Salesians 2011 %28en%29


Salesians 2011 %28en%29

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SALESIANS 2011
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SALESIANS 2011
Fr Filiberto González Plasencia sdb
General Councillor for SC
Dear friends, grateful for the appreciation
shown for “Salesians 2010” I am now
happy to present you with the 2011 edition.
We are offering you good news which can re-
alistically enlighten a society which seems to
live entrenched in darkness. Don Bosco's
work continues to offer effective proposals
for overcoming poverty and for the educa-
tion of the young, and all this thanks to the
efforts of so many consecrated Salesians and
their lay partners, who are always able to
count on help from you all. This way we make
a Family, a great Movement, that believes in
the transforming energy of the Gospel, edu-
cation and young people themselves.
The magazine this year is divided into new
sections corresponding to the General Ad-
ministration and eight Regions in which the
Salesian Congregation has organised itself.
You will find general statistical information
and five articles on each Region, which let
you see a small part of the good we are
achieving in favour of poor and needy youth
in every continent.
Along with the great team that has worked
on this edition so capably, I reiterate my grat-
itude for your generous support for the
Salesian Mission.
To each and every one of you, and your dear
ones, I wish you a 2011 filled with God's bless-
ings and the assistance of the Help of Chris-
tians, Don Bosco's teacher and guide.
December 8, 2010
Cover:
Volunteer in Nigeria
from ICP Province
Table of contents
SALESIANS 2011 1
» Index
» Rector Major: “Christ is
everybody's right”
» Salesians in the World
AFRICA - MADAGASCAR 6
» AFC: Oases of hope
» AFW: Don Bosco, credible model for alternative
coexistence
» ANG: 2,000 lollipops
» AGL: Don Bosco Oratory Kabgayi
» AFM: LoveMatters!
SOUTH AMERICA CONE 18
» BRE: “Tell your story, speak of your life”
» CISBRASIL: Provincial Conference of the
Salesians of Don Bosco, Brazil
» Brazil: Salesian Youth Volunteers in Brazil
» Argentina: Don Bosco's Work in Argentina
» ARN: Give me a smile!
EAST ASIA - OCEANIA 30
» VIE: Darkhan, starting from zero!
» KOR: Summer Bible Camp for Catholic Youth
» GIA: Blessed Laura Vicuña and Artemides Zatti,
pastoral patrons in Japan
» AUL: Cagliero Lay Missionaries
» MYM: Sunday Oratories à la Don Bosco!
SALESIANS 2011 (English edition), December 8, 2010. Rome

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SOUTH ASIA 42
The Magic of Bosco Kids: INK «
Life plus campus for young Misings: IND «
Don Bosco Media: INT «
A Communication Formation Project
for the Church in India: India «
Short Films for powerful values: INM «
NORTH EUROPE 54
Don Bosco's spiritual and
pedagogical heritage : BEN «
Missionaries in the park: PLS «
A promise and a challenge: EST «
Oratory on wheels: SLO «
Evangelising pilgrims create community: PLN «
WEST EUROPE 66
‘The Journey’ of education in faith: Spain «
A salesian open door, Edições Salesianas: POR «
Farnières: FRB «
Catequistas y Misión Joven: Spain «
Salesian Mission & Development Office: SMA «
INTERAMERICA 78
» SUE: Chicago parish mission experience
» ECU: Universidad Politecnica Salesiana
» MEM: CECHACI Don Bosco, Mixes Prelature
» BOL: Don Bosco Schools for the people
» ANT: Boys and Girls with Don Bosco
ITALY - MIDDLE EAST 90
» ICC: The Catacombs of St Callistus
» ILE: Growth after Confirmation
» ICP: Spiritual accompaniment
» ISI: Teens meet
» MOR: Zeitun, fertile ground
ROME - GENERALATE 104
» Haiti, sorrow pregnant with hope
» The meeting of all the novices of Europe
» Community of the Mission of Don Bosco
» Salesian Bishops Meeting
» 141st Missionary expedition
redazionerivistesdb@sdb.org, www.sdb.org, ©Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco
SALESIANS 2011
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RECTOR MAJOR
4
SALESIANS 2011
“Christ is
everybody's
right”
Fr Pascual Chávez V., sdb
Rector Major
Dear members of the Salesian
Family, Friends of Don Bosco,
young people around the world, I
take great pleasure in extending my
greetings and best wishes to you all.
May the new year 2011 be a peaceful one
for you, rich in blessings and good things!
The Salesian mission is carried out in very different
kinds of works, especially in the field of education,
formal and informal. We work in primary and sec-
ondary schools, professional and technical institutes,
colleges and universities, hostels and university res-
idences, oratories and youth centres, parishes and
missions, reception centres of various kinds and
specialised projects for youngsters in difficulties.
Each of these aims at being a response to the
poorest and most neglected people, giving
preferential attention to the young, who are
the very first we are concerned about. We
want to spend our lives for them, all our en-
ergies, following the example of our
beloved Founder, Don Bosco.
We seek to foster an education which is
attentive to human rights, in the desire
to promote the dignity of the individual
and improve his or her all-round
growth. We accompany our young
people and all those for whom we work

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e central element that colours and enlightens
everything to do with our Salesian presences is evangelisation,
the proclamation of Jesus Christ
with our very own Preventive System.
It is based on certain fundamental be-
liefs: that love, rich in concrete and tan-
gible expressions, is the great energy
behind education; that educational ac-
companiment is a gradual process, at-
tentive to and in constant dialogue
with the individual; that the most com-
plete formation means looking after
and accompanying not only the
human but also the moral and spiritual
dimensions of the person. This is why
our work is typified by a convinced
Christian anthropology and has as its
point of reference the great values of
the Gospel, even when we are working
in non-Christian contexts.
Evangelisation is at the
heart of things
The central element that colours and
enlightens everything to do with our
Salesian presences is evangelisation,
the proclamation of Jesus Christ. It
takes all kinds of shapes, from a
simple, silent witness which gives rise
to questions, to explicit proclamation,
being part of a Christian community
and active involvement in its mission.
Don Bosco expressed it with the well-
known claim regarding the origins of
his work in Turin: "In its beginnings this
Society was a simple catechism class".
This means to say that Don Bosco's ed-
ucational work is typified by a religious
and Christian animating force. The ed-
ucator must not and cannot delay this
great proclamation: Jesus alone can
satisfy the infinite thirst for love, happi-
ness and life in the heart of every young
person. Christ is everyone's right!
Today certainly, as yesterday or even
before, we have to take account of the
obstacles that evangelisation encoun-
ters. The first of these is disinformation:
not only is Jesus not spoken of often,
but there is an effort to eliminate him
from today's culture, from social organ-
isation, from personal awareness. His
presence is felt to be irrelevant in society
and his absence seen as an advantage.
A second obstacle is the subjective
view of Jesus who, deprived of his real
history, becomes more and more a
Christ tailored to our own measure,
imagined according to our own needs
and desires. The third obstacle is more
refined: in a pretense at inter-religious
dialogue Christ can be relegated to
being just one amongst other masters
of the spirit or founders of religions, so
he is no longer recognised as the
unique Saviour of all. Finally, there is
the not just imaginary risk, indeed one
very common amongst Christians
themselves, of considering Christ to be
so well known that there seems to be
little more to be said about him; at this
point, having become insignificant,
there seems little value in having him
as guide and Lord.
Evangelisation also means paying at-
tention to very different contexts. The
desire to bear witness to the Risen Lord
urges us to confront urgent current sit-
uations, noted as a strong appeal and
great concern. I refer to peoples not yet
evangelised, to the secularism that
threatens ancient Christian tradition, to
the phenomenon of large scale migra-
tion, to kinds of poverty and violence,
the spread of movements and sects.
Every context presents its only particu-
lar challenges to the proclamation of
the Gospel. We fell challenged by cer-
tain opportunities too, like ecumenical,
inter-religious and inter-cultural dia-
logue, the new sensitivity to peace, the
safeguarding of human rights and care
for creation, the many expressions of
solidarity and volunteer service. These
elements commit us to finding new
ways to communicate the Gospel of
Jesus Christ which respect and value
local cultures.
Evangelisation and
education are strictly
connected
It is true that we Salesians carry out our
mission of evangelisation by educating
and that we educate by evangelising. It
expresses the strict bond between
evangelisation and education. Educa-
tion is authentic when it respects every
dimension of the child, the teenager,
the young man or woman, and it is
clearly oriented towards the complete
formation of the individual, opening
him or her to transcendence. Evangeli-
sation, for its part, has in itself a strong
educational worth, precisely because it
tends to the transformation of the mind
and heart, the creation of a new person,
the result of being configured to Christ.
It is my great hope that you may find
and appreciate all these values while
thumbing through and reading this
year book Salesians 2011. For all of
you may it tell the story of our educa-
tional and evangelising experiences
across the many countries of the
world
SALESIANS 2011
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We, the Salesians of Don Bosco, are an international organization of men dedicated full time to the
service of young people, especially those who are poorer and disadvantaged.
Wherever we work, Youth Resource Development through education and evangelization is the focus of
all our concern - because we believe that our total dedication to the young is our best gift to humanity.
INTERAMERICA
Canada (1924)
U. S. A. (1896)
Mexico (1892)
Guatemala (1929)
El Salvador (1897)
Honduras (1906)
Nicaragua (1911)
Costa Rica (1907)
Panama (1907)
Cuba (1917)
Haiti (1935)
Dominican R. (1934)
Puerto Rico (1947)
Dutch Antilles (1979)
Colombia (1890)
Venezuela (1894)
Ecuador (1888)
Peru (1891)
Bolivia (1896)
SALESIANS IN THE WORLD
(December 31, 2009; Annuario2010, vol. 2)
Number of Countries: 130
Number of Provinces: 89
Number of Confreres: 15,346
Number of Novices: 487
Number of Salesian Bishops: 120
6
AMERICA SOUTH CONE
Brazil (1883)
Paraguay (1896)
Uruguay (1876)
Chile (1887)
Argentina (1875)
ITALY - MIDDLE EAST
Italy (1846)
San Marino (1922)
Switzerland (1889)
Romania (1997)
Moldova (2005)
Albania (1940)
Kosovo (2000)
Lithuania (1934)
Turkey (1903)
Iran (1936)
Syria (1948)
Lebanon (1952)
Palestine (1891)
Israel (1896)
Egypt (1896)
WEST EUROPE
France (1875)
Belgium (1891)
Switzerland (1889)
Andorra (1966)
Spain (1881)
Portugal (1894)
Marocco (1929)
Cape Verde (1943)

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Journey with the young: be a part of the adventure!
Founded by St. John Bosco, an Italian saintly educator of the nineteenth century, we are in 130 different
nations, since …
ROME
RMG (1970)
UPS (1965)
Vatican City (1937)
NORTH EUROPE
Ireland (1919)
Sweden (1930) Russian F. (1990)
U. K. (1887)
Poland (1893)
Belarus (1990)
Belgium (1891) Slovak R. (1924) Ukraine (1990)
Netherlands (1928) Hungary (1913) Bulgaria (1994)
Germany (1916) Croazia (1972)
Georgia (1990)
Switzerland (1889) Bosnia and
Azerbaijan (2000)
Czech Rep. (1927) Herzegovia(1995) Malta (1903)
Austria (1901)
Serbia (1965)
Tunisia (1988)
Slovenia (1901) Montenegro (1966)
SOUTH ASIA
AFRICA - MADAGASCAR
India (1906)
Nepal (1995)
Bangladesh (2009)
Sri Lanka (1956)
Kuwait (2000)
Yemen (2000)
Mali (1981)
Senegal (1980)
Guinea Conakry (1986)
Sierra Leone (1986)
Liberia (1979)
Ivory Coast (1981)
Burkina Faso (1993)
Ghana (1992)
Togo (1982)
Benin (1981)
Nigeria (1982)
Cameroon (1979)
Central Af. R. (1994)
EquatorialGuinea (1972)
Gabon (1971)
Congo (1959)
D. R. Congo (1911)
Angola (1981)
Namibia (1998)
Chad (1995)
Sudan (1982)
Uganda (1988)
Rwanda (1953)
Burundi (1970)
Zambia (1983)
Zimbabwe (1995)
South Africa(1896)
Lesotho (1980)
Swaziland (1953)
Eritrea (1995)
Ethiopia (1976)
Kenya (1980)
Tanzania (1980)
Malawi (1995)
Mozambique (1907)
Madagascar (1981)
Mauritius (2000)
EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
Mongolia (2001)
China (1910)
Pakistan (1999)
South Korea (1955)
Japan (1926)
Myanmar (1938)
Thailand (1927)
Cambodia (1994)
Vietnam (1941)
Macau (1906)
Hong Kong (1927)
Taiwan (1952)
Philippines (1951)
Guam (2009)
Indonesia (1985)
East Timor (1927)
Papua N. G. (1981)
Australia (1922)
Solomon Is. (1995)
Fiji (1998)
Samoa (1981)
New Zealand (2010)
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AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
» AFC: Oases of hope (10)
» AFW: Don Bosco, credible model for alternative
coexistence (12)
» ANG: 2,000 lollipops (14)
» AGL: Don Bosco Oratory Kabgayi (16)
» AFM: LoveMatters! (18)
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AFO
AFW
AFW
AFW
AFE
AET
ATE
AGL
AFC
AFE
ANG
ZMB
ZMB
MDG
REGION: AFRICA - MADAGASCAR
AFM
Number of Countries: 37
Number of Provinces: 2 (AFC, AFE)
Vice Provinces: 10
Number of Confreres: 1,310
Number of Novices: 87
Number of Salesian Bishops: 8
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AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
Oases of hope
2011 - One hundred years!
Our Lady of the Assumption Province, D. R. Congo, AFC
by Fr Dieudonné Makola sdb
The Democratic Republic of the
Congo is a huge country, one of
the largest in Africa. Salesian commu-
nities can be found in the east, towards
Rwanda and Burundi, others towards
the south-centre of the nation at Mbuji
Mayi and yet others at Kinshasa, the
capital, to the west. AFC Province will
be celebrating its centenary of exis-
tence in 2011.
A vibrant province
AFC is a vibrant Salesian presence,
demonstrating the very best of
Salesian presence to and activity on
behalf of poor young people. While
the international view of D. R. Congo is
sometimes clouded by the economic
and political problems the nation is
struggling to overcome, the nation's
greatest resource is young people who
look forward in hope, and the Salesians
have been behind that construction of
hope for a century. Belgium sent its
finest missionaries, a good number of
whom continue to work for and espe-
cially be present to thousands of
young people, and they stirred up a
lively vocational interest which has
born fruit. Initial formation centres are
flourishing.
An outstanding feature of Salesian
work in AFC, well represented by a va-
riety of centres in and around Lubum-
bashi, is the work for disadvantaged
youth, the very poor children of very
poor families, including those who
have been orphaned. The Salesians
provide them with trades and profes-
sional education of the highest stan-
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e very best of Salesian presence to and activity
on behalf of poor young people
e purpose is to make them welcome,
and then to try to reinsert them into family
or social life
dards. There are other outstanding
Salesian works in other parts of the
country, but here we focus on the
Lubumbashi zone, to provide an idea
of the wonderul 'oases of hope' pro-
vided by the Salesians.
Oases of hope
Don Bosco Masina, situated at the
heart of the suburb whose name it
bears, always makes an impression on
its visitors for its capacity to bring to-
gether many young people. A huge
oratory with a wide range of activities:
sports and martial arts, dance, various
games, local and foreign music. Such is
the atmosphere reigning in this work.
In addition, many young people are
prepared for life through a business
centre, a technical college, an elemen-
tary school combined with a kinder-
garten. Don Bosco Masina is also a
parish that evangelises. Here we find
the splendid and imposing Mary Help
of Christians Church.
Salama. The complex work at Salama
is a setting with some 2,500 young
people involved each day. It offers
them education, spiritual formation
and technical printing, electronics, gen-
eral mechanics, auto mechanics, elec-
tricity. There is also a school of
computer science. The school trains
engineers in Design, Computer Net-
working, Programming. To accomplish
this great ministry, Salesians work with
hundreds of lay staff. The confreres also
offer opportunity each day and on
Sundays for local people to attend
Mass.
Cité des Jeunes, Lubumbashi. Boys
Town has many young people. They
are offered many activities. It is prima-
rily a vocational training school offered
to young people in Mechanics, Weld-
ing, Agriculture, Construction, Joinery.
There are also other activities like:
sport, music. Each evening the
grounds are filled with young people
playing a wide range of games. Each
Sunday at 7.30 am, the confreres pro-
vide a Mass for those living in as well
as Catholics from the surrounding area.
Twice a week there are catechetics
classes to prepare young people for
the sacraments of Christian initiation.
Bakanja: Bakanja forms part of a work
called ‘Œuvre Maman Marguerite’
(OMM). This includes a collection of
homes for young people from broken
families. The purpose is to make them
welcome, and then to try to reinsert
them into family or social life. The
Bakanja Home itself takes in children
from the street. After discussion with
the child and helping him or her to be
aware of the situation, efforts are made
to re-establish connection with the
family. In the case where dialogue and
negotiation leads to good results, the
child stays at home with family. Other-
wise, the child remains at Bakanja and
benefits in the meantime from the
school with the hope that at least his
rehabilitation will be possible through
the trade he will learn.
Imara: Located in the centre of
Lubumbashi, Imara accepts more or
less 5,000 young people each day. Its
set-up allows for a primary school, a
secondary school and a chapel where
local Catholics are welcome to visit. In
both schools, further studies and other
activities are organised: sports, music,
retreats, celebrations, catechesis, … In
the chapel, several activities similar to
those of the parishes are held: morning
masses and vespers celebrated each
day, Sunday masses, activities of groups
and youth movements, choir practice,
celebrations, recollections
SALESIANS 2011
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AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
Credible model
12
SALESIANS 2011
Blessed Artemides Zatti Vice Province, Sierra Leone, AFW
by Bro. Lothar Wagner sdb
This immense apostolic work is
achieved through strict collabora-
tion between Salesians and lay people.
John Kargbo was 12 years old when he
ran away from home because he could
no longer bear the extreme poverty. He
and his two sisters often went hungry
to school and hungry to bed. He had
only finished primary school when his
parents could no longer afford to pay
his school fees. His father, a trained
bricklayer, was unemployed; his
mother could only move laboriously on
crutches due to polio, and went beg-
ging at the ferry. John wanted to earn
his own money and left the family. In
the first year he used to visit his parents
once a month but afterwards he
stopped doing so. The boy looked for a
better life in the capital, Freetown. For
nearly three years he lived, ate, worked
and slept on the street. He was lucky
though, for he never became a victim
of physical or sexual violence. Full of
pride he recounts that he never stole
and always managed to get by. On the
street the boy heard of Don Bosco
Fambul and asked for help there: “They
told me that you could find everything
there, a safe place to sleep, enough
food, a school and people who listen to
you”, he recounts. Now the 16-year-old
is sitting there in an office telling of his
life “on the street and afterwards”.
John, live on the streets of Sierra Leone.
They can neither read nor write and
live in permanent danger of being ex-
ploited and abused. Infant mortality in
the country is the highest in the world;
moreover, a lot of women die during
or after giving birth on account of a
medical service that has remained
poor. All this has its roots in the cruel,
eleven-year civil war that raged in
Sierra Leone, and in the government’s
lack of ability – together with an
unimaginable level of corruption. The
people underwent untold suffering
and now have to cope with their war
traumas. Former child soldiers are now
moped-taxi drivers; people, raped or
mutilated, struggle along somehow.
The infrastructure was largely de-
stroyed. It is eight years now since the
war ended officially in this West African
country, only slightly larger than
Bavaria with its 71,000 km2. The social,
political and economic situation, how-
ever, has remained fragile. Nearly 90
percent of the population lives below
the poverty line. It is the young gen-
eration who are hit particularly hard
since they cannot see any prospects
for themselves, and their desperation
is a latent source of unrest in the coun-
try.
Training and support for
youth
Deep wounds resulting
from the civil war
Approximately 4,000 children, like
Don Bosco Fambul is committed to
giving street children prospects for the
future and strengthening their families
in the difficult post-war situation of the

