contemporary world. From that letter of Don Rua, in fact, a wonderful literature was opened in all languages, which does not cease to praise the son of Mamma Margaret, in whom the spark of the Lord's grace was able to bring a simple, good and innocent nature to to arouse such enterprises, which still amaze humanity. Following the example of the Founder, his religious children continue his spirit and works, trusting in the Most Holy Trinity, in the Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, and in St. Francis de Sales, who gave the thought, the impetus, the heavenly inspiration to the entire Family of St. John Bosco. The Johns are many and the Salesians compete with them: they are in fact numerous, great, powerful, of the power of good and of the apostolate; of that power which, precisely because it is clothed with grace, follows the highest aims, which are the education of the people of our age, at the service of God and enthusiasm for souls. During Holy Mass, in the oremus in honor of the Saint of the day is the invocation to look for souls, to serve you alone. The August Pontiff was pleased to have accepted the filial invitation to celebrate the divine Sacrifice in that House, which is of great councils, of great relationships, of great events; but which becomes precious before God both for the simple souls who carry the spirit of Don Bosco there, and for those who work memorable enterprises in the face of the world. In one and in the other there will be success, if there is something of the supernal virtue of which is accompanied by the grace of the Lord. The Holy Father added that if what had happened three months ago had not happened, today he would have gone to the great church of San Giorgio in Venice, which still manages to give the heartbeats and thrills that art and history therein have accumulated. All that remains is to follow the ways indicated by Providence. However, the two truths and aspirations remain the same: to strive for the good of souls and to try to serve God alone. His Holiness was pleased to see before Him those who cooperate, even with their daily work, in the defense and construction of truth; which is a tribute to what can be more solid for the basis of the social order, for something that is also a guarantee of the perpetuity of grace. This in fact assists men, especially when they let themselves be led by it in the works of the apostolate. It is therefore necessary to continue to understand today's teaching. If we do not become and remain as small as children, that is to say: if we do not continue in the worship of what made Saint John Bosco great, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven; while we have secured it, if we keep the Saint's tradition and we will do it honor. Consequently: simplicity, purity, innocence of life; the commandments of the Lord; and observed and applied with that covering of grace and in a good manner by Don Bosco indicated; a true cult of simplicity, always sincerity, at all costs; and, at the same time, the opening, like flowers of spring, to the dew of grace. Next, animas quaerere. It is, in reality, the programmatic motto of St. John Bosco, as it was already read in the first years of the Salesian Bulletin, where it was written: Da mihi animas, caetera tolle. It really constitutes the expression, the discriminating point of what was his great and immense activity: animas! animas! Not the construction of cities, palaces, other buildings, considered in their materiality: but everything in the service of the triumph of truth; of the triumph of Christ, of His name, of His law in souls; of the triumph of true Christian civilization. In summary: love of the blessed inspiration of simplicity, never to be detached from the Gospel, so as not to forget the great comment of St. John Chrysostom; and then fire lit in our heart. The humble laymen can likewise adapt themselves to the heights of the great apostles. Even in work, in the use of one's intelligence, in daily toil, even if it concerns modest things, everything becomes sublime, if looked at by the Angels of the Lord; for which our life will be worthy of blessing. If then in everyone's life there is also what the relationship of social coexistence is: a family, children, it is always necessary to keep faith, to always look with respect at the mentioned principles, and never blush to possess them, to practice them, to make them triumph . His Holiness invoked what he had said, and the intentions of the devout listeners, the protection of Mary Most Holy Help of Christians, who at that time saw in the grandeur of his altar at the Basilica of Valdocco, glorious, with the mark of his royalty, surrounded by Saints Peter and Paul and the main witnesses of his help spread here below. It is provident to always resort to so many Mother who, with an intervention, of which there is no equal, with his presence in the individual houses, will be a pledge of peace, of joy, of love, of perfect conformity to the will of the Lord. Mary Help of Christians! This wonderful name seems to widen the wings of its own protection; and while it adorns the work that all the sons of Don Bosco continue to do throughout the world, it constitutes, With these thoughts, of great heart, desiring to all his listeners the Holy Father, in the name of the Holy Trinity, in the name of Mary our Mother, so beloved and exalted by St. John Bosco, proceeded to impart the Apostolic Blessing. Letter of His Holiness John XXIII to Don Renato Ziggiotti on the occasion of the consecration of the new temple in honor of San Giovanni Bosco erected in Rome. (P April 1959) Dear son, the consecration of the temple, dedicated to St. John Bosco in this alma City, and the coming to Rome, on this occasion, of his venerated remains, We are grateful for the opportunity to address to the great Salesian Family the Our word comforter. And we do it with lively complacency, and with intimate emotion of the soul. We are pleased, in fact, to point out the significance of this double event: a Shrine is consecrated to the great apostle of youth, precisely in this Rome which was so dear to him, and in which he wanted to leave precious memories of his piety; and on that occasion he, more than a hundred years after his first coming, no longer returns in the modest simplicity with which he loved to hide his person, but accompanied by universal veneration. We are therefore grateful to find in these next events a confirmation of the providential disposition, which closely embraced the Piedmontese Saint and his incipient work in this City, as the seat of the Successor of Peter. Indeed, one cannot fully understand the spirit that always animated St. John Bosco, if one forgets his very special devotion to the Roman Chair. On the other hand, Our glorious Predecessors revealed to him a paternal esteem and a deep trust: Pius IX, in fact, encouraged him to found his Society, and Leo XIII entrusted him with the erection of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. That little seed, then thrown by a humble priest on the word of the Supreme Shepherd of the Church, had to grow and develop into a grandiose tree, which has now extended its hospitable branches to all regions of the earth, wherever there are souls to be saved. So that the return of Don Bosco to Rome, on the occasion of the consecration of the majestic shrine dedicated to him, takes on the value of a new, splendid episode of his love for the eternal city, and also a tribute of gratitude to his towards him. Therefore we deeply delight with you, beloved son, and with the whole Salesian Family. But another reason makes Our satisfaction more complete: in fact, we know that around the new temple there are grandiose school buildings and oratories, modernly equipped, to house and form the large male and female youth of the large tuscan suburb. A new field of action therefore opens to the sons of Don Bosco; nor could a more opportune means be found to make the spiritual presence of the Father and Teacher of youth more sensitive, we would almost say, in that area which will be named by him. We therefore trust that fruitful fruits of good will mature from these new works, and from the joint efforts of so many educators, filled with the gentle and strong spirit of the Holy Founder. The youthful energies of mind and heart must in fact be wisely cultivated, today as always, so that they can develop in a serene harmony of science and virtue: and this highest purpose cannot be achieved without the genuine Christian spirit, the only one that forms man in its entirety, and which ensures the durable good of individuals and society. From this spirit the work of Don Bosco is permeated, and the fruits collected so far are the luminous proof that the Lord has largely blessed it. Let us continue therefore with faith, with dedication, with love in this holy educational mission, from which the Church and civil society promise so much for future generations; let us continue to instil in the minds of young people, threatened by so many dangers, those great ideals wisely insinuated by Don Bosco - the Eucharist, Our Lady, the Pope - that alone can guard the great treasures that they contain, and shape them for future duties ; and the new enterprises that are being inaugurated are a continuous stimulus to ever more ardent love for souls. With these paternal vows, let us lift up Our prayer to the Lord, so that he may profuse the works profusely, so zealously started; and confirming the heavenly outpourings of graces, we warmly impart to you, your Co-workers, the Religious and Religious of the Salesian Family, the Cooperators and all the faithful of the new Parish, our propitiatory Apostolic Blessing. From the Apostolic Palace, 10 April 1959, I of Our Pontificate. JOHN 23 Address of His Holiness John XXIII in Piazza San Giovanni Bosco to the immense multitude gathered there to venerate the sacred remains of the Saint, transferred to Rome on the occasion of the consecration of the temple dedicated to him. A show worthy of Rome. The young, standing with their enthusiasm, next to the Pope. The powerful and generous hymn of fidelity to Jesus - 4. Christ is present in innocence. A blessing in the name of Mary Help of Christians. Every believer, a collaborator of the Saints. In addressing his fatherly greeting and exhortations to all the dear children present, the Holy Father noted, first of all, that the spectacle offered by them was worthy of a poem. In Rome, in reality, everything takes on huge proportions; but here: the new manifestation of peripheral Rome, which surrounds the ancient Urbe, was also particularly solemn. Although he wanted to recall the events of past history, he certainly had never been able to contemplate anything similar in such kind of fervent meetings. The first impression that the Father of souls had received in coming to the new Temple was that of youth: and immediately, by contrast, he had thought about the past times. When he was a little boy, one day he heard the news that Don Giovanni Bosco had died in Turin. On the other hand, in those very years rumors were often heard that the Church was about to end; and the good old men shook their heads exclaiming: poor world, poor Italy, our poor countries! And what will become of these boys who come up, with all the work - and it was a very bad job - that is done to spoil them, pervert them, distract them from the tradition of the fathers? The answer comes - continued Your Holiness - from your Pontiff. He can talk to you after traveling around the world e after having lived several years and with experiences much greater than those of those who feared a very sad future. The current meeting was significant and eloquent. On the one hand the young: standing with their enthusiasm, rejoicing in front of the grandiose church dedicated to St. John Bosco; on the other hand, indeed beside them, the Bishop of Rome, the Pope of the universal Church, who reaps their cry of faith and promise: we are here, we are there! We young people of today have received the holy tradition of the fathers and we do not intend to renounce them. It is we who proclaim that we believe in Christ; to say that, next to Him, there is his Mother, always also our Mother; to reconfirm that the stones of the Decalogue are not broken. Certainly someone behaving otherwise, wants to ignore them: worse for him, poor thing !: we'll see, however, to help him. But the holy law is there, unshakable; the Gospel always remains the eternal book; in our tabernacles the Heart of Jesus always pulsates; from our altars the Madonna watches over mothers, on young brides, on the young, on innocence, on the virginity that blooms; on the missionaries, whose apostolate continuously extends and is inflamed. We are not, therefore, on the land of the dead, but on the land of the living, fervently alive! His Holiness always thanks the Lord for this comfort: it is also a great encouragement for the whole journey ahead. Often the priests read something in the Breviary that makes one shudder. There is talk of those who, renouncing God, rejecting God, believe they can find some peace down here_No: it is written that the wicked will have no peace. They may have some success, but this is a poor thing. We must call them back, pity them, we must have patience with them too: explain to them why they will never be able to have peace. True peace dwells in the soul of the righteous and of those who hold themselves together with Christ, who always remains the triumphant. It may seem, sometimes, here or there, buried, but surely the thrill of the tomb that opens up reappears: and the victory of the Risen One is inevitable. A few moments before it was echoed in the vast square and in the spacious street facing the canticle Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat! It is our song; a hymn without pride, without aversions, but powerful, generous, since it synthesizes the marvelous progress of the sweet and gentle empire of Jesus in the world. We are close to Don Bosco - the August Pontiff continued to the one who raised up immortal enterprises: and he was a poor son of the people. His Holiness knew him by virtue of the Christian upbringing that was given him in the family, in the various pages read about life and works: he immediately realized how it was the grace of the Lord to accomplish so many wonders, and how it is the beginning of elevations and bearer of true and vast genuine peace, because it is made of charity. Moving on to other confidences, the Holy Father, as he renewed his gratitude for the welcome received, for the joy procured for the heart of the One who represents the whole Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church, for the comfort of knowing how many souls grow more and more their fidelity and their commitment, he wanted to repeat how he is shy of the thunderous manifestations and feels mortified, while he must resign himself to the acts of the loving love of his children. But there is a spectacle that touches his heart, when he passes among the multitudes - and they follow each other in the Basilica and in St. Peter's Square and in the audiences, and also elsewhere: in Fatima he once found himself before an immense reception of half a million people -; and it is when he sees the fathers raise up their children to receive a special blessing. This indicates the security that everything goes and will go well and for the best; since Christ is present alongside innocence, he is the divine animator of individuals and families, he assists and encourages us in the days of trial and sadness. To return to the solemnity of that hour, the August Pontiff wanted to greet, in a singular way, the Salesians, very zealous and dearest priests, who, teaching, writing, manufacturing, resorting to so many meritorious activities throughout the world, implement the program of their Holy Founder. Leaving the Vatican Basilica a little earlier, where he had decreed the honors of the altars to a heroic, very great Blessed, His Holiness thought of what the Salesians would have reserved for him. Well, it is a new happy implementation, a new vibrant touch of faith, of profound and active religiosity, which arouses the most joyful and well founded hopes. At this point the Pope announced His Blessing. He intended to give it by invoking the Mother of God, as the Salesians always call it, with the sweetest name of Mary Help of Christians - the beautiful title drawn from the Litanies, and with so much opportunity, from Don Bosco -, at the same time, invoking the intercession of the same Saint and of another exalted Protector, St. Pius X, who was a great friend of Don Bosco, and around whom, on the occasion, of the journey of the Sacred remains from Rome to Venice, there have been stupendous demonstrations of devout homage and ardent enthusiasm in the city that was so dear to him. There is, therefore, as an understanding between heaven and earth. It reaffirms the excellence of all our intentions, expressed almost for the sake of our lives, the tranquility of our days, the solidity of our trust, in the sure announcement that, beyond time and our eyes, there is a paradise, an eternal joy that awaits us all. After the benevolent announcement, all those present were invited to pray for the Pope, so that his grave task may be supported by the help of the Lord. We are close to Pentecost. We know what happened on that day, after the descent of the Holy Spirit. A sudden, magnificent exuberance of the nascent Church, through the work of the Apostles, especially of St. Peter, who had overcome uncertainties and weaknesses, at some time so acute as to make him deny the Lord. But the sincere repentance was immediate: and his was, on the day of Pentecost, the first public affirmation that to Christ we owe honor, glory, love and blessing for all the centuries. St. Peter continues to implore special graces for His Successors. To St. Peter and to the great saints just invoked, to all the other heavenly districts the persevering plea of all the redeemed. With this thought the Holy Father wanted to seal the unforgettable conversation. It is, in a word, a reality that is entirely specific to the Catholic Church. Every believer is called to be a collaborator of the Saints with prayer and Christian life; and it is his commitment and it will be his merit to be ever more worthy of so much honor. This is the primary memory of the memorable meeting of faith and peace. The following day, May 4, 1959, the Holy Father sent to the Rector Major, Fr Ziggiotti, this telegram signed by himself. With senses of profound satisfaction we address a moved and grateful thought to the beloved Sons of the Salesian Family and to all those, praying and applauding, who joined us in the solemn rite celebrated at the Urn venerated Spoglie San Giovanni Bosco in the new temple dedicated to him in Alma , which was so dear to him in which he left such precious memories of pity and zeal. To the expression of paternal satisfaction we join the fervent hope that these days of homage devoted to the glorious Holy Incline and of intense religious fervor will be fruitful of edifying spiritual fruits in souls, while we renew to you, your collaborators, the Religious and Religious of the worthy Salesian Society, to the Cooperators, to all the faithful of the new Parish, the propitiatory and comforting Our Apostolic Blessing. JOHN 23 Speech of His Holiness John XXIII in St. Peter's Square to the Sacred College, to the Episcopate and to an immense multitude of the faithful, in the solemn epilogue of the Roman celebrations in honor of St. Pius X and St. John Bosco. A show of moving joy. Saint Pius X: all a glorification of pastoral tasks. Don Bosco: the priest of youth and of the Pope. Here they are these friends of God. The spectacle that this evening offers for contemplation of Our eyes fills us with profound and moving joy. The great square of the Basilica of San Pietro, which for centuries has opened its marble arms to the salute of the praying and pilgrim crowds, inviting them to recollection and to prayer, receives in this evening the two glorious saints, so dear to the heart of the Christian multitudes: Saint Pius X, Roman Pontiff, and Saint John Bosco, Apostle of Youth. The space, enclosed by Bernini's mighty colonnade, is transmuted in this hour as in a solemn temple, in an altar of prayer and praise. The venerated remains of the Holy Pontiff return, after a month, of what we would like to call the last pastoral visit in the Patriarchate which one day was his; and in happy coincidence of events, they meet with the mortal remains of St. John Bosco, who, carried by the piety of his sons in the church recently dedicated to him in the Tuscolan quarter, is about to return to his Turin. With deep satisfaction of the soul, and also with the personal participation of the word, of the writing and of the presence, we followed day by day the two solemn manifestations, which so much fervor and so much devotion have aroused in the echo spread all over the world: Venerable Brothers and beloved children, allow that in the final moment, which brings together in so singular and amiable signification the two luminous models of holiness of our times, we have to underline the spiritual value of today's circumstance. As far as Pius X is concerned, this evening's edifying scene is in all worthy of the first pages of the Divine Book; worthy of being compared to that forty-ninth chief of Genesis, where it is said that the sons of Jacob accompanied for the definitive deposition the body of their Patriarch to the double tomb, which Abraham had made for himself and for his own in the land of Canaan, in field of Efron Eteo, in the face of Mambre (Gen. 49, 29-30). Not unlike the sons of Venice, to whom by distinct sign of affection we had granted the great favor, and great honor, of transferring for a short time to the Lagoons the holy remains of Pope Pius X, already their distinguished Patriarch, before the glorious Pontiff of Universal Church, as if to help it fulfill its ancient promise, here they are now ready, in perfect fidelity, for the return of the sacred pledge, because, re-established in St. Peter's Basilica, a survival of intercession continues for those who invoke it, and of edification and gladness for all the Christian people. But what greatness, what a triumph in this posthumous pilgrimage of the ancient Patriarch to his good Venetian people: what spiritual exaltation on his passage at the doors of the main cities, arranged along his journey from Venice to Rome: and here in Rome, how cordial devoutly enthusiastic and enthusiastic, so as to make us repeat several times: Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis! Indeed, nothing has been lacking on the solemnity of this return and this reception: first of all, the crowd is not only «not modest», but very impressive; and the patient or pawing currus et equites, as all modern forms of transport were put into action, to make it more rapid and solemn. This was a great blessing for the Venetian people, and for the Italic people: a most efficacious apostolate of truth, religious piety and peace! The survey, in addition to succeeding in deep satisfaction with Our spirit, opens our hearts to the most happy hopes. The lives of the saints that the Lord has the goodness to give from one point to another to his Church, portrays very much from the various configuration of places, times and men, among which these privileged and generous beings lived and multiplied the preying virtues and the good examples of which the spiritual patrimony of a strong and Christian people is enriched. It is for this reason, venerable Brothers and beloved children, that by thanking God for the immense riches, multiplied by this passage of the Sacred Remains of a Holy Pontiff, We welcome them in their return to the Urbs, and recompose them with moved reverence, here where they will continue to be the object of veneration by pilgrims from all over the world. Some of the most illustrious saints in the Church of God are sometimes reserved for exceptional tasks that extend over the centuries. Each saint then has his providential mission to accomplish, he has his own physiognomy, which leaves a particular imprint in his time, and which sometimes extends also in the material and temporal order. Pius X is all a glorification of pastoral tasks; and to observe minutely the eleven years of his government as Pope Supreme, we can deduce such a multiplicity and fullness of wise provisions for the internal structure of the ecclesiastical administration, for the reinvigoration of the religious piety of the clergy and the people, for the exercise of charity and pastoral ministry, to fill the soul with admiration and wonder. He could well apply to him as a distinguished, vigilant and incomparable shepherd, the trinomial in which another of his most distant ancestors, in more difficult and bitter times than ours, summed up the Holy Church, which he wanted it, and in part the 'obtained: that is: "free, caste, catholica". And here it is now, the Holy Pius X, like the ancient Patriarch Jacob, in the face of Mambre, in possessionem sepulcri, and forever: here he is in the presence of his people, of this his gens sancta, of this regal sacerdotium, of this populus acquisitionis; thus St. Peter called him to recall, like the dying Patriarch to his exiled children in a foreign land, the precepts of the Lord. He is here: and his voice, which comes from the bosom of God, reminds all Christians of the right path to follow: the exact appreciation that must be made of earthly things, that is, not in view simply and exclusively of material prosperity , but in the preparation, for each man, of his return to the House of the Father, for which we were all created, and marked in front of the divine seal of grace. O glorious Pope our Pius! Here we are in front of your tomb, at your altar, in the ritual of restoring oneself in the serene and beneficial peace of the gods Saints of the Lord. The Princes of the Holy Church, resident in the Orbe, make up the Sacred College of Cardinals: and, next to them, the first and most precious and beloved collaborators of the ecclesiastical government. The distinguished line of prelates is added, Our and their indefatigable cooperators; priests especially consecrated to the service of souls, in different degrees of ecclesiastical parish order: and the vibrant choirs of the new youth, gathered here from every point of the earth to educate themselves in the conquests of the future of the Kingdom of Christ in the Church; and finally the crowd, the most devoted and pious crowd, of the faithful of the Urbe and Orbe, which an equally noble and powerful fascination of admiration and love attracts towards your protection, Holy Father. Be for everyone, o Santo Pio X, friend, inspirer, Next to Saint Pius X - we already said it - We equally offer an affectionate tribute of veneration and exultation, in admirable unanimity of sentiments and affections, to Saint John Bosco. A happy combination of meanings prepared his return to the city, a hundred years after his first arrival! The humble priest of the popular quarters of Turin was not unknown, when he first came to Rome. For the people, Don Bosco was always the priest of the boys, of the young, which is what it is to say the priest, all dedicated to their religious education, to moral education, to training in civic virtues and at work. In this, with wise foresight he saw the future prosperity of the Church and of society, and applied himself with conquering sweetness and firmness. But for those who knew how to read thoroughly, Don Bosco immediately showed himself, together with his youth, the Pope's priest: the Roman priest, so to say in his city, with a touch of jealousy: "Rome admires you: Turin loves you ». After so many years, in the luminous irradiation of his figure and his Work, one can rightly say, almost correcting the brilliant phrase: "The whole world admires you: the whole world loves you". Don Bosco is still alive in the enchantment he exercises on youthful souls. In fact, he had the rare ability to gather and understand the aspirations of youth. It is not true that this always wants to overdo it, to impose itself in the light of the doctrine, towards the good discipline. On the contrary, it wants to be understood, with benevolent intellect, guided with a robust arm, with a sincere word: it wants to find hearts that love it and esteem it, helping it gently and firmly in the search for what is really important in life; in the present life and in the direction towards the future. This appeared with Our deep satisfaction on the radiant day of Sunday, May 3, when, among the more than one hundred thousand people that surrounded us in the Tuscolano district, most were vibrant youths, who cheered the Pope, and in the Pope the perennial youth of the Church . Looking back on this magnificent reality, let us repeat to the young the words of Pius IX, who was the Pontiff of the times of Don Bosco: "We are with you". The Papacy, through which Christ rules souls, has its foundation not in the territorial dimensions of a State, but in the expressions of apostolic, charitable missionary activity, in the forms of life in which youth souls are molded for tomorrow. On this evening of emotion and love, the hymn of gratitude rises to Don Bosco, apostle of youth, and with him to all the founders and leaders of ancient and modern institutions, which deploy their energies in Rome and the world to education of the new generations, with the security of an ever promising dawn of life, activity and Christian perfection. Venerable Brothers and Beloved Children! On the threshold of this Basilica, near the tombs of the Apostles, Martyrs, distinguished Doctors, to whom the eyes of the Catholic faithful of the whole world are turned, We feel the prophetic admonition in this hour, in solemn warning and with encouraging encouragement words of the Liturgy: I saw coniunctos viros, habentes splendiclas vestes, et angelus Domini locutus est ad me dicens isti sunt viri sti facti friends Dei. Here they are these friends of God, after the admirable journey of their earthly existence, during which they met and loved each other: here they are after the wandering of these days from Rome to Venice, from Turin to Rome. In truth the supplication moves us to the lips moved: Santi tui, Domine, admirable consecuti sunt iter. The journey of these Saints was accomplished, also in the vote of a meeting of Saint Pius X with his Venetians, and of Saint John Bosco with that population of the City entrusted to the pastoral ministry of his children. Beloved Sons! As the eyes turn to these glorious urns, so the steps of each of us are prepared to continue the journey towards the fulfillment of the earthly and eternal vocation. Sancte Pie, now pro nobis: Sancte Joannes, now pro nobis. O Saints of the Lord! pray for the whole Church, which acclaims you and venerates you; pray because what was the constant application of your apostolic work is always our commitment to the purity of faith, to the sanctity of custom, to the charity of fraternal and social relations. Pray that good families may multiply, that they give generous and faithful servants to the Church and to society; pray that all men, meditating thoughts of peace, may come to the firm conviction that only meek and generous goodness dissolves what is arduous and difficult, strengthens the bonds of fraternity, conquers hearts, saves families and peoples. Decree of John XXIII. On the initiative of some illustrious friends and admirers of the Salesian Work in Colombia, a humble request was presented to the Holy See for Saint John Bosco to be declared "Patron of the young apprentices of Colombia". The Holy Father, nodding kindly, accepted the petition. Those who, in the height of age, are preparing to exercise an art or a trade in life, rightly venerate and invoke St. John Bosco, the distinguished Master and Father of youth. Our immediate Predecessor Pius XII, eager to increase this devotion ever more, with the Apostolic Letter of January 28, 1958, consecrated all the young apprentices of Italy to the same Patron Saint. Now, also complying with our intimate persuasion, some illustrious personalities of the Republic of Colombia, where the association of young apprentices, called SENA, is officially established, They have given us lively prayer because we declare St. John Bosco the Patron of young people who learn an art or a trade. Very willingly accepting these votes, confirmed by the recommendation of our beloved Son the Card. Crisanzio Luque, Archbishop of Bogotà, with the favorable opinion of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, of certain science and after mature deliberation, in the fullness of the Apostolic Authority, in force of the present letters, we elect, declare and confirm St. John Bosco, Confessor, in perpetuity celestial Patron of all the young apprentices of Colombia, who are called los Aprendices Colombianos, with all the honors and privileges that are given to the Patrons of Associations or Orders. Despite any contrary provision. Thus we order and establish, decreeing that this Our Letter is and always remains stable, valid and effective ... in force of the present letters, we elect, we declare and confirm in perpetuity San Giovanni Bosco, Confessor, celestial Patron of all the young apprentices of Colombia, who are called los Aprendices Colombianos, with all the honors and privileges that are given to the Patrons of Associations or of Orders. Despite any contrary provision. Thus we order and establish, decreeing that this Our Letter is and always remains stable, valid and effective ... in force of the present letters, we elect, we declare and confirm in perpetuity San Giovanni Bosco, Confessor, celestial Patron of all the young apprentices of Colombia, who are called los Aprendices Colombianos, with all the honors and privileges that are given to the Patrons of Associations or of Orders. Despite any contrary provision. Thus we order and establish, decreeing that this Our Letter is and always remains stable, valid and effective ... Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Fisherman's ring, on October 16, 1959, I of Our Pontificate. GIOVANNI 23 Pontifical decree. As everyone knows, particular love and special care must be had for those who, in their prime, learn an art, so that their life conforms to true human dignity and to the dictates of religion and piety . What is especially worrying in our times, in which so many dangerous doctrines are spreading and the enticements of corruption are growing, is that many reduce everything to matter, so that dangers of every kind dominate the souls of adolescents. Well understood of this and driven by pastoral zeal, the Em. Cardinals and Metropolitan Archbishops, presenting together also the votes of the Clergy and the civil Authorities, prayed to us that for our benevolence we declared St. John Bosco, honored by all father and friend of the young, as heavenly Patron of apprentices and young workers throughout Spain. We wholeheartedly accepted these prayers, We who deeply venerate this Saint, trusting that under his protection the young people of Spain who learn an art will one day be able to do honor and be useful to the Church and the Nation with their work. Therefore, after hearing the Sacred Congregation of Rites, of a certain science and after mature Our deliberation, with the fullness of Our Apostolic Authority, by virtue of this letter we establish and proclaim in perpetuity St. John Bosco, Confessor, heavenly Patron with all of God the young apprentices of Spain, who are called jóvenes Aprendices Esparzoles, with all the honors and liturgical privileges that by right belong to the Patrons of Associations. Despite anything against it etc. Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Fisherman's ring, on April 22, 1960, II of Our Pontificate. GIOVANNI 23 Speech addressed in the courtyard of St. Damasus to the very numerous participants in the Salesian Cooperators' pilgrimage to Rome and Pompeii. Don Bosco's enterprises raise enthusiasm. Cooperators of our ministry. The laity are largely invited to their place of responsibility. This day so bright at the end of May - Feast of the Ascension - in which Jesus raised himself from the earth to the heavens disappeared from the eyes of his most intimate, he could have been a sad opinion for the hiding of the divine Master, and almost escaping from familiarity with Apostles. Instead St. Luke takes care to tell us that Jesus took them out of the city, to Bethany, and raised his hands he blessed them, and turned away from them, and they returned to Jerusalem, but in great joy, cum gaudio magno (Lk. In fact they had reason to rejoice: for the promise of the imminent Holy Spirit; and then because the Mother of Jesus herself remained in good company with them, in common participation of grace and prayer. With this call to the mystery of the Ascension, we love to introduce ourselves to a greeting and encouragement for you, beloved children of Don Bosco, who have come in large numbers here, in the Father's house, to fill it with so much affection and so much vivacity of faith and desire to do well. Along Our life The memories and echoes of the Salesian Family have accompanied us, of which this Audience, in the Courtyard of San Damaso, offers very eloquent essay. At other times We have said it: we have confided in it. multiple meetings. Today the mere nod is enough. The dear image of the Madonna, under the title of Help of Christians, was for many years familiar to Our eyes as a child and as a teenager in the house of Our parents. Don Bosco's exploits - considered in his entirety as a perfect ecclesiastic in the exercise of prayer, personal intimate witness and action - raised such enthusiasm, to make a young man sent to the priesthood, whom we were from the age of fourteen, desire , to emulate the examples. The booklets of the Salesian Readings, on the opening of Our youth, offered us essays of beautiful writing, as they encouraged everyone to new forms of apostolate. Today the Third Salesian Family - as they like to call it - has come to show its liveliness, of which we love to highlight two aspects: the love of gratitude to the Congregation founded by St. John Bosco, and the honor given to him in in every aspect of Catholic life - in the parish, in the diocese, in the workplace - the examples of the Saint who wanted to be totally devoted to the Church: minister and apostle of his teaching in every field of dogma, of the moral education, of social service. Cooperators is a high term: in fact, every bishop calls our ministers (Pont. Rum. In Ord. Presb.) Cooperatores our priests: cooperators of our ministry. It is indeed a sacred and meaningful word. It could not be used by applying it only to the contribution, though worthy of gratitude, of a money offer: but it extends to a whole commitment of life, to a constant and generous service. You mentioned the Council. We could not doubt that you too think of the great event, pray for it, and are willing to do something, even a great deal, when it comes to carrying out what the Council Fathers have deliberated with us. For our part we have offered Our existence for this purpose. And with Us an endless number of chosen souls. The cooperation of many, noble and holy energies of the teaching Church fills us with a spirit of consolation, because we see that work proceeds with sure start towards the desired goals. And everything gives hope for good, even the respectful expectation of the whole world. You can certainly cooperate in the success of the Council, and in its application. It is not necessary to say much: but it is enough to think of its aims, considering it from the point of view of pastoral horizons and missionary apostolate, which it wants to open or expand: souls to bring or to bring back to Christ; hearts to be filled with love for the great ideals of Christianity; institutions and enterprises of today's civilization to be consecrated to the triumph of the kingdom of God, in an effort to adapt to the increased needs, so that the essentiality of Christ's message may reach all, uncontaminated and persuasive. In the vast field of pastoral action, which opens in the era of the Council, and will require new formulations after its celebration, the laity are largely invited to take their place of individual and community responsibility, under the amiable guidance of the bishops , and beside and in fraternal understanding with the priests. After all, the invitation is not of modern times, but always. And this particularly in the assistance and charity sectors; of social action; of the press; the use of leisure time; of various audiovisual techniques and the means of spreading thought. These fields are particularly called to the beloved children of the laity, for their competence and preparation, and for the possibility they have of permeating them with the conviction of faith. To you you are called, beloved sons and daughters: and the wise organization, in which Salesian cooperation is expressed, offers you opportunities for fervent preparation. In the light of this vast horizon, It is so welcome to encourage you to be faithful and persistent. Continue your journey joyfully, be aware of the great possibilities you have of doing good, work it courageously and peacefully, be the leaven destined to ferment the mass (see Mi. 13, 33). This word now reaches your souls, directly to each of you, but extends to the whole laity of Catholic action, of the third orders, of the brotherhoods, of the pious unions. We accompany you all with Our prayer, so that, with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Help of Christians, of St. Francis de Sales and of St. John Bosco, and of the luminous constellation of so many other saints who are protectors of the lay apostolate, may you fructify to God with every good and beautiful work. May the implored comforting Apostolic Blessing be a pledge of Our cordial vows. On January 31, 1960, the Holy Father John XXIII, solemnly concluding the First Synod of Rome in St. Peter's Basilica, gave a luminous Address in which he was pleased to appoint Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians. «Today Sunday 31 January is the liturgical commemoration of St. John Bosco. This name is a poem of grace and apostolate: from a small village in Piedmont it brought the glory and successes of Christ's charity to the most distant borders of the world. To its blessed name the Holy Church associates its fellow saints Giuseppe Cottolengo and Giuseppe Cafasso: and to the call of this triad the memories of innumerable humble priests and great heroes of charity are reawakened that in Italy, in the ancient dioceses, in all nations of "Europe and the world where the Church of Rome extends its pavilions, perpetuating the manifestations of ardent and faithful priestly and pastoral zeal". Concluding then the Address, His Holiness addressed this devoted invocation to the Mother of God: "O Mary, Mary, you know how you are acclaimed Salus populi Romans here, and how the humble Bishop of Rome calls you every day and calls upon you Queen Apostolorum, Queen Cleri, Auxilium Christianorum, Auxilium Episcoporum. These words are enough to tell you the sweetness of our love for you, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, and to confirm your mercy for us, your most devoted and good children ". SS GIOVANNI XXIII receiving the participants in the XII Assembly of the Federation Institutes dependent on the Ecclesiastical Authority (FIDAE) recalled the Saints, heroes of the apostolate in the field of education and education of the people, especially Saint John the Baptist de la Salle and Saint John Bosco, and others who have started a consoling flowering of Christian life, now cared for by their spiritual children. Likewise, the Holy Father, receiving the staff of the Circus "Orfei", who performed in front of him in some numbers, urged the 250 defendants to ensure that the recreational shows that they offer to the public are always moral, and recalled the example of St. Giovanni Bosco who, young man, used fun for his apostolate. Also speaking to the students of the Collegio Pio Latino Americano and of the Collegio Pio Brasiliano, inviting them to think about the multitude of souls who await salvation from their ministry, the Holy Father affirmed that among the memories of His childhood there was the reading of what Don Bosco he had seen with a prophetic spirit precisely on Latin America: vast expanses, dense forests, boundless horizons: an immense field for a fruitful apostolate. Giovanni Battista Montini was born in Concesio (Brescia) on 26 September 1897. He was appointed "Substitute" in the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1937. In 1954 Pius XII sent him Archbishop of Milan. John XXIII created him Cardinal of SR Church in his first Consistory of December 15, 1958. He was elected Pope June 21, 1963. In Rome, Monsignor Montini, during the Second World War, was the great friend and benefactor of the "Ragazzi di Don Bosco" (the sciuscià) of the Prenestino. Elected Archbishop of Milan he wanted to celebrate solemnly the first feast of St. Dominic Savio, and requested the urn, with the sacred remains, from the Superiors of Turin. In San Domenico Savio dedicated the new parish entrusted to the Salesians. To them he also entrusted the Reformatory for minors of Arese, thus becoming the "Domenico Savio Rehabilitation Center". Paul VI elected three Salesian Bishops and an Apostolic Prefect (1965). From 19 to 24 April 1955 the relics of Saint Dominic Savio were transferred to Milan at the request of Archbishop SE Mons. GB Montini. Domenico Savio, the little saint of the Oratory of Don Bosco, is in these days in Milan. It is in his humble mortal relics. The Salesians have succumbed to our prayer and have conceded that the blessed urn, which contains the remains of this Flower, grown in the hands of their great founder St. John Bosco, were for short days transported to our city to receive the amorous homage of childhood Milanese and to make blazing with his presence, with his example, with his protection, the traditional and very modern idea of the oratory destined for the Christian education of our youth. We thank the Salesians for this privileged concession. We worship and celebrate the angelic youth that the Church has placed on our altars, a sweet and magnificent example of youthful holiness. We think back to the ancient and flourishing institution of the parish oratory with full awareness of what it is, of what it must be. It obliges us to reflect on this love for our youth. It pushes us to this act of awareness the pedagogical evolution to which it is today linked. It obliges us to this revolution of the educational tool, placed in our pastoral hands, the pressing threat against Catholic formation, against religious faith, against moral integrity, against civic rectitude, to which childhood is exposed. And we certainly need to reaffirm, he hopes, the holy boy, that the oratory is still today an indispensable means for the Christian education of children in the parish life. Invite the child to religious instruction with the enticement of a pleasant and honest recreation, help him in the fulfillment of his scholastic duty, assist him in his material needs; such is the object of this institution which gathers children from one or more parishes, without distinction of social conditions ... Such is the wide and dear sheepfold, where the priest hears himself Pastor and Master and Friend, - c me San Filippo Neri - "with children, a wise child"; where the Italian Catholic Action recruits its ranks of election and where it exercises its full, provident apostolate. Domenico Savio is among us, not only with the venerable relics consumed by the early death: he is alive among us with his spirit: he is among us a warning symbol of the Church's educational art. Our devotion is love: love for youth, love for his care and defense, love for the parish priest's oratory, and a garden of innocence, holiness, joy, youth. Christ. One day HH Paul VI had the opportunity to attend a theatrical performance in the Salesian Institute in Milan. He was inspired by a wonderful exhortation. He placed the two generations, the young and the old, facing each other. And he emphasized the values that they can tell each other. He indicated the synthesis of an apparent contrast in a joyful holiness. I think that in the Salesian educational system (I call you, young people, to witnesses; and I call you, educators, to do the same) there is a wonderful communication between the educator and the boy, the young man and his teacher ; that instead of being one against the other, the two generations are admirably intertwined in that harmony that creates a wave of history: the living history of humanity ... Well, young people, continue the dialogue. You will hear that the conversation will tell you about great things that heal youth from tiredness, disappointment, incapacity, the impulsiveness of so many post-war youth events. He will tell you about religion. You will feel that religion is a strength, a youth, an enrichment, something that ferments in the soul. The Salesian dialogue of great and severe things will speak to you: the great pedagogical lesson that it will give you will be duty. Then you will light up what is one of the most beautiful phenomena of youth life: knowing how to believe, knowing how to want, knowing how to idealize life, knowing how to give yourself for something, knowing how to become a hero and poet and a soldier and a saint. Salesian dialogue will tell you again: young, do you know the good of life? I will explain it to you ... One of the most impressive phenomena of the modern world, and not only of the inexperienced youth of the mysteries of life, but tried both by literature and by politics, by psychology etc. it is an enormous pessimism ... I am reminded of the open, strong, sweet, penetrating word of Don Bosco, who says: «No! life is beautiful, life is good, you can live without distrust and without fear: you can be optimistic, you can be happy, you can go to life with great confidence because you will have your heart in the Grace of God. Charity will smooth out the paths of existence. If all the moTdo were bad, and you were good, it would be worthwhile to live life with great confidence and great energy ... ». We don't just want saints in heaven. We want you s of in this land. And the school of Don Bosco creates a school of saints in the modern g-iov. HE Mons. Giov. Battista Montini solemnly inaugurated the new Center for Technical Education and Professional Training in Sesto San Giovanni. From the speech of SE we remove some thoughts: It is especially looking at you, young people, that we have felt a lively and sincere feeling of gratitude for those who have preceded us and who have worked for you, because we see in their work a source of goodness for your heart. And then we are thrilled to admire this beautiful work, this monument of your city, this tool for a world to be redone. Looking at this school, the classrooms, the workshops, we have pushed our gaze into the future, into contemplation, of a society born on these foundations. Our country has its roots and is based on work, and at work the widest impulse is given in homage to the first solemn article of the Constitution of the Italian People. But the problems of work today place those of the school, because it is necessary to teach the people work, it is necessary to know how to give a specialization to the activity, there is need of experts and masters of art and of young people who know their job well. And this is a precise indication of our time for the immense use of machines in work. However, this school fully meets all these needs. On the other hand, it does not represent a novelty, because here is a tradition that is now secular in the Catholic Church and which has its forerunner in Don Bosco. In fact, this school does not enter the history of the Salesian Family as an unusual thing, but it is only the normal and logical development of an address that goes back to the earliest times of life of the Congregation founded by Don Bosco. The professional school in Italy bears an original Salesian imprint, and we, seeing this beautiful realization, implemented with so much sacrifice, we praise to Don Bosco admirable forerunner of the needs of our time. And here is the conclusion: ... you cannot say: "Nobody loved me". You have your family, your parish that welcomes you; you have in this sc * la the witness that the Church, that the whole society, is the Patri. he loves you; you have these sons of Don Bosco who faithfully continue. or the educational effort of the Saint of youth and care for you and stand by your side. Between you Christ is not dead, and in your city, here, the charity of Christ flourishes. This testimony can take you into your heart! You must bring into life what you learn here. Here you must learn to elevate your work to God with the ardent face of prayer! On the occasion of the celebration in the Aula Magna of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan of the First Centenary of the foundation of Salesian Works. At the end of the ceremony, His Eminence Cardinal Montini spoke. «... as bishop of this diocese I myself am among the grateful. The Houses that the Salesians nourish and hold up with so much profit and with such a good example in our diocese deserve that I quote them to common gratitude and that they express my wishes publicly so that they always have to grow and to accomplish their mission magically and effectively. Think that we have six or seven magnificent Houses. You know the rest. I would say that passing it quickly into a review is a sign of gratitude and a wish. Saint Augustine, who is all a hive of works, youth, schools, oratory, church, parish. And Arese; in Arese, I have had the opportunity if not the merit of calling the Salesians to this terrible center of misguided youth, which has become such a promising center of youth. We have Treviglio; we have, and I visited last week, Sesto San Giovanni, perhaps the most beautiful school, at least of those employees of the ecclesiastical Authority, of our diocese, the most modern and the most promising. Let me really be pleased with this flowering and wish it could become more effective and more beneficial for our youth ". His Eminence then recalled how Don Bosco worked for the Church. «It seems to me that Don Bosco has given the Church and the world a double great witness; the first one; that the Church, which seemed to have truly exhausted its instructive capacity - think of enlightenment, really think of all philosophy, of all the currents of thought of the last century and of ours - the Church through this miracle of the Salesian Society, becomes still mad teacher, immense crowds of youth. And he tells them beautiful, tall, serene, positive words. It's a really comfortable school. It is not an artificial school . It seems to be a school at the same time extracted from the most palpitating e enza ciency of modern life as from the more traditional fale and faithful word of the ecclesiastical magisterium. The Church in this respect has proved to be capable today of being still the Teacher of the new generations. And then this phenomenon has turned resolutely, mainly towards the popular classes, towards the children of the people, towards those who are. or more need, to those who usually arrested their instruction, neither yes nor no to the first elementary classes. We need to get out a door that knows how to live, that knows how to earn its bread. It was born from this. both the popular education school that we now celebrate in Italy. or as the hope of our tomorrow, that is, the professional school which connects the theoretical subjects with those of manual work and technical and professional work. And here too the Church has witnessed to the Society of Don Bosco that it is not only a Teacher but a Mother. And we do things. or be very grateful to Providence that before us makes us. -re as the ancient seed of Christ in his Church still green • for these branches so powerful and so flourishing, that they make us see in C • • know the abilities that his divine Founder has infused in you. Don Bosco is st or, I would say, the one who has drawn these energies from the heart of the Church and the Salesian Society is developing and spreading them around the world ". Of all the Milanese Salesian Centers, that of Arese was certainly the most dear to Cardinal Montini. It was he who entrusted it to the Salesians, and he carefully followed the developments well knowing the difficulties of re-educating socially maladjusted young people. On the occasion of the blessing and laying of the First Stone of the Typography Workshop, His Eminence addressed this moving invitation to joyful hope to the young. Hope. A difficult task. Hope in the heart. Our Lady, our hope. Gentlemen, dear Salesians and you dear children: while I am listening and observing these beautiful things that I have before my eyes, I am looking deep into my soul for the dominant feeling of this scene and all these things that are before our spirit and to our eyes and, if I have to say what spontaneously comes to my heart, the dominant feeling is that of a great hope. Do you know what hope is? Hope is the desire for some possible good. You will say: a thing for nothing. It is not so! See that knowing that good is possible gives the soul a great energy and a great consolation. After all, when there are things that are not going well in this world, if you go to investigate and examine in the protagonists, those who are responsible for these same things, you see that they feel distrust, that there is, I would like to say a big word, but sometimes true: despair. How many times do you hear people say, "What do you want to do with it?" there's nothing to do. Can not be done. We have already tried. I know. Who comes to teach us! We have already tried so much and we cannot do more here. People must take it as it is, and in this world we must resign ourselves like this ». Words that seem to be positive and convincing, validated by experience; that seem to be true and that they would leave, if they really were true, a great delusion and a great bitterness in the heart, that is to say: "there is no me to do". When I came here, and the Salesiko who talked about it remembered it four years ago, I remember that we were a bit tti in these moods: what can be done for Arese? And sicc. ' and it had not been an Institute without care, without offerings, without interventions, without efforts of so many that, although I must say, they will be certame of good people, and your Institute was not then what is now, we seemed to say: «Mah! can we do something more, or is it not an ungrateful terrain, a barren soil, that we have before us, which cannot bear other fruits? And it was there that there was the risk of saying: «let's try! I was exhorted and I have to say it in public, because I would not like to have only the merits of his rebirth for those who took care of your Institutes; the first word was of the Prefect of Milan, Alberto Liuti, who is now Prefect in Rome, the q. said to me: "Can't you do something? And to say this a bit how to test not only my good will, but faith, the faith that I represent as a priest and as a bishop. Could it be that Christianity, the Christian religion is not capable of doing what, what more than what has already been done? Saying this and having to accept the challenge, having to face the test, was the same thing. It was then that we turned to the Salesians; the Salesians themselves (bis (); na say it not because they had been timid and fearful before a great task: Don Bosco's heart never trembles before the great tasks that are placed before them for the good of Jupiter, but because from good educators, from experienced people of the world giovi t'le and of the modern world they understood the difficulties), they said: «Tremen3 to-mind difficult! It requires enormous efforts: how can we do it? And it was then that the Major Superior of the Salesian Society, Don Ziggi with whom I have so many relationships and to whom I am bound by a great devotion E este esteem great, it was then that to my prayers he of. E: «Let's try! And it proved; and this was enough, I would say, as if it were to be dug in the ground where there is water. The pool of water began to be a source and to be magnificently promising and brightly clear. Why ? First of all because I know these Salesian educators of yours. They stood with all their hearts. And I also want to say to you, dear Confreres, Sons of Don Bosco, be happy with what you have accomplished and what you see, because once again you are given the proof that by daring you get, that by sacrificing you do not lose your effort , that by measuring with the heart and not with other measures the good to do, the good is learned and realized. You have always done good with your art of complete dedication, of love for children, of trust in God, of fidelity to your traditions, and here is the good we have before us. It was possible. And behind this, anything else ever! the Authorities, the Committees and especially the Benefactors. This kind and good, indefatigable Benefactor who we have now marked with a title from the great Roman Pontiff who says: "Yes, he deserves to be cited before gratitude and before the praise of the good, because he has really done beneficial work and truly worthy of being called Christian ». This thing also came that he did not expect, it was not in the calculations; yet it came, and here the good has had a new expansion. I know that your workshops have been rebuilt; I know that this courtyard has changed its face; I know that today we will put the first stones; I know we will open the gym. It seems that your Institute is full of fruitfulness and promises. It is precisely these promises, which I draw from the good I have already done, those that make me happy and that I have before me, almost as a reward for the efforts made and the omen that other results and other achievements are before this which becomes a magnificent institution. My thoughts go even deeper and more intimately: it comes to you, dear young people, it comes to you, because this hope is not only mine and of those who take care of the Institute, but it must be yours. I would like to read you in the hearts; I would like to be able to do what one does in the examination of conscience and that is to know oneself. Say if I'm wrong or if you in your previous years and days haven't had moments of anger, of disgust, let's say despair? Children and young as you are, you have made this sad experience of believing it impossible to be good, impossible to enjoy the joys of life, and you have thus abandoned yourselves to "what came, came". Now that you are here, I would like to say to you: look, I hope you do not look for it only in the walls that surround you, in the workshops and in the schools that are open to you, in the beautiful premises that inhabit it, in the orderly progress of this house, in the goodness it educates, 'of your teachers, in the interest of so many Benefactors and so many Cars You know: you must look for hope in your heart, even from you. The hope is this: that you are good, that you are good, that you are ... You have tried to amuse us a moment ago, using your beautiful scene with your faults and making them pleasant. But precisely because you did a little fars., On this, you wanted to say the opposite. And the opposite is this: that - you are good boys and that you can do good in life and that life does not preclude its paths, and that you too can look away with a big smile and a great desire. Young people need to move forward on the path of ha with the high forehead, col. tense heart and looking away. As it was almost forbidden yesterday and almost forbidden, today you are not alone, but you are almost urged to say: be happy, be happy, you add is a day of hope. From this institute you can watch com. if you were in front of an observatory on the path that remains. The. no it will be good, the journey will be beautiful, if you want it. Hope in my heart today I would like to reawaken in rn: fzo to you, which means then gladness, goodness, good will. If words are not enough, if the faces that surround you are not enough, or, if not even that spark of good will that is erupting in your heart is enough, look there, the Madonna, whom we have put here in half to you. Do you know how the prayer we address is? Spes ours! An easy Latin, which means «sper. ta ours ». I have read below that "without a mother in life there is no purpose". The mother usually stays behind us, precedes us, gave us life, gets old, and we move on and go on along our path. How can a mom be purposeful? The purpose lies before oi, the mother, on the other hand, by nature of things is behind us: she guides us, educates us, calls us, tells us: "forward, children" and then we take our leave and it is the bitter day when the mother leaves. But the Mother who is in front, is a Mother who really gave us the great life of Christ. is the one that makes us good at good, happy, but also a Mother who awaits us. It is the Mother in front, the Mother who guides us, the Mother who calls us, the Mother who teaches us the path: she is truly the Mother of hope. I would like that whenever you enter here, here playing, or here passing, you look at it, you felt reborn in you this sense of trust in life, illuminated by the sweet and maternal gaze of Mary Most Holy, who is not content to look at you and leave you far away and alone, but with His maternal grace, he guides you, speaks to you in the heart, protects you and calls heaven's favors above you. May this be a day of joy for all, be a day of gratitude for the good done, be a day of contentment for the beautiful things we look at, but also for everyone and for you, especially, a day of hope because it is life we really say the Christian life. Homily given to the young people of the Salesian Institute of Milan Ball '. Archbishop Mons. GB Montini. Don Bosco knew how to understand children. - 2_ The secret of or: • boy: the beauty of the soul. His humility and faculty to pray - 4. Optimism and grace - 5. An art that is - Siasmb Don Bosco: educate. There is a secret in every boy. Don Bosco considered the raz. zi like you consider an enigma, a riddle of those you bisot, to decipher. In every boy he saw something profound, miserable, difficult to interpret and had made an extraordinary eye. or, we would say a clinical eye, an eye capable of penetrating sub. He knew it! And that is, he understood. He understood the young, he understood the f. tufts, he understood the boys. If I now wanted to ask you: "Is it not one of your greatest sorrows that happens to you a few times when you do not understand yourself? For example, you get a punishment, a reproach, a tirade of ears or what I know, and you, in your heart, say: "He does not deserve it or; he did not understand, I did not do the bad, but so..." That is, many times, in your sorrows, even at home, even qu. or your parents scold you, you say, "But why, what's wrong with that? Why are big people so nervous? You are not abbast. a capiti. And if you find one who understands you (and you usually understand better among boys and girls at the same age) then you become friends, you become friendly with the people who read you in your heart and understand you. And Don Bosco was very good at understanding the boys and seeing not only their faces as someone can see them, seeing you with the rays that penetrate inside, seeing inside a boy, knowing how to read in the soul; it was one of the most astonishing gifts and • raised the greatest wonder. So many times in his life, we read about young people to whom Don Bosco addressed himself, saying: "You did this. Tell the truth! And the boy was enchanted, amazed and asked: "And how do you know? Don Bosco had the eye he saw in boys and got excited, he had the passion to read in souls, as there are those who have the passion to read in books or to look at the stars or to reckon ... And he saw that at the bottom of the boy's soul is a secret ... What did you see? He saw a mirror. Yes, a reflection. If you could understand this, you could also understand the secret of this enthusiasm for childhood, for youth, for children, for all this educational work which is now so developed, but which has its secret precisely in this profound vision of mind of the boy. The boy's soul is like a mirror. What does it reflect? This is even more difficult to say. But we know it well when we read in the Gospel that tells us those words that are the exaltation of the child and of the child, when Jesus took a small child and put him among the people who listened to him and told all: "If you do not become small like this child, you will not be citizens of Heaven. And woe, woe to those who scandalize, to those who profane one of these children, There is a vision inside the soul of children and young people that the boy himself does not know: it is the face of God that is reflected in the bottom of the boy ... My children, when we recommend you: be pure, do not stain yourselves with bad thoughts or bad deeds, we see in you this sovereign beauty which is not comparable to any external beauty because it is a heavenly beauty fallen in your soul. You are beautiful like angels. You are as beautiful as a spell of. Heaven, you are more beautiful than the stars we see on summer nights above our heads, because the stars represent a beauty of God. And they sing the glory of the Lord in silence, but they are not alive, while you are alive, you you are divine of this reflected beauty that is in you. Siete piccoli, siete deboli, siete inesperti, vi manca tutto, e in questa vostra bellezza vediamo riflessa una cosa che gli uomini dimen ticano e che è indispensabile invece per definire l'uomo e per e(i etterlo in relazione con Dio; cioè l'umiltà. La vostra umiltà è . he questo riflesso di Dio. Somigliate tanto alla Madonna che è la j.iù umile di tutte le creature e avete anche il coraggio di dire ciò ch: gli uomini grandi non hanno più il coraggio di dire e cioè: io sono un essere piccolo, sono un essere che ha bisogno, sono un essere ch.. ha fame, sono un essere che sa piangere! Sapete piangere ? Guardate che è una grande dote nostra, per hè il pianto è un grido. È un grido che si traduce, a saper bene le c se, nella manifestazione più grande dell'anima umana. Qual è la m.