Saints’ Causes Promoted by Salesians
(ANS – Rome- January 28, 2021) – “From now on, let it be our motto: let the children’s holiness give evidence of the father’s holiness,” wrote Fr. Rua after Don Bosco’s death. This wish has found particular confirmation over time. In fact, from Don Bosco to the present day, a tradition of holiness is attested that deserves attention, because it is the incarnation of the charism that originated from him and that expressed itself in a plurality of states of life and forms, which made the Salesian charism shine of particular light and constitutes a patrimony for the Salesian Family, the community of believers, and people of good will. Moreover, it is necessary to express deep gratitude and praise to God for the sanctity already recognized in the Salesian Family and for that in the process of being recognized. The Salesian postulator’s office involves 173 persons: 9 canonized saints, 118 blesseds, 18 venerables, and 18 servants of God. The causes followed directly by the postulator’s office are 58 (plus 5 extra).
The dossier, where the list and status of each cause is
reported, presents the events that took place in 2020, among which the following
deserve to be remembered: the extraordinary fact of the consent given by Pope
Francis to the opening of the cause of Bp. Joseph Cognata, the closure of the
diocesan inquiry of Fr. Rudolph Lunkenbein and Simão Bororo, the opening of the
diocesan inquiry of Fr. Silvio Galli, and the venerability of Fr. Ignatius
Stuchly.
Then follows the presentation of some dimensions of Salesian
holiness, with the offer of good practices.
Finally, the call to spread the knowledge, imitation, and
intercession of the members of the Salesian Family’s candidates for canonization,
valuing and taking care of various aspects: liturgical-celebratory, spiritual,
pastoral, ecclesial, educational, cultural, historical, social, missionary,
etc.
The pastoral aspect touches on the effectiveness of the figures
of saints, blesseds, venerables, and servants of God as successful examples of
Christianity lived in the particular socio-cultural situations of the Church
and the Salesian Family. The spiritual aspect implies the invitation to imitate
their virtues as a source of inspiration and planning or life-project. The
accompaniment and promotion of a cause is an authentic form of the pedagogy of
holiness, to which, by virtue of the charism, we are called to be especially
sensitive and attentive.
The journey of holiness is a journey to be made together, in the
company of the saints. Holiness is experienced together and achieved together.
The saints are always in company: where there is one, we always find many
others. The sanctity of everyday life makes communion flourish and is a “relational”
generator. Holiness is nourished by relationships, trust, communion. Truly, as
the Church’s liturgy affirms in the preface of the saints: “In their life you
offer us an example, in intercession a help, in the communion of grace a bond
of brotherly love. Comforted by their testimony, we face the good fight of
faith, to share the same crown of glory beyond death.”
The Poster and the dossier of the postulator’s office may be
downloaded – in Italian, English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese – updated to December
31, 2020.
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