THE PVA

IL PROGETTO DI VITA APOSTOLICA

The Project of Apostolic Life

El projecto de Vida Apostolica

Le Projet de Vie Apostolique

GARANTISCE LA FEDELTÀ ALL’ISPIRAZIONE ORIGINALE DI DON BOSCO

SALVAGUARDA LA FIDELIDAD QUERIDA POR DON BOSCO

GUARANTEES FIDELITY TO DON BOSCO’S ORIGINAL INSPIRATION

ASSURE LA FIDELITÉ A L’INSPIRATION ORIGINELLE DE DON BOSCO

The PVA - a historic moment1876: Decree of Foundation of

the first official Rule of the Pious Association. Don Bosco underlines the apostolic natureof the Association.

1914-1963-1972: The apostolic spirit of the Association weakens.

1963-65: Vatican Council II calls for the revision and the revitalization of the original spirit of every Institution in the Church.

1986: The Rule of Apostolic Life is born (RAL) Characteristic of it is its emphasis on the mission. (cooperatori salesiani*)

2001: The World Consulta is entrusted withthe task of animating the updating of the “RAL”.

*With this word order, the Italian puts emphasis on being Cooperators”.

The PVA - a historic moment 1972: The new updated Rule of the

Association is born. It seeks torecuperate its apostolic nature.

1976 :1st World Congress

1985: 2nd World Congress

The PVA - a historic moment 2006: 3rd World Congress

2007: The new Project of Apostolic Life (PAL) is promulgated ad experimentum. Characteristic of it is the charismatic identity in living the mission. (salesiani cooperatori*)

2012: 4th World CongressDEFINITIVE APPROVAL OF THE STATUTES AND REGULATIONS OF THE PROJECT OF APOSTOLIC LIFE (PVA)

2013: The Holy See approves the Project of Apostolic Life (PVA). Its distinguishing characteristic: the witness of a life lived within the Church, the Salesian Family, and the world.

*With this word order, the Italian puts the emphasis on being Salesians.

137 Years……

SPIRITUALLYMATUREPEOPLE

CHRISTIANS WITH A LIVELY AND

CONVINCED FAITH

ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH

LAITY CAPABLE OF ANIMATING THE WORLD WITH CHRISTIAN VALUES

CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE DON BOSCO’S

APOSTOLIC PROJECT

WHO ARE WE ?PERSONAL AND MEMBER IDENTITY

1. The Apostolic Projectof the Salesian Cooperators

(SSCC)

• Charter of Identity in the Church, in the Salesian Family, and in society

• “Book of life” which must always accompany us

• Precious treasure occupying a privileged place

• Gospel project describing spiritual riches and our path to sanctity

The PVA is a:

ONE DOCUMENT IN TWO PARTS

THE STATUTES: define the vocational identity, the spirit, the mission, and the principles of the organizational structure of the Association.

THE REGULATIONS: contain practical points which specify and regulate its actions, methodology, structure, and organization.

(BEING)

(DOING)

The PVA has a structure:

of unity:THE PVA has a SPIRIT:

Sacramental: Christian

Charismatic: Salesian

Specific: Membership

of family:The experience of faith and communion:

“United in one heart and one soul”

The experience of being brothers and sisters, with the sharing of faith,

hopes, dreams, ideas, and experiences: to grow together

The experience of support in one’s vocation and the apostolate

THE PVA has a SPIRIT:

of Co-responsibility:

Life witness

Apostolic commitmentParticipation in the life of the

Association and of the Salesian Family (sense of belonging)

THE PVA has a SPIRIT:

for living the Gospel: The Beatitudes(Art. 7)

The PVA is a PROJECT:

A PROJECT communicated by one’s LIFE• with a vital, congruent, and meaningful language

(adults who make a difference)• which is lived in the every day.

A PROJECT seeking to make the KINGDOM present • listening to the life-giving language of Christ• giving, in different forms but always within the same

Mission, concrete responses to the needs of the poor.

ONE DOCUMENTIN TWO PARTS:

STATUTES

Charter of Identity

Being the Assoc.FoundationEssential nature

REGULATIONS

Norms“Doing” in the Assoc.Its workingsIts functioning

We must:• be aware of this• discover that it is truly a path to sanctity • know it ever better • live it as a way that leads to love

Making of it a way to be and to live together with others

It is a free and conscious response to Don Bosco

The PVA is a PROJECTA gift from God and a personal

choice that always go together

The PVA: details the organization of the Association, beginning with its

service.It is divided into three areas of

governance and animation which guarantee autonomy while fortifying the bonds of union:Local: fundamental nucleus of the Association

Provincial: spirit of unity among the Centers

World: universality of communion

Purpose of the entire structure:To be at the service of the Local

Center.