$ '- festazione più grande dell'anima umana e che è tanto vicina la vostra piccola anima ? È il grido di preghiera. You are best suited to pray. When today I felt I can and with these voices explained, tears came to my eyes. Do you know why? But because this is really the voice that the Lord must listen to. Because it is a sincere voice, it is a voice that does not lie when there: "Lord, I need You, I need to be saved, I have a (); or to be polite, to be supported, Lord, give me bread. I need! While men, when they become adults, easily become deluded, that is, proud people who say: «I don't need anyone. I do it myself. I am sufficient. I am good at it. I don't want to humiliate myself neither to pray nor to ask ». And it is this pride that makes them opaque, which renders them incapable of riflet: - be God and speak with Him. You, instead, boys, when you are true - you boys, "Lord, give me your help, give me my bread." And I never tell you if you should see all the reasons, all the titles that are printed in your souls and that talk about God. And your joy, my children! Are you happy? I ask you or: do you know how to cry? And now I ask you: do you know how to laugh? But here.to smile is a wonderful thing, a beautiful thing. Don Bosco vol that his boys were always happy, they were always happy; San Filippo wanted it and San Paolo wanted it. You heard it read -re now in the Epistle! "But be glad, be glad." The boy = a little educated, not very educated, but he has at least this instinct of life F is the optimism, the knowing how to enjoy things, the knowledge of being happy the need to whistle and sing, to laugh and enjoy it, here. ta craving for happiness in you. Perhaps it will be a happiness that is sudden, therefore happiness that must be corrected and educated. But this attitude of yours to celebrate life and the gifts that surround life, this too is divine grace imprinted on your souls. And do you want more? Certainly the eye of Don Bosco arrived here, and it tells us that his desire to always want to confess the boys, to always want to give the grace of the Lord. You, if you are good and truly Christian children, bring the Lord within you. You are the most suitable tabernacles to carry the Grace of God. That's why we want the altar boys around the altar. Because they are our angels. That's why we find ourselves well with the boys, because they are really easily similar to the angels. They are easily in the grace of God, they repent willingly, they ask forgiveness, they confess easily and then immediately they return pure, they return innocent, they return saints. All this is your secret, my children, and it is this that has thrilled Don Bosco and made him ... and made him ... jealous, jealous of you. It's like when you love a thing and when you have a treasure; with what care we must guard them and not leave them in the squares and in the houses so dispersed. We need to find houses for them, schools, games, dormitories and refectories. We must guard them. And then, and then ... he saw that from all that you have, this beautiful reflection of God must be brought out, this color of the Divinity; we must highlight it. Do you know what "education" means? In the etymological sense, but also in the real sense, it means "pulling out", "e-ducere". This is why Don Bosco became a teacher. This is why Don Bosco has become a creator of getting out of what you have in your soul and that perhaps you do not know yourself: the great virtues, the dormant energies, the hidden abilities, the energy that you implicitly have in the soul. You are seeds that you can give a flower, a fruit, a tree, a complete life. And Don Bosco took the man out of his boys. He took out the worker, the new young worker, the professional, the student, the complete man with natural energetic and robust, virile and constant virtues; the man, but not only the man to whom profane education, which does not know these profound secrets of the human soul, aims in the end, pulled out the man, I would say, as Jesus was: ambivalent, who wants to say from the two faces, or rather from the two natures. He took out the man the Christian, the human man and the divine man, the man of the earth and the man or of the sky, the complete man. And this is the secret of Don Bosco and it is this art that thrilled him and it was his boys that made him crazy with passion and capable of all the sacrifices for this work gr. de which does not have the same, that of extracting from the little men the perfect legs and creatures as God conceived them: children of the morning and children of heaven. So ? Then understand why Don Bosco has loved you and you understand why you must love Don Bosco. My children, p. - they will be years old. How many years will you stay in here? Two, three, five, ten ... and then? And then you too will get lost in the streets of tea, in the world, in workshops, in offices, in schools, in all careers; you will scatter in this society. Well, remember, this feast of Don Bosco and what I tell you now. Remember that you have been loved. Remember that you have been captured. Remember that nobody, like this school of Don Bosco, ch. it is the Christian school, it has tried to make of you giants, of real men, of Christian facts, of authentic existences. This has or love of Christ for boys and for youth. And if you remember this, Speech by Cardinal Montini to the young people of the Salesian Institute in Milan. Don Bosco, a friend. Don Bosco and the game. Don Bosco and the study. Don Bosco and work. Salesian formula. Dear children, this year we find ourselves with the grace of God, together to celebrate the feast of your Saint, Saint John Bosco, who, from your fellow disciple, who has represented you all in giving me my greetings, was aptly named: "our friend". Don Bosco, friend! And with friends the party becomes easy and becomes happy; and I would really like this celebration of yours which begins here with prayer and which will have its following outside the Church, was a happy, festive celebration; just like a meeting with a friend. You have been spoken to him a hundred times and therefore you know him and it seems to me that attributing this title to him is not difficult. If Don Bosco is not a friend of boys and young people, who can he be? Take him always present and dear under this title: Don Bosco, «friend of the boys». But I would like each of you to take this title and rather than say generically: "Don Bosco is the friend of youth", everyone had to say: "Don Bosco is my friend"; It seems superfluous to show that Don Bosco is the friend of the boys, especially here in this House where you are surrounded by these good educators of yours who continue his work and live the spirit of it and show so much and much friendship, so much interest for you, so much closeness of spirit, so much desire to do you good, to make you happy. I repeat, to show that Don Bosco is your friend, it seems to me superfluous. It is more difficult to show why Don Bosco is so in love with boys; here you should go to so many other reasons that I won't tell you now. Instead, I would like to ask you a question that must become a reflection in you: how was Don Bosco a friend of the boys? What is the form that He adopted to be your friend? Co 11, and was Don Bosco a friend of youth? It seems that joining these two terms, "Don Bosco" and "youth", is not that easy. Don Bosco is a priest; we see him always dressed as a priest and this figure dressed in nen is characteristic, the great black robe that the Catholic priest wears. Now that a black tunic qualifies him as a priest, he unites him to the Church, to the altar, to religion rather than to youth. At first glance it would seem n .. the figure of a man dressed in black in the midst of the boys who are instead full of joy and vivacity. Don Bosco instead became friends with the boys. But how? Because it has sapu or unite religion with recreation. Which is the most spontaneous and most popular event for children? What is the thing you like best? The game. Do not have. or perhaps quite reflected on this first activity of life, it is born, that grows, activities that we call superfluous, inute and wasteful, maybe even a nuisance. The boy wishes to play and wants to carry out his faculties that are about to awaken, he wishes to consciously become aware of his strength, of his ability to think, to fantasize, to move. The game seems like a distant and almost unreliable to religion; in fact, if you play as a example, in the Church, you are immediately punished and taken back. It would seem that no one can unite religion with play, that is, to unite a priest, a Don Bosc 3, with the youth; and here, on the other hand, the characteristic of this one your holy friend begins: he knew how to combine play with religion; he did not proscribe the game, he did not reproach the boys he likes to play, he did not banish recreating from his educational program, he even made it a special chapter, and he developed the activity d -1 game: he created theaters, he created gymnasiums, courtyards, he tried that his young people approached him and not in a row like so many soldiers or as so many altar boys, but he wanted them to approach L as boys who run, who sing, who shout, who diverton r; and he placed himself in the midst of them and knew (it seems the simplest thing in this world to you, but look at that it is a kind of invention) to know how to unite the playground with the Church of prayer. It is found, a beautiful idea, before, it has made organic and programmatic; it has revealed to the educators, to us priests, to parents and to all those who care for children, that it is possible and must very well unite prayer and joy of play, religious education and recreation. Precisely because he understood your heart, your nature, let us also say your need to play and did not suppress it, chastened it, drive it away, but cultivated it, made it lively, made it new, the 'made it brilliant, made it spontaneous and, in a sense, consecrated it. This is why Don Bosco has shown himself to be your friend and, I repeat, he has united religion with play. What does a guy do yet? What is your characteristic activity? «Eh! - you say - let's go to school! What do you do in school? We learn so many things, we get bored a little, we study, we read, we know so many sciences. Even this thing, at first sight seems detached from religion, it seems that it has nothing to do school with the church, that going to church is something quite different than going to school, it seems that between this activity, which it is also characteristic and fundamental of the early years of your youth, and religious education is not a possibility of alliance. We have examples that preceded Don Bosco: how many saints have been teachers and educators! Don Bosco has, I would say, made a covenant with the school even closer than the other saints, because - and here my thoughts go with so much admiration and so much joy to your priests, your professors, your teachers - because it has the religious life is so much associated with the school life that has forced your teachers to live with you, to eat with you, to play with you, to pray with you. This is not always the case in other educational forms which are also Catholic and are also good. This has tightened the ties between school and church even more. and of the priest he made a teacher and of the teacher he made an educator and educator he made a man capable of starting others at the highest levels of human life, that is, in contact and conversation with God; has joined prayer and study; great thing! and therefore you find spontaneous in your schools and sympathetic and almost connatural that from the church one passes to the school and from the school one passes to the church. Indeed, we make a kind of triangle: church, playground, school. This triangle is the creation of Don Bosco. I said wrong, you know, saying triangle; I should have told myself quadrilateral; because Don Bosco associated another of your activities with religious life. What do you do after having studied and played Do you think: «Eh, I have to go to work, you have to learn a trade, I need to know how to earn bread, I have to try to bend myself on this work bench, on this earth, on this matter , to know how to extract from this inert and brute matter something; something useful, today a work tool, tomorrow an object chval something; I have to learn a way to make a living, that is, the job, the profession, the job ". And even this thing we find so natural in these beautiful houses of ours. dear Salesians, who join the workshop to the church, the school, the courtyard; we find this association of things and activities so natural . Precisely in the last century, in the century of Don Bosco, • work that had always taken place in the shadow of the church and of the fed (a great Saint educator of peoples, Saint Benedict, had taught the formula "ora et labora" which means: he prays and works, and our civilization had held these two things together for centuries) in the last century, in the world of work, a fracture takes place that still lasts a separation, an almost enmity: whoever works must be clerical, who works must go to church, between work and chies there is no relationship. Don Bosco, on the other hand, has welded this friendship and this alliance between work and prayer, between work and church, between workshop and house of study and prayer, with external and internal bonds of your heart . He made a quadrilateral: the church, the school, the courtyard, the workshop. This is Don Bosco's formula, it is the formula that interprets yours. your business picks it up and sanctifies it. Do we still want to play with geometric terms? Instead of quadrilateral we should say: u center with three rays: in the center the church, the prayer, God that santific ,: and it illuminates the life that is growing, the life that works, the life that thinks • that studies, and around these three fields of your youthful activity. IZ your game sanctified and made joyful and made lively and welcomed in full citizenship in the program of Don Bosco. The school, with the great development of books, methods, studies and with the great wisdom, to know how to awaken within the boy his energies, his ability to understand and to act. And then fatigue, manual work, the use of tools, the ability to be productive in society, in the workshop, in the factory. These three fields seem to circulate and focus on the sublime field that we are now dealing with: prayer. For this reason, my children, this is why Don Bosco is your friend. I have done nothing other than hint at things that are before you all the moments and that are evident to you. But think of them today, celebrate them, say thanks to Don Bosco as a true benefactor, as a true father, as a true friend. He has stretched out his hands, has stretched his whole life, his heart, his genius towards you and has paved these roads for you and has made them, as I said, the program of your education, made them easy, made them beautiful, happy, honest, he has multiplied them on the face of the earth; and here, in this blessed house, he also offers them to you. You have to love him. And let me end with a recommendation, besides that of thinking of this Salesian formula, in which, fortunately, you have been welcomed. And the recommendation is this: the covenant, the love affair, the kinship that you have learned here to make between recreation and study and work, all this must be an alliance that remains, which remains tomorrow when you are out in other high schools, tomorrow when you go to the sports fields to play and have fun, especially tomorrow when you will be men of work in the studios, in the offices and in the workshops, in places where your life will be. Tell me something: will you remember Don Bosco? And you will remember that Don Bosco found the secret of making these fields of human activity good, honest, balanced and holy, because he centered them in faith, why did he project the light that comes from religion and the Church over these fields? Will you remember it? That is, will you be able to unite the faith that you profess here, the prayer that you sing and pronounce here in all your other activities? I am silent; you think about it and in your heart, while we say the Holy Mass, tell Don Bosco: "Yes, yes, I will be for you, dear Don Bosco, a faithful friend". The Arese Rehabilitation Center in 1962 was enriched by a very new psycho-clinical institute and professed orientation. ale. To conclude this symposium we will simply say that the pressure I believe shared by all present, that is, that this meeting is very informative and very comforting: instructive, for example, which makes us see and observe both the concrete realization It is a very modern Institute, well equipped and able to achieve your goals, and shows us particular technical, scientific aspects of the institution, which tell us how much wisdom, how much experience, how much effectiveness must be accumulated in this instrument re-education, youth orientation. Very comforting, because I imagine that each of us has on, especially in recent times, the ungrateful impression, qu. i the fear of seeing a rebellious, unruly, unassailable youth grow up, that must be tamed with all the help of the violas. opportunity Who has not heard of the teddy-boys as an e; aga proper of our society, not only Italian where the manifestations, that I know of, are much more contained than in other P: esi. It could be said that our social organization, our civil estate, also produces these scraps, these human waste, which are then a great plague and almost a very, very vision of some mistake at the root, which eventually comes to the fore . The realization that there is instead a means, to see that to the technical prog of our society (how it has progressed! How rich! It is powerful! How it is organized! How is it technical! How is scient "• ca!) human progress, miral progress, the adaptation of the human spirit to the handling and non-suffocation are finally matched • of the instruments that man himself has created, he brings us, I repeat, great consolation: the moral level grows and the external technical-scientific one equals wealth grows, the charge of inner principles of man as his instruments and his external power grow. We are very pleased, I repeat, this, because first of all, I believe it returns to the consolation of the promoters themselves, that is, of the Salesians. I who witnessed the initial generosity with which they took this work, which was not born of them, which existed, but which had not yet found its educational capacity and its moral expression ; they took it into their own hands by invoking Don Bosco (I was the lawyer and I have no other merit) with this subject: but if you educate the good boys, they are all good more or less; but it is necessary that you measure yourself with those who are not good, with those who are incurable, with those who are rebellious, with those who are dangerous, with those in which others do not: show, test your method. Don Bosco of which you are so good apologists, show it in practice! The Rector Major, just six years ago, he accepted this work with generosity and self-sacrifice, and with great confidence in his Salesian tradition, and we must all be grateful to him; I collect the common gratitude of the Authorities present, of the citizenship, of the families, to say to them: good, thank you! And I am glad that this work has had so rapid, so obvious, so splendid developments, because this too will compensate, not everything, because most will be rewarded by God, but something will reward your efforts, your efforts, seeing that they are neither sterile nor useless, nor understood by the society that surrounds you. So I am pleased because there are conspicuous Benefactors and Benefactors here; seeing that their charity is collected with so much wisdom, translated into such positive, so effective instruments, so updated with all the discoveries and evolutions of pedagogical, medical and psychological science, will please them too! And I also pay tribute to them, that is to these Benefactors, thanksgiving, praise for their generosity and their sagacity in benefiting works like this. I am therefore pleased to see that Arese grows and grows, enriching itself with a tool like this. I was, as incompetent, listening to the beautiful relationships that have now been brought to our attention. I was looking for a summary formula. How can I understand empirical and incompetent, all this vast and very complicated field that is now enriched with jargon, sentences, all the scientific precise words? It seems to me that all our re-education, regardless of this, is based on an orientation that is then that presides over the mind to whoever teaches, the parents who raise their fig-oils, the colleges, the society , etc. that is the cult of duty. It is said to the rag. zo: you must. You must study, you must go to school, you must obey ... and education sometimes fails, because it does not respond to a vocation of duty. This Institute considers in education another aspect, which was always considered, but it was not reduced in terms neither scientific nor therapeutic, nor so effective as they can be here, that is to say, some age. Can this subject perform those given functions to which he. or ? He has the intelligence to study, he has the psychological moral mechanism to obey, he has his soul ready to love society, to work - ...? Let us look inside: and this is where this school is born, which is an Institute, to look inside the soul of the child, specialists - of the pathological, of the sick, of the abnormal, carafes tee. Let's look at what's there: why can't it? And so here we are before beautiful things: before we find the faults of society reflected in the child's soul. This child has been abandoned, this child has not had a. rto, a family, has not had so many things, and we blame I for faults that should go back to the parents, and generally to the organization. A social one. We have struck him with psychic traumas in you and your manners: with our amusements, with our press, with the edge with a great recklessness and I would say almost carelessly to the shocks that his psychology was not suitable to tolerate. And then we demand that he be a good boy and that I look and “do: we put in front of him all the crime schools with all of them such fascinating and so impressive films for the child, then we expect him to come to be good and to bring the little flowers to her mother and wish her good birthday. But we hit him, wounded, upset, and then I say: the. alisi leads us to see the social ills that fall on him reflected in this mirror of the soul of the infantryman; puts us in front of us not only the ailments; we discover in the psychology of the young and of the child what redemption, so severe, so accusing of our faults, so scrupulous in the face of the slightest lack, but with its triumphant optimism, affirms: man is redeemable, man is curable, l 'man is capable of goodness, the man on his background has still implied a charge of virtue, of wisdom, of a Christian' naturaliter ', that just a magic touch - here is the master, here is the doctor, here is the educator - here is the educator - to extract these energies, so that life can flourish and start again! And therefore this Institute of diagnosis, that is, of examining things, since prognosis, care, education and orientation are based on diagnosis, gives us and gives us the joy of seeing the miracles of healing. And when all this starts from real data, which are ordinarily individual, subjective, it is to be hoped that with all the wisdom that Don Bosco's educational art and his school can have, we will be able to bring forth a good, healthy youth, strong and Christian. This will be the wish we will do at the Institute; to be able to collaborate in this way with the glories of its educating tradition and for the good of our country. Cardinal Montini to the young people of the Salesian Institute in Milan. Love the Church. Genius and modernity of Don Bosco. Christian work. The lamp of Faith. Said he was pleased to be able to celebrate today's feast together with the young people of the Salesian Institute: and then he asked himself what Don Bosco himself would have said. He would have told you about an event that you too have heard speak of a hundred times because it fills our history, the newspapers, the voices, the cinemas, certainly your schools, your prayers. What is this event? THE COUNCIL. I do not speak to you about the Council now, but I say that Don Bosco would have reminded you of this event. Why ? But because this is part of his program, his spirit, his desires, his pedagogy. St. Em. Then recalled the so significant episode of the 33 lire offer collected by Don Bosco among his boys and sent to Pope Pius IX, in exile in Gaeta. That episode, this beautiful episode, characterizes the rest of his life and gives Don Bosco's work a special note that I think would be the theme of the speech, a beautiful speech that Don Bosco would make to you if he were here to talk to you in my place; he would say to you: «Young people, love the Church! In 1870 when the First Vatican Council was celebrated in Rome, Don Bosco was close to the Pope, he placed himself in the midst of the Council Fathers to take care of the big things and the problems that were then dealt with. Now Don Bosco would tell you the same thing he said so many times to his students, and that is that we must love the Church. Do you know what the Church is? Do you know her? Can you tell me the definition? Do you have the concept? You have the vision, you know that the Church is the derivation of Jesus Christ, and His continuation in time, and its expansion on the whole face of the earth, is Jesus Christ living. We are the Church; we are Jesus Christ; we are Christians, we are a vital reproduction, somehow, of Our Lord, we are His Body, the Mystical Body of Christ. And therefore we have before us this immense society called "Cattolica". What does Catholic mean? It means universal, you mean scattered all over the face of the earth. We have before us the greatest society that exists in the history of the world, because it wants to reach all the ends of the earth, all living men. We have before us this society that we can call humanity, redeemed humanity, blessed humanity; humanity in the process of salvation, the humanity that lives by the Spirit of Christ, animated by His grace, by its flow that passes through the veins of humanity; well this Body, this Society is the Church. I tell you in the name of Don Bosco, dear ones, love the Church! You perhaps hear in my recommendation almost an echo of a little sadness; my voice becomes a little sorrowful when I especially recommend to children and young people, to students, apprentices and children like you, love for the Church. It is because in the world there is little of this love, and what is sadder there is little in our Christian countries too, even in this Italy of ours which should be Catholic by definition, by history, by mission, by destiny, for his glory. Do you find the love for the Church outside of this classroom, of this environment that church is called, I mean this field of Catholic education in which you are fortunate to be? Among the great things, among the things I would say original, among the wonderful things that we meet in the life of Don Bosco, we also find this; he has dissolved in advance one of the objections, of the strangest, most serious, and perhaps even most ridiculous difficulties that torment the soul of the Italian people: he has agreed on Italianness with catholicity and has shown how one can be good citizens and good Catholics, even before the Concordat, that is, the peace between the Church and civil society, between our constituted country in an independent and free state and the Holy Catholic Church, between our soul of believers and of Christ's faithful and our spirit of faithful citizens and good Italians. Don Bosco has also accomplished this that I would call almost miracle. He had the ability to understand, to implement the peace that must exist between the soul of a Catholic and the soul of a citizen. And he has always lived it and it is one of the characteristics we see in all his orators, in his works, both in Italy and abroad. : the good loyalty of those who profess themselves citizens of this land and of their homeland, and a citizen of this society which is a bit on earth and a p. in heaven, which is called the Church. You will find in three fields, my children, the difficulty to nourish to profess this peace. You will find it in the field of work, even now, even today, even in our city of Milan, because work is almost always qualified by an instinct of rebellion, • anti-clericalism, it is easy to even blasphemous expressions, it has something uneasy and rebellious to the Christian profession. Remember and Don Bosco who tells you: no, no, work must be sanctified, work can be Christian, the Church loves those who toil and sweat those who are less rich and less free, those who are in our workshops and in our fields . It is a wrong, it is an act I would say of lack of intelligence not to see how the Church is the Church of the poor, the Church of workers, the Church of those who struggle, the Chies. of those who have the desire to earn the holy bread, which f. Today, every day and every moment of our prayer, give us our daily bread today. Establishing enmity between the works and the Church, that is, between work and religion, is a foolishness that has no foundation; and you do not believe my words as much as you do. to insurance, to the guarantee that your Master and Father San Giovanni Bosco gives you of this. If you look at him, every anti-clericalism is every concern, every doubt on this point falls and your heart is replaced by the certainty that the Church works to give the worker a great stature and dignity not only human but dignified. Christian that is much larger and fuller. Today, every day and every moment of our prayer, give us our daily bread today. Establishing enmity between the works and the Church, that is, between work and religion, is a foolishness that has no foundation; and you do not believe my words as much as you do. to insurance, to the guarantee that your Master and Father San Giovanni Bosco gives you of this. If you look at him, every anti-clericalism is every concern, every doubt on this point falls and your heart is replaced by the certainty that the Church works to give the worker a great stature and dignity not only human but dignified. Christian that is much larger and fuller. Today, every day and every moment of our prayer, give us our daily bread today. Establishing enmity between the works and the Church, that is, between work and religion, is a foolishness that has no foundation; and you do not believe my words as much as you do. to insurance, to the guarantee that your Master and Father San Giovanni Bosco gives you of this. If you look at him, every anti-clericalism is every concern, every doubt on this point falls and your heart is replaced by the certainty that the Church works to give the worker a great stature and dignity not only human but dignified. Christian that is much larger and fuller. as own. to insurance, to the guarantee that your Master and Father San Giovanni Bosco gives you of this. If you look at him, every anti-clericalism is every concern, every doubt on this point falls and your heart is replaced by the certainty that the Church works to give the worker a great stature and dignity not only human but dignified. Christian that is much larger and fuller. as own. to insurance, to the guarantee that your Master and Father San Giovanni Bosco gives you of this. If you look at him, every anti-clericalism is every concern, every doubt on this point falls and your heart is replaced by the certainty that the Church works to give the worker a great stature and dignity not only human but dignified. Christian that is much larger and fuller. You will find the obstacle of opposition to the Church in the field, of culture. Under this name we sometimes try to hide, like contraband, the blasphemies and the lowest feelings unleashed against the Church, against Christ, against those who are faithful to him. Beware, my children, beware of the opposition that so many schools, so many teachers, so many books want to put between faith and science, between the profession Christian and culture, between school and the Church, between the book of science and the book of catechism. They are false oppositions. Don Bosco teaches us instead that in order to study well, the lamp of divine Light, of Revelation, of Faith in this word of God dropped from heaven, which comes to enlighten us, to make us enjoy, understand and make useful the life. Faith is a light brought into life not an obstacle, and if we really want to ennoble our study, our search for the truths that the Lord has disseminated in the Universe in which we are, we must pray, we must ask Christ for the extreme word and we must to know that Christ did not love to be called the One Master of the World, because he alone can truly teach us the secrets and destinies of our life. And then you will find opposition in a certain contrast in civil life. They are foolish oppositions, because they create useless difficulties, they torment our civil life dividing in an almost irreducible way. It is believed that those who are Catholic cannot be good citizens; to be a good citizen one must be a layman and a layman means to be indifferent to religion, and to be indifferent one must be against: we do not want Christ, nor priests, nor catechisms, nor faith, nor religion, nor prayer, we must be self-sufficient . What a sad thing this pride that blinds our soul, our conscience, our ability to also be good men for our earthly journey. Remember that Don Bosco taught you that to be good citizens, you need to be more faithful Christians. Christ c ' teaches also the civil order of this world; it teaches us why we must obey and teach us how we must live as free citizens, friends, democrats, because true democracy is nothing but brotherhood between men, and only Jesus Christ taught us first and foremost it guarantees that brotherhood is not a continuous and unrestrained struggle between citizens and citizens, neither a class struggle, nor a child's struggle of the same land and of the same culture. We must be citizens who love each other, who understand each other, who help each other, who collaborate, who seek justice, who seek common freedom. And all this teaches us above all and with a penetrating and infallible word Our Lord Jesus Christ, our faith teaches us of which only the Church is Mother and Teacher. serious, so great and always so fruitful in considerations and even difficulties, remember that you have been treated by your Teacher and Educator Saint John Bosco, who taught everyone to find harmony, to find collaboration, to find peace . This is one of the most beautiful things that Don Bosco has done and taught for the education of our country and the whole world and it is one of the most beautiful things that introduces us into the spirit of this Council, to have in our hearts an understanding, a exaltation, a new love for the Holy Church of God. Speech of Pope Paul VI to members of the XIX Chapter General of the Salesians, in the consistorial hall. After a hundred years. Greeting to Don Ziggiotti and Don Ricceri. Testimony of the Salesian Work. Recognition of the Church. Persevere with courage. Progress. Dear and venerable Sons of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco! Welcome to this meeting at a great and decisive time for your religious family, great and decisive for the wider family of the Catholic Church. Your General Chapter, celebrated in Rome for the first time, strengthens the original and vital insertion of the Salesian Society on the tree of the Holy Church, celebrates and makes it its own the spirit of unity and universality, and presents with filial devotion the work done, which counts more than a hundred years; he describes its history starting from the admirable one of the holy Founder to indicate its coherent and prodigious development in the work of his sons; it relaxes the plans of development, stupendously developed in the world; and, what is more important, here coming to ask for comfort of word and blessing, he renews his conscious intention to pursue faithfully and generously the arduous, provident, evangelical effort undertaken. Mark a stage, make the point (as the sailors say), conclude a period and start another company. We give warning to this precious moment, to which the threads of the past are tied and from which those of the future unfold, so that the celebration of this Chapter acquires all its importance in the annals of the Society itself and all its beneficent fruitfulness for the future ones. We therefore greet with affectionate reverence the dear Rector I and Major outgoing, Don Renato Ziggiotti, with whom we ourselves have happy relationships of friendly understanding and effective collaboration, and of which we followed with admiration and praise the intelligent, tireless and much work positive. Don Bosco, we think, can be pleased with him, as were the confreres and the assistants of. Salesian Congregation: the Lord bless him! We likewise greet the new Rector Major, Don Luigi Ricceri, venerated and with good luck as he is trained for the great Sodality's leadership activity from long years of wise experience. and loving dedication. To him our vows, so that in the wake of his most worthy predecessors, he may know how to guide the Salesian Society on the traditional level, now his own, always turning to those further developments and to that sagacious adherence to the needs of the times, as the youth demands vitality of the Sons of St. John Bosco. And the vows naturally extend to his collaborators, and to those in the vast. network of the Salesian team have functions and responsibilities for you. directives. Then we greet all those who have participated in the General Chapter and in them the whole Congregation, which by number, by ethnic composition, by geographical extension we can well give the title of ecumenical! And returning to your homes, venerated and dear children, bring our greetings and blessing to your confreres and to all those to whom your ministry is addressed. But you now await Our word of comfort and orientation. We will honor your intelligence and your experience. limiting it to a few brief expressions, even if your persecutionists: and your activities would deserve an endless speech. Smart, pauca. We will first tell you about our recognition and our gratitude. Recognition for what you are, for what you do. Yours - or in the name of the Church, of which you are very elect children - of which we are now the voice - Our Salesian Society is a great thing in world Catholic life. Even more than to the statistics, which describe themselves in consolant ascending diagrams, we look at the goodness and solidity of your Congregation; let us look at the spirit, at fervor, at self-denial, to faith, to piety, which give it form and vigor; let us look at the mission to which it is consecrated, the education of the youth, with preference for the children of the people; let us look at simplicity, at wisdom, at the effectiveness of your Salesian pedagogy; let us look at trust, which you know how to obtain not only in the ecclesiastical sphere, but also in that of the loving families of the formation of their children, and in that of civil society, which must recognize in you intelligent pioneers, precious and disinterested collaborators, of the incomparable educators; let us look at the fruits of your multiform work, which seem abundant not only in quantity, but also in quality, if their quality is to be deduced from the perseverance of the training imparted and from the affection that your pupils also having become adults and immersed in the sea of life lived, they keep for their masters; let us finally look to the testimony that your work gives to the vitality of the Gospel and to the heart of the Church for the needs of the world, especially of the youth and of the worker, and let us look at honor, at love, which rises from you to Christ our Lord. The Salesians represent one of the most remarkable, most beneficial, most exemplary, most promising facts of Catholicism in the last century and in ours; and may God make it so in future ones. It is a dutiful recognition, which we will express in gratitude to the Lord himself, the first and eternal operator of the efficiency of the Kingdom of God; and that we express in praise to you, good workers of his vineyard, not to flatter an interior ambition, which must rather give way to the consciousness of human insufficiency, or to repay you for your labors and your sacrifices, which also the Our praise would be too inadequate reward; but to relieve you, to assure you that the journey has been straight and beneficial and that it must be continued with a