A COMMENTARY ON DON BOSCO'S TALK ON THE IDENTITY OF THE
SALESIAN COADJUTOR BROTHER
(Acts of the General Council ,n.54 - Volume II pp. 888-909)
BY FR. JOSEPH VESPIGNANI
Councilor General for the Salesian Technical Professional and Agricultural
Schools.
INTRODUCTION:
Don Bosco prefaces his words with an encouragement addressed to a small group of candidates or
novices who happened to be artisans - 20 people at the most!
Don Bosco asks them not to be discouraged for being such a small number and prophetically he
assures them both at the very beginning of his talk and at the very end that their number will
increase This is exactly what happened :the prediction of Don Bosco came true.
Don Bosco's next move is that of mapping out the central theme of his talk, which is divided into
two parts as called for by the two ideas that he wanted to explain.
Part one: the idea, purpose, identity and special character of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother.
Part two: deals with the conditions or moral qualities or special virtues that a Salesian Coadjutor
Brother should possess to rightly respond to his vocation and such as to allow him to respond also
to the objectives of the Salesian Congregation and its mission.
PART ONE
1- WELL, NOW! YOU ARE GATHERED HERE TO LEARN A TRADE AND TRAIN
YOURSELVES IN RELIGION AND PIETY.
This first point explains why a novitiate had been created specifically for Coadjutor novices: to
prepare them and form them both spiritually and professionally. Why? Because they were going to
be the future heads of shops in the Salesian schools.
The novices needed to be first of all instructed in religion and piety for they form the basic
structure of religious life and the Coadjutor novices were going to be religious.
Then came the need of being professionally well trained in order to carry our professionally
whatever assignment they might have been given in the Salesian schools.
The spiritual and professional training referred to by Don Bosco is somehow a replica of the
spiritual and professional program followed by ancient religious orders such as the Benedictines,
who a thousand years earlier had occupied the very building where the Coadjutor Novices were
located.
The house of San Benigno Canavese was founded by St. William of Volpiano. The Benedictine
program carried out in that house was spelled out by those famous and classic words:
"Ora et Labora", "Prayer and work. "
Don Bosco was adapting those words or verbs to the needs of the times and to the spirit that had
been demanded by the Church.
Next to the two indispensable tools needed for a Coadjutor Brother namely Religion and Piety and
professional training, Don Bosco adds an explanation as for the reason why the Coadjutor novices
were there:
"Because I need helpers. There are some things priest and clerics cannot do and you will do them."
Clerics and priests were not enough for Don Bosco to carry out the Apostolate on behalf of the
poor and abandoned youth, entrusted by Divine Providence to the Salesians.
Clerics and priests were not enough for Don Bosco to get kids away from idleness and from the
dangers of the city streets; they were not enough to inspire kids to love work and pick up the habit
of working steadily. Don Bosco needed religious who were suited to work, suited to be heads of
shops, to be foremen: something that neither clerics nor priests were expected to be doing: that's
why Don Bosco needed Salesian Coadjutor Brothers!
At this point Don Bosco explains his idea about the identity of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother and
the way he does it is both wonderful and simple.
Don Bosco's word is fatherly, facile and convincing, and such as to be able to win over the wills
and affection of many youths.
It looks as though Don Bosco is repeating what the early Apostles told their early disciples, whose
number had increased a lot:
"Non est aequum nos derelinquere verbum Dei et ministrare mensis. "Considerate ergo, fratres,
viros ex vobis boni testimonii septem, plenos Spiritu Sancto et sapientia, quos constituamus super
hoc opus. Nos vero orationi et ministerio Verbi instantes erimus.."
"It would not be right for us to neglect the Word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must
select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation filled with the Holy Spirit and with
wisdom. We will hand over the duty to them and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the
service of the Word.” (Acts 6:2 and ff.)
Don Bosco's reasoning behind the creation of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother sounds exactly like
the reasoning of the Early Apostles.
Don Bosco had founded festive oratories, hospices, technical schools that needed other helpers
besides the priests and the clerics. Don Bosco needed new help to handle the upkeep and
management of a Salesian house and especially the training of youngsters in different arts and
crafts as well as in agriculture.
The election of the seven Deacons in the Early Church is somehow reflected in the creation of
the Salesian Coadjutor Brother by Don Bosco. The Early Church Deacons were not only taken up
with works of charity and with distributing the food to the Christian community; they also helped
the apostles in their apostolic ministry and in the formation of the catechumens.
Likewise Don Bosco wanted the Salesian Coadjutor Brother to work next to the altar and help the
priest especially in the ministry of the Word through the teaching of catechism.
2- "I NEED SHOP HEADS, HEAD MASTERS AND TEACHERS...”
Don Bosco repeats the words: "I need "four times and this explains his anxiety, his zeal and his
concern coming from a father's heart, at the sight
of youngsters victimized by idleness and abandoned to the pursuit of all kinds of vices.
"I need shop heads, head masters to handle technical and professional as well as agricultural
schools.... "
Don Bosco felt the need of opening shops or work outfits in order to keep so many poor,
abandoned and orphan youngsters from the dangers found in the city streets.
Among the shops most dear to Don Bosco and actually his number one priority was the print shop
and the book store connected with it.
Why? Because Don Bosco's apostolic work began by teaching catechism to children in the festive
oratories, but continued on especially through the medium of the press to advertise the church's
moral and religious teachings.
One of the many proofs that Don Bosco was concerned-about having the teaching of the church
known to all and especially the lower working classes was the printing of the Catholic Readings
which was done at the oratory as well as the printing of so many pamphlets all destined to instruct
youngsters and ward off errors.
Don Bosco had created his first hospice way back in 1847. He had gathered some poor abandoned
and orphan kids; he had sheltered them and had given them basic instruction.
Thirty years later Don Bosco had tried any and all possible means to have the boys of the hospice
learn some trade: he first found jobs for them in the city; he supervised them by keeping in contact
with their employers. The boys would work during the day and then get back to the hospice, the
Pinardi shed, at night.
Many of the boys were actually taught a trade or craft by Don Bosco himself - he taught them
how to be tailors, blacksmiths, shoemakers. Later on he relied on outside help but this was a hard
solution since he had to pay the instructors and money was not available. This was 1860.
The trials, difficulties and setbacks encountered by Don Bosco were countless. That is why Don
Bosco issued his anxiety filled lament and pleading:
"I need shop-heads, I need shop masters, I need people who belong to the house and who are really
my sons, religious, Salesians; I need people who are imbued with my own spirit, with the spirit of
piety, with a deep sense of morality, with charity; I need people who are concerned about working
for the Lord and for the salvation of souls!
This had been Don Bosco's dream from the very beginning of his oratory and hospice at
Valdocco. Don Bosco had actually visualized the existence of his own shops and agricultural
schools, foresaw that he would have had his own Salesians taking care of the shops and farm lands,
that he would have had people dedicated to helping the children of the poor classes.
Don Bosco's dream had always been that of having his very own shop heads, his own
headmasters, his own professional people to teach arts and crafts, to teach theory and its practical
application, to offer kids an opportunity to become skilled workers not only in order to help them
earn a decent living but also to help them become themselves shop heads always concerned about
having high Christian standards of honesty and morality in what they were doing, in the
environment of the working classes and generally within that society in which they lived.
This is exactly what Don Bosco was able to achieve in so many nations on behalf of countless
youngsters who had been trained in the Salesian professional, technical and agricultural schools.
And all this was accomplished through the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers who ran those
professional, technical and agricultural schools the world over.
We can imagine and almost hear the very words addressed by Don Bosco to the Coadjutor Novices
of San Benigno in 1883 , after so many trials, efforts and experiments after so much sighing, so
many sacrifices and for so many years:
"I need to be able to take one of you and send him to a print-shop and say
‘you take charge of it and make sure that all goes well.’
"Another I will send out into a bookstore and say: 'You run the place and make sure it works well. I
need someone I can send to a house and say to him: 'It will be your job to see to it that this
workshop or these work shops run in an orderly fashion and leave nothing to be desired. You will
make sure that the work turns out as it should."
I am sure those novices must have been inspired by Don Bosco's words who really needed
workers, shop-heads, head masters to direct his shops!
We have the impression of seeing them eager to respond to Don Bosco's words with generosity
and say: "Here I am. Send me wherever you wish!"
The above scene is something that is repeated also today in so many aspirantates, novitiates,
studentates, teacher training schools...!
Our Superiors are actually repeating the same exact words used by Don Bosco
"I need to take some of you and send him wherever he is most needed to save youngsters and
especially artisans! Let everyone be able to say loud and clear: Here we are! We are ready to go
wherever Don Bosco's voice is calling us!
