DIACONAL ORDINATIONS AND NEXT GENERAL CHAPTER: TIME TO CREATE A VOCATIONAL CULTURE

Dear Salesian Family,

This weekend, we have many reasons to celebrate.  High school graduations, completion of another school year and final preparations for summer apostolates.  Thanks be to God all of these blessings.  I invite you to share with us through Salesian News a brief story and good photos of the events at the end of this academic year in your Salesian presence.  We can celebrate together the many good things happening throughout the province.

This weekend will be of special importance for Bro. Eduardo Chincha and Bro. Juan Pablo Rubio.  They will be ordained deacons by Cardinal Cupich on Saturday, June 2 at St. John Bosco Parish, Chicago.  They continue on their journey of self-giving to the Lord in the service of young people, now as Salesian ordained ministers.  If you cannot be present at the ceremony, please join us in prayer.   This ordination to the diaconate is a wonderful occasion to thank God for the unique vocation we have each received in God’s mercy, and the charismatic vocation we share in the Salesian Family.

We see in Bro. Eduardo and Bro. Juan Pablo the fruitfulness of many years of commitment to prayer, practice of the evangelical counsels, community life, pastoral ministry and study.  They reach this moment in their vocation after a decade in initial formation.  It is the result of God’s grace and their individual cooperation with that grace.  Even as we are inspired by their commitment, we are very much aware that this vocational fruitfulness is not the result of their personal commitment alone.  The seeds of their vocation were planted and cared for in an environment that would support their growth.  First among the healthy environments that promote an openness to the Lord’s call is the family.  Bro. Eduardo and Bro. Juan Pablo can see how their families have played an indispensable role in responding to their Salesian vocation.  May God abundantly bless the Chincha-Leon and Rubio-Olivares families.

I would also like to highlight the importance of the religious community in the maturing of a vocation to consecrated life.  In his letter convoking the 28th General Chapter, Fr. Ángel presents the challenge of making all our religious communities and educative pastoral communities vibrant with a culture that promotes a life-long response to God’s call.  “With humility we have to recognize that in the Congregation there is not always the clear awareness and the subsequent practice that people are formed for and in the mission and formed for and in a community: whether that is the religious Salesian community or the educative pastoral community.”  The ordination of Bro. Eduardo and Bro. Juan Pablo can motivate us to create a vocation culture in all our Salesian works where the young encounter Jesus Christ and where they receive the support to respond to the call to follow Him. Thanks to the communities and formation guides that have accompanied Bro. Eduardo and Bro. Juan Pablo.

As we conclude the month of May, we also acknowledge the motherly presence of Mary in the vocation of each Salesian.  We ask the Help of Christians to watch over the new deacons, their families and all our communities.  Through her intercession, may many young people from our families and communities be attentive to the voice of the Good Shepherd and answer his call.

Sincerely,

Fr. Tim Zak