BEGINNING A NEW YEAR IN FRATERNAL COMMUNION

As I mentioned in the introduction to this circular, our life in community – especially with the confreres who, following the transfers that took effect on 24 May 2026 – have newly joined, can truly be regarded as a moment of renewal, grace and gratitude if we approach it with faith and openness. Every confrere is a gift from God, bringing personal talents and experiences that enrich the community and strengthen its mission. The community is called to receive each member with love, openness and genuine fraternity, while the confrere trusting in God’s mercy and the goodness of the community places himself and his talents at its service. Such a welcoming–sharing spirit enables every confrere to feel at home, grow in grace and support one another and fulfil our responsibilities faithfully and fruitfully.

Fraternal Communion: The Heart of Religious Life
Fraternal life of communion is the foundation and vital breath of religious life. My experience over the past few years of animating the Province confirms that the spiritual growth of individual confreres as well as the effectiveness of the mission depend greatly on the quality of our community life. Community – understood as communion and unity – is essential for authentic religious living. When brotherly communion becomes the distinguishing mark of a community, religious life naturally radiates joy, fulfilment and fruitfulness. A united community, rooted in shared purpose and mutual support, becomes a source of encouragement, inspiration and effective service, enabling each member to contribute meaningfully to the wider mission. Thus fraternal life is not an accessory but the very foundation and sustaining force of our consecrated commitment.

Community as Image of the Trinity and the Church
When we say that our community is modelled on the Holy Trinity, we need to understand that the Trinity is unity, not because the Persons in the Trinity “possess” everything of the other, instead each One “gives” everything to the Other. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are relationships. They receive their “identity” as Father, Son or Spirit from the relationship each one has towards the other.
The Church in her turn is called ecclesia which refers to an assembly gathered for a purpose. Be it in the Old Testament or later in the New Testament, God formed a group (“community”), through which he accomplished his salvific plan for the world.
The Acts of the Apostles clearly shows that the first fruit of the Pentecost was not immediate missionary expansion, but the formation of a believing community (Acts 2:41–47). Mission comes as the result of the love relationship that existed in the community. From this community later emerged missionary outreach, as seen in Jerusalem (Acts 8:14) and Antioch (Acts 13:1–3). Thus it can be said that our entire apostolic mission is rooted in community life.

It is worth contemplating on Romans 12, especially verses 3-8, where using the image of the human body, Paul teaches that the Church is composed of many distinct members, each dependent on the other. He cautions against pride and exhorts believers to exercise their particular spiritual gifts, whether teaching, serving or giving, with humility and grace. Definitely, our belonging comes from God’s call, not from natural causes.

The Early Christian Model of Communion

For the early Church community took precedence over everything else. We know how the early Christians shared all things in common so that no one among them was in need. The Eucharistic breaking of bread stood at the center of their unity and spiritual life, as seen in Acts 2:42–47. This way of life later became known as Vita Apostolica, serving as an ideal reference for religious community life.
What gave these communities their strength and impact was not primarily their activities or external works, but the quality of their relationships: their unity, shared life and common spirit. Their way of living made a profound impression even on those outside the faith, creating esteem and attraction. The growth of the Church is described as a natural consequence of such communal witness: “The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

Salesian Understanding of Community Life

Don Bosco, following Christ the Good Shepherd, gathered his first collaborators in a shared mission of caring for the young. He invited them to remain with him and dedicate themselves fully to this work. Their life together was marked by simplicity, dedication and a shared sense of mission.
The Salesian community is not separated from the young but lives with them and for them. The presence of the young shapes the community’s rhythm of prayer, work and daily life. Staying with Don Bosco means sharing heart, mind and will in service – combining friendship, work, sympathy and dedication.
This deeply communitarian spirituality, expressed in the motto Da mihi animas, is sustained by work, prayer and temperance. Despite differences among members, the community is called to remain united around a shared mission and leadership, which is essential for apostolic fruitfulness. Don Bosco’s vision remains valid today: only a community rooted in mutual love and unity becomes an effective witness of Christian life.

Striving to becoming an Ideal Community

Communities are made of individuals who are not perfect: people have different personalities, backgrounds, habits and expectations. It is when each one is accepted as he is that peace and serenity reign. Accepting that community is not formed by natural attraction but by a divine call signifies much patience, humility and compassion toward the fragility of each member are called for. In such cases, differences and even weaknesses become occasions for growth in mutual forbearance.

There is also a danger at times that community life becomes overly functional or work-centred, reducing relationships to efficiency rather than fraternity. Excessive workload can also lead to isolation, preventing meaningful sharing and accountability. Despite these difficulties, community life remains the context in which members are called to grow in responsibility, cooperation and mutual support. Shared prayer, collaboration and openness help transform diversity into communion.