3- "I NEED GOOD COADJUTOR BROTHERS FOR EVERY HOUSE OR SCHOOL. "
In the preceding paragraph we have seen that Don Bosco was focusing his attention on recruiting
Coadjutor Brothers and on seeing them run' print-shops and bookstores, on running other shops and
professional or technical schools.
Don Bosco was asking the recruited Coadjutor Brothers to perform their duty of running the shops
and disposing of everything with competence and in an appropriate manner.
However, the running of the shops and in general of Salesian undertakings needs more than a
number of shop-heads. Why?
The following is the reason: every Salesian technical, professional school has between four and
ten different shops according to the different arts and crafts being taught there. And every one of
these shops needs not only a shop-head but also an assistant shop-head or several assistant shop
heads.
And the reason is that the technical or professional program is divided into five grades and each
one of them needs an assistant shop head, who will be responsible for teaching not only the
theoretical part of the trade or craft but also for the teaching of its practical application.
That's why a shop head needs a lot of qualified assistants. However, Don Bosco now insists on the
fact that he not only needs shop-heads but also other Coadjutor Brothers who are to be entrusted
with delicate tasks, with the managing of money, Brothers dealing with disputes, Brothers acting as
representatives of the house before outsiders. This is another of the many features that characterize
the Salesian Coadjutor Brother.
A Coadjutor Brother is expected to be a qualified person since he is in charge of dealing with the
people who provide the materiel needed for the various shops; he is the one who is in charge of
handling all the tools and machines needed for the operation of as shop; he is the one in charge of
dealing with the clients of the shop, with those who entrust the shop with special jobs to be done.
Another Coadjutor Brother is needed to keep an eye on the hired working personnel,
indispensable for the running of several shops.
Coadjutor Brothers are needed to handle the payments for work done in the shop, the purchasing
of anything, the handling of the business books,the maintenance of the entire school.
All that we have just mentioned makes us understand why the Coadjutor Brother is really loaded
with a huge amount of great responsibilities, worries, concerns, and a needed attention to details.
And this is the reason why technical profession or agricultural schools need Coadjutor Brothers
who are good business people, good managers, namely people alert and qualified to take care of all
the details of a shop.
This also is the reason why Don Bosco through the mediation of his successors and of those who
are called upon to run Salesian undertakings and charitable projects raises his voice and pleads for
help as he invites youngsters endowed with good will to come, to be formed, to be trained and to be
turned into Salesian Coadjutor Brothers, people qualified to run his established ndertakings and to
turn little street urchins into good and skilled workers, beside turning them into good Christians and
upright citizens.
The following is the pleading Don Bosco has addressed to his directors: "I need someone in every
house who can handle responsible jobs, who can handle confidential matters, sensitive matters or
matters of great importance."
That pleading by Don Bosco keeps on being repeated loud and clear even today in every Salesian
hospice, in every Salesian professional, technical school, in every Salesian agricultural school:
"I need Salesian Coadjutor Brothers!"
This appeal by Don Bosco is felt and heard even more in the missions; for it is in the missions
that a Coadjutor Brother is not only the one who is a partner in a missionary exploratory expedition
the faithful helper of the priest, but he is the one who teaches catechism the one who acts as the real
god-father of the newly baptized the master and guide of the faithful the guardian angel of all the
newly baptized Christians.
When we look at and reflect upon Don Bosco's providential creation we are bound to stand in
awe! And I am sure we feel the same way when we look at whatever Don Bosco is asking of his
Coadjutor Brothers and at what he is asking that should be done for their formation and their
training in order to be qualified to run shops and any undertaking assigned to them.
I am also sure that we all praise and bless whatever the Coadjutor Brothers have been able to
accomplish in every Salesian house and in the missions! At the same time, besides listening to the
pleading and invitation uttered by Don Bosco as far as his need of a great number of Coadjutor
Brothers, imbued with his spirit, we should be concerned about making known how much
ourselves, our ouses, our undertakings are in need of good Coadjutor Brothers!
We should advertise and make this need known wherever there are workers who are good, who
follow Don Bosco's teachings and appear qualified to carry out what the Coadjutor Brother was
asked to carry out by Don Bosco himself.
4-"I NEED COADJUTOR BROTHERS WHO ARE THE HANDY-MEN TYPE CARING
FOR THE HOME. "
One of the features that characterizes the Salesian Coadjutor Brother created by Don Bosco has
always been his affection and attachment to the Salesian house, to the home of Don Bosco. The
house or home of Don Bosco was looked upon by the Coadjutor Brother as his own natural home.
This is the reason why traditionally a Coadjutor Brother always showed concern for whatever
belonged to his house, much like a son shows concern for all that is needed in his father's house.
The Coadjutor Brother took to heart the interests and concerns of the house he was living in; he
took care of the appurtenances of the house or of whatever had to do with the house.
There is no doubt that this feature, peculiar of the Early Sons of the Oratory of Valdocco, goes
back to Don Bosco's first house or hospice when he himself, together with his mother, handled and
managed everything.
Don Bosco was helped by his own pupils who behaved as though they lived in their own house,
who contributed to creating a family atmosphere, who displayed a family spirit seasoned with
willingness to communicate, to share both spiritual and material things.
This way of living at the early hospice of Don Bosco was always filled with warmth, filial love
and home like affection.
It was Don Bosco who then had asked the artisans to display that love and affection for the school
that was training them: it was their home!
It is now Don Bosco once again who is begging the Coadjutor Novices, the Coadjutor Brothers
and all those who intend to become Coadjutor Brothers to kindly help him discharge the duties that
relate to the running of a Salesian house.
Don Bosco is begging them to take charge of the house chores; of the house cleanliness, of its
orderliness, of its maintenance.
Don Bosco is begging to have some one in charge of the door keeper's quarters, of the laundry, of
the infirmary, of the kitchen, of the supply room and especially of the church and sacristy.
Don Bosco is now begging to have many Coadjutor Brothers take charge of all the various and
different assignments mentioned above and of many others that constantly come up, almost
everyday, in any Salesian House: he wants them willing, skilled, practical and above all endowed
with a good disposition and with a good spirit.
Don Bosco is begging for these Coadjutor Brothers to take care of a thousand and one
assignments, of Coadjutor Brothers who with diligence and love for all to see, make people realize
that they are in the house of God or in a religious house, in a Salesian house; that they are in a place
that is not run by hired and salaried people but by religiouspeople who love their own house, the
house of Don Bosco!
Even the pupils attending our schools will look upon these Coadjutor Brothers as their models as
far as minding their tasks or duties, as far as being orderly, besides taking good care of themselves,
and as far as keeping in top shape whatever belongs to them or to the house, like their rooms their
clothes their beds etc.
The school or hospice created by Don Bosco in 1847 at Valdocco was directed and managed, as
we said early on, by Don Bosco and his mother Margaret.
It was Mamma Margaret who acted as a real mother for those children or youngsters; she is the
one who formed the early Coadjutor Brothers and taught them how to keep all well organized in the
house; she is the one who made sure that those youngsters would display a real family spirit; she is
the one who made sure that their house would be almost like a replica of the house of Nazareth.
May God grant the houses of Don Bosco to enjoy the presence of such wonderful collaborators
who act like the angels of Divine Providence as they dedicate their life to purchase food stuff, to
cooking for the community, to minding anything that pertains to the house or school.
I am sure that the pupils who attend such schools will always find in them the models they need to
imitate in order to reach their salvation and the ones who show them how to grown physically and
spiritually as they should.
How gratefully and gladly do we hear repeated the very words of Don Bosco addressed to the
Coadjutor Novices of San Benigno Canavese: "I need a good door keeper, a good cook, a person
qualified to run the laundry, the infirmary, the sacristy, the supply room .I need someone to be
acting as purser, as an expert agent in buying and selling stuff. "
May the Lord inspire many people to respond to the concerned appeal of Don Bosco, especially
now when the need has turned out to be a pressing need, due to the expansion of the Salesians the
world over and in so many missions.
5-"I NEED COADJUTOR BROTHERS WHO ARE WELL PREPARED AND
TRUSTWORTHY SUCH AS TO BE ENTRUSTED WITH TASKS LOADED WITH
RESPONSIBILITY. "
Don Bosco has already spelled out what kind of personnel he needs to run the Salesian institutions
entrusted to his care and to aim at helping youth reach their salvation.
Now he sums up all the many needs he had visualized, into one specific, most important, most
pressing need that happens to be the main source of his so many concerns:
"I need people well prepared and trustworthy such as to be entrusted with tasks loaded with
responsibility." And this is the reason why Don Bosco had made such an appeal:
He needed Coadjutor Brothers for the new houses of formation, such as aspirantates, novitiates,
institutes set for higher professional and technical training as well as for agricultural know-how.
