The letter clearly reveals Pope Francis’ concern for the young, especially the poorest. This letter is an invitation to all of us, sons of Don Bosco, to make what the Pope continually called a “Valdocco Option”.
The “Valdocco Option”, Pope Francis is referring to, is not simply a matter of past memories of history or simply a choice of convenience since the Pisana 1111 is no more, but rather a genuine return to the source of the charism. It is an invitation to revive and to live faithfully (and today) the gift of our charism we have received from Don Bosco. Immediately we distinguish two fidelities: Repetitive fidelity and Creative fidelity. Repetitive fidelity is the abandoning/closing, rebuilding or re-adapting houses or activities; or adapting to the culture of fashion or taking refuge in a heroic but already disembodied past. While creative fidelity means reinterpreting Don Bosco’s spirit in the renewed context, in which we live and work. This distinction makes us differentiate two expressions: “mission of the Church” and “pastoral care of the Church” Whilst “Mission of the Church” is always the same for all ages and for all territories, “Pastoral care of the Church” is always different in every time and in the diversity of contexts. Don Bosco’s mission is certainly our mission – “to be signs and bearers of God’s love for the young” To avoid a dualistic approach between the two polarities we need to continuously and faithfully return to this Homemission through the process of discernment. This process revokes what Pope Francis calls “a double docility”: at one time docility to the young and their needs and at the same time docility to the Spirit and to all that He wants to transform.
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