The Salesian Cooperator yesterday, today, tomorrow

1. Keynote speech Fr. Stjepan boLkovac, SDB, Worlddelegate The Salesian Cooperator yesterday, today, tomorrow

2. PEACE AND JOY! Our meeting helps us to see people and see things in anew light. This light is that of the Salesian charism, a gift of the Holy Spirit to Don Bosco for all of us, his followers in different forms of charismatic belonging.

3. In this Salesian light,we try to see Young people in need & the goodwe can do for them. Salesian Family • Autonomy in communion • Organisational autonomy, not as independence or a break in communion. • An ability to organize ourselves responsibly, without waiting for others to do it, to effectively carry out a commitment to work together willingly and well, in mission and communion.

4. How we should look at the Salesian Cooperator today, or tomorrow? we should go back to the origin how Don Bosco saw things when this idea of the lay Salesian took root in the Salesian mission.

5. Salesian Cooperators “Those are called Salesian Cooperators who wish to be busycarrying out charitable worksnot just in general but in agreement with and according to thespirit of the Congregation of St. Francis de Sales” Lay or clerical Christianliving as a Salesianin the world,in his or her own situation, but according to the spirit of “da mihi animas” on behalf of poor young people.

6. The starting point is the concept of mission, of apostolate, that is to say the concept of Christian life lived apostolically as the basis for holiness. This is the mission that for some can become consecration (vows) and for others, dedication (promise), but for all it becomes a common Salesian vocation: being apostles for the young.

7. Salesian Family The good of young people.Many forces (vis unita fortior) are needed for this good to be achieved. This is the charismatic nucleus of the Salesian Family. Let’s not forget that the light illumining this task came from above.

8. Apostolic programmefor the Salesian Cooperators “Leave the care of poor and abandoned young people to us, and we will bring all of our forces to bear on doing the greatest good possible for them, that we believe will be for the common good of society.”

9. The field of our apostolate and of our apostolic dedication is and must remain in the first place,the young, especially the poor and abandoned. Our apostolic objectiveis “to do as much good as we can.” Our methodiseducationby which “public morality” is achieved.Preventive system – “good Christians and honest citizens”

10. Salesian Cooperators in the Regulations of Apostolic Life Today RAL: ‘Identity card’ of the Salesian Cooperator today and in the future. • Salesian Cooperator is a response to • the apostolic call discovered and followed freely and with awareness, and which becomes a way of life, a VOCATION! It is not enough just to be a good person, a Christian or a good parishioner to be “enrolled” as a Salesian Cooperator.

11. Salesian Cooperators in the Regulations of Apostolic Life Today The approval of our Regulations by the Church indicates: 2. This vocation is a way to holiness. Holiness is not a privilege for some, but daily life possible for all. Salesian Cooperator 3. By means of the promiseit becomes a choice of apostolic commitment for one’s whole lifetime. (not a just free time apostolate)

12. Salesian Cooperators in the Regulations of Apostolic Life Today 4. Cooperatoris above all an apostle who is always ready to become part of the concrete reality of the Church at local and world level. He/she is not a simple co-worker and helper of Salesians. Communion with the Salesian Family Network of combined forces that Don Bosco wanted for the good of young people, especially the poorest and most needy.

13. Salesian Cooperators in the Regulations of Apostolic Life Today Raise up our voice in world structures and organizations. 5. Cooperators should become aware of the importance of entering structures and placeswhere policy decisions on behalf of young people are made. Convinced in the ultimate victory of goodness we do not hesitate to do everything possible and to use whatever modern means so that good can win out. Don Bosco clearly shows us how to put our lives at God’s disposal!

14. Some important voicesin formingthe mentality of the Salesian Cooperator today! 1. Promiseis an act ofapostolic dedication. He/she expresses the will to be active according to the charismatic spiritual proposal of Don Bosco in the Salesian mission. This dedication defines the lay Christian vocation, and the lay style of belonging and action.This belonging is expressed through Cooperators according to the intensity of the mission practised.

15. Some important voices in forming the mentality of the Salesian Cooperator today! 2.Looking after new vocationsfor Cooperators:vocational autonomy Until Cooperators themselves become the actors in caring for new vocations, the Association will not have that incisive apostolic lay strength it should have. Call people and proposethe spiritual path of the Salesian Cooperator for them to discover and follow.

16. Some important voices in forming the mentality of the Salesian Cooperator today! 3. The formation of the Salesian Cooperator has to be translated into concrete and practical ways. Regular meetings - privileged moments for formation, planning and for animating Centres. It is necessary to evaluate the function of meetings, how they can be carried out well, and contributeto the animation of a Centre. The local council should be the driving force of a more careful evaluation of the way a local centre is progressing and of its apostolic and spiritual life.

17. Carrying out of the Salesian and apostolic life of the Association Guarantee of charismatic fidelity and the Salesian apostolic journey Some important voices in forming the mentality of the Salesian Cooperator today! 4.Organisational autonomy • The true and • correct place for the coordinator and the delegate Today with globalisation and secularisation of society, the Church invites the lay faithful to become aware of their apostolic role in the world. Salesian Cooperatorsshould becomeSalesian lay awareness in the world, in structures of social life for the education of the young. 2) Promoting self- esteem for the Cooperators and for the work they carry out .

18. Some important voices in forming the mentality of the Salesian Cooperator today! 5.Continual updating With programmes appropriate for ongoing formationtheAssociation should take care of the life of its members and with due attentionfollow up young people and the social life of the loccal neighbourhood and its needs. Open to new people and able to react in a Salesian way to the challenges around it.

19. Web Shared vision of the challenges and programmes needed to favour the Salesian mission Creating the famous ‘network of good’ we have to take up the modern culture of communication. Some important voices in forming the mentality of the Salesian Cooperator today! 6. Working with the mentality of the Salesian Family at all levels Creating consultative bodies at local and provincial level

20. Renewal of the Regulations of Apostolic Life “Christifideles laici”(Lay Christian) Holy Father John Paul II “Common Identity Card” “The Common Mission Card” Reconsider our basic documents to discover their wisdom and their planning for the future. Call for renewed collaboration with laity, especially with Salesian Cooperators and Past Pupils, and with all members of the Salesian Family.

21. Renewal of the Regulations of Apostolic Life I invite you to follow this renewal with your real and practical contribution at local, provincial and regional level and to pray to the Holy Spirit to shed light on our path to renewal. 2001 to February 2004 - Launch the process of renewal November 2004 - Prepare the “ad experimentum” text of the new RAL (Evaluate these new Regulations) World Cooperators Congress 2005 - Acceptance of the new Regulations Our path of renewal is firstly a light and invitation from the Holy Spirit and then our work to compile.

22. Conclusion