Salesian Pedagogy in the Light of the Second Vatican Council

Jan Niewęgłowski

doi:10.21697/fp.2025.2.25

Published: 2025-12-30

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2025)

Salesian Pedagogy in the Light of the Second Vatican Council

Jan Niewęgłowski

Pedagogical Forum

Section: Colloquia

https://doi.org/10.21697/fp.2025.2.25

Abstract

The Preventive System originated in the 19th century. Its creator was Fr John Bosco (1815-1888). At the time, Piedmont was facing many social problems. One of these was the poor and abandoned youth who had migrated from the surrounding villages to Turin in search of work and better living conditions. Some found employment, the rest, in order to survive, organised criminal groups, coming into conflict with the law. Turin's prisons and juvenile detention centres quickly filled up with marginalised young people. This category of youngsters was taken care of by John Bosco, who set up general and vocational schools and boarding schools for them.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) drew new lines of development for the Church's activity. In doing so, it wanted to reflect on its place and role in today's culture and world. Following it, Pope Paul VI encouraged existing religious families, associations and ecclesial movements to the so-called aggiornamento of their original charisms. To this end, the Salesian Society convened a Special General Chapter, which carried out a thorough analysis of youth work to date. It also set out new paradigms that corresponded to the indications of the Church and at the same time were in line with the idea of youth work left by John Bosco.

Keywords:

Salesian pedagogy, youth, Second Vatican Council, schooling, poverty, catechesis

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Niewęgłowski, J. (2025). Salesian Pedagogy in the Light of the Second Vatican Council . Pedagogical Forum, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.21697/fp.2025.2.25

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