【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2012 年 12 月 31 日羅馬慈幼總部訊】 ─十二月三十一日，剛過正午時分，總會長按照傳統，在探訪母佑會總部的修女時，正式宣佈2013年贈言。這個傳統自1849年由鮑思高神父開始，以對認識並深化其教育法的熱誠延續下去；就是為準備慶祝鮑聖誕辰二百周年 (1815-2015)，三年預備期的第二個主題。

查偉思神父在總部禮堂會見溫幗儀修母，充滿家庭氣氛，既莊重又親切，在場的還有大批母佑會的代表，以及一些慈幼大家庭成員。

2013贈言的主題和結構，可簡單綜合為這耳熟能詳的標語：「效法教育者鮑思高神父，以仁愛的教育法，把喜樂的福音帶給青少年。」

然而，真正的「禮物」（指贈言），卻是總會長今天向慈幼大家庭全體成員發表的說話。無論個人或是本地及區域性不同的策勵團體，都必須仔細閱讀並作深入研究。 

「這個任務，並非只是理性上的探究。」──總會長寫道──「一方面，我們要深入研究慈幼會的教育法，好使我們能根據時代的敏銳與需要，不斷予以更新，因為我們發現，我們今天活出聖召與實踐慈幼使命所處的環境，無論在社會、政治、經濟、文化、宗教上，有了重大的改變；另一方面，為能忠於會祖的神恩，同樣重要的，我們要把教育法與牧民的內容與方法，加以本地化。在今日社會的環境裡，我們一如會祖一樣，被召叫成為聖善的教育者，奉獻我們的生命，與青少年一起，服務青少年。」

除了一些有關預防教育法的大原則（理智、宗教、仁愛、熱誠基督徒與良好公民）作反省外，總會長向慈幼大家庭提出了重要的準則和交托。

真正知識之路，就是以培訓及課程編排的激發所驗證，也是更有效的學習。

這強調是有力的──正如這伴隨贈言的聖經句子所說：「你們在主內應當常常嘉樂，我再說：你們應當喜樂！」（斐 4：4）喜樂的福音不應只理解為「轉瞬即逝的情感，而是內在力量，使面對生命上的困難時，處之泰然。」「鮑思高神父運用青少年對幸福的渴求，把他們生命的喜樂，轉化成他們在操場上，在慶禮上愉快的言語；然而，他不停地向他們指出，天主才是真正的喜樂之源。」總會長在他的釋義中寫道。

查偉思神父在總結時，把焦點放在可敬的麗達媽媽身上。「鮑思高神父從她身上，學會這些面對青少年的價值觀及態度，經過歲月的洗煉而成為他留給神子們教育法的基礎。」判斷良好慈幼教育法有效性簡單直接的方法，就是內在地與教育者有關，必然地透過同化作用，向任何他們所接觸及交談的人，傳達他們所相信的價值觀。這方面總會長提出來，是參照了一篇來自印度慈幼會的一首詩，而編寫的。

贈言英語全文可於 sdb.org 瀏覽，並附有評論視頻。贈言文本亦附載於總部議會第415號公告中。 

Know Don Bosco, Second Volume: The Strenna on pedagogy

(ANS - RMG –Rome, 31 December 2012) – Today, 31st December, in the early afternoon, respecting tradition, the Rector Major officially presented the Strenna 2013 by visiting the Generalate of the Salesian Sisters. The tradition started in 1849 by Don Bosco, continues with an issue devoted to knowledge and deepening of its pedagogy; the second theme of the three-year journey of preparation for the celebration of the bicentenary of his birth (1815-2015).

In the auditorium of the Generalate, in the solemn simplicity of a family atmosphere, Fr. Pascual Chávez met Mother Yvonne Reungoat, a large representation of the FMA, and some members of the Salesian Family.

The theme and structure of the Strenna 2013 was presented, briefly, expressed in the now famous slogan: “Like Don Bosco the educator, we offer young people the Gospel of joy through a pedagogy of kindness”.

The true "gift" (hence the term Strenna), however, is the text that the Rector Major presents today to the whole Salesian Family. These are pages that must be read, researched, in-depth  personally and in the various animation groups locally and territorially.

“Once again this time our approach will not be only an intellectual one. – writes the Rector Major - On the one hand a deeper study of Salesian Pedagogy is  certainly necessary in order to update it according to the sensitivities and the demands of our own times. Nowadays the social, economic, cultural, political and religious contexts in which we are trying to live our vocation and carry out the Salesian mission have profoundly changed.  On the other hand in order to be faithful to the charism of our Father it is equally necessary to make our own the contents and the method of the education and pastoral care he offered. In the context of society nowadays we are called to be holy educators as he was, giving our lives as he did, working with and for the young”.

Besides some reflections on the well-established principles of the Preventive System (Reason, Religion, Kindness, good Christian and honest citizen), the Rector Major offers great benchmarks and commitments for the Salesian family.

A true path to knowledge, verified with stimuli for a training and programming and more effective.

The emphasis is strong – as suggested by the verse that goes with the slogan: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice” (Phil 4,4) – on the Gospel of joy that must be understood not as an “joy rather than being a passing sentiment is an interior force which is able to resist in the face of the difficulties of life”. “Don Bosco took the desire for happiness the boys had and translated their joy of life into the language of cheerfulness,  of the playground, of celebration; but he never stopped pointing out to them that God was the source of true joy.” , writes the Rector Major in his comment.

In conclusion, Fr Chavez focuses on the Venerable Mamma Margaret. “From her Don Bosco learned those values and attitudes that he used with his boys, and that as the years passed became the foundation of his pedagogy left to his Salesians”. A simple and direct way that recalls how the effectiveness of good Salesian pedagogy is intrinsically linked to the educator which  inevitably by assimilation, transmits the values they believe in to whoever they can relate to and have a dialogue with. This aspect is underlined by a reference to a poem from a Salesian India that the Rector Major makes his own.

The full text of the Strenna is available in this language on the site sdb.org with video commentary. The text of the Strenna is also available in the proceedings of the General Council no 415.