Seminario sulla Meditazione

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

  1. Meditation Seminar – Programme ENG
  2. Seminario Meditazione – Programma ITA
  3. Liturgia vespri
  4. Proposte meditazione
  5. DISCORSO DEL SANTO PADRE FRANCESCO
  6. 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?
  1. AFFAIRS OF THE HEART – Learning to pray heart to heart
  2. MEDITATING IN THE SALESIAN WAY WITH FRANCIS DE SALES
  3. 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.
  1. DON BOSCO E SANT_IGNAZIO DI LOYOLA
  2. DIZIONARIO DEI MISTICI della LEV – Voce Giovanni Bosco
  3. DON BOSCO E SANT’IGNAZIO
  4. Il progetto personale di vita di don giovanni bonetti
  5. LA MEDITAZIONE ALLE ORIGINI DELLA SOCIETA’ DI SAN FRANCESCO DI SALES
  6. La meditazione nel Vade Mecum di Don Barberis
  7. La meditazione nella tradizione salesiana delle origini – QUADERNI BARBERIS
  8. LETTERA DI SAN VINCENZO
  9. 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?
  1. Una semplice esperienza
  • 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?

 

  1. TRES TESIS SOBRE LA IMPORTANCIA DE LA MEDITACIÓN CRISTIANA (Xabi Blanco).

 

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

  1. QSS 2 sett 1985 Meditazione una forma indispesabile di preghiera
  2. 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