Cagliero 11 giugno 2016 - ING


Cagliero 11 giugno 2016 - ING

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Nome società
Titolo n otiziario
Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation
A Publication of the Missions Sector for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Mission
Dear brothers, dear
friends,
Enlightened by the Strenna
2016, with Jesus, we con-
tinue along this missionary
journey with the Spirit. For
this reason the Rector Ma-
jor has invited us this year
to denounce boldly what
prevents people from rec-
ognising, contemplating
and taking advantage of his
presence in our world. In
our Salesian education of
young people we do not
always orient and encour-
age this very concrete di-
mension of social charity.
The witness of life of mis-
sionary communities is the
first and most eloquent de-
nunciation. While the
world suggests indifference
and exclusion, these com-
munities, in turn, testify
acceptance and inclusion.
We think again, for exam-
ple, of the sacrifice
through martyrdom of our
young Akash Bashir, in Pa-
kistan: it was a clear de-
nunciation of all forms of
religious intolerance.
Let us continue the adven-
ture of the Spirit!
IN THE MERCIFUL HEART OF JESUS
ALL INFIRMITIES FIND HEALING
I n God’s mercy, all of our infirmities find healing.
His mercy, in fact, does not keep a distance: it
seeks to encounter all forms of poverty and to
free this world of so many types of slavery. Mercy de-
sires to reach the wounds of all, to heal them. Being
apostles of mercy means touching and soothing the
wounds that today afflict the bodies and souls of many
of our brothers and sisters. Curing these wounds, we
profess Jesus, we make him present and alive; we allow
others, who touch his mercy with their own hands, to
recognize him as “Lord and God” (Jn 20,28), as did the
Apostle Thomas. This is the mission that he entrusts to
us. So many people ask to be listened to and to be un-
derstood. The Gospel of mercy, to be proclaimed and
written in our daily lives, seeks people with patient and
open hearts, “good Samaritans” who understand com-
passion and silence before the mystery of each brother
and sister. The Gospel of mercy requires generous and
joyful servants, people who love freely without expect-
ing anything in return.
Pope Francis
Homily, Feast of the Divine Mercy, 3 April 2016
Fr. Guillermo Basañes SDB
Councillor for the Missions

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WITH THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE I DISCOVER MORE AND MORE
THE CALL OF GOD FOR ME
My missionary religious life ad gentes started in a similar way to
the call of God made to Samuel. With the advice of Eli, the
child Samuel has recognised God’s call to him: “Speak, Lord, your
servant is listening” (1Sam3,9).
Since childhood, I recognised a particular call, but did not know who is
calling me and to what I am called to. During the years of the aspiran-
tate, the pre-novitiate, novitiate and post-novitiate, I had many op-
portunities to hear news about the missionary life of Salesian mission-
aries and I was wondering if one day I could be a Salesian missionary,
too. In the novitiate, I expressed my missionary desire to the Novice
Master, and then, during my three years of philosophy, I always spoke
with the Rector about this desire to be a missionary ad gentes, and he
guided me and accompanied to discern my Salesian missionary vocation.
In 2012, the Rector Major sent me to Venezuela and after 6 months of the studying Spanish, I was sent to the
Amazonas and there I worked for two years as a practical trainee. My life among indigenous peoples was marked by one
surprise after another because of the difference in food, the language, the things of ordinary daily life, in a word, be-
cause of the cultural difference. I experienced culture shock during my first months living in the new culture, things
have happened in a way that I have never imagined in my life.
Before going to the Amazonas, many people have advised me not to be scared of culture shock, but when I ex-
perienced it, it caused me a lot of stress due to difficulties in speaking, in talking, in communicating ... in the new lan-
guage.
Day after day, with the help and the animation of the Salesian confreres, with the closeness and welcome on
the part of the people in the Amazonas, I made the effort to deal with this shock and, above all, I re-read my diary
which I wrote during the course for new missionaries in Rome in September 2011. I went through it again, reflected and
shared my experiences and my reflections. These have helped me to stay calm in difficult moments. Gradually I was
able to calmly deal with culture shock and clearly recognise the infinite grace of God for me; He is always with me in
all situations and circumstances. I am convinced that the life of prayer and union with God are really important be-
cause they are the sources of the motivations that help us through the difficult moments of our lives.
I feel happy and satisfied as a missionary amongst the Piarora and Jiva: the indigenous peoples in the Amazo-
nas. “The Salesian missionary takes on the values of these people and share their hopes and anxieties” (Const. 30). I
recognise that the culture of these people is a rich and impressive. They have been a part of my missionary life. As I
journey with them I also discover more and more the call of God for me. .
Cl. José Phan Anh Tuan
Vietnamese, missionary in the Amazonas, Venezuela
Witness of Salesian Missionary Sanctity
Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni SDB, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints
The Servant of God, Anna Maria Lozano (1883-1982), cofoundress with Blessed Luigi Variara of
the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts, writes in a circular letter of 1968: “The Divine Heart of Jesus
is ready to fill us with his love and of his great mercy. We feel every day more and more the
protection and infinite tenderness of the Most Holy Heart of Jesus. We must respond generously!
«Love is paid with love»”.
Salesian Missionary Intention
That all the houses of formation in the whole Congregation
may draw inspiration from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This is a very solid tradition among us, but the consecration to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus of all those in formation and formators and every house of formation, also
needs to be re-launched. Missionaries have brought this conviction and this heritage
to every continent. It is therefore urgent that all young confreres in initial formation
learn to find in the Heart of Jesus as the source and model of their religious conse-
cration and their missionary zeal as the sons of Don Bosco.