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Newslink-Issue-27

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Newslink-Issue-27

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Year 7 | Issue No. 27 Jun - July - Aug 2013

CampoBosco: Kabwe ‘13

World Youth Day: RIO

Newly Professed Salesians

FMA Youth Rally - Kasama

Pope Francis:

A FASCINATING

POPE

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In this Issue:

Editorial

Don Bosco Educator - Pascual Chavez RM

Faith and Violence are not compatible - Pope Francis

Our Response to God’s Faithfulness

Salesian World: Local News

Following Christ in Affirming others

Reaping what you sow - My take of the Youth Rally

Photos of the World Youth Day

Rock in Rio de Janeiro

Salesian World: International News

Thinking Point: The Example of Pope Francis

Kabwe: CampoBOSCO 2013

Did you know that...

Initial Formation: Testimony

Miracles do Happen

Salesian Family: Unity in Diversity

First Professions 2013

Wonders of Faith

ZMB Photo

FMA Youth Rally - Kasama:

Cultural Presentation, Trip to Chishimba Falls

and moments of Group Discussion

Director & Editor: Fr. Javier A. Barrientos

Redaction Board: Fr. Dennis Higgins, Walter Thyrniang

Graphic Design: Fr. Javier A. Barrientos

Photos:

Br. Walter Thyrniang, Sylvester Makumba, Fr.

Javier Barrientos, Joackim Mzanywa, John

Musonda, Faith Musabila.

E-mail:

zmbsocialc@salesianszmb.org

Website:

www.salesianszmb.org

Contribution from: Fr. George Chalissery, Dn. Jerome Bwalya, Br.

Walter Thyrniang, Fr. Jorge Ormeño, Fr.

Michael Mbandama, Cl. Irvin Lumano.

Printed:

Printing Press - ZMB Provincial House

ZMB Salesian Newslink

:: Salesian Newslink ::

ZMB Quarterly publication

Year 7/Nº27 Jun - Jul - Aug 2013

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ditorial

Fr. Javier Antonio Barrientos

ack in July Pope Francis

Bvisited Brazil; he arrived

at Rio International

Airport where he was

greeted by thousands of

young people who were

expectant to see him. As usual, the

President of Brazil, religious

authorities and other officials got the

closest look of him, and they, too, had

the chance to meet him personally, to

stretch out hands with him and enjoy

being in his presence.

Pope Francis was very pleased to be in

Brazil (at least that was the look in his

face) and to meet the citizens of one of

the most Catholic countries in the

world.

At the end of the first day of his visit to

various significant places of the City of

Rio de Janeiro, Pope Francis requested

(from the organizers of his visit to

Brazil) that a visit to the favelas or

poorest townships also be included;

and thus tight security measures were

set in place to give the Pope the chance

to get closer to the reality of a vast

majority of Brazilians: utter poverty!

In the days previous to the arrival of

the Pope and of the young pilgrims of

the WYD, protests broke up in various

towns countrywide. People

demonstrated against the various

socio-economic policies of the

Brazilian government. At the same

time, the Media –interestingly enough, also showed how

people in various poor areas of Brazil, especially in Rio and

other major cities, prepared themselves, their houses and

families to welcome the pilgrims. Images were shown of

people in the townships re-painting their houses, re-

arranging rooms, fixing doors, water pipes, electrical

installations, etc, in order to ready to welcome the

pilgrims.

During his visit to Brazil, the Pope made use of a very

simple vehicle; this was something unexpected, and made

a good impression on people. The Pope's love for poverty

and moderation is an open invitation to all to make the

Church more credible in the eyes of the world.

Pope Francis continues using his black trousers and also

his black shoes, carries his black leather bag, and what is

most important he keeps the same simplicity of the first

day of his pontificate.

In one his speeches at Copacabana beach, he addressed the

millions of young pilgrims in ways that did not seek to win

popularity but to touch the hearts of young people, inviting

them to live a life of radical adherence to the Gospel. It was

more like a father talking to his children explaining to them

issues of life in a manner they could easily understand.

On Friday 26 during the traditional Way of the Cross, the

Pope was moved at the symbol presented to him in one of

the thirteen Stations of the Via Crucis; it was “the structure

of a church that needed to be rebuilt”. Pope Francis

welcomed the message of this symbol and asked young

people to join him in the task of re-building –not only the

image of the Church in the world, but rebuilding the Church

itself.

Poverty was a powerful tool that helped St Francis of Assisi

to rebuild the Church in the Middle-Ages. Pope Francis

says, he wants a “poorer Church” that becomes day-by-day

a Church for the poor.

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Don Bosco

EDUCATOR

DDON BOSCO SAYS:

Fr Pascual Chavez SDB

RECTOR MAJOR

It is not enough to kiss the cross...

we must carry it!

What sanctifies is not the suffering

but the patience to put up with it

Returning from Barcelona and Paris

That evening of May 12, 1886 I arrived at Grenoble tired and

exhausted by a long trip that, in three months, I had taken from

Turin to France and Spain. I was subjected to a veritable tour de

force because the construction of the church in honour of the

Sacred Heart stagnated due to a chronic lack of money.

I was nicely greeted by Rector of the seminary who, worried

with the pitiful state of exhaustion in which he found me,

addressed fraternal words of comfort: "Reverend Father, none

better than you knows how much suffering sanctifies".

Whereupon, I was allowed to correct him by saying that "What

sanctifies is not the suffering, but the patience". It wasn't just a

phrase for effect; it was the synthesis of my existence, troubled

and painful: 71 years that were now weighing on my shoulders

and I had been reduced to "a man killed by fatigue", repeating

those same words which Dr. Combal, in Montpellier said to me

authoritatively a few days before, when he came to visit me in

Marseille in March 1884.

A family chat and some confidence

I remember that in a lecture I gave to my Salesians I had

explained to them the meaning of the word "patience" and had

made reference to the Latin verb that means "to undergo,

tolerate, suffer, be violent." And I pointed out with great

realism: "If it doesn't cost effort, patience would be no more."

Then, I added: "We need a lot of patience; or better to say, a lot

of charity topped with condiments of St. Francis de Sales:

gentleness, meekness".

Based on the experience that I was going through and with a

directness that I knew, I pre-empted an objection and I opened

myself with confidence by saying: "I, too, realize that it costs.

And please do not think that it's the greatest pleasure in the

world staying in all morning engaged in interviews or stuck at a

table all evening to give way to all chores, to letters or similar.

