in 60 Countries
(ANS – Rome – December 20) - The history of the Salesian Cooperators
dates from the time of Don Bosco, who from the beginning of his ministry wanted
to collaborate with laity in the service of education for the young. At least
as early as 1850 he associated them to his mission in Valdocco, Turin. Their
official existence was recognized in 1876. Here is a brief historical overview
of this important branch of the Salesian Family, characterized by its
originality and specificity.
The Rector Major (center) poses with some Salesian Cooperators and their FMA, SDB delegates |
The Salesian Cooperator must “belong to the masses
and take the floor,” wrote Fr. Giuseppe Casti, Salesian world delegate for
Salesian Cooperators. This means that the Salesian Cooperators must be the
voice of those who have no voice – the poor, the socially disadvantaged. “The
search for the common good requires an ongoing search, a gradual progression.
It requires perseverance and a certain rigor,” he added.
In an epoch like the present one, the Salesian
Cooperators must be able to face the emergencies that challenge them and the
challenges and expectations of the weakest and those most threatened by
economic and political insecurity. And this according to an ethic that fosters
growth, rejects vanity, and seeks truth. Don Bosco was a dreamer, and he wanted
his successors to be realist utopians.
Today, the presence of Salesian Cooperators is
growing all over the world and on all six continents. Their number exceeds
30,000 members, spread across 60 countries, as stated by the world secretary of
the Association of Salesian Cooperators, Filippo Servili. Their different
missions and lifestyles color their actions wherever they are. As Don Bosco
said: “You will complete the work that I begin. I sketch; you add the colors.”
Source: Don Bosco Aujourd’hui, the French
edition of the Salesian Bulletin
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