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for alternative coexistence
“e street boys who undergo rehabilitation at our house are
neither beaten nor are they attacked verbally.
We differ from the other institutes in Sierra Leone
offering extra-familiar education.”
country. With the help of the institute,
John Kargbo has also made his way. He
has returned to his parents and is reg-
ularly visited by a Don Bosco Fambul
social worker who makes sure that
everything is fine at home and that
John is not going to return to the street.
Don Bosco Fambul has been paying his
school fees and financing an income-
producing measure for the mother as
the breadwinner of the family. Not only
homeless persons but also unem-
ployed youth have their place at Don
Bosco Fambul: for 250 young people
between age 18 and 28 the institute
procures training places both within
and outside Freetown and provides
their accompaniment by social workers
from the Skills Department.
Part of the services provided is a youth
centre for children, youth and young
adults in the district and a crisis line.
Since the start of the crisis line in Janu-
ary this year, more than 750 young
callers have used it every week and
found a sympathetic ear for all kinds of
problems. Brother Lothar, the Director
of Don Bosco Fambul, explains that the
target of Don Bosco Fambul is to edu-
cate the children to become respon-
sible citizens and good believers. This is
to be achieved with the help of love,
reason and religion. “The street boys
who undergo rehabilitation at our
house are neither beaten nor are they
attacked verbally. We differ from the
other institutes in Sierra Leone offering
extra-familiar education,” says Brother
Lothar, a Salesian since 1993 and head
of the institute in Freetown for one and
a half years. He adds, “Furthermore we
attach great importance to the fact that
mutual care also plays a role
within the team. You
cannot give care and
love to street chil-
dren and youth and
at the same time be
an egoist in the
team or privately in
your family.”
Model for non-violent con-
flict resolution
The war in Sierra Leone not only
caused many deaths and destroyed
economic undertakings. Families were
torn apart, children misused as soldiers
and slaves, while drugs and brainwash-
ing caused an incredible blood frenzy.
All these experiences are still far from
being coped with or overcome; in fact
in large parts of the population they are
rather played down.
In many families or neighbourhoods
either silence or uproar prevails when
it comes to dealing with problems or
conflicts. A new way of talking to one
another has to be found. Therefore, re-
ligious institutes like Don Bosco Fambul
can prove to be very valuable for the
country, as they set an example of an-
other way of living together. Every day
they demonstrate their credibility by
their example of care, non-violence
and tolerance.
Their active charity, their applied faith
and spirituality can serve as a model
where communication and coexis-
tence have become difficult or even
impossible
Don Bosco Fambul (Fambul in Krio, the local
language, means“family”) is the largest institute
in Sierra Leone working with street children
and unemployed youth. Every year it supports
nearly 1,500 children and youth in one of the
poorest countries on earth.
SALESIANS 2011
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AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
2,000 lollipops
“Sometimes it's just enough
to make someone happy.”
Mamá Muxima Vice Province, Angola, ANG
by Fr Luigi De Liberali sdb
Christmas is God's
gift to us and it is
tradition to give gifts in this
period, especially to chil-
dren. In eastern Angola,
poor and destroyed by war,
parents are not in a position to give
gifts to their children. So I took along a
few boxes of lollipops, to deliver them
in person, from village to village, to the
kids. I figured that I met some 2,000
children in the 31 villages I visited.
Many of them experienced the joy of
receiving a gift for the first time in their
lives! You just can't imagine the party
spirit! Sometimes it's enough just to
make someone happy.
For a year and half now I have been
living in the Moxico region, eastern
Angola, after more than twenty years
of experience as a missionary in Brazil.
Moxico was first evangelised in 1933 by
the Benedictines, who came from Por-
tugal, and founded various missions,
built large churches, monasteries and
colleges. The Salesians arrived 30 years
later, taking on the parish of Sts Peter
and Paul on the outskirts of Luena,
bringing the spirit of Don Bosco to the
young and to the poorer. From 2002,
after the end of the long war of “inde-
pendence”, the Salesian presence in
this city was further strengthened by
the construction of a middle school
and a technical school, thus continuing
the work of evangelisation in the large
urban and rural area entrusted to our
parish. And I follow up this work of
evangelisation in the rural area.
A touch of reality
Moxico is one of the provinces of
Angola which still today shows most
signs of the civil war which raged for
some 30 years. Almost 10 years after
the signing of the peace agreement
(2002), the consequences of this inter-
necine struggle are still visible every-
where: impassable roads (most were
ripped up or closed for fear of mines;
Angola is the third most mined country
in the world) bridges destroyed or
unsafe, because made of poor quality
materials.
When I was sent to Angola, I thought I
would find a very hot land full of
deserts and savannah, but instead, I see
this piece of African land is a paradise
of rivers and water, with an enviable cli-
mate. Most of the area is covered by
forests, while the plains, filled with fruit
trees and animals, accompany the
course of the rivers. My attention is
drawn to the number of rivers I have to
cross! I have to cross rivers of every kind
on every trip I make: little ones and big
ones, broad or narrow, straight or wind-
ing … And I always think of the reason
why I am here in Angola: to give “living
water” (as Jesus told the Samaritan
woman: Jn 4:10) to everyone I meet.
Religious aspects
Because of a lack of priests in the dio-
cese, as well as our own parish, we have
to look after another parish, 350 kms
away: in all there are 175 communities
spread over 90,000 km2, almost all of
14
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Many of them experienced the joy of receiving a gift
for the first time in their lives!
You just can't imagine the party spirit!
this area difficult to access. Most vil-
lages have a catechist, a chapel and are
more or less organised, but 40% do not
have any Catholics in them or have not
yet been visited. The statistics tell us
that 80% of the inhabitants of this
region are Protestants. Most speak the
Chókoe language, but there are various
other local languages (dialects). There
are already translations of the bible,
liturgical texts and catechism in local
languages.
I find many difficult circumstances in
the communities: in some places the
chapels are poor and poorly kept,
others have been destroyed by the rain
or because the material was too weak,
yet others are neglected or unfinished;
in some communities there is almost
no life of prayer and Catholics do not
even know the 'Our Father' or 'Hail
Mary'and some coordinators (called
catechists) are at loggerheads with the
community, or have personal prob-
lems (like drinking) that discourage the
other faithful.
One of the major problems is witch-
craft, and the belief that there is a cause
of this kind for everything that happens
(illness, accidents, disasters … ). That's
why people call on an "expert" to figure
out why that situation occurs or who
caused it and this produces com-
plaints, quarrels and divisions in families
and communities.
The most significant moment for all the
villages is certainly the Eucharistic cel-
ebration, which is always very lively and
helps build communities.
Many chapels organise several proces-
sions: the entrance procession, in
which the choir and the ministers enter
dancing, the Bible procession, before
the Liturgy of the Word, the offertory
procession (called Tambuli), to take to
the altar what the community has of-
fered, and a dance after communion.
Every Mass usually lasts more than two
hours. On the more important feast
days, at the end of the celebration the
people leave the church in procession,
forming a circle in front of the chapel,
ending their time together with joyful
celebration.
Formation and catechesis
Seeing the need to form catechists, I
then began to bring them together by
area, and gave them instruction. So the
first year, I met 104 catechists from 47
different villages in six different places,
living with them for a week of study,
prayer and visits to communities.
Aiming to help catechists in their mission,
along with four catechists who help co-
ordinate the visits and the various areas,
we prepared a new catechism, with a
simple text, divided into three stages and
translated in local languages.
The work of evangelisation Conclusion
In every community there is a coordi-
nator, called a catechist, who is very im-
portant for keeping the Christian faith
alive. This person connects with the
people, but is often not prepared for
this mission.
In this year and a half I found many dif-
ficulties, but always recall the words of
a hymn to Our Lady, which gave me
great courage: "If your life seems a
pointless journey, remember to carve
out paths: another will follow you!"
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AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
St Charles Lwanga Vice Province, Rwanda, AGL
by Fr Camille Swertvagher sdb
Since the Salesians first came to Kab-
gayi in 2000, the formators and the
young Salesians studying philosophy
at the Grand Séminaire, have been of
great pastoral help for the young
people of the place. They have been
engaged in catechetics, the hostel or
playing fields, youth movements.
Since 2003 they have been living at the
new formation house at Ruli, blessed
and opened by the Rector Major. It was
a boon for the Oratory: new sports
grounds, organisation at the hostel …
In 2006 -2007, the Don Bosco Oratory
has developed further, becoming an
important place of apostolate for the
post-novitiate. The Salesians of the
community are the first in responsibil-
ity for this educational and pastoral
work. Formation at the Philosophicum
in Kabgayi is, one must understand, the
priority for young Salesians in forma-
tion. Especially during the weekend
and as far as possible during the week,
they engage in ministry with youth in
the oratory, which bears Don Bosco's
name.
Educative and Pastoral
Community formed
Subsequently other areas were added
or renovated; these were opened in
December 2007. On this occasion, we
remembered our fellow post-novice
Anaclet Nyirimana, who had died; he
had given himself body and soul to the
oratory.
Since 2008, leaders have offered volun-
tary service at the Oratory. Some of
them are now Salesian aspirants or Co-
operators. Thus the educative and pas-
toral community was formed. It has
developed the Salesian Educative and
Pastoral Plan for the Oratory. The young
people, boys and girls, who come to
the Oratory are generally very poor.
Since 2009 they have been coming
each afternoon to take part in sports :
football, basketball, volleyball or other
activities: traditional dance, modern
music, karate, gymnastics …
Saturday afternoon is a better time to
organise the young people into groups
and associations. There is a time for
prayer and then a Good Night closes
the activities.
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The major Salesian feasts are cele-
brated with the young people.
Each month there is at least one
Mass at the Oratory, as well as a rec-
ollection or formation session. The
Oratory infrastructure has been im-
proved through the support of
benefactors and NGOs and the
Rector Major.
Good Christians and
upright citizens
In 2009, a Marian area was built with
the help of Solidarité Don Bosco
from the Salesian Belgium North
Province. Further construction is en-
visaged. But other than material
concerns, the priority for the
Salesians and the Salesian Family is
especially that of educating and
evangelising the young people to
help them become 'good Christians
and upright citizens' in society and
Church today.
We seek this goal through all the
educational activities, education in
faith, joy, love and cultural values
and moral, social education, en-
couraging them to take part in
youth movements so they can dis-
cover their own vocation in Rwan-
dan society and the Church today.
In the light of GC26, we also try to
give our attention to families, since
the parents are the first ones re-
sponsible for the education of their
children.
Don Bosco Oratory, Kabgayi, draws
its inspiration from the first Oratory
at Valdocco in Turin. Today - with the
necessary modifications for the re-
alities of this time and this place -
we see it as a home that welcomes,
a school that prepares them for life,
a parish and evangelisng play-
ground that offers joy and friend-
ship.
We the formators and confreres in
formation, want to "be Don Bosco"
in Kabgayi, and we want to act like
Don Bosco. This makes young
people happy and makes us happy
too!
We remembered our fellow post-
novice Anaclet Nyirimana, who had
died; he had given himself body and
soul to the oratory.
The priority for the Salesians and the
Salesian Family is especially that of
educating and evangelising the
young people to help them become
'good Christians and upright citizens'
in society and Church today.
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AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
LoveMatters!
Blessed Michael Rua Vice Province, Johannesburg, AFM
by Fr François Dufour sdb
F“ or the first time in my life I have
been able to ask any questions I like
and get an answer", says a teenage boy
from Soweto. He is one of thousands of
teenagers from schools and churches
who have attended a 5 day residential
program called LoveMatters! The pro-
gram has been offered over the past
ten years by a team of Salesians of Don
Bosco, peer ministers and invited ex-
perts, at the Bosco Youth Centre near
Johannesburg in South Africa. The pro-
gram seeks to address the HIV/AIDS epi-
demic in Southern Africa.
LoveMatters is an abstinence-based
HIV/AIDS prevention program which
also promotes spiritual awareness,
since sexuality does not operate on the
level of the merely physical but in-
cludes spiritual and psychological
planes as well. And since youth pro-
grams are often identified as attending
to the problems of young people (as-
sisting drug-takers, small offenders.
school drop-outs … ) LoveMatters sets
out to address a wider spectrum. It
does sometimes deal with 'problem
teens' but its participation is chiefly the
average disadvantaged teenager who
just needs to be guided and affirmed
along the path to health, happiness
and holiness. "We believe", say the pro-
gram's leaders "that our dynamic, form-
ative LoveMatters program convinces
participants to make wholesome
choices and avoid the painful conse-
quences of irresponsible behaviour.
LoveMatters provides experiences
which build up their self-esteem and
confidence, and helps teens find a
basic spirituality and philosophy of life
for their future".
Bring them in while they are
young
"I think this camp should be for
younger people because I have got
myself involved in a lot of things a
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LoveMatters is an abstinence-based HIV/AIDS prevention program
which also promotes spiritual awareness.
Typically Pippa Jarvis shares the story of her family who have opened their home
to abandoned babies, giving her effectively18 brothers and sisters!
while ago and I never knew what I was
getting myself into. So if young people
could find out earlier … ": thus writes a
Grade 9 boy who handed in this note
before jumping on the bus to go home
after the program. One school in
Soweto realised that it was almost too
late to send Grade 9s, as their pupils
start experimenting with sex at a much
younger age, so they sent a Grade 7
class along. The last morning a few girls
made a very emotional commitment
to the abstinence pledge. They were
just 13 years old and on different occa-
sions had been raped by men on the
way home from school. Fear and
shame was their lot from then on, but
the LoveMatters program had ad-
dressed many of their fears and they
had a desire to reclaim their virginity,
forcibly stolen from them and still have
the courage to make a positive com-
mitment to life.
The program uses the SEE-JUDGE-
CHOOSE process. Participants go into
groups initially with a ratio of 7 youths
to 1 leader. A doctor and midwife pro-
vide appropriate information on the bi-
ological intricacies of the male and
female reproduction system and the
young people are invited to ask any
questions they wish. Issues of gender,
parenting, peer culture are dealt with
along the way. A married couple shares
how they met, why they decided to
marry, the impact of children on their
marriage and so on.
suicide. By this stage a deep level of
trust has been built up in the group
and with leaders, as boys and girls
begin to share some of the immense
life choices they have already had to
make - an unwanted pregnancy and
subsequent abortion, or someone
toying with suicide after bearing
tragedy that seems too hard to bear.
Towards the end of the week there is a
shift from facts, information, discover-
ing the truth to making quality judg-
ments for oneself. How would I act if I
found myself in this or that situation?
Invitation to a commitment
On the last day 'role model' speakers
are invited to share their stories of how
they made a difference to communi-
ties they live in. Typically Pippa Jarvis
shares the story of her family who have
opened their home to abandoned
babies, giving her effectively 18 broth-
ers and sisters! She challenges the
young participants to be part of the so-
lution rather than the problem. And fi-
nally the young people are invited to a
pledge ceremony where, if they feel
called, or feel the need to join the
struggle against HIV/AIDS, they pledge
to abstain from sexual activity before
marriage, and fidelity to their future
spouse. It is not uncommon for 75% of
participants in a session to make this
pledge.
Of course it is not all talks and discus-
sions. There is ample time for games,
time to relax, laugh, be young. The
recreation is not purely fun. The
Salesians recognise that physical chal-
lenges shape and augment mental
strength, the "I actually did it!” feeling.
The change that comes through the
LoveMatters program is significant. If
75% commit to the life-changing
choice of abstinence and keep to it,
they too become great agents for
social change in their communities
Professional dramatists help the JUDGE
phase by examining life situations and
the impact that choices made have on
them: peer pressure to have sex, alco-
hol use and abuse at parties, abortion
SALESIANS 2011
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AMERICA SOUTH CONE
20
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» BRE: “Tell your story, speak of your life” (22)
» CISBRASIL: Provincial Conference of the Salesians of
Don Bosco, Brazil (24)
» Brazil: Salesian Youth Volunteers in Brazil (26)
» Argentina: Don Bosco's work in Argentina (28)
» ARN: “Give me a smile!” (30)
BMA
BRE
BCG
BBH
PAR
BSP
ARN
BPA
URU
CIL
ARS
REGION: AMERICA SOUTH CONE
Number of Countries: 5
Number of Provinces: 11
Number of Confreres: 1,587
Number of Novices: 53
Number of Salesian Bishops: 43
SALESIANS 2011
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AMERICA SOUTH CONE
“Tell your story, speak of your life”
Salesian Youth Festival mobilises youth
Recife, St Aloysius Gonazaga Province, BRE
by Jakeline Lira
Since 1996 the then recently formed
Salesian Youth Movement of the
northeast has organised, along with
Salesian Youth Ministry in the northeast
Brazil Province (BRE) the Salesian Youth
Festival or Festival da Juventude Sale-
siana (FJS). It is a wonderful occasion for
encounter and exchange amongst
young people from different circum-
stances throughout the entire region.
They can share their experiences and
show off their artistic skills in theatre,
dance and music, in a real experience
of Salesian Youth Spirituality.
The FJS always takes place in October,
at the Sagrado Coração (Sacred Heart)
College in Recife, and lasts some three
days. It commences on the Friday
evening and goes through till after
lunch on Sunday. During this time,
classrooms become dormitories and
covered courtyards a refectory, as well
as an arena for choreography and a
stage for the music festival.
Taking into account an average in
recent years of 900 - 1000 participants,
the event requires, besides physical
space, a huge human effort to ensure
a positive outcome, keeping young
people happy and refreshed, despite
their tiredness. Coordinators, Salesians
and youth leaders, along with other
groups of the Salesian Family, are in-
volved in the organisation and distribu-
tion of tasks, transforming the event
into a real experience of teamwork.
The Salesian perspective sees that
there is always a choice of theme per-
tinent to young people, society and/or
the Church, which young people re-
flect on in the months leading up to
the festival, including in their commu-
nities, and during the event, through
talks and other activities on offer, like
festivals of choreography and theatre.
In 2010, for example, the theme pro-
posed was: ”young actors on life's
stage”, under the banner of: “Tell your
story, speak of your life”. Eucharistic cel-
ebrations and prayer opportunities are
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In recent years of 900 - 1000 participants, the event
requires, besides physical space, a huge human effort to
ensure a positive outcome, keeping young people happy
and refreshed, despite their tiredness
Those who take part in the Festival are
primarily members of youth groups and
come from quite different circum-
stances, not only in terms of the rural-
urban divide but also from various
socio-economic strata. The great major-
ity of these young people belong to one
or other Salesian house (SDB and FMA) -
especially parishes, social works, schools
- and the Festival offers a privileged
space for experiencing difference, shar-
ing experiences and showing off artistic
skills, through theatre, dance and music.
Given the distance factor in the region,
some need to travel up to 12 hours by
bus, so Youth Ministry always runs a
raffle to help the youngsters to take
part, since the costs become high and
many would not be able to afford it
otherwise. In their own groups at
home the youths also arrange various
ways of mobilising the resources that
will enable them to come. Maybe this
is a keyword for the Festival in many
ways: mobilisation.
Recalling that young people are often
shown and interpreted by the media
and society negatively and generically,
the Festival also serves as a time to
create a culture of life, by showing and
appreciating art and the friendship that
many of these young people have al-
ready developed so practically in their
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AMERICA SOUTH CONE
CISBRASIL
A journey of networking and
solidarity in the mission to
young people
Provincial Conference of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Brazil
by Fr Nivaldo Pessinati sdb
Since 1960 the six SDB Provinces of Later still through Assembly meetings
Brazil have been sharing challenges and the Directory - drawn up by the
and solutions via a Conference which Provincials - the Province commissions
is religious and charismatic in nature. and especially the executive head-
In the course of the yearly Conference quarters in Brasilia took on responsibil- specific projects within their area of ac-
meetings we have discovered signifi- ity for carrying out the directions and tivity. Overall we can say that the major
cant work patterns, and sought joint decisions taken by the Conference. focus of this development is the plan-
solutions and action.
ning and execution of ongoing
“Coordination, articulation, orientation which formation of teachers in both
Only towards the end of is aimed at the improvement, modernisation real time and virtually. Some 20%
1999 was the Conference
set up juridically as the
and productiveness” of the Provinces
of the resources generated
through the activity of these net-
Provincial Conference of the Salesians It is worth highlighting the involve- works is directly invested in the prepa-
of Don Bosco Brazil – CISBRASIL.
ment and performance which the ration of teachers and educators.
prior-mentioned networks achieved.
Once the Conference was given its offi-
There is no shortage of difficulties and
cial, legal set-up the history of sharing In his letter of 25 April 2010 the Rector challenges in networking. But the pos-
that had been built up over earlier Major himself, Fr Pascual Chávez, cites itive results overall are gratifying and
years offered the maturity and required the Salesian Schools Network which
experience for expressing its identity as emerged from the Cumbayá (1994 and
well as confirming the opportunities it 2001) and Brasilia guidelines (2008)
provided.
bringing together the 110 SDB and
Coordination, articulation,
FMA schools into a single formation
project for teachers as well as for devel-
orientation
oping school text books which are
based on Salesian pedagogical prin-
The CISBRASIL statutes clearly lay out ciples.
its identity and express an awareness
of how to share and build up a net- Salesian Social Action also took signifi-
work:“Coordination, articulation, orien- cant steps towards setting itself up as a
tation which is aimed at the network. The Life Association (União
improvement, modernisation and pro- Pela Vida or UPV in Portuguese) contin-
ductiveness” of the Provinces. The ues to provide motivation for benefac-
Statutes then established that CIS- tors who play a part through prayer
BRASIL should create, involve, coordi- and offerings, in supporting Salesian
nate and provide incentive for social work.
maintaining the “Salesian Network of
Education and Social Work”.
These networks comprise a range of
24
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consistent: awareness of the Salesian
mission brought about at a national
level; recognition of the quality of the
educational, social and pastoral quality
by Church and society; positive rein-
forcement and extension of the
Salesian image in the country; a sense
of solidarity with and belonging to the
Salesian Family.
The executive office
Other than the networks mentioned
the executive office responds in areas
of communication, by editing, produc-
ing and distributing the Salesian Bul-
letin for Brazil, which has now achieved
the significant print-run of 104,000
copies for each edition. The office also
runs an educational TV channel – TV
Educar.
The executive office endeavours to re-
spond to requests from our university
institutions and Salesian parishes, offer-
ing representative and logistic services
amongst others. The Salesian Family
can also depend on its support.
The CISBRASIL Directory sets out and ap-
proves a two year plan which the exec-
utive office develops, evaluates and is
responsible for. Salesians SDB, FMA and
lay are involved in this executive work.
The result is that the mission or hori-
zons guiding the work of CISBRASIL
through its commissions and executive
office becomes even clearer and better
followed up: “by taking part in, check-
ing on and developing Salesian Youth
Ministry in Brazil”.
At the same time the vision established
through CISBRASIL's strategic planning
takes on consistency: “It is recognised
as the point of reference for the
Salesian mission in Brazil."
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AMERICA SOUTH CONE
Salesian Youth Volunteers in Brazil
Salesian Provinces of Brazil
Salesian youth proactivity begins a new step in their
experience – the desire to be disciples and missionaries
of Jesus Christ so that those who are less fortunate in
society may have life
by Fr Antonio Ramos do Prado sdb
Salesian Youth Volunteers in Brazil
came into being in 1968. Father
Walter (now bishop) Ivan left Sao Paulo
for Porto Velho, Amazonia, with 12
young adults, Salesians and lay people.
In the years that followed, these mis-
sionary expeditions continued for Ama-
zonia and Mato Grosso, and later (1990)
young university students looking for
pastoral experience and at the end of
their course were sent to Angola.
In the same way, other Provinces in
Brazil began to broaden out the youth-
ful Salesian volunteer mission experi-
ence. Along with AJS (the Salesian Youth
Movement) which began to develop
around 1999, there was a growing
number of young people who took part
in this experience. Salesian youth proac-
tivity begins a new step in their experi-
ence – the desire to be disciples and
missionaries of Jesus Christ so that those
who are less fortunate in society may
have life.
The mission experiences are also open
to teenagers to share their days between
study and volunteer work in creches,
kindergartens, orphanages. During the
holidays these teenagers, after a forma-
tion process, spend some weeks on mis-
sion, bringing the Gospel and festive
oratories to needy parishes in Brazil.
Brazil today
Brazil today has 189.6 million people. 52
26