Individual vis-à-vis Community Mission

While living out our consecrated life in community, tension can arise between our individual desires and the common mission of the community. If this tension is not handled rightly, personal fulfilment and overemphasis on the self can lead to a weakening of communion and community witness. As Pope Francis rightly noted, fraternal community has great power to gather people together, but when it is wounded, it can also become destructive.
Don Bosco emphasized that when brotherly love reigns and each rejoices in the good of the other, the community becomes like heaven itself. Similarly, Fr Juan Vecchi and Fr Pascual Chávez underlined that religious life and mission are inseparable from authentic community living. Without genuine fraternity, relationships risk becoming merely functional, hierarchical or individualistic, losing their spiritual and human depth.
A community lacking true communion becomes a group of isolated individuals sharing space but not life. Similarly, communion without real community becomes an empty ideal disconnected from lived reality. Authentic religious life requires both: real structures of community and deep interior unity of hearts.

Challenges in Community Living

Community life is not without its challenges. It involves individuals of varied backgrounds, temperaments, personalities and ways of relating. The first challenge is to accept wholeheartedly the authority of Christ who calls whom He wills. We are given to one another by Christ and He invites us to accept each confrere as he is. By abiding in Him we are able to unite in a love that transcends mere personal attraction. This mutual acceptance calls us to value our differences in background, temperament, gifts and personality, while also embracing with humility and compassion the fragility and incompleteness of each confrere. Tensions and friction, though inevitable, are not signs of failure; rather, Christ uses them for our conversion, teaching us patience, forbearance and freedom from pride.
At the same time, common life and fraternity are inseparably linked. Since our basic needs are satisfied by the community, we must ensure that our sense of personal responsibility remains strong. Work must be shared equitably so that each confrere contributes according to his ability, for community life is not an escape from toil but a call to shared responsibility.

However, community living itself can become a source of tension when relationships remain superficial or merely functional, lacking sincerity and trust. Over-involvement in ministry may lead members to neglect community responsibilities and avoid accountability. The true challenge lies in building interpersonal relationships rooted in prayer, openness, generosity and shared commitment. Each confrere must cultivate habits of prayer, sharing and collaboration so that together we may grow as a family in religious life, united in spirit and bound by our mission.

St Artemide Zatti: A Witness of Community Spirit

St Artemide Zatti offers a concrete example of deep integration into community life. Although his role as infirmarian involved significant responsibilities outside the community, he remained closely united to it. He participated faithfully in all community practices, including prayer, meals and meetings. His life reflected optimism, joy and fraternity. Even in difficult situations, such as institutional changes and relocations, he maintained a strong sense of belonging and gratitude. St Zatti demonstrates that active service and intense community life are not contradictory, instead mutually reinforcing when lived in faith and charity.
I quote from the Positio prepared for the Cause of his Beatification: “Often in a religious community, whoever takes care of externs has a tendency to be absent from one’s confreres, but Zatti was closely integrated into his community. He was unfailingly present at the practices of piety, at meals and at community meetings. As infirmarian he used to look after both confreres and young people, and was above all else a contributor to spiritual union and fraternity.”

Few Practical Guidelines for Building Communion

Dear Confreres, authentic community life does not happen by chance; it requires profound attitudes and consistent practices. Each of us is called to recognize the goodness in one another and to cultivate gratitude for every confrere in our midst. Encouragement, appreciation and positive communication strengthen relationships and foster trust.
Community life flourishes when discussions are open and constructive, when members feel at ease with one another, when prejudices are set aside in favour of genuine personal encounters. A positive spirit has the power to transform relationships and deepen unity. Forgiveness is indispensable, for human weakness is inevitable in shared life. Daily efforts to approach others, seek feedback and understand expectations contribute greatly to growth in communion.
Above all, fundamental practices such as praying together, sharing meals, learning and exchanging ideas, cultivating generosity rather than judgment are vital for building community. Life together becomes stronger when members give more than they receive and remain actively engaged in the shared spiritual and apostolic mission. We must make a conscious effort to ensure that the commonmission of the community takes precedence over personal interests and that fraternal life is valued above individual inclinations.

Conclusion: Community as a Lived Reality of Love

In conclusion, I would like to quote from the circular letter of Rev Fr Peter Ricaldone titled “To think well of all, to speak well of all, to do good to all”, which he published on 24 May 1933. In this he wrote: “When brotherly love reigns in a Community and all the members bear a mutual affection towards one another, and everyone rejoices in another’s good just as though such good were his own, then that House becomes a Paradise, and it is felt how just are the words of the Prophet David: Behold how good and delightful it is for all brothers to dwell together in unity” (Ps 133:1).
Ultimately, community life is something that is continually built and renewed. It is not simply a structure but a living reality shaped by daily choices of love, patience and forgiveness. A true religious community is marked by genuine love, mutual acceptance, respect, tolerance and appreciation. It is a place where disagreements do not destroy unity and where freedom and peace are preserved. When lived well, community life becomes a strong witness to the Gospel and the community itself a place of joy, support and growth for all.
I wish every community and every confrere all the very best as we launch into this new academic year. I also invite each of us to start off with renewed personal commitment to prayer and fraternal life. Our communities are the foundation of our mission. When we live intimately together in charity, dialogue and shared purpose the young people will definitely notice it. They will be drawn to us. That is the kind of evangelization we need to aim at.
May our Blessed Mother Mary, Help of Christians, watch over our works and protect our ministries, Don Bosco inspire us with his boundless charity and creativity, and may the Lord bless abundantly all that we do in His name.
Yours affectionately in Don Bosco,

Fr. Jose Thomas Koyickal sdb
Provincial