Prophets in Communities

One of the three themes that formed the core of the 27th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation was ‘Prophets of Communion’. The theme is open-ended and reflects the ‘radicality of the Gospel’, which was the thrust of the chapter. It invites deep reflection and a lived experience.

Who is a prophet? A prophet is one who is close to God and close to people. He listens to God and carries His word to the people. He also listens to the people and helps them understand God’s message. Every Christian has a prophetic vocation although they fulfill it in varying degrees. A married person is no less a prophet than a professed religious, but the religious however, is called to fulfill the prophetic vocation in a higher degree. We, Salesians, are called to be prophets, especially to the young. Our identity and work as prophets is not restricted to when we are among the young. We must be prophets in our communities as well!

Community life is no bed of roses. Despite the fact that it is a group of consecrated priests, brothers and seminarians living together under one roof. It’s hard enough without living as prophets. The Bible tells us that no prophet has an easy life. Maybe this is the reason why there were so few! This same statement can be applied to community life today. We have few or no prophets at all in our communities. Nobody likes to do the ‘dirty’ job of a prophet. We prefer living comfortably in our secure private zones, far from anybody else’s toes. Thus, we end up living in illusory and often deadening peace.


A prophet stands for the Truth. In our communities, do we do the same or do we stand for ‘our’ ideas? A prophet speaks out in favour of the Truth. Do we do the same or do we censor the truth, keeping the sweet and throwing away the bitter? Being a prophet is difficult but proximity to God brings courage and fortitude to carry on. If we are to truly be effective ‘Prophets of Communion’, than we will have to focus on listening to God and allowing Him to lead us on the path of Truth.

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