Oh!, I assure you that many times I'd go out glad to get some air

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rector major

and maybe I would have a real need ... Please don't

think that it doesn't cost me too, after having

appointed someone to do a job or after having sent

some errand either delicate or of concern, and not

finding it done in time or even badly done, that it

doesn't cost me to keep calm; I assure you that

sometimes the blood boils in my veins, a tingling

dominates all senses. So what? Get Impatient? Don't

you see that the job not done is done, and even

corrects itself with fury". And I ended with a thought

very dear to me: "What sustains patience must be

hope. This supports us, were we to lack patience".

Many times I realized not to have been understood,

even by someone I was roughly 'told off' about the

method by which (especially in the early years) I was

training my future Salesians. Can I justify myself by

claiming that I was opening up a new path. I brought

out a totally different experience, but I didn't go

blindly. I just contented myself to be as prudent as

possible, even though my view went further. A few

decades later, doing a re-scanning of the path I was

walking and recalling the challenges faced, I said:

"Many clerics were staying in bed in the morning,

some were not going to school, they were not doing

spiritual reading, nor meditation ... I saw all those

disorders and I left that to be brought forward as one

could. If I wanted to get rid of all the riots at once, I

would have to close the Oratory and send away all the

young people, because the clerics would not have

adapted to strict rules, and would all go away. I saw

that of those clerics who also went away many

worked willingly, were of good heart, of wholly

proven morality, and, beyond that the fervor of youth,

I would then have helped a lot. And I have to say that

several of the priests of the Congregation, who were

part of that number, are now among those who work

more, have a better ecclesiastical spirit, while they

certainly went away rather than submit to certain

restrictive rules ... If everything went to perfection I

would have been reduced to a small group, not

having finished anything. "

The art of knowing how to wait

A good farmer had learned to wait, learning and

practising the lesson of patience, I remembered

hearing many times from my mum a saying filled

with wisdom: "By walking you lighten the burden of

the donkey". This was the most common means of

transport, safe and economical. The goods were

divided into parts with equal weights on both sides of

the animal through two large saddlebags or baskets.

During the journey, the inevitable jolts ended up with

having to adjust the load. This memory of my

childhood made me say later: "When I encounter a

difficulty I do what one does going down the street

and at a certain point is blocked by a large boulder. If

you can't get it out of the way, you get over or around

it. Or, leave the job begun unfinished, in order not to

lose time in unnecessary waiting, put your hand to

something else. However, do not lose sight of the

interrupted initial work. For over time, the fruits

ripen, men change, the difficulties are smoothed out".

Towards the end of my life, with the number of

confreres increasing, it had become impossible to

write a couple of lines to each one personally. I sent a

circular to all my Salesians to wish them a year

blessed by Lord enriched with many initiatives. In

1884 (6th January) I wrote: "Do we want to go to

heaven in a carriage? We are in fact religious not to

enjoy, but – through sacrifice – to obtain merits for the

other life. Take heart, therefore, my dear and beloved

children. Let's move on. It will cost us effort, there

will be hardships: we shall reply: If the size of the

award fascinates us, we must not be scared of all the

hardships that we must undergo to deserve it".

Death was at home in Valdocco. But it wasn't the

heavy and lugubrious atmosphere that some authors

have described. Every month I offered the boys and

the Salesians the Exercise of the Happy Death, a

devotional practice that already existed. It was a

plunge into the solemn mysteries of eternity. I, the

educator of joy and healthy fun, predicted with great

naturalness the imminent deaths of teenagers, not to

scare them, but to make their love of life grow in

them. I was able to spread peace even when I spoke of

death, because the last word was about Paradise. I was

talking about it as a child speaking about their dad's

house. The boys who died in Valdocco spoke with

ease and conviction of heaven, as their home,

accepted messages from classmates and their

teachers, were dying with a smile on their face. I

remembered without doubt a phrase that I loved to

repeat: "Paradise pays everything". The death became

an irresistible appeal to goodness of a God who

forgives, who welcomes children and feasts with

them.

Due to my training, I wasn't very inclined to accept

external forms of exaggerated penances. I had to

restrain that holy boy called Dominic Savio and rule

out any kind of mortification. Let him only “bear with

patience the insults if someone insults thee, bear with

patience the heat, cold, wind, rain, tiredness and all

those difficulties of health that God allows". It was

what I advised everyone: "To make up in themselves

the sufferings of Jesus, the ways are not lacking there

are: heat, cold, illness, people, events. These are the

means to live humbly". I gathered my thoughts with

this expression: " to kiss the cross is not enough; you

have to carry it ".

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Church Today | Pope Francis

FAITH AND VIOLENCE

ARE INCOMPATIBLE

SOURCE:

Vatican City, August 19, 2013

(Zenit.org)

Junno Arocho Esteves

uring his weekly Sunday Angelus address,

D Pope Francis called on the faithful to look to

God for strength in times of turmoil. The Holy

Father's remarks come at turbulent time in the

world where violence rages on in Egypt and a

ferry disaster claimed the lives of more than 50

people in the Philippines.

The Holy Father reflected on the words of Christ in

Sunday's Gospel that he said needed to be explained

“so that they are not misunderstood.” The Gospel of

Luke recounted Jesus telling his disciples: “Did you

think that I came to bring peace to the earth? No, I say

to you, I came to bring division” (Luke 12:51).

“What does this mean? It means that the faith is not

something decorative, ornamental; living the faith is

not decorating life with a little religion, as if life were

a pie and faith like the whipped cream that you use to

decorate it,” the Pope explained. “No, faith is not

this. Faith entails choosing God as the basic criterion

for life, and God is not empty, God is not neutral, God

is always positive, God is love, and love is positive!”

The Pope continued saying that it is not Christ who

intends to divide men against each other; rather the

choice to follow Jesus may divide us “even from the

closest bonds.”

“Following Jesus means rejecting evil, egoism,

and choosing the good, truth, justice, even when

that requires sacrifice and renunciation of our own

interests,” the Holy Father said. “And, yes, this

divides.”

The Holy Father also reminded the faithful that the

Gospel in no way authorizes the use of force in

spreading the faith, saying that the true force of

Christians “is the force of truth and love”.

“Faith and violence are incompatible! Faith and

violence are incompatible!,” he exclaimed. “But

faith and strength go together. The Christian is not

violent, but he is strong. And with what strength?

That of meekness, the force of meekness, the force

of love.”

Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy

Father lead the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's

Square in praying for the violent situation

occurring in Egypt, where hundreds have died and

numerous Christian Churches were looted,

vandalized and burnt to the ground.

“Let us continue to pray for peace in Egypt. All

together: Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!” the

Holy Father told the faithful.

The Holy Father also prayed for the victims of a

tragic disaster that occurred in the Central Port of

Cebu, where a passenger ferry collided with a

cargo ship on Friday, killing over 50 people.

Cairo - Egypt: Christian church burnt down

by Muslim mobs.

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Our response to

GOD’S

FAITHFULNESS

Dear Friends,

TT he past few weeks

have been filled

with celebrations

of one sort or

another. We had the celebration of

the World Youth Day in Rio, Brazil,

towards the end of July. We had the

Final Profession of our 3 Brothers –

Alphoncious Hamweete, Mark Phiri

and George Phiri, on 28th July. On

15th August we had the First

profession of 7 of our Novices. From

22-25 August, there was the Youth

Rally in Kasama organized by the

Salesian Sisters, with young people,

FMAs, Salesians, Cooperators and

Vo l u n t e e r s f r o m d i f f e r e n t

communities of our Provinces.

Everything symbolized celebration

– happiness.

The atmosphere in Rio was

electrifying with a close estimate of

over 3.7 million youngsters and

others gathered together with Pope

Francis to hear once again the same

message of Jesus, from his

representative here on earth – “Go

proclaim the good news.” The sea of

people left a deep impression that the

Catholic faith is still very much

vibrant in people.

The Final Profession – called also

Perpetual Profession, and the First

Profession, are truly prophetic signs

in today's world that does not want to

see life-long commitments. The

tendency in the world is to go for

what is instantaneous. People are

weary of long-term commitments. At

weddings, men and women say they

love each other very much, get

married and promise that they will

be for each other until death. But in a

few years time, this determination to

live with each other and love and

cherish one another, fades, in many

cases. Even among priests and

religious, who say they want to live

their whole life in dedication to God,

it is not uncommon to find some,

whose motivation changes and they

are no more propelled by their initial

enthusiasm, and leave their

commitment.

In such a context, how do our

Brothers make publicly this

commitment of fidelity – to follow

Jesus in the footsteps of Don Bosco,

to offer their life and their love for

God and for the young, for all their

life? I am sure before their

profession, they too wondered: 'How

can they remain faithful to this

commitment till death?'. But, in

spite of this, an inner compulsion led

them to make this promise. Each one

of them had this certainty that the

Lord loves him and that they can

count on HIM to remain faithful.

They are not alone. The Lord's grace

helps them to be faithful. They have

the certainty that everyday, this love

that there is between them and the

Lord, can be nourished and

strengthened. Just like true lovers

who grow every day more close to

each other in love, they also grow

more strong and joyful in their

commitment. There is no thought of

infidelity. The secret that helped our

Brothers to make this Final

Commitment is the assurance, that

the key to fidelity forever, is fidelity

lived every day. They do not need to

be worried if they will remain

faithful for 20 or 30 years or longer.

But the everyday nourishing of their

love for God, enables them to remain

faithful all their lives.

We congratulate our Brothers who in

spite of their doubts and anxieties,

were glad to make this step and we

support them in their life of fidelity,

with our prayers. I wish you all God's

blessings in abundance and also that

we all live our everyday life close to

God. Like that famous pop song we

too ask the Lord:

“One day at a time, sweet Jesus,

that's all I am asking from You!”

With best wishes and prayers,

Yours aff.ly,

Fr George Chalissery SDB

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S W Salesian World

:: FMA YOUTH RALLY 2013 ::

Kasama (Zambia) 22-25/8/13.

The Daughters of Mary Help of

Christians (FMA) have held an

international youth rally in

Kasama with the purpose of

studying, reflecting and

celebrating the Strenna 2013. The

meeting gathered young people

from the SYM, as well as SDB’s,

Salesian Cooperators and other

members of the Salesian Family.

The gathering began on Thursday

22 and over 370 young people

from within Zambia, Zimbabwe

and Malawi were present to the

event. Volunteers from Australia,

Poland, England and Italy were

also actively present.

:: GERMAN VISITORS ::

Kabwe (ZAMBIA) 22/08/2013.

Mr Anton Stadlmeier and his family

has visited St Mary’s Parish in a

effort to strengthen the bonds

existing between St Bernhard

Parish in Germany and St Mary’s.

Their visit comprised a visit to

some of the major centres and

outstations of the parish as well as

meeting with the parish priest and

church council.

::YOUTH RETREAT FOR WYD

PARTICIPANTS ::

Namalundu (ZAMBIA)

16-18/8/2013.

Young people who took part in the

2013 World Youth Day in Rio

gathered at Namalundu Mission

(40Km from Lusaka) to hold a

retreat and share with a larger

group on the experience of the

WYD. Fr Antonio, the ZMB Youth

Delegate was there among the

facilitators of the retreat. After the

retreat there was a short visit to

Kafue Gorge.

:: FIRST PROFESSIONS ::

Lusaka (ZAMBIA) 15/08/2013.

The Provincial Superior of ZMB, Fr.

George Chalissery, has received the

vows of the 7 novices of ZMB and

AFM. The ceremony took place in

the parking place of the Provincial

House. FMA’s and Salesian

Cooperators were among the

invited guests.

:: FINAL PROFESSIONS IN

MALAWI ::

Lilongwe (MALAWI) 28/7/13.

Three of our ZMB confreres have

made their final vows in Lilongwe,

Alphoncious Hamweete (Zambia),

Emmanuel G. Phiri and Emmanuel

M. Phiri (Malawi) in the presence of

Fr George Chalissery, Provincial

Superior of ZMB, and the parish

community of Don Bosco Parish.

Parents of our confreres were also

present in the event.

:: CAMPOBOSCO ::

Kabwe (ZAMBIA) 29/6/2013.

The Youth Ministry Department in

coordination with Fr Mariusz

Skowron organised the first

CampoBosco for ZMB, meant to

offer young people from our Vice-

Province the opportunity to study

more in depth the life of Don Bosco

as well as his Educative System.

The meeting took place in Kabwe

and participants came from

Mazabuka, Chingola, Lusaka,

Mukonchi and Kabwe.

