GC29 Elections in View of Religious Life Today

GC29: Moving Toward Elections with a Clear Awareness of the Current Reality of Religious Life

(ANS – Turin – March 24, 2025) – The 5th week of GC29 has been particularly intense. All 3 thematic areas under discussion have now reached the stage of analysis and proposal, requiring the chapter members to shift their focus among multiple key issues.

Additionally, discussions included a proposal for an article in the Regulations on social works, reviewed by the 6 committees, which will determine any necessary regulatory changes. Another significant moment was an update from Fr. Pier Fausto Frisoli, in his role as procurator, regarding the status of ongoing processes related to cases of abuse.

Fr. Chavez’s Reflection on the Work Done

Over the past week and the upcoming one, dedicated to the election of those who will guide the Congregation for the next 6 years, Fr. Pascual Chavez delivered a compelling summary on Saturday, March 22. Addressing the 220 Salesians gathered in Valdocco, he acknowledged that “the Holy Spirit, the true protagonist of this Salesian Pentecost, has guided us thus far and will continue to do so in the coming days.”

The Call for Renewal in Religious Life

As a former rector major, Fr. Chavez shared his reflections in a fatherly tone, focusing on the spiritual journey of each Salesian. He pointed out that “these years of transformation have shaped a new form of religious life. We now have new wineskins, and little by little, new wine is being produced.”

But he also recognized that the idea of “newness” can feel uncomfortable, particularly when it implies spiritual renewal, professional updating, and pedagogical qualification. This effort toward renewal is not unique to the Salesians, but is being embraced across Catholic religious congregations, as envisioned by Vatican II. He recalled:

“When the superiors general decided to address the theme of the refoundation of religious life, they did so out of an awareness that the call for renewal is urgent.”

For the sons of Don Bosco, this means engaging alongside others who live out different forms of spirituality. Since this renewal is rooted in their spiritual identity, it calls them to return to the origins of the Congregation and reclaim its unique mission.

The Perspective and Guiding Questions

Fr. Chavez then offered the assembly a clear direction for the future:

“The strength of religious life lies in its countercultural nature, in its opposition to complacency and limitless material growth without transcendence. Once again, the challenge is one of identity—not based on external elements like attire or structures, but on a deep experience of God that transforms our lives and turns them upside down. It is about building communities that live in a radically new way, offering alternative models to the dominant culture.”

This renewal of Salesian life is directly linked to an honest assessment of the realities within the societies where Salesian communities operate. His words resonated strongly with the chapter members, prompting 19 interventions in the assembly, each offering personal insights in response to 3 key questions that will shape the coming days:

• What choices must we make?
• What priorities should we set?
• What is the profile of the leaders we should elect?

With these questions in mind and heart, the chapter members now enter the decisive week of the elections for the general council.