Comment on the following phrases: Don Bosco founded three groups entrusted to him by God to do the mission for the young. The history of the larger Salesian family began not with the foundation of the order of the Salesian religious but rather with the Salesian cooperators. A small number of Salesian Cooperators are priests. The Cooperators are Lay Salesians. Cooperators and SDBs are twins. (Fr. Klement / Salesian Bulletin.) The ACS is not a mandated organization /movement of the church but Don Bosco established it for the church. For Don Bosco the local center of the ACS is pastoral charity.

Who are the Salesian Cooperators “You know that your Association is rooted in Don Bosco’s family and shares its work and privileges. Your aim is not only to help the Salesians. In your holy founder’s words. “ it is to help the church’.i.e., bishops and parish priests, under the supervision of the Salesians, with good works, with teaching of religion, with instruction of poor children and so on and on. ”(extracts from Pope Pius XII, Sept. 13, 1952, 75 th anniversary of the ACS).

The Carrying Out of the Salesian Work (page 125, Renewal of Our Salesian life by Joseph Aubrey, SDB) What did Don Bosco want of his women Cooperators within the framework of the Salesian Apostolate? First of all, evidently, he wanted help from them for his own work. He wanted material and educational assistance in accordance with the pattern established by Mamma Margaret. He especially wanted and needed economic assistance in order to pay for food, clothing, books the lands he purchased, the interminable construction work (churches, etc., the journeys of the missionaries he sent out).

Christian Education within their own families. Care for poor boys and poor girls, abandoned and endangered in their hometown and neighborhoods. Search for priestly and religious vocations. Help for the parish priests, especially teaching catechism and feastdays. Dissemination of good Catholic reading, particularly Catholic Readings.

Father Albera wrote: “The association is in the hands of the rector. It is up to him to make it grow and propagate, to make it possible its bearing of abundant fruit.”

The AGC XXI On the provincial and local levels, provincials and rectors should make every effort to restore to their communities the character of a center of animation for spiritual and apostolic movements.(Cooperators and Past Pupils.)

World Council Rector Major Region East-Asia Oceania FIS Province / Provincial (Provincial Council) Region The center is linked to the provincial Council (Provincial ) and to the World Council (Rector Major)

How far should exchange and sharing be carried in a center? 1. Sharing of material goods Sharing of gifts and talents Sharing expenses Division of tasks Rector is Spiritual director and promoter

The purpose of every center is to become a center of pastoral charity following the school of St. John Bosco. A center lives for the mission towards poor abandoned youth and the working classes. Local Center Save souls of members Save the souls of the poor youth and working classes.

Sharing of Spiritual goods. Local council Word of God Church Doctrines Salesian Lessons Pilgrimage/ outings Common Prayers Plans /Projects for Apostolate

Autonomous but not detached. Taking an educational project on our own Making ourselves qualified to give formation Not dependently but in communion Setting up works proper to us

Local coordinator Secretary / Socom Vocation councillor Formation councillor Youth Councillor economerVice Delegate/ Rector The Local Council:

Provincial Council Lawaan Center Lourdes Center Pasil Center DBTC Center Victorias Center Mati Center FIS Organizational Structure of the ACS