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million are young people between the
ages of 15 to 29 years. 70% of these live
on the margins of poverty and promis-
cuity. In 2009 more than 45 thousand
young people died. Faced with a cul-
ture of death, corruption and the col-
lapse of structures many young people
live without fixed points of reference.
The models which society offers them
today are not models of human
growth, but of obsession for power. So
the volunteer experiences help young
people to open themselves up to soli-
darity and seeking new models which
foster life.
Processses
The Provinces of Brazil organise the
missionary volunteer movement as a
process with 4 steps:
Child mission: 10 to 12 years of age,
Teen mission: 13 to 15, Young adult
mission: 16 to 25, Adult mission: 26 and
older.
Child mission: catechesis for first com-
munion and missionary subsidies from
CNBB (Brazil National Bishops Confer-
ence). The Lives of Dominic Savio,
Michael Magone and Laura Vicuña.
Teen Mission: Education to Faith cur-
riculum (SDB and FMA Conference,
Brazil), with following topics: Personal
identity, Encounter with Christ, Being
part of Church, Commitment for the
Kingdom andCadernosdeMísticadaEJS.
Young Adult Mission: study of docu-
ments of the Church like Redemptoris
Missio, Aparecida, the lives of Salesian
missionaries in Latin America and Don
Bosco's Memoirs of the Oratory.
Adult Mission: study of the Catechism
of the Cathlic Church, Salesian texts,
Scripture and the DOMISAL campaign.
After the First Salesian Mission Volun-
teers Congress for South Cone, Brazil is
attempting to focus the mission expe-
rience for the Salesian Provinces in
South Cone even more. This fosters
greater exchange amongst the young
concerned
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AMERICA SOUTH CONE
Don Bosco's work in Argentina
Argentina, Blessed Artemides Zatti province, ARN
and Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá province, ARS
by National Mission and Development Office, Argentina
The Salesian Congregation arrived in
Argentina in 1875with the arrival of
the first missionaries who sought to
locate themsevles in areas of greater
social conflict, undertaking services
aimed at complete human development
of children and older youth throughout
the nation, respecting the cultural and
geographical differences they found.
This was brought about and is still so today
by bringing together many groups and
people who share a similar concern for the
young, and by offering real opportunities
for those who these services are directed
to, to themselves share in the task of help-
ing other young people, in due course, to
develop. Thus they have set up a model for
self-development.
This gave rise to agricultural and industrial
schools, technical and general training,
mission centres in Patagonia which
looked after ethnic groups, set up clinics,
schools, homes for youngsters in
difficulty, prevention activities and
opportunities to do something in their
free time.
Salesian work cooperates with anybody
who in any way whatsoever is working for
the good of young people in Argentina and
elsewhere. But apart from the statistics in
fact we come across very many more
young people who need recognition of
their right to grow up in a dignified
manner
28
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Salesian work in Argentina:
• 96 Salesian Houses.
• 479 parishes and churches.
• Rodeo del Medio was the first Faculty of Oenology
in Latin America.
• About 77,000 students in schools, faculties and
tertiary institutes.
• 6,000 students in 146 Technical Training Centres.
• About 9,000 teachers, instructors and other
educational agents.
• 500,000 past pupils throughout Argentina.
• 24,000 youth in youth groups, scouts and oratories.
• 48 missionary groups.
• 31 centres for teenagers at risk looking aer more
than 2,000 youngsters.
• 12 radio stations, 3 audiovisual centres and 4
museums.
• Each month the two provinces distribute more than
60 thousand copies of magazines which appeal to
people throughout the nation.
• 3 publishing houses, 14 bookshops and 3 printing
presses.
• More than 100 digital publications/web sites.
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AMERICA SOUTH CONE
“Give me a smile!”
Córdoba, Blessed Artemides Zatti Province, Argentina North, ARN
by the National Mission and Development Office, Argentina
In the Oratory style that we find in the Parish of
Sts John Bosco and Dominic Savio in Tropezón in
Córdoba, a group of people are working, with
well-chosen experiences of a community and
professional kind, to accompany young people
and their families as they try to resolve their
problems and contribute to a much more humane
society.
Through a system of scholarships for boys and girls with
difficulties in attending school, or because they don't
have exercise books, pens,uniforms, or they have learn-
ing difficulties, their “patrons”, who see to material needs,
and their “mediators”, who work with them directly to
help them in their education, are working with the
Oratory Team which is also providing scholastic assis-
tance.
30
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The Salesians are working in the firm belief that
education is the right of every human being, and
that “it needs to be directed to the full development
of the human being and his or her sense of dignity”,
as it says in article 13 of the International Conven-
tion on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Therefore, this project seeks to ensure learning for
children and older teens, and their overall develop-
ment, driven by the need to raise awareness
amongst them and their families about the impor-
tance of education, discipline, habits of order, ways
to live together, and their responsibilities, in order
to provide a sustainable and effective access to
education
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EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
VIE
KOR
GIA
FIS
CIN
MYM
THA
FIN
VIE
FIS
ITM
PNG/SI (FIN)
AUL
REGION: EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
Number of Countries: 20
Number of Provinces: 8
2 Vice Provinces (MYM, ITM)
2 Delegations (Indonesia, PNG/SI)
Number of Confreres: 1,346
Number of Novices: 62
Number of Salesian Bishops: 12
32
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» VIE: Darkhan, starting from zero! (34)
» KOR: Summer Bible Camp for catholic youth (36)
» GIA: Blessed Laura Vicuña and Artemides Zatti,
pastoral patrons in Japan (38)
» AUL: Cagliero Lay Missionaries (40)
» MYM: Sunday Oratories à la Don Bosco! (42)
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EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
Darkhan,
starting from zero!
A story of first evangelisation
Mongolia (St John Bosco Province, VIE)
by Fr Andrew Nguyen Trung Tin sdb
The Salesians of Don Bosco estab-
lished themselves in Darkhan on
April 2, 2005 on precisely the day that
Pope John Paul II passed away. That
day two Salesians, Fr. James Cheruvathur
and Fr Andrew Nguyen Trung Ting, left
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Ulaanbaatar after Mass with the blessing
of Fr. Carlo the Rector, and two other
priests, to set out for the new mission.
It was a freezing day, lots of snow on
the way to Darkhan … but inside, our
hearts were full of love, zeal and en-
thusiasm for the new mission. A young
man came with us; he was our student
(mechanic) and had recently graduated.
He was our driver.
Five years later we have an Education
Centre and the Church of Mary Help of
Christians. The Education Centre offers
a program for English language learn-
ing and computers. Mongolian teach-
ers help us to teach English and
computers to the children, and they
double as adult workers in their spare
time. We have also opened a small li-
brary which also serves as a place for
the children to do homework or private
study (some families have no proper
place for the children to sit down to
study, no chairs or tables, and possibly
not even a light at home). This library
and other inside areas are very impor-
tant in Mongolia where winter lasts six
months and temperatures plunge to
minus 40 degrees centigrade or more!
Starting from zero
Not only do temperatures plunge. We
began in Darkhan with zero Catholics!
Darkhan had never had a Catholic pres-
ence before. Now we can count 135
newly baptised Catholics, 60% of
whom are adults, 25% young adults
and 5% children, with a small percent-
age of catechumens, some 20 adults in
all in this latter group. We have six cat-
echists helping the Salesians SDB and
the Missionaries of Charity Sisters MC.
But it is also true that much of the work
we do here is simply through witness
and the ability to talk to the children,
teenagers and adults, especially those
who attend the Oratory, and the edu-
cational activities we offer, about our
faith. We do our best to nurture the
newly-found faith of those who attend
Sunday Mass and other religious occa-
sions. The parish priest visits families, es-
pecially the sick and elderly and we
have a small clinic called St Anne's,
staffed by a Catholic nurse. She accom-
panies the priest when he visits the
sick.
Many other attractive
activities
Beside the Church, the Study centre, li-
brary, Oratory, we have an active Youth
Center, where our activities invite
young people to encountering the
Lord, meet up with friends and others
who attend there. It is a place to grow
in apostolic work, helping others, and
an opportunity for us to visit families,
discussing their lives, needs, their
dreams; it is also a place for them to
study, attend the seminars we offer
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Summer Bible Camp for catholic youth
Salesians of Korea Province are zeal-
ous in showing Jesus to young
people they encounter in their pastoral
settings including“The Summer Bible
Camp for Catholic Youth.” In 2010,
about 2,500 young people, who are
involved in Sunday schools in the
parishes of different dioceses in Korea,
took part in the SBC under the theme
“We want to see Jesus!”
The SBC has been a regular feature of
pastoral activity of the Salesians in
Korea. It has been taking place twice
a year during summer and winter va-
cations for middle school and high
school students. The Salesians, work-
ing in the “Salesian Education Centre”,
are in charge of this project. Some
pre-novices and theologians are also
involved in the project for their pas-
toral formation. The Salesians adver-
tise the project through weekly
bulletins of dioceses, in Catholic jour-
nals and websites and do so some
three months before the SBC starts its
first session. The application for par-
ticipation is made not individually
but collectively, which means partic-
ipation is decided by the catechists or
parish priests, and the youths who
are interested in the SBC can make
applications through the parishes.
The SBC has nothing to do with lec-
tures or seminars or something intel-
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Holy Korean Martyrs Province, KOR by Fr Jun-Seok Lee sdb
lectual. It is all about experiences.
One session lasts for two nights and
three days and there are about 300
youths participating in the program
in each session. Participants can get
access to the important Gospel mes-
sages and have a chance to reflect on
meanings of the messages while they
are running, swimming, canoeing
and playing different games. Each
program is delicately designed by the
Salesians so as to give the young
people a chance to grow in their faith
under the guidance of Gospel mes-
sages instead of merely giving them
an occasion to play without reflecting
on the matters of their faith.
Consequences of this project have
been quite significant. A considerable
number of today's Salesians heard
God calling them, inviting them to
the life and mission of Don Bosco
here in Korean soil during the SBC.
The writer of the current article is also
one of them. I was one of the high
school students who had experi-
enced the happiness, joy and enthu-
siasm of the Saelsians in the SBC in
1991. Now, it has become my turn to
show those Salesian values and
Gospel messages to young people in
the very circumstances where I got
them and discovered my Salesian vo-
cation.
A second fruit of the SBC is the fact
that the Salesians have become very
well known for this project in the
Korean Church. The people now
more easily know who the Salesians
are and what they do.
There is yet another effect that must
be emphasised. Many young people
who have participated in the SBC
have become very familiar with the
Salesians and Salesian houses and it
is now becoming a most important
motivation for them to be involved in
the Salesian Youth Movement in
Korea
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EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
Blessed Laura Vicuña
Blessed Artemides Zatti
by Fr Hitoshi Yamanouchi sdb
What, you may well ask, have two Salesian
saints who lived and died in South America,
to do with Japan? The answer lies in the real
changing face of Catholicism in Japan represented
by the migrant population.
Immigrants now outnumber the national
Catholic population. According to the Japanese
Immigration Bureau more than 2 million foreign
residents live in Japan, a country of 127 million
people. More than half of these are Korean and
Chinese. Of the rest Brazilians account for more
than 300,000, followed by Filipinos at 200,000
and Peruvians with 60,000. The majority of these
latter three groups, obviously, are Catholic,
though not necessarily practising. The Salesian
outreach to these often struggling immigrants
is a particularly well-noted aspect of recent
years. Hamamatsu City has 800,000 residents,
20,000 of whom belong to the Brazilian com-
munity, mostly migrant workers 'feeding' indus-
try in the area. The parish has some 150
Japanese regular worshippers, 450 migrant
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pastoral patrons in Japan
St Francis Xavier Province, Hamamatsu, GIA
workers with a further 600 somewhat
closely involved.
May 2010 saw the opening, in the pres-
ence of the Bishop of Yokohama,
Bishop Rafael Masahiro Uemura, of a
new two-storey building intended for
ministering to the people of Hama-
matsu.
Revisiting the history up to the present,
we can say that this Salesian presence
began with the dream of one Salesian
of Japanese descent, in São Paulo
Province Brazil, who asked to come to
Japan as a missionary to accompany
Brazilians who had emigrated to Japan
in search of a better life. The mission-
ary's name is Fr Evaristo Higa, who on
arrival in Japan set up in an area where
there were already many Brazilians
working in auto-part factories. Thus he
began his mission amongst his own,
gradually building up a Catholic Brazil-
ian community in Hamamatsu, bring-
ing together various communities
which had sprung up in different cities
in the Shizuoka area.
When the Japanese Province officially
took up this presence, Fr Evaristo had
already been working there for ten
years and had built up a strong Chris-
tian community open to other groups
from Latin America and Asia, showing
prophetic attention to homeless
Japanese, helping them especially
through Brazilian and other Latin
American volunteers, and also some
Japanese.
In 2006, the then Provincial, Fr Orlando
Puppo, sent Fr Angel Yamanouchi to
Hamamatsu to study possible direc-
tions for opening a Salesian Pastoral
Centre. Amongst other things, the
socio-economic situation in Japan was
in strong recession and the crisis was
affecting migrants especially. God in his
Providence and Mary Help of Christians
through her protection led to the pur-
chase of a property almost adjacent to
the parish. After much coming and
going, especially involving those re-
sponsible for administration in the dio-
cese, and also the architect and
engineers, this large, modern Salesian
Pastoral Centre was built in less than a
year.
May Blessed Laura Vicuña and Blessed
Artemides Zatti, the protectors of this
Pastoral Centre, fill us with joy and
hope so that this Centre may be an au-
thentic Salesian home to poor children
and youngsters and others in need of
acceptance, education and Christian
formation
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EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
Cagliero Lay Missionaries
Mary Help of Christians Province, AUL
Lauren Bicknell
Teaching English is an incredibly
valuable skill in Thailand as much
of the employment is in tourism and
the ability to speak English in this in-
dustry is essential. Don Bosco Home,
Bangsak, where Steph, an Australian
'Cagliero' young missionary and vol-
unteer taught English, is a truly amazing
place – the happiness of the children
is evident as laughter echoes around
the beautiful grounds – the spirit of
Don Bosco is truly well and alive. So,
who are these 'Cagliero' missionaries
and what do they do?
In 2006 biblical scholar Fr. Frank
Moloney returned from the United
States to take up the position of the
Provincial of the Australia-Pacific
Province. Among his goals for the
Salesian family in Australia and Pacific
was the creation of a program that al-
lowed young men and women the op-
portunity to volunteer with overseas
Salesian communities. Fr. Moloney,
with the support of Salesians province-
wide, wanted to model this program
on those that are so commonly associ-
ated with religious orders in the United
States. In 2007 a director for the pro-
gram was employed and thus started
The Cagliero Project! The Project was
named after Cardinal John Cagliero
who was the first Salesian missionary
sent to Patagonia (Argentina) by Don
Bosco in 1875.
Inaugural volunteers
The inaugural Cagliero volunteers de-
parted to two separate places in Thai-
land in June 2008. Both volunteers
were leaders from Don Bosco Camp in
Dromana, Australia. Steph's assignment
to Don Bosco Home was more than
just 'teaching English'. The home was
set up by the Thai Salesians shortly after
the Tsunami in 2004, to help care for
the many children who were orphaned
in the south of Thailand. So Steph was
involved in the general care of these
children, as well as travelling out to the
local schools to teach English.
At the same time David travelled to
Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand.
Don Bosco Home Chiang Mai was es-
tablished to give young men from the
northern hill tribes an education. It also
provides a supportive living environ-
ment for the young men when they
are studying. The Home has a farm as-
sociated with it in order to help them
support themselves. In 2010 the
Cagliero Project was lucky enough to
have a volunteer with an agricultural
background who has been a great
asset to the farm.
A major goal from the beginning of the
Cagliero Project was sustainability; not
to simply provide one time volunteers
but consistently support overseas
Salesian communities. In the early
stages of the Cagliero Project, Fr.
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e goals and dreams of the Cagliero
Project are being fulfilled as we bring
young people closer to Don Bosco through
their encounters with disadvantaged
young people
Moloney asked the other Provincials in
the East Asia Oceania region if they had
any need for volunteers. Quick to re-
spond was Fr.John Bosco Thepharat
Pitisant, Provincial of the Thai Province
that also encompasses Cambodia and
Laos. Thus began a very important re-
lationship between the Thai and Aus-
tralia Pacific Province.
The Cagliero volunteers sent to Thai-
land have quite a challenge as they en-
deavour to learn Thai. However all the
Cagliero volunteers have persisted and
been successful in mastering the diffi-
cult language (to varying degrees!). The
Thai SDB community has welcomed
them with true Thai hospitality and the
volunteers have completed their expe-
riences with a deep love for Thailand,
the culture and of course the
Salesians!
Dream being
realised
In the beginning of the
Cagliero Project, the
dream was to be able to consistently
sustain a few countries within the East
Asia-Oceania Salesian Region with mis-
sionary volunteers. This dream is slowly
being realised as the Project
sends in the second and third
round of volunteers to many
of the placements. The
Cagliero Project has sent
twelve missionary volun-
teers to Thailand, Cam-
bodia and Samoa. In
the future the Pro-
ject would like to
expand to other countries in
the East Asia-Oceania region.
This rapid growth is due in part to the
introduction of a new program - a
short term immersion experience. The
first of these took place in Samoa
where the Salesians of Don Bosco have
a strong presence. The journey was one
that the group will never forget as they
spent time living with local families and
learning about Samoan culture. Most
importantly it gave everyone a chance
to understand another culture and
what life as a missionary volunteer
would be like. This immersion was held
again in 2010
and has led even more young people
to give up their time for a long term
volunteer experience in the Cagliero
Project.
Slowly the goals and dreams of the
Cagliero Project are being fulfilled as
we bring young people closer to Don
Bosco through their encounters with
disadvantaged young people in third
world countries. The generosity and
service of our missionary volunteers to
the Salesian Missions is also helping us
achieve our goal of sus-
tainability. It is not an
easy task, however
a truly life chang-
ing experience,
as the mission-
ary volunteers
walk with the
Salesians and
young people
in their joys and
hardship
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EAST ASIA - OCEANIA
Sunday Oratories à la Don Bosco!
Do not think of grand buildings
and expensive equipment,
but rather of vibrant activities
Mary Help of Christians Vice Province, Anisakan, MYM
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by Fr Mariano Naing sdb
The academic exams barely over and full of the
joys of a Myanmar spring, 'Oratory Day', or-
ganised by the Novitiate Community in collabo-
ration with the neighboring Salesian Sisters and
their girls is celebrated in grand style at Anisakan,
Pyin Oo Lwin. Nearly 300 oratory children from
the neighboring villages come together at Our
Lady's Shrine.
Myanmar, the largest country in South East Asia in
geographical terms, sharing borders with the
world's largest countries population-wise (India,
China), is a Salesian Vice province belonging to the
East Asia-Oceania Salesian region. Salesians first set
foot in Mandalay in 1939. Not only have they sur-
vived all the vicissitudes of war, natural disasters
and politics. They are a thriving, zealous band of
Salesians on the move, growing in numbers and
in determination. Don Bosco's initial intuition, the
oratory, is their intuition too.
In Anisakan, every Sunday during the year, as is the
case for most of the Salesian communities across
the country, there is an oratory. Do not think of
grand buildings and expensive equipment,
but rather of vibrant
activities, Salesians,
Sisters, committed
lay people, and lots
of kids on play-
grounds, under trees,
whatever.
The novices at
Ansikan organise
oratories for the dif-
ferent villages, giving
preference to the poorer areas. For the most part,
the people they deal with are Buddhists, and the
novices are reminded to be careful in not attempt-
ing to proselytise the children. On Sundays, at the
oratories, the youngsters are involved in games,
given educational instruction and tickets are dis-
tributed which will stand them in good stead on
the Annual Oratory Day. The children are prepared
well and understand how to take part in Oratory
Day, which concludes the Oratory Year.
This year, as always, the day was filled with inter-
esting contests and games. The celebrations
began with an introduction for the leaders - Fr.
Francis Cyril explained the rules of the games for
Oratory Day to the excited and restive children.
Following his skilfully prepared program there
were three groups for the games with their re-
spective leaders. The boys and girls all had ample
opportunities and chances to play and enjoy the
different games.
For their part, the Sisters and their girls not only
generously took charge of the prize distribution,
selling the foodstuff and clothes, but also some of
them helped in conducting the games and led
the youngsters throughout the games in their
spontaneous Salesian style. Towards the evening,
after enjoying the whole day, the oratory children
returned to their respective villages refreshed and
renewed with zest and vigour.
When one of them was asked his impression
about the events of the day, he said: "This oratory
festival opened up new prospects for me". Another
said: "The events of today will be imprinted always
in my memory"
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SOUTH ASIA
44
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INB
IND
ING
INN
INB
INC
INK
INH
INP
INK
INM
INT
LKC
REGION: SOUTH ASIA
Number of Countries: 6
Number of Provinces: 10
Vice Province: 1 (LKC)
Number of Confreres: 2,431
Number of Novices: 141
Number of Salesian Bishops: 10
» INK: The magic of Bosco Kids (46)
» IND: Life Plus Campus for young Misings (48)
» INT: Don Bosco Media (50)
» India: A communication formation project for the Church
in India (52)
» INM: Short films for powerful values (54)
SALESIANS 2011
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SOUTH ASIA
The Magic of Bosco Kids
Sacred Heart Province, India, Bangalore, INK
by Fr Jude Anand sdb
I“ love to be a ‘BOSCO A better world begins with ‘BOSCO KIDS’ focuses
KID’and‘BOSCO KIDS’ a better self. “Become the on friendship and
is what helped me to change you want in the harmony rather than
achieve this unbeliev-
able feat”. Ashiwni, the
top student at the re-
cently held SSLC ex-
amination from Sacred
world!” said Mahatma
Gandhi. We want the
‘kids’ to grow to love
themselves, others, their
on competitive pro-
grammes and activi-
ties where one has to
prove his or her
worth! The child’s
Heart High School, life, the world and God to worth is in his or her
Bangalore, proudly ex- be architects of a ‘better’ being and not in per-
pressed her joy.
world
formance! To pro-
mote self-confidence
‘BOSCO KIDS’ is a movement for chil- and creativity we have monthly ‘talent
dren between 10 and 15 years of age. demonstration‘ programs.
It brings them together under one um-
brella as a family. They take a pledge to ‘BOSCO KIDS’Provides the young with
love everyone as brothers and sisters. a genuine group experience where
They pray daily that they may be true they can experience freedom, joy,
to themselves and do good to all. To love, friendship, support, trust and
date we have more than 7,000 children other human qualities both from their
enrolled in the movement. ‘BOSCO leaders and from their companions.
KIDS’ is spreading its wings all across We see ‘Bosco Kids’ as an experience
India!
that will effect a difference in all as-
pects of life of a young person. Focus
‘BOSCO KIDS’ focuses on helping our is on building up the ‘self’. – Better
children to grow up with goodness Self. A better world begins with a
considering themselves as precious better self. “Become the change you
and unique gifts of God destined to want in the world!” said Mahatma
bring about positive changes wherever Gandhi. We want the ‘kids’ to grow to
they find themselves. It cuts across all love themselves, others, their life, the
religious, linguistic, cultural, communal world and God to be architects of a
barriers!
‘better’ world
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EMPHASIS
» We emphasise the crucial role of the animators and
guides who should make themselves loved by the
young. They should let the ‘kids’ know that they are
loved! They are the ones who draw the ‘kids’ to the
group!
» We celebrate life: birthdays and other significant
events in the life of the‘kids’and in the life of the com-
munity – national festivals of universal importance.
» ‘Bosco Kids’ learn to appreciate team work that pro-
duces synergy rather than individual work that rein-
forces selfishness.
» We inculcate the spirit of appreciation of the good
found in others.
» We encourage them to live with a grateful heart
which is a sign of true self-esteem!
» We stress the need for Acceptance, Affection, and Ap-
preciation in life as a means towards the achievement
of true friendship.
» We instill in the ‘kids’ the truth that all human beings
are different.
BOSCO KIDS grow up to be upright, honest and re-
sponsible citizens of India. They accept all Indians as
members of their family.
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SOUTH ASIA
Life Plus Campus for young Misings
St Francis of Sales Province, Jorphat, Assam, Dimapur, IND
by Fr K.A. Thomas sdb
In the Life Plus programme for Bosco
Asha, Jorhat, the Salesian Educative
Don Bosco's ideas and the
teachings of the Salesian
standing of the person of Don Bosco
from the colourful pictures and writ-
and Pastoral Plan (SEPP) was put to the Congregation have been digested ings presented on the walls around the
general public in a novel manner on
31st May, 2010. The presentation area,
christened Don Bosco Lotta, was blessed
and re-presented for a secular
and modern audience
verandah. Most people in the region
know ‘Don Bosco’ only as a school.
and inaugurated by Rev. Fr. James Poon-
“I congratulate Fr. Thomas,“ said Fr.
thuruthil SDB, the provincial of Dimapur Visitors will now have a better Provincial,“who has presented the SEPP
Province. The Mising tribal word, lotta, understanding of the person of in a novel manner for the general
meaning “courtyard”, where meetings Don Bosco from the colourful public in the Life Plus campus. This is
and gatherings occur, is given a new pictures and writings presented going to inspire other institutions.”
connotation in the Life Plus campus. on the walls around the verandah Life Plus, which began operation in
The concepts of SEPP, the life and
2006, houses a tribal reference library, a
achievements of Don Bosco and his and modern audience. They have been publication centre for Misings, a yarn
educational philosophy, have been re-written, without losing their original dyeing unit, handloom weaving centre
translated into the Assamese language richness, in a language that is accept- and a cultural tourism department. It is
by Fr. Thomas Kalapurackal, Salesian di- able and understandable to the called a‘one-step learning centre about
rector of the Institute for Culture And common man.
Misings”. Soon DBTech India will be
Rural Development (I-CARD), which is
launching computer training courses
an experiment in tribal development Hundreds of young people belonging in Life Plus, financed by the Ministry of
with the Mising community. Don to the over 250‘Young Misings’groups Rural Development, for training poor
Bosco's ideas and the teachings of the of I-CARD, frequenting Life Plus for var- unemployed youth. A Mising museum
Salesian Congregation have been di- ious training programmes, and other and an audio-video production studio
gested and re-presented for a secular visitors will now have a better under- are also in the pipeline
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6.1 Page 51

