The preaching of the Spiritual Exercises to the Provincials and Provincial Councils of the various Salesian Regions by the Rector Major is a novelty introduced by Fr. Á.F. Artime following the 28th General Chapter, as a means of animating the local leadership of Salesian Provinces and Vice-Provinces around the world, and in order to coordinate the homogeneous advancement of the Congregation along common programmatic lines.
Next week’s Valdocco stage thus ends the long journey that began in November 2021, in Turin with the Superiors of the Mediterranean Region, and then continued with the Spiritual Exercises for the Provincial Councils of Interamerica (Ecuador, February 2022); South Cone America (Brazil-Porto Alegre, February 2022); Africa-Madagascar (Cameroon, March 2022); East Asia-Oceania (Thailand, May 2022); and South Asia (India-Panjim, September 2022).
The Spiritual Exercises include seven lectures given by Fr. Á.F. Artime on the central theme "Salesian Consecrated Identity in the Light of General Chapter 28" and four dialogue meetings between the Rector Major and the assembly on issues of animation and governance of the Congregation. All of this will also be framed in the perspective of St. Francis de Sales, whose spirituality has permeated all of this 2022, due to the 400th anniversary of his death.
Other activities included in the development of the Spiritual Exercises are Lauds, time for personal prayer and reflection, the assembly's dialogue with Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, and at the end of the day Compline and the "Salesian Good Nights," which will be animated by various Provincials. Being in Valdocco, moreover, there will be no shortage of opportunities to "drink from the Salesian fountain" of Don Bosco's Oratory, starting with visits to the Don Bosco House Museum, an environment designed precisely to facilitate direct contact with the origins of Salesian history.
As is typical of such gatherings, times for shared spirituality and fraternity, characteristic of every Salesian gathering, will also be fundamental.
About 130 Salesians are expected to participate in the Spiritual Exercises of the Central and Northern Europe Region, led by the Rector Major and coordinated by the Regional Councilor, Fr. Roman Jachimowicz. Given the great cultural and linguistic variety specific to the Region, all official texts have been translated into eight languages, while the Rector Major's reports will have simultaneous translation into four languages.
The Central and Northern Europe Region, established in this form by the 27th General Chapter (2014), comprises 17 Circumscriptions that coordinate Salesian work in 24 countries. The most up-to-date statistics as of December 31, 2021 report the presence of 2060 professed Salesians and 13 novices, active in 267 canonical works.
