FEAST OF DON RINALDI

FEAST OF DON RINALDI - Founder of the VDBs (Volunteers of Don Bosco)

Blessed Philip Rinaldi was an outstanding witness and brilliant interpreter of the Salesian spirit. He became a saint by dedicating himself totally or exclusively to the life and growth of the spirit of Don Bosco. Don Rinaldi is the guardian and the transmitter of the secret of the Salesian spirit. 

- Don Rinaldi invites us to faithfully live the Gospel and the Salesian charism, so as to witness to the love of God through concrete actions in favour of the people we meet. 

And you VDB, be witnesses of the Good News today! 

Don Rinaldi was a Father to all. He wanted to be a “father” like Don Bosco and model the family spirit for each community. He embodied the spiritual fatherhood, the loving father; "In him, fatherhood always radiated."       

- Don Rinaldi invites us to have a welcoming heart towards all, to have an attitude rich in tenderness and understanding. 

And you VDB, be “mothers” or “big sisters” to others!

Don Rinaldi was a man of great apostolic interiority. He was truly a man of deep interior life. This constitutes the priority of a consecrated person. "The interior life is the spiritual sense which must characterize us; it is the presence of God in us…". Don Rinaldi is the prototype of the “contemplative in action”, the man of deep interiority which permeated his approach, his action and his way of life.  He would say: “Make a good meditation daily; it must illuminate your work, your words and your thoughts throughout your day”.          

- Don Rinaldi invites us to live a deep union with God and to listen and meditate His Word. 

And you VDB, be true friends of Jesus! 

Blessed Philip Rinaldi was simple and humble. For him, like Jesus, “the basis of our sanctification is humility of heart”. “A deeply humble and gentle person willingly gives herself/himself to others, sacrifices herself/himself generously, and loves our Lord more perfectly”. He was humble in demeanour, speech, and action. His humility was always clothed with kindness and meekness. He was always welcoming and considered himself to be everyone's servant.       

- Don Rinaldi invites us to be simple and humble of heart, to attentively listen in the midst of others. 

And you VDB, be simple and humble, kind and generous! 

Don Rinaldi was attentive to the signs of the times. He had the ability to adapt and take initiatives. This is how he motivated the group of the “Zealous followers of Mary Help of Christians”, which became the Secular Institute of Volunteers of Don Bosco.  He was its inspiration and its founder. He had that vision of a path which led to consecrated secularity.     

- Don Rinaldi also invites us to be attentive to the signs of the times and be able to understand the needs of the people who live beside us today, as well as to respond to them with generosity and concrete commitment. 

And you VDB, be true consecrated people in the world, and understand the will of God through daily events and situations in order to be “salt and light” today!

Don Rinaldi was a confident son of Mary. He said: "Hasten to imitate Mary, seek to do what she did, to live as she lived in this world... Replicate her life in yours... Imitate Mary in her virtues, especially in purity, in her attention to our Lord, following Jesus closely as she did… “Mary is the model for all women”. Don Rinaldi had a strong devotion to Mary Help of Christians. He used to open his heart to Mary Help of Christians like a son to his Mother.       

- Don Rinaldi invites us to love Mary with a childlike heart and to imitate her virtues every day of our life. 

And you VDB, be with Mary, be like Mary, act like Mary in all the circumstances of your life! 

Blessed Philip Rinaldi was a genuine disciple and a passionate apostle. He exhorted us to work with a lot of energy to save souls. This was also the passion of Jesus Christ: the salvation of souls. “Do whatever you can”, said Don Rinaldi. He invited all to do good, in Godly manner, with a spirit of sacrifice, with love and remembering that God will give the reward. "Carry out your action in particular among the young, your companions at work, in the office, in your family, with everyone you meet".       

- Don Rinaldi invites us to be genuine disciples and apostles, passionate about the Gospel, daring missionaries. 

And you VDB, be dynamic and enterprising, and at the same time wise and prudent; be witnesses and servants in the mission.

Don Rinaldi was as good as bread. He recommended all to be very kind, to maintain tenderness in their gaze, in their attitude, in their words, to win over everyone with kindness.   Don Rinaldi constantly offered a smile, an encouraging word, an affectionate welcome, an attitude of understanding, forgiveness and generosity, a sign of paternal guidance, equal attention to all, wise advice, infinite patience, … He displayed a capacity for evangelical simplicity in the face of each event…, in short, he incarnated loving kindness. It was pastoral goodness which was sourced from heaven and which was born from divine fatherhood, the fruit of perfect union with God, which translated the “da mihi animas” into an attitude of friendship and understanding. Don Rinaldi insisted on "the talent of the heart". The heart demands that educators be also friends who make themselves loved and who know how to use the appropriate means in the midst of the young.       

- Don Rinaldi invites us to be gentle and welcoming to everyone, to be witnesses of God's tenderness for everyone. 

And you VDB, be welcoming and smiling with everyone so that each person with whom you come into a relationship feels loved in a personal way.

Don Rinaldi was passionate about God and the world. 

He said: “On your own, relying on your strength, you can do nothing; but by entrusting yourselves fully to the Lord, with a real desire to love him completely so as to bring souls to him, you can accomplish a lot, by being in the real world, by living integrally in society. First strive to grow in yourself a deep love for the Lord and this will enable you to spread it and bring it to the souls you meet. Exercise these virtues in the world. Do as much good as possible, in the spirit of Don Bosco”.

- Don Rinaldi also said: “Loving union with God necessarily involves love of neighbour, never excluding anyone, because charity comes from God. If we love each other, God dwells in us, and his love becomes perfect in our hearts. Whoever loves, lives in God, and God lives in him/her… Union with God is nothing other than the fruit of the love of God and of one’s neighbour, who loved for God sake”.

Don Rinaldi made it clear that it is necessary to live this with "evangelical simplicity: to rid the path of the obstacles which stand in the way of the grace of unity; that is to say, sin and bad habits, in an expeditious and decisive manner, and begin instead to immediately run along the path which has been blazed, performing deeds of love, accepting the inevitable sacrifices entailed in the fulfilment of our mission”.              

- Don Rinaldi invites us to live united with God, so that each of our actions may be a blessing, an offering, a thank you for His goodness. 

And you VDB, be passionate about God, and be people of prayer in order to be an evangelical presence in the world and witnesses to love.

May the Lord, through the intercession of Blessed Philip Rinaldi, bless your vocation and your mission! May Mary Help of Christians and Saint John Bosco protect and guide you in your commitment in the Church and in the world!