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SOUTH ASIA
DON
BOSCO
MEDIA
by Fr A. Raj sdb
Don Bosco MEDIA is a centre for communication
in the Salesian Province of Tiruchy in Tamil
Nadu. In a short span of time it has emerged as
one of the leading media centres in Tamil Nadu
with the motto; ‘communicate to educate, empower,
employ and entertain’. It functions with four inde-
pendent operational wings.
Don Bosco Institute of Information & Communica-
tion Excellence (DBIICE) runs five media-related
diploma courses affiliated with Bharathidasan Uni-
versity, Tiruchy. DBIICE provides higher education
opportunity in the field of information, communi-
cation and media. It aims to educate poor young
people in media with social consciousness and
values. The centre offers five diploma courses: Tele-
vision Production, Visual Editing (Apple Final Cut
Pro), Film Technology, Animation and Graphics
(Multimedia) and Radio & Video Jockeying (RJ & VJ).
On completion of the course students receive Uni-
versity certificates and job placements. This is the
only institute with University recognition in the
is is the only
institute with
University
recognition in the
State to have
revolutionised media
studies by making it
accessible to the poor.
‘Life, love, hope’ a
trilogy of short films
on children living
with HIV/AIDS
created great impact
in Tamil Nadu.
Its subsequent release
in theatres across the
state is a first of its
kind for short films
50
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State to have revolutionised media
studies by making it accessible to the
poor.
Alaihal MEDIA (‘sound waves’ in Tamil),
the production department, is widely
known and vastly appreciated for its
audio and video productions. It has
produced 25 audios, 26 videos, includ-
ing participatory documentaries and
has published 10 books in the last five
years on social, cultural, educational
and religious themes. Neeye Niran-
tharam (You are everlasting), one of the
religious albums, continues to be a
bestseller for over 5 years. ‘Life, love,
hope’a trilogy of short films on children
living with HIV/AIDS created great
impact in Tamil Nadu. Its subsequent
release in theatres across the state is a
first of its kind for short films. ‘Alaihal
MEDIA’ brought together Government
and Non-Government organisations,
Corporates, celebrities and the public
to spread awareness and promote the
care and dignity of people living with
HIV/AIDS specially children. Our pro-
ductions also include 2D animation
videos and games. Its social awareness
productions are used in schools, col-
leges, radio and television channels to
preserve and promote culture and also
as education and evangelising tools.
Alaihal MEDIA CLUBS are designed to
develop in young minds greater
awareness, analysis and participation in
media. There are 50 clubs with 20
members each. The number of clubs
keeps increasing every year. They are
governed and recognised by their dis-
tinct flag, anthem, rules and regula-
tions. A facilitator guides in their regular
fortnightly meetings. Regular work-
shops, seminars, symposiums, alterna-
tive and folk media characterise the an-
imation of media clubs. Educational
tools are regularly distributed to media
clubs in schools and colleges. Alaihal
MEDIA CENTRE is located in Madurai
while the other three departments are
in Tiruchy. It caters to our extension
works specifically for distribution of our
products. The centre envisages to or-
ganise mobile media ministry for edu-
cation and evangelisation. It also
organises media events and award pro-
grams for social and educational
audios and media-related productions.
Don Bosco MEDIA, with its multifarious
activities, reaches out concretely with
concerted effort to impart quality
media education to the poor youth
and empowers vast number of youth
and public with its media initiatives
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SOUTH ASIA
A Communication
Formation Project
for the Church in India
India, South Asia Region
Education and training in communications is to be an integral part of
the formation of priests and all pastoral workers. (Aetatis Novae)
e focus is on helping pastoral personnel to understand, appreciate and
creatively apply the principles and practices of social communications in
their varied ministries
T“ he Holy See is very pleased with a
significant communications venture
by Indian Salesians which is now helping
to form Indian clergy. Many people in
other countries are waiting for this
book, or better the full three-volume
series. The initiative is a big moment in
the life of the Church and can be an in-
spiration for many”, said Archbishop
Claudio Maria Celli, President of the
Pontifical Council for Social Communi-
cation, on 12 February 2010, while
launching the three-volume work by
Salesians in India.
The series entitled Communication for
Pastoral Leadership contains three sep-
arate books: ‘Basics of Social Com-
munication’ by Fr Louis Kumpiluvelil
SDB, ‘Critical Understanding of Social
Communication’ by Fr Robert Pen SDB
and ‘Theological Perspectives in Social
Communication’ by Fr George Plathot-
tam SDB. These books were prepared
at the request of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of India. They are meant for
progressively training Church person-
nel in communication in the seminar-
ies and religious formation houses.
The Indian Church’s Commission for
Social Communication has taken the
initiative in promoting these books
across the country through a series of
nine seminars where Church personnel
familiarise people with the content and
the project goals.
Education and training in communica-
tions is to be an integral part of the for-
mation of priests and all pastoral
workers. Aetatis Novae insists that in
today’s world, so strongly influenced by
media, “Church personnel require at
least a working grasp of the impact
which new information technologies
and mass media are having upon indi-
viduals and society (AN 18).” Future
leaders of the Church, particularly
priests and religious, can be effective
by Fr K. J. Louis sdb
ministers only if they learn to integrate
communications as an essential com-
ponent of their formation. This calls for
acquiring knowledge and skills, critical
thinking, value judgements, creativity
and the ability to process and manage
information. The Indian Bishops’ Con-
ference in 2004 declared “bishops,
priests, religious and lay leaders should
get adequate training in communica-
tions so that they can effectively dis-
charge their duties for evangelisation
and for the genuine interests of the
Church and society’
DVD
Resources for Teachers of Com-
munication.
52
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Book 1
Basics of Social Communica-
tion presents the essentials of
communication in a simple and
straightforward manner. It intro-
duces the students to all aspects
of communication from verbal,
non-verbal and para-verbal
communication to intra-per-
sonal, interpersonal, group and
mass communication; from old
media to new media; from the
communication challenges of
the real world to those of the vir-
tual world.
This book is for those in initial
stages of formation, particularly
those in minor seminaries and
pre-novitiates and pre-university
students.
And it is not all theories and ab-
stractions – there is a whole sec-
tion on skill-building – language
skills, listening skills, speaking
skills, writing skills, presentation
skills, virtual skills.
Book 2
Critical Understanding of Social
Communication is an in-depth
study of the media and their per-
vasive influence on people.
It examines media’s underlying
assumptions, values, hidden
agendas, complexities, concerns,
and relevance. It aims at helping
students become critical con-
sumers and creative users of the
media products. It is meant for
students of philosophy, those in
regency and post-novitiate years
of religious formation.
Book 3
Theological Perspectives is a
well-researched and up-to-date
presentation of social communi-
cation from the perspective of
pastoral leadership.
The book is meant primarily for
students of theology and those
in the final stages of religious for-
mation. The focus is on helping
pastoral personnel to under-
stand, appreciate and creatively
apply the principles and prac-
tices of social communications in
their varied ministries. Priests, re-
ligious and lay leaders will find it
a veritable treasure-trove with
insightful and innovative strate-
gies to enhance their fruitfulness
of their ministries. It includes ses-
sions on preaching, evolving ef-
fective strategies and plans,
networking and integrating
communications into one’s min-
istry.
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SOUTH ASIA
Short Films
for powerful values
Chennai, St Thomas the Apostle Province, INM
by Fr Glorious Stephen sdb
Don Bosco Institute of Communi-
cation Arts (DBICA) has emerged
as one of the premier media institutes
actively involved in imparting values,
skills and promoting media literacy
among young people and those in-
volved in the field of media in India.
DBICA continues to provide a good
avenue for media critics and profes-
sionals to discuss media and social
issues through seminars, research, short
film festivals and various other cam-
paigns.
This initiative of introducing short films
of various genres from all over the
globe by way of film festivals, is to illus-
trate to film lovers and the public the
power of short films to deal with differ-
ent themes in a way that is entertaining,
educative and motivating. Short film is
also a very rich form of film making,
which can be a good alternative to
mainstream cinema and can powerfully
communicate stories and themes that
are touching and impressive.
In pursuit of this vision, DBICA has suc-
cessfully conducted a number of film
festivals like the International Short Film
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Short film is also a very rich form of film making, which
can be a good alternative to mainstream cinema and can
powerfully communicate stories and themes that are
touching and impressive.
Short films that celebrate diverse cultures, aesthetic
traditions, social and political themes and other works that
challenge and transcend expectations
Festival of India, Human Rights Film
Festival, Documentary Film Festival,
Children’s Short Film Festival, PSA Fest,
DBICA Film Festival. These festivals have
been conducted in collaboration with
a number of colleges, NGOs, media in-
stitutes and also in joint collaboration
with the department of Information,
Government of Tamil Nadu.
ISFFFI
The International Short Film Festival of
India, which has been conducted suc-
cessfully four times, the most recent
with 419 entries from 28 countries, is
conducted at Albert Theatres, Chen-
nai. ISFFI strives to showcase short
films that celebrate diverse cultures,
aesthetic traditions, social and political
themes and other works that chal-
lenge and transcend expectations.
Award winning world class short films
have been screened during this festi-
val and it has facilitated and encour-
aged international, national and local
cultural exchanges and interaction
among short film makers, media pro-
fessionals and the society.
can elevate and entertain them and
bring awareness of issues concerning
them. The festival has been held in the
Don Bosco Auditorium in the month of
November, with more than 2000 chil-
dren participating in it.
DBICA Short Film Festival (DSFF) has
been organised consecutively for the
past nine years. The scope of DSFF is to
promote regional and local film makers
and young media apprentices to
showcase their works and provide
them with a platform that offers them
interaction, networking and greater vis-
ibility. The festival is normally con-
ducted in the month of March.
Public Service Announcement Festival
(PSAF) is celebrated every year with the
twin objective of modifying public at-
titude by raising awareness of specific
issues and encouraging youth to
become socially committed, creative
and relevant media producers. DBICA
has successfully organised this festival
for the past five years and is in its sixth
edition now.
ICSFF
The International Children’s Short Film
Festival aims at introducing short films
of various genres solely targeting chil-
dren to bring awareness concerning
the situation of children worldwide and
also to celebrate childhood. The past
two editions of this festival have been
very successful and meaningful, bring-
ing children of different schools to-
gether to view films/short films that
There are other issue-based short film
festivals that DBICA organises periodi-
cally in collaboration with a number of
organisations and institutions, such as
The Documentary Film Festival, The
Human Rights Film Festival, The
Women’s Film Festival, The Water Film
Festival. The current year has two new
festivals planned by DBICA: the Chris-
tian Short Film Festival, and the Eco film
festival
SALESIANS 2011
55

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NORTH EUROPE
PLN
EST
IRL
GBR
BEN
GER
PLN
PLE
PLO
PLS
CEP
SLK
AUS UNG
SLO
CRO
SLO
CEP
EST (UKR)
SLK
56
SALESIANS 2011
IRL(MAL)
REGION: NORTH EUROPE
Number of Countries: 24
Number of Provinces: 15
Special Circumscription: 1 (EST)
(plus 3 Delegations - Malta, The Netherlands, Ukraine)
Number of Confreres: 2,448
Number of Novices: 35
Number of Salesian Bishops: 9

