God in the City
by Sahaya G. Selvam, sdb
Salesian Family Study Days,UK, January 2012
0.0. The objective of these reflections is to see how urban cultures are evolving and becoming global; and then to ask ourselves: how could we be the church in this context? And how could we open up ourselves to an experience of God that will make it meaningful for us to be compassionate to others.
0.1. When faced with the need for change, for fear of chaos, we tend to fall back to rigidity. Integration seems to be the healthier option!
0.2. When faced with the need to understand reality, it may be easier to take one of the extreme options between naïve realism and anti-realism. Critical realism seems to be the more meaningful option!
0.3. God and Revelation: If God is eternal, and eternity is a continuous now (St Augustine), then God’s revelation is here and now! Should we apply […]
Reading Room
Reading Room
Salesian Values in the African Culture
Inculturation of Salesian Charism in Africa – 2
SALESIAN VALUES IN THE AFRICAN CULTURE
Missionary work is primarily a work of conversion, conversion understood in a holistic sense. However, the missionary is really responsible for only one conversion, his own. It is up to the Holy Spirit to do the rest. (Cf. Spearhead, No.120, p.64) The missionary’s conversion consists in making a genuine effort to better understand and appreciate the culture of the people. If the missionary works on his own conversion, the latter would not only become easy, but would follow spontaneously.
It was in this process of my own conversion that my previous article, “Salesian Presence Vs. Privacy in Africa”, was written for Harambee. The article received several reactions, from within the province and from abroad. There was in general an appreciation of the attempt. One such reaction from Moshi is published in this […]
Salesian Presence Versus Privacy
Inculturation of Salesian Charism in Africa – 1
SALESIAN PRESENCE VERSUS PRIVACY IN AFRICA
Note: This is in no way a scientific work, but only a journalistic writing, originally written for Harambee (AFE newsletter) in 1993. There are two parts to this reflection.
Ndalani is a small Akamba village in Machakos district in Kenya. Last May I had the opportunity to stay in this village for four full days. I stayed and slept in a hut, which was part of a larger homestead. I ate their food (muthokoi). I bathed in the river. I went visiting some families in the village and shared their food and friendship. On the first morning of my stay, my Capuchin friend accompanied me to the river to bathe. When we reached the river, he showed me the place where I could bathe. Then he told me that while I could be bathing there, he would go about […]
Salesian Buzzwords
Administrator
(Bursor)
The one who helps the Rector in the financial matters, caring for the assets and infrastructure of the community.
Becchi
A farm area in thevillageofCastelnuovo D’astiin the region of Piedmont inNorthern Italywhere John Bosco was born. Today the village is called Castelnuovo Don Bosco, and in Becchi stands a big church built to honour our founder – Colle Don Bosco.
Charism, Salesian
A charism is the special contribution that a particular congregation makes in the church through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Salesian Charism is the gift of the Spirit to the church to work for the salvation of young people in the style of St John Bosco
Coadjutor (Brother)
A professed/consecrated member of the Salesian congregation who is a religious and not a priest. In English he is simply called, ‘Brother’. Originally in Italian he is called, ‘signore’ meaning Mr.
Co-operator Salesians
These are members of the Salesian Family who contribute to the Salesian mission […]
Walking with the Young: A Theology of Youth Ministry in Africa
Christian Youth Ministry is a faith-journey of accompanying young people towards an experience of Christ. Accompanying is a process; it is not sporadic interventions of activities done for the young. It is walking with the young. In this essay, I would like to reflect on the theological implications of the process of accompanying young people, in the African context. Taking the cue from the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24: 13-35), I would like to present Jesus as the prototype of a youth minister, thus also to trace the progressive stages in youth ministry.
The two disciples are on the road to Emmaus. Why are they on the road? It is Easter Sunday – “that very same day”, and these disciples are running away from Jerusalem – the epicentre of the great event! They have […]