confident and happy step. We will add to the recognition a cordial note, that of gratitude, and that is of the affective response that the Church owes to you, of the benevolence that you have deserved from it, of divine sensitivity, we dare to say, that, as you know, it vibrates with complacency and love for every service, for every act of piety and charity, lavished on the little ones and the needy of this earth: You did it to Me. We are delighted that Our apostolic ministry authorizes us to anticipate these august words, which will decide the real prize, that of eternal happiness. Our second word easily derives from this: courage, dear children, courage; continue and persevere. We know well ah but you will certainly not be sorry that you yearn (We support him with Our exhortation. Persevere with courage We do not tell you what subtle temptations there are and what serious dangers they can threaten your good will; every human work is exposed to it; sometimes because of the difficulties inherent in the proportions that it is assuming; His "magnitude laborat" wrote the ancient historian about the Roman Empire (see Lavo, Hist. Proéin.); but today we would rather think of the immense process of transformation taking place in modern society, perhaps without some anxiety of mysterious spiritual origin, good or perverse. "Here if existimat stare videat ne cadat" (1 Cor. We will tell you rather that your courage must come from a triple trust. Trust in God; it is never superfluous to remind it to people like yours, who recognize the primacy not only of objective dignity in religious life but of operative virtue both for its own sanctification and for the education of others; and trust we say the more inwardly founded the more your work is outwardly launched; It seems to us to recognize in this a peculiar note of your spirit, simple, happy, serene; trusting precisely in that divine assistance that gives to the good in the process of completion its audacity and its constancy. Let us not delay: you know this psychology very well; you live it. trusting precisely in that divine assistance that gives to the good in the process of completion its audacity and its constancy. Let us not delay: you know this psychology very well; you live it. trusting precisely in that divine assistance that gives to the good in the process of completion its audacity and its constancy. Let us not delay: you know this psychology very well; you live it. Then trust in the goals to which your Society is consecrated: could they be more noble, more modern, more urgent, more in keeping with the Church's apostolic program today? You have chosen well. The Church confirms its certainty and merit. And finally trust also in the forms, which give your business its particular characteristics. Here the discourse becomes vigilant, for that invitation to "update", which the Church is preaching and applying. It will be necessary to distinguish the essential forms from the contingent ones: the inner forms, animators of your pedagogical system and of your art as educators, from the external ones, of themselves susceptible of improvement and of a different experiment; the valid forms always from those that the changed conditions of the times made tired or ineffective. The developments of the modern school, of the professional qualification, of the culture and its didactic means, as the changes of the social life undoubtedly claim these distinctions tions and these new choices, already in place for the rest in the field of your practical pedagogy, which, however, always finds its most vital root in its primitive core of knowledge and love of youth. All things that you know very well, and which authorize us to renew our vow of trust and courage. We can therefore conclude these modest remarks with a last recommendation, also worthy of you; and that is: progress! It is the recommendation that every schoolmaster makes to his students, and that every master of spirit does to the disciples of Christian perfection. We will repeat it with reference to the great effort that the Church is making through the Ecumenical Council; it is an effort towards ever better fidelity to the teachings of the divine Master, it is an effort towards the reinvigoration of his spirit and his forms, it is an effort towards the authenticity and holiness of the Christian life, Who interpreted the Council as a relaxation of the interior commitments of the Church towards her faith, her tradition, her asceticism, her charity, her spirit of sacrifice and her adherence to the word and the Cross of Christ, and as a indulgent acquiescence to the fragile and volatile relativist mentality of the world without transcendent principles and ends, like a more comfortable and less demanding Christianity, it would be wrong! The Council tends, yes, to a wiser discipline and a more modern way for the Church to come into contact with the human soul and with today's society; but not to the detriment, yes so good in the comfort of his intimate fidelity to Christ and his generous witness! This is why we said that this time is great and decisive also for the Church, and that this meeting also acquires particular significance for you. Very well. This meditate, do this; and be sure that with us is God's blessing with you. To the children, and their relatives, of Borgo Don Bosco del Prenestino (Rome). When Paul VI appeared at the end of the nave, he heard a thunderous clapping and an unusual vivacity: these were Don Bosco's boys who displayed their affection for the Pope of the Borgo, for the ancient Monsignor Montini, a habitual and munificent guest del Borgo. The Pope, after having listed the other groups present, wanted to recall the glorious times of the Borgo with obvious satisfaction. Now, be careful, you guys from Borgo Don Bosco! (prolonged applause). Do you listen to us? We cannot fail to join this applause because it does not go to Our person, but goes to the institution itself. It would be time to make history. This Borgo dei Ragazzi di Don Bosco was born after the war, when Rome was invaded by the sciuscià, by the scugnizzi, by the stray boys. And there were those who began to collect them. The first to enlarge the arms were the always dear and deserving Salesians of Via Marsala; then they were transported to Via Varese; and then finally to Borgo Prenestino. And there was a very good Salesian who now has to stay up in Piedmont, and had successor Don Biavati, whom we see here present and whom we salute. There are magnificent groups of children from the suburbs, gathered and educated so well. We heard them singing many times, we also visited them. And, little children, who knows if he comes to visit you? (applause). Anyway, thanks for your visit. Thank you for your loyalty to this magnificent work. Thanks to the educators who assist you, to the benefactors. Thanks to those who organized workshops, schools. And a greeting to all the former students and relatives, and a remembrance to those who are already in Heaven (applause). Letter to the Rector Major. Most Reverend Lord, the August Pontiff, in whose heart the grateful memory of the meeting with your Lordship and with the General Chapter of this Congregation is still alive, the day after his election as Rector Major, he learned with particular pleasure that the Salesian Family is preparing to solemnly celebrate the 1500th anniversary of the birth of his father and founder, Saint John Bosco (1815 - August 16 - 1965). Therefore, the Holy Father gladly takes advantage of this commemoration to unite His with their voice in the due thanks to God, the ineffable source of all life and holiness; to contemplate again the luminous, smiling and priestly figure of Don Bosco; and finally, to hope that this initiative constitutes a teaching and a stimulus for everyone to consider their own existence - in the light of his example - as a generous response to the love of God, a serious commitment to fidelity to Christ and to the Church , a constant effort for personal and neighbor sanctification. Meditating, indeed, the life of Don Bosco will be consoling and useful together to observe how the Lord, once again, has deigned to do wonderful things in him and through him. To give a Father and a Teacher to the youthful and studious youth of the new times, set on the elevation of the popular classes, in the arcane designs of his Providence God chooses a son of the fields, a descendant of a very humble family who - looking at things with a superficial eye - certainly had no easy prospects in life. He gives him a very virtuous mother, enriches him with a strong talent, an indomitable will, and physical strength typical of his people. He fills him above all with his charisms: a gift of piety, of intelligence, a desire to know, a love for his peers, an anxiety for the apostolate, a strength in adversity and trials. For difficult paths, then, guide him to the Priesthood, communicating to him the passion of the souls, in particular, of the youth ones: «Da mihi animas, caetera tolle! Its history is the evangelical history of the grain of mustard grown in a leafy tree, whose branches extend over all parts of the world. On the trunk of paternal sanctity flowers sprang up in the Church of holiness among adults and adolescents, from which emerges Domenico Savio. 150 years after the birth of Don Bosco Santo, the vision of the numerous and elected group of Salesians, of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, of the Cooperators and of the Cooperators, of the students and alumni, is a source of comfort, joy and hope who live and work in the Church and in the world as a leaven of education and Christian life. To the Spiritual Sons and Daughters of the Saint the Vicar of Christ, as he renews the attestation of his esteem and benevolence, so he repeats the exhortation to always remain faithful to the teachings, to the examples, to the open spirit of him, continuing to trust their work , in harmony with the renewing directives of the last Supreme Pontiffs and of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Finally, invoking the abundance of heavenly favors, to seal their intentions and to comfort their activity, His Holiness heartily imparts to the Lordship, to his Co-workers and to the entire and beloved Salesian Family, a large, propitiatory Apostolic Blessing. I gladly take advantage of the joyful circumstance to confirm to me with senses of religious obedience of your Lordship Most Reverend devotion in the Lord. A. G. Card. CICOGNANI Presentation pag. PIO XI Beneficial Astro (February 20, 1927) »9 « Quot opera, tot miracula »(March 19, 1929)» 14 Divine fidelity (April 21, 1929) »20 Heavenly glory and terrestrial glory (June 3, 1929)» 26 The more beautiful fruit of its educational system (9 July 1933) »31 The special mission of Don Bosco: to continue the work of the Redemption (19 November 1933)» 39 Even the palm of martyrdom (3 December 1933) »44 The wonderful life of St. John Bosco traced in the main lines (1 April 1934) »50 The intrepid soldier of the holy battles (3 April 1934)» 53 Other titles of glory: Saint John Bosco model of union with God also in work (6 June 1922) »61 The treasure of Christian education (8 June 1922) »63 Faithful servant of Christ in the Church, of the Pope (25 June» 65 Fargnoono1r9e22a1) Holy of Family (6 June 1929) »67 Great spiritual guide! Great worker! Saint John Bosco and the Exercises. Spiritual! St. John Bosco opposed by Providence to nefarious men (December 23, 1929)» 70 Christian educator (December 30, 1929) »71 Radiant apostle of youth (February 16, 1930) pag. Model of dual spiritual charity (12 March 1930) »71 True friend of the workers (13 April 1930) to 72 The comfort of the works of St. John Bosco (11 May 1930)» 72 Always at the forefront of progress (November 19, 1930) »75 Education in thought and in the heart of St. John Bosco (May 30, 1931)» 75 The multitude of the sons of Don Bosco fills with joy (May 30, 1932) »• 76 Great cultivator of vocations (June 17, 1932) »79 The throb of salvation of souls (August 23, 1933)» 80 Salesian Cooperator, collaborator in the work of redemption (October 2, 1933) »80 Christian education lavished to luxury (27 October 1933) »81 Exemplary soldier of Jesus Christ and most faithful guard of the Holy Church (May 27, 1934)» 82 The great saint to have himself as one of the most special protectors (May 28, 1934) at 83 Special protector of journalists (June 10, 1934) »83 Model for aspirants to the priesthood (June 16, 1934) »84 Don Bosco Santo and the imitation of his virtues (May 30, 1934)» 87 A supreme lesson in humility (May 3, 1936) »92 The thriving promises of the Valdocco Typography (the August 1937) »97 PIO XII The education of children in the light of St. John Bosco (January 31, 1940) »101 St. John Bosco, patron saint of Catholic publishers in Italy (May 24, 1946)» 105 Dominic Savio, patron saint of the «Pueri Cantores» (June 8, 1956) »108 Santa Maria Domenica 1Vlazzarello (24 June 1951)» 109 Saint Maria Mazzarello (27 June 1951) »112 To the Salesian Cooperators (12 September 1952)» 114 Providential work of redemption (19 April 1953) »119 The victory of all forces hostile (April 25, 1953) »123 Soul stretched in pure oblation to Christ (June 12, 1954) pag. Dominic Savio, shining gem ... (November 21st 1954) »125 Singular small library ... (March 21st 1956)» 126 "They moved the heart of His Holiness to paternal tenderness" (May 1956) "128 Luminous ideal of Don Bosco's educational system (January 31, 1957)" 130 The "Salesian Companies" vital part of Don Bosco's system (April 7, 1957) »132 Don Bosco patron saint of young apprentices. Legislator and Father (14 August 1958) at 135 JOHN XXIII A wonderful literature praises the "dear Saint" (January 31, 1959) "141 Don Bosco, the great devotee of the Roman Chair (April 1959)" 145 Inauguration of the Temple of St. John Bosco in Rome Appius (May 3, 1959) " 147 Don Bosco, the priest of the young and of the Pope (11 May 1959) »152 Don Bosco patron of the apprentices of Colombia (16 October 1959)» 158 Don Bosco patron of the apprentices of Spain (22 April 1960) »159 Salesian Cooperators be leaven to ferment the mass (May 31, 1962) »160 A name that is a poem of grace and apostolate (January 31, 1960)» 163 Scattered thoughts »164 PAUL VI Dominic Savio, warning symbol of educational art (April 24, 1955) "167 School of Saints (January 30, 1957)" 169 To the Social Works "Don Bosco" (March 29, 1958) pag. As Don Bosco worked in the Church (February 21, 1960) »173 Today is a day of hope! Don Bosco knew how to" bring out from the boy the complete man (January 31, 1961) "180 Don Bosco and the Salesian formula (January 31, 1962)" 185 Symposium for the opening of the psycho-clinical Institute in Arese (May 29, 1962) »190 Young people, love the Church! The Salesian Society a great thing in world Catholic life (May 21, 1965)» 199 The Children of Don Bosco (June 2, 1965) • »204 The blessing of the Holy Father for the 150th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco (June 30, 1965) "205
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ODGOJNI PUTOKAZ Godišnji odmor ili umor Vrijeme je godišnjeg odmora i smatramo da je to idealno vrijeme da mislimo malo više na sebe i konačno učinimo nešto lijepo i drugačije od ostatka godine. Očigledno je to vrijeme usko povezano uz „opuštanje“ ili kako znaju stari ljudi govoriti da se „pusti mozak na ispašu“. Drugim riječima, da se manje brine i više uživa. Tako će za mnoge odrasle odmor biti više si pojesti, popiti i spavati, a za mlade više izlaziti bez kontrole, uostalom ljeto je vrijeme za uživanje. Svi se slažu oko istog, treba uživati, a da pritom svatko misli samo na sebe. I nije glavna poteškoća da svi želimo odmak od radne i naporne svakodnevice, nego što je to najčešće isprepleteno s različitim očekivanjima i htjenjima koje najčešće ne komuniciramo ukućanima, a onda su i neispunjena te unose nemir i nezadovoljstvo u te dane. Odjednom svi veliki planovi o lijepom odmoru pretvaraju se u vrijeme obiteljskih svađa i nerazumijevanja. Odjednom postajemo nesposobni da to vrijeme zajedništva upotrijebimo da se napunimo lijepim, plemenitim i Božjim, imajući na umu da svi članovi obitelji podjednako uspijevaju odmoriti se i pronaći nešto za sebe. Ali to nije moguće ostvariti bez poznavanja želja i očekivanja članova obitelji, bez razgovora i objašnjavanja zašto je nešto moguće ostvariti, a zašto ne, bez izlaženja iz sebe za drugog i sve to iz ljubavi, a napose za djecu. Poljski liječnik i pedagog Janusz Korczak ubijen u Auschwitzu naglašavao je kako su djeca veliko čudo i tajna. “Dijete je pergament, gusto ispisan sićušnim hijeroglifima koje je moguće samo djelomično odgonetnuti. Dijete je tajna koja nas čini poniznima, koju ne umijemo posve razumjeti, a još manje ovladati. Zato je djetinjstvo vrijeme koje se pamti, godine s važnim događajima i dubokim uspomenama“. Stoga je godišnji odmor itekako privilegirano vrijeme za našu djecu, za izgradnju ali i obnavljanje porušenih obiteljskih odnosa. Ili možemo jednostavno nastaviti starim putem samoostvarenja svojih potreba ali ćemo se zasigurno s godišnjeg odmora vraćati umorni, prepuni nevoljkosti i neraspoloženja jer i opet nije bilo kako smo mi htjeli. Život ima pravila Život ima svoja pravila koja itekako mijenjaju način življenja. Čini nam se razumljivim da novi početak uključuje i pretpostavlja završetak nečeg drugog ali u svakodnevici to nam pretpostavlja velike poteškoće. Roditeljima nije jednostavno prihvatiti da su im djeca odrasli ljudi koji stvaraju svoju obitelj i snose odgovornost za tu novu i krhku zajednicu. Nije uvijek jednostavno prihvatiti da djeca imaju svoj život i put na kojem donose odluke s kojima nismo dokraja suglasni ili se čak kose s našim vizijama i projektima života. Ponekad nam je još uvijek potrebno, i to bez nekog vremenskog ograničenja, da naša djeca ovise o nama, bilo materijalno bilo emotivno, kako bi mi zadržali ulogu i važnost u njihovim životima kao ono nekad u njihovoj djetinjoj dobi. Koliko je samo majki što smatraju da nema te žene dovoljno dobre za njihova sina? Koliko je samo očeva koji teško prihvaćaju odabir muža svojih kćeri? Pojam maminih sinova ili tatinih kćeri itekako je uvriježen u društvu kao pokazatelj posebnosti odnosa jednog od roditelja koji „zatoče“ dijete u djetinjoj dobi i unutar svojih emocionalnih potreba. Ta tendencija je sve učestalija zbog čestih bračnih brodolomima koji narušavaju zdrave emocionalne odnose, kako supružničke, tako i roditeljske, što onda stavlja različite terete dječjoj bezuvjetnoj ljubavi obiju roditelja. Tako djeca moraju birati stranu, sudjelovati u „natjecanjima“ procjena količine i snage ljubavi, te aktivno sudjelovati u nastajanju novih obitelji, bilo mame ili tate, pri čemu sami ostaju bez sigurnih korijena svoje matične obitelji. Nitko ne dovodi u pitanje dobronamjernost roditelja, ali zasigurno manjak osobne zrelosti i odgovornosti prema sebi i odlukama života itekako uvjetuje najslabije, tj. njihovu djecu. Ne radi se više samo o meni, nego nama, ne radi se više samo o mojim potrebama i željama nego našim, jer smo suodgovorni za novi život nastao iz našeg odabira ljubavi i životnoga puta. Ne možemo odustati jer su se javile prve poteškoće u bračnom odnosu ili osobno nezadovoljstvo stavljati na teret djeci. Nužno je osigurati sebi i obitelji pet osnovnih uvjeta za razvoj duše: mir, pravilnost obiteljskoga reda, ljepotu u prirodi i umjetnosti, molitvu, te prijateljstvo s Bogom i ljudima. Iscrpljujuće Želje Iako se čini da ima više oblika sreće ne znači da su one odvojene i da svaka od njih nije sastavni dio našeg života ili obiteljskih odnosa. Možda je puno važnije uočavati kako se one isprepliću i čine sliku naše svakodnevice ili još preciznije koja je njihova hijerarhija. Za očekivati je da adolescenti i mala djeca na vrh stavljaju sreću ugodnosti ili posjedovanja, ali itekako je opasno ako je to i nama u odrasloj dobi na vrhu ljestvice. Kako ćemo odgajati djecu za sreću napora koja ih vodi prema mudrosti života ako je sami ne živimo i njegujemo? Čini se učestalim zarobljenost kolotečinom i pritiskom jednog oblika sreće jer kako drugačije tumačiti toliko depresivnih ljudi danas. U vremenu smo godišnjih odmora i koliko je nezadovoljnih ljudi jer si ne mogu priuštiti odmor u nekom modernom odredištu. A pri tome se ne uviđa sva širina mogućnosti onoga što se može iako skromnih ekonomskih ili vremenskih prilika. Kolike obitelji ne posjećuju prijatelje ili obitelj jer smatraju da ne mogu doći „praznih ruku“ iako nitko ne zna koliko moraju biti „pune“ poklona. A pri tome ne uviđaju da se druge može razveseliti dolaskom i odvojenim vremenom. Čini se da smo ušli u začarani krug ulaganja previše vremena i energije u određeni oblik zamišljene ili pretpostavljene sreće „jednom kad..“. Upravo zato i postoji u našim rukama uređivanje izvanjskog i unutrašnjeg života iz čega se stvara prostor za ispunjen život. Sreća se ne sastoji toliko u određenom stanju života koliko u spremnosti reći da životu. U prilog tome ide da nisu svi bogati ljudi sretni, nisu ni oni koji imaju prekrasne kuće i aute, a ponekad jesu oni koji to nemaju. Nisu svi sretni ni kada su zdravi i djeca im uspješna, kada imaju dobar posao i više nego dobre uvjete života, a ponekad su sretni čak i bolesni, te čija su djeca rođena sa različitim poteškoćama. Sreća tih ljudi prestala je ovisiti o vanjskim uvjetima. Nismo ni svjesni kako nas iscrpljuju i čine ovisnima naše želje i uvjeti koje postavljamo sreći. Vrste Sreće Premalo se govori o vrstama sreće, napose sreći čestitosti i poštenja, sreći mudrosti, sreći rasta i sreći milosti jer iziskuju sposobnost nadilaženja sebe i svojih uobičajenih percepcija života. Sreća čestitosti i poštenja sastoji se u tome da se čovjek u svom djelovanju opredjeljuje za vrijednost, uvijek i neumorno. Jasno da je to teško u vremenu kada se itekako smatra da je jedina sreća, sreća ugodnosti koja je plod materijalnog bogatstva, tj. spretnosti zarade na brzinu. Nije rijetko čuti izreku koja izruguje poštenje kako je „dobar čovjek, brat budale“. Nije onda ni čudno da sve manje posjedujemo unutrašnji mira i sreću mudrosti kad neprestano živimo u grču manipuliranja informacijama i novcem. Nije onda ni čudno koliko ima depresivnih ljudi koji su istinski nesretni uz obilje u kojem svi više ili manje živimo. Koliko često susrećemo ljude koji ističu srećom pripadnost nekom klubu ili stranci? Naš poznati teolog Šagi Bunić nosio je na svojim odjelima znak Mt 25,24 podsjećajući s osmijehom i djetinjom radošću da „što god učiniste najmanjem od moje braće meni učiniste“. Ima li u nama te mudrosti da se dičimo Gospodinom i njegovim djelima u našem životu? Da smo na određenom putu i da na tom putu stvarno napredujemo. Da smo spremni učiti, mijenjati se i odabirati u zgodno i nezgodno vrijeme Božji put. Potrebni smo milosti za takav način življenja sreće i svog života, a to je pitanje našeg stajališta. Možda je najsigurniji način da bi se doživjela sreća, zahvalnost kao temeljni životni stav. Ljudi koji su spremni ponizno uvidjeti koliko im je toga podareno, koliko su toga primili, otvoreniji su za sreću od onih koji gledaju kao na nešto samo po sebi razumljivo, te su možda čak uvjereni kako imaju pravo na zdravlje, na prijatelje i dobar život. A to je već govor o oholosti koja je velika prepreka na putu sreće. Stoga nadbiskup Kothgasser navodi kao poticaj u potrazi za srećom vježbanje zahvalnosti kao osobnog stava. Pokušajmo! Izvori Sreće Živimo u vremenu u kojem je biti sretan „imperativ“ ali ujedno i pritisak u svakodnevnom životu. Na različite način obećava nam se sreća te se nas uvjerava da je biti sretan najvažnija stvar u životu. Stječe se dojam da svi trčimo za srećom iako pri tome rijetko razmišljao što sreća u sebi jest i gdje su njezini izvori. Reći će nadbiskup Alois Kothgasser da su „izvori sreće trenuci tišine i molitve; razgovori s dobrim ljudima; šetnje, putovanja i susreti s prirodom. Izvori sreće mogu biti post i rano ustajanje, tjelesni i duhovni rad, male stvari u životu“. Vjerujem da su mnogi koji se neće složiti s tim opisom sreće, ali postoje različiti oblici sreće koji onda uvjetuju izvore, kao i sposobnost urednog i primjerenog njegovanja. Zanimljivo je da naš pogled na sreću uvjetuje odnos naše djece prema sreći i načine kako je realizirati. Da li težimo sreći ugodnosti koja se sastoji od osjećaja potpunog zadovoljstva koju posreduju „wellness“ hoteli? To je sreća udobnosti i ugođaja koja je povezana sa srećom trenutka. Sreća trenutka se nakratko ukaže, daruje trenutak radosti koji se ne može zadržati. Poznati su nam ti trenuci kao prvi koraci naše djece ili kad novorođenče držimo u ruci, ili prve tople sunčeve zrake nakon zime, gutljaj kave ili neočekivani osmijeh. Takvi trenuci sreće su hrana za dušu i daju snagu za daljnji put, ma kako zahtjevan bio. A vezano uz napor jest sreća napora. To je sreća opisana u bajkama jer junak mora proći mnoga iskušenja i pokazati se prokušanim da bi ostvario cilj. To je sreća kad rano ujutro ustanemo, penjemo se na brdo da bismo nakon muke i napora došli na sam vrh – iscrpljeni, ali svjesni da se isplatilo. Ta je sreća itekako važna u odgoju naše djece, puno više od sreće ugodnosti. To je put izgradnje samopoštovanja kod djece, jasno ako se ne pretjeruje s naporom koji namećemo djeci. Ukoliko djeca poznaju sreću napora jer su očistili sobu, pomagali roditeljima, ispunjavali svoje obveze a tek onda se zabavljali, graditi će sreću čestitosti i poštenja. To je sreća koja se pronalazi kad uradimo nešto ispravno i važno, pa makar to od nas zahtijevalo visoku cijenu. Mi biramo koju sreću ćemo tražiti i na svoju djecu prenositi: sreću ugodnosti, trenutka, napora, čestitosti i poštenja ili sve podjednako da bi živjeli u punini. Dijete je potrebno poučavati Nerijetko nam se događa da sakrivamo pred djecom obiteljske poteškoće ili iznenadnu bolest nekog od bliskih članova, uvjereni da ih na takav način „štitimo“ od tuge i bola. Zaboravljamo da dijete sve vidi i shvaća čak i kada ne posjeduje sposobnost da jasno artikulira stvarnost koju uočava. Iznad svega je svjesno nedosljednosti i nepovjerenja koje narušava njegovo pouzdanje, potencira strah i uvjerenost da je ono uzrok ili posljedica novonastalih neprilika. Proturječni znakovi uništavaju povjerenje u roditelje i pokazuju nedosljednost odraslih. Poznati su nam primjeri kada se od djece traži jedno, a mi odrasli istovremeno činimo drugo. Pri tome se zaboravlja da djeca oponašaju odrasle oko sebe. Odgoj djeteta prije svega zahtjeva veliku ustrajnost i dosljednost, ali i nježnu snagu koja izvire iz obiteljskog zajedništva i povjerenja. Nije jednostavno u odgoju biti strogi ali ne kruti, dosljedni ali ne rigidni. Jednako tako roditeljima je teško uskladiti svoj odnos prema djeci s godinama i njihovom zrelošću. Djeca moraju imati osjećaj za granicu i trebaju znati kada moraju prestati. Jednako tako roditelji moraju prepoznavati i tolerirati djeci da „isprobavaju“ granice i da pritom imaju jasan okvir dopuštenog i nedopuštenog ponašanja. Kada je roditeljima teško biti strogi prema djeci, sasvim je sigurno da djeca postaju „majstori“ u emocionalnom ucjenjivanju roditelja. Kada nema prave discipline dijete brzo postaje gospodar situacije. Koliko puta smo u trgovinama vidjeli djecu koja plaču i vrište ili vrijeđaju, pa čak i tuku jednog od roditelja kada im ne žele udovoljiti? Djeca postaju nasilni dok ne dobiju što žele jer znaju što treba činiti da bi bilo po njihovom. Ako dijete ne nauči da postoje granice kasnije će mu biti jako teško u drugima vidjeti ljude kao osobe s njihovim vlastitim potrebama. Osakatiti ćemo ih za normalne odnose jer će uvijek težiti biti jedini gospodari situacije kako bi uvijek dobili što žele. A mi odrasli itekako znamo da to nije moguće jer je život puno zahtjevniji i dublji od naših sposobnosti da gospodarimo njime. Zajedništvo Božjih sinova i kćeri Pravo zajedništvo ne isključuje druge ljude. Naprotiv otkriva ljepotu svake osobe jer daje slobodu i život. Pa i onda kada se radi o drugačijim osobama, ili preciznije, osobama s posebnim potrebama zbog starosti ili različitih oblika ograničenja (intelektualnih, fizičkih ili duhovnih). Reći će JeanVanier da: „Zajedništvo podrazumijeva fizičku prisutnost i njome se hrani. Zajedništvo nije samo intelektualni ili duhovni sklad. Zajedništvo se komunicira kroz tijelo, oči, osmijeh, boju glasa, rukovanje ili zagrljaj. Zajedništvo podrazumijeva toplinu i otvorenost koje struje tijelom“. Svi imamo iskustvo susreta s obiteljima ili osobama s kojima se svi osjećaju ugodno, dobrodošlo. To su mjesta gdje nam vrijeme proleti i nakon takvih susreta odlazimo nasmiješeni i ispunjeni toplinom koja se ne komunicira nego jednostavno živi i kao takva ubrzo prepoznaje. Radi se o plodovima zajedništva koje nije uvjetovano i građeno „ružičastim“ naočalama uljepšavanja stvarnosti koja se živi ili prividima „savršene“ obitelji, braka, djece ili supružnika, već podrazumijeva svjesni odabir, predanost, nježnost, povjerenje i poštovanje prema drugome i njegovoj slobodi. Taj drugi je naše dijete, naš supružnik, naši djedovi i bake, rođaci, župljani, pa i kolege na poslu. Zajedništvo nema „ekskluzivno“ mjesto samo za obiteljski život nego se odnosi na sve oblike i vrste ljudskih susreta, od slučajnih do susjedskih, od radnog mjesta do župne zajednice. Zajedništvo je davanje sebe a to nije jednostavno jer smo zasigurno iskusili uništeno, lažno ili neostvarivo zajedništvo koje nam je uzrokovalo strah, nepovjerenje, patnju ali i krivnju. Zapravo ne smijemo zaboraviti da smo svi ljudi braća i svatko je na svoj način lice preko kojeg nam se Krist objavljuje: „Što god učiniste jednomu od ove moje najmanje braće, meni učiniste!“ (Mt 25,40). Svijet u kojem živimo je pun muškaraca i žena koji su Božja djeca, koje je Bog želio i koje ljubi neizmjernom ljubavlju. Molimo Boga da nauči nas i našu djecu svakog čovjeka gledati njegovim pogledom. Naučiti gledati Božjim očima: to je jedno od najvažnijih poglavlja u odgoju. Zajedništvo Obitelj je zajednica i kao takva potrebna je velikodušnosti i suradnje svih članova. Danas se čini da najviše poteškoće imamo u odnosima zbog naše nesposobnosti da budemo velikodušni i da surađujemo. Najčešće se spotičemo o vlastita očekivanja koja imamo od ukućana, služimo se osudama, ako ne izrečenim onda onima u srcu, koje pletu mrežu tjeskobe i razdora, ali postoji također i strah od otvaranja drugom koji nas može povrijediti. U takvom ozračju teško da smo sposobni graditi zajedništvo i ljubav. A temelj zajedništva jest sve suprotno od gore navedenog. Zajedništvo je utemeljeno na spremnosti za opraštanje, na predusretanju u darivanju sebe i na jasnoći izražavanja vlastitih potreba, želja i snova. Tako smo skloni mišljenju većine da je zajedništvo spajanje koje vodi negiranju sebe u kojem nestaju granice između dvoje ljudi te oni više ne znaju tko je tko. Majke znaju da su njihova djeca zasebna bića, supružnik nije isto kao i ja, ali postoji nezdrava tendencija danas da se grade nezdrava zajedništva koja vode u nezdrave ovisnosti. Pomislimo samo na nezdrave bračne odnose u kojima žive različiti oblici nasilja, bilo psihičkog ili fizičkog karaktera u kojem svi članovi trpe. Ili žene koje su napuštene od muževa pa kroz „manipuliranje“ djecom sprječavaju da im djeca postanu neovisne osobe i na taj način ih drže pod kontrolom. I nije ta negativna tendencija svojstvena samo majkama, imaju svoje načine i očevi ili suprotstavljene strane u obiteljima. Sve to su karikature zajedništva jer netko želi popuniti osobne praznine, napose one suptilne emocionalne prirode. Reći će Jean Vanier, utemeljitelj zajednice Arka: “Pravo zajedništvo dar je srca da se drugome pomogne biti što je više moguće živ i slobodan. To je izlijevanje sebe za drugoga. Majka se raduje jer njezino dijete postaje ono što jest; pokazuje mu da je njegova različitost ono najbolje u njemu. Upravo zbog toga je jako važan otac. Ne samo što i on živi u zajedništvu s djetetom, nego njegova ljubav prema supruzi, njoj samoj obogaćuje živjeti isto to zajedništvo sebedarja s djetetom. U biti, zajedništvo između roditelja i djeteta vuče korijene iz zajedništva između oca i majke.