Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome(Agenzia Fides) - Members of the 26th General Chapter of the Society of Saint Francis De Sales (the Salesians of Don Bosco) have, in the first scrutiny, confirmed “Don” (Father) Pascual Chávez Villanueva as Rector Major of the Salesians for the six-year term 2008-2014. The election took place on March 25. The Chapter began on March 3, at the Salesianum in Rome, and are set to conclude on April 12. 233 Salesians from all over the world have participated (see Fides 31/1/2008).
Born on the 20th December 1947 in Real de Catorce, in the State of San Luis Potosì in Mexico, he attended the Novitiate in Coacalco, he made his first Salesian religious profession on the 16th August 1964 and, in 1970, his perpetual profession at
Guadalajara. Having always been in the State capital of Jalisco, he was ordained priest on the 8th of December 1973. He dedicated his first few years ministering in the community of young Salesians in formation in Chapalita, he studied at the Biblicum Institute in Rome and obtained his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture in 1977. He taught and was Rector at the Theological Institute of San Pedro Tlaquepaque from 1980 to 1988 and was asked to be the Provincial of of Salesians in Mexico-Guadalajara from 1989 to 1994. At the end of his term of office he began his Doctorate in Biblical Theology, finishing it in Salamanca in Spain in 1997. During the GC24, in 1996, though not being a member of the Chapter, he was invited by the Rector Major, don Juan Edmundo Vecchi, to take charge as Councillor for the Interamerica region. On the 3rd of April 2002, during the GC25, Don Pascual Chávez Villanueva was elected Rector Major of the Salesians at the first ballot.
As the Salesian Information Agency, ANS, recalls, in his first term Don Chávez strongly felt the need to take the Salesian charism to more authentic spiritual levels and Salesian commitment to the more needy frontiers of actual society and culture. His Circulars were much appreciated, switching between those presenting the regions into which the Congregation was subdivided and offering journeys of reflection and in depth on the themes of holiness, the Word of God and Religious Life. The various awards “Honoris Causa” received in the course of these years were always accompanied by magisterial letters of considerable value. Don Chávez has felt the need, during his first term of office, to visit all the Provinces and Viceprovinces of the Congregation. He was elected President of the Union of Superiors General (USG) in November 2006. In his capacity as Rector Major of the Salesians, he has taken part in the General Conference of the Latin-American and Caribbean Bishops which was held in May 2007 at Aparecida in Brazil. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 26/3/2008; righe 34, parole 460)
