When Don Bosco was writing the regulations for the oratory of St Francis de Sales and the rules for the fledgling Salesian congregation, he adopted varied tactics. When it came to the oratory itself, he was no stickler for rules. But he did write down 'guidelines' more as a reflection and help to others working with him, rather than as a formal code book. That he had to greatly alter this style, he learnt it the hard way, while writing and submitting his Rules for the congregation to the Vatican.
Another aspect that comes out more strikingly in his guidelines for the oratory (more than the boarding schools, which came under the jurisdiction of the State and needed formal approval) is the direct engagement of the young people themselves in the everyday running of the house. While it is true that there were priests and teachers and Don Bosco himself, but it was the boys themselves who were actively involved in the running of the place.
Young people need to be trusted and given responsibilities, rather than shielded from them. One of my own greatest learnings and joys at Navajeevan, Ramanthapur was this pedagogy of letting boys take charge of things. These boys (just like most of those with Don Bosco then) were already living their life out on the street - all on their own. They certainly knew what decision-making means, especially the consequences of them. Adding my trust to their abilities and giving them that freedom made a huge difference to the way things were carried out in the house.
Another aspect that comes out more strikingly in his guidelines for the oratory (more than the boarding schools, which came under the jurisdiction of the State and needed formal approval) is the direct engagement of the young people themselves in the everyday running of the house. While it is true that there were priests and teachers and Don Bosco himself, but it was the boys themselves who were actively involved in the running of the place.
Young people need to be trusted and given responsibilities, rather than shielded from them. One of my own greatest learnings and joys at Navajeevan, Ramanthapur was this pedagogy of letting boys take charge of things. These boys (just like most of those with Don Bosco then) were already living their life out on the street - all on their own. They certainly knew what decision-making means, especially the consequences of them. Adding my trust to their abilities and giving them that freedom made a huge difference to the way things were carried out in the house.
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