6.9 Page 59

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» BEN: Don Bosco's spiritual and pedagogical heritage (58)
» PLS: Missionaries in the Park (60)
» EST (UKR): A promise and a challenge (62)
» SLO: Oratory on wheels! (64)
» PLN: Evangelising Pilgrims create community (66)
SALESIANS 2011
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NORTH EUROPE
Don Bosco's spiritual
and pedagogical heritage
St John Berchmans Province, Belgium North, BEN
by Colette Schaumont
Salesian works in the Belgium North Province are
many and flourishing: large schools, places for
the young at risk, playing fields and more. The edu-
cation they offer draws on the spirituality and ped-
agogy of Don Bosco. Collaboration between
Salesians SDB, FMA and lay groups is something
deeply rooted in Salesian spirituality and it already
has a long tradition in our Province. Lay people
now take on much more responsibility for the work
and for the Salesianity which is part of it.
To accompany and sustain this process the Belgium
North Province has set up the "Don Bosco Centre
for formation and animation". The Centre sees to
providing formation, accompaniment and support
for personnel in Salesian works. An especially im-
portant initiative is the formation course entitled
"Don Bosco's spiritual and pedagogical heritage",
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which is now in its eleventh year. This
formation package requires 17 working
days, spread over two years succes-
sively. The course aims at offering par-
ticipants the chance to put their
Salesian motivation and skills to good
use and its view is that each participant
should multiply the Salesian spirit in his
or her own context. Before undertaking
this course, the participants have to de-
clare themselves ready to assume re-
sponsibility for safeguarding the
Salesian identity of the institution they
work in. Each year some fifteen people
freely take on this course. There are
always more requests than places avail-
able.
There are four major parts to the
course: historical, pedagogical, spiritual,
organisational.
The history is that of Don Bosco,
placed in his own context, the devel-
opment of his work and charism, and
similarly the story of the FMA begin-
nings. Once this part is concluded par-
ticipants present a brief written thesis
on a Salesian topic.
Then comes the pedagogy of Don
Bosco, which starts from educational
issues today and assistance for young
people in risk situations. Participants are
encouraged to use these criteria in
how they see education. At the end of
the first year they take stock.
The pastoral and spiritual part takes
up again from Don Bosco's practice as
an educator of faith and a pastor. Here
too there is an effort to confront situa-
tions today. There are considerable
challenges in the secularised Europe of
today. Finally, attention is given to the
spirituality of the Salesian teacher and
educator today
When it comes to Salesian practice in
an educational setting participants
are offered the ideas and skills needed
to pass on to others where they work,
the Salesian pedagogical and spiritual
heritage. They learn in detail how they
can do this in their particular work set-
ting, applying what they have learned
throughout the course.
Participants have a major task to ac-
complish in the second year. They plan
an appropriate initiative for the setting
where they work. Its purpose is the im-
plementation of Salesian identity. At
the end of the course each participant
draws up a personal profile and an
evaluation of the course. He or she is
encouraged to express Don Bosco's
image in a visual way as he has ap-
peared for them over the two years.
This is an artistic expression of their
view of Don Bosco. In fact it is a touch-
ing moment of witness.
There has been a huge response to this
course. For many it is a unique oppor-
tunity to re-create and deepen their
commitment and personal spirituality.
Administrators in Salesian works also
express their satisfaction especially
since the program has very positive ef-
fects in the institution. Thanks to these
formation courses various Salesian an-
imation centres have sprung up as a
support to administrators in their job
of looking after Salesian identity. Don
Bosco's spiritual heritage seems an in-
exhaustible source. Lay people and
Salesians in the Province are involved
together in offering this vital resource
to young people.
This is how we seek to carry forward
the mission entrusted to us by GC24:
Salesians and lay people together
become responsible for the mission
and charism of Don Bosco
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NORTH EUROPE
Missionaries in the Park
“Where did you spend your holidays?”
Before us stands a group of primary
school children.
“In Egypt.”
“And you?” we ask, when a child seated
next to a girl who was riding camels
last year puts up his hand. The answers
left us wondering. These are children of
families whom we might call fairly well-
off. We are sitting under a large tree
protecting us from the early morning
sun. We often sit there with kids to give
the group an idea of how school can
take place in Africa.
“But how?”
“Yes, it's true, and do you know how many
students in the classroom?”
“30! – 40! – 20!”
“Even more than 100”
“But how come? Just one teacher?”
Then we begin to tell them about it. The
Education Park for Global Awareness,
thought up and
brought into
St Hyacinth Province, Krakow, Poland, PLS
by Katarzyna Woźniak
being by the Salesian Mission Volunteer
Movement in Krakow, is the first project
of its kind in Poland, and began in 2007
as a small African village. Today, cover-
ing an area of 2 ha, children, young
people of all ages, can literally put a
finger on the world of the Missions. The
motto“See, touch, feel”which goes with
our work of education includes all di-
mensions of an innovative approach to
education. In the Park we are invited not
only to look at life-sized dwellings in
Africa, Peru, Mongolia and of the North
American Indians, but to enter into their
circumstances a little by touching orig-
inal objects from the area and thanks to
the high quality equipment (including
interactive screens) to enter a truly in-
teractive world. As we have said, it is not
so much this innovative dimension that
makes it so important.
heard, depending on their age. We
help them reflect on two key issues in
our commitment as educators in the
world of the Salesian missions: the first
is the lack of awareness in Poland of
problems of developing countries,
while the second is giving them infor-
mation that is not simply a collection
of facts and figures. Visiting places in
the Park is to give them more than
simply tourist experiences in miniature.
Some might say that the laboratory
method of direct contact with the
sights and tastes is something that
changes their perception, makes it
more accountable. Visits to the Park are
prepared through a series of educa-
tional materials to support the teach-
ers, then there is a concern to see
to an ongoing educational
These youngsters come into contact
with a world they have never seen or
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Salesian Volunteer Movement – Youth for the World (SWM)
Founded in 1997 in Krakow, today it is a group with more than 200 volunteers from throughout Poland.
It was the first Polish association to gain European funding. Until now it has carried out 120 volunteer or
similar projects: most have been in Africa, but also South America and East Europe. In Poland and
western Europe – with local partners – it is committed to Don Bosco's spirit, sensitising young people to
the problems of developing countries.
process and the consolidation of
knowledge acquired. But the underly-
ing problem is much more subtle and
far more important: how to lead them,
along with the information and enter-
tainment from many art studios, to
have an awareness of the evangelical
dimension of poverty and human life.
Not just about education
The basic issue, in fact, is very simple: it
is about the way we speak of poverty
in today's world or rather of the many
kinds of poverty we have to contend
with – and it is also a question touching
the heart of the Salesian mission which
is, even more so today, a program of
spiritual life for people who founded
the Krakow Volunteer Move-
ment 13 years ago.
This is a journey in Salesian Youth Min-
istry, which has led young men and
women to dedicate their free time to
the missions, as seculars, but strongly
anchored in Salesian spirituality (and
also encouraging new vocations to the
Salesian Cooperators). The question of
Christian identity and the evangelising
dimension of our Volunteer Movement
is strongly marked when we reflect on
the development of the Association.
The importance of this Park experience,
along with all the other educational
projects to bring global awareness
which are carried out with various Eu-
ropean partners, should be sought not
only or better not especially in the
spectacular nature of the undertaking.
There is great educational potential in
this Salesian setting of encounter,
education but also work, which
gives the volunteers themselves the
chance to meet up with many young
people who become ever more sensi-
tive to the world's problems. Letting
them be guided by us, instead of bring-
ing our workshops to the schools, in
addition to the dimension of adventure
and a school trip, gives children the
chance to meet a Salesian educational
environment (even more so since the
Park is located in the immediate vicinity
of the Salesian Seminary and the Na-
tional Centre for Youth Ministry). This
potential, which we have only begun
to engage in our mission as educators
in the spirit of Don Bosco, is also signifi-
cant because of an exemplary transfor-
mation of an environment that is able
to capture an emerging need among
young people in Poland to talk about
developing countries, and offer a pas-
toral response through the Salesian
mission
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NORTH EUROPE
A promise and a challenge
Ukraine Salesian Byzantine Rite Delegation
Immaculate Conception Special Circumscription, EST
by Fr Rino Pistellato sdb
Something new for the Salesian
Congregation.
On 24 January 2005 the Rector Major, Fr Pascual
Chávez, signed the Decree which set up the the
Salesian Byzantine Rite Delegation of Ukraine. For Don
Bosco's charism this opened up the great challenge of
inculturation in the Oriental Church, taking on all its the-
ological, spiritual, liturgical and disciplinary heritage. The
Salesians are called to merge with the soul and the life
of a people of ancient tradition, recently released from
an intense and systematic religious persecution en-
dured with great fortitude where it was not just the
martyrs who gave their lives.
The roots of the binomial 'Salesians-Byzantine
Rite Ukraine' go back to the 1930s, when
Pope Pius XI asked the then Rector Major,
Fr Philip Rinaldi, to open colleges and in-
stitutes, especially schools of arts and
trades for ordinary people in the
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e Delegation has 43 Salesians, a solid group of
active and enthusiastic Cooperators involved in the
list of works indicated here
Ukraine in, order to promote good ed-
ucation and good Catholic education
amongst the less well-to-do. He invited
the Salesians to begin immediately,
without losing precious time, and sug-
gested sending young people to Italy
to give them a chance of formation in
their own Rite and to ready themselves
to set up a religious Province.
And so it was that between 1932 and
1939, four groups of young men left
successively for Rome. Around fifteen
solid vocations emerged from this
effort. The flag-bearer was Fr Stefan
Czmil, who died with a reputation for
holiness to the point where we are
working to open his Cause for
Beatification and Canonisa-
tion. Along with him, and a
living relic, is Andrij Sapelak
who became Eparch for the
Ukrainian faithful in diaspora in Ar-
gentina, and who took part in Vatican
II. Now 91 he is the oldest bishop in The
Ukraine and in the Salesian Congrega-
tion. In 2012, God willing, he will cele-
brate the 50th anniversary of his
Episcopal ordination.
These are but two
names. We do not
forget the others
who have brought
honour through their work abroad and
who with great sacrifice prepared for
their return home only to be hindered
by historical circumstances. The gates
were opened with the fall of the Soviet
regime and some of them, led by
Bishop Sapelak, returned. Advanced in
years, but rejuvenated by the breath of
hope and spring in the history of the
Church, they have devoted themselves
with great zeal to meet young people
left to fend for themselves, since all pre-
existing institutions had collapsed
under communism, and there has
been little by way of support for fami-
lies, schools, society.
The Church, emerging
from the catacombs
to which repres-
sion had con-
fined it, was
noted for
meeting
the great religious needs of the faithful
given the lack of priests, religious build-
ings, and financial means. The work
and sacrifice of the pioneer Salesians
has seen results in the first vocations,
after 75 years.
Currently the Delegation has 43
Salesians, a solid group of active and
enthusiastic Cooperators involved in
the list of works indicated here, all of
which have sprung up in recent times:
high school, technical school, family
home for orphans, formation house for
candidates to Salesian life, prenovices,
a large parish with an oratory, a youth
centre and many young leaders, and a
multi-sport centre. The Salesian mission
is also been shared with the Salesian
Sisters at Leopoli from the start. Thus
we work together as a Salesian Family.
The Salesian future is promising and
very relevant, because the country still
does not have a firm political, eco-
nomic structure and is still taking its
first steps in democracy. Undoubtedly
there are many challenges, amongst
which ecumenical dialogue with the
Orthodox Church and the opening
up of the Delegation to the
whole Congregation
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NORTH EUROPE
Oratory on wheels
SKALA, the fun minibus!
Sts Cyril and Methodius Province, Slovenia, SLO
by Fr Marjan Lamovsek sdb
As part of his effort to save souls,
Don Bosco was ready to adopt a
wide variety of means and equipment,
including some of the most avant-
guard for his time. This charism for seek-
ing new ways and possibilities for
reaching out to the young and helping
them to be at ease with one another,
society, God, is something that
Salesians have in their blood. A modest
indication of this seeking of new ap-
proaches to reach young people on
today's streets is the “Minibus veselja"
project, or the Fun Minibus.
The initiative started out in the Slovenia
Province a decade ago as part of the
Skala project (in Slovenian, the rock)
which tackles the problem of young
people at risk, including those on the
street. The idea of the Minibus begins
from the same assumption that Don
Bosco made: we need to go out look-
ing for young people where they are to
be found. This is why we have an
Oratory on wheels going around the
streets of the Slovenian Capital, Ljubl-
jana, especially in suburbs where immi-
gration, from the Balkan regions in
particular, leaves its mark with all the
consequences this implies: problems
of education, schooling, integration,
work …
The vehicle, specially adapted for this
kind of street work, has three 'educa-
tional' spaces to it: a “chat-room” in the
front, “games room” in the back and a
“verandah” attached externally, under
an awning. The project has a social and
educational structure split into three
sections: there are psycho-social and
guidance activities, creative, educa-
tional and spiritual ones, and then fi-
nally sports and entertainment. The
first aim of this mobile youth centre is
to gather street children together
(those with the least opportunities in
64
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life) in a setting which offers them a
stimulus, as desired by the Preventive
System of St John Bosco. Besides pre-
vention we can also intervene in some
of the more difficult cases (secondary
prevention) which require support
from specialised agencies.
Street Oratory
This mobile centre offers new potential
for putting the preventive system into
action in society as we find it today. The
Minibus has proven to be practical,
adaptable and offers a variety of possi-
bilities for education and getting closer
to the young. It remains but a tool
however. It is the teachers and
leaders who give it
its heart and soul, who feel inspired and
moved by Don Bosco's passion for the
spiritual and material good of the
young
The Minibus programme takes place
three times a week, and in summer and
autumn holidays, daily, where it is also
known as the Street Oratory. This way
holidays for these youngsters are an ex-
perience of active, fruitful free time and
being together.
The results from last year, when the
program was relaunched with a new
vehicle went far beyond our expecta-
tions. We have to pay attention to vari-
ety in the program, checking on what's
offered once we know the specific
nature of the group of youngsters we
are dealing with.
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NORTH EUROPE
Desert of the cities
Evangelising pilgrims create community
66
SALESIANS 2011
St Adalbert Province, Piła, Poland, PLN
by Fr Jarosław Wąsowicz sdb
The idea of creating Salesian Evangelis-
ing Communities (SEC) emerged with
the great stir caused by the World Youth
Days in Czestochowa at the beginning of
the 1990s. John Paul II, at the time, gath-
ered young people from East and West at
the sanctuary of Our Lady of Jasna Gora.
The Iron Curtain had fallen, the world
began to change, people took a stand, the
'Generation of JP II' people took a stand.
The Pope called on youth to be part of
new evangelisation. It took only a year to
start the Salesian Evangelising Pilgrimage
(SEP, in Polish SPE). In 1994 a new commu-
nity was created – the‘Desert of the Cities’.
Both communities sprang from the
Salesian being-with-young people which
helps in new evangelisation.
SEP and SEC at work
There are weekly meetings as well as evan-
gelising efforts during the year, mainly in
the members’ parishes. The essential fea-
ture of the communities is that the mem-
bers put their own ideas into practice. They
have meetings in their parishes with chil-
dren and young people, animate the
masses, prayer vigils, adorations, help with
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Following a year of active evangelising
work, SEP members take part in the
summer retreats in Szczaniec, and members
of the‘Desert of the Cities’have recollection
days in various places. During these occa-
sions they carry out numerous evangelising
efforts, meeting the local people, sharing
their faith with them, meeting people from
different walks of life, or others in hospitals,
prisons, reformatories. The main goal of
these activities is to reach out to people
who cannot express their faith, have not at-
tended a mass for a long time, or who have
lost their sense of God. We pay special at-
tention to young people, including the re-
bellious ones, lured by what the world
offers today: sex, alcohol, drugs, treating
fellow human beings as mere objects, im-
proper treatment of money as a substitute
for God. We can show our peers a different
reality, not without problems but accept-
able if we can see a merciful God helping us
in our lives. During the summer holidays it
is easier to get to people – they easily open
up, share their doubts and painful experi-
ences. Quite often, through all this, they find
God and join us in our ‘divine wanderings’.
The almost twenty years of SEC now have
been a constant reading of the signs of the
times. And because we have always been
looking for new ways of reaching young
people, we have survived. And this is our
biggest success.
Terminus Jesus!
The ‘Desert of the Cities’ is the co-founder
of the largest Polish evangelising initiative
during the biggest rock festival in Eastern
Europe, the “Przystanek Woodstock” (‘Ter-
minus Woodstock’). We invented “Przys-
tanek Jezus”(‘Terminus Jesus’) to be part of
that.
A couple of years ago we began leading a
group in the International Walking Pilgrim-
age Suwałki - Ostra Brama, in Poland. Sev-
eral TV and radio programmes on our
group have been produced – there were
also articles in the most important Polish
Catholic newspapers. We publish the bul-
letin “Czas Łaski” (‘The Time of Mercy’) and
we have published a few books in the “Bi-
uletyn SWE” (‘SEC Bulletin’). We have our
own website.
Since 1999 on we have also conducted reg-
ular pilgrimages to where St John Bosco
lived and worked
SALESIANS 2011
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WEST EUROPE
FRB
SLE
SBI
SBA
POR
SMA
SVA
SSE
POR
SSE
POR
68
SALESIANS 2011
FRB
REGION: WEST EUROPE
Number of Countries: 7
Number of Provinces: 8
Number of Confreres: 1,548
Number of Novices: 6
Number of Salesian Bishops: 4

8 Pages 71-80

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» Spain: The Journey of education in faith (70)
» POR: A Salesian open door: Edições Salesianas (72)
» FRB: Farnières, evangelisation begins with nature (74)
» Spain: Catequistas y Misión Joven, a happy coincidence! (76)
» SMA: Salesian Mission and Development Office (78)
SALESIANS 2011
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WEST EUROPE
70
The Journey
of education in faith:
a mature and fertile ministry
Spanish Provinces, West Europe Region
by Manuel F. Ruiz Piqueras
In 1981 the National Youth Ministry Centre in Spain pub-
lished a doctoral thesis by Fr Angel Larrañaga sdb: Youth
Ministry along Catechumenate lines. His approach promoted
and encouraged by the National Centre, found fertile
ground in many of the Salesian Provinces in which he had
been working over the years on education and accompani-
ment of the faith of young people in new ways.
Youth ministry - a new model?
The model was taken up by the Salesian National Delegation
for Youth Ministry and has become a reality in all the Spanish
provinces.
It came to completion with the publication of an overall and
structured collection of texts to be found at various levels
and stages of the process in a consistent, unified approach
with well-adapted material. The degree of acceptance and
widespread use of these materials allows us to say that the
Youth Ministry along Catechumenate lines, throughout the
1980s and the early '90s, resulted in a proven pastoral re-
sponse and faith accompaniment for children and older
youth in both the Spanish and Latin American Church.
Years later, changes in the socio-cultural and religious cir-
cumstances of those to whom this programme was directed
meant the need for a thorough review in order to respond
to a new generation of young people whose profile is
markedly changed in a society affected by secularisation
and religious indifference.
In the 1990s, after the 23rd Salesian General Chapter on edu-
cation to faith of the young, a new pastoral project was de-
veloped, the Journey of Education to Faith, in a desire to

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Today ‘e Journey’
is strongly represented in the educative
and pastoral projects of our presences,
and can be found in our schools,
oratories, youth centres
and parishes
continue accompanying the faith journeys of young
people in new socio-cultural and religious contexts.
The Journey of Education to Faith (1994) was gradu-
ally adopted throughout the Spanish provinces with
due adaptation to different contexts and cultural dif-
ferences within the country.
As it is today
Today ‘The Journey ‘ is strongly represented in the
educative and pastoral projects of our presences, and
can be found in our schools, oratories, youth centres
and parishes. Even in a strongly secularised context,
thousands of children, teenagers, older youth, grow
and mature in their faith through this offering which
is clearly evangelical, unified and gradual.
Through childhood, the early teens and then into
adulthood, dynamic and group-oriented in its
method, it aims at making faith personal by means
of meaningful experiences which help, at each stage,
an encounter with the Trinitarian God in the Church
community. Group meetings, celebrations, live-in ex-
periences, retreats, summer camps, volunteer move-
ment … these are just some of the occasions which
are part of the year's structure and which are offered
in a systematic way.
The search for one's own identity as a believer is an
integral part of the process, initiation into Christian
celebration, the opportunity to share personal ex-
periences and life involvement through real activities
which invite personal commitment which can help
other young people.
Leadership formation continues to be a priority in
every province. Young people with adults who have
already made this journey of growth in faith help ac-
company the younger ones. Guaranteeing their cat-
echetical, theological and spiritual formation is
essential for ensuring the handing on of faith and its
adequate accompaniment.
‘The Journey’ also has a marked vocational dimen-
sion running right through the process. As they go
through, the youngsters discover God's call and their
place in society and Church. Many respond with
either to a Salesian consecrated or lay vocation or
become involved in the various Christian communi-
ties in local churches.
The National Youth Ministry Centre continues to
drive and follow up these experiences always
aiming to go further. In recent years, concern for
formation of the various players has lead to offer-
ing significant experiences for preparing leaders in
spiritual accompaniment, especially of young
adults, thus continuing the journey of maturing in
faith.
There is no doubt that ‘The Journey’ in Spain has
been and continues to be a treasure which signifi-
cantly characterises youth ministry and which has
produced and continues to offer good and abun-
dant fruit. General Chapter 26's call regarding the
urgent need to evangelise urges us to keep pushing
a valid and credible model of animating presence
and accompaniment of the faith of Spain's young
people
SALESIANS 2011
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WEST EUROPE
72
Edições Salesianas:
A Salesian open door
St Anthony Province, Portugal, POR
by Fr Rui Almeida sdb
For more than 50 years now
Salesians have been running a pub-
lishing house called Edições Salesianas
(Salesian Publications). Taken on as an
obvious work of evangelisation, it is a
way in which the Portuguese province
shares the spiritual and pastoral wealth
of the Congregation with the Local
Church.
ing evangelisation. And the Church ap-
preciates the focused attention we give
to the circumstances of children and
older youth. Another side of this evan-
gelising option is the care given to the
formation of pastoral workers.
A publishing house that
'does' formation
Innovation is part of our
tradition
Since the 1980s Edições Salesianas has
been in the vanguard of Portuguese
catechetics. Through involvement with
and publication of materials aimed at
adolescent catechesis, the publishing
house introduced into the Portuguese
Church the need to accompany teens
with quality and credible offerings. In
the 1990s the publishing house collab-
orated with the Portuguese bishops in
a national catechetics project. At the
beginning of the 21st century the pub-
lishing house, combining the hard
work done by the Congregation on
faith journeys for young people with
the needs of the Portuguese Church,
presented an innovative catechetical
project for young people: the GPS Pro-
ject.
Priority given to
evangelisation
Throughout the decades Edições Sale-
sianas has always tried to offer the
Local Church the “Salesian tradition” of
broad church-based intuitions regard-
This publishing house is also a pastoral
formation centre. By free initiative or in
response to requests from dioceses,
parishes or movements, the publishing
house offers dozens of formation activ-
ities each year. Besides permitting more
widespread diffusion of published
materials, this contact with pastoral
workers enables the gathering of feed-
back on the difficulties and challenges
they have to confront. This gathering of
information and the dialogue with
hundreds of parishes, leaders and cat-
echists helps the publishing house to
discern its way. It becomes a stimulus
to the development of quality
materials, able to offer solutions of high
pastoral quality.
Christian music
In recent years the publishing house
has made a serious effort towards re-
newal of Christian music in Portugal. As
has been the case throughout Europe,
Catholic music has little impact outside
of the liturgy. To change this situation,
convinced of the enormous educa-
tional and evangelising potential of
music, the publishing house, realisti-

