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St. John Bosco Parish P.O. Box 1336 MCPO 1253 Makati City - Don Bosco Philippine North Province (FIN)
E- NEWSLETTER OF THE SALESIAN MISSION ANIMATION
ISSUE NO. # 10 DECEMBER - 2007
JESUS IS BORN!!!
In a few days we shall celebrate Christmas, the holy day which is
so full of meaning for all children in every family. Christmas is the
feast day of a Child, of a newborn Baby. So it is your feast day too!
You wait patiently for it and get ready for it with joy, counting the
days and even the hours to the holy night of Bethlehem.
I can almost see you: you are
setting up the crib at home, in the
parish, in every corner of the
world,
recreating
the
surroundings and the atmosphere
in which the Saviour was born.
Yes, it is true!
At Christmas time, the stable
and the manger take centre place
in the Church; and everyone
hurries to go there, to make a
spiritual pilgrimage, like the
shepherds on the night of Jesus'
birth.
Later, it will be the Magi
arriving from the distant East,
following the star, to the place
where the Redeemer of the
universe lay.
You too, during the days of
Christmas, visit the cribs, stopping to look at the Child lying in the
hay. You look at His mother and you look at St. Joseph, the
Redeemer's guardian. As you look at the Holy Family, you think of
your own family, the family in which you came into the world.
Dear children, as I write to you I am thinking of when many years
ago I was a child like you. I too used to experience the peaceful
feelings of Christmas, and when the star of Bethlehem shone, I
1994 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO CHILDREN Pope John Paul II
would hurry to the crib together with the other boys and girls to relive
what happened 2,000 years ago in Palestine.
We children expressed our joy mostly in song. How beautiful and
moving are the Christmas carols which in the tradition of every
people are sung around the crib! What deep thoughts they contain,
and above all what joy and
tenderness they express about
the divine Child who came into
the world that holy night!
Dear friends! In what happened
to the Child of Bethlehem you
can recognize what happens to
children throughout the world. It
is true that a child represents the
joy not only of its parents but
also the joy of the Church and
the whole of the society.
Pray dear boys and girls, that
you will find out what your calling
is, and that you will then follow it
generously. Praise the name of
the Lord! The children of every
continent, on the night of
Bethlehem, look with faith upon
the newborn Child and
experience the great joy of Christmas. They sing in their own
languages, praising the name of the Lord. The touching melodies of
Christmas spread throughout the earth. They are tender and moving
words which are heard in every human language; it is like a festive
song rising from all the earth, which blends with the song of the
Angels, the messengers of the glory of God, above the stable in
Bethlehem: "Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace
among men with whom He is pleased!" (Lk. 2:14).
Vatican City (CNS) The Vatican text of Pope John Paul II's message to children for Christmas 1994. It was dated 13 December and released at the Vatican 15 December.
A BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON TO ALL
As we enter a new calendar year in this
season of Advent, we intensify our
preparations as we come to await the feast
of the birth of our Savior. At Christmas we
contemplate God made man, who is the
divine glory hidden beneath the poverty of a
Child wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid
in a manger; he is the Creator of the
Universe reduced to the helplessness of an
infant. This is a paradox that helps us to
realize what the Truth is that can transform
our lives.
On Bethlehem Night, the Redeemer
becomes one of us, our companion along
the uncertain paths of history. Let us take
the hand which he stretches out to us: It is a
hand which seeks to take nothing from us,
but only to give. With the shepherds let us
enter the stable of Bethlehem beneath the
loving gaze of Mary, the silent witness of his
miraculous birth. May she help us to
experience the happiness of Christmas,
may she teach us how to treasure in our
hearts the mystery of God who for our sake
became man; and may she help us to bear
witness in our world to his truth, his love and
his peace. Maligayang Pasko sa lahat!
