SALESIAN LITERATURE

SFS: A Programme of Integral Formation

By: Morand Wirth SDB

In the wake of Renaissance humanism, St Francis de Sales developed a pastoral rather than theoretical program of education and integral formation of the person. Every human being is called to perfect themself in all their dimensions as an individual: the bodily senses, the passions and affections of the soul, the spiritual faculties of memory and intellect, and especially the heart, the seat of the will and freedom.

As someone immersed in society, St Francis de Sales shows himself to be attentive to the promotion of the dignity of each individual be it in the family, in social relationships, at work, in leisure time or in the service of country. Finally, St Francis de Sales cannot think of the person without an openness to transcendence. His program is original in this area too: he has a positive image of a God who attracts the human being while respecting our freedom; the devotion he promotes is a “civil devotion”; moreover, the love of God is to be lived in daily life, while love of one’s neighbour is characterised by “gentleness”, the flower of charity. St Francis de Sales program is an antidote against a one-dimensional formation that neglects the multiple resources of human nature.

Translation and Typesetting: Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco in collaboration with Australia-Pacific and Korea Province.

Table of Contents

PRESENTATION


HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION


Part One: FORMATION OF THE PERSON


1. EDUCATING AND FORMING

A duty to be done with love

Elements of child psychology

Sense of purpose in education

Beginning from the heart

Commanding, advising, inspiring

Correcting

Gradual education


2. THE BODY WITH ALL ITS SENSES

Salesian realism

Close link between body and soul

Love and control over the body

Educating our senses

The eyes and ears

The other senses

The body and spiritual life


3. THE SOUL WITH ALL ITS PASSIONS

The passions are the vibrations of the soul

I am as human as anyone could possibly be

Pleasure and aggression

The twelve passions of the soul

The role of images and the imagination

A difficult ideal to achieve: a constant mood


4. THE MIND WITH ITS FACULTIES

Reason, divine torch

The eye of the rational soul

Cultivating our intelligence

The memory and its storerooms

We need to have a well-balanced and reasonable mind


5. THE HEART: WILL, LOVE AND FREEDOM

The will, the master faculty

The affections that move the will

Love, the first and foremost affection

Inner struggle and the choices of freedom

The fruits of the will are our good resolutions

Fortifying and motivating the heart


6. EDUCATING YOUNG WOMEN

Francis de Sales and the women of his time

Educating young wome

Instruction and preparation for life

Education to love

Making a choice in life

Women and devotion


Part Two: THE PERSON IN SOCIETY


7. THE DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON

Know the dignity of the human being

Freedom is the most valuable part of the person

Conscience and responsibility

Respect and self love

The respect due to others

The Salesian “unidiverse”


8. MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY

Marriage is a vocation

Love in marriage

Marriage is a school

Parents, cooperators with God

The child, the living image of its parents

Family union


9. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Civility

Ways of dressing

Good behaviour

Conversations

Salesian gentleness

Friendships


10. WORK AND SOLIDARITY

Preparation for an active life

The dignity of work

Work carefully and diligently, but without fatigue or anxiety

Encouraging the country’s economy

Solidarity with the poor


11. REST AND LEISURE TIME

Fresh air, walking, hunting

Games of skill

Dancing and balls

Society games

Cultural amusements

Feasts, banquets, dressing up

Happy and friendly conversations

Salesian humour


12. THE IDEAL OF THE GOOD CITIZEN

Loving and serving your country

Overcoming certain social barriers

When justice is wronged

Francis de Sales “the European”

Citizen of the world


Part Three: OPENING TO TRANSCENDENCE


13. THE HUMAN AND THE DIVINE

A question of happiness

Reason and faith

Virtues of the pagans

Affinity between God and man

A pedagogy of faith

Youth and God


14. AN IMAGE OF A POSITIVE GOD

God is good

Providence

A God who draws us to himself, respecting our freedom

Human beings are God’s cooperators

A God who is passionate about communication

Fear and love

And the devil?

An educator God who “anticipates” the human being


15. DEVOUT LIFE IN THE WORLD

True and false devotion

Religion within everyone’s reach

Intelligent and discreet devotion

Choosing proper models

The need to follow the laws of the world

Witnesses to Christian joy


16. LOVE OF GOD IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Choosing one’s spirituality

The need to flourish where God has planted us

The daily practice of virtue

Encountering God in everyday events

Combining prayer and life

Daily life transfigured


17. LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR

Why love our neighbour?

How do we practise love of neighbour?

Gentleness, the flower of charity

Showing love

Love up to what point?


CONCLUSION

The essential role of education

Choosing preventive education

In an attitude of trust and joy


BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Works of Francis de Sales

2. Translations and Salesian studies in Italian

3. Salesian studies

4. Studies of a general nature

5. Relationship between St Francis de Sales and Don Bosco

6. Translations in English


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