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cally helps young Christian artists in their
efforts to translate their experiences into
musical form. This enterprise does not
result in 'classic' editions of CDs. We seek
new places for Christian music to be en-
joyed: "live" performance in city squares
or opportunities for prayer spaces are im-
portant for the visibility and viability of
these projects.
most widely read catechetics
journal in Portuguese.
We have a youth magazine on offer for
the world of the pre-teens. Giving at-
tention to their experiences, we can
provide hints and values that can help
them find their way. It is a very helpful
tool for leaders for this age group.
In partnership
Being a small country and a Province
with limited resources, a more active
partnership with other Salesian publish-
ers has been a resource we could not
substitute. The exchange of materials,
the mutual stimulus, joint purchase of so-
lutions has strengthened our part in Pro-
ject Europe.
Journals and magazines
Our publishing house continues to be re-
sponsible for various periodicals.
Another journal, Cavaleiro na Imac-
ulada (Knights of Our Lady), with a
print run of some 118,000 copies
comes out monthly and is free. It is
intended for adults in ordinary
popular settings. As a publication
it helps an important sector of
the Portuguese population,
a sector which is cultur-
ally weak, to redis-
cover the Church
as presented by
Vatican II
Catequistas is a magazine aimed at basic
catechetical formation. Its writers come
from the Salesian Family and various dio-
ceses, and the magazine has a con-
temporary look about it. We value
interdisciplinary content and at-
tention to the concrete, to
educational approaches
and context from which
we can draw out the actual
process of faith maturation.
Founded in 2005 it quickly reached
3000 subscribers and became the
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WEST EUROPE
Farnières: evangelisation begins with nature
St Francis of Sales Province, France-Belgium South, FRB
by Fr Jean-François Meurs sdb
Grand-Halleux, Belgium, a country of
hills and forests. We leave the dark
valley and the raging river to discover
the luminous calm of the Farnières hill-
side. Most young people get here by
walking through the woods: the spirit-
ual journey begins with this scenery
and this joint effort, through contact
with nature. The place is magical, full of
beauty and peace, with the castle stone
coloured rose and gold, the elegant
chapel steeple. Very soon the young-
sters feel completely at home. They
sense a presence. They soon discover a
community of fellowship.
Core leadership group
Community life at Farnières involves
both Salesians and Salesian Sisters.
Both have their own sepa-
rate space ; and it goes
even
further
than that – the charisms and state of
life are respected and valued for what
they are. But when it comes to prayer,
work, meals, recouping energies, devel-
oping community life and celebrating,
they do this together.
The ministry team is broader still; a lay
volunteer looking after reception, two
lay leaders, and a network of volunteer
workers. Together they evaluate,
analyse, reflect, form, draw up leader-
ship programs adapted to the various
demands of the young.
An asset for schools
During the week lots of school groups
come, mostly young people around
17-18 years of age. Two or three days to
take stock of one's life, look at the future
with others - too short, really! Especially
when it is often necessary to begin by
offloading heavy personal baggage.
The pressure of academic achievement
becomes such an obsession that many
put the question of meaning on hold.
They dare not trust their intuition about
their deep sense of generosity, and
sometimes this makes them sad. They
are wary of any talk about God and it
often takes them some time to redis-
cover another image of the Church. But
there is a search for spirituality: the
need to give impetus to their lives, to
strike a covenant with that Someone
who is bigger than we are, and they
discover in nature to recognise and ex-
perience love. We try to help them dis-
cover sources of joy in expression,
listening, search for meaning; in group
experience, the discovery of the
Gospel.
We also welcome younger students
(10-12 years) for classes in
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We try to help them discover sources of joy
in expression, listening, search for meaning;
in group experience,
the discovery of the Gospel
the forest. We offer them the discovery Salesian
of nature and moments of inwardness. youth ministry
Parish and diocesan
ministry
We have a place in the pastoral care of
local parishes and dioceses by taking in
groups of profession of faith (11 years
of age) and confirmation (15-16 years
of age) and we create programs for
them according to the time they are
with us. They come mostly during the
weekends or during holidays.
The cottage is well suited to support-
ing youth summer camps and week-
end training.
Farnières is part of
the "Ephata Don
Bosco" movement.
Young people
around 14 - 16 years
of age come regu-
larly to experience a week-end of spirit-
ual animation. A team of young leaders
suggests a focus on a theme and a pro-
gram that works on the dimensions of
identity, reciprocity and solidarity.
Games or audio-visuals introduce re-
flection and sharing, which leads to the
"desert time" and continues with a tes-
timony, and a celebration of the Eu-
charist. Every summer, alternatively, a
pilgrimage by bike or a "Sing & Pray"
camp. Those who are 17 or older join a
different group. There are also summer
sessions for families.
We have week-ends for parents and
children exploring biblical topics,
nature, song. There is time for living and
for Christian formation.
Nurturing the Salesian spirit
Farnières is a resource place for the
Salesian Family: Cooperators, Past
Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco, Don
Bosco Volunteers. They like to be there,
several times a year to nurture the
Salesian spirit, their knowledge of Don
Bosco and their concern for the young.
A place for families
For the good of the
young people, we
extend our pastoral
care to families: many
couples are looking
for a place that
exudes optimism,
gives them room to
breathe, heals their
relationships,
gathers scattered
pieces of a life,
helps them re-
discover or
enrich their
spiritual life.
We also bring our skills and resources
to form educators imbued with the
spirit and pedagogical skill of Don
Bosco. Formation for teachers and staff
of our institutions is organised each
year.
Icon workshops
Icon art plays a special role in what we
offer. Programs are organised each
summer and one weekend each
month. It is a way of entering into a
prayerful reading of the Gospel, silence
and meditation, and eastern spirituality.
A brief introduction allows young
people to create a small icon of the
Good Shepherd in three days
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WEST EUROPE
Catequistas y Misión Joven,
a happy coincidence!
Spanish Provinces, West Europe Region
In 1960, Misión Joven saw the light of day, bearing the
title Técnica de apostolado or ‘Techniques for the apos-
tolate’. In 1985, Catequistas came into being as Proyecto
Catequista, or ‘Project Catechist’.
The two magazines together, as the pastoral and cate-
chetical voice of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Spain, are
celebrating their Golden and Silver Jubilees respectively,
both giving thanks to God who has clearly played a part
in motivating their regular publication, the authors, and
yesterday's and today's readers.
Some history of Misión Joven
Misión Joven is a youth ministry journal which provides
a service of educational and pastoral leadership as a
specifically Salesian support for the Church and Spanish
society, through the Salesian National Youth Ministry
Centre.
and evangelisation of youth.
It is aimed at those in the Church and
society who have responsibility for
education and ministry amongst
teens and older youth. It aims at
providing opportunity for
analysis and critical reflection
on praxis, exchange of ex-
periences and materials,
and advancing cre-
ative pastoral thinking
in ever new contexts, as
well as faith in the Good News.
Given today's democratic, pluralistic and
secularised culture, Misión Joven seeks to
affirm a pastoral mentality which leads to a more
just, fraternal and solid humanity..
Having been part of the development after Vatican II, it Misión Joven already has a history. When it began in
is a platform for research and dialogue, and encourages 1960, humbly and hopefully, practical in nature and very
proposals for people today, especially for the promotion much tied to religious group experience, for 17 years its
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Catequistas has been a journal, throughout its history, which has been faithful to
the basic formation of catechists:
- with its own particular style to help an understanding the formation offered
through its pages;
- with a balance between theory and practice;
- committed to remaining close to the ordinary catechist.
Catequistas has resulted in a range of complementary catechetical initiatives
which reach a much wider public than those who subscribe to it.
name, Técnica de apostolado, reflected that practi-
cality. In 1977, it was strengthened and renewed, broad-
ened in its appeal and renamed Misión Joven.
The history of Catequistas
These 50 years of its existence have
enabled it to clarify and enrich its
overall contribution as a journal. Its
founder and first director was Luis
Chiandotto (1960-65). Then followed:
José Antonio Rico (1965-66), Anto-
nio Mélida (1966-70), Jesús Mairal
(1970-78), Antonio Sánchez Romo
(1978-1983), Eugenio Albur-
querque (1983-1986), Alfonso Fran-
cia (1986-1990), José Luis Moral
(1990-2002), Manuel Canta-
lapiedra (2002), Jesús Rojano (en
funciones 2003), Eugenio Albur-
querque (2003-2009) y Koldo
Gutiérrez (2009-…).
The first edition was published in January 1985. The orig-
inal title was Proyecto Catequista, intended for the forma-
tion of animators in faith. It was broadly aimed at
catechists. Its particular and distinguishing objective was
to provide tools for reflection which were simple but
serious and part of the dialogue of Church and faith.
The journal has 32 pages. The pages are black and white
on one side and full colour on the other. Between Octo-
ber and May it is published monthly (on the 15th of each
month). It has sections which are developed by a single
writer over the eight editions. This structure allows for
continuity in a formation approach.
More than a magazine
By saying that it is more than a magazine we mean that
the initial idea has developed into a much wider con-
cept. We refer to publications which make up a “small
universe” or “small family” around it. Today a subscrip-
tion to Catequistas includes other things: Events calen-
dar for the catechist, catechetical posters, liturgical
calendar
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WEST EUROPE
Salesian Mission and
Development Office
St John Bosco Province, Madrid, Spain, SMA
The Salesian Mission and develop-
ment Office, Madrid, supports
hundreds of missionaries and their
helpers to undertake development
projects in places where they work. It is
a tough task. In order to carry it out, in
1970 the Rector major set up the
Madrid Mission and Development
Office. It is a work of mission animation
and support for Salesians sent to mis-
sion countries, as well as being a recep-
tion centre for Spanish missionaries
coming back to Spain for a short
period, either to rest or visit family or to
undergo some sort of medical treat-
ment.
The office is located at 81 Ferraz St, near
Rosales Park, Madrid. It is in charge of
relationships with benefactors and the
financial management of donations
which help overcome many of the fi-
nancial problems in supporting the
missions and development projects
managed by the Salesian Family.
Some of the mission animation tools
used are magazines: Gioventù Mission-
aria, for younger readers, and Salesian
Missions, with reports, interviews and
news from missionaries; such as sensi-
tisation campaigns and the website,
www.misionessalesianas.org.
There is also a mobile mission exhibi-
tion which visits Colleges and parishes
through the country. It contains many
interesting items coming from all over
the world which missionaries have col-
lected here and there across the five
continents. There is a permanent mis-
sion display at the Office itself; this is
currently being revised and improved.
Young people and
development
As part of the Madrid Mission and De-
velopment Office there is a Young
People and Development Foundation
(JyD), a not-for-profit NGO which came
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into existence in 1988 and is tied to the
Salesian Youth Movement.
Its chief purpose is to cooperate in sustain-
able human, social and economic devel-
opment, contributing to the eradication
of poverty in the world through projects
in Salesian works in developing countries.
JyD gives special attention to children and
older youth by seeing education as its
most effective tool. Thanks to this in 2006
it was given recognition by the Spanish
Cooperation Agency as a specialised or-
ganisation in the education field.
In the area of cooperation some 80 pro-
jects a year in more than 20 countries are
under way, constituting an important
effort over recent years for technical and
job education.
The main activity in Spain itself is focused
on consciousness-raising for the popula-
tion, especially youth, fostering values of
justice, peace, equality, democ-
racy, participation, solidarity and
respect for the environment. It
also fosters an international vol-
unteer movement where soli-
darity can be exercised
79

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INTERAMERICA
SUO
SUE
MEG
MEM
CAM
ANT
HAI
REGION: INTERAMERICA
Number of Countries: 17
Number of Provinces: 12
Vice Province: 1 (HAI)
Number of Confreres: 2,055
Number of Novices: 79
Number of Salesian Bishops: 24
COM VEN
COB
ECU
PER
BOL
80
SALESIANS 2011
» SUE: Chicago parish mission experience (82)
» ECU: UPS, Universidad Politecnica Salesiana (84)
» MEM: CECHACI Don Bosco – Mixes Prelature (86)
» BOL: Don Bosco Schools for the people (88)
» ANT: Boys and girls with Don Bosco (90)

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SALESIANS 2011
81

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INTERAMERICA
Chicago Parish Mission Experience
St Philip the Apostle Province, United States East, SUE
by Fr Timothy Zak sdb
Responding to the urgent need for
evangelisation, St. John Bosco
Parish in Chicago conducted its 5th
parish mission. The parish is mostly a
Hispanic community in a culturally di-
verse neighbourhood. During the
course of 2 weeks, numerous mem-
bers of the parish participate in the
work of the Church to share the Good
News, in both explicit and implicit
ways. This extensive outreach into the
neighbourhood is divided into 5 inter-
related activities.
Prayer
The zeal to announce the Good News
arises from the joy of knowing Jesus
Christ. During the parish mission, the
volunteers who go into the streets and
homes begin with prayer and a bless-
ing. While they are evangelising, other
parishioners are always before the
Blessed Sacrament praying. Those who
cannot come to church are invited to
pray in their homes. A prayer chain is
organised, so that, every hour of the
day during the mission, someone from
the parish is at prayer.
Home Visits
Missionaries go out into the streets in
groups of 2 or 3 with a simple but clear
message: God loves you. These mis-
sionaries go door to door, sharing the
Word of God with anyone who will re-
ceive them. After announcing the
Good News, the missionaries invite
their listeners to attend a faith sharing
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group in a local meeting house. In the
experience of the modern missionaries,
we see the stories of the Gospel come
to life - many people have no time or
interest and refuse to open their doors,
some are surprised that Catholics are
evangelising, a few gratefully accept
the message.
Meeting Houses
A small team of catechists gathers with
neighbours to reflect on God’s Word
and
pray. They
share their experi-
ences of faith, giving personal witness
to the power of Christ in their lives.
Mama Margaret's Garden
A dedicated group of catechists and
volunteers offers a mission for children.
The young of the parish community
are taught to live in the presence of
God, as Mama Margaret taught her
sons and the children of the Oratory.
mission.
After 9 days, 8 hours each day, of active
participation in the mission of the
Church to evangelise, the parish cele-
brates with 2 days of festival. It is a
wonderful occasion to experience the
dynamic family spirit so typical in
Salesian works. It also renews the en-
ergies of the parishioners, as a com-
munity of believers, to continue
announcing the Good News through-
out the year
Café Don Bosco
The adolescents of the parish organise
their own activities during the parish
mission. Each night a topic is discussed
which relates faith to life. The café in-
cludes refreshments, music, sports and
games. The young are responsible for
preparing the events and inviting their
friends—young people evangelising
young people.
The Organising Team
The organising team is responsible for
training the volunteers and the coor-
dination of the mission. They offer 8
hours of formation, presenting Christ
as the model for all evangelisation.
They encourage the volunteers to give
their best for the Lord in their particular
aspect of the parish mission. They also
note issues that are identified during
the home visits, for example the need
for the sacraments, so there can be
follow-up in the months after the
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INTERAMERICA
Sacred Heart of Jesus Province,
Ecuador, ECU
by Luís Alfonso Alvarez Rodas
• e Salesian University and
Polytechnic, Ecuador, is one of the
important works in that Province.
• It was established in 1994 and
capitalises on the prestige won by the
Salesian Congregation in the fields of
technical and educational training of
indigenous people and street children,
over 106 years in Ecuador.
• e Polytechnic has three main centres:
Cuenca, Quito and Guayaquil as well as
academic programmes in the Missions
within the country and amongst
different social, economic, ethnic,
physical and psychological strata, as
well as tackling social groups that have
traditionally been excluded from this
kind of education.
• e UPS has 27 undergraduate faculties
and 20 postgraduate programmes, along
with 8 research centres, whose studies
cover the human sciences and social
sciences as well as education; life
sciences, agriculture, and environmental
studies; technology and other exact
sciences; finance and management.
• e UPS in Ecuador is a structure
which creates, manages and
communicates knowledge with due
academic requirement and rigour
through research, teaching and links
with the community, besides being an
institution of Higher Education of
Christian inspiration, Catholic and
Salesian in character, with a pastoral
element running through everything.
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INTERAMERICA
CECHACI Don Bosco – Mixes Prelature
Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, Oaxaca, Mexico, MEM
by Fr Isidro Fábregas Sala sdb
Salesian missionaries from the Mixes Prelature,
along with the Salesian Sisters, and sup-
ported by a group of Past Pupils, Volunteers and
other commited lay people, have set up the
CECHACI Centre in the Chinanteca region, or
more concretely in Río Manso Joc., Choapam,
Oax, México.
Working closely with parish priests in this part of
the Prelature, they look after some hundred boys
and eighty girls who come from a hundred or
more villages around the area.
It is a residential centre, and offers secondary-
level classes with catch-up opportunities for
those who need it.
The programme runs Monday to Friday from
early morning (7 am) to early afternoon
(2.15 pm). At other times and weekends,
planned programmes are available accord-
ing to the focus of each Centre, but keeping
in mind always a complete educational pro-
gramme, including religion, so that students
will have a strong cultural and Christian
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identity, and be ready to serve their
communities and families. The in-
tention is to raise the socio-cuul-
tural level of the region.
This has created a healthy and happy
atmosphere, where each student feels
part of a family and close to the kind of
experience that would be found in the
village of origin: boys work on the farm
and with poultry in after school hours,
cultivating a variety of crops, and rais-
ing livestock. They also breed fish.
The girls tend vegetables, help with
planting and harvesting, and have
workshops for sewing and embroidery.
Sundays and other special occasions
offer additional activities to complete
their formation: mechanics, computers,
first aid, sign-making, music, visual arts,
dance, updating courses. The music
education they receive is special: phil-
harmonic orchestra, choir, guitar for
everyone, while older ones learn the
flute.
Special respect is shown for the distinct
cultures that come together in the
Centre: Chinanteca, Mixe, Zapoteca and
Mestiza. This includes the learning of
languages of the region: Chinanteco
and Mixe, which have their own script.
The indigenous language is taught in
the seventh grade. Mass is celerbated
on Saturdays for ethnic groups, one
priest for the Mestizos, another for the
Chinantecos and a third for the Mixes.
Bilingual texts have been published in
Chinanteco and Mixe to help
strengthen the students in their cul-
tural identity. Many missionaries over
the years have shown great care and
respect for the cultures. In CECHACI Fr
Mario Martínez Gallegos is a Chinan-
teco and works with his language,
drawing up the first Chinanteca gram-
mar; he is helped by Fr Isidro Fábregas
Sala the author of a number of works
in this language. Sisters Edith and Beat-
riz Reyes Chávez, themselves members
of the Mixes tribe, help with work in this
language, and Fr Raúl Prado García has
left excellent material on the Mixes cul-
ture.
The Centre's dream for now is to
broaden possibilities of attention to
those students who find difficulty in
trying to pursue their studies in
other centres; attempts are being
made to set up a residence for them
and to accompany them while they
continue their efforts in the study
centre in the next door village of Río
Manso.
The Centre's great joy is that there are
already a number of past pupils prepar-
ing for the priesthood, some girls who
are already Religious, others working as
doctors, engineers, teachers, vets and
in the fine arts
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INTERAMERICA
Don Bosco Schools for the People: their origin and development
88
SALESIANS 2011
Our Lady of Copacobana Province, Bolivia, BOL
by Fr José Ramón Iriarte sdb, National Director EPDB
What began as a handful of educa-
tional activities has blossomed into
265 schools and colleges dealing with
110,000 pupils, and a complement of
some 4,500 teachers and administrators.
It is known as Don Bosco Schools for the
People or EPDB in its Spanish acronym.
The number of families involved in this
education system is not easy to calculate,
however we can say that the educational
influence is growing and renewing
society.
The Second Vatican Council awakened a
concern for fidelity and return to the
sources of the founding charism of Con-
gregations. Salesian work in Bolivia began
by working with the very poor, the or-
phans and working class people in the
cities of La Paz and Sucre. With the passing
of time the failure of governments to give
financial attention to these works created
a lack of trust in the Salesians and a need
for them to sustain their work.
In 1970 there were six Salesian activities in
Bolivia: Don Bosco in La Paz, Quintanilla,
Sucre, Santa Cruz, Calacoto and Muyurina,
all in an urban setting. The major part of
the population at that time, rural folk,
miners, did not benefit from the Con-
gregation's attention.
Muyurina had started out with a pioneer-
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Our aim is that
the charismatic gift of education, following in
the spirit of Don Bosco, can reach everyone who
wants it without placing
a financial burden on them
years previously, which was formalised
with a Ministerial Resolution on 30 No-
vember 1970, authorising “the running
of an agricultural training school for rural
workers”.
The same date saw the signing of an-
other resolution that authorised free
education in colleges at Colegio Don
Bosco in La Paz and in the other Salesian
colleges in Bolivia through an agree-
ment drawn up between the Ministry of
Education and Colegio Don Bosco. The
Minister for Education, Dr. Huáscar
Taborga and Fr Hermann Artale signed
the agreement.
These and other dates are contained in
a leaflet entitled:”Towards a cultural rev-
olution: Popular schools for agricultural
education” in 1970.
The intention of offering the educational
services of Don Bosco to the ordinary
strata of the population, noted in the
above-mentioned documents, was then
confirmed by an agreement signed on
31 January 1990, ratified and then re-
formulated on 23 November that year
and which came into force on 1 January
1991. Thus we have the legal origins of
the Don Bosco Schools for the People
signed into act by the Minister, Dr.
Mariano Baptista Gumucio and the then
Provincial, Fr Carlos Longo Donà.
The first four years of life
of the EPDB were marked
by the vigorous, creative and
innovative management of Bro.
Pacífico Felletti. He set in motion the
high school certificate in technical and
humanities subjects, modelled on
Muyurina. There were further Ministerial
Resolutions that supported these
schools and provided them with the
necessary educational materials. During
the administration of Frs Luis Chamizo
and Carlos Longo this kind of work grew
and was consolidated. It was during this
time that Fr Carlos Longo set up the
famous Two-year Preparation Course for
teachers which then led to the begin-
nings of the Salesian University of Bolivia.
Over the last 11 years through the
staunch efforts of lay people closely
identified with Don Bosco's charism and
with the support of finance projects
from international organisations, EPDB
has been able to grow and offer society
and public institutions the educational
strength of Don Bosco for ordinary
working people.
With no other ambition than that of
service, our aim is that the charismatic
gift of education, following in the spirit
of Don Bosco, can reach everyone who
wants it without placing a financial
burden on them
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INTERAMERICA
Boys and girls with Don Bosco:
pedagogy that works miracles
We can see how Don Bosco's pedagogy
can work miracles. We are part of the
Salesian Province of The Antillas: Cuba,
Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Pure Caribbean, replete with beauty,
warmth, colour and life.
Boys and Girls with Don Bosco (Muchachos
y Muchachas con Don Bosco or MMDB)
St John Bosco Province,
began as a typical oratory work in response
to a decision of The Antilles Province on
Santo Domingo, behalf of those chosen to benefit from the
ANT preferential option of the Salesian charism.
by Fr Juan Linares sdb MMDB results from the pastoral activity of
the Youth Centres, and the involvement of a
group of young people who began the work
with youngsters eight years old and over
who, every morning, head for the city streets
to find work in Santo Domingo, R.D.
MMDB is a Province network of educational
and pastoral and development organisa-
tions aimed at providing a rounded educa-
tion and development, run by the Salesian
Family to benefit boys and girls at risk and
their families. It is offered through a number
of structures which are local centres (12 of
them in all) and a central office, and involves
all the mechanisms of a network.
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The centres take in children and teens living on the
street, especially those who have to find work be-
cause of the precarious financial situation they are
in, boys and girls orphaned or without family, kids
who have dropped out of school, others caught up
in a world of drug addiction, teenage girls who are
pregnant…
The well-planned curriculum offered by MMDB has
six stages:
- Seek, where we go out and look for the chil-
dren to show them love and interest and then
invite them to join a local centre.
- Welcome, which we do as if we were receiv-
ing a gift, accepting a person whom we want
to get to know and make him or her part of us.
- Socialisation, in an effort to integrate them
into a world they are part of and belong to,
their family, their group, school, various pro-
grammes, society.
- Accompaniment, with a wide variety of pro-
grammes: schools, professional training, recre-
ation, education in faith, artistic apprenticeship,
etc.
- Life project, with an eminently vocational
flavour, giving them direction in life at dis-
tinct levels: profession, family education, con-
secrated life.
- Christian and socio-political involvement,
this means active participation in social life as
agents of change, true social justice.
This curriculum, offered our boys and girls, and
which can last for up to ten years, has programmes
covering five areas:
Pedagogy, work, family and social, legal, recre-
ational and cultural, and each area may have vari-
ous programmes.
Our secret is in creating a huge movement which
involves everyone, and which asks for their com-
mitment: the boys and girls themselves, their fam-
ilies, teachers, local government, the various
Churches, professions, business people, media,
every citizen.
There are more than four thousand children and
teenagers in these centres, and since the activities
extend to their families, the population being
reached by our programmes is around thirty thou-
sand people.
The best results we are experiencing are being writ-
ten up in an encyclopaedia bearing the title“Stories
with happy endings”, stories of those who have had
critical moments in their lives but are now people
who have come through all that
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ITALY - MOR
ILE
ILE INE
ICP
INE
ICC
ICC
IME IME
ISI
MOR
MOR
MOR
MOR
92
SALESIANS 2011
REGION: ITALY - MIDDLE EAST
Number of Countries: 15
Number of Special Circumscriptions: 2 (ICC, ICP)
Number of Provinces: 5
Number of Confreres: 2,410
Number of Novices: 24
Number of Salesian Bishops: 5