He needed Coadjutor Brothers well prepared morally and religiously, people endowed with
Christian virtues, with a Salesian spirit, people who were professionally and technically qualified in
whatever trade they intended to teach.
However, Don Bosco is not satisfied with having Coadjutor Brothers who are well prepared,
namely possessing the qualities mentioned above. He needs Coadjutor Brothers who are
trustworthy, people whom he can rely upon, people who are morally mature and humanly secure
people who can handle responsibility loaded assignments.Don Bosco focuses his attention on this
specific need of having trustworthy people with greater emphasis and very explicitly.
The houses of formation are the natural Locus where the Coadjutor Brothers can actually become
such reliable people. For it is in the houses of formation that they can be tested and be properly
directed to become and act as reliable and trustworthy people.
I am sure that you have noticed how prudent and delicate Don Bosco is when he practically says
that he does not want to entrust the task of dealing with confidential and delicate matters, to
strangers, to outside employees, even though more or less well known to him.
Don Bosco wants to entrust those jobs or tasks loaded with responsibility, those tasks dealing with
delicate and confidential matters only to 'well prepared and trustworthy people', namely to people
endowed with faith, to people who live a religious life, to people who are endowed with zeal and a
good conscience, to people who are professionally qualified and full of good will.
Don Bosco wants to entrust those delicate and confidential tasks to people who understand his
ideas, who are sharing his own spirit, who are committed to carry out the same mission that he
himself has been entrusted with by the Lord and with the same spirit of charity.
Don Bosco wants to empower his sons and carry out those assignments to his very Sons, well
prepared and trustworthy!
Then Don Bosco turning to his Coadjutor Novices he addresses them as an affectionate father and
a most loving teacher, when he tells them that they are the ones he has chosen to be his very own
trustworthy people, his trustworthy Coadjutor Brothers!
"You will be the ones I need!"
These last words actually may mean this:
"As soon as you will have properly and rightly completed your novitiate or
your advanced professional and technical training, I will come to see you and choose from among
you whoever is going to be shop-head, head master or assistant head master. And I will ask you to
run this or that print shop or bookstore,this or that shop and to carry out other tasks dealing with a
Salesian house.
"But when I will come, I will be choosy and prefer those Coadjutor Brothers who are well
prepared, confreres that are trustworthy, for it is these people whom I need the most.
"And then I will assign them to different Salesian houses and I will send them to help in our
Salesian missions.
"Prepare yourselves then with diligence, steadfastness and enthusiasm; put a lot of love into the
craft or trade that you have chosen and make sure that you
are going to be the pride of your shop, the pride of your school so as to compete with head masters
and workers who live outside your school or house and even be better than they are and thus
provide honor to our holy religion and to the undertakings of Don Bosco."
6- "IN A WORD, YOU ARE NOT TO BE THOSE WHO DO THE ACTUAL WORK OR
CARRY OUT THE JOB BUT RATHER THOSE WHO DIRECT IT. "
At this point Don Bosco wants to explain what he considers to be the special feature of his
Coadjutor Brothers, whom he had previously called 'responsible men, trustworthy people, well
prepared people in the job or craft that they had assumed..."
Don Bosco qualifies the Salesian Coadjutor Brother as the one who is specifically endowed or
empowered with authority to direct. The Coadjutor Brothers are the Masters!
When Don Bosco says this he actually sounds like he is handing to the Coadjutor Brothers the
keys of the house and tells them:
"You my dear sons, are not to be simply laborers or employees but real bosses, masters, heads,
directors of whatever is being done in your shop. "Your authority is not only related to your kids,
your artisans but it is extended to all you employees or domestics who depend on you. "
"You are not to be servant, but Bosses! You are representing your director, your entire school as far
as the running of your shop and its administration!"
Here you can see the difference between the Lay Brother or Friars of the ancient monastic or
mendicant Orders or even the Lay Brother of other modern religious congregations and the Salesian
Coadjutor Brother created by Don Bosco.
The Salesian Coadjutor Brothers have to carry out a task that is not limited to responding to the
need of the religious house or community or the needs of the priests. They are not accessory
members of the community; they are exactly and truly religious and do not share only humble,
menial and domestic duties... for they are educators and teachers, headmaster etc ... within a
particular, essential section of the house and are an important, indispensable ingredient of all the
Salesian undertakings.
I am sure that: everybody understands that having a Salesian who is fully in charge of running a
shop or workshop; everybody knows who is in charge of running a school, of managing a business
within a Salesian house; that having a Salesian who is in charge of guarding the entrance of the
house or of a school or institution; everybody knows that having a Salesian who is in charge of the
kitchen of the laundry of the infirmary instead of having some outsider or lay person a paid person
to do it ... will be a guarantee that the Salesian house or whatever the Salesian Coadjutor Brother is
in charge of will run smoothly.
The presence of a Salesian Coadjutor Brother will be a guarantee that things will go on
systematically well within that house, that Christian morality and honesty will prevail together with
religiosity; his presence will be a guarantee that the spirit of the house is going to be well kept, that
the pupils are going to be properly and successfully formed and taught on how to be steadfastly
concerned about being good.
This will no doubt contribute immensely to enhancing the prestige of the house or institution!
This is the reason why Don Bosco insisted on the clear difference that exists between his idea of
the Coadjutor Brother and the Lay Brother of other religious congregations or orders.
Don Bosco has successfully removed from his own description of the identity of the Coadjutor
Brother those traits that might have made him look like a regular laborer, like a servant dependent
on others, like the priests.
Don Bosco insisted on the qualifications of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother: he is a headmaster, he
is a teacher, he is the boss, he is the manager or better still he is an intelligent guide, a good father
to all those who work for him, with him or are dependent on him.
At this point however Don Bosco wants to smooth down the idea that might lead a Coadjutor
Brother to believe that he has the right to enjoy an absolute authority!
And so Don Bosco adds the following words:
"However everything must be done within its proper order and within the necessary limits and in
conformity with the rules."
These limits are set within the particular Regulations that deal with teachers and heads of shops
and are seen also within the frame of that obedience that is due to the legitimate superior, always
within the parameters of unity and fraternal charity.
After having duly clarified his idea about the authority enjoyed by a Coadjutor Brother, Don
Bosco once again focuses his attention on that special feature that characterizes a Salesian
Coadjutor Brother.
Don Bosco insists on that freedom and responsibility granted to the Salesian Coadjutor Brother in
what concerns his shop:
The Salesian Coadjutor Brother is the boss of his own shop, namely he is fully responsible for all
those things which belong to the shop that he is running. Here you can notice the difference
between a Salesian Coadjutor Brother and an outsider who may not be the head of the shop but
only act as employee. According to Don Bosco an outsider may not be given the amount of
freedom and authority over things and people of a Salesian house or institution, that is given to a
Coadjutor Brother!
Don Bosco considers a Salesian Coadjutor Brother as one of his sons, as a full member of the
Salesian Congregation, as an indispensable presence in his institutions.
For this reason after profession a Coadjutor Brother is granted by the Rules and by Don Bosco
himself all those rights that are properly shared by all the members of the Salesian Congregation;
he is the legitimate heir and sharer of all the goods of the community.
The goods and benefits that flow from the Congregation are being used religiously and discreetly
also by the Coadjutor Brothers in order to attain the objectives proper of the Congregation and
always keeping in mind the greater glory of God and the salvation of the souls of the young in
particular.
7- "THIS IS MY IDEA OF A SALESIAN COADJUTOR BROTHER. I REALLY NEED TO
HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME AND HELP ME IN THIS WAY. "
Don Bosco is convinced that he has exactly expressed what he thought about the identity of a
Salesian Coadjutor Brother. And at the conclusion of this presentation that stresses the fact that a
Coadjutor Brother is his collaborator, that he is an indispensable ingredient of his entire work, Don
Bosco repeats his initial statement:
"This is my idea of a Salesian Coadjutor Brother."
There is no doubt: Don Bosco's creation is certainly a brilliant and unique one, and it sprung out
of his mind and heart. But I am sure that Don Bosco is not really satisfied by the fact that we
appreciate it and admire it. This is the reason why, after having given a complete and wonderful
description of the identity of a Salesian Coadjutor Brother, Don Bosco, animated by his ardent zeal
for the salvation of the children of the poor, working classes of society comes out with an anxiety
loaded appeal:
"I really need to have many people who will come and help me in this way."
It was not enough for Don Bosco to tell us and repeat to us that he needed collaborators, that he
needed to be able to choose Coadjutor Brothers for this or that undertaking, that he needed a
Coadjutor Brother for every Salesian house, that he needed some collaborators ...BUT that he
needed MANY OF THEM... for the kitchen, for the job of door keeper, for the laundry room, for
the sacristy, for the infirmary etc. and that he needed them to be WELL PREPARED AND
TRUSTWORTHY!