“. Poštovanje u odgoju Iznimno je važno vrijeme koje roditelji posvećuju svojoj djeci jer im ukazuje koliko roditelji poštuju svoju djecu. Zašto je važno da djeca budu poštivana od roditelja kad smo navikli razmišljati da djeca moraju poštivati roditelje? Prije svega odnos poštovanja uvijek je recipročan i kao takav u konkretnosti života znači da ukazuje na uzajamnost vrijednosti. Djeca koja su istinski voljena, iako u trenucima ljutnje mogu svjesno osjećati ili izjaviti kako su zanemarena, podsvjesno znaju da su voljena i poštivana. To je neprocjenjivo blago jer djeca se osjećaju vrijednima što je ključ za psihičko zdravlje svake osobe i temelj samodiscipline. Osjećaj vrijednosti je uvijek, ali uvijek, izravan proizvod roditeljske ljubavi. Reći će Scott Peck: „Kada djeca nauče kroz roditeljsku ljubav cijeniti sebe, gotovo je nemoguće da će njihov duh slomiti ćudljivost života“. Ako kao osoba imam vrijednost onda nema poteškoće s kojom se ne možemo uhvatiti u koštac, onda imamo cilj u životu jer nismo plod slučaja i samim time ukorijenjeni u besmisao života. Svi smo pozvani od Boga da ostvarimo dio njegovog plana ali to otkrivamo ili ne uz pomoć naših roditelja. Nije rijetko čuti da krivice za životne neuspjehe snosi sudbina ili naši roditelji zaboravljajući pri tome da upadamo u općeprisutnu grešku u pristupanju rješavanja normalnih životnih problema, a to je „nada“ da će problemi nestati sami od sebe. A problemi ne nestaju, postaju veći i sve zahtjevniji. Tendencija ignoriranja problema jednostavna je manifestacija nespremnosti odlaganja užitka. Između ostalog rješavanje problema je bolno, a nitko ne voli bol. Većina roditelja ubrzo uočavaju probleme djece ili u supružničkom odnosu ali odgađaju suočavanja. Proći će i mjeseci, nekad i godine da se poduzme nešto, a tada se slomljeno više ne može spajati. Odnosi su složeni, zahtjevni i bolni ali naš Bog, je Bog odnosa i u suradnji s njim i vremenom posvećenom rješavanju problema uvijek dolaze dobri rezultati. Potrebno je vjerovati i boriti se da bi mogli biti zrele osobe koje mogu i znaju nositi sebe i svoje bližnje kroz bure života. Pa i onda kada se bol kroz koju se prolazi čini nepodnošljiva. Dobra disciplina Provoditi kvalitetno vrijeme s djecom povezano je s dobrom disciplinom, a to iziskuje vrijeme. Kad nemamo dovoljno vremena za svoju djecu tada ih ne promatramo dovoljno pažljivo da bismo bili svjesni kada direktno traže pomoć pri disciplini. Uglavnom se naše vrijeme s djecom svodi na rješavanje „prijestupa“ te ih korimo, kažnjavamo i prijetimo ili je to rješavanje problema vezanih uz materijalne potrebe uz obvezatnu ulogu njihovih privatnih vozača koji ih voze s jedne na drugu izabranu aktivnost. Nemojmo se zavaravati da to nije važno ili to podcjenjivati, ali to nije „kvalitetno“ provedeno vrijeme. Koliko puta smo se našli u situaciji da vidimo da trebamo reagirati ali prevlada misao “danas se jednostavno nemam snage baviti i s time“, ili ako smo već dobrano iznervirani, sprovedemo grubu disciplinu više iz ljutnje nego namjere, ne analizirajući problem da bi pronašli adekvatnu disciplinsku odluku u odnosu na težinu problema. Roditelji koji posvećuju svoje vrijeme djeci, reći će Scott Peck, čak i onda kada disciplina nije nužna, zapazit će suptilnu potrebu za njom, na što treba reagirati jednostavnom opomenom, prigovorom ili pohvalom, pažljivo i brižno. Oni će promatrati način na koji njihova djeca jedu kolače, kako uče, kada pribjegavaju sitnim lažima, kada bježe od svojih zadataka, kako se odnose prema braći i starijima, itd. Biti će jednostavno odgojno budni ali ne u grču nego u jednostavnosti svakodnevnog života. Spontano će nadolaziti prilike za male korekcije i prilagodbe slušajući svoju djecu i odgovarajući na njihova zgodna i nezgodna pitanja. Znati će pomalo popuštati ili negdje pritezati, dijeliti im male lekcije, pričati im priče, grliti ih i ljubiti, nagrađivati, i nasmijavati. Biti na takav način s djecom, znači i muku mučiti nad svojim odlukama te u pravom smislu riječi patiti. Ali djeca primjećuju kada su roditelji spremni s njima patiti iako možda ne uzvraćaju sa zahvalnošću niti željenim ponašanjem odmah, ali svakako nauče patiti. To je i njihov početak odgoja za samodisciplinu. Odnos ljubavi i discipline U vremenu kada nije rijetko da se mane pretvaraju u vrednote, egoizam u osobnu slobodu, krađa u poslovnu snalažljivost, govor o osobnoj disciplini ili u odgoju većini je neprihvatljiv. Misli se na disciplinu kao sredstvo za postizanje psihičkog i duhovnog zdravlja, a ne kao jedan od načina iskazivanja moći. Nismo svjesni da je disciplina osnovno oružje za rješavanje životnih problema. Teško nam je prihvatiti, a onda i učiti kako patnja ima vrijednost, kako je nužno suočiti se s problemima i pri tome iskusiti bol koju oni nose. Za konstruktivno doživljavanje boli, što se naziva disciplinom, postoje četiri tehnike: odlaganje užitka, prihvaćanje odgovornosti, posvećenost istini i ravnoteža. Psihoterapeut i psihijatar Scott Peck smatra da su to načini na koji možemo doživljeni bol problema uspješno rješavati, istovremeno učeći i razvijajući se kroz taj proces. Nisu nam to neka nepoznata i teška sredstva samoodgoja i odgoja ali ovise prvenstveno o našoj volji da ih primijenimo, a to i nije tako jednostavno. Naime, okruženi smo idejama i stilom života koji promovira da treba „uživati sada, plaćati kasnije“ i to je očito kroz odgođeno plaćanje uz pomoć kreditnih kartica koje nam izmiču kontroli, kroz nekvalitetno vrijeme s djecom od najranije dobi koje u adolescenciji eskalira u sukobima i nerazumijevanju. Kao da unutar tih stvarnosti najviše nedostaje duha razboritosti da znamo odgoditi užitak bilo sebi, a onda i djeci te prihvatiti odgovornost za vlastiti život i odluke. Možda će se netko zapitati zašto bi se uopće išta odgađalo, kad je život ionako težak? Zato jer samo tako možemo pristojno živjeti. Samo tako smo sposobni planirati patnju i zadovoljstvo, jer kad prvo doživimo i preživimo patnju povećavamo zadovoljstvo. Ta sposobnost odlaganja užitka vježba se svakodnevno u sitnim detaljima kroz dobre navike. Ali problem je što djeca promatraju roditelje, da li su disciplinirani, suzdržani i dostojanstveni i stoga sposobni organizirati svoje vlastite živote. Kroz to što djeca uviđaju kod roditelja, shvaćaju koji je zapravo ispravan način života. Takva disciplina zahtjeva vrijeme i uključuje ljubav. Kada nešto volimo tada nam je to jako vrijedno i mi mu posvećujemo svoje vrijeme, uživamo i brinemo o tome. Uostalom djeca razumiju srcem, stoga uvijek više i prije nego mi mislimo. Život je težak Istinu da je život težak nije lako prihvatiti, ali kada je prihvatimo onda život prestaje biti tako težak. Većina ljudi u potpunosti ne shvaća tu istinu o težini života jer promatra život kroz „pravo“ da nam bude lijepo, da uživamo i ispunjamo svoje snove o uspjehu, slavi i prihvaćenosti u društvu. Drugim riječima život i svijet je stvoren da meni bude dobro i lijepo. Stoga nije rijetko sresti ljude koji se neprestano žale kako su ogromni njihovi problemi, tereti i teškoće, kao da je život općenito lak i kako treba biti lak. Uvjereni su da su njihove teškoće posebna nesreća i zla kob života koja se nadvila nad njima i njihovim obiteljima. I ne prestaje. S druge strane postoje ljudi koji uronjeni u teškoće i probleme imaju takvu snagu i ljubav za život da im se divimo. Pitamo se kako netko u današnje vrijeme može imati više djece, kako može normalno živjeti s djetetom s posebnim potrebama, muž brinuti o bolesnoj ženi ili obrnuto. Papa Benedikt XVI ovako ih je opisao: „Ondje gdje se dvoje ljudi daju jedno drugome i zajednički daruju život djeci, dodiruje se svetost, misterij čovjekove biti, ono što nadilazi naše pravo na raspolaganje nama samima“. Jednako tako mnogi će ih žaliti jer „nemaju ništa od života“ i to svi oni koji su sebičnost pretvorili u vrlinu. Svima je jasno da život stavlja pred nas različite probleme ali bitna razlika je u načinu sučeljavanja s njima. Neki samo stenju i sažalijevaju se, a drugi ih rješavaju. Psihoterapeut i psihijatar Scott Peck smatra da ono što život čini teškim je u tome što je proces sučeljavanja sa problemima i njihovo rješavanje vrlo bolno. Ipak taj proces sučeljavanja i rješavanja je ono zbog čega život dobiva svoj smisao. Oni su granica između uspjeha i neuspjeha, između hrabrosti i mudrosti. Zbog njih psihički i duhovno sazrijevamo. A to onda mijenja i pogled na stvarnost koju živimo svakodnevno. Grijeh je šansa da upoznamo Boga Današnji čovjek, kao i uvijek obilježen je potrebama i kao takav plijen tisućama napasti. Bačen u svijet neprekidno je mamljen i zaslijepljen vlastitim željama. Više će moliti i Bogu se posvetiti kad sredi kuću, uštedi dovoljno novaca, djeci osigura budućnost, itd.. No poneka nepredvidiva tragedija ili bolest podsjete ga da „moji putu nisu vaši puti, i moje misli nisu vaše misli“ i odmah otkriva svu slabost i krhkost svog bića. Tada se buni protiv nepravedna života i svoga stanja. Ali to je ujedno i prilika da se istinski okrene k Bogu i krene ozbiljnije s Njim kroz život. No postoje i svakodnevne, ne tako tragične okolnosti koje nas vode k Bogu. Naša grješnost i spoznaja iste. Ali tada počinju pitanja: hoću li se okrenuti prema milosrdnom Božjem srcu? Hoću li se poistovjetiti sa svojom savješću koja me osuđuje? Mogu li se osloniti na to da imam pristup Ocu? Hoću li se povući u sebe i nastaviti starim putem? Tu se dotiču temelji duhovnog života. Uvjereni smo da svojom dobrotom i izvršavanjem zapovijedi dolazimo k Bogu. Kako krivo! Dolazi se po našim grijesima jer Bog nikada ne zatvara svoje srce za nikoga. Sjetimo se Petra, Marije Magdalene ili Jude. Uostalom hoće li u nama zaživjeti stav Petra iako je tri puta izdao Isusa? Ili Marije Magdalene koja je shvatila tko oprašta. Njihov je grijeh bio šansa da susretnu Boga. Ili ćemo biti kao Juda, koji si nije mogao oprostiti, te je radije otišao u propast. Samo oni koji se priznaju grješnicima imaju šansu upoznati Boga. Ili smo oni čija su se srca previše navikla na pobožne riječi i stare forme, te ne uspijevaju do kraja pojmiti pojmove Bog i grješnik. Reći će Viktor Sion:“Povezivanje tih dvaju pojmova sablažnjava nas, no grješnik je zapravo sretnik, jer zbog grijeha ima šansu jednog dana postati pravi kršćanin! Onaj tko je bez grijeha uopće ne treba Krista niti će ikada upoznati pravoga Boga. Nikada ga neće u potpunosti ljubiti, jer Bog se do kraja razotkriva tek kada nam oprašta. Možemo zazivati Boga i vršiti obrede, ali sve to ostaje suho i ne vodi k ljubavi ukoliko ne spoznajemo da smo grješnici koji neizmjerno trebaju Božje praštanje kako bismo ljubili kao što on ljubi nas“. Uloga očeva U suvremenom svijetu kao da uloga i mjesto očeva sve manje živi u punini istine Božjeg plana za obitelj. Otac brine o materijalnom, a majka o svemu ostalom. Jednako tako proporcionalno mogućnostima da i majka uzdržava obitelj, kao da za oca ima sve manje prostora i potrebe unutar same obitelji. Stavlja se sve više u pitanje struktura obitelji: otac, majka i djeca. Stavlja se sve više naglasak na „nadomještanje“ uloga prema vlastitim osjećajima i prohtjevima. Kako pogrešno i razarajuće za odnose u obitelji: između muža i žene, između djece i oca, između djece i majke. Sve je bitno drukčije ako stvarnost obitelji promatramo u svjetlu odnosa unutar Svete obitelji i uloge od Boga povjerene čovjeku. Zadržimo se na ulozi oca koju možemo iščitati iz riječi pape Benedikta koji je opisao svetog Josipa ovako: “Josip iz Nazareta čovjek je koji je othranio i odgojio Boga. Primjer je koji je utjelovljeni Bog imao godinama pred sobom da bi shvatio što znači biti čovjek koji talent inteligencije upotrebljava za dobro, i koji svakoga dana jača dar vjere. Tako je u danima provedenim u Nazaretu, između jednostavnoga doma i Josipove radionice, Isus naučio izmjenjivati molitvu i rad, te prikazivati Bogu i napor uložen kako bi zaradio kruh potreban obitelji”. Iz toga proizlazi da otac othranjuje i odgaja djecu, usmjerava na dobro svim svojim sposobnostima i talentima, te svakodnevno između posla i doma svjedoči radom i molitvom. Čini se važno zapitati da li očevi ili supružnici koji neumorno osiguravaju materijalnu sigurnost obitelji uviđaju važnost svoje nezamjenjive uloge u odgoju djece? Da li im supruge i majke osiguravaju dovoljno prostora i potiču na razvijanje svih segmenta očinske uloge ili je možda župnik jedina muška figura koja svjedoči o Bogu? Da li favoriziramo uključivanje očeva samo na području materijalnog jer nam je svima komotnije? Uostalom, novac se može uplaćivati i bez fizičkog kontakta s djecom? Tko to želi i zašto izgurati očeve iz Božjeg plana za svako dijete i tko time zapravo najviše „dobiva“? Djeca zasigurno ne. Bog je izvor a mi smo kanal Većina mladih koji se vjenčaju misle da će im bračni drug odgovoriti na sve njihove potrebe, napose one koje duboko u sebi oduvijek nose i izvor su stalne čežnje. Uvjereni su da je brak mjesto gdje će biti prepoznati i bezuvjetno prihvaćeni i voljeni, da je to mjesto gdje će konačno biti „sve po mom“. Mjesto brige i sigurnosti, partnerstva i intimnosti, zaboravljajući pri tome najvažniju stvarnost da je brak ustvari, napose na početku, kao „prazna škrinja“ koju moraju zajednički i svakodnevno puniti. Dakako ne samo svojim očekivanjima, čežnjama i željama, nego puno više vlastitom spremnošću da „pretječu jedno drugo“ u umijeću davanja, voljenja i služenja. Logika škrinje je vrlo jasna, ne može se ništa uzeti ako se prije nije nešto i stavilo, a jednako tako brzo se isprazni ako samo jedno stavlja u nju. U početku toga nismo ni svjesni ali pritisnuti problemima svakodnevnog života ubrzo počnemo „brojiti“ tko je što i koliko učinio za bračnu zajednicu. Tada smo već debelo u minusu zajedništva i spremnosti bezuvjetnog prihvaćanja i darivanja. Onda smo potrebni vraćana na Izvor. Reći će svećenik i psihoterapeut Cencini da odgovoriti na poziv bračnog života jest pitanje osobnog ostvarenja. „Tko je primio poziv na bračni život pozvan je pronaći u bračnom životu smisao svoga ostvarenja, stoga i izvor pozitivnog, živeći taj dar koji se dijeli s drugima. Napose s jednim stvorenjem koje je primilo identičan poziv i s kojom se može realizirati zajedništvo koje prije nego je fizičko mora nužno biti u namjeri, u vrijednostima, u projektima života, u smislu koji se daje životu. Stvarajući s tim stvorenjem obitelj znači biti progresivno rastući dar jedan drugome, zajednički se darujući drugima, svjedočeći ljubav koja ne može ostati zatvorena unutar obiteljskog kruga. I to je već slijediti Krista živeći u punini bogatstvo vlastitog bitka i darova koje posjedujemo“. U toj perspektivi Bog je izvor, a mi smo kanal. Ako je kanal odvojen od izvora, voda ne protječe. Istinski odgovoriti na Božji poziv za naš život znači biti na izvoru koji će nas pročišćavati u svim našim krivim predodžbama bračnog i osobnog ostvarenja života u punini radosti i Ljubavi. Zatvorenost uma i srca Već osamdesetih godina prošlog stoljeća nadbiskup Fulton Sheen je rekao: „Stigli smo do kraja jedne tradicije i civilizacije koja je vjerovala da može sačuvati kršćanstvo bez Krista, religiju bez vjere, meditaciju bez žrtve, obiteljski život bez moralne odgovornosti, seks bez čistoće i ekonomiju bez etike. Završili smo naš eksperiment života bez Boga“. Čini se da je i danas naša težnja da u kršćanskom životu biramo samo dijelove koji su nam ugodni i ne zahtijevaju od nas nikakve napore. Tako je Uskrs dio tradicije, od lijepih obreda Velikog tjedna do bogatog uskrsnog doručka, a molitva se sastoji od usputnih trenutaka u danu ili nedjeljna misa kad „stignemo“ od planova za izlet ili dužeg spavanja. Odnosi u braku i obitelji utemeljeni su na „osjećajima“ i vlastitoj sebičnosti, neovisno o godinama, a nikako na razboritosti i odgovornosti koju smo preuzeli pred Bogom. Stoga nije teško odvojiti vlastitu seksualnost od cjelovitosti i zrelosti koja teži skladu tijela i duha, a različite vrste prijevara su „normalne“. Na poslu „grabimo“ što više ne birajući sredstva uvjereni da je riječ o „sposobnosti“, a nikako krađi i zakidanju drugog, pa bila to i država. I ne pitamo se gdje je u tome naš odnos s Bogom, kakva će biti naša vječnost. Logična posljedica jest da niti djecu ne učimo da je Bog početak i kraj, da je samo u Njemu izvor punine života. Nije li strašna spoznaja da je sam Bog postao čovjekom, bio za nas raspet na križu da nas spasi, a mi ne marimo nimalo za to? Štoviše stavljamo se ispred Boga i zatvaramo svoje srce, a kad je srce zatvoreno, ono zatvara um, a ako su srce i um zatvoreni, onda nema mjesta za Boga. Oni, čije su srce i um zatvoreni, ne uspijevaju prihvatiti „poruku novosti“ koju donosi Isus, a koju su obećavali proroci i Božja vjernost. Ljudi zatvorena srca ne slušaju Isusa, obožavaju vlastite misli. Ja mislim tako, to mora biti tako i nikako drugačije. Reći će papa Franjo: „Gospodinova je opomena uvijek ista pred tom diktaturom: bdjeti i moliti; ne biti budale, ne kupovati stvari koje ne služe, biti ponizni i moliti da nam Gospodin uvijek da slobodu otvorenoga srca, da možemo primiti njegovu riječ-obećanje, radost i savez. I naprijed s tim savezom“. Nemojmo oponašati farizeje Jeste li se ikada našli u situaciji da učinite neko dobro ili čin ljubavi i nađete se iznenada u središtu rasprava, pa i naklapanja, jer postoje oni koji ne žele vidjeti istinu? Biblijska epizoda o čovjeku slijepom od rođenja kojem Isus daje progledati ukazuje na identične dinamike ljudskog sljepila kod zdravih očiju i prokazuju sve one koji vide, ali ostaju slijepi u srcu. Reći će papa Franjo: „Dok se slijepac postupno približava svjetlu, pismoznanci naprotiv sve dublje tonu u svoje nutarnje sljepilo. Zatvoreni u svoju preuzetost, vjeruju da već posjeduju svjetlo; zato se ne otvaraju Isusovoj istini. Oni čine sve ne bi li zanijekali ono što je očito. Dovode u sumnju identitet ozdravljenog čovjeka; zatim niječu da je Bog bio na djelu u ozdravljenju, koristeći kao izgovor da Bog ne djeluje subotom; idu čak tako daleko da sumnjaju u to da je taj čovjek rođen slijep. Njihova zatvorenost svjetlu postaje agresivna te ozdravljenog na kraju izbacuju iz hrama“. Evanđelist Ivan želi skrenuti pažnju na ono što se događa i danas kada se učini neko dobro djelo. Koliko puta i sami na očigledno dobro djelo umanjujemo njegovu vrijednost različitim interpretacijama? Koliko smo puta iz nekih osobnih interesa bili spremni umanjivati ili „dodati“ priče o nepotrebnosti samog čina ili nevaljalosti samog darovatelja? Samo-opravdavanja za nečinjenje dobra uvijek su slična. Tako, svi oni koji podržavaju neku plemenitu inicijativu to čine iz koristoljublja. Svi oni koji su pobožni i njeguju pobožnost u obitelji su licemjerni jer mi „znamo kakvi su zapravo“. Svi oni koji postavljaju jasne granice u odgoju djece u stvari su jadni i zaostali. Tako, sve one koji nastoje životom svjedočiti Božju prisutnost angažiranjem za dobro zajednice, zapravo župnik iskorištava i treba ih žaliti. Jesmo li se prepoznali? Nije li to znak življenja „privatne“ vjere, po mojoj mjeri i navikama. Vjera gdje sam ja u središtu, a ne Bog. A papa Franjo ističe: „Nemojmo oponašati farizeje i prestanimo se ponašati kao da nismo kršćani, jer Krist nas je rasvijetlio krštenjem kako bismo se poniznošću, strpljenjem i milosrđem mogli ponašati kao sinovi svjetla”. Crkva obično nije ondje gdje se organizira, reformira, upravlja i vlada Jeste li se ikada zapitali što su vaši idoli? Posao i materijalna sigurnost? Ugled i poznanstva? Čemu dajete prvo mjesto u životu i smatrate da je ključ vaše sreće i zadovoljstva? Kome ili čemu se svaki dan, tjedan ili godine najviše posvećujete, svoje misli, snove i želje? Često se idolima smatraju materijale stvari, a zapravo su sve ono što mi smatramo izvorom svoje sreće. Nemoguće je živjeti bez snova, ciljeva i planova, ali u svemu tome bogatstvo i sreća nije u sposobnostima, ljudima i moći. Bogatstvo je beskrajno povjerenje u Boga Oca, stalno pouzdanje u njega, želja da se traži uvijek i jedino njegova volja. Bogati smo kao što je bogato dijete koje osjeća da je voljeno i koje voli svoje roditelje i ne sumnja ni trenutka u njihovu ljubav i nježnost. U uvjetima u kojima mi danas živimo ostaje nam težiti takvom odnosu s Bogom, ali koji je ostvariv samo unutar Crkve, unutar naše župne zajednice. A naše župne zajednice su „svakakve“ jer smo i mi vjernici „svakakvi“. Reći će papa Bendikt XVI: „Zapravo je u osnovi uvijek posrijedi skrivena oholost kad kritika u odnosu na Crkvu poprimi onu žučljivu gorčinu, koja danas prelazi u žargon. Ovome, na žalost, vrlo često pridolazi jedna duhovna praznina, tako da se uopće više ne vidi bit Crkve, već se ona promatra još samo kao neka politički svrsishodna tvorevina, dok se njena organizacija smatra bijednom ili brutalnom, kao da se bit Crkve ne nalazi s onu stranu organizacije: u utjesi riječi i sakramenata što ih ona pruža u sretnim i teškim trenucima. Oni koji uistinu vjeruju, ne pridavaju baš preveliku važnost borbi za reorganizaciju crkvenih oblika. Oni žive od onoga što je uvijek Crkva. I ako se želi saznati što je uistinu Crkva, mora se k njima poći. Jer, Crkva obično nije ondje gdje se organizira, reformira, upravlja i vlada, nego u onima koji jednostavno vjeruju te u njoj primaju dar vjere koji im daje život. Samo onaj koji je, bez obzira na promjene njezinih služitelja i njenih oblika, osjetio kako Crkva ljude uzdiže i pruža im zavičaj i nadu – bolje reći, zavičaj koji jest nada: put u vječni život – samo onaj koji je to iskusio, zna što je Crkva, jučer i danas“. Što je normalno? Ne znam jeste li primijetili da ono što ste vi oduvijek smatrali normalnim i prirodnim danas više nije tako. Tako danas postaje „normalno“ da se starci i bolesna djeca ubijaju iz samilosti, što zovemo eutanazija, da se pobačajem olako ubije nezaštićen život koji je neplaniran ili neželjen, uz opravdanje da je to „pravo“ žene. No, puno normalnije postaju one svakodnevne situacije, kao na primjer da se u autobusu ne ustaje starijima, da se druge ne pozdravlja, da prestajemo biti uljudni i pristojni, itd.. Papa Benedikt XVI prekrasno je definirao to stanje: „…ideja da priroda ima nešto za reći više nije dopuštena; čovjek mora imati slobodu da se prepravi po želji. Treba biti slobodan od svih prethodnih datosti svoje esencije. On sebe pretvara u što god on želi, i samo na taj način on je stvarno ‘slobodan’ i oslobođen. Iza tog pristupa je čovjekova pobuna protiv ograničenja koje on ima kao biološko biće. Na kraju, radi se o pobuni protiv našeg stvorenog bića. Čovjek treba biti svoj vlastiti tvorac – moderni, novi oblik pradavnog pokušaja da budemo Bog, da budemo kao Bog“. Drugim riječima sve mora biti po mojoj mjeri i osjećaju, iako je u sebi to nemoguće, jer ne možemo život, smrt, ljubav, radost i tugu prepraviti po svojoj želji. Radi se tu o našoj i svačijoj bijedi i siromaštvu. Podsjetiti će nas papa Franjo da „bijeda nije isto što i siromaštvo; bijeda je siromaštvo bez vjere, bez solidarnosti, bez nade“. On razlikuje tri vrste bijede: materijalnu, moralnu i duhovnu. Materijalna bijeda je ona koja pogađa one koji su lišeni temeljnih prava i osnovnih dobara kao što su hrana, voda, higijenski uvjeti, posao, mogućnost kulturnog razvoja i rasta. Jesu li naši napori usmjereni da se u našoj okolini ne krši nečije dostojanstvo, makar i „samo“ klevetanjem? Moralna bijeda se sastoji u robovanju poroku i grijehu. Kolike su obitelji u tjeskobi jer je jedan od njezinih članova rob alkohola, droge, kocke, pornografije? Koliki ne vide više smisao života ili perspektive za budućnost, koliki su samo izgubili nadu? Moralna bijeda uvijek je povezana s duhovnom koja nas pogađa kada se udaljimo od Boga i odbacujemo njegovu ljubav. Ako mislimo da ne trebamo Boga koji dopire do nas u Kristu, jer mislimo da smo dovoljni sami sebi, tada smo krenuli putom propasti. Bog je jedini koji doista spašava i oslobađa. Trgnimo se! Korizma je vrijeme jačanja volje Zasigurno smo si zadali zadatke u ovom korizmenom vremenu, možda i cijeloj obitelji. Neprestano si posvješćujemo kako je važno uvijek htjeti uraditi bolje, izdržati pod svaku cijenu, doslovno se držati zacrtanog plana, vjerno izvršavati ono što mislimo da nam je dužnost. I dobro je tako ali postoji i sakrivena opasnost od oholosti i samodokazivanja. Naime, „ljubiti krjepost zbog krjeposti vodi do stoičke oholosti i jednako je opasno kao i nemar“. Uzmimo za primjer post petkom izvan korizme. S jedne strane zanemarili smo ga i imamo savršena opravdanja: „mogu bez mesa kad hoću“ i ne trebam se nikom dokazivati, nabrajanje svih onih koji poste i nisu ništa bolji od nas, ili poznata rečenica da „ne ide grijeh u usta nego iz usta“, itd.. Logično je da ne učimo ni svoju djecu postiti jer su djeca odraz nas samih. S druge strane, nameće se pitanje, kad se nečega i odričemo zašto želimo dati sve od sebe: iz oholosti i dokazivanja ili iz ljubavi i služenja? Da bi se mogli pohvaliti ili da bi oslobodili prostor u sebi za činjenje dobra? Način na koji sami jačamo volju, kroz redoviti post, molitvu i dobra djela, može biti blagoslov za našu djecu, ali i bič kojim ćemo ih rado šibati da im dokažemo „kako smo to mi nekada postili, te da bi oni danas tako trebali činiti“. Ali ako naše jačanje volje ima plod u strpljivosti, samosvladavanju i ustrajnosti onda će i naša djeca željeti upoznavati vlastite granice i radost uspjeha tijekom ostvarivanja, a ne samo u konačnom cilju. Stoga nema jačanja volje bez poniznosti, nema odgajanja volje bez odgajanja poniznosti, kako nas samih tako i djece. Reći će Christine Ponsard: „Bog nikad ne traži nešto što nadilazi naše snage. Ako dopušta da upoznamo granice sposobnosti svoje volje, to je da bi nas podsjetio kako ne traži da činimo mnogo, nego da ljubimo mnogo. I da dopustimo da budemo ljubljeni“. Uostalom i Isus je činio volju nebeskog Oca: „Ne kako ja hoću. Nego kako ti hoćeš“ (Mt 26,39). Stoga nije dovoljno imati čvrstu volju, treba znati i kamo je usmjeriti. Korizmeno vrijeme je vrijeme intenzivnijeg kršćanskog života, ali mora voditi k tome da činimo volju Očevu i kasnije. Pitanje poniznosti jest naučiti primati i prihvaćati sebe i sve oko sebe, čak i svoj hod prema svetosti iz Božjih ruku, a to niti je jednostavno niti je ikad završeni posao, napose ne nakon samo četrdeset dana. Zašto više moliti u korizmi? Svaki kršćanin zna da je korizma vrijeme milostinje, molitve i posta (usp. Da bismo bili sposobni dati milostinju potrebni su neki preduvjeti: sposobnost odricanja i ustrajna molitva. Ako milostinja nije plod našeg odricanja onda dajemo od suviška, a sam Isus pohvalio je siromašnu udovicu koja je dala „malo“ ali bilo je to sve što je posjedovala. Otkinula je od sebe da bi dala za drugog bez ikakvih pretenzija da „odredi“ namjenu istog. Bila je slobodna od svakodnevne „računice“ tuđih životnih situacija i uzroka njihove neuspješnosti. Kako je usko povezana milostinja i molitva itekako je znao sveti Ivan Vianney, arški župnik. Smatrao je da: “oni koji ne mole razmišljaju samo o vremenitim stvarima poput škrca koji, kada mu se ispruži srebrno raspelo na poljubac, primjećuje: taj križ teži najmanje deset unci”. Ali jednako tako sveti arški župnik primjećuje da „ne postoji nitko tko ne može moliti – i to moliti u svako doba i na svakom mjestu, noću ili danju, kada vam je teško na poslu ili kada se odmarate, na polju, kod kuće ili kada ste na putu“. Stoga ako smo se odlučili i ove korizme nečeg odreći, nužno je da dodamo više osobne ali i obiteljske molitve. Možda neku jednostavnu devetnicu ili deseticu krunice, neku od molitva koju su nas naučile naše bake ili iz starih molitvenika. Postoji bezbroj ideja, ovisno o obiteljskoj situaciji i realnim mogućnostima. Prema svetom Grguru: „molitva je zaštita duhovnog zdravlja, obuzdavanje srditosti, zatiranje oholosti, očišćenje uvredljivosti, uništenje neslobode, odstranjivanje nepravde, ozdravljenje od bezbožnosti. Molitva je snaga tijela i blagostanje doma, temelj države i moć kraljevstva, znak pobjede u ratu i osiguranje mira, pomirenje posvađanih i postojanost složnih“. Kako onda to bogatstvo molitve ne unijeti u vlastiti život i obitelj? Kako je moguće taj izvor milosti ostaviti po strani jer se bojimo zahtjevnosti pokore i napora? Uostalom rekao je sveti Josemaria Escriva: „Bojiš se pokore? Pokore koja će ti pomoći da zadobiješ vječni život? A istodobno ne primjećuješ koliko se ljudi podvrgava teškim torturama kirurških zahvata da bi sačuvali ovaj bijedni sadašnji život?“. Na nama je da biramo put kojim kročimo u zajedništvu svoje obitelji, put zajedništva s Bogom ili zarobljenosti u materijalnoj sadašnjosti. Milosrđe kao ovogodišnji korizmeni program Svake godine nanovo slušamo kako je korizma vrijeme posta, molitve i odricanja. Učestale teme su čega se tko odrekao, čak i „estradne zvijezde“ imaju potrebu hvaliti se u medijima sa svojim odlukama. No poteškoća je kada post i odricanje ostane zatvoreno u pojedinačne čine i postane smisao samo sebi. Tako da se odričemo slatkiša s nadom da ćemo smršaviti, pića s ciljem da se kasnije vratimo na staro. I upadamo u zatvoren krug koji ne samo da ne nosi ploda nego s vremenom izgubi smisao. Nema tu životne dinamike koja bi nadišla nas same i postala djelo milosrđa. Na Haitiju i u Africi, a možda i susjedstvu, djeca ne samo da nemaju čokolada i slatkiša nemaju ni svakodnevni obrok, i ne samo oni. Zašto onda naše odricanje ne bi postalo djelo milosrđa da naša tjedna kupovina bude umanjena za odricanje i poslana potrebitim? Župnik zasigurno zna mjesto: Afrika, Haiti, Caritas ili Dom za napuštenu djecu. Zašto naša obitelj ne bi osjetila i živjela korizmu u toj optici konkretnosti da teži “gladna nahraniti”? Da se korizma proživljava u konkretnosti tjelesnog djela milosrđa koje će se pretočiti u duhovno “žalosna i nevoljna utješiti”. Zašto naše uobičajene pizze i posjeti McDonaldu ili omiljenom restoranu ne bi postali prilika za tjelesno djelo milosrđa “siromaha odjenuti”, ali ne od našeg suviška nego s novim komadom odjeće za neko dijete za koje znamo da oskudijeva? Tada bi neki od roditelja ili sestre u Domu za napuštenu djecu uspijevali „nepravdu strpljivo podnositi“. Uostalom uvijek možemo za „žive i mrtve moliti“. Zašto ne bi večernja desetica krunice cijele obitelji bila zalog vječnosti, pa i onda kada bi sama ideja donijela otpor u vlastitoj obitelji, možda čak i samog supružnika? Snaga ljubavi i spoznaja nužnosti spasa vlastite obitelji za vječnost itekako je bitna. Kaže papa Franjo: „Čovjek teži umrijeti kao što je i živio. U toj se perspektivi shvaća Isusov poziv da budemo uvijek spremni, budni, znajući da nam je život na ovome svijetu dan također da pripravimo drugi život, onaj s nebeskim Ocem. A za to postoji siguran put: dobro se pripraviti na smrt, tako da se stavimo u Isusovu blizinu. A kako se stoji blizu Isusu? Molitvom, sakramentima i u vršenju djela ljubavi“. Zašto bdjeti nad sobom? Naše je srce uvijek puno želja, nakana, misli – rekao je Sveti Otac dodajući da se moramo pitati kamo nas one vode, otkuda dolaze. Vode li nas Gospodinu ili nas od Njega udaljuju? Apostol Ivan potiče „da provjeravamo ono što mislimo i želimo. Ako je to u skladu s Gospodinovom voljom, onda je sve u redu, ali ako nije… Iskušajte duhove da vidite dolaze li od Boga, jer su mnogi lažni proroci došli na svijet: proroci, proroštva i ponude – kazao je Sveti Otac. Naime, nije moguće prakticirati vrednote ako nismo svjesni što se događa u našem srcu i mislima. Kada smo vođeni svojim željama, na primjer imati više novaca, više moći, više užitka, više „prava“ na osobnu sreću i zadovoljstvo, nužno se udaljujemo od Gospodina i naše slobode. Udaljujemo se od slobode, a srljamo u ropstava koja se neprimjetno uvlače u naša srca i misli. Postajemo robovi tih istih želja i potreba. Često naše srce, sa svim što se zbiva u njemu, izgleda kao neka tržnica, gdje ima svega, zar ne? Želimo više novaca? Dobro, ali zašto? Što ćemo učiniti s tim novcima? Imati više unutrašnjeg mira i zadovoljstva? Bolju djecu ili bračni život? Bolje međuljudske odnose? Učiniti neko dobro djelo? Ili pak postajemo robovi istoga? Želim veći položaj u društvu, a cijena je vrijeme s obitelji? Da nemam vremena za dječju igru, sportske uspjehe, izlete, večernje čitanje priča, upoznavanje dječjih prijatelja i liječenje svakodnevnih djetinjih problema? Trebamo li baš slijediti bez kriterija i jasnoće sve lažne proroke našeg vremena? Ili možda znati odrediti granice posjedovanja koje osiguravaju život, a ne krasti od obitelji, Boga i ljubavi? Potrebna je budnost. Kršćani su pozvani da bdiju nad vlastitim srcem i željama. Kršćani su pozvani živjeti kreposno. A živjeti kreposno je umijeće. Tajna tog umijeća jest u tome da se shvati da čin volje jest rezultat procesa koji uključuje sve dimenzije ljudskog postojanja. Znati biti krepostan znači osloboditi se ili biti slobodan od nemira i nezadovoljstva koje nosi neumjerenost i učiniti se sposobnim za postavljanje granica. Postavljene granice za nas postaju izvorom i sredstvom psihološkog i duhovnog rasta. Crkva je uvijek nešto više od mode Apostol zdravog razuma G. Chesterton je zapisao: „Crkva je jedina stvar na zemlji koja može ovjekovječiti određenu vrlinu i učiniti da bude nešto više od mode. Stvar je toliko očita i povijesno utemeljena da sumnjam da bi ju ikada mogao zanijekati. Ne možeš zanijekati da je savršeno moguće da će se sutra ujutro u Italiji, ili Irskoj, pojaviti čovjek ne samo jednako dobar, nego dobar na jednak način kao sveti Franjo Asiški. Dobro, sad uzmi druge primjere ljudskih vrlina, od kojih su mnoge sjajne. Engleski džentlmen iz elizabetanskog doba je bio galantan i idealističan, ali možeš li stajati ovdje na ovoj livadi i biti engleski džentlmen iz elizabetanskog doba? Koja bi fraza nadahnula londonskog službenika ili radnika u ovom trenutku? Možda da mu samo kažemo da je džentlmen, što zasigurno nije? Sva ova imena i pojmovi su časni, ali koliko dugo će trajati? Kraljevstva se ruše, industrijski se uvjeti mijenjaju, predgrađa neće trajati vječno. Što će ostati? Reći ću ti! Katolički svetac će ostati!“. Težak nam je govor o svetosti na koju smo svi pozvani. Sveci obično obnavljaju duševno zdravlje svijeta i vremena ističući ono što svijet odbacuje, a to nije isto u različitim razdobljima. Stoga je svako vrijeme potrebno svojih svetaca a to nije ono što ljudi žele, nego ono što ljudima treba. Znamo da sol začinjuje i čuva meso, daje okus, ali ne zato jer je poput mesa nego zato što je potpuno različita od njega. Jesmo li mi spremni biti različiti od trendova u ovom vremenu? Uostalom Krist nije među učenicima izabirao izvrsne ljude ili savršene nego vječno neuskladive, sa svim njihovim manama i zahtjevima, što se očitovalo u borbi za prva mjesta, izdaji, zatajenju, sakrivanju i svađanjima. U isto vrijeme to su bili iznimni ljudi, jer su bili spremni mijenjati sebe prema Isusovu nauku. Bili su spremni biti sol zemlje i svijetlo svijeta i nisu gubili svoju kvalitetu, jer su znali da „ako sol obljutavi čime će se ona osoliti?“. Ako mi kršćani postanemo bljutavi i sluge ovog vremena, tko će biti protuotrov vremenu u kojem je „normalno“ starce i djecu eutanazirati, stavljati nagone ispred zdravog razuma i općeg dobra? Životne navike Netko ima naviku redovito čitati novine, netko surfati po Internetu, netko popiti kavu u omiljenom baru, netko se baviti sportom, netko putovati, itd… Svatko od nas može nabrojiti još neke od navika koje po sebi nisu loše. Ali činjenica je da naša mala zadovoljstva pretvaramo u navike. Nije nevažno kakve su naše navike, jer Alexandre Havard ističe da smo „ono što obično radimo“. Stoga ako želimo živjeti kreposnim životom trebaju nam vrline postati navika. Učestalo nismo svjesni da je i vrlina navika koja se stječe ponavljanjem i kao takva nužno je redovito prakticiranje. Točnije, potrebno je odgajati sebe i djecu za krepostan život. Ako neke ljudske vrline ne posjedujemo, očigledno ih nismo stekli. Reći će Aristotel da je vrlina rezultat navike. Vrline ne nastaju preko noći već je nužno vježbanje, jer što češće ih prakticiramo, to više one postaju nerazdvojivim djelom našega karaktera. Kreposno življenje ustaljuje naše ponašanje i oblikuje karakter. Karakter se oblikuje vježbanjem, dok je temperament prirođen, proistječe iz naravi. Doduše, istina je da nam temperament može pomoći u razvijanju nekih vrlina, ali jednako tako priječiti u postizanju nekih drugih. Ako nam nedostaju vrline postat ćemo robovi svoga karaktera. Stoga vrlina nije talent kojim se koristimo po potrebi, ona je neprekidno prisutna u svim zgodnim i nezgodnim trenucima života. Ako su naša djela obilježena poniznošću, poniznost postaje uobičajen način našeg života. Ako smo razdražljivi i nagle naravi, trebamo se vježbati u obuzdavanju, ako smo neumjereni u ičemu, trebamo se vježbati umjerenosti i kontroli. Ako je dijete sebično, moramo ga učiti davati, ako je dijete svadljivo, moramo ga učiti mirnim načinima rješavanja teškoća. Sve to nije moguće ako i sami ne posjedujemo vrline. Ne možemo se prema Escrivi opravdavati: „Takva mi je ćud… to su stvari mog karaktera. To su stvari nedostataka tvog karaktera!“. Stoga je važno da vrline reguliraju naš karakter. Nemojmo postati robovi naših manjkavosti ili dozvoliti da naša djeca to postanu. Biti ili uzmicati životu? Jeste li se ikada zapitali što je doista naše? Život, talenti koje posjedujemo, djeca ili obitelj u kojoj smo rođeni? Braća ili supružnik? Sve ono što posjedujemo? Neki će reći da je njihov posjed, nekretnine i račun u banci. Naime, kuća i auto jest naše i važno je posjedovati ih, ali ubrzo želimo novi auto, veću ili moderniju kuću, novi mobitel, novu tehniku i različite predmete. Uostalom zar ne radimo da bismo to imali, ali to i nije najvažnije, zar ne? Jer što će nam velika kuća, ako smo sami? Ma kako prekrasan auto posjedovali, neće nam umanjiti samoću i tugu, ili ispuniti nas, jer to je tek prijevozno sredstvo. Iako je komotan i moderan, možda i predmet tuđe zavisti ili dokaz uspjeha, ubrzo postoji veći i bolji. I tako redom. Uistinu, imamo li išta svoje? Doista „što imaš, a da nisi primio?