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Titolo n otiziario
Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation
A Publication of the Mission Department for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Mission
“Be the smile and the presence of the tenderness
of Jesus to young people to whom you are sent”
D ear Salesian mission-
aries and friends of
the Salesian Missions!
Since “every call is an indica-
tion that the Lord loves the Congrega-
tion” (C22), the presence of 45 new
missionaries in the Basilica of Mary
Help of Christians for 143rd mission-
ary expedition manifests the love of
God to many young non-Christians,
who are waiting for the new messen-
gers of the Gospel. Like the majority
of 400-500 Salesian novices of every
year, the majority of missionaries
comes from the two continents of
Asia and Africa.
At Valdocco, on September
30, everyone gets the missionary
cross from the hands of the Rector
Major. But the process which started
since each wrote the application to
the Rector Major was the same until
each of them are sent. The initial
motivation to the missionary life
usually happens during the aspiran-
tate or novitiate. Thanks to an en-
counter with a missionary, to a mission-
ary video or a short summer missionary
experience, a journey without bor-
ders is initiated. The motivations
in the written applications to Fr
Pascual Chávez - 'to be sent
anywhere in the world depend-
ing to the needs of the congre-
gation' - shows that sometimes
there is a need to deepen the
motivations for the missionary life,
to understand better the meaning of
“missio ad gentes” in the style of Don
Bosco.
During the 25 days of the course (Rome - Colle Don Bosco)
the new missionaries are helped to deepen their motivations. The
giving of the missionary cross explains it all: '... Receive the sign
of the love of Christ the Redeemer. May it be for you support
and model of authentic and faithful love. Be the smile and the
presence of the tenderness of Jesus to young people to whom
you are sent. In your mission strive to be holy and you will find
the joy that fills your life. '
I invite everyone to pray that many Salesians may be open
to respond to the missionary call!
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB
Councillor for the Missions
Why an Orientation Course for New Missionaries ?
The Orientation Course for New Missionaries - from September 5 to 30, 2012 - is intended as an aid to the im-
mediate preparation of the new missionaries before their departure, in order to provide them with adequate
tools to enter into a new culture, become part of a new people and develop the personal attitudes of open-
ness, respect and trust so that their missionari presence may be effective, humble and discreet.
The course takes place in Rome-Pisana and at the Salesian holy places. It consists of three nuclei - anthropolo-
gical-cultural, missiological and Salesian - and is intended primarily as a formation experience (foster correct
attitudes and values for a missionary) and not information (acquisition of new knowledge or ideas); it is inten-
ded to help the new missionary to verify, investigate and, sometimes, to discover the profound reasons for his
becoming a missionary; great importance is given, therefore, to personal reflection and prayer, the sharing of
experiences and listening to testimonies.
The giving of the missionary cross by the Rector Major in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians - at Valdocco
on September 30th - is the highlight of the course.
Let us accompany our 45 new missionaries with our prayers !
Fr. Alfred Maravilla, SDB
Course Coordinator