"I need to have many of them to come and help me in this way ... NAMELY:
"I need good brothers to help me run professional, technical and agricultural schools. I need heads
and assistant heads for all the shops and farm projects; I need Coadjutor Brothers to teach
catechism, to be assistants in the festive oratories; I need people in charge of various offices and
operations of our Salesian houses; I need to have these Brothers come and prepare themselves to
work as I do and with the same criteria that I have suggested to them. "
That `great need' referred to by Don Bosco and insisted on with such an anxiety loaded appeal is
actually and invitation and a fervent encouragement for all of us Salesians to work and look for
many, Salesian Vocations to the Brotherhood.
The appeal made by Don Bosco reminds me of the Gospel parable of the vineyard and of that
father, who owns the vineyard and goes out every hour on the hour to the marketplace and looks for
workers for his vineyard.
Don Bosco much like that father or owner of the vineyard gives us the impression that his needs
are not met with and that he does not have enough people to carry out his mission on behalf of poor
and abandoned children.
Don Bosco is the one who appeals to Provincials and Directors to help him get these Coadjutor
vocations, to get new recruits who might become his collaborators.
And as he does this he also reassures them, namely the new recruits, that
they would receive, no matter whether they were working from the first hour onward or only at the
last hour, the same reward and recompense.
Don Bosco reassures them that they will find in every Salesian house three main things: WORK,
BREAD and PARADISE.
First of all Don Bosco reassures the new recruits that there will be plenty of work for everyone,
for there is so much to be done in any Salesian house, hospice or school!
Secondly, the new recruits will always find plenty of food; and, finally,
they will be given as a reward Paradise or a heavenly happiness!
I would like you to notice the truly fatherly and loving touch displayed by Don Bosco as he
decides to conclude the first part of his talk: he focuses his attention and concern on one of the
external and secondary features related to the identity of a Salesian Coadjutor Brother: His clothes,
his bed, his dorm cell.
Don Bosco shows this concern because he considers the Salesian Coadjutor Bother not as a
servant but as his son, the co-owner of his house. Just listen to the words expressed by Don Bosco:
"Therefore I am glad to see that you are wearing a suitable and neat dress; that you have
comfortable beds and a dormitory cell; because you are not to be servants but masters, not simply
subjects but superiors!"
The words used by Don Bosco sound just like the words addressed by the Lord Jesus to his
disciples after the Passover meal:
"I will not call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business; but I have
called you friends because everything I have learnt from my Father I have made known to you."
(Jn. 15:15)
In the process of portraying the identity of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother, his new original
creation, Don Bosco apparently was concerned about removing any possible misunderstanding or
wrong interpretation or prejudice that might have been harbored in the minds of some of his
Salesians. Some Salesians might have thought or believed that Don Bosco was placing the
Coadjutor Brothers on a level of esteem and affection far below the esteem and affection given to
all the other members of the Society.
This is the reason why Don Bosco insisted on reassuring the Coadjutor Brothers that they were not
servants but his sons and brothers and that they were called to share equally all the rights and
privileges shared by all the members of the Salesian Congregation.
This also explains why Don Bosco was concerned about some external items such as the dress of
the Brothers, their beds, their dormitory cells.
Don Bosco wanted them to be dressed in a way that was suited to their condition, to the tasks to
which they had been assigned and other
assignment they might have been entrusted with, in a Salesian house or
undertaking: they were to be educators teachers, heads of shops or assistant heads of shop, business
managers, administrators etc...
Don Bosco's words of concern for the Coadjutor Brothers make us understand how much Don
Bosco loved and cared for the hospices, next to the festive ratory.
The hospices were primarily dedicated to the training of the artisans.
And it is for this reason that Don Bosco always considered the hospices as one of his greatest
undertakings both from a religious and social perspective.
This also explains why Don Bosco had such a deep love for the Coadjutor Brothers, for it was the
Coadjutor Brothers who were expected to be the focal point, the very soul and life of these
hospices!
Nevertheless, we are bound to make some remarks on the very words used by Don Bosco.
When Don Bosco expressed his views on how the Coadjutor Brothers should be considered and
told them that they were elevated- to the rank of owners and superiors, within the framework of a
professional and technical or agricultural school, and in reference to what pertained to their shops,
to their employees and artisans, there were some Salesians who were not only amazed but they
were even scandalized to, hear Don Bosco speak the way he did.
These Salesians were thinking that the terms used by Don Bosco meant that the Coadjutor Brothers
were going to enjoy full ownership or absolute superiority in a worldly sense.
However, the words used by Don Bosco about the Coadjutor Brothers' ownership, superiority and
managing independence were be taken in a relative sense, meaning that they had to be seen first of
all in reference to the Lay Brothers of other religious congregations; secondly in reference to the
employees, domestics, pupils and outsiders working in the shop run by the Brothers; and finally in
reference to anyone who worked as a dependent of the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers.
When the Coadjutor Brother is seen in reference to all the above mentioned people, the Coadjutor
Brother is really and truly the master, the head, the person fully in charge of and responsible for a
shop or anything entrusted to him, much like other teachers educators and managers of other
schools.
Don Bosco's idea on the identity of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother is clear, exact, complete and
most suited to the times in which we live. The explanation given by Don Bosco leads us to
understand that the Coadjutor Brother is a superior as regards his dependents; he is a teacher, an
educator, a professional person, the owner of the shop, the boss, as we ordinarily say.
The Coadjutor Brother, as pointed out early on controls all that is necessary to teach the theory of
the trade that he is responsible for as well as to practically show how to apply the theory that he
teaches.
The Coadjutor Brother is in charge of dealing with the suppliers of material needed for the shop;
he deals with the clients, he is the one responsible for the kids entrusted to his shop, for all his
pupils and dependents.
We should never forget that the Salesian Coadjutor Brother is, first of all and above all and
essentially so a true religious, a good and true Salesian of Don Bosco, who lives within a Salesian
Community, who discharges the duties assigned to him, who is faithfully keeping the rules and
regulations that he has freely assumed with his religious profession and is always obedient to the
legitimate superior of the house in which he lives.
This is the reason why Don Bosco wanted to clarify the meaning of his words with a clause that
explains and illustrates his thought:
"However, everything must be in its proper order and within necessary limits.” In our case we
should mention to those who may have wrongly interpreted Don Bosco's words, the very words
used by the Apostle Paul writing to the Christian community of Corinth: "Littera occidit ;Spiritus
autem aedificat - the written letter brings forth death but the Spirit gives life. "(2 Cor. 3:6)
A literal interpretation of what Don Bosco said might bring forth death, while an interpretation in
tune with the Spirit (of Don Bosco) brings forth life, namely it teaches us how live as Salesians and
how to look at the Salesian Coadjutor Brother in the perspective of Don Bosco.
I am sure that our Coadjutor Brothers fully understand the words and the spirit of Don Bosco
contained in those words.
They make us understand the true sense and deep meaning of our Salesian life, of our Salesian
mission primarily concerned about the natural and spiritual needs of youth in a manner suited to the
times in which we live.
The Salesian Coadjutor Brothers are certainly not trying-to read through those letters what might
provide them with exemptions, with freedom, with worldly independence. For this way of acting
this would be tantamount to misinterpreting Don Bosco's words.
The Salesian Coadjutor Brothers know full well that such an interpretation would jeopardize their
own vocation and the salvation of their souls.
Blessed indeed are those Salesian Coadjutor Brothers who listen to Don Bosco's words with a
heartfelt simplicity, with a Salesian mind-perspective and put them into practice!
But now let us go on and reflect on the second part of Don Bosco's talk to the Coadjutor Novices
of San Benigno Canavese in 1883. We will no doubt come to realize how wonderful, timely and
greatly interesting that second part is!
PART TWO
8- "THE SALESIAN COADJUTOR BROTHER IS EXPECTED TO BE A MODEL OF
VIRTUE AND TO GIVE GOOD EXAMPLE..."
If part one of Don Bosco's talk to the Coadjutor novices is rather theoretical, since it conveys Don
Bosco's idea of who the Salesian Coadjutor Brother is, part two, which is divided into five parts, is
greatly practical. Part two explains:
1-Who the Salesian Coadjutor Brother should be in himself, that is, as an ndividual person, and
as he relates to others.
2-What the Salesian Coadjutor Brother should guarantee while he is carrying out the mission
entrusted to him.
3-How serious the risk is for a Coadjutor Brother to defect from his vocation, if he ever fails to
rightly discharge the duties of his vocation.
4-The conclusion of Don Bosco's talk: written in the style which has always characterized Don
Bosco's talks.
