By Lisandro Albor Jr.
The 2024 Provincial Chapter occurred from June 17-21 at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, CA. A Provincial Chapter is a significant event where selected members of the province come together in a fraternal way to discern the direction of the province. The purpose of this Provincial Chapter was particularly to prepare for the General Chapter, addressing important themes and making decisions that will guide the province’s future. This year, the event brought together 40 attendees, including 21 elected delegates, 7 young Salesians in formation, 2 FMA sisters, 8 lay representatives, and 2 youth representatives. At the chapter’s conclusion, a delegate and a substitute were chosen to attend General Chapter 29 in February 2025, where they will participate in the election of the next Rector Major.
The theme, “Passionate for Jesus Christ, Dedicated to the Young,” was divided into three core areas. Committees were formed to gather and organize data from the whole province. They categorized the information into listening, interpreting, and choosing segments. After thorough analysis, these committees made strategic choices to guide our province’s future. The members of the Chapter reviewed these strategies and ratified them through a voting process, ensuring that the decisions were collectively agreed upon and reflected the views of the entire Chapter.
The first core area, “Animation and Care of the True Life of Each Salesian,” focuses on nurturing the authentic Salesian life rooted deeply in Jesus Christ. This means committing to daily Eucharistic celebrations, shared spiritual practices, and caring for fellow confreres, especially the elderly and sick. Despite challenges like diverse cultural backgrounds and spiritual inconsistencies, the Salesian community remains dedicated to fostering unity and mission effectiveness. Efforts are directed towards renewing both personal and communal spiritual practices, improving interpersonal skills, and resolving conflicts to strengthen their fraternity. These measures aim to ensure that each Salesian lives out their vocation with renewed energy and a unified sense of purpose, ultimately enriching the whole province.
The second core area, “Salesians, Salesian Family, and Lay People Together ‘With’ and ‘For’ Young People,” emphasizes enhancing collaboration across the Salesian Family. This area promotes shared leadership, bringing Salesians and lay members together in school governance, youth club administration, parish finance councils, and other significant roles to foster a deep sense of community and shared purpose. Despite some effective collaborations, challenges persist, such as fully integrating youth into decision-making processes and addressing the inadequate leadership preparedness due to lay collaborators’ evolving competence. We are working towards more precise job descriptions, better communication, and more inclusive leadership structures. Efforts are also geared towards developing a shared formation program to ensure all members—Salesians and laypeople alike—can contribute effectively to the mission. All these efforts aim to create a more cohesive and lively way to engage young people, boosting the impact and relevance of our Salesian mission.
The third core area, “A Courageous Review and Re-planning of the Governance of the Congregation at all Levels,” focuses on reshaping how leadership roles are handed out in the Salesian Society. This initiative is to pump new life into our community dynamics to keep things sustainable and lively despite the usual hang-ups like needing more hands on deck or resources. An essential move in this plan is clearly separating who handles the spiritual and financial responsibilities, especially to help out communities with older members who might be struggling.
A notable shift in this core area is the promotion of greater integration of laypeople and coadjutor brothers into leadership positions typically held by Salesian priests. This switch aims to let SDBs zero in on their spiritual duties. However, there’s a fair bit of hesitance, especially about putting coadjutor brothers in leadership positions typically held by clergy. There appears to be a preference for maintaining traditional clerical approaches despite a considerable push towards more inclusive practices that align with Don Bosco’s vision of openness and inclusivity.
Following the approval of the second version of the Standards & Benchmarks for Salesian Secondary Schools, a vote was held to select the delegate who will accompany Fr. Melchor Trinidad, SDB (Provincial of SUO Province), and Br. John Thomas Mass (Economer of SUO Province) to the General Chapter 29. Congratulations to Fr. Kristian Laygo, SDB, on his election as delegate and to Fr. Fabian Cardenas, SDB, who will serve as his substitute.
As we move forward, let’s keep channeling St. John Bosco’s passion for helping young people grow and learn. His dream of a supportive and welcoming community is what we’re all about. We’ve got to live out this mission in everything we do—from big decisions right down to how we interact every day. By building a culture that’s all about support and understanding, we’re ensuring everyone feels like they belong, no matter their background. This isn’t just about keeping true to our roots; it’s about bringing real energy to our mission and making a difference in the lives of those around us.
