【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2012 年 5 月 24 日羅馬慈幼總部訊】 ─ 意大利鮑思高家庭通訊負責人 Bruno Ferrero 神父，在世界鮑思高家庭通訊大會致辭時，開端即表示：「鮑思高家庭通訊已有一百三十五年歷史，但仍保持著一份驚人的活力。」他在致辭中介紹了家庭通訊的歷史、目標，尤其是其身份地位。我們節錄了演辭大要。

鮑思高神父是位天生的傳意者。他擁有著令人不可擋的個性。透過傳意工作，他調整自己，更新他的意念，以嶄新的方式教育。他展示對工業革命的了解，並擔當著抗衡它的重要角色。他一如其他偉大的傳意者，令人敬而生畏。這份效力一直維持到一百二十五年後的今天。

這一切源自一份印刷品，標題為 Bibliofilo Cattolico「天主教愛書人士」，但這名字不太合用，故改為 Bolletino Salesiano 慈幼會會刋（我們現繹為：鮑思高家庭通訊）。根據詞典， bolletino 解作「解說一些公眾事件的官式印刷品」，它的來源是高尚的。這個詞來自 bolla，解作公開文書及正式文件所用的印章或印鑑。換句話說就是類似教宗訓令。這類文書現今還有應用，例如醫學通訊、戰爭通訊等。這就是形式上沒帶太多修飾，而本質上為管理用的文書。這就是鮑思高神父喜愛使用的原因。

鮑思高家庭通訊正式版本第一期，以鮑思高神父一篇書信作開端：「給親愛的慈幼協進會會員。我們的會章，良善堪當的協進會會員，規定每月定時出版一份通訊，通知你們一切已經辦理，以及尚未辦妥的事，以其達致我們所同意的目標。現在我們正要滿全一個共同願望，使每人都能在聖神的共融中工作，同心合意致力達致同一目標：為光榮天主，並造福社會。這份通訊目前及在往後數年，都會在我們位於都靈的印刷所印製，而將來則在 Sampierdarena 聖雲先收容所印製。最後，我們認為這份通訊對你們是有用的。這份通訊將來告訴你們：

1. 鮑思高家庭通訊負責人所選取並呈獻給對願意跟隨協進會守則的仝人有所裨益的事情。

2. 解說一些對成員有益處，並成為他人模範的事件。這些就是已經發生，且我們所見所聞的事：只要在人性及宗教方面有益便可；有關為亞澳地區信眾工作的傳教士，以及散佈在南美洲原住民中的慈幼會士的消息及信函：這一切為我們都是合適的材料。

3. 不同類型的傳意及通告，以及我們所策劃的工作；所有應傳播的書報及格言，這部份約佔通訊的三分之一。

Ferrero 神父澄清說：「鮑思高神父永不忘記任何人。」──這正解釋家庭通訊是為一切鮑思高神父的摯友，以及所有願意認識他，與他交往的人而設。我們可以想像，這是一連串的同心圓，運用文字傳播這種最有效的方式，從同一中心放射出來。

伯多祿．史迪拉神父在一篇著作中寫道：「我們可以說，從家庭通訊這份在世界中傳閱的信件中，可以看出世界如何發現鮑思高神父這個偉人。直至1874年為此，慈幼會仍只是地區性的修會。之後，尤其在 1880 年代以後，鮑思高神父經常接收受神職人員或平信徒推薦的男孩子，要求不斷增加，在不同國家及城市開設會院。」（伯多祿．史迪拉神父，鮑思高神父，1968）

Ferrero 神父表示：「根據鮑思高神父的觀察，鮑思高家庭通訊不是簡單的羅列不同新聞事件，更是透過對各種行動及工作的講解，而非散發抽象的概念，展示修會的神恩。家庭通訊從慈幼會角度，解讀當代實況，並以更全面的教育及牧民計劃的視野下，回應青年人及教會世界的訴求。」

Salesian Bulletin: 135 year old and it doesn’t show

(ANS - RMG –Rome, 24 May 2012) – “135 years old, the Salesian Bulletin has preserved an amazing vitality. This is all due to the one who invented it, someone with an astonishing, clear view of the future. ” These are the words with which Fr. Bruno Ferrero, director of the Italian Salesian Bulletin (SB), introduced his address during the meeting of the Directors of the SB across the world. It was a presentation which laid out its history, purpose and above all its identity. We publish a summary.

Don Bosco was a born communicator. Of his very nature he was irrepressible. He adjusted himself via communication, became more up to date in his ideas, invented ways to teach. He showed that he had understood  industrial civilization, which he was an enemy of in principal. And like all great communicators, he experienced fear but also made others fearful.  That same effect continues 125 years later.

It all begins with a broadsheet with the unlikely title Bibliofilo Cattolico (Catholic Booklover), which he changed then into Bolletino Salesiano.  The word bolletino,according to the dictionary, means “an official publication saying something of a public nature”.   It has noble origins. The word comes from “bolla”, the seal or stamp used for public writings and solemn kinds of documents. Papal Bulls – if that helps. It is still employed for practical purposes: medical bulletins, war bulletins. It points to something practical in style, without too many frills, managerial in nature. This is why Don Bosco liked it.

The first official number of the Salesian Bulletin opens with a letter from Don Bosco: “To the Salesian Cooperators. Our regulations, good and deserving Cooperators, prescribe a monthly Bulletin that would be published in due course to keep you informed of things that have been done or are yet to be done to obtain the aims which have agreed to achieve. We are now fulfilling a common desire, so that everyone can carry out his work in unity of spirit and unanimously direct our efforts to a single purpose: The glory of God, the good of civil society. To this end we judge that a Bulletin will help you, one that has been printed now for some years in our print shop in Turin and which will be printed in future from the St. Vincent’s Refuge in Sampierdarena. This Bulletin will tell you about:

1. Things that the members or their Directors choose to offer for the general and particular good of associates who follow the practical rules of the Cooperators.

2. Expounding facts that are fruitful for members and can serve as an example for others. So, things that have happened, or we have heard about or read: so long as they are linked to the good of humanity and religion; news and letters from Missionaries working for the faith in Asia Australia and especially those from Salesians spread throughout South America amongst wild tribes: all this is appropriate material for us.

3. Communications, notices of various kinds, works we are proposing; books and maxims which should be spread around, will make up a third of the Bulletin.

“Don Bosco never excluded anyone.”– Fr. Ferrero clarified – This is why the Bulletin is addressed to all friends of Don Bosco and those who, if they got to know him would be his friends.  One might think of a series of concentric circles rippling out from the centre using the most effective method of all: a handing on of the word.”

Fr. Pietro Stella in one of his publications wrote: “One could say that the SB, the many circular letters sent out ... determined how the world discovered Don Bosco, this extraordinary man. Up until 1874 the Salesians were just a regionally based Congregation. After that date, especially after the 1880s, Don Bosco more frequently took on boys who  were recommended by clergy or laity, requests multiplied to open houses in various cities and countries.” (Stella, Don Bosco, 1968).

“According to Don Bosco’s insights, the Salesian Bulletin is  not a simple list of news events, but shows the spirit of the Congregation by telling about deeds and works, more than by spreading speculative ideas. It offers a reading of contemporary reality from a Salesian point of view and accepts the provocations of the world of the young and of the Church in view of a more comprehensive educational and pastoral project.”, said Fr. Ferrero.