10.5 Page 95

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» ICC: The Catacombs of St Callistus (94)
» ILE: Growth after confirmation (98)
» ICP: “Cheerfulness, study, piety” (100)
» ISI: Teens meet (102)
» MOR: Zeitun, fertile ground (104)
SALESIANS 2011
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ITALY - MOR
The Catacombs of St Callistus
Christian initiation
as the first Christians lived it
Sacred Heart Special Circumscription, Rome, Italy, ICC
by Fr Rozmus Tadeusz sdb
In 1930 Pope Pius XI, invited the
Salesians to look after, on behalf of the
Holy See, one of the most precious tes-
timonies given by the Church in the
early centuries, a piece of land fertile
with saints and martyrs, and the goal of
many pilgrimages. Fascination for this
“martyrs' plot of land” has attracted pil-
grims even today and they continue to
come, turning up from all parts of the
world. A large number of these
pilgrims,
some
hundreds of thousands every year, are
young people. We are talking about the
Catacombs of St Callistus in Rome, “the
most august and celebrated of the
Roman Catacombs” (Pope John XXIII),
“Catacombs par excellence, first official
cemetery of the Roman Communities,
glorious final resting place for around 16
Popes from the 3rd Century”(Giovanni Bat-
tista de Rossi).
Today, after 80 years of continuous service
by the Salesians, the Catacombs
of St Callistus are served
by a community of
30 Salesians from
14 nations.
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The Catacombs of St
Callistus
The Catacombs of St Callistus are the
most ancient collection of burial
places, and the best preserved, on the
Via Appia. Having begun towards the
end of the 2nd Century from a huge
burial area belonging to the Church,
managed autonomously by the
Church authorities, they took their
name from Deacon Callistus who was
asked to administer the area by Pope
Zephyrinus. When he in turn became
Pope, Callistus enlarged the complex
and it became the burial place for six-
teen Roman Pontiffs from the 3rd Cen-
tury (Crypt of the Popes).
One goes down a steep staircase at the
catacombs, which leads to the Crypt of
the Popes, via a small opening, a cubi-
cle where St Cecilia's tomb lay: on the
walls you can see paintings going back
to the 5th and 6th centuries, amongst
them the oldest extant image of the
Saint in an attitude of prayer. It was
from here, in 821, that Pope Pasqual I
brought the martyr's sarcophagus to
the Church which bears her name in
Trastevere.
Once you leave St Cecilia's crypt, you
go further along to an ossiary, with
layer upon layer stretching to around 4
metres high, and then along a gallery
opening on to a series of cubicles
known as the "Sacraments" due to
paintings alluding to Baptism and Eu-
charist. After visiting the huge sarcoph-
agus "of Pope Milziade", the path leads
off into other areas belonging to Saints
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ITALY - MOR
Gaius and Eusebius in what is known
as the "liberiana" because of three in-
scriptions said to belong to Pope
Liberius (352-366), where the archways
are painted with scenes from the Old
and New Testaments. Continuing on
you can come to a primitive set known
as the "Crypts of Lucina", where you
find the tomb of Pope Cornelius deco-
rated in Byzantine style and, nearby,
two frescoes, one with the "Good
Shepherd and a prayerful figure" and
the other with two fish and two bas-
kets of bread and a glass filled with
wine, evidently symbols of the Eu-
charist.
For organisational and security reasons
visitors and pilgrims may only visit a
small section of the Catacombs, but
this already leaves an unforgettable im-
pression. Just knowing that you are in
touch with places where some 56
martyrs and 18 saints are buried be-
comes a powerful spiritual experience.
No wonder then that you see so many
groups of young people, catechetical,
scouts, students, scholars coming from
all over the world to the Catacombs to
breathe in the fresh air of faith.
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Salesians and lay guides to
serve in the Catacombs.
Visitors are led by guides in their own lan-
guage for a 30 minute tour with plentiful
explanation which is more than just his-
tory and culture. Each visit becomes a
catechesis par excellence which leaves a
strong impression. To make the visit
more meaningful still some seek the pos-
sibility of celebrating Mass down there.
There are dozens of Masses every day in
various languages, along the cubicles in
the Catacombs, and they seem to join in
with the murmured prayers of the saints.
The Catacombs of St Callistus attract
Salesians from all over the world who, as
guides, give part of their life to this serv-
ice. Some have been doing it for more
than 50 years while others come to St
Callistus just for a brief period of service.
Direct contact with the “Saint's burial
plot”, the possibility of knowing places
tied in with Don Bosco, getting to know
some Italian, a wider knowledge of
Roman history are some of the advan-
tages for the Salesian. There is no lack of
young volunteer guides, either, especially
in summer, who strengthen their faith in
harmony with the profound message of
the primitive Church
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ITALY - MOR
So they have been confirmed.
St Charles Borromeo Province, Bologna, Italy, ILE
by the Educative Community St Benedict's Parish, Ferrara
Confirmation day has arrived. This
closing feast of Christian initiation
seems a bit like the final school certifi-
cate. Just as the holidays after finishing
school for the last time are ones we
never want to end, the newly con-
firmed exit their parishes with a sense
of having finished something. Duty
done, something to be revisited occa-
sionally for marriage, death or to keep
the family happy! St Benedict's Parish,
Ferrara, with its Salesian Oratory, does-
n't escape this particular “exodus”. We
have so many young people who pass
through our hands to play, meet, but a
mere few seem to accept our propos-
als when it comes to a continuing faith
journey.
Urged on then by the need to put
evangelisation at the heart of our activ-
ity with young people, something re-
peated time and again by our bishops
and the Rector Major, we have been
forging a new direction for some years
now, seeking ways to encourage
youngsters to continue their growth as
young Christians after this period of ini-
tiation. The community (Salesians and
lay people) has taken a look at lots of
experiences around Italy, its dioceses
and movements. There have been
some interesting similarities in the
thought given to starting points and
objectives: one has to begin with the
complex and variable world of pre-
teens as they begin to show interest in
public gestures, the profession of faith
which marks full entry into the Chris-
tian community, with various shades of
difference. We began a discussion with
our Diocesan Catechetics Office and
have begun to experiment with group
opportunities, identifying a curriculum
that we believe should have two steps:
promise followed by profession of faith.
Promise
We believe the first step is a personal
re-appropriation of what has been re-
ceived over the years of catechism. This
takes place through a promise; it is an
important commitment, but not as
solemn and definitive as a profession of
faith. In the current circumstances
where little remains constant and
everything is precarious, we think
young people need accompaniment
to help strengthen their capacity to
98
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Now what? Growth after confirmation
number of possible directions from
this.
Profession of faith
will be accepted and used by the wider
Church) where youngsters and teach-
ers can know what stage the journey
has reached.
offer a faith response. It begins by read-
ing some passages from Luke's Gospel
concerning Jesus' disciples. These have
become the outlines of a threefold
commitment. Using the Vatican Coun-
cil's idea of mystery – communion –
mission as a background, we add a
Once the time of promise is over, and We have been surprised by the results,
given a personalised accompaniment, despite modest beginnings. We have
we propose a profession of faith in seen that it cannot be limited to an
three stages (three years, but it could annual, static course, but is something
take longer). This part begins where the more flexible and dynamic. It needs to
individual is currently at. The core of it be adapted to the pre-teen, teen, and
all however is a con-
older person, without
vinced and real adher-
ence to the person of
Jesus and the choice to
live as a Christian. Educa-
tion to liturgical and per-
Teenagers
need reference
points and people to
help them express
losing sight of the need
for gradual development
through each stage. This
movement through
stages is something ad-
sonal prayer, along with unconditional trust dressed to everyone, but
personalised accompani-
ment, is the fertile ground
for taking up such a direc-
in themselves
or others
even within the same
group people can arrive
at a new stage at different
tion. Teenagers need ref-
times. We have some sev-
erence points and people to help them enty youngsters 'on the road' at the
express unconditional trust in them- moment. The results are encouraging
selves or others. Using the Catechism because numbers have more than
of the Catholic Church (as an outline) doubled from our first efforts and be-
we propose rediscovering the mystery cause we have noted a real apprecia-
of God and the human condition start- tion on the part of the young people of
ing with Jesus, who reveals the Father, the gradual nature and freedom they
so that the gift of the Holy Spirit can have.
lead to a more public and concrete
profession of faith.
There are still some questions. Some-
times they seem to be doing too much
Movement from one stage to the other - part of their own group, a leaders'
includes pilgrimages to places that course for the Oratory, helping the Cat-
have seen the witness of saintly lives: echist, and even sometimes being part
Turin (Don Bosco and Dominic Savio), of a Missionary group! Another weak
Rome (Peter and Paul), Assisi (Clare and point is the preparation of appropriate
Francis), Savoy and Southern France people to accompany and support
(Francis of Sales, Curé of Ars … ) Shrines them.
in Abruzzo (Manoppello, Lanciano, San
Gabriele dell’Addolorata … ). Besides In conclusion we can praise the Lord
choice of place, it has been important who is helping us to forge a way al-
to study the formulas and signs mark- ready taken up by many others, and ask
ing the journey, officially recognised in Him to help young people see and ex-
a celebration. We believe we need to perience the happiness and beauty of
create rites of passage (which we hope following him
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ITALY - MOR
100
SALESIANS 2011
Mary Help of Christians Special Circumscription, ICP
by SDB and FMA vocation animators
Aprogram which runs over two
years with 4 meetings yearly on
Saturday mornings for SDB, FMA and
lay people tackling the important but
delicate issue of spiritual accompani-
ment with a vocational slant, has dis-
tant roots, but ones worth pursuing to
understand deep down the aims we
have chosen to achieve.
At a joint meeting of the SDB and FMA
Provincial Councils in December 2005
the topic of vocation animation was
discussed. Both groups realised that
the moment had come to make the
collaboration they had developed over
a number of years official, so they ap-
proached a small group of people to
be part of a joint commission ( SDB-
FMA Vocation Animation) with a view
to sharing and planning vocation ani-
mation for the two provinces.
The commission looked at four pos-
sible ways for developing the task
before them: firstly a review and re-
planning of what was already in place,
vocation animation activities in the
specific sense, already common to the
two provinces; a second approach
could be to develop an overall project
of vocation animation for the different
age groups, from the youngest to the
final stage; a third possibility was dis-
cussion and sharing about vocation an-
imation as a way of developing a voca-
tional culture in religious communities
and educative communities (EPP); and
finally, and perhaps the more distant
but possibly fruitful approach if it could
be put into place, the role of the two
initial formation communities in voca-
tion animation activities across the area
covered by the two provinces.
It soon became obvious that if, on the
one hand, the immediately urgent
thing seemed to be joint planning of
activities directly addressed to young
people, it was, on the other hand, just
as essential to work with the religious
and educative communities who are
the real actors in vocation animation.
This is why the commission decided, in
agreement with the Provincial Coun-
cils, to focus attention on forming the
communities. This gave rise to a forma-
tion course guided by certain basic de-
cisions:
1. The urgent need to work together:
presenting and acting as a single
movement, varied internally, but with
coordinated activity and reference
points, including theoretical ones. The
corresponding urgent need to see vo-
cations together, male and female, so
young people could be offered an ac-

