By Clarence Watts, SDB
(ANS – Johannesburg, South Africa – July 26) – Fr. John Dickson was born in Iran, where his dad was working for an
oil company. During a political crisis in Iran, his family was expelled from
Iran. He was six weeks old when they were expelled, a refugee at a very young
age! This year he celebrates 50 years as a Salesian [August 15]. He is
currently rector of the Salesian community in Chertsey, England, governor of a
school of 1,500 pupils, and also Royal University chaplain, now in his sixth
year. During his stay in Johannesburg for history research, he was interviewed
by the Southern Africa Salesian Bulletin,
“Don Bosco Echo.”
What is the state of youth in Europe? How do you
view the situation?
Youth in Europe. At the university: 47% no
religion, 33% Christian, 4% Muslim, 1% Jewish, 1% Sikh, and 2% Hindu. A very
secular atmosphere at university.
Young people very strongly long for a sort of
relationship, an authentic relationship. Young people are searching for
belonging, finding their way. A place that is welcoming.
My role as chaplain: an educational role, to help
people understand that people of faith are not peculiar; they are open to life.
I go to Muslim prayer and Hindu prayer; you are
there with them, and they want to see that you care about them and pray with
them.
History: How did it start and who influenced you?
As a child we had a public library which was free.
Every Saturday morning my mother encouraged me, and we would walk to the
library; borrow books and read them. It was a great way to spend a Saturday
morning. I like stories and I like history; I think it is written into my DNA,
this love for stories and history. The Scottish people have a passion for
sharing stories, similar to the Celts. “If you ask me a question, I will end up
telling you a story.”
My novice master, Fr. Martin McPake, got me
interested in historical research. Five years after my ordination, I taught at
the seminary; I did my doctorate on the history
of Salesians in England. [Blogger’s
note: Fr. John’s dissertation was published by the Salesian Historical Institute
in Rome in 1991: The dynamics of growth: The foundation and development of the Salesians
in England. Amazon has 1 copy,
paperback, in stock, listed for $39.66.]
History is not just a set of stories; its about
life stories of people. Salesians are good at making history but useless at writing
history.
What brought you to South Africa?
I am writing about one of the pioneers of the AFM [Southern
Africa] Province, Fr. [William] Ainsworth [d. 2005], who was the first provincial delegate to South
Africa [when Southern Africa was part of the Anglo-Irish Province]. He was born
in 1908, trained as an engineer, became a Salesian. He was a very open-minded
person and a man of fairness. A man of great wisdom.
Why is it important to preserve the memory of
Salesian history, our heritage?
If you don’t know the tree which you are a branch
of, you are in danger of clipping yourself off. In other words, if you don’t
understand where you come from, then the danger is you think you are doing
something new, and you end up chopping yourself off from the whole tree.
It is also a question of identity. The history of a
province and the history of the Congregation is a question of identity. There
must be a dialogue between your present situation you are living in and your
origins. As Vatican II said, “Be aware of the deposit of faith and how to adapt
to the present times.” If you end up only talking about what happened in the
past, you will die, and if you just talk about what is happening in the minute,
the present, you just become current and disappear very quickly.
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