Suvidya College, Bangalore, India

26th Feb. 2002

Dear Confreres,

Our Superior General, Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes has constituted a three-man Commission for the Animation of Salesian Spirituality in our Congregation.

He indicates, in his letter of 27th Nov. 2001, the purpose of the Commission as follows:

"The General Chapter has expressed a genuine concern and need of every MSFS to have a more profound and in-depth knowledge and reflection on our identity as Fransalians. Such an exercise, it is hoped, will motivate us to live in a more vibrant and witnessing way our Salesian vocation and spirituality. During the Indian Provincials Meeting with the Superior General at Pune on 26th October 2001, the Provincials felt that an effort should be made at the level of the Congregation, in a systematic manner, to get all confreres involved in this exercise. It was suggested that our Monthly Recollections of Communities or of Apostolic Communities during the next four years could center round Salesian themes in such a manner that within four years the themes expose the confreres to the main strands of Salesian Spirituality. Also the expansion of the themes should have indicators for practical living of the themes in our day to day life."

Our task was to prepare thirty-six Salesian themes in a graded manner, so as to engage the Communities/Apostolic Communities in reflection, discussion and concrete follow-up programmes and evaluations Nine developed themes for the year July 2002-June 2003 were to be printed in booklet form to be distributed to the confreres by May 2002.

We were also asked to propose a Timetable for the Monthly Recollection. We considered it necessary that confreres take the trouble to spend an evening and half the next day for a fruitful Monthly Recollection in order to make a serious study and have a deeper experience of Salesian Spirituality.

With best wishes