Cagliero11_2022_07_en


Cagliero11_2022_07_en

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CAGLIER0 11
newsletter for Salesian
Missionarv Animation
Publication of the missions sector for SOB communities and friends of the salesian mission
The first Salesian Mission Office
celebrates its 75th anniversary ft
The Salesian Mission Office (SMO-USA) was founded by Fr. James O'Loughlen in
1947 with the aim of supporting Salesian programmes that teach young people
various trades that help them find decent work and become self-sufficient, active
Dea f =inds
members of society and good Christians. SMO-USA has tirelessly dedicated its
efforts to helping young people and Salesian Missions for the past 75 years. As a
result of this mission, we are now a global group of caring people dedicated to
We are called, by virtue of o ur improving the lives of the world's poorest and neediest children and families.
baptism, to be missionary
disciples to proclaim Christ in the I am pleased to announce that the 75th anniversary celebration of SMO- USA will
world, in our living conditions, so take place this year on 22 November with the Rector Major in New York. This
that the world may discover the exciting milestone will be marked by a rejuvenation of our Salesian identity as we
presence of the Risen One. Christ are blessed with the opportunity to meet again in person after two and a half years
entrusts us with a message o f of the pandemic. We have continued to raise funds to save lives with programmes
Love to bring, to proclaim, to that support people in poor and disadvantaged communities around the world. We
share with those whom the Lord have carried out numerous mission projects abroad to support young people and
makes us meet in our daily lives. light the way for families in need. But w e try to maintain the meticulous balance
He entrusts us with a message to
be brought to others, not like the
postman who brings a letter to the
between doing great things for the world, maintaining true Salesian identity and
celebrating our spirit.
This November will be a wonderful time of joyful restructuring as we renew our
addressee w itho ut knowing its partnership with our loyal, compassionate and generous donors, without whom
contents; rather, o ur attitude must o ur charitable mission would cease to exist. Their charity and kindness have
be that o f the perfume seller, who enabled us to operate in the best possible way, and it is through this co llaboration
does not limit himself to offering that we have - together - been able to help the children and families who suffer
the vario us fragran ces; instead, in the most.
offering the perfume, he himself Finally, this important anniversary will be a time to recognise our devoted
becomes invo lved. The message
of Love that the Lord entrusts to
us must involve us, it must
intoxicate o ur lives so that we can
share it w ith others.
I wish us all to be intoxicated by
colleagues who have served and dedicated their lives all these many years. We will
continue to jo urney together fo r the next 75 years to provide the world's young
and poor with a brighter future - today, tomorrow and in the years to come.
▀ Fr. Augustine Baek, SDB
Director of SMO-USA
the perfume of Christ's love, t o
m ake the lives of those we meet
pleasantly perfumed w ith this
Major Salesian
Mission Offices:
Love .
● Salesian Mission Office
New Rochelle, USA - 1947
● Don Bosco Mission
Bonn, Germany-1970
▀ Antonio Boccia
World Coordinator of
Association of Salesian
Cooperators
● Misiones Salesianas
Madrid, Spain - 1970
● Missioni Don Bosco
Turin, Italy - 1991

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JAPAN: THE EXPERIENCE
OF AN ELDERLY MISSIONARY
Fr. Umbe, ageing is a natural process. How do you think it affects the presence and work of the Salesian Family
in Japan?
There are missionary congregations that have already withdrawn from the mission in Japan. We Salesians number
about 70, of whom more than a dozen are elderly and sick The birth rate in Japan has dropped from 5.1% to 1.3%
and the negative trend is not stopping. In families, the only child cannot leave, so we have no local Salesian
vocations. In each of the four schools and two institutes for children, there are two or three Salesians, the rest are
all lay staff. True Salesian work is difficult because the young Japanese prefer to work There are no young people
in the churches, the mission is limited to adults.
For you, a senior missionary from Argentina, who is the missionary today?
I think that in rich countries a missionary has a lot of difficulties. The missionary should go to places where the
government does not have the strength to work with the young and to educate the poor, to help them find work,
to teach them a trade with their own hands as Don Bosco did. Who is a missionary today7 In the Middle Ages,
missionaries were the great founders of congregations: St Dominic, St Francis of Assisi, St Francis Xavier, St
Anthony of Padua - all evangehsed Europe. Today, missionaries are those who go to more developed countries
or countries without religion.
What do you like best about the work of the Salesians in Japan?
I arrived in Japan after the war. It was a desperate time; Japan was still in chaos with a thousand difficulties. To
tell the truth, the Salesian work before and after the war was wonderful. Monsignor Cimatti, in his efforts to support
the works and feed the first Salesians, gave 3,000 piano concerts throughout the country, in China and Korea. A
missionary is someone who, without a penny in his pocket, sets out to evangelise the whole world. Instead, a
missionary who goes forth with lots of money makes a lot of noise but gathers nothing. I think that today we must
have the courage to go ahead without a lot of money but with more trust in God and in Mary Help of Christians
1 [ ____ :_
,,
Fr. Umberto
Cavaliere, SDB
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1930.
Smee 1956 he has worked as a missionary
in Japan; he started by serving in the large
orphanage in Tokyo with 300 war orphans.
He now lives in the community
of Yokohama.
On 29 May 2022, Pope Francis convoked a con sistory on 27 August for the creatio n of 21 new cardinals.
There are two Sa\\esians on the list. one of them, Mgr. Luc Van Looy, SDB, archbish op
emeritus of Ghent (Belgium), has renounced his appointment.
Msgr. Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, SDB
• Born 1967 at Venilale, East Timor, ordained a priest in 1998.
•
•
•
JULY
SALESIAN
For the elderly
For the elderly members of the Salesian
family and Salesian benefactors in Japan.
MISSIONARY We pray for the elderly, who represent the roots and memory
of a people; may their experience and wisdom help young
INTENTION
people to look towards the future with hope and responsibility.
[Pope Francis’ prayer intention]