Fr. Ting Miciano

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SALESIAN MISSION ANIMATION NEWS
SALESIAN MISSIONARY ANIMATION
FORMATION KIT
The Formation Kit is an experimental module intended to help in the that will require sufficient time for the young professionals to
formation of would-be volunteers and missionaries both for local and participate and openly discuss. Hence, the module can be given
foreign missions. The Salesian Mission Animation Desk (FIN) is every time a group meets as a form of reflection guide and inputs.
proud to share this little work among young
professionals to answer the need of formation
It is envisioned that the Salesian Missionary
entertaining volunteer work as a lay missionary.
Animation Formation Kit can be incorporated in the
Likewise, it is an answer to the call of the Mission Ad
formation plan especially in Don Bosco College
Gentes of the Church as part of each and everyone’s
Canlubang and the Theologate. Likewise, it can be
missionary vocation. We are proud to share this
utilized in partnership with the Salesian Lay
Formation Kit to promote mission vocations in the
Volunteers of the Philippines and the Young
province as our own initiative, if not the first, in
Professionals for Peace. (Yuppeace).
synergy with other collaborators.
It is based on three phases followed successively
At present, the Formation Kit is further being
one after the other. One cannot proceed to the
improved and being given to formators, psychologists
succeeding phases not until each phase has been
and missionaries to be able to get feedbacks and
completed. Every phase has a corresponding module
necessary additional ideas and suggestions. Another
that talks about values and virtues needed in order to
module of the Formation Kit is being prepared
discover and inculcate the desire for missionary
intended for the Fourth Year high school students who
volunteerism.
would want to explore what volunteerism is all about.
Each module for the three phases is facilitator friendly. The
modules are not meant to be taught in one sitting but in a process
.
We are distributing copies of the Salesian Missioanary Animation Formation Kit. Please email us at auxiliaries_of_the_mission@yahoo.com or text (632)0916.666.75.86 for inquiries
3RD SALESIAN MISSIONARY SYMPOSIUM
A SYMPOSIUM ON LAY AND RELIGIOUS MISSIONARY FORMATION
Last November 10, 2007, a day before the commemoration of the first Salesian expedition in
Patagonia of Fr. John Cagliero dated November 11, 1875, the Salesian Mission Animation (FIN)
together with the Commission on Youth Ministry (CYM), held its 3rd Missionary Symposium with
the theme “Preparing a Missionary Volunteer. As such, exactly 132 years after the dream of Don
Bosco was realized to foray in new territories, the Salesian Mission Animation under Fr. Salvador
Pablo, SDB has renewed the call to invite both religious and lay volunteers to participate in
instilling mission awareness and volunteerism. In its most simple way, the Salesian Mission
Animation office has been contributing to missionary awareness through the monthly circulation
of the Auxiliaries of the Mission newsletter and through the sending of text messages to prayer
warriors and among the Salesians as a show of support and appreciation to both lay volunteers
and Salesian missionaries.
The missionary symposium was a
one day affair that was held at the
Roozen Hall in St. John Bosco Parish
Makati City. Fr. Danny Torres, the vice
provincial gave the opening remarks on
the symposium. The highlights of the
affair were an enlightening talk given by
the guest speaker Sister Mary Evelyn
from the Society of St. Paul. She
developed on the three ideas vital in the
need of committing to the missions
specifically innate power, driving power
and staying power. Another speaker for
the event was Fr. Gary Carbon of the
China province. He gave an overview of
the missionary experience in China
along with all the risks that accompany the work of evangelization. He capped the sharing with a
meaningful and significant powerpoint presentation of the martyrs Bl. Versiglia and Fr. Caravario
who gave their lives for the faith.
One of the highlights of the
symposium was the launching of the
experimental Salesian Formation Kit
Handbook that intends to cater in the
preparation of both lay volunteers and
religious as well. It is the intention of the
Formation Kit HandBook to be made
available for Missionary Clubs in the
schools and also among young
professionals who would entertain
missionary volunteerism.
The participants also had the
opportunity to break into groups in
processing one module that was
presented in the assembly. This was also
made in order to come up with a common
resolution in line with the theme. The
symposium was concluded with the
celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the
afternoon.
It has been the common desire of the
Salesian Mission Animation team to
thank the Lord of the harvest for the
countless missionaries both lay
volunteers and religious who have come
to serve in mission lands both here and
abroad.