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Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation
A Publication of the Missions Sector for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Missions
Dear friends,
During the missionary month, after the Angelus at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis
said: “I ask you, young people, boys and girls, who are now in the square: Have you
felt the gaze of Jesus on you? What would you tell him? Would you prefer to leave this square
with joy that Jesus gives us or with sadness in your heart that worldliness offers
us?” (October 11).
I believe that Don Bosco, in a similar occasion, would have also “thrown the net” like Pope
Francis.
Divine Providence places before our eyes, every day in all “six continents” (including the digi-
tal continent!), innumerable young people who await a similar tough question. Often, distrac-
ted or busy, we forget this question or do not have the courage to do it.
It is here that we find a way to “measure” our missionary spirit, regardless of geographical
place, cultural context or educative-pastoral structure in which we find ourselves in. In all
these youth contexts the Lord expects us to keep alive our missionary spirit.
Fr. Guillermo Basañes SDB
Councillor for the Missions
A
Allow me to recall here what
we know very well: from his
youth Don Bosco had a desire
to become a missionary. Don
Cafasso, accompanying him in his
vocational discernment, “blocked” that path, telling him that the missions were not for him
(cfr. BM 2, 160-161). However he always had this idea in mind and in his heart and he realised
it through his sons. Starting on 11 November 1875, he chose from the group of his first Sale-
sians those he would send to America to provide for the spiritual needs of emigrants and to
bring the Gospel to people who did not know it. From that first expedition until the one due
next 27 September 2015 there have been 146. Shortly after the first expedition of Salesians,
year after year the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians also went to the mission lands. Nowa-
days this departure ceremony frequently includes the presence of lay missionaries male and
female.
We should not forget a fact that speaks for itself and which I mentioned in a previous
letter (AGC 419). At Don Bosco’s death, in America there were 153 Salesians, that is 20% of
the Salesians at the time, as the catalogue of the Congregation for that year records.
n one of his letters written in 1912 Fr Paul Albera states, referring to Don Bosco: “The
missions were a privilged subject of his talks and he knew how to inspire in hearts a strong
desire to become missionaries, in such a way that it seemed the most natural thing in the
world”.
I have always been convinced that the missionary dimension is an essential and constitu-
tive feature of our identity as a Congregation. T he more I have consulted our documents,
the stronger has this conviction become!
Fr. Ángel Fernández SDB
(ACG 421)