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Cheerfulness,
Study,
Piety: Spiritual accompaniment
e vocational journey is more than something done
in the group, as it is also a proposal to individuals who
need to be followed up in a particular and personal
way, constantly and with quality
companiment which is personalised
and helps them be their own person.
Thanks too to working in a common
setting, it remains important to coordi-
nate not just the practical bits, but
projects and aims, to increase the pos-
sibility of presence and make the pro-
posal more meaningful and incisive.
2. Need for community: vocation ani-
mation is neither singular, nor provin-
cial, but communal, and in religious
and educative communities it finds its
strength and its true realisation. This is
why planning as a Salesian movement,
two provinces together, means suc-
ceeding in thinking through together
the part played by formation of com-
munities and confreres, sisters to con-
struct community.
3. The urgent need for a personal and
accompanied program: the role of the
community certainly does not take
away from the need for personalisation
in the journey at two levels: the accom-
panier and the one being accompa-
nied. Community is made up of people
who always have to be prepared for vo-
cation proposal, in a planned and spe-
cific way, so they can be effective and
efficient witnesses of the Lord's call. Be-
sides, the vocational journey is more
than something done in the group, as
it is also a proposal to individuals who
need to be followed up in a particular
and personal way, constantly and with
quality. The quality of spiritual accom-
paniment finds its proper place and
importance in this double kind of per-
sonalisation.
4. Formation as a choice: working to-
gether as a charismatic movement and
community, personalising what is of-
fered to young people and following
up their vocational development can
certainly not be improvised, but re-
quires a solid and constant formation
which can also be an ideological point
of reference for those involved. It is not
a formation which belongs to a few
specialists or to whoever has the aura
of a vocation, but ought involve as
many people as possible so it becomes
common ground for community think-
ing and planning.
At the end of it all this is printed as a
book and given to participants and all
the houses in the two provinces
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ITALY - MOR
Teens meet:
“ … another part fell on good soil and bore fruit … ” (Mt 13:8)
Reading the newspapers and study-
ing sociological statistics, or watch-
ing TV, reading blogs and Facebook,
navigating the Internet one has the
sensation of hearing a mantra: “Where
will it all end up if it goes on like this?”.
The image of the teenager presented
by today's world is speckled with dark
and negative colours: they are far from
faith, diffident towards their teachers,
unable to choose strong and lasting
values, all part of a promiscuous, dissi-
pated lifestyle, indifferent to the needs
of others, far from being involved in
volunteer efforts.
This is not where we are! We do not
share this negative, pessimistic and dis-
heartening viewpoint. In fact we see
that it is simply not so. There are so
many in their teenage years who un-
dertake a demanding journey of faith,
spiritual and vocational discernment;
many choose to dedicate time to
younger and more disadvantaged chil-
dren through service experiences, vol-
unteer groups, Salesian leadership;
they seem able to make strong and im-
portant choices, and know how to say
know to facile or banal solutions.
And we are not speaking of a rarity. In
Sicily there are more than 3,000
teenagers frequenting Salesian centres
who accept their gift of faith and
pursue Don Bosco's educational
charism by growing up as good
Catholic men and women.
One of the more significant evangeli-
sation experiences we are undertaking
in our Province for this age group is
called: Teens Meet. Four days of forma-
tion for the best teenagers in our
Salesian houses offered during the
Christmas holidays. It is a well-estab-
lished yearly appointment for some
250 participants who look at their jour-
ney of faith and their readiness to
follow the Lord in a Salesian style.
The topics vary from year to year. Here
we refer to a particularly poignant
theme of evangelisation: “I trust You”. It
is the title of a well-known song in the
teenage world, and we have used it to
help us analyse the Christian journey
and a program for laying out steps and
commitments.
After watching a video which raises
many questions (“And the people, who
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do they say I am?”) which presents a
number of interviews of their peers
about their faith journey in this some-
what delicate period of Christian
growth, participants meet in groups to
look at the basic question Jesus puts to
those who want to follow him: “And
you, who do you say I am?”
This is then followed up with three
workshops, during which those taking
part can discuss, with the help of a
leader, some of the more important
questions faced by teenagers: “The
Gospel in my faith experience; the link
between Christ and the Church; the
importance of the sacraments in my
faith journey”.
At this point the youngsters are into
the second stage of their Meeting,
St Paul's Province, Sicily, Italy, ISI by Fr Marcello Mazzeo sdb
which turns on the biblical idea of “the
human face of Jesus”, indicating the
basic features of Jesus of Nazareth. Fol-
lowing a discussion with the speaker
the youngsters go back into groups to
explore, through drama, some of the
main Gospel passages which refer to
the faith journey Jesus proposed to
those whom he met.
Then there is a process called “the lan-
guages of faith”, using different artistic
approaches (music, film, art, poetry,
dance) to help participants asses the
degree and depth of their personal be-
longing to Christ.
This also involves presenting some im-
portant faith witnesses, well known
local figures such as Fr Puglisi, Piergior-
gio Frassati and many others.
The meeting concludes with a Salesian
reading of the faith journey through a
report entitled “Whenever you did this
for one of my brethren you did it for
me". Service and leadership as a char-
acteristic trait of Salesian Youth Spirit-
uality.
Throughout this formation process the
youngsters are accompanied by well-
prepared occasions for personal and
community prayer and powerful mo-
ments of fellowship and leadership in
a Salesian style.
Along with others, this experience has
strengthened our belief: young people
are on the lookout for strong values
and want to be seriously involved in a
faith journey “to see Jesus”
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ITALY - MOR
Zeitun: fertile ground
Jesus the Adolescent Province,
Zeitun, Egypt, Middle East, MOR
by Fr Giancarlo Manieri sdb
Editor of Italian Salesian Bulletin
They face some notable difficulties, more with their Christian
brothers and sisters than with their Muslim ones. I was
amazed to hear that the Orthodox parish priests, to discour-
age their faithful from attending the Catholic churches, warn
that: “It is a sin to enter a Catholic church and you need to
confess it!”… In the light of Christian fellowship and the ec-
umenical efforts of Pope Benedict, which
at least in Cairo seems to be going a bit far.
Zeitun is a Christian suburb, with Christians
of the Latin Church, Copts, and Coptic Or-
thodox, as well as Greek Catholics and a
number of Protestant groups.
The Sudanese
The Sudanese have established
themselves in the suburb of
Zeitun where the Salesians have only
an Oratory and a social work with a
public church and some chaplaincies.
I was struck, while visiting this work in Cairo,
Zeitun by the order… of the week. Every day
the community, made up of four Salesian priests,
is involved in a variety of activities - formation,
sports, culture, religion, without counting the chap-
laincies to the two FMA communities, a community of
Armenian refugees, two other communities of Sisters
and helping out in the Coptic Catholic parish in the area.
The most numerous community of all, if
one is to believe the locals, is the Sudanese
refugee community, people fleeing the war
that has raged for nearly fifty years and
bathed their unfortunate country in blood.
They have fled to Zeitun in anything pos-
sible that could bring them, some have
even walked there… carrying only their
Catholic faith and the hope for a better
future than their own country can offer
them. As for baggage, nothing, except the
few rags they wear and perpetual hunger.
The Combonian missionaries were the first
to make a move, doing their best to give
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the refugees some sort of order, a roof, work… The Sudanese
community is cohesive, active, and committed to its faith.
They help and support one another. The more able young
people study, and are not afraid to get their hands dirty in
humble tasks. The women are ready for domestic work or to
help the elderly, handicapped, sick. The Salesian community
is involved with them in areas other than
religious assistance, helping with medical
visits, finding milk for the children, medicine
for the sick, school books for the children.
Mass
I was present at a regular Sudanese com-
munity Mass in the Salesian church, their
fixed point of reference, indeed, their
church. Or at least that's how they see it. It
was an extraordinary celebration, lasting
one and a half hours, led from beginning
to end by a choir made up of the faithful.
Entry to the Church was made up of a
“greeting of peace”: little ones and small
ones, young and old, women and men …
a holy confusion! “Is this typical?”, I asked.
“Yes, but it is also a Gospel-like ceremony:
if you remember that your brother has
something against you, leave your gift in
front of the altar and first go and be re-
conciled with him”.
The Su-
danese do
this for real!
The celebra-
tion was a
murmuring of
prayers, hymns,
dances, offerings: a
participation which
would the envy of even
our best!
Zeitun is a poor suburb where
more than 98% of the people
are Orthodox, but, says Fr Nagib,
the Rector,“It is fertile ground”. I saw
an oratory without any of the sports
fields or structures typical of our youth
centres, but equally vibrant: animation,
catechesis, sacramental preparation, the-
atre, recitals and Good Nights. So while I be-
lieve that sports fields, stadiums, games halls,
rooms for group work are good, they are not es-
sential:“Everything depends on the way you work,
your availability, the welcome you provide, pa-
tience”. In circumstances like these, I thought aloud,
you are either a priest through and through or you are
bound to fail. “And that's precisely the way it is!”, the
Rector answered me
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ROME - GENERALATE
ROME - GENERALATE (RMG)
Number of Vice Province: 1 (UPS)
Number of Confreres: 211
Number of Novices: 0
Number of Salesian Bishops: 5 (Vatican)
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» Sorrow pregnant with hope in Haiti (108)
» The meeting of all the novices of Europe (112)
» Community of the Mission of Don Bosco (114)
» Salesian bishops meeting (116)
» 141st missionary expedition (118)
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ROME - GENERALATE
Haiti: sorrow pregnant with hope
ank you for being part of our people's resurrection
by Salesians of Haiti
When President Sténio Vincent
came to know that the Salesians
were going to open a technical school
in the Dominican Republic, he took ad-
vantage of Fr Pittini's stopover in Port-
au-Prince to insist on the need for his
presence in this western zone too, the
“pearl of the Antilles”, Haití.
If in 1936 the education of the masses
was urgent for the first four Salesians to
arrive here, led by Fr Gimbert, with the
mission of opening the École National
des Arts et Métiers (ENAM) on the out-
skirts of what is currently La Saline, one
of the poorest suburbs you could find
on the planet, you can just imagine the
immense field of work now facing the
62 Haitian Salesians making up this vice
province: street children, boarders; pri-
mary, secondary, technical and higher
education offered in day and evening
classes; agricultural schools, oratories,
youth centres, parishes, public churches.
In a Congregation which has 150 years
behind it, the 75 years the Salesians
have been in Haiti are testimony to a
youthful maturity. Testimony to this ma-
turity is the mission thus far accom-
plished and the consistent number of
activities implemented; and its youth,
since the vice province began in 1992 -
the average age of the Salesians is 44
years of age; and testimony too is the
pastoral and educative energy which
drives them.
The Salesians have given the Haitian
people tremendous service in areas
such as technical formation (since 1936,
ENAM has formed qualified workers in
mechanics, electricity, carpentry, tailor-
ing and design; plumbing … ; techni-
cal schools were later opened in
Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, Les Cayes, Fort-
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“I tried to open my ears and heart to the cry of God which could be heard in the
anger and feelings of powerlessness of those who see how everything that they
had built had vanished into smoke, into nothing.”
Liberté), youth ministry (especially in
Thorland, but in all works in general
terms), primary and secondary educa-
tion (Pétion-Ville, Cap-Haïtien, Gressier,
and the OPEPB e, Fort-Liberté), higher
education (Philosophy), parish (Immac-
ulate Conception Cité Soleil), street
children (Lakay).
Dr Jean Price-Mars, well-known Haitian
writer, began one of his articles with
the comment that“in all of history per-
haps there is no more pathetic drama
than the one the Haitian people have
had to face”. This was said in 1953, and
referred to the endless struggles the
descendants of negro slaves had to
endure to achieve full freedom, but it
seems just as apt in reference to the sit-
uation in the country following the cat-
astrophe wrought by the earthquake
on 12 January 2010.
Our Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez,
following his historic visit in February
2010, one month after the catastrophe,
accurately decribed the situation and
the future of Salesian presence in Haití.
Amongst other things he told us:
“I was totally dismayed by the magnitude of the
destruction, the apocalyptic landscape of death, suffer-
ing and despair. e National Palace, symbol of pride
and power, has practically collapsed in on itself, its re-
maining pillars sticking up in the air, and similarly the
other Ministry buildings. Only the facade and side
walls of the Catehdral remain standing; its roof and
columns are in ruins. It seems as if the city, in those 28
seconds of prolonged shock, had lost its head and its
heart. And effectively that is precisely the case, since
from that moment on there has been an absolute lack
of leadership, and life, so terribly tried, seems to be
going on more by impulse of inertia and the struggle
for survival than by a social orgnaisation to support it
and encourage it.
While I listened to the accounts of survivors, es-
pecially those who escaped death after hours and days
trapped between floors, ceilings and walls; while I was
looking at buildings and houses destroyed, I tried to
hear the voice of God which like the blood of Abel cried
out with the voices of the thousands of the dead buried
in mass graves or still under the ruins. I tried to listen
to God who was speaking through the dull sound of
the thousands of people struggling to live under the
tents given them by international agencies or made of
rags, cobbled together anyhow. I tried to open my ears
and heart to the cry of God which could be heard in
the anger and feelings of powerlessness of those who
see how everything that they had built - much or little
as the case may be - had vanished into smoke, into
nothing.
Also in the church, the death of the Archbishop,
the Vicar General, the Chancellor, 18 seminarians and
46 religious, with the collapse of houses, schools and
healthcare centres has meant a painful loss of pastors,
an absolutely necessity for this people.
Time to roll up our sleeves and start rebuilding
the country, better yet, rise from the ashes. at is the
great opportunity that is offered to this poor nation,
the former “Pearl of the Antilles”.
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ROME - GENERALATE
On our part we feel the need to renew our com-
mitment to the rebirth of the country, re-founding the
Congregation, step by step together, with presences
which respond to the expectations and the needs of
Haitian society, the Church and the young. Rather
than simply rebuilding the walls it is a matter of a
change in our way of thinking. e Church and as part
of it consecrated life, has to change, seeking more and
more its identity, fidelity to the Lord Jesus, and his
Gospel, properly bringing together evangelisation,
human development and the transformation of culture
and society.
An immediate plan has been set in motion which
involves the reorganisation of the vice province at all
levels, including that of the re-founding of the works,
the revision of the pastoral approach in general, and in
certain places, always keeping in mind, in particular
the needs of society, the Church and the young.
In practice we have to:
» make secure all the works, some of which have already
been looted, rebuilding the boundary walls which
collapsed;
» re-build the whole complex of the OPEPB, those next
to the ENAM and those located in Cité Soleil, which
implies drawing up an overall plan for the Lakay
School and a Youth Centre;
» re-locate ENAM in such as way as to build a Voca-
tional Training Centre of the highest quality, also
opening a fresh page of the history of this work: how-
ever, the best place has to be chosen;
» rebuild the Young Peoples' Centre in orland and
the multi-purpose hall;
» rebuild the Parish in Cité Soleil and the Youth Centre;
» rebuild the dormitory and the class-rooms of the
school at Gressier;
» rebuild a part of the Primary School at Pétion-Ville;
» re-think the whole of the work at Fleuriot, taking into
account the needs of the house for the post-novices
and the Study Centre;
» re-locate the Provincial House, leaving the present
house for the community of Cité Soleil;
» simplify the complex of works at Fort-Liberté, giving
priority to the Vocational Training Centre, the train-
ing school for teachers, which is of strategic impor-
tance and absolutely necessary for the training of the
new kind of educators which Haiti needs, and the
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school for nurses, the only one left in the country;
» carry out a process of discernment about the future
of the `Vincent Foundation' Agricultural School in
Cap-Haïtien, situated on a property which is not
ours, and consider re-locating it at Tosià. For the
moment it should continue to function with the var-
ious educational services which it offers.
is does not mean that everything has to be
done at the same time. We will be able to count on the
readiness of, and on the donations that have already ar-
rived from the Mission Offices, from international or-
ganisations, from the Provinces or individual houses,
from Bishops' Conferences and from benefactors.
What becomes the priority is to keep the schools and
youth centres functioning where they are fit for use,
and in addition, to build or re-build as soon as possible
those works which have become unfit for use. e pri-
ority of the care and the education of the young is ab-
solute, all the more so since what is at stake is the
creation, through a new education, of a new culture,
capable of building the new Haiti.
In 2011 the “Blessed Philip Rinaldi” Vice
Province of Haiti
will be celebrating
the 75th anniver-
sary of its presence
in this country.
For the Haitian
confreres it will be
a real Jubilee, and
I hope and pray
that by then we
may see the re-foundation of the charism as a renewed
gift from God for young Haitians.
While I thank the Congregation, the benefactors
and friends of Salesian work for the generosity and en-
terprise with which they have responded to my previ-
ous letter, I invite everyone to continue with the efforts
we are making to respond to the immense demands of
this country in so much need. I entrust to Mary this
new phase of history. I entrust to Mary this new phase
of history. May she guide us in rising to the challenge.
May she bless you all”, (us far the Rector Major's
words).
This is why the sons of Don Bosco are
here, even though affected physically
and psychologically by the devastating
earthquake of January 2010. We are
aware that we are the "new Salesian
missionaries” of Haiti; and with the en-
thusiasm of those who first arrived in
1936, we are committed to rebuilding
Salesian life through a ministry which is
up to responding to the challenges of
society and the needs of the young.
2010 placed every Salesian house in
Haiti at a new departure point. We need
to return to the playground, organise
the oratories, relaunch groups and
youth movement … youngsters are
there, waiting for us, many homeless
and without a school to go to. It is these
we must think of and stand with, bring-
ing to fruition the spirituality of the da
mihi animas cetera tolle.
We can do it by depending on God's
grace and through the solidarity of the
entire Congregation and many others.
Our life now is one solely due to grace
On our part we feel the need
to renew our commitment to
the rebirth of the country, re-
founding the Congregation,
step by step together, with
presences which respond to the
expectations and the needs of
Haitian society, the Church
and the young
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ROME - GENERALATE
To everyone,
whether
Salesian or not …
e meeting of all the novices
of Europe
by the novices of Monte Oliveto (Pinerolo)
T“ he holiness of the Father was the actual reason
for the vocation of all his sons”. These words of
Fr. Paul Albera can be a good basis for a reflection
around the meeting, as it was called, of the Novi-
tiates of Europe. It was as if such a meeting among
neighbours, new sons of Don Bosco, desiring to
become like their Father, had been inspired by him,
still the humble servant of the will of God that
wishes everyone to be a participator in His holiness.
The Formation Department planned this meeting
of all the novices of Europe, in line with the initiative
of Project Europe, during celebrations for the 150th
year of the foundation of the Salesian Congregation.
This worthwhile and strategic occasion was to begin
to raise awareness and to build through this a
Salesian European network of young people that
was real, looking to the future, and secure.
The meeting lasted between Friday 21st and
Monday 24th of May, at the Novitiate at Monte
Oliveto, in Pinerolo (TO). The Novice master Fr. Carlo
Maria Zanotti, the assistant Novice Master Fr. Ivan
Ghidina, the confreres and all the novices welcomed
with joy the arrival of the other communities of
novices. The total number of novices was over 50,
coming from Monte Oliveto, from Genzano in
Rome, from Madrid, Slovacchia, and Poland.
In the days together the novices were involved in
times of study of the historical figure of Blessed
Michael Rua, and in times of fraternity and prayer,
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enriched by the visit to the places in
which the Salesian charism had
bloomed.
The novices, guided by their formators,
began by remembering the anniver-
sary of the foundation of the Salesian
Congregation; re-reading and dis-
cussing the episode on 18 December
1859 reported in the Biographical Mem-
oirs. The various Novitiates presented
their journeys and distinctive qualities
reflecting the particular cultural traits
and traditions of each country. They
then shared their own experiences of
vocation, a formative and spiritual
period central to the whole meeting.
The pilgrimage to Our Lady of Graces
of Pinerolo and the meeting with
Bishop De Bernardi, the local Ordinary,
finally reinforced the close links be-
tween the Salesians and the local and
universal Church.
The final part of the meeting was at Val-
docco on the occasion of the Feast of
Mary Help of Christians, in which the
novices took an active part, and of the
e novices left a lasting
impression on everyone of a
deep spirit of fraternity,
refreshed and inspired by the
beauty and challenge of the
Constitutions.
gathering of all the Salesian Bishops of
the world.
Throughout, the novices left a lasting
impression on everyone of a deep spirit
of fraternity, refreshed and inspired by
the beauty and challenge of the Con-
stitutions.
“Beautiful, interesting the encounter
with other cultures, with differing spir-
itual and faith experiences. Pity there
was not enough time to deepen an
awareness which I hope may be a
space for future growth,” revealed Gia-
como, who would like to see other oc-
casions to meet and share. This was
echoed by Ivan,“A wonderful meeting,
intended to preserve a deep and en-
during bond of friendship in Christ. Al-
though it may not be easy to see how
this meeting fits into a personal forma-
tion journey, and there is a strong
temptation to consider it merely as a
pleasant digression. But we are united
in prayer and in the conviction that we
are loved by God and called by Him to
follow Don Bosco as courageous and
bold educators of heaven”.“I particularly
liked,” added Davide, “that each group
of novices wished to leave behind an
impression of its particular style and
tone. This is a witness to the diversity
and originality of the Spirit”.
These are only some of the impres-
sions, but they reflect in general a very
successful meeting and an overall pos-
itive experience for all the novices.
Beyond the differences, challenges
and richness for today and tomorrow,
there rests in the heart of everyone, we
believe, a deep desire to live religious
life in the distinctive Salesian manner,
remaining in the heart of Christ. The
whole event is a sign of great hope for
a Congregation that wishes to con-
tinue its journey as the bearer of the
love of God to young people
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ROME - GENERALATE
Community of the Mission of Don Bosco, the 28th Salesian Family Member Group
Four verbs for action in education
Salesians of the Community of the
Mission of Don Bosco, already!
Salesians CMB! After a 15 year journey
here we are now, since January 2010,
recognised as the 28th Group of the
Salesian Family of Don Bosco,. What can
we say? … we have always felt we were
Salesians for various reasons but to hear
it said officially is a confirmation that fills
our hearts with joy and renews our
apostolic impulse. Working for the good
of young people as Don Bosco taught
us is a calling that involves one's whole
life and not just free time occasions for
specific service in a specific setting.
Already from 1990 we said we were
called to offer the gift of Don Bosco as
a service to dioceses, not exclusively
this but certainly it has seemed the par-
ticular direction indicated for us. In fact
the first non-Salesian parish of the Dio-
cese of Bologna, where the Commu-
nity was founded, and which called on
by Guido Pedroni cmb
the Community to open an Oratory
(1996) was San Carlo's, where the first
Salesians had come to 100 years ago,
sent there by Fr Michael Rua. Could we
say that this was a concrete sign for us
of our originality in the service of the
young? That's what we believe.
This particular approach of ours cer-
tainly opens up many possibilities but
it is not without its difficulties, espe-
cially since one needs to remain faithful
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to one's identity in a context which
often asks one to follow diocesan direc-
tions or the pastoral and even personal
guidelines of parish clergy.
Two diocese are particularly interested
in this approach to youth ministry, the
first being the diocese of Bologna and
the second a missionary district in
Madagascar, in the diocese of Fia-
narantsoa.
At Vado, a small city in the Appenines From these two experiences of ordi- The general concern, but it is quite
CMB near Bologna, the parish priest has en-
trusted youth ministry and the Oratory
to the Community. In this case we have
a relationship of trust and mutual
esteem, involving more than just chil-
dren or tennagers or older, but also a
number of families who recognise the
familiar climate we have developed.
nary and oratory life (but not only
these), something clear emerges: we
have discovered that Don Bosco's Pre-
ventive System can be experienced
today as a typical originality which
draws its strength from the activities
we carry out there where we are and
that are taken up in the way the Com-
generic, is for young people who have
lost basic points of reference; the Italian
Episcopal Conference is talking about
an educational emergency for the next
ten years; the Pope himself has strongly
and often emphasised the educational
emergency and the need to educate.
munity likes to do it as expressed by Paraphrasing St Paul one could say that
There is a fundamental point in all the these four verbs:
the“battle for the Gospel”is a“battle for
formation activities we offer according
education” today. It is a mission we try
CMB to their age group. The general forma-
tion guide prepared by the CMB is an
aid to a personal journey of faith but
also one which leads to the service of
the least amongst us.
The Community comprises educators
and young people, the youth group
having been formed by those who are
Believing, creating,
involving and Prevent
believing that Christ comes to the
hearts of the young (and ours too); we
must believe in a “Salesian humanism”
as Don Bosco used say;
creating relationships, opportunities
for dialogue, discussion, play;
to carry out with a missionary spirit
which can be identified with a specific
value of the Community of the Mission,
which we call the State of Mission.
All of our educational activity is in a
state of mission whether in Italy, Mada-
gascar or Argentina; what is important
is to be there, paying close attention to
looking after a specifically community
the youngsters, with the desire to
style formation.
arousing the attention of the youngsters; “inspire them”, call their attention, make
them aware, believing that the Lord
CMB In Vohimasina, a rural village in the
mountains near Fianarantsoa, the
Oratory, catechesis and different youth
groups have been entrusted to the
local CMB which has been helping to
form many young people to an expe-
rience of Church in that area for many
years. Here too there is a young group
involving their own sense of responsi-
bility.
Prevent and prevent again; it is a prob-
lem today because it seems to be within
a system that arrives before good does;
it seems that the system may be used
by others; it seems that the youngsters'
today can come to their hearts through
our witness. This much is essential: He
can come to their hearts if we are ca-
pable of a credible witness, a spirit of
acceptance, attention, sharing which
leads to experiencing a relationship be-
tween young people and educators in
an affective and effective atmosphere
of the Community made up of a dozen hearts are captured by other interests, of familiarity.
or so girls who are in formation to enter other ideas, other suggestions, as is the
the Community and then continue on case with their families.
I believe this is what is being asked is us
in the service of young children.
through our specific calling
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ROME - GENERALATE
Archbishop
Malayappan Chinnappa
Archbishop of Madras (India)
116
SALESIANS 2011
My dear confreres,
With a heart full of gratitude I
would like to give thanks in this
Eucharist for the intense days spent in
Turin with Salesian cardinals, archbish-
ops and bishops, together with the
Rector Major and his Council. We were
called together by the Rector Major
himself to celebrate 150 years since the
foundation of our Congregation, to
recall the centenary of the death of Fr
Rua and at the same time the 125th of
the nomination and episcopal ordina-
tion of our first Salesian bishop, Cardinal
John Cagliero.
These were days when we felt very
much at home, living in a wonderful
family spirit, an atmosphere of sincere
warmth and real involvement by
everyone. At the Mother House in Val-
docco we sensed Don Bosco's pres-
ence, as also at the Becchi in Casteln-
uovo. Beyond all of this we shared
together all the experiences, and these
Salesian places inspired a very special
atmosphere and reminded us of our
common Salesian vocation. We under-
stood here what it means to start
afresh from Don Bosco, as we now ap-
proach the Bicentenary of his birth in
2015.
It was like a second novitiate for me, being
bathed in Salesianity, a deep spiritual
renewal. Really, everyone had this pro-
found spiritual experience, the imme-
diate result of which was spontaneous
and contagious happiness and joy. We
do not have the possibility in our dio-
ceses of being in such contact with the
sources of our charism; so here we were

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The Salesian charism and
the episcopal ministry
Salesian Bishops Meeting
The Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez,
called together 120 Salesian bish-
ops from around the world in Turin
from 21 to 25 May 2010 around the
topic and banner of: “The Salesian
charism and the Episcopal Ministry”.
Challenges and directions in faith for
the new evangelisation of today's
youth! During the 125th anniversary of
the consecration of Bishop John
Cagliero”. During his opening address
he noted: “My dear brother bishops, it
gives me the greatest of pleasures to
offer you a warm welcome, and thank
you for your positive response to the
invitation to this gathering, and I want
to express my joy at your being here.
This will always be home for you, our
hearth, because in some way or other
every Salesian is born here in Valdocco”.
They were five days of brotherly shar-
ing together, prayer and deep reflec-
tion, celebrated in the light of the
Feasts of Pentecost and Mary Help of
Christians. Turin, Valdocco and Colle
Don Bosco were the witnesses to this
Salesian and ecclesial event which was
also shared by members of the General
Council. There were many expressions
of thanks received by the Rector Major
from cardinals, archbishops and bish-
ops who took part. Here is one such
which sums up the general feeling:
able to renew our vocational choice,
something that remains in us always
and on extraordinary occasions like
this can be refreshed.
The visit to the Holy Shroud too en-
riched these days. The Salesian
novices from around Europe helped
us to pray at the Mass. This precious
sheet takes us back to the passion of
a man who has a great likeness to the
one described in the Gospels. The
Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez and
the Archbishop of Turin, Cardinal Po-
letto, brought out the meaning of this
visit recalling Christ's passion and the
passion of mankind: “Passio Christi,
passio hominis”. Looking at the man of
the Shroud we were invited to look
after all those who are suffering, in our
ministry.
The Solemnities of Pentecost and
Mary Help of Christians helped us
live at Valdocco as if in the Upper
Room. The procession of MHC was
thronged with people but also an
experience of recollection and a
spirit of prayer. How many experi-
ences we had in just a short period
of time! We are grateful to the Lord,
and to the Rector Major. These days
were unforgettable.
Here we are now in the final days of
May; may the Virgin Mary accom-
pany us, so we may bear abundant
fruit in our dioceses stemming from
what has been sown in our lives. May
she accompany our Congregation,
Salesian Family, the Rector Major and
his Council, all our Salesian confreres,
through her intercession
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ROME - GENERALATE
118
SALESIANS 2011
Being evangelised
is not enough …
One needs to be active in evangelising
141st Missionary Expedition, Valdocco, Turin
by Fr Stanislaw Rafalko sdb
The Christian vocation in all its di-
mensions is by nature a missionary
vocation. In a particular way the lay
person, religious, priest or bishop living
out Don Bosco's charism feels the same
sense of urgency about evangelisation
as he did.
In view of the preparation for the
141st missionary expedition, Fr Václav
Klement, Councillor General for the
Missions, communicating with the
Salesian Provincials, wrote: For Don
Bosco being Christian meant being
sent – sent by God to proclaim the
Gospel. There is no more satisfying or
happier way of living than giving one-
self as a missionary ad gentes – ad extra
– ad vitam, with all the radical nature
that is implied in the “da mihi animas,
cetera tolle”.
In the course of 150 years of the
Salesian Congregation, more than
11,000 missionaries have been sent out
from Valdocco. As with every other year
this year too, on the last Sunday of Sep-
tember, the ninth successor of Don

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Bosco, Fr Pascual Chávez, in
handing them the missionary
cross, sent new groups of
Salesians, Salesian Sisters and
lay volunteers to bring Jesus
e witness
given by Salesian and lay missionaries
can be an appeal to many young people
to discern their call and mission
dream – his last – that Don
Bosco had in Barcelona, we
would like to give a strong
push to the Salesian Mission
Volunteer effort throughout
to all the continents. It was
as Jesus invited them to do:
our provinces. A young mis-
the 141st missionary expedi-
tion, since the first sent by
Come and see
sionary during the preparatory
course held in Rome at the
Don Bosco himself in 1875.
General House in September
nificant feature of this expedition has said: by becoming a Salesian I discov-
Mission-mindedness is especially alive been the sending of lay volunteers ered the joy of being a disciple of Jesus.
today, since the world has once again who are present in greater numbers in The Lord got me to understand that I
become “mission territory”- wrote Fr this story of missionary expeditions as cannot keep this experience just to
Pascual Chávez in his 2010 Strenna. In the years pass.
myself, but that I must share it with
fact the traditional distinction between
other young people who are often lost
mission countries and Christian coun- The Rector Major's wish, as expressed like I was beforehand. I will be a mis-
tries no longer holds true, seeing that in the 2010 Strenna, that young disci- sionary from Asia in Europe. A Polish
Europe too is ever more a mission land. ples become evangelisers of the Volunteer, instead, after returning from
In this context it is significant that young, is becoming more a reality. a year of service with street children in
amongst the 38 who received the Mis- Each year in fact, hundreds of young Peru, said: it is a wonderful thing to
sion Cross, 12 come from Vietnam and volunteers from various countries are share one's love of Christ and one's
the majority of them are young sent out to the continents to evange- little faith with others.
Salesians at the initial formation stage. lise their peers. This youthful energy ex-
Besides, 11 of these new missionaries pressed through the Mission Volunteer The witness given by Salesian and lay
have been sent to different European Movement, will be the special theme missionaries can be an appeal to many
countries as part of Project Europe, and for the 2011 World Mission Day: Volun- young people to discern their call and
even if it has not been so easy, it is be- teers to proclaim the Gospel. In the mission as Jesus invited them to do:
ginning to show results. The third sig- 125th anniversary of the fifth missionary Come and see
SALESIANS 2011
119

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Thanks to
Editorial team:
Fr Filiberto González Plasencia,
Councillor for Social Communications
Members of the SC Department
Translators:
Fr Francesc Balauder sdb
Fr Wilfried Mushagalusa sdb
Fr Luciano Coldebella sdb
Fr Hilário Passero sdb
Fr José Antenor Velho sdb
Fr Julian Fox sdb
Gian Francesco Romano
Mrs Oralia Alejos
Special thanks to:
Fr Guillermo Basañes,
Councillor for Africa-Madagascar Region
Fr Natale Vitali,
Councillor for America South Cone Region
Fr Andrew Wong,
Councillor for East Asia-Oceania Region
Fr Maria Arokiam Kanaga,
Councillor for South Asia Region
Fr Štefan Turanský and Fr Marek Charzan,
Councillor for Europe North Region
Fr José Miguel Núñez Moreno,
Councillor for Europe West Region
Fr Esteban Antonio Ortiz,
Councillor for Interamerica Region
Fr Pier Fausto Frisoli,
Councillor for Italy-Middle East
Fr Klement Václav,
Councillor for the Missions
Salesian Mission and Development Offices
Printing:
Publishing House Don Bosco
Bratislava, Slovakia
Publisher:
Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco,
Via della Pisana 1111, Casella Postale 18333,
00163 Roma-Bravetta, Italy
For further information:
redazionerivistesdb@sdb.org
www.sdb.org
120
SALESIANS 2011

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