At the beginning of March, Fr Stefano Martoglio, Vicar of the Rector Major, introduced the first chapter. The process of gradually taking in the text will continue with the third chapter released in early July, the fourth in early September and the fifth in early November.
It is in these first five chapters that the inspiration which energises the entire journey that follows is condensed and vibrant, with the various stages of formation, structures, and guidelines for provincial formation projects… The invitation is to enter into this process step by step and make it your own, so as to rediscover the beauty and relevance of the gift of the Salesian vocation and mission and to resume the journey together with renewed vigour.
The text of this second chapter, as well as the full text of the new edition of the Ratio, is available on the website hyper-ratio.org.
This website serves as a digital platform where young Salesians from various Regions present and share video, audio and written materials they have produced as a response to and complement of what is now being proposed gradually, so as to foster a widespread and effective reception of what the Ratio aims to promote.
The platform also features in-depth materials that allow for a more attentive personal reading and study, whilst at the same time serving as useful resources and aids for community animation.
The PDF version of the Ratio is currently being finalised and will be made available as soon as it is ready, again on the website hyper-ratio.org, in the five main languages (Italian, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese).
Printed copies will follow, with their distribution coordinated at the level of individual Salesian districts.
Over these two months, the focus is on Salesian identity, and guiding our reflection is what Fr Chávez points out in the interview: “For us, identity means profound unity, or the ‘grace of unity’, as we are accustomed to saying in our Salesian vocabulary. Identity becomes flesh, becomes life for us in apostolic consecration, which is like our first and last name on an identity card. It is God who consecrates us, and the mission comes from him; thus, it is a single movement of love, embracing the obedient, poor and chaste way of life that Jesus chose for himself. We are sent by Him to young people as a community.
Let us learn to read life through the eyes of Don Bosco. Eyes that see the Gospel and through the light of the Gospel. His dedication to young people and their salvation comes from the Gospel. If we abandon this foundation, we lose Don Bosco. It is from this very same source that his special love for poor young people springs: a love that is not only his own, but belongs to God’s very way of being throughout Scripture, where the little ones and the poor hold the first place in his heart.”
The videos are available in the five main languages. Videos and texts remain available and downloadable at hyper-ratio.org, both those relating to this month and those from previous months.