Don Bosco ends with an encouragement or rather with a promise that the Coadjutor Brothers will
be triumphantly victorious. This is how Don Bosco starts off the second part of his talk:
"Now let me explain my second thought. Since you are expected to come to my aid both in great
and delicate tasks, you must acquire many virtues. And since you are expected to direct others, you
must first of all give good example." Don Bosco's way of reasoning could not have been more
logical and self-explanatory. Don Bosco seems to be saying this:
"I only have to remind you that you are the collaborators, the auxiliary force, the coadjutors of
Don Bosco; that you are the ones who are expected to carry on Don Bosco's work of redemption;
that you work for Don Bosco, in the very same field of action of Don Bosco; that you are using the
same means used by Don Bosco; that you are using the very same System of education used by
Don Bosco; that you share the same objectives as Don Bosco, as well as his very same spirit...
"This alone will convince you of how essential it is for you to have many virtues, how important it
is for you to share the very same way of thinking, feeling, loving, talking and working for this is
exactly what it means to have the same spirit as Don Bosco's."
The proper conclusions that can be drawn from the above mentioned expectations are the
following:
*
The Coadjutor Brothers should study Don Bosco.
*
The Coadjutor Brothers should read with love and interest the life of Don Bosco.
*
The Coadjutor Brother should learn and practically display with their life all the virtues
peculiar of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
*
To achieve this, the Coadjutor Brothers will have to be talking about Don Bosco among
themselves; they will have to share what they know about Don Bosco's life, deeds and sayings with
their students and dependents; they will have to make constant efforts to show forth in themselves,
in their life the virtues possessed by Don Bosco himself..."
We should recall that Don Bosco had called upon the Coadjutor Brothers to carry out on his
behalf tasks of a delicate nature as well as great tasks.
The expectations mentioned above are in tune with this desire expressed by Don Bosco. Don
Bosco had intentionally mentioned that he would entrust the Coadjutor Brothers with 'great and
delicate tasks'. He did this mainly to remove a prejudice present in many minds, the minds of the
Salesians included, that the Coadjutor Brothers were only involved with their shop and their trade
or business; that they were concerned primarily about material and worldly matters, as though they
had been only common, ordinary workers or employees, and therefore their field of action was not
really of such a great importance. This is the reason why insisted on the fact that the tasks to be
assigned to Coadjutor Brothers were going' to be great and delicate."
"The Coadjutor Brothers are entrusted with the task of caring for youngsters who need to be
educated, trained, assisted and shown how to walk along the path of virtue and how to live a
Christian life."
These are `great deeds or tasks' for they are directed towards the good of souls, towards helping
youngsters reach the destiny for which all human beings have been created and redeemed, namely
to reach salvation and an eternal life of happiness.. Don Bosco had officially expressed his specific
life project and made it clearly seen in the Coat of Arms of the Salesian Society:
DA MIHI ANIMAS; COETERA TOLLE. GIVE ME SOULS! TAKE AWAY THE REST.
This is exactly what the Salesian Rules have taught; this is exactly what the Salesian Rules have
shown in order to put that project of life into practice: we are asked to perform acts of corporal and
spiritual charity on behalf of youth ;we are especially asked to teach the basic elements of religion
to the youngsters entrusted to our care and to lead them to pick up a trade or craft which will allow
them to earn a decent way of living, to earn the daily bread they need to live decently.
This is what Don Bosco meant by 'great works or tasks", when he called upon the Coadjutor
Brothers to help him.
However Don Bosco had also added that he was calling upon the Coadjutor Brothers to help him
carry out' delicate tasks.'
Even here another possible or real prejudice must be removed from the minds of all Salesians.
Some Salesians may have thought or still think that the Salesian Coadjutor Brother was/is called
upon to perform jobs or tasks of a lower value, menial jobs, jobs quite lower than the ones entrusted
to students, clerics and priests.
If we look at the overall picture of the educative system of Don Bosco as it is carried out by the
members of the Salesian Society, we will come to realize that there is no difference at all between
the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers and all the other members of the Salesian Society.
They are all educators and, as far as the Coadjutor Brothers, they are primarily involved with the
education of the artisans. This is exactly what Don Bosco wanted all his Salesians -and the Salesian
Coadjutor Brothers to do. And, mind you! it was Don Bosco who first imitated the example given
by our Divine Redeemer who showed his predilection for those who were humble, for the orphans,
for those who belonged to-the lower classes of society for the people of the working classes.
It was Our Divine Redeemer who paid particular attention to the lost sheep.
For this sort of people were the ones who were not cared for and abandoned by everyone, besides
being at risk. This is the reason why Don Bosco intimated to the Coadjutor Brothers:
"You must acquire many virtues... "
The virtues referred to are the ones found in the catechism and indicated in our Rules and
Regulations; they are the theological and cardinal virtues, which are considered essential for a
practical Salesian formation. The abovementioned virtues can actually be reduced to three main
virtues:
- First of all, a solid and fervent piety.
- Secondly, an ardent and operative charity connected with purity and patience or meekness for
they are badly needed to deal with everyone and especially with the young;
- Thirdly a great willingness to work and make sacrifices for the greater glory of God and the
salvation of the young entrusted to our care.
It is Don Bosco's desire however that the possession of those virtues should be accompanied by a
great willingness to "give good example."
This `good example' is nothing but that splendor and fragrance that initially spring forth from the
virtues that are constantly displayed by the Coadjutor Brothers with great simplicity among their
students, friends and dependents.
This is the kind of pre-eminence and superiority that should be shown by the Salesian Coadjutor
Brothers, namely their ability to lead souls to God more with their example than with their words.
The fact that the Coadjutor Brothers wear ordinary secular clothes and not a religious habit or a
monastic outfit has a tremendous impact on the youngsters. They are really edified by the Brothers’
example of piety, by their example of modesty, by their lack of human respect.
This is what encourages the youngsters to pray well, to approach the sacraments frequently to listen
to the Word of God and to attend religious services.
The basic criterion used by Don Bosco and introduced from its very beginning into the Salesian
society was that of following the example - given the Lord who began his apostolic mission first by
'doing and then by `teaching'.
"In imitation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the confreres besides the practice of the inner virtues will
strive to perfect themselves with the practice of the external virtues, by means of study and work.
Then they will consecrated themselves to being fully committed to helping their neighbor. "(from
the Old Constitutions)
Therefore the Rules do order us to put into practice not only the virtues which are ordinarily and
commonly displayed by all Christians; they also order us to strive and perfect ourselves with the
practice of the religious virtues.
Were we to fail to acquire such religious virtues we would not be able to provide that help that is
called for by those' great and delicate matters or delicate and great undertakings... "referred to by
Don Bosco, such as the spiritual rebirth and the Christian education of so many abandoned
youngsters.
In order to spur us on and show forth in our life the practice of these
external virtues, Don Bosco himself showed us with his example what we are expected to do.
Don Bosco wanted to have the Salesian Coadjutors understand that as educators this is the best
lesson. This is the best way to advertise religion, the best, the most holy and most effective way to
do apostolic ministry: show them!
The original Regulations drafted by Don Bosco for his pupils brought out exactly this teaching:
"The best act of charity towards your companions is that of giving them good example. Show
them!" The sodalities of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, of the Blessed Sacrament and of St. Joseph had as
their specific objective that of giving good
example. This was exactly what Don Bosco insisted on and this is how Don Bosco was able to get
the members of these sodalities to become his collaborators and turn all his hospices and schools
into environments imbued with piety, with morality and with all the other virtues.
This was one of the secrets or smart tricks used by Don Bosco to achieve what he really wanted to
achieve. We ourselves have seen first hand those wonderful and, we might even call them magical
effects produced by so many Coadjutor Brothers who preceded and accompanied their pupils in the
practices of piety, in the discharge -of their duties within the community or schools, while, as
pointed out early on, they were wearing the regular clothes of an ordinary Christian.
It was then that we were able to feel and enjoy the beauty of that family way of life that was
displayed by the teachers and their pupils, that something that characterizes even today the Salesian
way of living.
This then is the focal point of Don Bosco's program set for the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers. This is
the indispensable and absolutely necessary condition for its effectiveness: `the presence of many
virtues and the giving of good example.' Granted the presence of these conditions, anything else,
like the professional and technical or agricultural training and assistance are bound to turn out to be
wonderfully successful!
9- "THE PRESENCE OF A COADJUTOR BROTHER ANYWHERE MUST BE A
GUARANTEE THAT ONE CAN FIND THERE ORDERLINESS, MORALITY AND GOOD
BEING DONE. "
When a Coadjutor Brother of Don Bosco has acquired and shows forth the virtues proper of a
Salesian and when his entire behavior sheds the light of good example, then the outcome will
necessarily be what the Holy Scripture says about the just man: "Omnia quaecumque faciet,
prosperabuntur - whatever he does will be successful... "(Ps. 1:3)
This is how a Coadjutor Brother will guarantee security and have the confident approval of his
superior for the running of his shop, for his teaching in the classroom, for his assistance, for the
carrying out of any assignment entrusted to him. It is Don Bosco himself who expects the Salesian
Coadjutor Brother to provide such a guarantee.