“ (1 Kor 4,7) pita nas biblijski pisac? Nismo si sami dali život, nismo si dali talente, nismo birali mjesto, a ni obitelj koja će nas odgajati. Sve je to Božje djelo, htjeli mi to priznati ili ne. Stoga ne bi trebalo biti teško odgovoriti da ono najvažnije u našim životima jest „Božji dar“. Zapravo i sloboda iz koje biramo kako ćemo živjeti, ponekad i uzmicati životu kao djelu Božjem jest dar. Nismo plod slučaja već dio Božjeg plana koji trebamo ostvariti iz slobode i ljubavi prema Stvoritelju. Jednako tako djeca nisu naša, ona su Božji dar nama da se ostvaruje Božji naum s nama i po nama. Ako to ne uviđamo itekako smo osakatili vlastiti misterij života i bit naše egzistencije na zemlji, što je tek mali djelić stvarnosti, koji oblikuje i određuje našu vječnost. Papa Franjo ističe: „Svi smo mi po krštenju odabrani od Gospodina. Svi smo odabrani. On nas je izabrao jednog po jednog. Dao nam je ime i gleda nas. Tu se odvija razgovor, jer na taj način Gospodin nas ljubi“. To potvrđuje spoznaju da smo uistinu ljubljena djeca Božja. I ne samo mi, nego i naša djeca i svaki čovjek koji je dio našeg životnog putu. U Boga nema pristranosti (Rim 1,11), nema “strana” jer otvara prilike meni, ali i osobi do mene. Stoga je nužno da smo upućeni jedni na druge, da se obogaćujemo i ne uzmičemo životu, pa i kada dođu teški trenuci, jer sve ima obrise Božje prisutnosti i trag vječnosti. To daje snagu značenja svake etape „biti“, a ne uzmicati Božjem daru. Je li bolje imati ili biti? Čini se kao da je zavladao trend da ne znamo reći „ne”. Ne znamo reći ne sebi, a onda ni djeci, jednako tako prekomjernom radu i zahtjevima društva. Suvremeni ruski pjesnik Zorin reći će da nećemo moći reći „da“ ako ne naučimo reći „ne“. Radi se o sposobnosti određivanju granica i svjesnim odabirima života. Možda je najjasniji primjer naša teškoća da djeci kažemo ne u njihovim zahtjevima. Koliko puta smo čuli izjavu „ali to imaju svi moji vršnjaci“ kao vrijedan argument da i sami to dobiju. Zamka jest u stvaranju dojma da zadovoljstvo i radost ovise o imati. Stoga su „dobri roditelji“ oni koji djeci sve priušte bez da promisle koje će to dugotrajne posljedice imati za djecu. Uvjereni su da djetetu moraju priuštiti vlastitu sobu, nikako da je dijeli s bratom ili sestrom, barem tri vrste aktivnosti: sport, strani jezici i glazbena škola; rođendane u skupim igraonicama ili restoranima, zimovanja i ljetovanja u poznatim i modernim odredištima. A najnoviji modeli mobitela i tableta jesu ultimativni „must have“ o kojima ovisi vrijednost djece u društvu. Mnogi će se roditelji jednostavno opravdati da su „takva vremena“ ili „ako nisam ja imao neka ima barem moje dijete“. I nije poteškoća što želimo djeci dati ono najbolje, nego što to nije ono najbolje što im možemo dati i čega su potrebni. Na ovaj način im prenosimo stav prema životu u kojem je bolje imati, nego biti i stvaramo od njih ljude ovisne o materijalnom kao jedinom kriteriju njihove osobne sreće i uspjeha. Zapravo ih uvodimo u svoj svijet egoizma, materijalizma i konformizma koji je tako dalek od plemenitih vrlina koje su ukorijenjene u dubinama ljudske osobnosti. Kao da smo zaboravili da postoje „ne“ koji su neprocjenjivo odgojno sredstvo za cijeli život. Uostalom reći će papa Franjo: „Zato su poniznost, krotkost, blagost od velike važnosti u životu kršćana, jer čuvaju malenost, koja uživa gledajući Gospodina. Naš razgovor s Bogom uvijek će biti razgovor između naše malenosti i Božje veličine“. Velikodušnost i poniznost Svakodnevno smo u dodiru s važnim i nevažnim stvarima koje sačinjavaju stvarnost i potrebna je razboritost da bi donosili ispravne odluke. Kako je moguće biti velikodušni i pritom izbjeći napast taštine ili samo-opravdavanja? Naime, neki će nespremnost da budu velikodušni opravdavati odgojnim razlozima da gladne treba naučiti pecati ribu, a ne im darovati. Osobina po kojoj se velikodušnost razlikuje od taštine jest da se ostvaruje napornim radom i upornošću. Francuski filozof Garrigou-Lagrange rekao je da: „taština voli časti i ugled koji dolaze od velikih stvari dok velikodušnost voli rad i trud koji je potrebno uložiti da bi ih se postiglo“. Učestalo zaboravljamo da su velike stvari zbroj malih i naočigled beznačajnih elemenata. Kuća se gradi ciglu po ciglu, mozaik nastaje slaganjem jednog po jednog različitih kamenčića, dijete uči hodati korak po korak, a govoriti izgovaranjem riječ po riječ. Iako svi znamo da je Isus rekao „tko je vjeran u malom biti će mu i puno povjereno“, teško nam je uvidjeti snagu i važnost napora malih koraka kao priprema da bi znali poduzeti velike koji će svima biti od koristi. Jednako tako ne može se biti velikodušan, a ne uviđati snagu malenosti. Poniznost nam omogućava prevladavanja vlastite sebičnosti i uči spremnosti na trajno služenje drugima. Nažalost, poniznost kao da ima pogrdno značenje jer se danas ponizne osobe smatra neambicioznim i ne vrijednim bilo kakve časti. Zaboravljajući pritom da se primarno poniznost ne tiče odnosa čovjeka prema čovjeku, već proizlazi iz stava čovjeka koji se nalazi pred licem Božjim. Ako čovjek prizna da je stvorenje Božje pozvano u život da oplemenjuje svijet tada je spreman tako djelovati bez obzira na okolnosti života i društva. Spreman je slijediti evanđelje, jer „tko hoće među vama biti najveći, neka vam bude poslužitelj“ (usp. Mt 20,26), ostvarujući život u punini Božjeg nauma za njega. Roditeljska velikodušnost Vjerovali ili ne, roditeljsko poslanje temeljno je definirano velikodušnošću i poniznošću. Velikodušnost nije definirana spremnošću da otvorimo novčanik ili da nešto poklonimo, već težnjom duha za uzvišenošću. Korijen velikodušnosti je u čvrstom uvjerenju u najviše sposobnosti ljudske naravi. Stoga širokogrudni roditelji nisu oni koji djeci sve daju i omoguće, nego oni koji su im pomogli da otkriju i žive vlastito poslanje. U konkretnosti života to znači odgojiti djecu da čine i djeluju kako Bog od njih očekuje. O tome će ovisiti kako će živjeti, razmišljati i djelovati u sve dane života. Velikodušnost se otkriva po svijesti o vlastitom poslanju, po sposobnosti da se nada, da se vjeruje i bude smion, po oduševljenju kojim se prihvaća svaki napor potreban da se neko djelo privede uspješno kraju, po sposobnostima da potaknemo na dobro sebe, ali i one kojima smo okruženi. Kako netko živi vlastiti poziv, smatra Alexandre Havard, ogleda se u njegovom pogledu na brak i obiteljski život. Uskogrudni ljudi gledaju na obiteljski život kao na sredstvo sebičnih ciljeva – stalo im je do toga da se dobro najedu, da im rublje bude oprano, da se ne osjećaju usamljenima, da steknu društveni ugled i tome slično. Veliki ljudi, nasuprot tome, smatraju da je obiteljski život misija i poslanje koje se očituje u žrtvovanju za druge. Obitelj je prostor u kojem se ostvaruje ljubav i zajedništvo kojima je određeno da rastu, a ne može se rasti ako nema ljubavi i zajedništva. Obitelj nije skup pojedinaca koji se koriste istim hladnjakom, niti je đački dom ili svratište u koje se dolazi nakon posla ili škole. Roditeljski poziv sadržan je u obvezi podizanja djece i dovođenja do zrela i odgovorna doba. Nema važnijega cilja od ovoga. Neprekidna svijest o ovom tajanstvenom i posvećenom poslanju čini od roditelja istinske vođe, muškarce i žene koji nastoje živjeti uzvišenim životom. Tada svaki napor i ulaganje jest dio poziva koji iako začinjen služenjem jest put istinske radosti i ispunjenja, put osobnog rasta u zrelosti i osobnoj veličini. Odgajanje osjetila Naša osjetila su darovi koje treba umnažati, a napose ih neprestano odgajati kod sebe i djece. Nije svejedno kakvu glazbu slušamo, nije svejedno što gledamo, nije svejedno kakvom rječniku izlažemo djecu od malih nogu i kakve filmove i televizijske programe gledamo pred djecom. Slušati ne znači registrirati zvukove oko sebe nego paziti što oni znače. Ako se u našem obiteljskom životu netko učestalo žali da ga ne slušamo zapravo nam komunicira da ne obraćamo pozornost na misli i riječi, osobnost i potrebe te osobe. Može to biti baka ili djed, neko dijete ili netko od supružnika. Model slušanja „odraslih“ u obitelji, djeca doslovno preslikavaju, jer smatraju da je upravo to ispravan i dobar način. Ako djeca primijete da otac ne sluša mamu biti će sasvim izvjesno da je neće ni oni slušati. Ako je televizor stalno uključen, pa i kod zajedničkih obroka, djeca neće znati blagovati i razgovarati bez njega. Njihova pozornost biti će usmjerena na ekran, nikako na jelo ili na obiteljski razgovor. Teško je slušati, jer je previše rastresenosti u nama i oko nas. Da bismo dobro slušali i tijelo mora usmjeriti svoju pozornost: kad slušamo kako nam dijete govori i kad ga istodobno gledamo, oči nam daju korisne podatke, pa možemo čuti i više od riječi. Kad slušamo glazbu, rado zatvaramo oči radi bolje usredotočenosti. Takvo slušanje je potrebno odgajati da bi se znali skladno služiti s njim. Jeste li pokušali s djecom slušati neku priču? Jeste li pokušali otići na neku izložbu ili u prirodu, diveći se drveću, životinjama koje ste susretali u detaljima običnog parka? Jeste li s djecom ikada „mirisali“ proljeće ili prvi snijeg? Jeste li u oblacima na nebu prepoznavali različite figure, u Svetohraništu Božju prisutnost? Tako slušati znači otvoriti srce. To je biblijski smisao slušanja. Slušati nekoga katkad je najljepši dar koji mu možemo darovati. Dijete koje zna da ga se sluša naučit će se izražavati i znat će i samo slušati. Slušanje je učestalo najbolji način da budemo uz one koji trpe. To je i najsigurniji način da onima koje ljubimo pomognemo naći rješenje poteškoća na koje nailaze. Primjer takvog slušanja je Marija koja je čuvala u svom srcu sve što je čula. Pokušajmo i mi slušati srcem. Izvor poštovanja Jedan autor je zapisao da najzlokobniji od simptoma našega suvremenog doba upravo je njegov nedostatak poštovanja – prema ljudima, seksualnosti, svetosti života, smrti, i što je još važnije, prema Bogu. Možda je početak nove godine prilika da ispitamo s koliko poštovanja se odnosimo prema vlastitom životu, prema ukućanima i poslovnim partnerima. A tek prema stvarima? Svojim, ali i tuđim. Osoba koja ne pokazuje poštovanje nužno zauzima sebičan stav jer koristi svijet, a i ljude, samo kao sredstvo preko kojega ispunjava svoja osobna zadovoljstva. Tada osobe, ali i stvari imaju jedinu svrhu da zadovolje moje želje. Ako se osvrnemo na trend čestih rastava brakova, nije li u podnožju istog upravo sebičnost u kojoj kada netko više ne zadovoljava moje potrebe, želje i snove olako se mijenja. Olako se onesposobimo za prepoznavanje unutarnje plemenitosti i vrijednosti osoba i stvari zbog čega dolazi do uskraćivanja najvećih i najljepših stvari koje nam ovaj život nudi, uključujući iskreno prijateljstvo i ljubav koji traju neovisno o našim neispunjenim željama i snovima. Na putu gubitka poštovanja počinjemo jednostavnim obrascima da svojim poslodavcima i strancima iskazujemo veliko poštovanje, a prema svojim ukućanima se odnosimo bez imalo poštovanja. Opravdanja su vrlo realna da nakon teškoga dana na poslu, kada se vraćamo kući, umorni i razdražljivi, lako je biti mrzovoljan prema supružniku ili djeci. Budimo iskreni, ionako „sve to zbog njih činimo“, pa mogu podnijeti malo našeg tereta. Iako zaboravljamo da jedna poslovica kaže: „Prisnost uzgaja prijezir“, a koliko u njoj ima istine potrebno je da odgovori svatko od nas i dokaže suprotno. Uostalom dovoljno je da pitamo naše ukućane da li se osjećaju poštovani od nas? Možda ćete dobiti negativan odgovor i biti će vam teško ali moramo biti svjesni da su naši ukućani, kao i svi ljudi, stvoreni na sliku i priliku Božju, bića s velikim dostojanstvom, kojeg treba poštovati i voljeti. Ljepota življenja ovisi o njegovanju i očuvanju međusobnog poštovanja. A put pokazivanja poštovanja počinje od sitnih detalja svakodnevice: u boji glasa, u stavu i gestama, u načinu ophođenja i prilikama da prihvatimo drugog onakvim kakav jest. Početi iznova Svaki kraj istovremeno označuje i početak. Nije rijetko da na kraju godine nastojimo sagledati naše uspjehe i neuspjehe, radosti i tuge, razumijevanja i nerazumijevanja, susrete i trenutke samoće. Mnogi će porazi biti nevažni, a neki drugi veliki porazi, ili su nas približili našim ukućanima i Bogu, ili pak su nas okrenuli prema malodušnosti i pesimizmu, produbljenju krize, prekidima odnosa, možda čak i oholosti da sami znamo i možemo bolje dalje krenuti. Ako su nas naši porazi makar malo približili k Gospodinu, znači da smo pronašli snagu da započnemo iznova uz Gospodinovu pomoć, oboružani strpljivošću i poniznošću koje nas čine spremnim da nanovo ulažemo vrijeme i trud, iako ne vidimo nikakve konkretne naznake pozitivnih pomaka u međuljudskim odnosima i okolnostima života. U svakom slučaju uvijek je pitanje spremnosti na borbu i nastojanje da „lijepimo“ različite krhotine naših međuljudskih odnosa i nezgodnih prilika života. Uostalom nije li sam Bog postao čovjekom da nam pokaže da u običnosti i vjernosti u malom jest mjesto susreta s Bogom i izvor istinske snage i radosti. Jedino tako ostajemo otvoreni novosti i nepredvidivosti života. Nije li rečeno: „Tko je vjeran u najmanjem, i u najvećem je vjeran; a tko je u najmanjem nepošten, i u najvećem je nepošten“ (Lk 16,10). Reći će Carvajala: “To je kao da nas se podsjeća: bori se bez prestanka u svim pojedinostima, naizgled od male važnosti, ali velike u Božjim očima; točno izvršavaj svoje obveze; pruži osmijeh kome je potreban, pa i ako ti je duša ožalošćena; posveti molitvi potrebno vrijeme, bez da ga skraćuješ; iziđi ususret onomu tko traži tvoju pomoć; provodi pravdu obogaćujući je milinom ljubavi“. Tek tada svaki naš čin zadobit će svoju pravu dimenziju: onu koju ima u Božjim očima, a ne onu koju ima pred ljudima i društvom. Možda je prilika da počnemo iznova: više moliti, više služiti bližnjima, više slušanja srcem, jednostavno „biti“ u svemu što čini našu svakodnevicu. Radost blagdana Gdje je izvor naše radosti i mira koji ćemo poželjeti jedni drugima ovih dana? U različitim poslovnim prijemima, obiteljskim i prijateljskim susretima, božićnim poklonima ili lijepo uređenoj kući? Čini se da većina ima sve preduvjete da bude zadovoljna i vesela, a ipak smo nezadovoljni i nervozni. Njemački filozof Romano Guardini smatra da nam je zatrpan izvor iz kojeg teče radost. Pri tome misli na naše srce koje je nerijetko zlovoljno zbog tisuće malih neugodnosti tijekom dana. Pojavljuju se u obliku prigovaranja i kritiziranja ukućana zbog nekog neuspješno obavljenog posla ili loših ocjena, ili gužva u trgovinama, ili neplaniranih posjeta, ili traženja poklona. Na tu listu vrlo lako i brzo dodajemo u blagdanskom vremenu. Svako bučno i izvanjsko blagdansko veselje vrlo brzo se raspline. Otvara prostor za tugu i razočaranje koje nerijetko završava u samosažaljenju koje se “hrani” skrivenim očekivanjima da možemo promijeniti okolnosti života ili osobe koje su nam bliske. Iako znamo da ne možemo mijenjati druge ili okolnosti nismo spremni mijenjati ni svoje ponašanje. A mogli bi moliti jer molitva je način koji mijenja ne samo osobu koja moli, već i ljude oko nje. Molitva je susret sa sobom i Bogom i otkriva se radost koja počinje živjeti u srcu i duboku je ukorijenjena. Takva radost je stanje duha, dar Duha svetoga koji pomaže čovjeku da živi ispunjen životi i onda kada ne može priuštiti sebi i svojoj djeci najbolje i najskuplje poklone. Stoga roditelji koji mole sa svojom djecom uče djecu istinskoj radosti. Povezuju se na osobit način, najprije s Bogom, a onda i međusobno. Reći će mali brat Carlo Carretto: “Isus je toliko želio posljednje mjesto da je teško da će mu ga netko moći oteti. Nazaret je bio posljednje mjesto: mjesto siromaha, bezimenih, nevažnih, radničke mase, ljudi pognutih pod teškim zahtjevima posla za nešto kruha. Ali i više. Isus je “Svetac Božji”. Pa ipak, “Svetac Božji” svoju svetost ne ostvaruje neobičnim životom, već životom upregnutim u svakodnevnom radu, obiteljskom i društvenom životu, skromnim, jednostavnim djelatnostima svih ljudi”. Post od darova Može vam zvučati čudno ovaj naslov napose u vremenu kada se približava vrijeme darivanja koje postaje središte naših preokupacija. Skloni smo vrijeme došašća pretvoriti u vrijeme „lova“ na poklone zaboravljajući pri tome smisao Božića. Gilbert Keith Chesterton napisao je: „Svi zdravi stari božićni običaji povezani su sa stvaranjem ozračja da nitko ne smije dodirnuti, ili vidjeti, ili znati, ili govoriti o bilo čemu vezanom uz Božić prije stvarne pojave Božića. Volio bih kada bi se ovaj princip prihvatio u pogledu suvremenih božićnih ceremonija i publikacija“. Ali darivanje je svima nama urođeno i čini nas ljudima. Korijen darivanja je u početnom daru života od naših roditelja. Taj dar primljen je nezasluženo i promijenio je praksu darivanja jer je otvorio prostor zajedništvu obitelji. Zapravo Božić je, prema mišljenju pastoralnog teologa Paula Michaela Zulehnera „brutalno vrijeme istine“ koji pod pritiskom sklada i idiličnih božićnih priča otkriva kakav je zajednički život jedne obitelji i odnosi u njoj – a kreću se od “šarma doista dobrih odnosa do boli zbog odnosa koji nisu takvi“. Ukoliko krenemo u post od darova to bi nam omogućilo vrijeme da budemo zajedno i počnemo ozbiljnije shvaćati svoje ukućane i prijatelje. Tada ćemo im moći darovati svoje vrijeme, trenutke zajedništva u pripremljenoj večeri i druženju ali to bi značilo odreći se samih sebe i riskirati savršenu sliku o sebi. Možda i izgubimo nekoga koga ne bismo da smo nastavili s listom skupih darova ali ako je to dovoljno da smo manje voljeni i prihvaćeni, zasigurno nismo ništa više voljeni niti u boljoj poziciji i kada donosimo poklone. Možda je to dobar početak u konkretnosti života izgradnje istinskih zajedništava koja uključuju i odricanje, sviđalo se to nama ili ne. Tek tada ćemo svi zajedno osjećati posebnu svetost dara koji dolazi od Malog Isusa. A poneki skupi dar neka bude djelo milosrđa prema „anonimnom“ primatelju u zajedništvu cijele obitelji. Vrijeme Davanja Čini mi se da smo poprilično, pa i nesvjesno zakoračili u „walmart filozofiju“ u kojoj, ako te kupljena stvar ne čini sretnim, možeš je vratiti i dobiti novu. Sreća je postala kriterij djelovanja i življenja. Jednako tako isti se princip uvukao u naše brakove, u promišljanja o obitelji, u prijateljstva, imajući kao posljedicu popriličnu, a ponekad i trajnu nesposobnost davanja. Naime, danas je sebičnost umotana u prekrasan i šareni papir „samoostvarenja“ ili „osobnog uspjeha“ ili „vrijeme za sebe“ ili „prava na sreću“ kao da svaki od tih stilova života ne dotiče ljude oko nas, a napose obitelj. Zapravo, veliki je uspjeh ako si uspijemo priznati i prepoznati u koji šareni papir smo mi upakirali svoju sebičnost ili potrebu za svojim prostorom u našoj svakodnevici. Autor Smith susrevši se s vlastitom sebičnošću u braku napisao je: „No, istina je da u braku i istinskoj ljubavi nikada nije riječ o tebi. Riječ je o osobi koju voliš – željama te osobe, njenim potrebama, nadama i snovima. Sebičnost se pita: „Što tu ima za mene ako je uzmem k sebi?“, dok ljubav pita: „Što joj ja mogu dati?“. I dodaje: „Niti jedan pravi odnos ljubavi nije za tebe. Bit se ljubavi nalazi u osobi koju volite. I, paradoksalno, što ćeš više istinski voljeti tu osobu – više ćeš ljubavi dobiti. I to ne samo od nje i njenih poznanika, već i od njihovih prijatelja i njihovih obitelji i tisuća drugih koje nikad ne bi ni upoznao da je tvoja ljubav ostala sebična“. Možda u ovom vremenu potrage za darovima možemo krenuti od istinskog davanja sebe, da bi barem, ako ne pokazali više ljubavi, prepoznali što ta osoba istinski želi. Možda će već biti presretna pažnjom i prepoznavanjem napora da jesmo s njom i dušom i tijelom. Ne radi se samo o bračnom odnosu, već u odnosu s djecom, s djedovima i bakama, s rođacima, susjedima, kolegama na poslu. No u tim našim naporima i minijaturnim koracima koje ćemo poduzeti Gospodin će rasvijetliti gdje se sve još trebamo popraviti, što još treba čistiti i posebice, koliko su neke stvarnosti života u našim očima često sasvim krivo izgledale, a onda se i živjele. Bog ponovno stvara Papa Franjo je istaknuo: “Narod koji ne poštuje djedove i bake, bez pamćenja je i bez budućnosti…“ i dodaje: „Ako se neki narod ne skrbi o djedovima, ako ih ne poštuje, onda nema budućnosti, jer nema sjećanja, izgubio je pamćenje“. Živimo u društvu koje ne poštuje starost jer su stari ljudi „teret“ zbog bolesti i potrebe za našom stalnom brigom, „dosadni“ zbog njihovih priča kako je to bilo nekad, a onda i „smetaju“ jer nas usporavaju u svakodnevnoj jurnjavi za uspjehom. Uspjehom koji je definiran vječnom mladošću, ugađanjem sebi i nesposobnošću za ikakvim oblikom služenja drugima. U takvim društvenim uvjetima starost je „opasan“ podsjetnik na prolaznost života, na nemoć, na bolest i ovisnost o tuđoj pažnji i pomoći. Olako se zaboravlja da su djedovi i bake korijeni naše obiteljske povijesti, a onda i zalog naše budućnosti. Bog je preko njih stvorio nas, a mi našu djecu, a naša djeca će svoju. Bog koji voli život dao nam je dioništvo u beskrajnoj i fascinantnoj avanturi koja se zove život u kojoj djedovi i bake donose povijest i prenose vjeru, ufanje i ljubav. Ostavljaju nam u naslijeđe duhovni i tjelesni polog onog što jesmo, odakle dolazimo i kamo idemo. Moramo vjerovati u život jer se samo na njemu može graditi ili se ne gradi uopće. A sastavni dio života je naučiti voljeti i biti strpljivi sa svime što je staro, možda već slomljeno, šepavo i ne tako savršeno i društveno prihvatljivo jer tek tada možemo vidjeti istinsku dubinu života, a ne ostati na površini sjaja koji ionako blijedi. Potrebno je biti skroman i ponizan pred veličinom nečijeg života. Upravo zato su važni djedovi i bake da bi nas učili strpljivosti i upornosti u zajedničkom čuvanju i prihvaćanju prolaznosti života koji omogućava rast stabla naše obiteljske budućnosti. A istinska ljepota života jest u spoznaji da koliko god mi svoj život ili nečiji drugi život prekrili negativizmom, razočaranjem i gorčinom, Bog ponovno i ponovno stvara nove mogućnosti života. Zime Života Christine Ponsard pita da li kao roditelji dok brinemo o vitaminima za zdravlje tijela napose u zimskom vremenu razmišljamo i o „duhovnim vitaminima“? Razmišljamo li ikada o dnevnoj dozi duhovne zaštite za sebe, a onda i za djecu? Radi se o dozi „duhovnih vitamina“ koji su srcu potrebni da bi rasli u ljubavi prema Bogu. Brinemo li kako bi djecu osigurali povjerenjem u Božju ljubav i prijateljstvo, a onda i na milosti roditeljskog blagoslova? Ili nam se sve ovo čini odveć staromodno i nepotrebno? O čemu se tu zapravo radi. Svi poznajemo umor koji nas vodi u začarani krug: budući da smo umorni, pretjerujemo u aktivnostima, postajemo nervozni i tako rasipamo energiju, pa na kraju budemo doslovno iscrpljeni. Zbog umora se često zatvaramo u sebe, postajemo usredotočeni samo na obveze ili poteškoće, nikad nismo na raspolaganju drugima. Kad su nam uši, oči i srce zatvoreni za druge ljude, ni Bog ne može ući. Kako onda izaći iz tog začaranog kruga? Pa uz pomoć duhovnih vitamina koji se doduše ne kupuju u klasičnim ljekarnama nego su nam „besplatno“ darovani i nadohvat ruke. Radi se o sakramentima, molitvi i čitanju Božje riječi. Upravo jer su tako jednostavni i dostupni tako su nepravedno zanemareni i učestalo podcijenjeni. Bog nam se daje obilno i bez prestanaka, ali se ne nameće, ne prisiljava, ne iscrpljuje niti iskorištava. Zato onda tako rijetko idemo na Njegov izvor? „A tko bude pio vode koju ću mu ja dati, ne, ne će ožednjeti nikada: voda koju ću mu ja dati postat će u njemu izvorom vode koja struji u život vječni“ (Iv 4,13-14). Jesmo li uopće svjesni snage sakramenata, posebno euharistije i pomirenja? Jesmo li sposobni reći: „Gospodine, ja sam samo oruđe u tvojim rukama. Nisu važni moji planovi, nego ono što ti želiš učiniti preko mene“. Ako jesmo onda ćemo se u zimama života moći oduprijeti „virusima“ obeshrabrenosti, zatvaranja u sebe ili beznađa. Jednako tako koliko sami uzimamo i brinemo o duhovnim vitaminima toliko ćemo davati i djeci. Odgoj duše Jeste li ikada razmišljali o svojoj duši? O tome može li nas Duh Božji ispuniti ako nismo spremni urediti svoju dušu? Uostalom može li se urediti dušu bez kreposnog života? A živjeti kreposno niti je jednostavno niti moderno. Za takav život potrebno je vrijeme, trud i umijeće. Ljudski odgoj je produžena ruka Božjeg odgoja, a samim time i najplemenitija zadaća povjerena čovjeku od Boga. I ne odnosi se to samo na roditelje, učitelje i svećenike, nego cijelu zajednicu: obiteljsku, školsku, župnu, profesionalnu. Kaže afrička poslovica da je za odgoj jednog čovjeka potrebno čitavo selo. Osjećamo li imalo odgovornosti za to kakve su naše obitelji i zajednice ili smo tek dežurni promatrači i kritičari. Uostalom način na koji doprinosimo ili ne doprinosimo odgoju pokazuje stupanj naše osobne zrelosti. Osobna zrelost određuje odnose s drugima, a onda i sposobnost odgoja. Naime, samo zrele osobne sposobne su misliti svojom glavom i odlučivati svojom voljom, ali jednako tako istovremeno voljeti ljude, živjeti za njih i s njima. Ta unutrašnja uravnoteženost otvara prostor za prihvaćanje druge osobe sa svim kvalitetama i slabostima, gradeći neumorno dijalog. Zrela osoba prihvaća vlastito dijete kao Božji dar koji treba usmjeravati prema punini ostvarenja njegove osobnosti. Da bi mogli na takav način odgajati moramo biti spremni slušati ali i čuti, razgovarati, ali i biti spremni mijenjati vlastite prosudbe, planove i širiti svoj pogled u svjetlu Božje ljubavi. Tada ćemo biti spremni razumjeti, prihvatiti Božji poziv i odgovorno ga živjeti kao kršćanin, roditelj, supružnik i kolega. Tada ćemo imati uspjeha i u duhovnosti, jer zrela osobnost je temelj zdravoj duhovnosti, a to nije moguće bez osobe Isusa Krista. Ako i jest kroz naše odrastanje nešto izostalo, kroz molitveno ozračje dopustiti ćemo Kristu da nas svojom riječju, poukom, primjerom i kroz molitvu osobno odgoji za zrele ljude i kršćane. Obitelj moli, čuva vjeru i živi radost Papa Franjo na misi s obiteljima na trgu sv. Petra propovijed je oslonio na tri temeljne točke kršćanske obitelji: obitelj koja moli; obitelj koja čuva vjeru; i obitelj koja živi radost. Pitanje koje se nameće svakoj obitelji jest kako moliti? Ili još preciznije: kada moliti? Kako čuvati vjeru? Ili još zahtjevnije: kako čuvati nešto što posjedujemo tek kao blijedi trag iz djetinjstva? Nešto vezano samo uz velike blagdane i običaje naših baka? Kako živjeti radost u obitelji kad nam nešto stalno nedostaje ili nas pritišće? Kada i naši izvori radosti, „imati i biti“ tako se brzo isprazne, a i mijenjaju? Kažu neki da je nekada bilo lakše, bila su druga vremena i drugačiji zahtjevi društva. I zasigurno jesu, ali odgovori se nikada nisu nalazili „izvan“ nas nego u nama. Odgovor na svako od pitanja je uvijek osoban i proizlazi iz odnosa s Bogom, iz naše molitve, iz naše snage da idemo na istinski izvor radosti. Nadbiskup Fulton Sheen istaknuo je pitanja koja će Krist postaviti svakom od nas -ne društvu, ne vremenu, ne drugima- kad se nađemo pred njim: „Pokaži mi ruke. Imaju li ožiljke davanja? Pokaži mi stopala. Jesu li izmorena služenjem? Pokaži mi srce. Jesi li ostavio mjesta za božansku ljubav?“. Uostalom ako si postavimo ta ista pitanja nakon što pročitamo tekst, znat ćemo koji je odgovor kako i kada moliti u obitelji, kako sačuvati vjeru, kako biti radosni. Imamo vrijeme za teretanu, za kozmetičarku, za wellness tretmane, za kave i večere u različitim restoranima. Logično je da za Boga baš i nemamo, jer su nas preuzeli i umorili svi drugi termini. Nerijetko se opravdavamo našim pravom, a nikada se ne upitamo na što to Bog ima pravo u našim životima? Možda ima samo pravo na ponovno pribijanje Njegove ljubavi na križ? Ipak, može se moliti Oče naš zajedno u obitelji makar samo prije jela, zajedno čitati Bibliju, zajedno ići na misu, zajedno volontirati u župi. Naime, ako Božja ljubav nedostaje, onda će nam i obitelj gubiti sklad jer prevladavaju samo osobne potrebe koje gase radost. Franjin svijet se otvara svima Sveti Franjo kao adolescent i mladić i nije bio čovjek mira kojem se danas divimo. Rastao je u obitelji koja je pripadala klasi u usponu, klasi koja je težila za bogaćenjem i bila žedna moći. Nije čudno da je i mladi Franjo imao velike ambicije, volio je ostavljati dojam, izdizati se iznad drugih, dati se slaviti kao predstavnik zlatne mladeži. Bio je rado viđen gost svake obitelji jer onako inteligentan, spretan i bogat imao je pred sobom sjajnu budućnost. Uostalom ne prepoznajemo li olako identični model favoriziranog ponašanja u našim obiteljima i društvenim krugovima. No susret s Kristom mijenja Franjin pogled i odjednom uviđa naličje svog staleža u kojem ima povlašteno mjesto. Nekadašnji mladi, elegantni i oholi buržuj sada se usuđuje uputiti prema ljudima od kojih se držao na odstojanju, koje nije htio ni vidjeti, koje je isključivo iz svog svijeta. Naime, želja za uspjehom pod svaku cijenu rijetko je slobodna od sebičnosti i sebeljublja. Ta želja često stvara uvijek nova odbacivanja. Možda je vrijeme da se i mi upitamo koga isključujemo iz našeg svijeta? Možda neuspješne, ili bolesne, ili stare članove obitelji i društva? Možda neke poznanike jer nisu dovoljno dobri, pametni ili ugledni? Možda župljane koji rado pomažu u župi ili one koji ne žele? Možda one koji surađuju sa župnikom ili one koji ne žele surađivati? Uostalom modeli i razlozi isključivanja doista mogu biti širokog spektra i tu ljudskoj „maštovitosti“ nema kraja. I to prenosimo na djecu, ako ne izričito riječima, djela nas svakako odaju. Ali Franjo mijenja svoje načine od trenutka kada uzima za leću samog Krista. Tada širi krug odnosa ali i mijenja samu kakvoću odnosa. Od ambicije, težnje za vlašću i nadmoći prelazi na sućut, na želju za zajedništvom. Njegov svijet se otvara svima i gradi zajedništvo u kojem se poštuje različitost. Ne radi se više o pridobivanju ikoga za ičiju stranu, već o poštivanju jedinstvenosti svake osobe. A u nama? Ima li u nama snage da slijedimo svetog Franju? Potrebno je paziti na zajedništvo u obitelji i čuvati ga Svatko od nas posjeduje iskustvo dobrih ali i loših životnih okolnosti koje su nam podjednako bile prilika za činiti dobro ali i zlo, za izgradnju ali i za odbacivanje odnosa s Bogom. Iako smo često skloni okolnostima pripisivati „krivnju“ u životu jer ih ne možemo birati, stvarnost je bitno drugačija. Okolnosti života nisu presudni element uspješnog ili neuspješnog braka, ili odgoja djece jer smo mi oni koji biramo kako ćemo reagirati u zadanim uvjetima. Zapravo se trebamo upitati znamo li živjeti pouzdajući se u Boga da će nam dati snage i volje da slobodno izabiremo živjeti ih kao priliku za rast u dobroti i ljubavi. Preduvjet za to je istinsko traženje, a onda i pronalaženje malih koraka okretanja sebe uvijek i neumorno prema dobru. Upravo ti mali koraci moraju imati duboki smisao ako želimo oprostiti nevjere i razočaranja, ako želimo prihvatiti nove okolnosti života i krenuti dalje, ako želimo uspjeti kao supružnici i roditelji. Jednako tako ne smijemo zaboraviti da ćemo za vrijeme tih malih koraka osjećati teškoće, i nelagodu, i tugu, i želju da odustanemo ali potrebno je izdržati na putu prema zajedništvu i povratku korijenima odnosa, ali i samim počecima. Ako tome ne učimo djecu, ni ona neće biti sposobna prihvaćati život koji im dolazi, ni velike radosti i zadovoljstva, a još manje tuge. Uostalom, u životu se ne radi o imati, nego biti. Stoga je izuzetno važno paziti na zajedništvo obitelji i čuvati ga. To konkretno znači brinuti o onome što je nužno za održavanje obitelji, znati raspolagati s vremenom i snagom koja se od nas traži u ime obitelji. Nužno je ove obiteljske vrijednosti znati uskladiti s ostalim vrijednostima kojima svatko od nas na svojevrstan način služi: vlastiti poziv, umjetničko, sportsko ili karitativno djelovanje ali ništa od toga ne smije biti na štetu obitelji. Ne smijemo zaboraviti da sve gubi smisao kad ikoje drugo ispunjavanje ili izvršavanje obveza ili aktivnosti ide na štetu one pripadnosti koja je temeljna kad je osoba izgovorila „da“ svojem braku, „da“ svojoj obitelji, „da“ zajedništvu. To je „da“ koje mora biti konačno, ako želimo da bude izgovoreno odgovorno. Čovjek koji voli ujedno je i voljen Psihoterapeutkinja Elisabeth Lukas ističe da je život postojano napredovanje, iz sata u sat, od jednog do drugog životnog koraka, da bi čovjek mogao u potpunost pripadati sljedećem životnom koraku. Tko jednom uđe u sadašnjost okrenute glave u prošlost, u neuspjehe prošlosti i nerazriješene odnose, biti će ubrzo duševno i tjelesno oštećen i postat će sličan Lotovoj ženi koja se okrenula natrag da vidi kako Sodoma propada (usp. Obiteljske razmirice, konflikti i svađe vise na našim nogama poput teških utega i onemogućuju napredovanje i radost u vlastitom životu. Može se dogoditi da smo mi oni koji namećemo utege vlastitih neispunjenih očekivanja ili planova našoj djeci, napose kada se odlučuju na samostalan život ili su njihovi izbori života drugačiji od naših usmjeravanja. Ta nit neprihvaćanja slobode izbora i spremnost da usprkos i unatoč svemu budemo uz njih, provlači se kroz sadašnjost kao teško opterećenje, a truje i budućnost, kako nama tako i djeci. Ta nit neprihvaćanja je „stalno tu“, visi istovremeno u zraku i ne dozvoljava osobi da čini izbore i odrasta u ozračju ljubavi i prihvaćanja. Uostalom nije li u prispodobi o izgubljenom sinu (usp. Lk 15,11-32) manji „problem“ mlađi sin koji se vratio ocu od starijega koji je uvijek uz njega ali ne srcem i povjerenjem u njega. Kao da zaboravljamo na staru biblijsku izreku koja glasi: „Ne čini čovjeka nečistim ono što ulazi u usta, nego ono što izlazi iz srca“. Drugim riječima ne određuje čovjeka ono što je o njemu odlučeno, bilo sa strane roditelja ili prijatelja, bilo sa strane pozicije u društvu koja mu je dodijeljena na temelju njegove naobrazbe, nego ono što on samo odlučuje biti u susretu s nepravdom, teškoćama, bolima, nerazumijevanjem i teškim obiteljskim situacijama. Ne možemo razloge svojih neuspjeha ili nezadovoljstava prebacivati na leđa drugima ili pak okriviti nepovoljne okolnosti života. Svatko nosi svoj teret i odlučuje kakva će osoba biti kao roditelj, supružnik, susjed ili kolega na radnom mjestu. Ne smijemo zaboraviti da čovjek koji je voljen može zbog toga jer je voljen biti sve što želi. Čovjek koji voli ujedno je i voljen. Jednako tako čovjek koji na sebi osjeća mržnju također može biti sve što želi. Ali čovjek koji mrzi je bespogovorno mrzitelj. Čovjek koji je nemiran u sebi bespogovorno širi nemir oko sebe. A kakvi smo to mi ostaje na nama da se zapitamo i da si iskreno odgovorimo, jer se po plodovima i prepoznajemo. Propovijedajte uvijek Evanđelje Ispred neke poteškoće potrebno je naučiti djecu da se upitaju što mogu oni sami učiniti, a ne samo čekati što će drugi, napose roditelji za njih učiniti. Jednako tako potrebno je poticati u djeci sposobnost uočavanja da posjeduju snagu odlučivanja, ali i da svaka odluka i djelo ima odjeka na njihov život i druge ljude. Već malu djecu potrebno je usmjeravati na dobar put u sitnim detaljima. Moramo ih naučiti da prepoznaju i prihvaćaju vlastite pogreške, napose u igri s drugom djecom ili starijom braćom. Ne smijemo zahtijevati od druge djece da preuzimaju pogreške jer su „stariji“ i morali bi znati. Pogreške su sastavni dio života i nije ih teško počiniti, ali je itekako važno naučiti djecu da počinjena pogreška ne znači da smo loša osoba. Biti iskreni, a onda i pravedni veća je vrijednost od biti „savršeni“. Savršena osoba ne postoji, a savršenstvo je nedostižno. Učestalo i mi odrasli zaboravljamo da veća sloboda i mogućnosti odgovaraju većoj odgovornosti, te nesvjesno preuzimamo odgovornosti djece i osakaćujemo ih za mogućnost rasta u istini i ljubavi. Može se biti osoba od povjerenja samo ako smo iskreni, a ne ako smo bez grijeha, ili hvaljeni u društvu ili nam drugi zavide na društvenom statusu. Ako kroz ovakav odnos i odgoj za odgovornost preuzmemo da preispitamo svoj duhovni život itekako možemo razumjeti zašto nam papa Franjo govori: „Znate da se bojim tihih kršćana. Na kraju postaju poput baruštine“. Napomenuo je da se boji i onih koji – kako je napisao – vjeruju da sve znaju, onih koji su umišljeni. Oni pak, – prema Papinim riječima – i ne primjećujući pomalo zatvaraju svoje srce za Gospodina, i na kraju su usredotočeni samo na sebe. To su kršćani koje je Sveti Otac nazvao “kršćanima sa samima sobom i za sebe”. Nema tu pogrešaka, ali nema tu ni rasta, nema tu prihvaćanja različitosti i odgovornosti za duhovni život u župi, ni odnos prema župniku i nastojanjima da Božje djelo snažnije zaživi s našom pomoći. Uostalom možda samo pokušava kao sv. Franjo sa svojom subraćom: „Propovijedajte uvijek Evanđelje, a ako je baš nužno, onda i riječima“. Koliko smo stvarno zaposleni? Ako iskreno promotrimo svoj dan, bez obzira koliko smo zaposleni, možemo pronaći da smo u svakom danu protratili nešto vremena. Netko s bespotrebnom dodatnom šalicom kave, ili pola sata i više gledajući dosadne i besmislene televizijske programe, ili čitajući novine koje smo mogli pročitati za deset umjesto dvadeset minuta, ili na Internetu u različitim „tražilicama“ koje su nas odvukle i još mnogo drugih primjera. Potrebno je biti iskren sam sa sobom i s Bogom također i u načinu provođenja vremena. Stoga je nužno kako kaže sveti Josemaría: “Ispit savjesti. Svakodnevna zadaća. Nijedan poslovan čovjek ne zapušta računovodstvo. A postoji li ikakav važniji posao od onog vezanog za vječni život?