2. The VOCATION

of theSSCC

in the Church (PVA, 2)

in the Salesian Family (PVA, 5)

in the World (PVA, 6)

VOC

ATIO

NThe PVA describes a

called to BE APOSTLES

• in their family

• in their marriage

• in their workplace and where they live

• in their social, cultural, and political realities

employing a method of goodness

OF APOSTOLIC EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENTgiving privileged attention to

the poorest youth (PVA,8.11)

The PVA describes a

The PVA describes our way of BEING:

Our style of actingOur style of prayingOur style of our community relationships in the Center, the Province, and the AssociationOur process of discernment and vocational growth (initial and on-going)Our identity and mission in the Salesian Family, in the Church, and in civic society Our internal organization as Association

VOCATIONThe Profile of the Salesian Cooperator

• Someone rich in humanity - Typical element of the humanism of St. Francis de Sales

• A baptized person bearing an immense love for the Church, a Disciple of Jesus who lives in temporal realities with a clear identity, practicing a Christian lifestyle

• A Salesian-in-the-world, per Don Bosco’s original vision: He wanted the Cooperator to be a passionate collaborator with God through making important choices as regards the Salesian Mission: family, youth, education, Preventive Sytem, and responsibility in society and in the political arena

The Local Center “Base of operations” Nucleus and Foundation Vital unit to reach objectives The vitality of subsidiarity

within the Association depends on it

The bodies at higher levels (Provincial, World) are at its service, are respectful of its autonomy, and foster its ecclesial communion

Solidarity in the Association:Local, Provincial, World

UNITY

SOLIDARITY

Animation

Governance

FraternityFormationSharing

FunctioningNormativeInstitutional

AUTO

NO

MYLocalCenter

The Principle of Solidarity• Seen as a «a human and Christian virtue»

• Indissolubly binds each member of the Association to his/her goal

•Conquers every purely individualistic conception

•Provides the possibility to overcome «politically-correct demands», offering

support for participation in the life of the Association to areas that are weak

The Association’s Autonomy• is realized based on the principle of Economic Subsidiarity

• constitutes one of the pillars of theSocial Justice Doctrines of the Church

• The term is derived from the Latin «subsidium afferre» (to lend aid).

• is meant to help the members of society -not to «destroy or absorb them».

The Local Center The SSCC live their

membership in the Association:

- in autonomy, in solidarity, and in a spirit of communion;

- in solidarity with the Salesian Family and with the local Church as laity who are aware that they

belong to an International Apostolic Association of the

Faithful;

The Local Center -acting in subsidiarity as regards

the Provincial grouping by supporting and participating in the formation proposals and the

missionary apostolate;

-bringing to birth one unified world Association, in the spirit

of Don Bosco’s “threads united”.

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

(ASSCC)- is recognized by the Apostolic See as a Public

Ecclesiastical Juridical Person* whose guarantor before the Holy See is the Rector Major

- presents annually its World “Statement of Cash Flow” and Balance, in accord with its financial governance in subsidiarity

- has its representative and governmental world headquarters in Rome, Italy

*Code of Canon Law (CIC – Codex Iuris Canonicis)

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

ASSCC With the authority of the Rector Major safeguarded, the governance and animation of the Association is entrusted to its own Local, Provincial, and World Councils

Legal representation of the Association is entrusted to the Coordinator of the respective Council

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

Governance of the ASSCC• the World Coordinator represents the greatest expression of lay membership and enjoys the greatest guarantee conferred by the Satutes and the norms related to a lay ecclesial Association of apostolic communion

• Financial governance of the Association is entrusted, in terms of subsidiarity, by the World Council to the respective Provincial and Local Councils;

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

Financial Governance in Subsidiarity

• The Annual Balance Statement is an obligatory Act of the Association*, the burden of whose presentation falls to the World Council. *CIC

• The drawing up of the Balance requires collaborative participation, according to hierarchical communion, in the sharing of financial subsidiarity: The Provincial Councils, therefore,

include in their own Balance the necessary Statements of the Local Councils within their jurisdiction.

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

ASSCC The Rector Major is its Guarantor; he avails himself of his Vicar or of the World Coordinator for its governance and its administration in union with the following bodies:- the World Council

- the World Executive Secretary (SEM*) - the Council for Economic Affairs (SEM) (for administrative governance).

*SEM: Segretaria Esecutiva Mondiale

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

Administrative Governance in Subsidiarity

• The World Treasurer (CIC ): accompanies in a fraternal way the

Provincial Councils so that they send him the Financial Statement of Cash Flow, the Balance of Subsidiarity, and the financial contribution within the established deadlines

presents the World Balance to the World Executive Secretary (SEM) for approvale and hands it on to the Rector Major, the Guarantor before the Apostolic See.