:: BR WALTER GRADUATED

WITH FLYING COLOURS ::

Lusaka (ZAMBIA) 02/07/13.-

Br Walter Thyrniang has

successfully completed his

Master’s Degree at Cavendish

University - Lusaka. After a two-

year course, our young confrere

has achieved his Master’s Degree in

Project Management. Br Walter

now works in Mansa as the New

School Manager for Don Bosco

Secondary School.

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REFLECTION

Fo llowing Christ

in Affirm ing Oth ers

By Anthony Geoghegan SJ

I am sure that

there have been

moments in our lives

when we have experienced

being affirmed by other, when

some “significant other” gave us a

new sight into our own worth.

In the language of modern

psychology, the term 'affirmation'

or “to affirm” is quite commonly

used. We have the expression:

“S/he is an affirmed person” and

also the expression “s/he is an

affirming person”.

I think that the best book available

on the whole theory of affirmation

was written by the great German

Thomistic philosopher Joseph

Pieper. The title of Pieper's book is:

ABOUT LOVE. The very title of that

book gives us the key to the

meaning of “affirmation”.

The Latin word “Affirmare” means

to “make firm”, to make strong, to

give strength to. It implies assent,

agreement, consent, a willingness

to say “YES” to all that is good and

true and beautiful in God's creation.

And since human beings are at the

peak of the hierarchy of God's

creation, superior ontologically to

the brute animals and to the plants,

affirmation means especially

saying “Yes” to everything that is

good and true and beautiful in our

fellow human beings. Affirmation is

the acceptance of the goodness of

the OTHER person. Joseph Pieper

puts it beautifully when he states:

“At the essence of all maturing love

is affirmation”.

You are good, you are wonderful

You are good because you are you,

because you have great worth,

because you are God's creation,

God's work of art, God's

masterpiece.

You are good, not primarily because

you have done anything; you are

good, not primarily because you

have accomplished a great deal.

You are good, not primarily because

you are successful, but just because

you are you… a unique creation,

made in God's own image and

likeness, as the book of Genesis

teaches us (Gen 1:31).

“God created man in his own

image…

God saw all that He had made,

And indeed it was very good.”

There are different ways in which

we human beings can affirm each

other. Affirmation can be visual,

when we respond to another with a

smile. Affirmation can be verbal,

when we respond to another with

an encouraging word. Affirmation

can be tactile, for example when we

sincerely great another person with

a hand shake, a pat on the back or an

embrace. Our affirmation can also

be spiritual… when we share prayer

together in a genuine spirit and

atmosphere of Christian love.

The philosopher Joseph Pieper has

stated, as I mentioned earlier that

“at the essence of all maturing love

is affirmation.” Affirmation can only

be given as a free gift. And

affirmation can only be a gift if it is

graciously received by the other

person. St Thomas Aquinas wrote

“Love is the first gift; whatever else

is given to us becomes a gift only

through love”.

Love has been described as the

'affirmative of affirmatives'.

Love enlarges the vision;

Love expands the heart of man;

Love is the spirit of brotherhood;

Love is tenderness and compassion,

forgiveness and tolerance;

Love is dynamic motivation behind

every worthy purpose;

Love is the upward thrust that lifts

men to the heights, and the art of

love is God at work through you.

We might ask ourselves. What are

the effects of having been affirmed

by others and having affirmed

others? The good effects, the good

fruits are many.

I will gradually come to know and

feel who I am… I will gradually

become aware of my true identity;

I will come to a growing awareness

that I am different, but accepted;

I will have a growing awareness

that I belong, to this world and that I

can contribute to it, and that I am

contributing to it and helping to

develop it;

I will grow more confidently open

to what is to come, sensing in the

words of Anthony de Mello: “The

best is yet to come. Once we have

experienced affirmation, then we

will wish to share it with others. But

it is equally true that one, who has

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REFLECTION

FOLLOWING CHRIST IN AFFIRMING OTHERS

not been affirmed by others, will have great

difficulty affirming others, or it may be impossible

for him to affirm others.

It is a very useful exercise for us to sometimes,

consciously and with thanksgiving, call to mind the

'significant others in our personal life history who

affirmed us, and to reflect on the content of their

affirmations. It will motivate us to show our

thanksgiving to God for these 'angels of affirmation'

or 'angels of consolation' by being more ready to

affirm everything that is good, and true and desire

in others. If we wish to be affirmed, then we must

desire to affirm others.

There are some human beings who seek

affirmation, who plead for affirmation, and struggle

to win acceptance but they never seem to

experience the affirmation that they seek so much.

Why are they futile searchers? Probably because

they fail to affirm others. Their whole energies are

used up in trying to affirm themselves, perhaps by

doing many things, perhaps, by striving to achieve

success for the sake of success. Perhaps by always

trying to please people and so gain cheap

popularity. They forget that only another person

can affirm us and that affirmation is a gift which we

can never force another to give us. It is a free gift like

grace itself, like love itself. I think it is true that

people affirm us more on account of what we are

than on account of what we do.

At Christmas time people exchange gifts. But the

greatest gift that we can offer to another is to make

him aware of his worth, his value. We can only give

this gift through love. Love affirms the other as

other. Genuine love never desire to posses and

manipulate the other as mine.

We were suggesting the very useful exercise of

remembering the 'significant others'. We learned to

grow emotionally in the essentials of affirmation. To

grow in trust, recognition, acceptance, appreciation

and reverence for my own goodness. Those

'significant others in my life' affirm me, give me

strength while not robbing me of my own

individuality.

Those 'significant others' in my life move me with

joy to sing out in thanksgiving to God, the river of all

good gifts. “I am loved”. “I am worthwhile”. “I am

precious”… and each of these statements is true

because that is how Jesus, the 'most significant

other in my life' sees me… he loves me, in his eyes I

am worthwhile. In his sight I am precious – so

precious, so valuable that I was bought at a great

price, by the redeeming blood of the Son of God.

Jesus sees the good in me. Wonderfully created is a

mystery of God's love and I am his creature,

wonderfully created and still more wonderfully re-

created.

If we want to learn to grow in affirming others, let us

imitate Jesus, our model. The whole of the gospel is

just full of incidents in which Jesus affirmed people

in the course of his public life. And we could reflect

on the way Jesus affirmed them and the effect of his

affirmation on their lives.

Let me propose just one example of a person in the

gospel whose whole life was changed by the

affirming action of Jesus. That man was Simon Peter.

