Seminar on Meditation – Tentative Scheme
LETTERA DEL CONSIGLIERE GENERALE PER LA FORMAZIONE,
DON IVO COELHO, AGLI ISPETTORI E DELEGATI DI FORMAZIONE
ALLA CONCLUSIONE DEL SEMINARIO
2018.05.13 COELHO ENG Letter seminary on meditation
2018.05.13 COELHO ITA Lettera seminario sulla meditazione
Constitutions 93
“We can form praying communities only if individually we become men of prayer. Each one needs to express his own personal and heartfelt way of being a son of God, expressing his gratitude, telling him about his yearnings and his concerns in the apostolate.
For us mental prayer is essential. It strengthens our intimate union with God, saves us from routine, keeps our heart free and fosters our dedication to others. For Don Bosco it is a guarantee of joyous perseverance in our vocation”
Regulations 71
“Every day the members will spend in common at least half an hour for meditation and some time in spiritual reading. It is for the local community to devise different ways in which this can be done and encourage the confreres in the fulfilment of this duty”
Dates: Thursday 10 May, Friday 11 May, Saturday 12 May till lunch
Venue: San Callisto Community (Catacombs), Rome
Objective: To clarify the place and role of meditation in Salesian life and tradition and offer help and guidelines to grow in the practice of mediation.
Number of Participants: about 10.
MATERIALE PREVIO AL INCONTRO
- Meditation Seminar – Programme ENG
- Seminario Meditazione – Programma ITA
- Liturgia vespri
- Proposte meditazione
- DISCORSO DEL SANTO PADRE FRANCESCO
- Buonanotte su meditazione e APS
Six Moments of the Seminar
1. Sharing of Personal Experience (the Lived Reality):
Each one of the participants comes prepared with a short write-up (Maximum two pages) on his personal experience of meditation focussing on:
- How you were initiated into the half an hour of daily meditation in common (Reg 71).
- How you meditate? What you do during the half an hour of daily meditation in common?
- What is the impact of the daily meditation on your life and apostolate?
- What are the challenges/difficulties you face in meditation?
2. Salesian Tradition – Input by Experts/Experienced Persons on the Basics and Methods of Meditation in Salesian Tradition [45 minutes of input and 45 minutes of discussion] (the Ideal):
- Eunan McDonnell – Input focussing on these two questions: i) From your knowledge of the teachings and spirituality of Francis the Sales, what would you consider as the fundamental elements of meditation? ii) What are the things a formee should pay attention to in order to make fruitful meditation?
- AFFAIRS OF THE HEART – Learning to pray heart to heart
- MEDITATING IN THE SALESIAN WAY WITH FRANCIS DE SALES
- MEDITATION A SALESIAN UNDERSTANDING
- Giuseppe Buccellato – Input focussing on these two questions: i) Main elements of meditation in the practice and teachings of Don Bosco; ii) Elements of Salesian meditation that have to be safeguarded as Salesians adapt methods of meditation more attuned to today’s culture and sensibility.
- DON BOSCO E SANT_IGNAZIO DI LOYOLA
- DIZIONARIO DEI MISTICI della LEV – Voce Giovanni Bosco
- DON BOSCO E SANT’IGNAZIO
- Il progetto personale di vita di don giovanni bonetti
- LA MEDITAZIONE ALLE ORIGINI DELLA SOCIETA’ DI SAN FRANCESCO DI SALES
- La meditazione nel Vade Mecum di Don Barberis
- La meditazione nella tradizione salesiana delle origini – QUADERNI BARBERIS
- LETTERA DI SAN VINCENZO
- SCHEMA GENERALE – DON BOSCO – L’INFLUSSO DI ALCUNI SANTI
- Giuseppe Mariano Roggia – Input focussing on these two questions: i) Based on your experience of teaching meditation and guiding people to meditation what would you consider as the fundamental elements of meditation within the ordinary life of the Salesian communities. ii) Which are some of the common pitfalls in the practise of meditation, and what lacuna/lack in our formation process could be their root cause?
- Xavier Blanco – Input focussing on these two questions: i) Based on the Renewal movements taking place in Spain and the renewed interest in the contemplative way, what according to you are the principal elements of meditation? ii) What are some of the tips you could offer to help Salesians to make fruitful meditation?
3. Meditative Visit to the Catacombs
A guided meditative visit of the Catacombs …. prayerful walking of the path of the pilgrims.
4. Diagnosis – Brainstorming
- What makes many Salesians to be disinterested or give up meditation, even at the early stages of initial formation?
- Is there a specifically “Salesian/Bosconian” method of meditation?
- Are there methods of meditation more attuned to Salesian Spirituality? If so, which are they?
- Findings/insights from the APS responses.
5. Steps to Improve Meditation – Brainstorming
- What can be done in order to re-kindle esteem and love for meditation among Salesians in initial and ongoing formation?
- What steps can be used to initiate the formees into the “Salesian” style of meditation?
- Salesian meditation among/and the many types of meditations (Lectio divina, Centering prayer, Jesus Prayer….).
- Findings/insights from the APS responses.
6. On the Way to Offering Orientations and Guidelines
- Gathering the fruits of our sharing so far.
- Are we in a position to offer at least some preliminary (first set) guidelines or do we need to wait?
- Next steps to be taken.
MATERIALI SULLA MEDITAZIONE
- QSS 2 sett 1985 Meditazione una forma indispesabile di preghiera
- QSS 3 giugno 1986 Meditazione momento forte di dialogo interiore
Tentative Timetable
10th May, Thursday
06.30 – Morning Prayer
Meditation
Mass
07.40 – Breakfast
09.00 – Inauguration
Session 1 (Sharing of personal experience)
10.30 – Coffee
11.00 – Session 2 (Sharing of personal experience)
12.30 -Lunch
02.30 – Session 3 Input by Giuseppe Mariano Roggia
04.00 – Tea
05.15 – Session 4 Input by Giuseppe Buccellato
06.45 – Break
06.55 – Evening Prayer
Good Night
07.25 – Supper
11th May, Friday
06.30 – Morning Prayer
Meditation
Mass
07.40 – Breakfast
09.00 – Session 1 Input by Eunan McDonnell
10.30 – Coffee
11.00 – Session 2 Input by Xavier Blanco
12.30 – Lunch
02.30 – Session 3 Meditative visit to the Catacombs / Personal synthesis and integration of sharings done so far (Personal work)
04.30 – Tea
05.15 – Session 4 Diagnosis – Brainstorming (5.15 to 6.00 pm)
Steps to Improve Meditation – Brainstorming (6.00 to 6.45 pm)
06.45 – Break
06.55 – Evening Prayer, Good Night
07.25 – Supper
12th May, Saturday
06.30 – Morning Prayer
Meditation
Mass
07.40 – Breakfast
09.00 – Session 1 Gathering the Fruits
Towards some preliminary guidelines
10.30 – Coffee
11.00 – Preliminary Guidelines
Conclusion
12.30 – Lunch
Departure
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