A Bit of History 1960s: Vatican Council II’s call for renewal among the Religious Orders prompts the SDB to look with new eyes on unity and communion in Don Bosco’s Family. 1960s: Vatican Council II’s call for renewal among the Religious Orders prompts the SDB to look with new eyes on unity and communion in Don Bosco’s Family. 1972: The idea of the «Salesian Family» as we know it today is first proposed at the SDB Special General Chapter XX. 1972: The idea of the «Salesian Family» as we know it today is first proposed at the SDB Special General Chapter XX. 1973: The First «Salesian Family Spirituality Week (Days)» is held. Their focus: common points of a Salesian vocation. 1973: The First «Salesian Family Spirituality Week (Days)» is held. Their focus: common points of a Salesian vocation. 1978: The Rector Major, Don Egidio Viganò, writes «Mary Renews Don Bosco’s Salesian Family». 1978: The Rector Major, Don Egidio Viganò, writes «Mary Renews Don Bosco’s Salesian Family». 1980: Don Viganò calls for a «Gathering to Study the Animation of the Salesian Family». 1980: Don Viganò calls for a «Gathering to Study the Animation of the Salesian Family».

1982: A Symposium on the Salesian Family is held to examine its history and charism. 1982: A Symposium on the Salesian Family is held to examine its history and charism. 1982: Don Viganò calls the Local SDB Community to be the «animator of all the local Salesian Family». 1982: Don Viganò calls the Local SDB Community to be the «animator of all the local Salesian Family». 1995: Don Viganò writes «The Common Identity Card» which calls for the establishment, in Article 37, of a Salesian Family Provincial Consulta. 1995: Don Viganò writes «The Common Identity Card» which calls for the establishment, in Article 37, of a Salesian Family Provincial Consulta. 1997: The Rector Major, Don Juan Vecchi writes «The Salesian Family is Twenty-Five Years Old». 1997: The Rector Major, Don Juan Vecchi writes «The Salesian Family is Twenty-Five Years Old». 2000: Don Vecchi writes «The Common Mission Statement». 2000: Don Vecchi writes «The Common Mission Statement». 2009: The Rector Major, Don Pascual Chavez, chooses as the topic of his Strenna «The Salesian Family, Yesterday and Today». 2009: The Rector Major, Don Pascual Chavez, chooses as the topic of his Strenna «The Salesian Family, Yesterday and Today».

2009: The Vicar of the Rector Major, Don Adriano Bregolin, writes «Some Indications for the Animation of the Salesian Family at the Provincial and Local Levels». 2009: The Vicar of the Rector Major, Don Adriano Bregolin, writes «Some Indications for the Animation of the Salesian Family at the Provincial and Local Levels». 2012: Don Chavez writes: «The Charter of the Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family» (The SF Charter). 2012: Don Chavez writes: «The Charter of the Charismatic Identity of the Salesian Family» (The SF Charter). 2014: SDB General Chapter XXVII calls for a «Secretariat for the Salesian Family». 2014: SDB General Chapter XXVII calls for a «Secretariat for the Salesian Family». 2014: The Rector Major, Don Angel Fernandez Artime puts out his first quarterly video message to his Confreres and to the «whole Salesian Family»: «Cari Confratelli». 2014: The Rector Major, Don Angel Fernandez Artime puts out his first quarterly video message to his Confreres and to the «whole Salesian Family»: «Cari Confratelli». 2015: The Secretariat for the Salesian Family is established, with Don Eusebio Muñoz as its Secretary General. 2015: The Secretariat for the Salesian Family is established, with Don Eusebio Muñoz as its Secretary General.

Today (2016) there are 30 Official Groups on Don Bosco’s Salesian Family Tree.

There needs to be organization and a solid structure put into place because, as Don Chavez put it: “without real communion there is the danger of a progressive impoverishment of the project of Don Bosco even to the extent of being unfaithful to it.” There needs to be organization and a solid structure put into place because, as Don Chavez put it: “without real communion there is the danger of a progressive impoverishment of the project of Don Bosco even to the extent of being unfaithful to it.”