And the 'significant other' in the life of Simon the

fisherman was Jesus Christ himself. It was Jesus

who first gave Simon Peter a deep sense of his own

worth by choosing him, by selecting him to be the

Rock and that name-change was a sign of the special

vocation from God himself “you are Peter and upon

this rock I will build my church”. (Mt 16,18).

It was Jesus who selected Peter, along with James

and John, for the privileged experience of

witnessing his transfiguration on mouth Tabor, and

for the equally privileged experience of being

invited into the sorrow and agony. And most

amazing of all, it was Jesus who affirmed Peter and

confirmed him as shepherd of his flock after the

resurrection by the sea of Tiberius, in spite of the

fact that it was the same Peter who betrayed his

master three times during the passion saying, “I do

not know the man” (Mt 26,27). It was this same

Peter who publicly denied that he was a disciple of

Jesus when the maid on duty at the door of the high

priest's palace questioned him, “Aren't you another

of that man's disciple? He answered, “I am not” (Jn

18,17).

Peter was asked three times by Jesus on the

lakeshore, “Do you love me? And his solemn word

was, “Yes, Lord I love you … You know that I love you.

“Jn 21,15-17).

Immediately Jesus AFFIRMED PETER as Shepherd

of his flock… “Feed my lambs”… look after my sheep”

“Feed my sheep”.

Once affirmed by Jesus, the great 'significant other'

in his life Peter, having been strengthened by the

outpouring of the Holy Spirit, begins to affirm. We

find Peter's first great speech after Pentecost (Acts

2,14 ff).

And what could be more affirming than the early

Christians.

“You are a chosen race,

A royal priesthood,

A consecrated nation,

A people set apart to sing the praise of God who

called you of the darkness into his wonderful light

(1Pe 2).

ZMB Salesian Newslink

2 Pages 11-20

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2.1 Page 11

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REAPING WHAT YOU SOW

My Take of the Salesian Youth Rally in Kasama.

Traditional dace from Lufubu

Aspirants, Volunteers, Lay

people and the young

themselves tell the deepest

story between the

meaningful lines of their

poems and songs. Young as

there were they participated

better than some adults.

Maybe there are no

agriculture students in

Lufubu but I see that those

youngsters are growing up

very well.

Mass at Chishimba Falls - Kasama

Fr Jorge during confession

Fr Chester playing the accordion

B y chance I had the

wonderful

opportunity to

attend the

Salesian Youth Rally

organised by the Salesian

Sisters in Kasama recently.

Since I was an enthusiastic

participant I now want to

share contribution of the

amazing experience of

being present among the

young people.

1. Congratulations to the

Salesian Sisters (FMA) for

organising the event. They

did a fantastic job in every

way. The programme, the

food, accommodation and

entertainment were beyond

the expectation.

2. Fun as it was, the

organisers never lost focus.

They concentrated on the

theme and made sure it was

a spiritual and formative

experience. Even the trip to

the National heritage site

was linked to Prayer ,

education and cultural

episode. Yes, all the

sessions were classic, and

the enthusiasm was

demonstrated during

questioning, discussion,

counselling time and at the

confessional.

3. Again, the Salesians

Sisters deserve credit for

constructing simple and

functional facilities both for

regular education activities

as well as occasional events

such as the youth rally. I

must honestly say all of us

on the SDB's side should

learn from them.

4. The biggest number of

participants was from Don

Bosco Lufubu. I was

sceptical about them

because many were

children, but they put up

outstanding performances

under the expert leadership

of Fr. Czeslaw Lenczuk.

Their introductory show,

the musical item on the

theme, and the dances

during the Mass were

superb. They prepared it

very well. The combination

of an able Salesian leader,

5. Because I had no official

duty, I had time and was

free to mingle with the

throng of young people

(over 370 of them) most of

the time. I also noticed the

ever presence of fellow

Salesians (Priests and

Brothers), FMA Sisters,

Salesian Co-operators,

Teachers, Youth Leaders

and even Drivers among

the young and the young

people seemed very

comfortable with the

homely and friendly

environment. That was the

real Salesian Presence of

the famous “Valdocco

experience.”

How successful was the

degree of the Preventive

System I am not in a

position to evaluated, all I

can say is that, I saw happy

Salesians among young

people (which is rare today)

and the young people

enjoyed it.

I hope such event will be

repeated. I can honestly say

that some young people

spoke of their wish for

similar rallies in the near

future.

Once again, congratulations

to the Salesians Sisters

especially those who

played leading roles in

organising the event!

- Walter Thyrniang SDB

ZMB Salesian Newslink

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TpaisolhlaieonlmW vt eboroesrttthlwdteheYewenosouatrhtmlhdee.DPTyoaehpyte,ehptaharnseodgbrreetahlcimoegmimyooeueusaonefmgxtpfehreeoertmiiWenngYceDis what

makes it always new.

ZAMBIAN PILGRIMS, visiting

one of Sao Paulo’s biggest

green area for family leisure time.

“The visit to the park gave us a sense

of peace and tranquility.”

ZMB Salesian Newslink

MUTINTA MAPULANGA,

holding the Zambian flag

during the eucharistic

celebration held at

“Moses the Liberator” Small

Christian Community.

JAMES ZULU, MATEUS, MICHAEL

KELVIN, ANNIE, posing for a group

photo after their performance at

4th Centenary Park in Sao Paulo.

“Brazilians delighted us with their

Capoeira dance while they enjoyed

our traditional Zambian bits”.

2.3 Page 13

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ZAMBIAN PILGRIMS: Miriam &

Mundia, in the forefront on the first day

of their arrival in Brazil. The parish

community of Sao Paulo Apostolo

offered them the traditional Brazilian

dish “Fechoada”. “It reminded us of

our times in the boarding schools when

we used to eat beans; though this were

so delicious”.

CARD. SCHERER, during the closing mass

of the mission week at Sao Paulo before the

departure for Rio de Janeiro. In his homily,

Card. Scherer encouraged young people to

work harder in making the message of Christ

be heard far and wide, as it was the theme

of the WYD for Rio.

YOUNG PILGRIMS, during the send off mass

in Sao Paulo. The eucharistic celebration

concluded the Mission Week and all pilgrims

travelled to Rio immediately after.

IRVIN LUMANO SDB, carrying the cross

during the “procession of the martyrs”, a

custom in the Brazilian church to commemorate

the deceased members of the Christian community

who were murdered because of their work for

indigenous people and human rights.