“Te presence of a Coadjutor Brother anywhere must be a guarantee that there one canfind
orderliness morality and good being done. "
Therefore all Salesian Coadjutor Brothers are held responsible for guaranteeing the presence of
those three items, namely: "orderliness, morality and good being done." These three items are
indispensable for the effectiveness of a good Christian education.
Don Bosco is not asking too much of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother, no matter whether he is the
head of the shop or an assistant head or simply a teacher. Because the rules that Don Bosco has
handed down to all the Salesians apply to each and everyone.
However, besides the general rules, Don Bosco has also handed down to us particular and special
rules that must be followed by all Salesians in the Christian education of youth: they are found in
what is called the PREVENTIVE SYSTEM OF DONBOSCO -THE EDUCATIVE SYSTEM OF
DON BOSCO !
Our Congregation or Pious Society has a specific objective and a specific character: the Salesians
of Don Bosco are expected to lead poor and abandoned youths along the path of work and virtue.
And to achieve this all Salesians and in a particular manner all our Salesian Coadjutor Bothers,
who are the heads of our shops, the teachers of our classrooms, are expected to study attentively
and diligently put into practice the norms of education handed down tò us by Don Bosco and found
in his preventive system of education.
The Preventive System of Education has been abundantly explained by our Father John Baptist
Lemony in his Biographical Memoirs. There you can find how the Preventive System of Don
Bosco is to be carried out, how it must be practically used!
Why this insistence on the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers? Because it is exactly among the artisans
entrusted to the care of the Coadjutor Brothers that we find those youngsters who happen to have a
rather difficult character, youngsters who had been at risk(=reformatory bound kids) and need
special attention and care. Divine Providence has given them to us, to the Coadjutor Brothers so
that they may find with us a secure shelter and be open to reach salvation through our caring work.
It is for this reason that it is essential for all Salesians and especially for our Salesian Coadjutor
Brothers to know what Don Bosco has told us about his system of education.
This system relies primarily on preventing the youngsters from doing anything wrong. This is
done most of all by providing these youngsters with a constant and loving kind of assistance.
Our Salesian presence or assistance will eliminate the need to use repression and punishments .
We are expected to put our youngsters into the moral impossibility of doing something wrong and
offending God. Because of this, it is pertinent for all of us and essential for all of us to
read the norms or rules on how to assist and correct our youngsters the way Don Bosco wants us to.
These rules are found in our Constitutions [the articles quoted by Fr. Vespigani refer to the older
translations of the Salesian Constitutions. I have omitted them. But the entire treatise on the
preventive system is found in our present constitutions!] and they are the result of experiences that
Don Bosco had made through the years.
The reading of this treatise will certainly help us and guarantee success to our efforts to correct
our youngsters, to gently and patiently lead them to do good and be good.
Don Bosco is not satisfied to have Salesian Coadjutor Brothers who are good and qualified in
their trades. He expects them to be able to direct their dependents towards being morally good and
therefore virtuous.
It is for this reason that Don Bosco adds that a Coadjutor's ability to assist and direct his charges
should be such as to inspire trust and grant also the superior the assurance that the shops that they
are running, the dormitory that they are in charge of, the classroom where they teach or wherever
they may happen to be, you can be sure that you will also find orderliness, discipline, the right
performance of one's duties, a good moral behavior, evidenced both in the conversations tat are
being held, in the deeds that are being performed and also in the relationships that exists among the
pupils and confreres.
With one word Don Bosco expects to see displayed all kinds of virtues that a person may long to
see in any educative undertaking:
"RECEDE A MALO ET FAC BONUM -WARD OFF ALL THAT IS EVIL AND PERFORM
ONLY WHAT IS GOOD IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM... "
How happy would those superiors be if they were to be surrounded by such good Coadjutor
Brothers, just as Don Bosco had described them, namely as virtuous, as giving good example, as
qualified and ready to direct, to teach, to assist their artisans!
Relying on the responsible work done by such Coadjutor Brothers who know how to keep
orderliness, morality and keep on having good being done at all times and in all the sections of the
house assigned to them church, classroom, shops, playground, dining room, dormitory, on walks
with the artisans ... ) he Superior would certainly be able to enjoy restful sleep .
This kind of condition would be responsible for seeing the best of prosperity on earth, and
happiness for everyone: for the superiors, the confreres and the pupils. And even the parents of the
artisans or students would be able to bless the school where their children, entrusted to the care of
the Salesians , would be able to find all they need from a technical professional perspective as well
as from the perspective of a Christian education.
The attainment of the above mentioned results is possible only when Don Bosco is loved, when
Don Bosco's teaching is being followed, and when the rules as well as the norms of the preventive
system created by Don Bosco are rightly put into practice.
10-VOS ESTIS SAL TERRAE. QUOD SISAL EVANUERIT IN QUO SALIETUR? AD
NIHIL UM VALET UL TRA NISI UT MITTAUR FORAS AND CONCULCETUR AB
HOMINIBUS. "(Mt. 5:13)
Don Bosco is also concerned about presenting, even though in a cursory way the other side of the
medal. Don Bosco had initially portrayed a beautiful picture of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother. He
had clearly identified his qualities and his captivating virtues. He had clearly indicated the abundant
fruits that the Coadjutor Brothers could reap.
However, now Don Bosco focuses his attention on a very serious fear or concern, on a painful
thought, on a frightening doubt: some defections are possible even among his sons, the beloved
Coadjutor Brothers! In this case Don Bosco uses the words used by our Divine Savior Himself:
"You are the salt of the earth. What if the salt of the earth goes flat, even though it was meant to
preserve the young from being contaminated by corruption? What if the Coadjutor Brothers were to
lose their ability to prevent the corruption of the young by failing to correct them?"
The scriptural words used by Don Bosco are not quoted entirely, they are cut off, since he does
feel like disclosing his doubt and suggesting that this would also be a frightening possibility. And
so Don Bosco ends up that quotation with a sigh, with an anxious, loud and clear warning:
BEWARE! BE ALERT!
But we can, as we have done above, finish the scriptural quotation and reflect on it: those words
can offer an opportunity to our Coadjutor Brothers to reflect of them, mainly because it is Don
Bosco who would like them to be faithful to their vocation and all the way to the end!
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt were to lose its taste what can make it salt again?
Then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and be trampled underfoot by men".
We should recall that the Lord's discourse from the Mountain takes up the entire chapter 5 of the
evangelist St. Matthew and deals with the beatitudes, with the observance of God's law, especially
with the law of love and also with those who might give scandal to others and that therefore should
be avoided. Finally the evangelist repeats the teaching of the Lord and his warnings about what is
needed to save the young-that is exactly the mission entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco.
"And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would
be better for him to have a great millstone around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the
sea. Woe to the world because of things that cause sin."(Mt.18: 5-6)
"Qui autem scandalizaverit unum de pusillis istis qui in me credunt, expediet ei ut suspendatur
mola sin aria in collo ejus et demergatur in profundum maris. Veh mundo a scandalis!?
St. Mark in chapter 9 v.42ff. says exactly what Matthew had pointed out and adds the following:
"Bonum est sal quod si sal insulsum fuerit in quo illud condietis? Habete in vobis sal and pacem
habete inter vos. "
"Salt is good but it becomes insipid with what will you restore its flavor? Keep the salt (of virtue)
and let there be peace among you”.
St. Mark also points out the merits gained by those who dedicate themselves to work for children,
while repeating the same threats mentioned by St. Matthew against those who give scandal to the
little ones.
St. Mark also calls for the use of sacrifices and mortification of our senses in order not to be
overcome by temptations (5:42,44,46). Finally, the evangelist concludes with the reference to salt
as quoted above.
St. Luke uses the same simile of SALT as used by Mt. and Mk. but he also takes SALT as a
symbol of the salt of that mortification that is needed by all those who want to follow Jesus Christ
and withstand the three temptations that may prevent those who have been invited to the great
banquet from sharing it even though it had been set up for all to enjoy.
St. Luke concludes his reference to SALT with the same words used by St. Matthew and St.Mark:
"Qui non renuntiat omnibus quae possidet non potest meus esse discipulus. Bonum est sal: si autem
sal evanuerit in quo condietur? Neque in terram neque in strequilinium utile est sed foras mittetur.
Qui habet aures audiendi audiat."
