Strenna 2024 in PDF format. It can be used for animation in the Salesian Family...

1. By Salmi Medina (Paraguayan)

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5. एक सपना जो तुमको सपना देखाता है
एक िदल जो ‘भे
िड़य ’ को ‘मे
मन ’ म बदल दे
ता है

8. The video on the strenna highlights
different situations: youth -prisoners
of illusions.
It suggests educational possibilities to
make them free in order to fulfill
God’s dream for each …
“We are all there in the
dream; the dream still
continues through us”
The dream at 9 years, takes us back to our
vocational choice, begun by our “encounter
with Don Bosco.” (Mother Chiara Cazzuola)
Strenna “brings us back to the heart of the Salesian
mission, but also of our vocation.”

9. Strenna to FMA on 27 Dec, 23, Rome
• explains the choice to retrace what
the previous Rectors Major wrote
on the dream at 9 years,
• to rediscover the richness of their
reflections.
• “At the heart of the dream are the
children; there is a Teacher, Mary. The
dream is a masterpiece of vocational
proposal,”
• a Cardinal, RM at the end of his
service, expresses the intent that
guided him, “Today, after ten years, I
finish the Strenna with 12 very
concrete points, with pastoral and
educational proposals.”

10. 10
Symbolic events in the Memoirs of DB
 Dream at age 9/10 : (Real Memoirs of Oratory, 1 decade)
– Anticipates meanings, strategies, structures;
– Offers the outline for rhetorical organisation of the Memoirs according to the
author’s intentions
–
–
 Encounter with Bartholomew Garelli:
chronological and symbolic centre of the
MO (2 decade, ch. 12)
 The orphan lad from Valsesia (3rd
decade, ch. 7)
Concludes the narrative span already
prefigured in the dream at 9 years of
age…

11. A Human Being narrates
A Human Being narrates
A Human Being narrates
A Human Being narrates …
…
…
….
.
.
.(detailed, dramatic)
(detailed, dramatic)
(detailed, dramatic)
(detailed, dramatic)
• All my life this remained deeply impressed on my mind. In this dream, I
seemed to be near my home in a fairly large yard. A crowd of children were
playing there. Some were laughing, some were playing games, and quite a
few were swearing. When I heard these evil words, I jumped immediately
amongst them and tried to stop them by using my words and my fists.
• At that moment a dignified man appeared, a nobly dressed adult. He wore
a white cloak, and his face shone so that I could not look directly at him.
He called me by name, told me to take charge of these children, and added
these words: "You will have to win these friends of yours not by
blows but by gentleness and love. Start right away to teach
them the ugliness of sin and the value of virtue."
• Confused and frightened, I replied that I was a poor, ignorant child. I was
unable to talk to those youngsters about religion. At that moment the kids
stopped their fighting, shouting, and swearing; they gathered around the
man who was speaking.

12. The dream at Nine/Ten
The dream at Nine/Ten
The dream at Nine/Ten
The dream at Nine/Ten…
…
…
… DB tells the story
DB tells the story
DB tells the story
DB tells the story
Hardly knowing what I was saying, I asked, "Who are you, ordering me to do
the impossible?"
"Precisely because it seems impossible to you, you must make it
possible through obedience and the acquisition of knowledge."
"Where, by what means, can I acquire knowledge?"
"I will give you a teacher. Under her guidance, you can become
wise. Without her, all wisdom is foolishness."
"But who are you that speak so?"
"I am the son of the woman whom your mother has taught you
to greet three times a day."
"My mother tells me not to mix with people I don't know unless I have her
permission. So, tell me your name."
"Ask my mother what my name is."

13. The dream at age Ten
The dream at age Ten
The dream at age Ten
The dream at age Ten… “
… “
… “
… “Field of Work
Field of Work
Field of Work
Field of Work”
”
”
”
• At that moment, I saw a lady of stately appearance standing beside him.
She was wearing a mantle that sparkled all over as though covered with
bright stars. Seeing from my questions and answers that I was more
confused than ever, she beckoned me to approach her. She took me kindly
by the hand and said, "Look." Glancing round, I realised that the
youngsters had all apparently run away. A large number of goats, dogs,
cats, bears, and other animals had taken their place.
• "This is the field of your work. Make yourself humble, strong,
and energetic. And what you will see happening to these
animals in a moment is what you must do for my children."
• I looked around again, and where before I had seen wild animals, I now
saw gentle lambs. They were all jumping and bleating as if to welcome that
man and lady. At that point, still dreaming, I began crying. I begged the
lady to speak so that I could understand her because I did not know what
all this could mean. She then placed her hand on my head and said, "In
good time you will understand everything."

14. Elaborates in five points:
1. “I had a Dream”: A very special dream
2. A Dream, to which all the Rectors Major have
referred….
3. The Prophetic Dream: a precious jewel in the
charism of Don Bosco’s Family
4. Dream that makes us dream (How to translate Don
Bosco’s dream into reality 200 years later – 12
concrete proposals)
5. From the dream at 9/10, to the Altar of Tears (1824-
1887)
Study and explore the Memoirs of
the Oratory and the dream at 9
years of age….