ZMB Salesian Newslink

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TESTIMONY

By Irvin Lumano SDB

ROCK in

The massive presence of

the young Catholics at

Copacabana Beach has been a wonderful witness

to their faith: singing, praying and having good

time together. They did all they could to be there

with Pope Francis.

delegation of forty eight vibrant

A Zambians jetted off from Kenneth

Kaunda International airport to

Guarulhos International airport in Sao Paulo,

Brazil on 9th July 2013 and touched back on

Zambian soil on the 28th of July. It was a

journey that was not to begin in Zambia and

end in Rio with the Pope, nor when we came

back to Zambia; but a journey to have an

encounter with Christ together with the rest

of the youth from all corners of the world.

The first week was spent at the parish of St.

Paul the Apostle in the archdiocese of Sao

Paulo and thanks to Fr. Omir Oliveira SVD,

who made it possible; he once worked in

Zambia as a missionary for fifteen years. A

crowd of parishioners awaited us at

Guarulhos International Airport with much

enthusiasm and jubilation as though waiting

for long lost relatives yet we were strangers.

We felt so much at home within the first few

minutes of our arrival. We were driven to the

parish where the rest of the host families

were waiting to pick up their sons and

daughters from Zambia.

The week was packed with different

activities which included faith sharing, visits

to the small Christian communities, cultural

exchange programs and visits to different

parts of the town. It was an awesome

experience and I was very impressed by the

extent to which the concept of the small Christian community

has developed in that country. Each small Christian community

has its own chapel in their suburb and some charitable work

which they do such as taking care of children and the homeless

among many others depending on the need. Interesting is how

these communities were born. Most of them used to gather in

some small house or in someone's garage to pray and discuss the

need of the community which inspired them to push for the

rights of the people and to make the lives of the people better.

The priests go to celebrate mass in the small Christian

communities once per week, usually on Saturdays and Sundays,

which means they only meet in the main parish on major feasts.

In this, one can see the importance of the small Christian

community and how the church was born out of it. I have come to

learn how small Christian communities can have a major impact

on the lives of people in society.

The second week was the mission week, which marked the

beginning of the official program of the World Youth Day and we

spent it at St. Mark parish, also within Sao Paulo. Many other

activities were done including a visit to the museums. On the last

day in Sao Paulo, we had a send off Mass with the young people

and pilgrims who were hosted in the archdiocese with the

metropolitan Archbishop of Sao Paulo, Odilo Cardinal Scherer.

In Rio de Janeiro, we were hosted by the parish of Sao Afonso

Liguori who arranged families to host us in groups of about two

per family. We would meet every morning with other pilgrims

from English speaking countries with a bishop expounding on

the theme of the World Youth Day which was, “Go and make

disciples of all nations” (Mat 28:19) and other topics. On

Wednesday 24th July, the archbishop of Rio de Janeiro

celebrated mass on the world famous Copacabana beach at the

end of which the Prefect for the Congregation of the laity

Cardinal read to declare the 2013 WYD officially open on behalf

of the Pope who had gone to visit the famous Shrine of Our Lady

of Aparecida. The following day we had the welcoming of the

Pope Francis who humbly always referred to himself as bishop.

On Friday we had a beautiful way of the cross together with his

holiness Pope Francis.

At the first brush of the life style of today's youth, one would

think they care less about God and for me the over two million

young pilgrims from all over the world proved to all that many

young people know that a life without Christ is empty. There is

an insatiable thirst in them to have a meaningful life with Christ

at the centre of their lives.

No words can suffice to express our heartfelt gratitude to our

hosts for their hospitality. Despite the language difference, their

love and care during our stay proved true the anecdote which

says that where there is love, language is not a barrier. New

families were born of this encounter, differences of language and

race broken and in unison we made love a concrete experience.

It is my prayer and hope that this experience will be a strong

foundation for us to go out there and make disciples of all

nations.

ZMB Salesian Newslink

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S W Salesian World

ANS

(ANS - Moscow) 26/8/2013.-

Pilgrimage of the Relics of Don

Bosco. Between 17 and 25

August, the relics of Don Bosco

visited three large cities in Russia:

Rostov na Donu, Moscow and St

Petersburg. The pilgrimage to

Poland ended in Auschwitz on 17

August and the next day the relics

of Don Bosco were brought to the

city of Rostov na Donu. They were

received at the airport by fr

Zbigniew Bartoszewski, Rector of

the Salesian House at Rostov,

together with a large group of the

faithful.

Conchucos district. Here are some

excerpts from that letter and the

Rector Major’s reply: Fr Santilli

beging by describing the joint

visit he made with Klement to

these missions in the high plains,

to Pucallpa and the Alto

Amazonas, where he met Fr Diego

Clavijo, Permanent Deacons,

Ministers of Eucharist and the

word. “The testimonies were vivid

and poignant. One gets a sense of

the great work of evangelisation,

and especially of Fr Bola’s

personally - he has the stature of

the great evengeliser and saint.”

(ANS - Lubumbashi)

14/8/2013. Fr Basañes Starts

the Extraordinary Visitation.

Friday, 9 August, Fr Guillermo

Basañes, representing the Rector

Major, arrived in Lubumbashi to

start the Extraordinary Visitation

for the Central Africa Province

(AFC).

The Extraordinary Visitation is a

moment of grace for the Province,

during which it can directly

experience the attention and

paternal care of the superiors of

the Congregation. Fr Basañes gave

a good example of that by making

a visit, already in the evening of

Friday 9, to the Salesian

Community of Carrefour, which

hosues the elderly and sick

Salesians of the Province.

(ANS - Lima) 16/8/2013.-

Solidarity for the difficult

situation at San Luis Mission.

On 14 August last ANS published a

brief news item and photo

regarding the visit that Fr Vaclav

Klement, Councillor for the

Salesian Missions, made to the

indignous Achuar group at

Kuyntsa in the Yurimaguas

Vicariate; on that same day Fr

Vicente Santilli, sent a letter to the

Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chavez,

telling him of the difficult

situation they are going through

at San Luis, a mission parish in the

(ANS - Kamuli) 12/8/2013.-

Youth Forum 2013. Wednesday,

August 7, 2013. The Youth Forum

for the Vice Province of Africa

Great Lakes (AGL) was held in the

Salesian house of Kamuli, Uganda.

The event, organised by the AGL

youth ministry team, was

attended by about 250 young

people, who wanted to explore

the theme: “Pedagogy of joy”

proposed by the Rector Major for

this year’s pastoral animation.