"If you do not give up all that you possess you cannot be my disciple. (14:33)
"Salt is a useful thing, but if salt loses its taste it is neither good for soil
not for manure; it will be thrown out. Let those of you who have ears to hear, listen! (14:34-35)
The way Don Bosco cut off that scriptural quotation is certainly significant It conveys a clear
message as it refers to the possible harmful consequences, to the possible unfortunate consequences
and fatal defections of those Coadjutor Brothers who may have failed to be faithful to their
vocation and profession.
I'm sure that this significant action performed by Don Bosco will turn out to be a wake- up -call for
all our beloved Coadjutor Brothers and create in them a healthy fear, while spurring them on to
commit themselves to renew their bond or sacred covenant which calls for them to be pious and
faithful to keeping their rules .1 am sure they will try their best to be united with their superiors and
strive to prevent any defections and any scandals from our houses.
This attitude that must be evidenced by the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers should start from the very
novitiate and continue on during the formative up-dating programs set up for them/through the
years.There is no doubt that this kind of disposition or attitude will bring a lot of comfort not only
to Don Bosco who is in heaven but also to his successors and to all the superiors responsible for all
the undertakings of the Salesian Congregation.
Don Bosco was the first one to put into practice the Preventive System that he had handed down
to all his Salesians. However, he used it not only with the youngsters but also with his own
confreres. Don Bosco's had tied up to his preventive system a main objective, namely that of
putting the boys in the moral impossibility of committing serious sins.
Don Bosco also mentioned that this objective could be reached by providing our youngsters with a
fatherly, brotherly assistance and by promoting love for the rules and norms.
But it was also Don Bosco's intention that the very same rules and norms that we are expected to
be using with our youngsters should be the rules and norms that we use in dealing with one another:
let us use them in fatherly and brotherly fashion!
This way of acting will never allow us to fail in the practice of virtue or to forget about our
willingness to always give good example, to ward off the dangers of scandals and defections .
This is how the SALT WILL NOT LOSE ITS TASTE, ITS FLAVOR ITS TANG and the sad
consequences not mentioned by Don Bosco in his talk to the Coadjutor Novices of San Benigno
Canavese in 1883 ... but certainly hinted! Let us then resolve to study and put into practice those
preventive measures that the Lord had indicated to his Apostles and disciples. They happen to be
the same preventive measures that are found in our Constitutions.
Let us read the chapters dealing with piety and the vows, adding the reading of the explanation
suggested by Don Bosco himself in the Introduction to the Rules.
Let us also read the circular letters of our Superiors in this regard.
This will certainly guarantee that our Congregation will enjoy an assured happiness and prosperity.
11-"DO NOT BE AFRAID, LITTLE FLOCK, FOR YOUR NUMBER WILL INCREASE,
BUT YOU NEED TO GROW IN GOODNESS AND DYNAMIC ZEAL; THEN YOU WILL
BE ABLE TO DO MUCH GOOD AND YOU WILL BE LIKE INVINCIBLE LIONS .
Don Bosco has just pointed out the possible danger of defections among the Salesian Coadjutor
Brothers but now he resumes his optimistic style full of encouragement and cheerfulness when he
tells the novices:
"Nolite timere,pusillus grex "(Lk.12:32)Be not afraid,you little flock! I am sure that Don Bosco
meant to say:
"I have no fear, I trust that you will be faithful to your vocation, that you will persevere! I only
wanted to warn you ahead of time so that you might be on guard and keep alert against all possible
dangers. And so, take courage and trust wholeheartedly that you will overcome all obstacles, that
you will win and by keeping your religious spirit, even your number will increase."
-Don Bosco once again focuses his attention of the first idea that he had expressed and explained to
the Coadjutor Novices when he reassures them that their number will increase and that his desire to
have many and good Coadjutor Brothers to get to help him will be fulfilled.
"Be not afraid! Your number will increase but you must grow in goodness and dynamic zeal.
Then you will be able to do much good and you be like invincible lions. "
These words, I am sure, have a resounding echo that definitely brings gladness, comfort and
spiritual courage to all our Coadjutor Brothers!
The concluding words of Don Bosco's talk repeat the words used by the Angels and Archangels,
the heavenly messengers, wherever they were called to proclaim the great mysteries of our religion.
Those words, harbingers of peace and happiness, are repeatedly found in the Scriptures of the Old
and New Testament [Translator's information: 33 times in the Old Testament; 12 times in the new
testament].
NOLITE TIMERE! FEAR NOT! REMOVE ALL FEARS, ALL DOUBTS, ALL SADNESS, ALL
UNCERTAINTIES, ALL FAINTHEARTEDNESS. DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED BY ALL
THE DANGERS, ALL EVILS, ALL CONTRADICTIONS, ALL PERSECUTIONS AND ALL
THE SCANDALS THAT MAY COME FROM THE WORLD.
The Lord himself used the words "Nolite Timere" when after the resurrection he addressed his
apostles and disciples who apparently were overcome by fear and sadness at his death! "Nolite
timere".
Naturally after the defection of one of heir own after the weaknesses and
failings shown during the Lord's passion the Apostles and disciples felt ashamed and were actually
afraid of their own group, they felt downhearted and they certainly needed all that Jesus could' do
to have them rise again with their minds and hearts to have them profess once again their faith and
keep on performing the good deeds as the Lord had taught them .
Considering the number of our technical, professional and agricultural schools, and considering as
well the number òf Salesian undertakings, while the number of Coadjutor Brothers was down, the
Salesians had a legitimate fear and felt low.
The decreased number was due in part to the last World War that had taken so many Coadjutor
Brothers away from our houses and especially from our mission posts.
However, there has been a renewed effort to use all affordable means to get more vocations to the
Salesian Brotherhood.
Most nations have already started the so called houses of formation for
aspirants to become Coadjutor Brothers and advanced technical and professional programs have
already been started to have qualified Coadjutor Brothers take care of all our shops.
One of the means used by Don Bosco to have the boys enthused about the missions was telling
them the dreams he had about the missions, about the great expansion of the work of the Salesians
the world over.`
"Nolite timere,pusillus grex', even though you are small now, fear not, your number will
increase!" Apparently the hour of Divine Providence has come and the promise made by Don
Bosco begins to come true, since the number of Coadjutor Brothers has increased or is increasing
the world over!
We should remark nonetheless that the promise made by Don Bosco to the novices had a catch.
Don Bosco was not satisfied for having an increased number of Coadjutor Brothers. He must have
thought of the words of Scripture:
"Multiplicasti gentem et non multiplicasti laetitiam you have increased the number of people but
you have not increased my joy!(Isaiah 9:3)
Don Bosco did wish to have an increased number of Coadjutor Brothers but he also had
expressed the wish to see many of them grow in virtue, in goodness and dynamic zeal, for this was
the way to be responsive to the many needs of the Salesian Congregation. "Fear not, because your
number will increase, but you must grow especially in goodness and dynamic zeal. "
All of us Salesians then should be convinced that having numbers available for the needs of our
houses is not the best of things and not an assured benefit or a wonderful gift. But having an
increased number of members who are endowed with goodness and dynamic zeal, that is with
willingness to discharge well their duties, with willingness to acquire virtue, with willingness to
perform deeds of love ... this will give us joy and happiness. Efforts should be made by every
Salesian to reach this goal so deeply wanted by Don Bosco.
This is the reason why Don Bosco insisted on #8 of his talk: "You must possess a lot of virtues and
most of all you must give good example."
Next to the need of virtues Don Bosco adds that our Coadjutor Brothers should have' a dynamic
zeal', meaning willingness to do good, willingness to perform well one's religious duties
,willingness not to allow ourselves to be overcome by spiritual laziness sloth that is, by spiritual
lukewarmness in the service of the Lord.
This is the reason why Don Bosco reminds the Coadjutor Novices about fidelity to their practices
of piety, such as meditation, spiritual reading, daily Mass, reception of the sacraments the exercise
for a happy death the daily examination of conscience the manifestation etc...
Don Bosco is asking for an increase of dynamic zeal or spiritual energy in the performance of the
practices of piety above mentioned, willingness to persevere in one's vocation and willingness to
keep on doing good. Once this condition is clearly understood and properly responded to then Don
Bosco adds another promise: "Then you will be invincible like lions and you will be able to do
much good."
The lion is a symbol of strength and energy and Don Bosco wants `strength' to be one of the
features of the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers - because they are often confronted with a lot of
dangers, such as vanity, immorality, perhaps lack of a religious sense, and especially with the
temptation to yield to a worldly life style. These are the enemies to be fought against with the
strength of a lion, with the prudence of a serpent and with the simplicity of a dove as the Gospel of
Mt. tells us (10:16):
"Estote ergo prudentes sicut serpents et simplices ut columbae. " We should never forget,
nonetheless, that the Salesians of Don Bosco enjoy the protection of Mary Help of Christians and
are energized by her help: Tali Praesidio Muniti Certantes In Vita... The Salesian knows how to
fight with that energy and valor that come from keeping the rule and the community way of living.