“. U ispitu savjesti, koji u sebi također uključuje preispitivanje upotrebe vremena, potrebno je u Božjoj prisutnosti nekoliko minuta na kraju dana rasvijetliti svoj dan pitajući se kakvi smo bili kod kuće, na poslu, sa svojim prijateljima. Potrebno nam je identificirati te slabe točke našeg života, od obiteljskog do duhovnog da bismo ih mogli popraviti. Možda je došlo vrijeme da ih prepoznamo i odlučimo preoblikovati u svakodnevno služenje svojim bližnjima. Možda da započnemo s 5 minutnim posjetom Crkvi koja nam je usput od kuće do posla, možda s jednom deseticom krunice u autu umjesto slušanja glazbe, možda s tihim blagoslovom djece prije odlaska na posao, možda s redovitim čitanjem nekog kršćanskog portala, itd. Samo tako ćemo moći upoznati, zavoljeti i služiti Isusu isto onako kako upoznajemo i ostajemo u ljubavi sa svojim bračnim drugom, s članovima obitelji, s prijateljima. S Isusom ćemo tada kao i s njima, redovito provoditi određeno vrijeme, ali na svakodnevnoj osnovi. Biti će to put prepoznavanja potreba drugih. Otac John McCloskey će istaknuti da se nalazimo na zemlji, kao što je bio i Gospodin, „da bismo služili, a ne da budemo služeni“. Prisutnost budućnosti u sadašnjosti Kada Isus u prispodobi govori o čovjeku koji usred noći moli prijatelja da mu posudi tri hljeba i kada pokazuje da se ustrajnost isplati, neočekivano dodaje: “Ako vi, premda ste zli, možete davati svojoj djeci dobre darove, koliko će više vaš Otac nebeski dati Duha Svetoga onima koji ga mole“ (Lk 11,13). Koliko puta ste se našli u situaciji da vlastitoj djeci uskraćujete nešto jer znate da nije dobro, a većina vaših prijatelja niti ne razmišlja o tome. Iako se učestalo loše osjećamo jer nam djeca prigovaraju da „svi njihovi vršnjaci čine tako“ i da “drugi roditelji više razumiju svoju djecu i današnje mlade”, taj prigovor da smo „zaostali“ nije lako nositi, iako znamo da je to put koji osigurava dobru budućnost. Svjesni smo da je prisutnost budućnosti u sadašnjosti, jer ako svoju djecu naučimo raditi i moliti, „ora et labora“, osigurali smo im izvor snage za sve izazove života, koji nisu niti mali, niti jednostavni. Navikli smo razmišljati da je prošlost itekako utkana u sadašnjost, ali ne i na koji način. Za neke od nas prošlost može biti teret i dio destruktivne snage, koju mi roditelji učestalo nesvjesno stavljamo na leđa svoje djece, a zapravo je puno važnije naučiti djecu da je prošlost izvor radosti i zahvaljivanja. Činjenica je da prošlost jest nepovratno vrijeme promašaja i odluka koje su nas ograničile ili nam dokinule neke mogućnosti, ali još je veća istina da je u oproštenju koje nam Bog daje sve negativno oprošteno, jer Božje oproštenje naše je nedostatke prošlosti pretvorilo u pozitivne vrijednosti sadašnjosti. Ima li u nama te spoznaje i sposobnosti da djecu tome poučimo? Većina nas je napeta i pod stresom. Ponekad nismo ni svjesni svoje napetosti i kako se odražava na našu obitelj. Možemo to usporediti sa sviješću o vlastitoj grješnosti. Mnogi od nas nisu ni svjesni veličine svoje sebičnosti i egoizma, jer te se stvarnosti ne mogu uočiti ako nismo otvoreni prema Bogu. Kao što krv želi kroz naše žile protjecati slobodno i neometano, kao što zrak želi prozračiti naša pluća i donijeti kisik cijelom tijelu, tako Božji život, koji se nalazi u dubini naše duše, želi ispuniti cijelo naše biće i aktivirati naše snage. Zato je važno naučiti djecu moliti, te zajedno s njima moliti. Mogućnosti koje moramo mi sami realizirati Količina znanja i potreba za stjecanjem kompetencija, a onda i materijalnih dobara, u današnjem je vremenu veća nego li u ikojem drugom. Neprestano se juri za količinom, pri čemu se učestalo zanemaruje kvaliteta. Ta pretrpanost sitnim znanjima, specijalizacijama kao i materijalnim potrebama olako i prečesto zatvara u nama prostor za Boga. Paradoksalno je da su to znanja o djelima Božjim u prirodi i svemu stvorenom. Reći će sveti Nikolaj: „I što god je naše znanje veće, a bez vjere, utoliko veći mrtvac leži u duši našoj: odjeven, okićen, prostran, no – mrtvac. Ispod tog mrtvaca leži prignječena i prigušena vjera. (…) Tragedija je njena potpuna. No u tragediji njenoj jeste i tragedija naša, naše sreće, našeg spokoja i našeg optimizma”. Nekada ljudi nisu imali tolika saznanja, niti tehnička pomagala, niti su živjeli u blagostanju, ali su bili otvoreni za Boga. Odnos s Bogom bio je živ i imao je važno mjesto u njihovom životu. Svaki čovjek ima slobodnu volju kojom može birati. Može izabrati ili odbaciti Boga ali Bog je strpljiv jer stoji na vratima i kuca (Otk 3,20). Da bismo izabrali Boga, ostvarili svoje mogućnosti, napredovali i sazreli potrebno je vrijeme, a ono je uvijek nužno povezano sa stvaranjem. U tom procesu postoje mnoge etape koje moramo ostvariti, mnogi koraci koje moramo napraviti. Svaki trenutak koji nam je dan, darovan je kako bismo mogli rasti. Ako se vrijeme upotrebljava za stjecanje bogatstva ili sitnih znanja, uništava se dimenzija vječnosti. Zaboravljamo da je bogatstvo nešto prolazno: „Luđače, još noćas zatražiti će ti se natrag duša. Kome će pripasti ono što si skupio? Tako biva s onim koji sebi zgrće blago, a ne sabire bogatstvo koje pred Bogom vrijedi“ (Lk 12,20-21). Ne samo da će nam se oduzeti kad dođe naše vrijeme, nego i samo prikupljanje materijalnih dobara nosi masku smrti u sebi. Tražiti smisao života u nečem što je izvan nas, a k tome je i suviše krhko, nije ništa drugo nego put u otuđenost od Boga, od bližnjih, od istinskog života. Roditeljski kapital Današnje su obitelji brojčano sve manje iz straha da se djeci neće moći „sve“ priuštiti, a zaslužuju samo najbolje. Čini se da je roditeljima zadaća omogućiti djeci savršeno djetinjstvo. Kao da su roditelji gospodari života i sreće djece koji zbog manjka vremena i ubrzanog ritma svakodnevice imaju poteškoće kvalitetno se posvetiti jednom, a kamoli više djece. Stoga nisu rijetke majke koje ne mogu zamisliti kako bi omogućile svu pažnju, ljubav i vrijeme da imaju više djece. Nisu rijetki roditelji koji želeći samo najbolje svojem djetetu u stvari su mu „stalno i u svemu za petama“. U oba slučajeva na ljubav prema djetetu gleda se prema vlastitoj volji i namisli koja vodi do iscrpljenosti, razočaranja, a napose straha. Zamka života leži u poimanju da se ljubav dijeli, a ona se umnožava. Ljubeći učimo ljubiti. Zaboravlja se da očinska i majčinska ljubav, vrijeme i pažnja nisu ograničeni kapital koji se pravilno raspodijeli na jednake dijelove u skladu s brojem djece, i čija se veličina mjeri obrnuto proporcionalno broju djece. Svako dijete je različita osoba koja na različiti način traži roditeljsku ljubav i pažnju, stoga roditelji moraju otkrivati različite načine i mogućnosti ljubavi. Što se više djeci daju, to više za njih imaju ljubavi. Svako je novo dijete poput poziva na sve veće oslobađanje od sebičnosti i straha. Jedna majka primijetila je da su je drugo i treće dijete prisililo da daje djeci više slobode, da im daruje više povjerenja, da se malo povuče i na taj način voli svako dijete ali pritom ne gušeći ga istovremeno. A i sama djeca su s dolaskom braće od početnog straha da ih roditelji neće toliko voljeti primili mnoštvo blagodati. Naučili su dijeliti, razgovarati, svađati se, opraštati, a napose živjeti zajedništvo koje traži uvijek nanovo izlaženje ususret drugom. Dobili su dar ljubavi koja se umnožava i ima različite obrise, ali ne posvećenošću meni nego „nama“ kao obitelji. Krist je umnožio pet kruhova i dvije ribice i time nahranio nebrojeno mnoštvo. On će umnožiti i mala djela ljubavi našega svakodnevnog života i ispuniti ljubavlju sve one koje želi da ljubimo, ponajprije našu vlastitu djecu. Nezamjenjivost roditeljskog autoriteta Pisac Gilbert Keith Chesterton pisao je o važnosti i nezamjenjivosti roditeljskog autoriteta. Naime, 50 godina prošlog stoljeća rekli su mu da se više ne proizvodi toliko lukova i strijela jer ih se smatra opasnim za dječake. Takvo razmišljanje za mudre roditelje činilo se više nego budalasto. Činilo mu se da moderni um nije sposoban razlikovati sredstvo i cilj, organ i bolest, uporabu i zlouporabu. Prva i najočitija istina je da gotovo ne postoji nijedna naprava u domaćinstvu koja nije puno opasnija od malenog luka i strijele. Dijete se može ozlijediti u kuhinji, ali i kupaoni, može se ugušiti s bilo čime, može se slomiti kod pada s ičega visokog. Cijeli se dan kreće između te „smrtonosne“ mašinerije u kući sposobne da ga ozlijedi. Jednako tako šteta koju bi mogao učiniti sa svojim malim strelicama bila bi stoti djelić štete koju uvijek može učiniti s običnim kamenom. Čovjek može biti ubijen kamenjem kao sv. Stjepan. Teško da bi mogao biti ubijen, poput sv. Sebastijana, strijelama iz dućana s igračkama. Međutim, princip je isti. Ako možete naučiti dijete da ne baca kamenje, možete ga naučiti i kada smije ispuštati strijele. Ako ga ne možete naučiti ništa, uvijek će imati nešto za baciti. Gdje je onda zapravo problem? Chesterton smatra da je problem što svijet postaje u potpunosti djetinjast, jer je glavni razlog njegovog slaboumlja u nemogućnosti da cijeni inteligenciju djece. Ne sprječavate dijete da baca kamenje tako da mu ne dozvoljavate da ga ikada vidi. Niti pokušavate pokupiti sav šljunak s plaže zbog straha. Vjerujete u svoj osobni odnos s djetetom. Ako ste ga odgojili da ne baca kamenje na ljude, vjerojatno ih neće gađati niti strijelom. Primjedba da dijete ovisi o određenim napravama, označenim kao opasnim, u pogledu opasnosti usmjerenoj prema sebi i drugim ljudima je besmislena. Za roditelje je normalna stvar odgajati dijete da ne učini nekakvu štetu. Službenici ne mogu slijediti život svakog pojedinog djeteta, kao što mogu njihovi anđeli čuvari. Ne možete imenovati posebnog policajca za svako dijete da ga prati kada se penje po drveću ili pada u jezerca. Tako se moderni duh spustio na neopisivu mentalnu degradaciju pokušavanja zlouporabe stvari zabranom samih stvari, što bi bilo jednako zabrani jezeraca ili zabrani drveća jer je uvijek opasno za nekoga ili nešto. Sve u 10 koraka Često susrećemo u novinama savjete kako bez muke i poteškoća do sreće i uspjeha u 10 koraka ili kako biti „in“ roditelji. Poznati američki filozof Peter Kreeft donio je: „Dvanaest najdragocjenijih ideja koje treba usvojiti“. Ističe da nijednu nije izmislio. Ali sve su mu pale na pamet snažno i vatreno kao ‘aha’ iskustvo. Za Kreefta je samo jedna stvar potrebna. Uvidio je da je potrebna jedna stvar koja u red dovodi ostale. Bog je ljubav, dakle moramo voljeti Boga i što god Bog voli. Ako se okrenemo božanskom dirigentu i slijedimo njegovu mudru palicu – a to je njegova volja, njegova Riječ, onda će glazba našega života biti simfonija. Put ka sreći je nesebična ljubav. Sreća nam dolazi samo kad tražimo sreću drugih. Najsretniji ljudi na zemlji su poput Majke Tereze koji nemaju ništa, daju sve, i “raduju se u Gospodinu uvijek” (Fil 4,4). Bog sve izvodi na dobro onima koji ga ljube. Ako je Bog potpuna ljubav, onda sve što želi za mene dolazi od njegove ljubavi i za moje je dobro. Ne nužno da mi odmah bude dobro, jer kratkotrajna bol možda jest nužan put dugotrajnom dobru. Čak i loše stvari koje radimo, iako ne dolaze od Boga, Bog ih dopušta jer su uključene u njegov plan. Sve je Božji dar! Priroda, ljudi, stvari, događaji – sve stvari u našem životu koje uzimamo zdravo za gotovo – Bog nam je odobrio i dao namjerno. Istinito je reći da je svaka snježna pahuljica Božji dar kao što je istina da je svaki novčić očeva nasljedstva dar njegovoj djeci. Bog je sve to učinio samo za mene! Da smo jedino stvorenje na svijetu, kako kaže jedan od svetaca, Bog ne bi učinio ništa manje od toga. Prošao bi čak i smrt na križu, samo za mene. Ustvari to jest učinio samo za mene. Na križu je moje ime. Poznaje nas po imenu jer to je ljubav: intimno, osobno poznavanje. Bit ćemo savršeno i jedinstveno ispunjeni Božjom ljubavlju na nebu. Svaki od nas na nebu će imati vlastitu “kuću” ili sobe u koje će Bog ući na apsolutno jedinstven način, i tada ćemo sve razumjeti i znati. Razmišljamo li ikada o tome? Učimo li našu djecu tim istinama? „Roditelji ionako ništa ne razumiju…“ Koliko puta ste u rasprava sa svojom djecom, napose adolescentima čuli: „vi ionako ništa ne razumijete”? Vjerujem da ne tako rijetko. Koliko je nas kao djeca bilo upravo u to sigurno da ćemo svoju djecu uvijek razumjeti i nećemo dozvoliti da naša djeca žive taj osjećaj “nerazumijevanja”? Ta razlika dvaju svjetova, svijet roditelja i svijet djece napose se djeci čini nespojiva, a onda i vrlo razočaravajuća i bolna. Djeca pod razumijevanjem uglavnom očekuju roditeljsko slaganje s nekim njihovim željama ili idejama, napose u adolescenciji. Za roditelje razumijevanje, s jedne strane, uključuje nov pogled i ne nužno slaganje, a s druge svjesnost da nije moguće sve razumjeti. Nije jednostavno saslušati bez predrasuda, s punom slobodom i bez unutrašnje panike da će djeca zalutati kada su njihova razmišljanja daleko od naših odgojnih napora ili očekivanja. Čak i najbolja majka ili najpažljiviji otac neće moći do kraja razumjeti svoju djecu, napose njihovu različitost u odnosima i potrebama iako u jednakim uvjetima odgajani. Istina je da su dobra načela korisna pomoć u odgoju, ali samo pod uvjetom da se ne zaboravi da je svaka osoba jedinstvena, da ima svoje osobno zvanje, svoj osobni put, svoj osobni ritam. Ljudska osoba se ne može raščlaniti na svoje dijelove i razumijevanjem dijelova doći do osobe. Osoba je uvijek više od svojih dijelova, karakteristika, talenta, ponašanja. Reći će Christine Ponsard da: “prvi uvjet da razumijemo osobu jest da priznamo kako je nikada nećemo moći potpuno razumjeti. Iz toga proizlazi poštovanje i poniznost pred nepovrjedivim otajstvom svake osobe”. Da bismo razumjeli djecu, zapravo moramo razlučivati bitno od nebitnog. Svi to moramo znati. Veliki je Božji dar biti roditelj i što se više odričemo nebitnog, “što će ljudi reći” ili “tako danas svi čine” ili “tako su mene moji odgajali” to više postajemo sposobni činiti ono jedino što se isplati činiti, a to je volja Božja. Neizreciva vrijednost malih svari Koliko smo puta čuli da trebamo slijediti primjer svete obitelji, napose Marije. Možda nam se čini da je njima bilo lako jer od Boga odabrani i vođeni značilo je imati jasnoću i sigurnost puta. Naš život je bitno drugačiji. No je li to baš tako? Prije svega Marija pokazuje neizrecivu vrijednost malih stvari. Bit njezina života je u poniznim svakodnevnim stvarima: uzimanje vode iz bunara, metenje poda, odgoj sina i briga za susjede, razgovor s Josipom uz krpanje odjeće. Uostalom i naš je život rastrgan između posla i kuće, odgoja djece i braka. Marija nije činila ništa izvanredno niti čuda, ali sve što je učinila bilo je s izvanrednom ljubavlju. „Ljubav – i samo ljubav – životu daje kvalitetu. Kod majke obitelji ili žene bez djece, kod domaćice ili ravnateljice poduzeća, uspjeh i plodnost života ne mjere se brojem djece ni profesionalnim uspjesima nego ljubavlju s kojom sve čini“ reći će Christine Ponsard. Koji je naš kriterij? Činimo li sve s ljubavlju ili grčem moranja i pritisnuti rokovima? Ima li sve jednaku vrijednost i našu pažnju? Ako pobliže pogledamo Marijin život vidjeti ćemo da svaki trenutak njezina života jest označen teškoćom i problemima ali ona ima odgovor u mirnom prihvaćanju i sigurnosti predanja u Boga. Marija se predaje Bogu i kada je rodila dijete u štali daleko od kuće, i kada bježi od Herodova ubilačkog bijesa, i kada je podno križa. Marijin život je bio težak ali ona je uvijek tražila najprije „kraljevstvo Božje i pravdu njegovu“. Sve ostalo bilo joj je nadodano. Marija želi samo jedno: činiti Božju volju. Ona traži Boga i samo Boga, a sve se ostalo usklađuje s tom jedinom željom. Naši životu zasigurno nisu kompliciraniji od njezina, pa pokušajmo činiti s ljubavlju ono što činimo, pokušajmo i s Bogom ozbiljno računati, pokušajmo na kraju dana Bogu predati sve neobavljene poslove, neuspjehe, razočaranja ali i radosti i zahvalnosti. Pokušajmo Marijin duh djelovanja barem u nekim segmentima života primijeniti i začuditi ćemo se kako Bog doista čini čuda u malom. Poziv na čuvanje Živimo u vremenu kada olako bacamo i zamjenjujemo predmete, ali i ljude. Očekuje se određena fleksibilnost zbog učestale promjene radne sredine što nije nužno negativno ako pri tome ne zanemarimo i zaboravimo što je važno čuvati. Nije sve zamjenjivo, niti smije biti, napose ne kada je uvjetovano sebičnim zahtjevima pojedinca ili trendom u društvu. Papa Franjo nas poziva na čuvanje: “To je čuvanje čitava stvorenog svijeta, ljepote stvorenja, kao što nam se poručuje u Knjizi Postanka i kao što nam je pokazao sveti Franjo Asiški: čuvati znači gajiti poštovanje prema svakom Božjem stvorenju i svijetu u kojemu živimo. To znači čuvati ljude, brinuti se za sve, za svaku osobu, s ljubavlju, osobito za djecu, starije, one koji su najslabiji, koji su često posljednji na koje mislimo. To znači brinuti jedni za druge u obitelji: bračni drugovi čuvaju jedno drugo, zatim se kao roditelji brinu za djecu, a s vremenom i djeca postaju čuvari roditelja. To znači gajiti iskrena prijateljstva koja su uzajamno čuvanje u povjerenju, poštovanju i dobru. U konačnici sve je povjereno čovjeku na čuvanje i to je odgovornost koja se tiče svih nas. Budite čuvari Božjih darova!“. Ali biti čuvari obiteljskog zajedništva nije moguće ako prije toga nismo čuvari samih sebe. Čuvari od vlastitih sebičnosti potaknutih primamljivim ponuda ovog svijeta i blještavih reklama za „sretan i uspješan život“ ugađanja sebi. Nema života bez odricanja da bi ikakvo zajedništvo uspjelo. Ako želimo biti istinski čuvari svoje obitelji potrebno je slijediti svetog Josipa. Bio je diskretan i ponizan, ali prisutan i vjeran čuvar Marije i Isusa i onda kada nije razumio. A toliko toga u svojim obiteljima ne razumijemo i ne prihvaćamo. Josipov odnos prema obitelji proizlazi iz njegove pozornosti prema Bogu, otvorenosti za njegove znakove i raspoloživosti ne toliko za svoje planove i želje koliko za Božji naum. Iz takve otvorenosti za Boga rađa se osjetljivost za osobe koje su nam povjerene, zna se tumačiti i živjeti s realizmom događaje i teškoće svakodnevice, živi se u pažljivosti prema bližnjima i znaju se donositi mudre odluke. Stoga učimo čuvati s ljubavlju sve što nam je Bog darovao. Gospodin će umnogostručiti naš trud na izvanredan način Umanjivanje ili negiranje vlastite odgovornosti sve je učestalije u današnjem društvu koje ima tendenciju da za probleme i pogrješke traži krivce u drugima. Upravo zato je nužno da se u obitelji odgaja ta vrednota odgovornosti. Osjećaj odgovornosti i sposobnost prepoznavanja i priznavanja vlastitih pogrješaka uči se od roditelja prije svega primjerom. Ne smijemo se bojati pred djecom priznati vlastite pogrješke i snositi odgovornost, te samim time ostvariti priliku za razumijevanje postupaka. Ako znamo i sami prihvaćati kritiku omogućujemo djeci dodatna objašnjenja vezana uz motivaciju naših postupka, ukazujući da su odluke u životu vrlo često mnogolike, pri čemu biti u „pravu“ ne znači nužno da je drugi u krivu. Odgajati za istinu, za intelektualno i materijalno poštenje, za osjećaj dužnosti i odgovornosti nije jednostavno, a napose znati pohvaliti dijete svaki puta kada uspije biti iskreno i želi ispraviti vlastite pogrješke. Dijete mora znati da se ne traži od njega savršenstvo ili da nikada ne pogriješi, nego da zna učiti na vlastitim pogrješkama i snositi odgovornost za svoje čine. Rast u osjećaju odgovornosti može se usporediti s čovjekovim redovitim odlaskom u vježbaonu i tjelesnom aktivnošću za koju je potreban postupan rad u napredovanju. Ne možemo očekivati da će jednog dana naša djeca sami od sebe preuzimati odgovornost, ako ih nismo tome učili od malih nogu, jednako kao što se nitko neće upustiti u utrku na pet kilometara, ako prije toga nije redovito trčao, niti će početi svirati Liszta nakon svoje treće lekcije vježbanja glasovira. Takva užurbanost dovela bi do neuspjeha, a Bog želi da uspijemo, koristeći i svoj i njegov korak na tom putu. Stoga trebamo usko surađivati sa svojom djecom i s Bogom, te postupno i plodonosno uključivati odgovornost u obiteljski život tijekom nekog vremena, tako da se ona uklopi u našu osobnu i obiteljsku situaciju. Naš će Gospodin umnogostručiti naše vrijeme i trud na izvanredan način, onako kao što je to učinio s nekoliko kruhova i riba, kojima je nahranjeno mnoštvo ljudi, i još je preteklo. Preduvjeti “roda koji ostaje“ Roditelji odgajaju djecu na način kako sami uspijevaju, u vlastitom samoodgoju. Govoriti o samoodgoju znači mijenjati se, biti dosljedni, otvoreni za novo i drugačije, sposobni čuti i žrtvovati se za drugoga. U svakom slučaju to znači graditi svoj životni put i put obitelji prema Božjem planu i zapovijedima, ma kako društvo ili zahtjevi suvremenog svijeta imali drugačije kriterije i mjerila. Da bismo shvatili što je život, napose kršćanski, te bitnu važnost napora na poslu, u odgoju, u održavanju zdravlja, da se postigne i u najvećoj mogućoj mjeri sačuva unutrašnji mir, prva činjenica u koju moramo biti uvjereni jest da sve dobro koje možemo učiniti jest od Boga i od njega jedinoga. Uostalom i sam je rekao „bez mene ne možete ništa učiniti“ (Usp. Važno je da s Bogom i u Bogu sve činimo. Znamo i sami da je i naš život prepun od Boga dopuštenih neuspjeha, kušnja i boli da bi nam se ta istina nametnula, i to ne samo na intelektualnom planu, nego u obliku iskustva koje prožima cjelokupno biće. Kad bi mogao, Bog bi nas poštedio, no sve to je potrebno da bi nas uvjerilo u našu potpunu nesposobnost činiti dobro vlastitim snagama i biti „gospodarima“ naših života. Ne valja nam, dakle, težiti za tim da namećemo djeci i obitelji brojne aktivnosti, ma kako dobre one bile, slijedeći vlastitu pamet, vlastite planove i vlastite sposobnosti. Valja nam, naprotiv, pokušati otkriti kakvo duševno stanje, kakav stav u dubini srca, koji duhovni uvjeti dozvoljavaju Bogu da u nama i u našoj obitelji djeluje. Samo na taj način moći ćemo donositi roda,“roda koji ostaje”(Usp. Potrebno je da im kao roditelji omogućimo ozračje mira i uravnoteženosti odnosa s ljudima i s Bogom, dobru mjeru brige i spremnosti da pomognemo, ali i s odlučnošću da ih učimo preuzimati odgovornost i rješavati teškoće već od malih nogu, napose svjedočeći im ljubav i vrjednote koje su temeljne za cijeli život. Roditeljska veza Selma Fraiberg, poznata dječja psihoterapeutkinja rekla je: „Veza s roditeljima mora biti dovoljno jaka i nježna da se osigura mogućnost bogatog emocionalnog života, a ipak ne toliko jaka da bi spriječila dijete u kasnijem formiranju novih afektivnih povezanosti u zreloj ljubavi i braku“. Pitanje koje se nameće roditeljima jest: kakva je moja povezanost s djecom? Iskazujem li dovoljno nježnosti ili možda pretjerujem kompenzirajući na takav način vlastite potrebe? Navezujem li djecu na sebe, ili ih nastojim odgojiti za slobodu izbora i života. Jesmo li svjesni da je svaka osoba, a onda i naše dijete otajstvo. Kako nam objašnjava Christine Ponsard radi se o dvostrukom otajstvu: otajstvo same osobe i otajstvo Božjeg nauma za nju. Posvješćujemo li taj dar jedinstvenosti svojoj djeci? Učimo li ih toj ljubavi Boga prema svakom čovjeku? Kroz nas djeca bi trebala osjetiti da je naša ljubav uvijek nova i da je odraz Božje ljubavi. Sam nebeski Otac daje nam primjer kako vršiti roditeljsku službu i poslanje od njega nam povjereno. Prije svega ne smijemo nikada zaboraviti da smo i mi djeca Božja. Biti dijete Božje znači prepoznati da nas Bog ljubi uvijek novom ljubavi i unatoč našim pogreškama, nevjeri, zatajenju. Bog nam se daje bez zadrške i uvjeta, a nadasve nam daje slobodu odabira. Stoga naučimo ljubiti djecu na njegov način, gledati uvijek na nov način, slobodni od umora i od obeshrabrenosti našim životima ili teškoćama odgoja u svakodnevici. To nije neki rutinski pogled ni kontrola, nego pogled koji si dopušta vidjeti djecu izvan naših predrasuda, navika ili očekivanja. Možda nam se čini i prezahtjevno odjednom gledati djecu kao Božju i slobodnu ali odgajati na takav način moguće je ako započnemo s molitvom za sebe kao roditelje i svako svoje dijete. Molimo Boga da nas prati u našem roditeljskom poslanju i da pročišćava naš pogled na izvoru svoje Ljubavi. Ako odlučimo da obnovimo svoj način gledanja u molitvi biti ćemo sposobni čuti djecu što govore o svojoj braći i sestrama, što kažu djed i baka, njihovi učitelji, njihovi i naši prijatelji. Možda imaju krivo, ali sigurno je da se nikada ne varaju potpuno. Njihov pogled može nam pomoći da i mi sami bolje vidimo svoju djecu. Odmor jest Božji dar Ako smo tijekom godine zanemarili najbliže ili to samo osjećamo, onda je vrijeme godišnjeg odmora prilika da „nadoknadimo“ i „zacijelimo“ rupe u odnosima. Jasno da je to nemoguće ako polazimo od postavke da je vrijeme odmora samo moje vrijeme u kojem će drugi činiti nešto meni. Znamo da je odmor dar, jer i sam Bog je sedmi dan počinuo. Stoga o nama ovisi kakva nam je nedjelja, kao i vrijeme godišnjeg odmora. Odmor nije samo zabava po vlastitoj želji nego vrijeme da se re-kreiramo, odmorimo, opustimo, počinemo i dozvolimo si biti obnovljeni iznutra. Sve to je nemoguće bez napora da to vrijeme učinimo doista drugačijim. Možemo početi sa sasvim jednostavnim stvarima za sebe i djecu. – Pronađimo vrijeme za kreativan rad i učenje nečeg novog ili posjet novim mjestima, jer gajimo ljubav prema lijepom i istražujemo nove svjetove i mogućnosti. – Pronađimo vrijeme za razmišljanje nad onim što živimo, kako funkcionira naša obitelj i kakvi želimo biti, jer u tome je snaga i sigurnost zajedničkog hoda. – Pronađimo vrijeme za čitanje i čitajmo djeci, jer nas oplemenjuje i daje nam nove ideje i smjernice. – Pronađimo vrijeme za igru, jer je znak mladosti. Možemo organizirati utakmicu s prijateljima i djecom, s rođacima ili jednostavno trčati, voziti bicikl, šetati ili plivati, ali cijela obitelj zajedno. Nebrojene su mogućnosti, koje osim dobre volje i spremnosti ne koštaju ništa, a vrijede puno. Možda ćemo sresti jednako tako ljude koji nastoje upravo ovim putem ispuniti vrijeme odmora, bez stresa i gužva mondenih odmarališta, možda ćemo otkriti ljepotu nadohvat, koja može trajati kroz cijelu godinu. I na kraju potrebno je pronaći vrijeme za sanjarenje, jer je osjećaj koji nas vodi prema višem i ljepšem, a sve uklopiti u molitvu, jer molitva je najjača moć koju svaki čovjek posjeduje, a tako je malo ljudi koristi. Susret s Bogom jest onaj koji sve vodi i nadahnjuje. A djeci ćemo istinski prenijeti samo ono što i sami živimo i jesmo, kako dobro, lijepo i plemenito, tako nažalost i obrnuto. Od ‘Fast Food’ do ‘neprestane žurbe’ Nebrojeno puta smo čuli kako se svijet mijenja velikom brzinom. Tehnološki napredak, raznovrsna otkrića, napose evolucija ćudoređa, doveli su do velikih razlika između onoga što smo poznavali u našoj mladosti i onoga što proživljavaju naša djeca. Stoga nije neobična zbunjenost i dezorijentiranost mnogih roditelja. Pomislimo samo na put od osobnog računala do mobitela, od „fast food“ do „manjka vremena i neprestane žurbe“, iako imamo sva tehnička pomagala da uštedimo vrijeme. Brzina i žurba nadomjestile su trajnost i kvalitetu, iako znamo da je u svakodnevici nezamjenjiva i nužna strpljivost i upornost. Nije rijetko da je „odmah i sada“ postao kriterij i u našim obiteljskim, prijateljskim i poslovnim odnosima. Ako taj kriterij nije ostvaren, vrlo često jednim „klikom“ brišemo osobe iz života. Kao da smo zaboravili da Isus nije nikada žurio i osjećao manjak vremena, iako je propovijedao Božju riječ, ozdravljao, činio čuda i poučavao ljude, a napose nije „brisao“ nikoga sa svojeg popisa spasenja i slobode postojanja. Njegov način je drugačiji: kada su ga svi tražili, on se povukao u osamu (Lk 5,16). Osama nam je temeljna i životna, jer omogućuje da nanovo možemo posvetiti svoje vrijeme, da bi u svakom danu osvojili prostor za susret sa svojim najbližima i s Bogom. Mnogi će pomisliti da je to nemoguće u današnjem vremenu, jer jedino je moguć ubrzani ritam života i to je navodno jedini moguć istinski život. Zapravo suvremeno društvo stvara iluziju da sve dinamičniji i ubrzaniji život istovremeno jest sve bogatiji zabavom i značajem u društvu. Upravo suprotno, koliko nam je ubrzaniji ritam života, toliko manje imamo vremena za sebe i svoje bližnje. Možda je dobar početak naučiti vrednovati trenutke odmora i počinka u najobičnijim trenucima svakodnevice i učiti djecu da to traže i prepoznaju i u svom malom svijetu. Biti samostalni znači poznavati granice Papa Franjo je rekao: „briga jednih za druge u obitelji: supružnici se uzajamno čuvaju, a onda kao roditelji skrbe za djecu pa s vremenom i djeca postaju čuvari roditelja. To je iskreno življenje prijateljstva koja su uzajamno čuvanje u povjerenju, u poštovanju i u dobru. U osnovi, sve je povjereno čovjekovu čuvanju i to je odgovornost sviju nas“. Svjedoci smo tendencije u odgoju da se dijete zaštititi od životnih razočaranja, teškoća i frustracija koje su sastavni dio svakodnevice, a vrlo malo se obraća pažnja na osnovne i temeljne elemente koji uključuju psihofizičko zdravlje djece i mladih. Nije rijetko da mala djeca spavaju manje od potrebnoga jer su podređena „aktivnostima i stilu života“ svojih roditelja, i da ono malo vremena što provode s njima zapravo se svodi na tehničko organiziranje života obitelji. Jednako tako, nije rijetko da roditelji adolescenata i mladih smatraju da više nije potrebno da kontroliraju njihov stil života i prehranu: kada idu spavati i koliko sati spavaju, što jedu i kada, jesu li umorni ili ne, koliko su sati na Internetu i kreću li se, kako provode veći dio dana i kako se zabavljaju. Prešutno se očekuju da adolescenti i mladi znaju sami postaviti si granice i ispravno koristiti vrijeme iako još nisu spremni na to, a napose im nedostaje sposobnost organizacije dana i samog života. Istina je da adolescenti imaju potrebu za svojim prostorom i vremenom, ali ne smijemo zaboraviti da se samostalnost uči i postiže unutrašnjim usvajanjem pravila i granica, učenih od malih nogu i neprestano ponavljanih. Pronaći ravnotežu između kontrole, slobode i povjerenja teško je odraslima, a utoliko više adolescentima i mladima. S njima se treba razgovarati, nastojati, diskutirati i na kraju pronaći sredinu za svakog pojedinca, jer ne postoji savršeno rješenje jednom zauvijek i za svako dijete. Uostalom nismo svi jednaki, ali je važno da se znaju vrednote koje su nam kao roditeljima na srcu, i što je u drugom planu. Potrebno je osluškivati, tražiti, nastojati, griješiti i ispravljati, jer samo tako svaka obitelj otkriva da živjeti u punini znači izabrati čega ćemo se odreći. Zavolimo i podržimo ono što je važno Odgajati znači osjećati i susretati se s različitim emocijama. Stoga je nemoguće ne osjećati i „negativne“ emocije: strah, brigu, sram, bijes, osjećaj krivnje. Osjećati strah i brigu hoće li nam djeca uspjeti u životu, biti zdrava, hoćemo li imati dovoljno snage da ih izvedemo na pravi put i zaštitimo u ključnim trenucima. Osjećati sram, jer će nas djeca i neugodno iznenaditi, ili će otkriti da nismo „savršeni“, ili će nam s razlogom prigovarati za naše nedosljednosti i neispunjena obećanja u prošlosti. Osjećati bijes zbog svakodnevnih sitnica, ali i u teškim životnim situacijama u kojima nije kako mi želimo ili mislimo da bi trebalo biti. A tek poznati osjećaj krivnje, jer nismo dovoljno vremena sa svojom djecom, ili smo prezahtjevni prema njima. U svemu tome najmanje nam pomaže zatvaranje očiju i razmišljanje da takvih osjećaja nema kod nas, jer je stvarnost bitno drugačija. Bježanje ili negiranje samo ih povećava, ali i sprječava da rješavamo probleme koji ih uzrokuju. Ne treba zaboraviti da nas strah od takvih emocija čini još krhkijima, ne cjelovitijima, a napose egoistima. Jednako tako ne možemo ni djecu učiti kako se nositi s takvim situacijama, te ih onesposobljavamo za zrelo ponašanje. Stoga je nužno da se vratimo doma i u teškim trenucima, svojim temeljima, svom Nebeskom Ocu, a po Njemu i svojoj obitelji sa svime što ona jest. Tada prepoznajemo sav nezasluženi dar, našu djecu i Božje djelo po nama i s nama i uz sve ružne i bolne trenutke. Zavolimo i podržimo ono što je važno i zanemarimo koji put svoju udobnost i pravo na „savršenu obitelj“. Dopustimo da nas djeca i ukućani vole kako znaju i mogu, ohrabrimo njihovu ljepotu i različitost, volimo ih kakvi jesu, a ne kakvi bi morali biti jer: „Ako ljubimo jedni druge, Bog ostaje u nama, i ljubav je njegova u nama savršena“ (usp.1 Iv 4,12). Na putu s Bogom svaka teškoća dolazi kao velika milost Susresti teškoće i morati ulagati dodatni napor ne znači da smo nesposobni, da nećemo uspjeti ili da smo pogriješili u odgoju, već je prilika za rast i promišljanje daljnjeg odgojnog puta. Ako odustanemo svaki puta kada nam je teško održati riječ ili biti uporni u zahtjevima prema djeci, biti ćemo uvijek nezadovoljni i frustrirani svojom roditeljskom ulogom i zadaćom. Tata je uvijek super, a mama dežurno gunđalo ili obrnuto. Ako mislimo da ćemo uspjeti samo onda kada smo sto posto u nešto sigurni, nećemo daleko stići, a ni naša djeca gledajući nas kao primjer. Životni napredak se ne ostvaruje kroz ugodne osjećaje, već dolazi kroz pobjeđivanje i čišćenje – a to zna i boljeti. Ali tu se onda očituje naša ustrajnost i odanost. Nakon teškoća uvijek dolazi vrijeme skupljanja plodova i prelazimo na nove razine poteškoća. I to jest život u punini. No i sama teškoća u koju zapadnemo, već je dar, jer nas po njoj Bog želi sebi približiti i tu nas posebno oblikuje. Upravo stoga je besplodno oslobađati djecu od napora i teškoća jer moraju i sami doživjeti, popravljati, učiti i prihvaćati da se može i ne osjećati zadovoljstvo i entuzijazam u radu i svakodnevici. Zauzvrat će naučiti raditi sa strpljivošću i upornošću da bi ostvarili zadani cilj i na kraju bili ponosni i zadovoljni jer su uspjeli, a jednako tako i mi. Podnošenjem napora oblikuje se plemenitost, snaga, znanje i poniznost. Nisu li to vrijedne karakteristike svake osobe koje donose mir u srce i osmijeh na lice, a to ništa izvanjsko ne može zamijeniti. Uostalom svi smo mi prošli kroz teškoće i različite izazove u životu za koje nismo bili sigurni hoćemo li u njima uspjeti. Ako se samo prisjetimo tih trenutaka, puno ćemo lakše razumjeti u kolikoj mjeri i što nas je sve to naučilo za život i ono što danas jesmo, da bi znali i djecu tako usmjeravati. „Isus je pomagao, ali jednako tako nikada nije činio umjesto drugog“ Učestalo roditelji oslobađaju svoju djecu od fizičkog napora ali se može primijetiti još jedna karakteristika suvremenih roditelja, a to je pretjerana zaštita. Takav tip zaštite nastoji „osloboditi“ djecu od bolnih trenutaka roditeljskim ubrzanim pronalaženjem rješenja neugodnim trenucima. Kada dijete slomi igračku roditelji je nadomještaju novom, kada se dijete posvađa sa starijom braćom ili prijateljem, roditelji interveniraju prebacujući odgovornost na druge, kada je dijete opomenuto za nedolično ponašanje ili nerad u školi, roditelji to pripisuju nerazumijevanju posebnosti samog djeteta i njegovih potreba. U takvim situacijama kao da zaboravljaju da žalost zbog slomljene igračke ili nekog događaja, prihvaćanje opomene i svega što se djetetu ne sviđa jest zdravo. Naime, uči ga da aktivnosti i biti s drugima može imati posljedice koje izazivaju tugu i žalost, ali jednako tako dobra su pouka za budućnost jer uče granicama ponašanja i odgajaju za odgovornost. Dakako da to dijete ne razumije u datom trenutku, ali roditelji bi trebali. Kako će dijete naučiti i razviti osjećaj za odgovornost ako za svaki neuspjeh ili loše ponašanje roditelji imaju opravdanje i rješenje? Zasigurno je takav način u suprotnosti s Isusovim. Isus jest pomagao, ali jednako tako nikada nije činio umjesto drugih. Činio je samo svoj dio: intervenirao, pomogao, bio, podržavao, ali nikada zamjenjujući drugog svojim zalaganjem i djelovanjem. Isus zahtjeva da svatko učini svoj dio. Ovaj moment je vrlo važan za svakog roditelja, jer učestala i pretjerana zaštita osakaćuje djecu za mogućnost eksperimentiranja vlastitih sposobnosti i granica u teškim trenucima života. Uostalom zahtjevi života s odrastanjem postaju sve složeniji i mukotrpniji, pa je važno dijete postepeno pripremati. Normalno je da roditelji štite djecu, ali pri tome je još važnija dobra mjera i mudrost da zrelo prosuđuju vlastitu djecu i njihove čine, te usmjeravaju na rast a ne bježanje od teškoća zaboravljajući da: „Ako dakle vi, iako zli, znate dobrim darima darivati djecu svoju, koliko li će više Otac s neba obdariti Duhom Svetim one koji ga zaištu.“ (usp. „Ne umarati se…“ Ne znam jeste li se našli u situaciji da vam drugi roditelji objašnjavaju kako ne žele da se njihova djeca muče i otklanjaju sve moguće poteškoće s ciljem da im djeca budu sretna. Smatraju da je degradirajuće za djecu uključivati ih u kućanske poslove, ili da osjete napor fizičkog rada, jer je najvažnije da budu intelektualno uspješna. Ima i roditelja koji su ograničeni strahom da im djeca nisu sposobna, ili se opravdavaju manjkom vremena da bi im povjerili neki od poslova, jer bi to značilo morati ponoviti posao s očitim gubitkom. Uključiti dijete u posao iziskuje od roditelja prije svega strpljenje, nužno je predvidjeti vrijeme za pogreške i popravak istih, ali i vrijeme za „muljanje“ djeteta, koje je napose korisna aktivnost svakog istraživanja o materijalima i aktivnostima koji su uključeni u posao. Nažalost većina današnje djece ima rijetke prilike da nauče podnositi umor, ulagati napor i žrtvovati se. Nije li odgoj koji isključuje napor i odgovornost, rad i odricanje, zapravo „medvjeđa usluga“ djeci i loša priprema za budućnost? Svi znamo da je život prepun teškoća i napora, te da zadovoljstvo i sreća jesu u rješavanju istih. Istina je da nemamo puno vremena, a niti strpljivosti da uključujemo djecu u kućanske poslove. Ali ako većinu stvari radimo umjesto njih, jer će biti brže i izbjeći ćemo neku “katastrofu”, gdje će i od koga će djeca naučiti držati red u sobi, stavljati odjeću na mjesto, sklanjati tanjure, čistiti, griješiti i popravljati pogreške, isprobavati i uživati u malim uspjesima svakodnevnih poslova? Šteta je ne ponuditi djeci priliku da se osjećaju korisnima, da daju svoj doprinos, jer to im jača samopouzdanje, potiče praktičnu inteligenciju i duh suradnje. Rekao je papa Franjo u odnosu na Boga da: „Novost nas uvijek pomalo zastrašuje, jer smo sigurniji ako sve imamo pod nadzorom, ako mi upravljamo izgradnjom, ako programiramo, ako prema svojim shemama, svojim sigurnostima i po svojoj želji planiramo svoj život“, ali neka novost zaživi i u odgoju. Novost u strpljivosti i uključivanju djece u svakodnevne poslove. „Odgajanje je sudioništvo…“ Odgajanje nije pitanje ni metode ni tehnike kako bismo se potvrdili pred sobom, pred drugima, ili pred Bogom. Odgajanje je sudioništvo u Božjem stvoriteljskom planu i projektu ljubavi. Sam Bog je postao čovjekom i imao roditelje, i ta činjenica neizravno uključuje naše sposobnosti i ljudsko shvaćanje, ali ih i nadilazi, kako bi nas otvorilo Bogu i drugima, kako bi nas oslobodilo sklonosti da se zatvorimo Božjem planu za djecu, ili zamke „gospodarenja i upravljanja“ njihovim životima. To je jednostavan zadatak, ali je bogat mnogostrukim vidovima koji zahtijevaju i podrazumijevaju prihvaćanje i primanje svakog djeteta kakvo jest sa svim posebnostima i različitostima, ali potom i darivanje sebe u uzajamnom hodu odrastanja i ostvarivanja. Isusov model poučavanja ljudi zapravo je dobar okvir za odgojno djelovanje u našim životima. Isus se obraćao s autoritetom (usp. Mk 1,22; Mt 7,28-29) koji ne proizlazi iz straha koji namećemo svojom ulogom, nego jasnoće života i puta kojim djecu vodimo. Jednako tako s rječitošću, ali ne samo ona koja godi ušima djece nego i grije srce, formira volju da i djeca budu takva i ne može biti samo plod dobrote i ljubavi, već iskazuje vrednote i istinu, napor i teškoće, iako se ne nameće silom. Odnos je to srdačnosti i osjećaja (usp. Mt 12,35), jer znamo da iz obilja srca usta govore, riječ nastaje od uma punog ideja, ali i srca punog osjećaja. Isusov govor jest ponizan, ali i snažan, iako nije vikao na grešnike budio je nadu u oproštenje (izgubljeni sin, dobri otac, izgubljena drahma), ali je i mijenjao svoj način govora u trenucima farizejskog nadmudrivanja. Isus jednako računa s uspjehom i neuspjehom (usp. Iv 1,11 „…k svojima dođe i njegovi ga ne primiše…“), stoga i sami trebamo biti spremni na njih. Imao je pogled koji govori jer je znao da uspjeh ovisi o načinu gledanja, tonu glasa i gestama i razumskom prosuđivanju u situacijama života i pogreškama djece. Njegova ljubav rađala je razumijevanje, povjerenje, strpljivost i dobrohotnost, jer je posjedovao mudrost u ophođenju. Mudrost koja proizlazi iz poznavanja naravi čovjeka, vladanja nad svojim strastima, promišljanja, molitvi i težnji k dobru. Ne bi li i mi trebali na tome graditi svoj odgoj? „Vaša riječ neka bude: ‘Da, da – ne, ne!’“ Tornielli Andrea, autor biografije o papi Franji, napisao je da su ga ljudi oduvijek doživljavali kao: “Nekoga tko je došao privlačiti osmijehom milosrđa, a ne ‘regulirati vjeru’. Nekoga tko je došao olakšati susret s Isusom. Bliskost, milosrđe, blagost, strpljivost: to su riječi oca Bergoglia“. Papin način može nam doista postati model životnog djelovanja. Nimalo jednostavno, ali s Bogom moguće. Kako nas okolina i djeca doživljavaju u našim nastojanjima? Gradimo li zajedništvo ostvareno na našem služenju da bi i sami mogli rasti u dobru i ljubavi za dobro, a koje će onda i naša okolina slijediti, pa i kada to iziskuje napor, trud i odricanje? Konstruiramo li i ostvarujemo odnose prijateljstva i uzajamnog povjerenja? Imamo li povjerenje u ljude i njihove sposobnosti da mogu i žele činiti dobro? Stvaramo li ozračje bezuvjetnog prihvaćanja i ljubavi koje je nužno da bi i druge osobe prihvatile odnos i bile otvorene odgovoriti vlastitim zalaganjem? Zajedništva nema bez spremnosti na služenje, a služenja nema bez bezuvjetnog prihvaćanja. I sam Isus je dobar primjer takvog načina, jer s onima koji su ga slijedili ili slušali Isus je uspostavljao otvoren i prijateljski odnos. Približavao se ljudima i interesirao za njihovo dobro, ali s autoritetom Učitelja (Iv 13,13). Isusov autoritet proizlazio je iz jasnoće cilja prema kojem želi dovesti osobu kojoj se obraća. Vrlo često je pripremao um da bi mogao doći do srca. Sjetimo se Zakeja (Lk 19,1-10) i Mateja (Mt 9,9). U odgoju prijateljstvo ne može i ne smije biti svrha sama sebi, pa i kada dijete nastoji ostvariti isključivo odnos prijateljstva s roditeljima kao odgojiteljima. Mudrost roditelja je ona koja vodi i postavlja granice odnosa, koji mora biti i jest na rast i dobrobit djeteta. Ali ne smijemo zaboraviti na slobodu i moramo poticati na osobne izbore. Isus je bio jasan i jednostavan, dozvoljavajući da osobe čine vlastite izbore života bilo da ga slijedili ili napuštali (Mt 19,17). Nikada, ali nikada nije prisiljavao na dobro. Kada govorimo o Isusovoj jasnoći mislimo na njegov poziv učenicima i svima nama na dosljednost u odgajanju: „Vaša riječ neka bude ‘Da, da – ne, ne!’