Many Salesians were present for

this event, among them were the

Superior of the Vice Province, Fr

Camiel Swetvagher, the Delegate

for Youth Ministry, Fr Jean Pierre

Turabanye and Fr Lazar Arasu,

director of the community of

Kamuli. They encouraged the

boys to find their joy in Jesus.

(ANS - Asuncion) 6/8/2013.-

Ordination of Bishop Gabriel

N. Escobar Ayala, SDB.

On Saturday 3, August, at the

Shrine of Mary Help of Christians

in Asuncion, Fr Gabriel N. Ayala

Escobar, SDB, the new Bishop of

Paraguayan Apostolic Vicariate of

Chacho, was ordained bishop.

The new bishop is responsible for

a community of 20,000 people.

ZMB Salesian Newslink

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THINKING POINT

By Walter Thyrniang SDB, MA

The example of

POPE

FRANCIS

Hello Thinking people.

Pope Francis has captivated my

attention from the day of his election.

I have never heard of this person

before that moment when he came

out to greet the pilgrims in a simply, honest and

yet -very touching way. And since then he has

been living that spirit.

Recently I read about the Colombian priest who

after hearing the words of Pope Francis on

austerity, sold his Mercedes Benz to use a bicycle

instead joyfully declaring: "I have no problem

with that".

During the talk to 6000 Seminarians on 8 July,

2013 the Pontiff challenged them frankly on the

values of consecration. He emphasised on the

need of making Christ the centre of their lives.

While speaking about the joy in ones' vocation, he

stated that it does not come from owning the

latest Smart phone, “I tell you sincerely, it pains

me when I see a priest or a nun with the latest

automobile," he said. A religious without joy

indicates a problem of satisfaction with one self

and the community since religious life must be

"chaste and fertile at the same time". He even said

that it is better to have" the worst seminary than

no seminary" while speaking about community

life. He was so bold when speaking about poverty;

and I feel as if he is speaking to us in ZMB who are

claiming to be poor because "we have no money"

and have been singing the song of financial

difficulty, but still failing to practice austerity.

"When an institution or parish (may I add a vice

province) is seen placing importance on money, it

is not doing good, because “it is through our life

ZMB Salesian Newslink

that others need to read the Gospel from. He said

to the applause of those present: “...and if you

like a nice car, think only of how many children

die of hunger in the world.” I am deeply

challenged by these words in front of what I see

in ZMB.

I was so glad to see the final profession of our

three confreres in Lilongwe, which reminded

me of the day I too made mine in that very place.

And yes there are those on the way to the

priesthood and religious life that gives us joy

and hope: it is very encouraging! Nevertheless,

while reading the lamentation of the provincial

in his circular letter, about the many brothers

who have decided or were advised to leave the

Salesian life; it is also a painful experience.

My thinking point is focused on the manner I am

living my religious life as a Salesian. Often I think

I have gone back to collect the very things I

promised God that I would leave behind: money,

gadgets, cars, freedom and attachment to

positions of authority, place or particular

friends. When I was a confrere in temporary

vows, I was somehow restricted to those things

and I avoided them because of fear rather than

conviction. Today I am collecting them in the

justification of my Mission. It is but a hypocrite

appease of my conscience. I am definitely not

witnessing the values I professed or the

principles I preach from the pulpit.

Concluding his address, the Pope invited the

seminarians and religious men and women to

avoid being “bachelors or bachelorettes”, but to

have apostolic fertility. Perhaps it isn't this the

call for us in ZMB today?

What do you think?

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A man sent by God: DON BOSCO

The Campo Bosco is a meeting of young people who gather around the

figure of St John Bosco to know more about his life, his pastoral approach to

the work on behalf of youth and his path to holiness.

It is a journey to get to know him more and know the history behind, the

places where he lived and the way he interacted with time and history in

order to provoke reflection.

Originally the idea comes from the Salesians in Europe who sought to

gather young people and with them make a journey to the birth place of St

John Bosco in order to live with them the experience of the oratory and see,

touch, walk in the same places where Don Bosco lived and worked.

The Campo Bosco in ZMB is an experience of study, reflection and

awareness that Don Bosco’s charismatic figure is alive and continues to

guide Salesians and young people towards holiness.

The Campo Bosco is a combination of two words: “Campo” that in English

can be translated as “Camp”, which is an open space for temporary

accommodation and the word “Bosco” which is the family name of St John

Bosco the founder of the Salesian Movement and the inspiration for so

many young people worldwide.

Campo Bosco is also an experience of living together as friends and day by

day becoming a family.

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DID YOU KNOW

THAT…

by Dn. Jerome Bwalya sdb

1. The Current Pope – Pope Francis was

baptised by a Salesian Missionary from Italy,

who went to South America - Fr Enriko Pozzoli

SDB. He was baptised on Christmas night, in

1936 in the basilica of “Mary Help of

Christians”. Fr Enriko Pozzoli lived in

Argentina from 1906 until his death in 1961.

He left Italy as a young priest to work in South

America and he was a 'very important figure

and model of priestly life' for Pope Francis.

2. In all the countries that make up ZMB Vice-

Province (Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and

Zimbabwe), there has been a few “Don Bosco

Schools” before the coming of the Salesians;

these schools were/are not built/run by the

Salesians. In Malawi there is “Don Bosco High

School” in Mzimba Boma (Muzuzu Diocese), in

Namibia there is “Don Bosco Primary” in

Keetmanshoop, (Keetmanshoop Diocese). In

Zimbabwe there is “Don Bosco High School” in

Masvingo (Masvingo Diocese). In Zambia yet

to be discovered.

3. Among the “Local Salesian Priests” only Fr

Mulenga OrswaLd and Fr Kunda Christopher

were ordained by a Salesian Bishop. Fr. Oswald

Mulenga was ordained in 2005 in Chingola by

Bishop Gaston Ruvezi SDB from Congo D.R.

(Bishop of Sakania – Kipushi Diocese). Fr

Kunda Christopher was ordained in 2012 in

Lusaka by Bishop Mulenga Clement SDB

(Bishop of Kabwe Diocese). Both were the last

ones to do “Philosophy and Youth Ministry” in

Moshi (Tanzania); and they both finished in

1999. Both had their first appointment as

Assistant Parish Priest of St. Paul's Parish –

Nkhotakota, Malawi.

