DIALOGUE BETWEEN SUPERIOR GENERALS
AND THE SPEAKERS

Few interventions followed those presentations.

One Superior General pointed out the consequence of the weak thinking which often goes with strong feeling, but young people do not agree with it (at least, according his experience with his own young people). Another reminded the value of the Congress proposals and its impact to the young. A third one reported a wonderful experience he had with a group of young who celebrated Easter vigil in a cloistered convent ending the ceremony in a fraternal exchange.

Finally, a superior general recalled an opinion saying that young religious are no more sons of Vatican II, and he asked for comment.

Fr Cencini welcomed the reaction caused by young people objections concerning the Congress methodology, above all, when they state that the Church teaching on religious life was not enough taken in consideration and underlined. He told it is only the position of a small portion of the participants, attributing it also to the weak thinking, effectively there are matter where young people dislike vagueness; this is particularly true concerning young people own problems; and they are tempted to consider their weak thinking as attempt to their own immaturity, so they express the necessity of very precise references. Formators consequently are challenged to find out why young people manifested such dissatisfaction; one should find the real question.

Fr Veilleux said he did not feel there was really new forms of religious life, to the contrary he found very traditional forms, but they were trying to live religious life in harmony with the present culture; he also confirmed young people difficulty to reflect and said that young people refusal of any form of individualism is a consequence of their thinking weakness.

Fr Cencini finally spoke to point out that the speakers were not young so some mediation was required; anyway, it was not opportune to limit communication among young people only. Concerning diversity of communities, surely brotherhood is lived in monastic community; but it is also possible in other type of religious life where saints and sinners can live in real communion, if they share together what is vital and important, what is motivating the option of the faith, avoiding strictly private and exclusive spiritual way.Concerning young people’s relation with the Council, perhaps it may be strange at first sight, but one should remind they have not lived nor suffered the conciliar and postconciliar aggiornamento as we have, and studying the content of it, is not surely enough. Do not take for granted any open-mindedness to what is the fruit of our own history.