John Rozario reconstructs the Spiritual Profile of Don Bosco scientifically

Posted by Dominic Matthews

Fr.John Rozario sdb from the Province of Chennai presented his defence at the Salesian Pontifical University. Rome at 17.30hrs on 11 April 2018. With Professors Francesco Motto, Aldo Giraudo & Paolo Carlotti acclaiming his work as the first ever study conducted on the 7 volume “Epistolario” -edited and published over the last 27 years by the Salesian History Institute at the Salesian Generalate. The thesis running into over 600 pages presents a detailed study into the person of Don Bosco by analysing the 3561 letters written from 1835-1881, articles by Braido Le opere e i giorni di don Bosco nell’Epistolario 1864-1868, Constitutions of the Salesian Society (1875), the Writings to the Salesians titled Ai Soci Salesiani (1875-1885), the Memoirs of the Oratory, the Spiritual Testament of Don Bosco besides a host of other relevant saelsian literature.

    Part-1 of the dissertation presents the Person of Don Bosco and the text in its historical context while Part-2 occupies itself with a critical analysis of the Epistolario of Don Bosco -examining the theological virtues of Don Bosco, Spirituality, Vision of Human Life and his mission to reconstruct his spiritual profile. The final part constructs the Spiritual Profile of Don Bosco summarizing also his spiritual teachings.

    The 90 minute defence, well attended by most confreres form the South Asia Region and many Professors and students of the University, was brought to a conclusion by the Prof.Francesco Casella, the Vice Rector of the University who lauded the work of Fr Rosario as the unique and the only one of its kind executed on the subject ever, leading into many such future studies and brought the evening to a conclusion conferring on the candidate the decree of Doctorate in Spiritual Theology with a specialization in Salesian Studies.

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