Cagliero 11 dicembre 2014 - ING


Cagliero 11 dicembre 2014 - ING

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Nome società
Titolo n otiziario
Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation
A Publication of the Mission Department for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Mission
D ear
broth-
ers, dear
friends,
I remember that
once, in an Afri-
can country, an elderly lady made
this comment about an old and holy
missionary: “his beard is white and
long, but the eyes are those of a
child.” And in fact, it was just so!
The missionary ad gentes must nec-
essarily “become like a child.” Begin
to learn everything: talk, greet, eat,
dress.
And so little by little, his soul and his
eyes become like that of a child, ex-
actly as Jesus wants, “unless you be-
come like children, you will never
enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”
For this reason the missionary ex-
periences a very particular charm in
contemplating the eyes of the Child
Jesus, who became small for the
sake of all peoples, of all cultures, of
all nations!
I wish you a fruitful and happy
Christmas 2014! Time to become
“like children.” Time to look with
the clear eyes of the Child Jesus, and
make these eyes a missionary school.
Learn to be a missionary contemplat-
ing: “Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God!”
Thanks!
Fr. Guillermo Basañes SDB
Councillor for the missions
Celebrate the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth
by contributing to the missionary activities
of our Society
“… I want to say something simple
and clear: The missionary dimension is part
of our IDENTITY and that cultural diversity,
a multicultural and intercultural situation
are a treasure towards which in this six year
period we are advancing. …
The Pope is calling for the Evangelisa-
tion of all peoples and we are directing our
gaze, always so as to recognise ourselves in
our identity, on the missionary character of
our Congregation. Don Bosco wanted the
Salesian Society to be determinedly mis-
sionary. In 1875, from among the small
group of the first Salesians, he chose ten to go to America; before
his death he had already sent 10 missionary expeditions and the 153
who were in America at the time of his death were almost 20% of the
Salesians at the time according to the Elenco of the Congregation for
1888.
This missionary identity, preserved and cultivated as the
years passed led the Special General Chapter to make a special ap-
peal which I want to renew today, on the threshold of the Bicen-
tenary of the birth of Don Bosco and as a living homage to him:
“The Special General Chapter appeals to all the provinces and even
to those who are poorest in numbers so that by obeying the invita-
tion of the Council and following the courageous example of our
Founder they may contribute, even in a temporary manner, to the
spread of the kingdom of God.”(SGC, n.477)
I sincerely believe dear Confreres that this call remains fully
relevant in the current situation of our Congregation. When I speak
about a homage to Don Bosco on the celebration of the Bicentenary
of his birth I am not doing so in an empty spirit of celebration or for
the sake of statistics, but because I truly believe – and it was the
feeling of the GC27 – that a great wealth of our Congregation is its
missionary capacity, the possibility of being there where there is the
greatest need for us in the work of Evangelisation, even though all
our efforts are very valid wherever we may find ourselves”.
Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime SDB
(excerpts from AGC 419)
We wish
all the readers of “Cagliero 11”
a Blessed Christmas & a Happy New Year

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My missionary joy: working for the most neglected of Bulgarian society
M y missionary vocation practically began in the aspirantate in 2001 when I was
given a chance to assist Fr Carmelo Attard, an elderly missionary from Malta.
He was a very hardworking missionary. I was touched by his religious commit-
ment. Gradually, I too developed the desire to be a missionary. The pictures of works of
missionaries on the notice board and the occasional visits of missionaries made my mis-
sionary enthusiasm even stronger. Soon after my aspirantate I had spoken many many
times about this desire to my Provincial but he was not willing to send me to the mission
not even after my postnovitiate.
I didn't give up my missionary desire but I decided not to mention it anymore to my superiors.
Instead, I decided to surrender myself to the will and plan of God saying “if God wants me to be a mis-
sionary, He will surely guide and show me the way.” One day I was surprised when my Provincial de-
cided to send me to Italy for my practical training and my theological studies. Fortunately in Italy I met
Fr Václav Klement, then, Councillor for the missions. I talked to him and he encouraged me to begin my
missionary discernment. Eventually, I wrote my application and the Rector Ma-
jor sent me to Bulgaria in 2012.
I attended the Course for New Missionaries which helped me to have a
different view of being a missionary today where witness of life has primacy.
Some situations may render it difficult to preach the Gospel while other situa-
tions may even be indifferent to the Gospel but in both situations I am called
to witness Christ through my personal life. Being a missionary today does not
mean only preaching the Gospel to others or going to a poor country or caring
for others but it also means bearing witness through our way of life because
our way of caring for one another, living and working together as a community
is already a powerful message of the Gospel of love.
I am happy as a missionary in Bulgaria and what gives me more joy is the mission that we do for
the poor people and the most neglected section of Bulgarian society - the gypsies. Although I was in Bul-
garia only for my practical training, I am eagerly waiting to return and render my service as a priest. I
see that a bright future is awaiting us and the Church in Bulgaria. Our mission with the gypsies is very
promising. But we also need to explore other possibilities in the field of education and christian forma-
tion.
Cl. Donbor Jyrwa
Indian, missionary in Bulgaria
Witness of salesian missionary sanctity
The Venerable Attilio Giordani (1913-1972), father of a family, oratory animator,
Salesian Cooperator, who died as a missionary in Brazil with his family, a layman
who seems to be moulded directly by the hand of Don Bosco, exhorts us: “In life
you do not really need to say the things we need to do. We do not need so
much preaching, what matters is what you do. We need to show with our life
what we believe in. There are no sermons to preach. The sermon is our life.”
Salesian Missionary Intention
For the Salesian Cooperators in Africa
That they may be true lay missionaries in their setting
In the 38 countries making up the Salesian Africa – Madagascar Region, there are already
more than 1,500 Salesian Cooperators. Little by little they are gaining greater awareness of
their vocation and more significant roles in education and evangelisation. Benedict XVI ad-
dressed this exhortation to them too: “I also encourage you to have an active and coura-
geous presence in the areas of political life, culture, the arts, the media and various asso-
ciations. Do not be hesitant or ashamed about this presence, but be proud of it and con-
scious of the valuable contribution it can offer to the common good!” (Africae Munus, 131).