COLLABORATIVE MINISTRY AND THE SALESIAN TRADITION
The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, believe the spirit and doctrine of St. Francis de Sales constitutes the core of our identity and purpose. Our mission is to attempt to live and to disseminate this Salesian spirit and doctrine.
Collaboration is the process that celebrates the unique gifts and differences of all those who share this mission. Collaboration is a dialogue among individuals who have much in common but frequently identify very real differences. In this dialogue both these agreements and differences need to be stated.
Salesian spirituality, in contrast to the divisions and confrontations so often associated with human diversity, promotes a unity which respects, yet transcends, differences of gender, ethnic origin, ability, vocation, and religious practice. St. Francis de Sales uses the concept of "unidiverse" to describe this paradox. He writes in the Treatise on the Love of God, "the sovereign unity of the divine (act) is opposed to confusion and disorder, but not to distinction and variety; on the contrary, it uses their distinction and variety to produce beauty" (Vol. I pp. 105-106).
"Salesian collaboration is best conceived as a dialogical, mutual engagement in the art of living Jesus. It means teaching each other, growing together, mining the tradition together, sharing the various wisdoms gained through our diverse life experiences." (W. Wright, Leaven for the Loaf, p. 11)
Link to Collaboration Resource Manual
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