"You will be able to do much good. "
Don Bosco added this promise to remind his audience about what he had told them in the first part
of his talk, namely about the objective of the Salesian Congregation: the attainment of Christian
perfection and the performance of corporal and spiritual deeds of love towards the young,
especially the most poor and abandoned.
All Salesians then are actually called to work for the re-generation and redemption of the young.
For this is the mission that we are called to carry out together with Don Bosco himself.
12-"IT PLEASED THE FATHER TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM, AND MIND YOU! A
KINGDOM AND NOT SLAVERY. AND FURTHERMORE YOU WILL ESPECIALLY
HAVE AN ETERNAL KINGDOM.
"NOLITE TIMERE,PUSILLUS GREX, QUIA COMPLACUIT PATRI VESTRO DARE
VOBIS REGNUM. (LK 12:3 2)
Don Bosco is not only concerned about the Coadjutor Brothers removing all fears, all anxiety
feelings; he is not satisfied by the fact of telling them that their number will increase as they
increase in virtue, that they will reap good results from their work, that their mission will be
crowned with victories Don Bosco wants to use the very words used by the Lord as he tells the
novices:
"The Lord was pleased to give you the kingdom. "
This is the reason why Don Bosco exalts the figure of the Salesian Coadjutor Brother and wants
him to remove all fears that he would be kept down that he would be considered spiritually down
and practically a servant. Don Bosco tells the Coadjutor Brothers that they are only servants of the
Lord and "to serve the Lord means to reign with him. "Servire Domino regnare est.!
This is how Don Bosco reassures the Coadjutor Brothers that their mission will be great, most
beautiful and glorious.
Don Bosco repeats for his Coadjutors and all religious to hear the same words uttered by the Lord
when he addressed his disciples:
"Amen dico vobis, nemo est qui reliquit domum,aut parentes, out fraters,aut uxorem,aut filios
propter regnum Dei et non recipiat multo plura in hoc tempore et in saeculo venturo vitam
aeternam. (Lk.18:29-30)
"I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left, house, wife, brothers, parents or children for the
sake of the kingdom of God who will not be given repayment many times over in this present time
and in the world to come eternal life. "
"Tuns respondens Petrus dixit it:Ecce nos requimus omnia et secuti smus te. Quid ergo erit nobis?
Jesus autem dixit illis:Amen dico vobis quod vos qui secuti estis me in regeneratione cum sederit
Filius Hominis in sede majestatis suae et sedebitis et vos super sedes duodecim judicantes
duodecim tribus Israel et omnis qui reliquerit domum vel fratres aut sorores aut patrem aut matrem
aut uxorem out filios aut agros propter nomem meum centuplum accipiet et vitam aeternam
possidebit. (Mt. 19:28-29)
"Then Peter spoke: "What about us? he said to him. "We have left everything
and followed you. What are we to have then? "Jesus said to him: "I tell you
solemnl,,when all is made new and the Son of man sits on his throne of glory you will yourselves
sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel .And anyone who has left houses, brothers,
sisters, ,father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times
over and also inherit eternal life."
The very same words are addressed by Don Bosco to his good and loyal Coadjutor Brothers.
Don Bosco makes the same promises made by the Lord to those who out of love for God and out of
love for souls have abandoned everything.
The promise of the kingdom will come true when everything is abandoned for the sake of Jesus
Christ, when Jesus Christ is faithfully followed, when the mission of Jesus Christ is carried out the
way it should, even though living in the world, as long as it is carried out for the greater glory of
God and the salvation of souls.
There is an article in the Old Salesian Constitutions that repeats exactly the idea we have just
mentioned. "We should be ready to suffer cold and heat, hunger and thirst, fatigue and
rejection whenever the glory of God and the salvation of souls require it." This is the way by
which we can conquer the kingdom of God that has been promised by the Lord and assured for the
Coadjutors Brothers by Don Bosco.
"Complacuit Patri vestro dare vobis regnum!" The words of the Lord are repeated for all the
Coadjutor Brothers to hear because all the Coadjutor Brothers are closely bound up with the
Salesian apostolate and play a very important role in it.
Don Bosco insisted on the words kingdom and not slavery or servitude, because he considers the
roles played by the Coadjutor Brothers as essential roles within the Salesian Society, much like the
roles played by those Deacons you had the courage to warn not only the priests but even the Popes.
That's exactly what the deacon St. Lawrence did to Pope Sixtus I when he addressed him with these
words:
"Oh! Father, where are you going without your children?"
We have to live and work together, we have to be inseparably united in our Salesian work and
committed to endure sacrifices together.
The Salesian Coadjutor Brothers are those who handle everyday the dinner tables ;they are the
ones who provide the daily bread for our poor boys ... This is the reason why Don Bosco showed
them such a great love and affection and this to reason why he was never afraid to show it n so
many and so gracious ways!
Fr. John Baptist Lemoyne tells us that Don Bosco had a peculiar way of dealing with the
Coadjutor Brothers. He would address them with special honorific titles such as Baron, Marquis,
Count and associate those titles with palaces, buildings, undertakings found in the small towns that
surrounded the hamlet Becchi or Mondonio, places where he had spent his early childhood.
Naturally those were only fatherly ways by which Don Bosco kidded around but those were ways
by which he also showed how-appreciative he was of what they were doing , assigning to them the
titles of nobility for they were really endowed with that spiritual nobility that came upon them by
being in God's service: Servire Domino, Regare Est!- they were part of the kingdom ;they were not
servants!
Don Bosco concludes his talk with the following words:
"And most of all you will have eternal kingdom!"
Next to all the promises made by Don Bosco, the last promise is the greatest and it forms part of
the three words that he had so often repeated to those who wanted to join the Salesian Society and
work with him: "WORK, BREAD, AND especially PARADISE!
Don Bosco's last words are certainly going to be reassuring words and a source of great joy for all
the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers because the eternal kingdom is the reward that all human beings
long for.
THIS IS THE IDENTITY OF THE SALESIAN COADJUTOR BROTHER ACCORDING
TO DON BOSCO.
THE WORDS USED BY DON BOSCO TO SPELL OUT THE MEANING OF SUCH AN
IDENTITY SHOULD BE SUCH AS TO CREATE GREAT ESTEEM AND ADMIRATION
FOR THE FIGURE AND MISSION OF THE SALESIAN COADJUTOR BROTHER.
THIS ESTEEM AND ADMIRATION SHOULD BE LINKED
-WITH THE FEATURES PROPER OF THE COADJUTOR BROTHER AND AS SEEN BY
DON BOSCO:
-WITH THE MISSION ENTRUSTED TO HIM;
-WITH THE PROGRAM OF CHARITY THAT HE IS CALLED TO CARRY OUT;
-WITH THE MANY SACRIFICES HE IS CALLED TO ENDURE IN ORDER TO LEAD
MANY SOULS TO GOD AND TO ATTAIN ETERNAL HAPPINESS!
MAY THERE BE MANY AND GENEROUS SOULS WILLING TO JOIN OUR SALESIAN
COADJUTOR BROTHERS UNDER THE BANNER OF DON BOSCO!
EPILOGUE:
The following has been condensed from pages 907 -908 and 909.
1-"Fifty years (1883) have gone by ever since the time Don Bosco had addressed the Coadjutor
Novices of San Benigno Canavese.
At that time there were only six professional, technical schools:
Valdocco-San Benigno-Sampierdarena-Nizza Mare, Buenos Aires and Patagonia.
The requests however for these schools was enormous the world over and Don Bosco's pleading
went out loud and clear" I need Coadjutor Brothers!
Ever since that time the professional and technical schools have increased to 135, with 675 shops,
with almost 10,000 pupils between the ages of 12 and 18.
Most if not all of these schools are run by Coadjutor Brothers who had been formed at the oratory
of Don Bosco in Turin and also at San Benigno Canavese or other Salesian schools.
1-The prediction made by Don Bosco has come true!" Your number will increase!"
2-The beatification of Don Bosco has contributed tremendously to the general cause of the Salesian
Society and specifically to the cause of the Salesian Coadjutor Brothers.
The creation of some new professional and technical schools is the direct
product of Don Bosco's beatification. Allow me to mention some of them:
1-The agricultural school at Cumiana.
2-the missionary aspirantates of Ivrea, Bagnolo, Penango.
3-the technical professional school of Pio XI in Rome.
4-the agricultural school at Mandrione.
5-the technical, professional schools of Conte Rebaudengo in Turin, a school which had also added
a program for updating and better professional training of our Coadjutor Brothers.