Keeping the Family United: The Structure The Leaders/Delegates of the 30 Official Groups with the Rector Major The Leaders/Delegates of the Individual Communities and Groups present in a local area/region The Leaders/Delegates of the Groups of the Family present in the Province

It meets yearly in May to: Share the plans, projects, and experiences of each GroupShare the plans, projects, and experiences of each Group Plan events for the upcoming yearPlan events for the upcoming year Organize the Salesian Family Spiritual Days for the following yearOrganize the Salesian Family Spiritual Days for the following year Pic from 2013 Keeping the Family United: The World Consulta With all the Branches united under the Rector Major, unity and communion in diversity are safeguarded.

Rome, 2002: Don Bregolin: “The Salesian Family Consulta is a communion-building body created for the purpose of:  cultivating a sense of belonging to the Salesian Family  rediscovering together Don Bosco's charism and  reinforcing collaboration in view of the mission to the young in view of the mission to the young.” Keeping the Family United: The Provincial Salesian Family Consulta and the Local Commissions

The Purposes of the Salesian Family Consulta/Commission 1.FORMATION Create initiatives to study Don Bosco, his charism, his Family, and his spirituality: to know him, to deepen our awareness of who we are because of him, and to know what he would do if he were here today

The Purposes of the Salesian Family Consulta/Commission 2. COMMUNION Come to know the other Groups and their identity Establish rapports of reciprocal trust and collaboration with the Bishops and other bodies in the Church Universal, harmonizing our forces, out of an increased sensus Ecclesiae

The Purposes of the Salesian Family Consulta/Commission 3. CELEBRATION & ANIMATION Organize common events and celebrations that help us live and enjoy being Salesian Family in the Church & seek to spread Salesian Spirituality where we live

The Purposes of the Salesian Family Consulta/Commission 4. COLLABORATION Study the pastoral challenges of the Local Church, seeking out poor and abandoned youth to reach out to them in a united, Salesian way Da mihi animas; cetera tolle!

Rome, April 2014, the Chapter Members call for the creation of a «Secretariat for the Salesian Family» which will be directly responsible to the Rector Major, and not his Vicar.

Members of the First Segretariato SECRETARY GENERAL Don Eusbio Muñoz Ruiz ADMACOOPERATORS SALESIAN FAMILY PAST PUPILS DBV & CDB Don Pierluigi Cameroni Don Giuseppe Casti Sr. Maria Luisa Miranda, FMA Don F. José Pastor Ramirez Don Joan Luis Playà Morera increasing collaboration and shared responsibility for the Salesian Family between the FMA and the SDB

Bringing it home

The SF Groups of the Province of St. Philip the Apostle NY/NJ AND BOSTON WASHINGTON DC AREA TAMPA AREA SOUTH FLORIDA AREA NEW ORLEANS AREA MIDWESTERN AREA QUEBEC AND NEW BRUNSWICK ONTARIO EDMONTON and SURREY SDB SSCC SDB SDB SDB SDB SSCC SSCC SSCC SSCC SSCC FMA FMA FMA FMAFMADBV ADMA ADMA SDB EX.FMA FMA SDB DBV EX.FMA ADMA SSCC DBV EX.FMA SDB FMA ADMA SDB SSCC SSCC EX.SDB ADS CSMA CSMA CDB CSJCSMI

Keeping the Family United: Our Province’s Consulta and Its Goals 1.Create an annual “Master Calendar” and establish foundational initiatives for the Family-at-large 2.Foster development and growth of the Local Salesian Family Commissions 3.Encourage and provide help to local Commissions in their endeavors to aid the Family to grow and to collaborate as effective, visible, incisive witnesses to Christ in Don Bosco’s way 4.Be a source of connection and communication between Rome and the Local Commissions and with each other 5.Keep the DonBoscoSalesianPortal website updated and useful to the Salesian Family of our Province

1. Recall to mind Don Bosco’s original vision of the Family 2. be aware of the alterations to this vision that have occurred over the years 3. study and pray to grow in this vision and act in harmony with it The way to move forward: Da mihi animas; cetera tolle!