Like Don Bosco, a priest as an educator is always available to the youths. He happily understands and finds them where they are, represents them well, addresses them sympathetically, attractively, joyfully, optimistically and listens to their personal life stories. Don Bosco aimed at promoting the lives and dignity of the youths especially the poor and the marginalized, in their cultural and political situation. Among the youths, he revealed the spiritual richness of the ministerial aspects of preaching, confession, celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments. He was a priest at the altar, at the confessional, among the young, and in all other places. He was an integral, free, modern and social priest who was not just limited to a specified role of service; he acted more than the diocesan priestly role. His choice for the apostolate was directed to the youths who were rejected and on the Streets, and not only those who were already established and confined in the parish, in a family, institute...He opened them to the discovery of their fullness of a new life.
In the paternal aspect, Don Bosco experienced that priesthood is a font of a continuous nourishment from which there flows a spontaneous and natural approach to the choice and encounter with the youth , in their active and uncertain moments of life. In the SDB C20. Don Bosco hands over the Gospel way in the Salesian style, of totally donating oneself by working together with and through the young for the salvation.
In expressing the Salesian paternity, Don Bosco, challenges Salesians to cultivate the gesture of goodness, kindness, reassurance and encouragement to the youths. He used to say that among the youths, he feels comfortable. The Preventive System permeates our approach to God, our personal relationships, and our manner of living in community through the exercise of charity, which knows how to make itself loved. A good education is inspired to the faith, obedience to the superiors, friendly, and takes the motivation from the Gospel. Don Vigano would say that good citizens because they are good Christians.
The priesthood ministry of the Word is expressed in the capacity to speak to the hearts of each individual youth on aspects about life, growth and proper vision. Don Bosco made the youths feel important. From this feeling, he won their hearts by his proposal of the Gospel to them, in a simple, understandable and interesting manner. The manifestations of the Word is also in the goodnight talk, and in the community that celebrates daily life with the youth at heart. Don Bosco educates in and with the priestly ministry of sanctification, through a renewed reconciliation, an illumination of the conscience and a progressive daily conversion. The grace of the priestly ministry of the guide orients the Christian community towards faith, hope and love, hence explaining God’s presence among men as signs and instruments of salvation. Don Bosco’s paternity as an educator is expressed in a family, where by the father (Rector) and the elder brothers (assistants), all feel at home, animated by the umbrella of the presence of God, Father. A family is an educative ambient, that is composed of familiarity, interest, co-responsibility, enthusiasm, joy of living together, inner peace, hope of the future, care of the spiritual life and goodness.
Wanjala Moses, 2nd January, 2008.
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