Salesian collaborators of Don Bosco

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Johannes Bosco, 1887

The Association of Salesian Cooperators Don Bosco ( it. : Associazione Cooperatori Salesiani, ACS ; de. : Association of Salesian Cooperators, SMDB ) is a in 1841 by John Bosco founded (1815-1888) Spiritual Community in the Roman Catholic Church . It is an international association under papal law approved by the Pontifical Council for the Laity and is included in its register . The association consists of approximately 30,000 members in 58 countries around the world and is a member of the Salesian family .

history

Together with his mother Margareta Occhiena (1788–1856), Johannes Bosco founded a youth organization for poor and abandoned young people in Turin . Almost parallel to this, Don Bosco developed the idea of ​​including men and women in his work who agreed to the Salesian basic idea, but who did not want to be integrated into a religious community . With the expansion of the youth organization, Bosco continued to recognize the need to win laypeople as employees for his work. From the, first as "external Salesians" of the Society of St. Francis of Sales, a new branch gradually developed within the Salesian family. The rules and statutes established by Bosco were initially rejected by the Holy See . This prompted Don Bosco in 1850 to develop new rules, which were introduced by Pope Pius IX in 1876 . (1846–1878) was recognized and given the title "Pious Association of Salesian Co-workers". At that time the members saw themselves as a Third Order and worked in the spirit of Catholic Action . In a very short time, many employees and helpers had joined this association and supported the development of craft businesses, agricultural businesses, printing works, day and evening schools, homes, orphanages and mission stations . In 1895 the First International Congress of Salesian Workers was held. The current regulations were drawn up and approved in 1998.

Organization and expansion

The association is divided from bottom to top into local council - provincial council - regional conference - national conference and world council. The local employees gather in the “local centers” and form the so-called base, they are led by the “local council”. On the middle level, the local centers are grouped into "provinces", these are based on the order provinces of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB). There is one province each in Germany and Austria . The provinces are governed by a "provincial council". In countries with several provinces, the provincial councils form the “regional conferences” at the next higher level, which in turn are combined in a “national conference”. From the currently 12 regional conferences, 12 representatives are elected to the World Council, which includes another 5 delegates, who are sent by the Superior General of the Salesians Don Bosco, who presides over and chairs the World Council. The association currently has around 30,000 members who are spread over the following parts of the world : Africa with 6 countries, Asia with 8 countries, Europe with 18 countries, North America with 13 countries, Oceania with 2 countries and South America with 11 countries. The female and male members work in conjunction with the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Don Bosco Sisters (FMA). Some individual members support work in parishes or in families and continue to pursue their gainful occupation. The members are Catholic women and men who want to work on Don Bosco's mission in their own area of ​​life and who are committed to it.

The official publication is the bimonthly “Salesiani Cooperatore” magazine, it appears in four languages. In Germany, the newsletter “SMDB on the go” appears three times a year.

Self-image

The top priority of the members is loyalty and spirituality to St. Don Bosco, who in turn is based on the spirit of the “patron saint” of the Salesians, Francis de Sales (1567–1622), and is expressed in apostolic spirituality. The preference and care of children and young people characterize the practical work of the staff, they lead a simple and lively life, which manifests itself in personal prayer , the celebration of the Eucharist and participation in the spiritual exercises . The main task is the education and evangelization of young people, with the fundamentals of Salesian educational methods in the foreground.

The logo of the World Council consists of a hexagon , in the middle, framed in a circle , the portrait of Don Bosco is incorporated and above it are the words: "DA MIHI ANIMAS" (de .: Give me souls) in a semicircle. This motto forms the first part of the motto of Don Bosco and the Salesians of Don Bosco, the complete motto is: “DA MIHI ANIMAS, CETARA TOLLE” (Free translation: “Give me souls, take everything else!”), Which is also used for the song of the youth work was used.

From the union, the Portuguese Alexandrina Maria da Costa (1904–1955 ) was beatified on April 25, 2004 by Pope John Paul II (1978–2005) .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Dtv Dictionary of Church History - online, Salesianer [5] Archived copy ( memento from September 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on June 26, 2014
  2. ↑ Currently Don Ángel Fernández Artime
  3. ↑ The Salesian coat of arms [1]
  4. ↑ See also Salesians Don Bosco's # coat of arms and logo of the religious order
  5. ^ "Da mihi animas cetera great" [ Archived copy ( Memento from September 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive )]. Based on the book of Genesis 14.21 EU : The king of Sodom said to Abram: Give me back the people who keep the goods!
  6. ↑ Da Mihi Animas - Don Bosco Song - Don Bosco 200th [2]