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

ASSCCAs regards Animation, the Rector Major avails himself of:

♦the World Coordinator, whose role entails the greatest responsibility in representing the ASSCC,

♦the SEM (the executive body which verifies and encourages apostolic initiatives plans), and

♦the World Councilor of a given Salesian Region, appointed by the World Coordinator as his/her Regional Vicar to foster its growth in the Salesian Family and in the Church

The Association of Salesian Cooperators

ASSCCThe Consulta:is a body created to support the

World Council in its service of animation;

works according to an ad hoc handbook approved by the World Council;

entrusts the work of animation, acting as the Vicar of the World Coordinator, to the respective member of the World Council who is charged with representing his/her Salesian Region.

2. The MISSIONof theSSCC

The Mission

OF THE PEOPLE

YOUTHFUL

MISSIONARY

With Don Bosco’s

Preventive System

REASON

RELIGION

LOVING-KINDNESS

“good Christians and honest citizens”Everything that the young need in order

to live their human and Christian existence with fullness

Educative presence in the social and political realms

The formationof the honest citizenand the good Christian.

The “Gospel of Joy”

SALESIAN HUMANISM

trust in the victory of the good

appreciation for human values

education to the joys of daily life

Salesian spiritualityDon Bosco took his inspiration from St. Francis de Sales for a SPIRITUALITY that is…

simple because it’s aboutthe essentials

because it is opento everyone

because it is laden with human values and, thus, particularly fitting to educational action

of the people

attractive

Spirituality

Salesian prayer is an APOSTOLIC PRAYER

LIFE

PRAYER

The Pedagogy of Goodnessis not just a pedagogical principle; it must also be

recognized as an essential element of our spirituality

is authentic love

is love which generates the desire to be corresponded to

is a love manifested in the language of simplicity

is a love which is spread, creating a family atmosphere

is a love which engenders trust

is a love requiring great spiritual energies

THE FORMATIVE JOURNEY OF THE

SALESIAN COOPERATOR

Holy Salesian Cooperator = Friend of God & Friend of Man

In Sa

lesian

wor

ks

In so

cial r

ealit

ies

In th

e fam

ily

In mar

riage

In Sa

lesian

wor

ks

VOCATION SANCTITY

apostolate

Christian animation in

temporal commitments

“social liberation”

daily life

professionalism

SALESIAN SPIRIT SALESIAN SPIRIT

VISIONAn Association of Christians who live their apostolic and lay vocation according to the Salesian Charism, in communion with the

entire Salesian Family, by committing themselves to build the Kingdom of God in

the Church and in society.

MISSION

We SSCC, present in the entire world, live the Gospel values according to the charism of Don

Bosco and the Social Justice Doctrines of the Church.

We defend the values of life and of the family in an authentic spirit of service, in favor of the

youngest, poorest, victims of marginalization, exploitation, and violence.

We commit ourselves to form honest citizens and good Christians capable of transforming

society.

Visibilità

sociale

Comunicazione

Formazione

CHALLENGESAutonom

iaAutonomy

Communication

Visibilità

ecclesiale

Ecclesial visibility

Formation

Social visibility

PVA, 8.11

1

Salesian

Humanism

234

Get involved inconcrete situations

Care forMeaning/relevance

Undertake the challenge and promotion of social

communications

VISIBILITY: fundamental choices

VISIBILITY: fundamental choices

1Promote

Salesian Humanism

Put the person at the center - whose dignity is to be cared

for and fosteredin all its expressions.

Appreciate allauthentically human values.

Such values are to be defendedand promoted by all.

2VISIBILITY: fundamental choices

Get involved in concrete situations

Get involved on behalf of persons.

Identify possible and efficacious ways to respond to emerging

needs, always taking inspiration from the guidelines of the Holy

Father and the local Bishop.

VISIBILITY: fundamental choices

3Care for

meaning/relevance

Defense and promotion of ethical values; defense of the rights of those

who are weakest and most vulnerable; efficacious presence in politics,

especially where they draw up policy regarding education;

Fostering a public opinion built on human, Gospel, and Salesian values.

4

VISIBILITY: fundamental choices

Undertake the challenge and promotion of social

communicationsa tool for personal and communal growth, and together as a

defense and a fostering of faith among ordinary folk;

an opportunity for education and evangelization;

networking and communications at a distance allow for the

realization of various forms of aid and also a synergies which were

unthinkable in the past.

The PVA will be a BOOK OF LIFE if we live it