GC29: Day of Meditation & Dialog

GC29: A Day of Meditation and Dialog, Practicing “Conversation in the Spirit”

(ANS – Turin – March 4, 2025) – The first day of meditation and dialog for the chapter members, held on Monday, March 3, 2025, was marked by enthusiastic and intense participation. After gaining a panoramic “vision” of the state of the Congregation, the working committees decided to introduce 2 key innovations: restructuring the materials once the working document is approved and adopting a proposal centered on listening in the Holy Spirit, as explained by the moderator, Fr. Alphonse Owoudou.

Addressing the question of the “method” is crucial to ensuring that everyone has had the opportunity to express themselves while allowing all to listen effectively. Within the committees, a “seat” is also reserved for the Word of God, which enlightens and guides the path. Thus, GC29 is unfolding as a great spiritual retreat in the form of a conversation, with participants carrying in their minds and hearts the realities of their respective places of origin.

On Saturday, March 1, Fr. Andrea Bozzolo and Fr. Eunan McDonnell recalled and commented on the final document of the Synod, which states: “The word conversation expresses something more than a simple dialog: it harmoniously weaves together thought and feeling, generating a shared vital world.” Following the Synod’s approach, GC29 aims to practice personal preparation—through prayer and organizing one’s thoughts—followed by group discussions where participants share their perspectives and attentively listen to others. The process then moves to a phase of sharing what has resonated most deeply, collecting convergences and dissonances, prophetic insights, and further questions.

Three Salesians who have already implemented the “Conversation in the Spirit” method are strong advocates of its effectiveness:
–Fr. Luis Fernando Gutierrez Cuesta, from the Madrid Province, emphasized that “it is highly valuable for both personal and communal discernment. Listening, welcoming, and mutual hospitality have profound theological significance, as they affirm the value of each person. A good dose of humility is required, but the goal is to fulfill God’s will.”
– Fr. Daniel Federspiel, provincial of France-Southern Belgium, described it as a “revolutionary method, successfully applied in the conference of major superiors with 400 participants and in meetings with laypeople collaborating with the Congregation. It is also useful for addressing sensitive topics, such as sexual abuse, as it immediately fosters a fraternal atmosphere that allows people to look each other in the eye.”
– Fr. Giampaolo Roma, provincial of Southern Italy, stated, “For two years, we have been using this method in our province, even in preparation for GC29. Previously, we often experienced frustration and difficulty working together, feeling unheard. With this method, dialog becomes more authentic. The outcome is not just a sum of different ideas but something truly new.”

The work of GC29 on Monday, March 3, opened with Fr. McDonnell leading a meditation on the Gospel passage about Jesus calling the twelve apostles: “Choose the phrase or word that strikes you the most and lingers in your heart. What does it suggest? What resonance does it have? What is God communicating thru that word? And what prayer does it inspire?”

He then encouraged participants to “make themselves comfortable, resting peacefully in the presence of Jesus, relaxed in the arms of God.”