15. 1. Looking at the dream – as believers, as
sons and daughters, as disciples
2. Young people, key characters of the
dream; an “Oratorian mission”
3. Clear Vocation call
4. Mary will forever mark Don Bosco’s life
feminine-maternal-Marian dimension
5. Docile to the Spirit, trusting in Providence;
read, discern, act with creative fidelity.
6. ‘Not by blows’ : with kindness, patience,
fighting physical, psycho, emotional,
economic, social and cyber violences
7. The Lady: Teacher and Mother – look, learn
and be patient
3.Prophetic
Dream
explained

16. Dream that left indelible mark on Don Bosco.
He fully understood only at the end of his life.
3 fundamental dreams with elements of
continuity….
1. 1824 (at the Becchi),
2. 1844 (at the Convitto, the Church’s pastoral centre)
3. 1845 (when working with the Marchioness Barolo),
Don Bosco told Fr Barberis about it in 1875: Salesian
Congregation (18 Dec 1859), Archconfraternity of MHC (18 April
1869), Institute of the Daughters of MHC (5 Aug 1872), Pious
Society of Salesian Cooperators (9 May 1876).
It re-occurred several
times…..
“The Lord sent me to look after
boys, therefore I must cut down on
other work and keep myself fit for
them”,

17. We will have to “face the wolves” that seek
to devour the flock
• Present day reality: indifference, ethical
relativism, consumerism that destroys
the value of things and experiences,
false ideologies…
• ‘not by blows’ of the dream
challenges us and makes it more
necessary…
1.Look: see, observe, listen, reflect,
2.Learn: be humble, simple, strong,
energetic,
3.Be Patient: give time, let God be God

18. From wolves to sheep, then to shepherds
• In Don Bosco’s dream, this transformation
seemed quite simple, but then reality turned
out to be more difficult.
• My personal transformation and my mission…
1.First, you have to change yourself
2.Find a travel companion
3.Keep your eyes and heart open
4.Be authentic, sincere
5.It's hard to be a shepherd/pastor

19. Dream makes us dream and think about
who we are and for whom we work:
1. Become a space of respectful relationships, that helps to
growin a healthy way; “not enough to have structures” (Francis
Pope),
2. God's plan for Don Bosco (dreams). So, no choice for Don
Bosco was trivial. Vocation: a choice, a path, a life program. Be
uncomfortable and experience the pain, weariness and fatigue
of families and young people struggling to survive with dignity.
Not be “indifferent spectators”.
3. God has a dream for each of us, for each of our young
people regardless of what we are: encounter between these
two dreams: ours and God’s.
4. Dreaming means projecting oneself, having an ideal, a
meaning in life: develop it, achieve it,

20. Dream makes us dream and think about
who we are and for whom we work:
5. God achieves great things with “simple tools” and speaks to us in
many ways…..: to listen to their hearts, to decipher their inner
movements, to give voice to what is stirring within themand within
us, to recognize which signs or “dreams” reveal
6. “The trials and frailties of young people help us to be better, their
questions/criticism challenge us, and their doubts cause us to
reflect on the quality of our faith, with understanding and affection .
Salesian education and evangelisation have the power to achieve
them.
7. To live humanly is to “become”, it is to realize oneself: let youth
encounter in you trained professionals, true educators, brothers,
sisters, friends, fathers and mothers.
8. DB a “Street Priest”, dreamer of the future: immerse in the lives
of young people, amid hardships and uncertainties; accompany
them in discovering/exploring their dream that God has for each,
and support themin their journey;

21. Dream makes us dream and think about
who we are and for whom we work:
9. In each house, offer opportunities (faith education) for encounter
with God/Jesus, starting fromtheir own faith and ideals.
10. Each work must aim at the poorest and most needy youth inspired
by preventive love. Houses be filled with that “smell of sheep”…
11. In all our vocational proposals, help young people, to discover what
God expects of them, to have ideals, to give their best, to desire to live
life as gift of self. Choosing, dreaming, deciding involve taking
responsibility of the consequences: anxiety, discomfort and even fear.
These are warded off with strength and humility, knowing one’s
limitations.
12. Make young people fall in love with Mary - Mother and Teacher. We
need others to build ourselves and our dream. Mary shines out for
being a mother and carer of the Salesians.

22. Questions for Discussion
1.
1.
1.
1. What
What
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is
is
is the
the
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significance
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Salesian
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as
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as a
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2.
2.
2.
2. Propose
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3
3
3 concrete
concrete
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concrete ideas
ideas
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to
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3.
3.
3.
3. What
What
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are
are
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your
your
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and
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and our
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?
?
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4.
4.
4.
4. What
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5.
5.
5.
5. How
How
How
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can
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such
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dreams?
dreams?
dreams? Give
Give
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3
3
3 concrete
concrete
concrete
concrete lines
lines
lines
lines
of
of
of
ofaction
action
action
action....

23. 6. In a world where aggression and violence
seem to win, how can we propose
gentleness, non-violence, and meekness as
values and lifestyles to make people more
human?
7. How to face the educational challenges
faced by an ephemeral that attracts young
people today ?
8. Gen-X Youth, need persons who are true
witnesses, who think and care for them. How
to fulfil this in our educational mission?
9. What is a “field” that has remained in your
heart after living in different communities in
the Province?
10. How to keep the Salesian Dream lit? Debate
and Discuss.
Questions for Discussion

24. Soroj Mullick sdb
It is time to go, to dream, to transform the
It is time to go, to dream, to transform the
It is time to go, to dream, to transform the
It is time to go, to dream, to transform the
world starting with the young.
world starting with the young.
world starting with the young.
world starting with the young.