“ (Mt 5,37). „Odgojni napor“ Bez odgoja i odgojnih napora nema rasta u ljudskosti, a ni u kršćanstvu. Odgoj koji smo primili od roditelja i prvih odgojitelja samo je temelj i poticaj za neumorno oblikovanje i formiranje nas samih. Prije svega to je osobni zadatak koji se ne može “natovariti” drugima, jer život pada na vlastita leđa i savjest, kao i razina kvalitete rasta, koji je kontinuirani rezultat inteligencije, volje i vlastitih izbora života. U toj perspektivi odgajati djecu nije nimalo lak zadatak. S jedne strane iziskuje da neprestano formiramo sebe, a to znači kontinuirani rad na intelektu, da ga koristim na dobro, rad na jačanju volje, rad na osobnim izborima i vlastitoj savjesti. Što nije nimalo lako u vremenu kada smo postali prije svega „potrošači“ reklamnih proizvoda i različitih vrsta zabava kojima vrlo teško odolijevamo, a koje nikako ne favoriziraju unutrašnju zrelost, kao ni psihičku stabilnost i mentalno zdravlje. S druge strane osjećamo manjak podrške u tom zahtjevnom i cjeloživotnom zadatku samoodgoja i odgoja. Možda jedini sigurni put jest slijediti Isusa Učitelja. Isus je prije svega vidio čovjeka i zadovoljavao njegove osnovne potrebe: nahranio je mnoštvo umnažanjem kruha; činio je dobro nadilazeći sociološke i psihološke prepreke koje su onemogućavale ne samo bratsku ljubav nego i solidarnost: razgovor sa samaritankom na zdencu, preljubnica, rimski satnik; poučavao je jednostavnim i razumljivim rječnikom o ljubavi i milosrđu: govorio je o samaritancu pogođenom patnjom bližnjega, o Dobrom ocu koji slavi povratak izgubljenog sina, o pastiru koji ide tražiti izgubljenu ovcu da bi je zaštitio, te je prihvaćao bez predrasuda i opraštao. Ukoliko slijedimo taj put biti ćemo primjer i siguran oslonac vlastitoj djeci na putu traženja i življenja vrednota koja su temeljne, ali rijetko favorizirane u društvu. A na koji je to način ostvarivo u svakodnevici, ostaje na nama kao zajednički zadatak kojemu treba pronaći rješenje. “Odgoj je u prošlosti…” Odgoj je u prošlosti bio smatran kao skup pravila i discipline unutar koje su se vrlo rijetko iskazivali osjećaji i posvećivala pažnja afektivnoj komponenti djece. U takvim uvjetima očevi su bili strogi čuvari pravila i autoriteta koji je najčešće izazivao strah, a majke ili bake su iskazivale ljubav, nježnost i emocije. Činilo se kako ta jasna podjela donosi uspjeh i pokazuje dobru mjere stege i nježnosti. Mnogi od nas se zasigurno sjećaju „pogleda“ kao opomene da smo u nečem pretjerali, bilo pred gostima bilo u ponašanju. Pogled je bio dovoljan i sve nam je bilo jasno. Mnogi odrasli i danas žale za tim starim, pomalo „željeznim“ načinima odgoja u kojem je i fizičko kažnjavanje bilo uključeno. A kazne, kao zabrana gledanja televizije ili igranja omiljenom igračkom su se vjerno i pošteno izdržale, iako sami roditelji nisu mogli znati kršimo li zabranu ili ne. Zanimljivo je kako to poštivanje kazne, iako danas i smiješno, bijaše sastavni dio odgoja i rasta u samodisciplini, ma kako nam je bilo teško. Danas će mnogi reći da su djeca drugačija i da takvi modeli odgoja ne samo, da ne funkcioniraju, nego su i loši. Uostalom moderno vrijeme ekonomskog blagostanja donijelo je mnoge mogućnosti, ali i klimu nesigurnosti, nedefiniranosti i relativizma. Kao da su nestali modeli učenja samodiscipline, kao i jasnoća da svako pravo jest utemeljeno te da postoji poziv na odgovornost, pa su najčešće odgojni momenti podložni fluidnom raspoloženju roditelja ili zadovoljavanju trenutnih poriva djece. Kršćanski odgoj je nešto sasvim drugo. Stoga svaki kršćanin, napose svi oni koji se bave odgojem, bilo kao roditelji ili kao učitelji, ne mogu a da se ne susreću i konzultiraju s Riječju Božjom s obzirom na odgoj vlastite djece, koja za njih mora imati više smisla od „riječi“ humanističkih znanosti ili pomodnog trenda. Isus je poučavao inteligencijom ili umom, ljubavlju, to jest srcem, a i sposobnošću; nadasve je poučavao s velikom strpljivošću. Nisu li to i danas itekako potrebne i vrijedne karakteristike svakog roditelja i odgojitelja? „Koliko smo bogati?“ Papa Franjo je rekao da čovjek treba: „…biti poslušan Bogu, i slušati Boga, imati srce spremno ići putom koji nam Bog pokazuje. Poslušnost Bogu znači slušanje Boga. A to nas čini slobodnima“. Pitanje koje nam se nameće jest: „Ali, kako?“ Nastavlja sveti Otac: „Riječ je o tomu da ne slušamo prijedloge svijeta, ‘prijedloge grijeha’, ili kompromisa koji nas udaljuju od Gospodina. To nas neće učiniti sretnima“. Prečesto razmišljamo o teškim grijesima i stvarnostima koje su daleko od nas, jer se trudimo biti pošteni ljudi, jer nismo nikoga ubili, niti ikakvo veliko zlo učinili. Smiriti ćemo svoju nutrinu, jer i naša djeca idu na misu i nisu problematična u odnosu na druge. No je li to baš tako? Možemo započeti od sasvim banalnih pitanja. Kakvi su naši odnosi s braćom i sestrama, roditeljima i susjedima? Možda su opterećeni suvišnim i nepotrebnim neslaganjima. Možda je vrijeme da krenemo u uspostavljanje kvalitetnijih odnosa, ali i da djecu odgajamo za zajedništvo, međusobnu ljubav i pomaganje. Možda je vrijeme za kvalitetniji odnos prema materijalnim dobrima. Logično je da razvijamo sposobnosti i pošteno zarađujemo da bi brinuli za obitelj i one u potrebi, ali se pri tome ne smijemo navezivati na materijalno kao jedini preduvjet sigurnosti i slobode. Upravo suprotno. Materijalna dobra nas mogu zarobiti i ograničavati, a onda i činiti praznima. Materijalna dobra nam nikada ne mogu darovati stvarnosti kao osobe koje nam kažu: „volim te“, „pomozi mi“, „reci mi nešto lijepo“, „ne boj se“, „s tobom sam“, „oprosti mi“, „nasloni se“, „vjerujem“, „nadam se“, „trebam te“. Te stvarnosti dolaze iz punine srca i susreta s Bogom. One daju život i snagu i kada se oskudijeva u materijalnom. To nas čini slobodnim za ljubav i davanje koje ne očekuje vraćanje. To nas čini bogatima. Možda da provjerimo koliko je naše bogatstvo u takvim ljudima ili koliko su drugi bogati s našom prisutnošću? „Kaleidoskop“ Ako ste se kao dijete igrali s kaleidoskopom koji je izmislio engleski fizičar David Brewster, zasigurno ste satima promatrali ljepotu različitih oblika i čudili se. Svetoj Tereziji kaleidoskop je slika kojom se služi da pokaže uzaludnost svakog čina koji nije plod ljubavi. Čin sam po sebi i u sebi ne vrijedi ništa. Vrijednost dobiva po snazi ljubavi koja sve obnavlja. Naime, kada je svetica rastavila kaleidoskop unutra je pronašla samo male komadiće vune i obojenog papira. Sjajni crteži bili su samo odraz dvaju ogledala. Kako je sama objasnila: „Dokle god su naši čini unutar kuće Ljubavi, sveto Trojstvo daruje im odsjaja i čudesnu ljepotu. Ali čim izađu iz središta neizrecive Ljubavi, što ostaje? Slama“. Ako to promatramo u svijetlu života, onda znači da se svijet mijenja, ali to ne znači da se mijenja i čovjekova bit. Nikako! Ljudske težnje ostaju iste, dječje potrebe ostaju iste. U ljudskoj naravi nema mnogo razlike između čovjeka danas i kakav je bio prije trideset godina. Zato i danas možemo uživati u Mozartovoj glazbi, nadahnjivati se na djelima Dostojevskog ili diviti se djelima Rembrandta. Zato nas uvijek nanovo dotakne Hvalospjev ljubavi (1 Kor 13) ili neki drugi omiljeni biblijski tekst. Upravo zato odgajati jučer, danas, ali i sutra znači pomoći djetetu da „postane što jest“: dokraja čovjek. To znači u njemu pobuditi vrijednosti koje su duboko urezane u nj i koje ga jedine mogu potpuno razviti i učiniti sretnim. Stoga roditelji moraju znati što je prolazno (vuna, obojeni papir) od onoga što iz civilizacije u civilizaciju ostaje, te tako otkriva duboku čovjekovu narav. Mladi trebaju roditelje nazočne u svijetu ali ne „preuzete“ od šarenih papira i komadića stakla ovoga svijeta. Potrebni su roditelji koji znaju ljubiti u ovom vremenu, ali jednako tako i oni koji u ovom vremenu prepoznaju zamke i pogrješke. Potrebno je da znaju razlikovati dobre od loših putova, da znaju biti primjer i znak Božje prisutnosti u svojoj obitelji, a onda i u okolini. Tek tada naš život, kao i kaleidoskop, iako jednostavan daje nevjerojatno lijepe slike stvarnosti svima koji nas susreću. „Dužina, širina, visina i dubina…“ Zamislite kakva je Božja ljubav, kad je sve dao za nas. Od ugleda do dostojanstva, od unutarnje boli i razočaranja svojim najdražima, majci i učenicima, do podnošenja fizičkog mučenja sve do smrti na križu. Nije nam dao od svojeg suviška u vremenu ili novcu, dao je cijeloga sebe i platio cijenu. Platio je patnjom, ruganjem, sramotnom smrću i svime čega se svatko od nas boji i od čega bježi. Bog je mogao „čarobnim štapićem“ sve riješiti, ali tada ne bismo razumjeli ni put ni snagu. I nije da ga sada razumijemo ili srcem slijedimo, iako nam je dao ključ življenja novosti života. Novosti života koja dolazi po umiranju nekog djela sebe i vlastite prošlosti, po izlaženju iz sebe i utabanih staza suvremenog svijeta. Papa Franjo je rekao: „Slijediti, pratiti Krista, ostati s njim zahtjeva neko “izlaženje”: iz samih sebe, iz načina življenja vjere koji umara i plod je navike, iz napasti da se zatvorimo u vlastite sheme koje na kraju vode zatvaranju prostora Božjem stvaralačkom djelu. Bog je izašao iz samoga sebe da dođe među nas, postavio je svoj šator među nas da nam donese svoje milosrđe koje spašava i daje nadu“. A tako smo navikli da dajemo samo od suviška vremena i novaca, ne samo Bogu nego i svojim najdražima. Nije rijetko da nakon ispunjenja svih obveza na poslu, naših sitnih zadovoljstava, obitelj jest još jedna obveza, a rijetko susret darivanja. Odgoj djece postaje teret i poteškoća, a ne stvarateljsko djelo ljubavi povjereno nam od Boga. Susret s Bogom dolazi na red tek nakon što smo namirili sve ostale važne obaveze života. A Bogu treba dati sve najvrednije i prvo, svoje srce, svoje vrijeme, svoje uspjehe i neuspjehe. To ne znači ne se boriti za materijalno ili ne željeti uspjeh, nego sve promatrati u svjetlu Boga kao prvog i jedinog u našem životu. Tada po vjeri Krist prebiva u srcima našim, te u ljubavi ukorijenjeni i utemeljeni možemo shvatiti sa svim svetima što je DUŽINA i ŠIRINA i VISINA i DUBINA, te spoznati nespoznatljivu ljubav Kristovu (usp. Ef 12,17-19) i živjeti je u odnosima s drugima. „Grbavo deblo drveta…“ Gledajući zdepasto i grbavo deblo drveta nikada ne bi pomislili i povjerovali da može postati zadivljujuće umjetničko djelo. Tek u rukama i dlijetu kipara može se ostvariti ta „novost“ debla ali i genij umjetnika. Jedno bez drugoga ne ide, niti grbavo deblo postaje statua kojoj se dive generacije ljudi niti se kipar može ostvariti bez debla. Ta uzajamnost je doista jedinstveni odnos Stvoritelja i stvorenja. Odnos koji može imati jako puna različitih slika i naličja življenja iste stvarnosti. Možemo gledati na Stvoritelja i imati želja da upravljamo Bogom, odnosno da Boga strpamo u kalupe koje smo mu mi ljudi postavili jer odrastanje i naši uspjesi nas uvjeriše da smo gospodari života i svega što posjedujemo. Tada Stvoritelj jest tek starac s bradom koji navrati u našu pamet kao dio tradicionalne ikonografije božićnog drvca i šarenih pisanica. Zapravo nema odnosa, nema srca, nema dijaloga, nema preoblikovanja da bi postali remek djelom kakvim nas je zamislio Stvoritelj. Možemo gledati na Stvoritelja kao sastavni dio naše svakodnevice u molitvi, nedjeljnim misama i nastojanjima da se suobličimo Njegovom planu za nas. Odnos je to nasljedovanja i prepuštanja njegovoj volji. Tada smo spremni na preoblikovanja, na rast, na patnju koja je put k nečemu većem, svetom i ljepšem, nužno i bolnijem, jer kao što kipar dlijetom oblikuje i reže dijelove debla, tako i u našem životu dolaze trenuci kada moramo oblikovati, odrezati i odbaciti suvišno. Nije da znamo što će na kraju ispasti, ali moramo vjerovati da je to najbolje za nas. Tako svako struganje naše nutrine i sklonosti, ma koliko bilo bolno, omogućava ljepotu onima oko nas. Postojat će različiti pritisci izvana i razdirat će nas nutarnje dvojbe, ali je svako struganje preduvjet za Uskrsnuće. Tada svaki Uskrs postaje nešto novo, jer smo i sami novi nakon korizmenog struganja, a to ulijeva nadu i vraća Život. Tada možemo radosna srca zahvaliti za milost da smo se dali i mogli oblikovati rukom svoga Stvoritelja i za ovaj Uskrs. „Sposobni za dobro…“ Svi smo sposobni za dobro, ali i za zlo. Ne rađamo se loši. Svatko ima nešto dobro u sebi. Neki to sakriju, neki zapuste, ali je tu. Bog nas je stvorio da ljubimo i budemo ljubljeni. Kakvi smo proizlazi iz našeg odnosa s Bogom. Upravo iz našeg odnosa s Bogom proizlaze sva naša djela ili zlodjela, dobrota ili zloća, svetost ili monstruoznost, naša osobnost, ponašanje. Sveti Ignacije je rekao da malo ljudi shvaća što bi sve Bog mogao učiniti s njima kada bi se predali u njegove ruke i dopustili da ih oblikuje njegova milost. Najčešće smo zaslijepljeni sobom i zaklanjajmo pogled od drugih. Naše potrebe da udovoljavamo sebi, još preciznije naš egoizam maskiran u različite oblike želja, snova i očekivanja, sprječava nas da idemo ususret drugom čovjeku. Koliko smo puta ostali sjediti u autobusu iako smo vidjeli staricu koja stoji kraj nas? Koliko smo puta samo projurili autom ugrožavajući tuđe živote, jer nam se žurilo? Koliko smo puta ignorirali poziv naših bližnjih, iako smo imali vremena za razgovor i susret? Koliko smo puta prečuli nečiju zamolbu, jer nismo bili spremni odvojiti svoje dragocjeno vrijeme odmora? Koliko smo puta namjerno promijenili smjer kretanja da nekoga izbjegnemo, praveći se pri tome da nismo vidjeli osobu? Koliko su puta naša djeca lagala za nas da nas „oslobode“ i opravdaju? Suprotno od takvog ponašanja, tako nam poznatog, jest jednostavnost i poniznost. Upravo jednostavnost i poniznost nas neprestano otvaraju za ljubav, potiču na konkretnu i neposrednu osjetljivost za druge. Takav duh, duh otvorenosti i radosti, raspoloživosti i spremnosti prepoznavanja potreba drugih, sposoban je promijeniti svaku sredinu, svaki odnos, a onda i svačiji život. Svaki oblik istinske ljubavi probija kao voda kroz pukotinu u kamenu i na kraju omekšava i najtvrđu otpornost odnosa i susreta. Sveta Terezija govorila je da samo „Ljubav doziva ljubav“, a sveti Ivan od Križa je savjetovao da ako negdje nema ljubavi, donesi ljubav i dobit ćeš ljubav. Nije to jednom osvojen put, već neprestani hod putem ljubavi, koji postaje preduvjet za život u punini ljudskosti i za ostvarenje Božjeg plana, što ga Bog ima sa svakim od nas. „Kratkotrajna maštarija…“ Svaki životni napredak iziskuje rad, napor i učestalo teške trenutke. To u nama stvara neugodne osjećaje, ali i upornost unatoč boli i trpljenju. Svatko tko svira gitaru zna što su žuljevi na jagodicama prstiju od vježbanja. Svatko tko se bavi sportom zna za bol mišića i težinu svakog sljedećeg treninga. Svatko tko je makar jednom kuhao zna za opekotine od nespretnog rukovanja s vrućim posudama. I mogli bismo u nedogled pobrojati boli preživljene da bismo ostvarili neki uspjeh na poslu ili u obitelji. Učestalo ćemo ih prepričavati, napose djeci kao dokaz naših napora, da bi njima bilo bolje, jednostavnije i lakše. No da li je doista to tako? Ili smo jednostavno zaboravili da svaki životni put ima svoje padove, teškoće i neuspjehe koji su začudo uvijek kod drugih manje teški i zahtjevni. Teškoće čine život, ali s Bogom imaju sasvim drugu dimenziju. Sveti Antun Pustinjak podsjeća: “Stjecanje novca i uživanje u njemu smatraj kratkotrajnom maštarijom. Jer, kakva je korist stjecati ono što se ne može ponijeti u duhu? Nije li bolje stjecati ono što možemo ponijeti sa sobom: pravednost, mudrost, hrabrost, prosuđivanje, ljubav i vjeru?”. Jesmo li svjesni te odgovornosti za sebe, ali i za naše najmilije? Jesmo li svjesni da su teškoće preduvjet i dar za približavanje k Bogu i novom pogledu na život? Ako za zemaljske uspjehe jesu potrebni muka i bol, zar bi za nebesko moglo biti drukčije? Kroz teškoće nas Bog oblikuje i u nama želi učiniti više mjesta za sebe. To čišćenje boli jer se rješavamo svega lošega, svih štetnih nakupina grijeha i svijeta kako bismo mu postali što sličniji. Uostalom sveta Terezija ističe: „Vjerovati da će Gospodin izabrati za prisnog prijatelja osobu koja voli ugađati sebi i nije spremna ni na kakvo odricanje, besmislica je“. Ljepota je u slobodi izbora od Boga darovanoj, ali onda i u življenju posljedica istog izbora. “Osjećaji…” Svakodnevica nam je prepuna susreta i obveza. Jednako tako „bombardirani“ smo emocijama i osjećajima koji u suvremenom svijetu kao da određuju kriterij naše sreće ili nesreće, zadovoljstva ili nezadovoljstva, uspjeha ili neuspjeha. Stoga je važno kakve osjećaje njegujemo u srcu, jer oni određuju način našeg djelovanja i odnosa s bližnjima. Sveti Bernard je upozorio da trebamo biti pozorni na četiri osjećaja: “Na ono što ljubimo, ono čega se bojimo, ono zbog čega se radujemo i ono što nas ožalošćuje“. Naime, prema svetom Bernardu, srce počiva na ta četiri osjećaja koji nam govore: kako ljubimo, čega se bojimo, čemu se radujemo i što nas žalosti. Odgovoriti sebi na ova četiri pitanja može biti dobar korizmeni program koji će nas voditi drukčije ljubiti, drukčije se bojati, drukčije se radovati i drukčije se žalostiti. To „drukčije“ postaje i ostvaruje se tek s Kristom, ako naše srce oslobodimo za Krista. Ljubimo li zemaljsko više od božanskog? Bojimo li se samo za svoj zemaljski život, ili možda i za vječni? Radujemo li se samo prolaznom, trenutnom i materijalnom, ili možda i duhovnom? Žaloste li nas samo teškoće i patnje života, ili možda i manjkavosti u odnosu s Bogom? Koje su niti kojima smo vezani na stvari, uz ljude i nas same? Kaže sveti Ivan od Križa: „…je li ptica vezana tankim koncem ili debelim užetom? I konac i uže kojim je vezana jednako će je spriječiti da uzleti, sve dok ih ne slomi. Točno je da je konac lakše slomiti, ali koliko god lakše bilo, ptica ne će odletjeti dok to ne učini“. Drugim riječima svatko tko ne prekine nit, ma koliko tanka bila, koja ga na neuredan način veže uz stvari, ljude ili njega samog, neće postići pravi unutarnji život i istinsku povezanost s Gospodinom. Ta povezanost otvora nas Božjoj istini i ljubavi koja omogućuje suprotstaviti se nebrojenim čovjekovim izmišljotinama, egoizmu i oholosti. Otkupljenje nije „wellness“, kupanje u samodostatnosti, nego oslobođenje od stanja zatvorenosti u vlastiti „ja“. Trpljenje Križa je cijena toga oslobođenja, govorio je Papa Benedikt XVI. “Zar opet ja….?” Koliko puta nam se vrzma ova misao: „Pa dobro zar sam samo ja u ovoj kući? Opet samo ja iznosim smeće!“. To se može dogoditi u svakoj obitelji i normalno je. Unatoč našim osjećajima, to se događa i događati će se. No ne smijemo ubiti svoje osjećaje nego ih prikazati. To je žrtva. To je Križ koji moramo uzeti. Žrtvovanje je neophodno u našem životu želimo li shvatiti nježnost Božje ljubavi. Jednom prilikom Majka Terezija je rekla: „Da ostanem ovdje cijeli dan i cijelu noć, i sutra i prekosutra, i govorim vam sve to lijepo o prisutnosti, nježnosti i ljubavi naših ljudi, muškaraca, žene, djece, vi biste se opet iznenadili da je to ljubav, Božja ljubav na djelu. I zato nam je Bog poslao Isusa da nas nauči toj ljubavi, a vi je pronađite u svome vlastitom životu. Jeste li ikada doživjeli radost ljubavi? Jeste li ikada dijelili? Ne mislim na davanje od izobilja. Jeste li kada dijelili s bolesnima, usamljenima nešto i zajedno napravili nešto lijepo za Boga. To je nešto što mora doći iz nutrine, zato se Isus učinio Kruhom Života, da bismo stvorili tu stvar u našem srcu i ako je nema tu, mislim da bi bilo dobro da ispitamo srca“. Zasigurno je to put Veronike koja prepoznaje trenutak i briše znojno čelo. Ona daje nešto od sebe ma kako to moglo biti nezgodno i krivo shvaćeno. Izlazi iz mase da se približi prezrenome i čini gestu milosrđa. I obitelj i svakodnevni susreti prilika su za žrtvovanje. Nikada nije ni lijepo ni ugodno jer ne bi bilo žrtvovanje ali je nužno za život i osobni rast. Htjeli mi to vidjeti ili ne svi smo djelići jednog mozaika koji ne poznajemo u cijelosti i svoj njegovoj veličini. Ali s onim što imamo i što mislim da jesmo, možemo unijeti bar malo svjetla, istine, razumijevanja, dobrote i nježnosti u tamne i skrivene kutke ljudskih srdaca i možda promijeniti nešto u čovjeku čije je srce mračno. Ako i drugi ljudi to primijete i shvate, možda se potrude učiniti isto, unijeti svjetlo tamo gdje ga nema. “Udobna stolica…” Ljubav je vidljiva u djelima. Svaki čovjek zna nepogrešivo prepoznati djela ljubavi. Ona jednostavno privlače i pitaju o nama i našem djelovanju u obitelji i društvu. Zato je korizma prilika ali i dar. Prilika za ponovno otkrivanje slobode i usmjeravanje sebe k Ocu, a dar postaje kada živimo njezin sadržaj i mogućnosti koje nam otkriva. Svakom je potrebno da se oslobodi od buke svakodnevnog života, od prašine nakupljenih nepotrebnih stvari (ali i tereta prevelikih želja i očekivanja, briga i ogorčenosti), od blata grijeha (sebičnosti, škrtosti, oholosti, zavisti), a jednako tako i bujice riječi i informacija koje nam pune uši, misli, a onda i srce. Korizma nas poziva da više postimo i molimo (ili možda da započnemo), te je tako pretvorimo u milosno vrijeme. No, post koji nas ne oslobađa od navezanosti i nije istinski post. Molitva koja nas ne vodi prema djelovanju i nije stvarna molitva. Kaže sv. Ignacije Lojolski: “Ljubav se očituje više u djelima nego u riječima”. Stoga molitva nije vježba u udobnoj stolici! Post nije dijeta za skidanje suvišnih kilograma! Djela ljubavi nisu mrvice naših suviška u vremenu ili novcu! Molitva je susret u samoći i obiteljskom zajedništvu. Post je izborena i ostvarena sloboda! Sloboda prihvaćanja i otvorenosti za druge, za dobro što nas okružuje, za Boga i njegov plan za nas i obitelj. Post je povjerenje da moje praznine može i hoće ispuniti Bog! Tu nastaje nevjerojatna sloboda svakog čovjeka osvojenog Kristom, tu počinje put svetosti na koji smo svi pozvani. Papa Bendikt XVI. je rekao: „osoba koja moli i koja to čini po svom zvanju, nije drugo nego svjedok i nositelj Boga čovjeku i čovjeka Bogu. Stoga je Svetac osoba koja je u odnosu s Bogom, osoba koja moli je osoba koja zrači“. Zato se ne bojmo ustati iz „udobnih stolica svakodnevice“ i krenuti uskim putem prema Bogu. „Pokazati se…!“ Nevjerojatna je čovjekova potreba da se pokaže ljudima da bi ga vidjeli i hvalili. A najčešće ono što pokazujemo nije ništa drugo doli ono što smo dužni činiti. Zar činimo išta posebno ako se tijekom korizme nečeg odričemo? Zar činimo išta posebno ako dijelimo milostinju ili više molimo i postimo? Zar činimo išta posebno ako dio svog vremena odvojimo za pomaganje u župnoj zajednici? Zar činimo išta posebno ako živimo ono na što smo pozvani kao kršćani? Majka Terezija je jednoj sestri koja je željela činiti pokoru tako što će se odreći slatkiša rekla: „Ne, bolje je jesti slatkiše kao što čine svi drugi, a sutra ako ti netko dadne nešto gorko, uzmi i to“. Drugim riječima ne padajmo u korizmi na pomodarski trend odricanja od slatkiša i samodopadnog reklamiranja i „rada na sebi“ već krenimo u zahtjevan posao mijenjanja sebe i društva kako bi postali što sličniji Bogu. A to onda znači spremnost na istinsko služenje kako je upravo sada potrebno u mojoj obitelji, župi, na radnom mjestu i u društvu. Napose kada to znači preuzeti odgovornost za sasvim obične i neznatne poslove kao pranje podova ili posluživanje kod stola, osmijeh i lijepa riječ za osamljene osobe, otvorenost i prihvaćanje za drugačije i različito. Majka Terezija je jednom prilikom dala jedan koristan pastoralan savjet. Za obnovu župe dobro je – poput Isusa – imati „tim od osam, deset ili dvanaest osoba koje doista žele donijeti Krista u župu“. Uostalom zašto baš ja ne bi bio ili bila jedan od tih osam, deset ili dvanaest osoba koje će u ovom milosnom vremenu svojim služenjem biti „sol zemlje i svjetlo svijeta“? Znamo da ne treba puno soli da bezukusna juha postane okrjepa i poslastica na stolu. Znamo da u mraku i mala svijeća daje dovoljno svjetla i topline da stvarnost postane svjetlija i ljepša. Upravo zato u godini vjere nemojmo propustiti priliku da makar pokušamo dati dio sebe za sve one u potrebi bilo materijalnoj bilo duhovnoj i tjelesnoj. „Poseban instrument“ Svaki glazbeni instrument u orkestru ima svoje nezamjenjivo mjesto i ljepota zajedničkog muziciranja ovisi o njihovoj usklađenosti. Jednako tako svaka osoba ima nezamjenjivo mjesto u svojoj okolini i ljepota njezina života ovisi o spremnosti usklađivanja s Božjim planom za nju. O tome dakako ovisi i način gledanja na život. Neki na život mogu gledati kao vječitu borbu i muku, svakodnevnu teškoću i zahtjevnost. Stječe se dojam da nam uvijek nešto nedostaje, od novaca do zdravlja, od vremena do prijatelja, od unutrašnjeg zadovoljstva do obiteljskog mira i spokoja. Ako smo skloni promatrati život kroz ono što nam nedostaje ili s čime nismo zadovoljni onda doista s punim pravom možemo reći da je mučan i prepun briga, jer taman kada nešto ostvarimo već nam nešto drugo nedostaje. No život možemo promatrati i provući kroz prizmu osobe Isusa Krista i osmisliti ga u Bogu. Tada nam svakodnevni posao prestaje biti samo obveza i muka, jer postaje mogućnost. Onda susreti s ljudima i kada iziskuju dodatni napor, nisu samo napor već obogaćenje u različitosti. Onda prijatelji i obitelj prestaju biti samo utočište, već postaju polazište i središte. Onda nam teškoće i patnje prestaju biti neprijatelji i „kazna“, a postaju prilika za rast i susret s Bogom. Zasigurno tada život prestaje biti obveza i postaje radost različitih boja, oblika i ljepote koja povezuje i nadahnjuje intimni susret s Bogom i svakim čovjekom. Tada naš život postaje poseban instrument u Božjoj ruci koji može i zna izvesti neočekivana i prelijepa remek djela u svakodnevici ljudi oko nas. Majka je Terezija tu stvarnost prenijela na svaku obitelj smatrajući da je: “…obitelj poseban instrument u Božjoj ruci, jer nam ponajviše preko obitelji Bog želi reći da smo stvoreni za veće stvari: da ljubimo i budemo ljubljeni. Kakve su naše obitelji, takvi će biti i naši odnosi sa susjedima, a tako će izgledati i naši gradovi i čitava naša zemlja. Ako obitelj postane mjesto ljubavi, mira i svetosti, onda će i države, pa i čitav svijet živjeti u ljubavi, miru i jedinstvu s Bogom i međusobno“. Ovim riječima nas nije samo podsjetila da smo mi odgovorni kakav je svijet i okolina u kojoj živimo već i kako ljubimo i dozvoljavamo li biti voljeni. „Jedinstvo obitelji…“ Ako se prisjetimo Pavlova obraćenja (Dj 9, 1-19) postati ćemo svjesni da obraćenje ili promjene u životu dolaze kada padnemo ili nešto izgubimo. Savao je pao s konja, oslijepio, te postao potreban drugih i tu započinje njegov novi put s Bogom. Nije Pavao izgubio svoju gorljivost za pravednošću i mudrošću, niti helenističko obrazovanje, niti sposobnosti, samo ih je u pustinji svoje nemoći morao preoblikovati. Ništa oduzeto, samo je bilo potrebno preoblikovanja. Nije li tako u našim životima? Nije li tako potrebno preoblikovanje onoga što jesmo da bismo mogli biti dionici jedne cjeline – obitelji, ali i braka. Obitelji kao jedinstvene i neponovljive stvarnosti, zamišljene i s Bogom ostvarene u planu jedne žene i jednog muškarca, njihove djece, a onda i unučadi, i praunučadi. Razmišljamo li ikada o tom konkretnom i jasnom životnom putovanju i njegovom ostvarivanju? Čini mi se da smo i sami imali neke savršene slike našeg braka, obitelji i djece, života i budućnosti. Zasigurno smo tvrdili da nikada nećemo biti kao naši roditelji koji nas u nekoj fazi ili čak fazama života nisu razumjeli. Ali su nas voljeli, i vole nas. A to je sastavni dio Božjeg nauma za svakog čovjeka – Ljubav. Svatko je stvoren i pozvan na Ljubav. Ljubav koja iziskuje odgovor, osoban, svakodnevan ali i zahtjevan. Djeca gledaju ljubav svojih roditelja, svu ljepotu ali i zahtjevanost oblikovanja želja, ideja i svakodnevice, uče da ljubav nije nejasan osjećaj koji s vremenom slabi ili nedostaje, nego slobodan i zahtjevan izbor koji traje i nužno obuhvaća cijelog čovjeka: srce, razum i tijelo. Izostanak ikojeg od ovih elemenata čini našu obitelj ili našu bračnu zajednicu otvorenom za „nadomjeske“ izvan naše jedinstvene i neponovljive jezgre ljubavi. Tada smo već dobrano oslabili svoju obitelj kao povlašteno i nezamjenjivo mjesto na kojem se otkriva veličina cjelovite ljubavi. Stoga težimo cjelovitosti i molitvi: „Gospodine, daj da danas poradim barem na jednoj inicijativi oko jedinstva i zajedničke službe ljubavi“. „Znamo li…?“ Kažu da je neki novinar upitao Majku Tereziju zna li ona da ima preko milijardu gladnih osoba. Majka Terezija ga pogleda i upita: „Oprostite, a kako ste došli do te brojke?“. Odgovori novinar: „Pa, izbrojili su ih.“ A Majka će nato: „Eto, tako i ja. Krećem od 1, 2, 3, 4..“. Učestalo smo pritisnuti problemima ili poslom pa reagiramo razdražljivo. U braku osjećamo da nemamo podršku jer stalno moramo nešto objašnjavati, a i obiteljska komunikacija je svedena na pitanje-odgovor, očekivanje-razočaranje. Stječe se dojam da svatko vuče na svoju stranu od supružnika do djece, od rodbine do prijatelja. Osjećamo da drugi teško shvaćaju svu zahtjevanost našeg života ali i potrebu razumijevanja napose od članova obitelji. Na eventualne primjedbe pronalazimo opravdanja da sve ionako činimo za dobrobit djece i bolju budućnost. I doista je tako ali samo djelomično. Majka Terezije govori da sve započinje s mojim angažmanom i jednim rješenjem. Zna Majka Terezija da je za jedno po jedno rješenje ili nizanje uspjeha zapravo preduvjet biti zajedno. Tako riječ „ZA-JEDNO“ daje odgovor i kako. Tada sve postaje zajedničko, problemi i rješenja, uspjeh i neuspjeh, očekivanja i ispunjenja. Istina je da ne možemo nikoga prisiliti da s nama dijeli svoje misli, razmišljanja i previranja u srcu, ali mi uvijek možemo biti više prisutni. Svojom fizičkom prisutnošću omogućit ćemo stvaranje prostora blizine i zainteresiranosti, prostora za nježnost i ljubav. Biti zajedno u igri i pisanju zadaće, u kupovini i spremanju kuće, u raspravama i planovima, u rješavanju problema i odgoju, ostvaruje život u punini zajedništva. Međusobna blizina ali i sloboda, nadopunjuju se i pretječu u darivanju. Papa Ivan Pavao II ističe da bez slobode nema prave ljubavi, a sloboda se odgaja. „Osoba se ostvaruje življenjem slobode u istini. Ljubav se ne smije shvatiti kao sposobnost da se čini bilo što; ona znači sebedarje. Još više: znači unutarnju stegu dara. U pojmu dara nije sadržana samo slobodna inicijativa subjekta nego i dužnost. Sve se to ostvaruje u ‘zajedništvu osoba’. Eto nas u samom srcu obitelji“ (Ivan Pavao II., Pismo obiteljima, 2. veljače 1994.). “Posjetnica” Svaka posjetnica je svojevrsna osobna karta koju nam daje osoba da bi mogli uspostaviti kontakt. I Majka Terezija je dijelila posjetnicu ali s ovim tekstom: „Plod tišine je molitva. Plod molitve je vjera. Plod vjere je ljubav. Plod ljubavi je služenje. Plod služenja je mir. To je jako dobar „posao“! To potiče ljude na razmišljanje“. Netko će pomisliti da bi doista bilo neprikladno dijeliti posjetnicu sličnog sadržaja ali kakvi su moji poslovni kontakti? Što sačinjava posjetnicu mojeg svakodnevnog života? Kakva bi bila moja obiteljska posjetnica? Majka Terezija je objasnila: „Plod je molitve produbljivanje vjere, plod je vjere ljubav; plod je ljubavi služenje, u bilo kojem obliku, čak i unutar vlastite obitelji. Ljubav počinje kod kuće. Kako počinje? Zajedničkom molitvom; obitelj koja moli zajedno ostaje zajedno“. To je istinska prilika za svaku obitelj da uspije, da bude radosna i može podnijeti izazove života, da može biti oaza uspjeha svakog pojedinog člana. Majčinska ljubav prati dijete u prvim koracima života, sklanja prepreke ali i liječi rane padova jednako tako ako smo spremni vidjeti potrebe jedni drugih u obitelji znamo graditi temelje zadovoljstva u uzajamnom služenju. Tada obitelj postaje mjesto svačijeg ostvarenja i uspjeha. Tada postajemo svjesni da smo u odgoju su-stvaratelji Božji i da nema većeg dara i uspjeha od obiteljskog uspjeha jer ma koliko bili uspješni na poslu i prvi u svemu, već sutra će biti netko bolji, koliko god imali najbolji standard već sutra će biti još bolji, ma koliko bili važni i poznati već sutra će netko biti još bolji i poznatiji. Ali jedno se ne mijenja nikada, uvijek ćemo biti roditelji, uvijek ćemo biti obitelj, uvijek ćemo se jednako prisjećati radosnih ali i tužnih trenutaka, uvijek ćemo jednako biti potrebni svojih roditelja ali i naša djeca nas. Tu nema prolaznosti ni zaborava već neprestani rast u ljubavi i poštivanju, u dobru i zlu, u zdravlju i bolesti. Na svakom od nas je da procijenimo u što doista vrijedi ulagati i kakvu posjetnicu života želimo napisati za sebe, za svoju djecu i bolju budućnost. „Trula jabuka“ Majka Terezija je govorila kako je u djetinjstvu njezina majka donijela u košaru sa zdravim jabukama jednu trulu koja je malo pomalo pokvarila cijelu košaru. Bila je to slika stvarnosti kojom je majka željela poučiti djecu kako se loše navike lako šire. Što je „trula jabuka“ koja uspijeva pokvariti našu nutrinu i odnose, pa i svakodnevni život? Kritiziranje, malodušnost, nervoza, strah od budućnosti, sebičnost. Svatko želi biti voljen i prihvaćen onakvim kakav jest. Svatko sanja sreću i uspjeh, obitelj i ispunjen život. Ako malo bolje razmislimo sve su to stvarnosti koje se tiču srca, a mi srcu tako malo pažnje posvećujemo. Možda tek nekom sentimentalnom i jeftinom pričom koja gradi kule u pijesku našega života zaboravljajući pritom da je Isus rekao da „gdje vam je blago tamo vam je i srce“ (Mt 6,21). Pa ako si želimo radost i unutrašnje zadovoljstva zašto mislimo da ćemo to postići izvanjskim i materijalnim? Zašto se uspijemo uvjeriti da će nam novac donijeti radost u naše obitelji. Nisu li onda upravo to „trule jabuke“ koje polako kvare naše odnose i potiču nerazumijevanje između roditelja i djece, bračnih supružnika, stvaraju međugeneracijski jaz. Čini se da prvi korak jest otkrivanje vlastite „trule jabuke“ koja polako ali sigurno kvari naš pogled na obiteljske odnose i teškoće, naše izbore između manje i više vremena, između bitnog i nebitnog. Kada je naše srce cjelovito u obitelji onda je sasvim jednostavno i normalno imati manje vremena za sebe a više za druge: u molitvi, u slušanju, u pričanju prije spavanja, u darivanju pažnje. Zasigurno je i manje lijepe garderobe i skupih poklona, ali više smijeha i „zakrpa“ na kućnom budžetu i prilikama za odmor. Tada otkrijemo da smo toliko prožeti zdravim odnosima da pokoja „trula jabuka“ biva uočena i udaljena i prije nego je uspjela pokvariti cijelu košaru. Tada ona postaje tek mali podsjetnik kako i s malo nešto može postati veliko. U oba smjera i uvijek. „Obiteljski RPO“ Majka Terezija je rekla: „U Nazaretu je bilo ljubavi, jedinstva, molitve, žrtve i teškoga rada, a posebno je bilo prisutno duboko međusobno razumijevanje, poštovanje i obazrivost jednih prema drugima“. R – razumijevanje P – poštovanje O – obazrivost Sveta obitelj je u mnogočemu ideal obitelji, ali napose zbog odnosa i načina življenja zajedništva. Josip je imao razumijevanje za sve nelogičnosti života koje je prihvaćao s poštovanjem i obazrivošću. Mariji je sve krenulo tako obećavajuće (navještaj anđela, posjet Mudraca) a onda sasvim običan i neznatan život u Nazaretu. Nije razumjela, ali je poštivala i osluškivala Božji plan za njezinu obitelj. Imati u modernom vremenu razumijevanja za pogreške drugih i vidjeti ih kao prilike za rast, nije nimalo lako, jer to znači slijediti primjer Svete obitelji. U vremenu kada se poštovanje stječe ne onim što jesmo, nego onim što posjedujemo, a obazrivost se smatra znakom slabića i nesigurnih osoba, teško je graditi „obiteljski RPO“. Možda započeti s malo više razumijevanja za članove obitelji kao što ga imamo za poslovne partnere i kolege na poslu, malo više osmijeha za obitelj iako smo sve osmijehe i napore za dobro i lijepo potrošili na poslu. Možda da zavirimo u srce našega djetinjstva i prisjetimo se čemu smo se najviše veselili. Nisu to bile skupe igračke nego zajednički trenuci, od molitve, mirisa kolača i igra, pa do priča prije spavanja, možda čak i nagovaranje na neki izlet ili tek poljubac u čelo prije spavanja. Sve isto trebaju djeca danas, sve isto sanjaju i sve to jednako osjećaju najvažnijim na svijetu. Djeca očekuju da ih roditelji razumiju i prihvaćaju, ali to iziskuje vrijeme, strpljivost, molitvu i žrtvu nakon napornog radnog dana, ali i svakodnevno ponavljanje. Samo tako se odgaja djecu u sretne i radosne mlade ljude koji će znati davati ljubav i kada su umorni, ili im se svijet briga srušio na leđa. Budimo poput Boga koji nama daje i onda kada smo mi škrti prema Njemu. Krenimo, stoga, u Novu 2013. godinu s malim pomacima u „obiteljskom RPO“ i znajmo da će to biti zahtjevna i naporna godina, ali još više prepuna unutarnjeg blagoslova i mira koji zna šaptati u tišini večernjeg počinka: „Bože hvala ti za moju obitelj“.