Transcript Economic Solidarity amongst the ASC Members

Economic Solidarity amongst the
ASC Members
A way towards Autonomy
by
Maurizio Leonardi, WCB Administrator
Who is Maurizio??
Solidarity
What does it mean to me?
What does the Bible say?
The Old Testament
• God’s love  Israel’s freedom from slavery
• Solidarity  Acceptance of the “poor”
• Reproducing God’s way of acting
• Amos: when money replaces God it’s easy to
lose sight of the poor, meaning of justice…
• Greek’s wisdom reflection of what’s poor
What does the Bible say?
The New Testament
• Palestine’s 3 classes:
– Rich… landowners, big businessmen, religious
workers
– Poor… slaves, labourer, wage earners
– Middle… small businessmen, tradesmen
• Jesus chooses to live poorly
• Wisdom perspective: materials goods are
passing
What does the Bible say?
The New Testament
• Gospel: use earthly goods as a sign of gratuitous
love, an instrument of sharing and solidarity
• Jesus recognizes children of God…
“each time you do these things to one of the
least of my brethren you do it to me”
Mt 25:40
What is the present situation?
• Subsistence economy gives way to market economy…
regulated by principle of profit
• Separation of capital holder and manager
• Money is not for acquiring goods but for acquiring more
money
• Needs are artificial, feed a vicious circle
“we don’t try to foresee what the market will require in a
year’s time but to act so that the market asks what is
convenient for the entrepreneurs to produce…”
What is the present situation?
Gandhi’s tomb of 7 social sins…
1. Politics without principles
2. Riches without work
3. Pleasure without conscience
4. Wisdom without character
5. Business without morality
6. Science without humanity
7. Worship without sacrifice
What does Don Bosco say?
• RAL/Art.21: Economic Solidarity
• Administrative autonomy
• Don Bosco opted for “free contributions” but… reminded
the Cooperators about the gestures of solidarity of the
early Christians of Jerusalem
• Well defined purpose
• The “vast Salesian commitment” continues to grow, the
generosity of Cooperators must also continue to grow!
Interview
How do you collect money?
How do you spend the money?
Adoration in Bethlehem
Questions
1.
2.
3.
Do the Councils, individual Cooperators know the
documents of Economic Solidarity? And do they
strive to live up to their message, by using the
document as instrument of animation and of
sanctification?
Is there Administrator (Treasurer) in the Councils at
every level?
Following the apostolic and associative suggestions,
do the Councils draw up budgets and plans to
accomplish mutual help (solidarity) and for the
other financial projects?
Questions
4.
5.
6.
7.
Are the Cooperators (local, provincial) made aware of
these financial plans?
Is the identity of Cooperator shown by our sober
lifestyle, trust in providence and our sharing/solidarity
towards the Association?
How do we make use of the material goods that we
possess for our own holiness and the holiness of the
whole Association?
What is the wisdom and prophetic dimension of our
relationship with the money that we possess, as
individuals and as an Association?
Questions
8. How can we use material goods as useful
means and not as goals in themselves? (show
concrete decisions and purposes for the next
12 months)
9. As a Cooperator, in the various environment of
our personal life and of our responsibilities,
how can we behave in order to keep away
from falling into some of the “7 Social Sins”?