My salesian dream

Last night I had a dream...

We were all assembled in Paradise and I was so happy to see everyone there enjoying the eternal beatitudes. We got down to talking about the situation in our salesian family.

As we were deliberating our strategic plan, a simple SDB confrere and a very plain FMA sister came up to us. As they reached closer, I saw that... it was Don Bosco and Mary Mazzarrello. They were both laughing at a comment that must have passed between them.

DB spoke out: “Bravo, my dear sisters and confrères. You've just succeeded in doing what some priests in Turin never succeeded in doing to me”.

“Really? What are you trying to say?”, Sr Patricia asked him.

“My dear friends, with all your documents and guidelines, you've succeeded in sending half the FMAs and SDBs of your provinces to the mental asylum”.

“But Don Bosco, we really need to get out resolutions clarified and mutually agreed to and signed on paper!” another sister insisted.

Both MM and DB smiled. “All that you all need is a drawing of the Good Shepherd with seven guidelines”.

“What do you mean?” a couple of us asked at the same time.

“We mean you just need one guideline for each of the seven main parts of the body” they responded in unison. Then in turn MM and DB listed the following:

One guideline for the heart: a fervent return to loving-kindness.

A second one for the eyes: opening them to the reality of young people and the world.

A third one for the ears: getting them onto the same wavelength as the little ones, the least of our brothers and sisters, in order to hear their cry.

A fourth one for the hands: opening them up to give, and to receive help from all the young people, and to join hands with all the lay people who are ready to give a hand.

The fifth for the mouth: to proclaim your joy and to decry every human injustice without compromise!

The sixth for the feet: in order to wander around the areas wherever young people and others entrusted to us are.

We were flabbergasted by the simplicity of it all. They continued:

And the seventh guideline, last but not least and don’t forget it, is for the backsides... so that you all learn to sit down and regularly celebrate amongst yourselves.

“But.... this can't be a serious plan!” I objected.

“But that's just the point. It's because you are all so busy just talking and drawing up complicated strategic plans that you are losing both credibility and effectiveness! Seven guidelines and the Good Shepherd. That's all you really need.

I was enchanted by all this and dared to ask them, “And what about prayer, have you not forgotten that?” They looked at me, amazed:

“But Francois, we could not have done anything we did without it and without nourishing ourselves with the Christ's body and his word”. Then Don Bosco added, “You must all go home from this assembly with these seven guidelines ... and a handkerchief as a reminder!”

“A handkerchief?” I exclaimed rather surprised.

“Yes, a handkerchief! Remember how I used one to illustrate our vow of obedience? Obedience to the constitutions! Besides, a handkerchief will be useful for consoling salesian family members crying about their lot, as well as for stuffing into the mouth of those who speak badly about their other sisters and brothers”.

At that point a voice cried out from a distance: “Mary Mazzarrello! Don Bosco!”

“Oh” said MM, “it's Mary Help of Christians! She and we are still working together. Please excuse us!”

This is my dream. I don’t care whether you believe me or not. I just wanted to tell you about it".

• Translated and Adapted from a sharing by Fr Daniel Fiederspiel sdb (aka. Papi) at GC26 – he is currently on his second term as Provincial of FRB.