RECOLLECTIONS WITH St. FRANCIS DE SALES       JULY 2004 - APRIL 2005

 

 

A Word from the Commission

 

March 25, 2004

 

Dear Confreres,

 

With great joy we place in your hands a third set of developed themes for the year July 2004 - June 2005. The purpose of the Salesian Monthly Recollections of our Communities/Apostolic Communities, as indicated by Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, our Superior General, in his letter of 27th November 2001, is to motivate us to live in a more vibrant and witnessing way our Salesian Vocation and Spirituality.

 

The present set of themes focuses our attention on PRAYER. Our presentation is centred on St. Francis de Sales' favourite maxim: "LIVE JESUS" (See his Dedicatory Prayer to the Introduction to the Devout Life). Prayer ensures that JESUS LIVES IN US (first three themes). By prayer we are TRANSFORMED INTO JESUS (next three themes). And prayer makes us RADIATE JESUS (last three themes). For a clearer understanding of this set of themes it is strongly recommended that each one reads carefully Books V, VI and VII of the Treatise on the Love of God.

 

We have kept in mind the request of Rev. Fr. Superior General that "the expansion of the themes should have indicators for practical living of the themes in our day to day life." Hence the personal questions which touch the heart and cause soul-searching reflections and answers. Some confreres have found real difficulty in sharing because the questions are too personal. So we are suggesting something for easier discussion.

 

Any personal question (PQ) can easily be turned to a general question (GQ) for discussion. For instance, a question from Recollection No. 1 of this set:

PQ: Do you experience a thirst or a longing for prayer? How do you respond to this thirst?

GQ: What is an experience of thirst or longing for prayer? How can one respond to it?

 

Questions from Recollection No.7

PQ: Are you aware of the various types of contemplation?

GQ: What are the various types of contemplation?

Or what are we to understand by contemplation?

 

PQ:  Do you experience any simplification in prayer?

GQ:  What is simplification in prayer? What are its consequences?

 

What is expected of us as a Congregation is so forcefully brought to our notice by Rev. Fr. Superior General, in his letter of 25th March 2002, introducing the first set of Salesian Recollections. The relevant extracts from the letter are given hereafter.

 

With every good wish,

 

Fr. Devasia Manalel,

Fr. Armind Nazareth,

and Fr. Antony Mookenthottam,

Fransalian Ashram

Uchgaon, Belgaum Dt,

Karnataka, India