MEMENTO FOR MISSIONARIES
CRITICAL EDITION: JESÚS BORREGO - TRANSLATION &
NOTES: P. LAWS
INTRODUCTION
1875 was
a milestone year for the young Salesian Society. The first group of
missionaries left for
As a 'memento' of their departure, and a guide for their work, Don Bosco
presented them with 20 short pieces of advice. It became the custom to give
them to all departing Salesian missionaries.
The translation is based in a copy in Don Bosco's own hand.
TEXT
Mementos given to the Salesian Religious
on November the 11th
on the occasion of their
departure from the
to begin their voyage to the
1: Seek
souls, but not money, honours, or rank.
2: Use charity and the greatest courtesy with all, but avoid conversations and
familiarity with persons of the opposite sex, or persons of questionable
life-style.
3: Do not go visiting, except for motives of charity or out of necessity.
4: Never accept invitations to dinner except for the most serious reasons. In
these cases arrange for two of you to go.
5: Take special care of the sick, of the children, of the aged, and of the
poor, and you will win for yourselves the blessings of God and the good will of
people.
6: Pay due respect to all civil, religious, municipal
and government authorities.
7: When meeting a person in authority in the street, be sure to greet him
respectfully.
8: Do the same for ecclesiastics and religious.
9: Stay away from idleness and disputes. Great sobriety in
food, drink and rest.
10: Love, revere, respect the other religious Orders,
and always speak well of them. This is a way to gain the esteem of all, and to
promote the good of the (Salesian) Congregation.
11: Take care of your health. Work, but only to the extent your strength
allows.
12: Let the world know that you are poor in clothing, food, dwelling, and you
will be rich in the sight of God and you will win people's hearts.
13: Love one another, counsel one another, correct one another, but do not give
in to either envy, or resentment; on the contrary, let the good of one be the
good of all; the pain and suffering of one be considered the pain and suffering
of all, and let each one try to eliminate, or at least ameliorate them.
14: Keep your Rules, and never forget the monthly Exercise for a Happy Death.
15: Every morning recommend to God the work of the day, in particular
Confessions, classes, religious instruction, preaching.
16: Constantly recommend devotion to Mary Help of Christians, and to Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament.
17: To the young people recommend frequent Confession and Communion.
18: To cultivate vocations to the priesthood and religious life instil 1) love of chastity; 2) horror of the contrary vice;
3) the avoidance of indisciplined companions; 4)
frequent Communion; 5) charity, by means of special signs of kindness and
goodwill.
19: In disputed matters, listen to both sides before coming to a decision.
20: Amidst toil and suffering never forget that a great reward awaits us in
Heaven - Amen.