4. Br. Walter Thyrniang is the first Salesian in

initial formation to do his Pastoral Training in

Namibia. And he was the first Salesian to make

his Final Vows in Malawi. He made his final

vows on 31st July 2005. Note that only Salesian

ZMB Salesian Newslink

Br Walter while a Practical

in Rundu (Namibia)

Trainee

From Lefatn: dFrFCr aPsiiomtrirBSoroycchzak,aFirnCBaasuimleinri.Cichecki

Brothers (Coadjutors) have been

pioneers/first to make final vows in all our

countries of ZMB Vice Province where such

celebration has been held so far (Br Sylvester

Makumba in Zambia in 1995 and Br Walter in

Malawi in 2005. Namibia and Zimbabwe still

on hold.

5. T h e D e c re e o f I n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e

Circumscription of ZMB (under the title 'Mary

Help of Christians') was issued on 24th July

1994 by the Rector Major Don Egidio Vigano.

Fr. Peter Boryczka was appointed as its first

superior. Hence we ceased to be a delegation of

the Warsaw Province. Remember that next

year 2014, we shall be celebrating 20 years of

the creation of ZMB Vice-Province.

6. AGONY is when the “Salesian Superiors”

from Rome (Italy) come to visit your

community and discover that most of the DVDs

from Missioni Don Bosco are not opened and

are still with plastics, and then they open it for

you and starting watching them. Worse off is

when among the un-opened DVD; there is one

which is a Strenna for that year.

7. The last three of the twelve founder

fathers/pioneers of the Salesians in ZMB vice-

province (Frs. Paul Dziatkiewick, Fr. Stan

Jagodzinski and Fr. Peter Boryczka) to leave

ZMB vice province either on medical grounds

or on contract with other province or

permanently or any other reasons, left the

province while working in Malawi.

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INITIAL

MY LIFE EXPERIENCE IN PRE- NOVITIATE

FORMATION

By novice John Chabu

John Chabu and Christopher Nonde

Fr John Bosco and Gabriel Mwenya SDB

Paul Nkandu and Joseph Lanjesi

I and the three other Zambians entered the Pre-novitiate

formation house on the 7th of September 2012, around

20:30hrs accompanied by Fr J. Antonio. We were warmly

welcomed by brothers Vernon, Gabriel and David since the

rector of the community, by then Fr. Slawek Bartodziej, had

gone to Poland for the funeral of his father in Poland. Then a

week later four new comers arrived from Malawi and joined the

gruop to make a complete batch of eight pre-novices.

When I just entered the community my mind was preoccupied

with lot questions of what to expect from this enormous place,

made up of people of different countries, background and

culture. I was so enthusiastic by being in Chingola though not

sure whether I was going to be happy and enjoy my stay, or it

was just a waste of time as I heard other people say.

The first month was quiet hard as everything was quiet new to

me, though I had a bit of exposure to Salesian life when I was an

aspirant in Bauleni community in Lusaka with Fr. Chisanga. It

was a bit hard to open-up and share everything with everyone,

especially with the Malawians, for it was my first time to

associate with people from other countries. There were

moments when we could misunderstand each other even at a

point of shouting at each other. Despite such moments, which at

first I regarded to be bad occurrences, I never even liked to think

of them, yet later on I came to appreciate and cherish those

times, for being part of my experience during my stay in pre-

novitiate. Why..? Because they gave meaning and answers to the

question of why having a year of Pre-Novitiate instead of going

directly to the Novitiate. I slowly discover that it was meant to

be a moment of discernment. It mainly focused on the human

growth. I saw how important was to learn to live with others in

community, sharing our lives and skills. Hence, this was a

special moment of grace which helped me to know and

understand myself and others better and to see that I was not

stagnant in my relationship to the others, not only to my fellow

Pre-Novices, but even to the young people, both in the school

and the oratory, who were so cheerful and helpful.

We were guided by a timetable which consisted of having time

for waking up, prayers, meals, classes and study, oratory and

recreation. All these programs were of great help to us, for they

proved to us that we did not only pass through Pre-Novitiate,

but it passed through us too! As Don Bosco would say, “that you

are young is enough for me to love you cause for you I live, study,

work and I'm even ready to give up my life for you.” For Don

Bosco wanted is youngsters to find joy, peace and love in being

honest citizens because of being good Christians. Even today,

through the Salesians, he is looking for future followers who

will be signs and bearers of God's love to the young people.

A word of thanks to our Pre-novice Director, Fr Bosco Mulenga

and the entire community, for being there for us when we

needed them most during our second stage in our formation

journey.

ZMB Salesian Newslink

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TESTIMONIES

DO Miracles

Happen

By Fr Michael Mbandama SDB

T T he 28th of July 2012 was a long awaited day for the

arrival of the relics of Don Bosco. In a culture

where death is very much respected, it was very difficult to

start explaining to the people what this entire visit would

mean. In Malawi as in most parts of Africa, an announcement

of death is very touching and very involving. It is a

community task and usually if it happens in the evening it is

then announced by a whistle blow throughout the perimeters

of the village accompanied by a voice announcing the death.

If there is a funeral, the whole neighbourhood is obliged to

attend.

The day the Casket of Don Bosco was arriving from

Nkhotakota, our main market of area 23 was full of people

waiting to see what this is all about. The thinking before was

that students from Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute

would welcome Don Bosco as he arrives but what was well

thought and arranged became a disaster to those who saw the

all welcome arrangements. We could hear other confreres

commenting that the welcoming and sending off in Harare

was spectacular, or that the welcoming and the sending off

from Zambia was smooth, but it was in this context that a

miracle happened.

On the arrival day after mass, people started gathering

around the Casket of Don Bosco praying and actually most of

them unnoticed because they really wanted God to touch

them through the intercession of St John Bosco. A woman

from St Joseph Small Christian community in our parish was

there too though in great pain. She was there to pray.

Originally she is not from Don Bosco Parish but from Balaka

and an outstation of a neighbouring parish. She had a

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problem with her right hip and she struggled with it for the

past nine years. Being a retired teacher she thought of helping

here and there teaching the catholic faith but the condition of

the leg would not allow her and hence she ended up moving

from one hospital to the other without any help coming her

way.

The last chance according to her was just to go to S.O.S.

Hospital, but at S.O.S Hospital they couldn't help her either,

so she was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital where she

stayed for four days awaiting her surgical operation. As she

was waiting for the operation that morning, the medical

assistant came and told her that she needed to pay

MK2,000,000 for an operation to be done or else she would

be discharged immediately. Her hip was damaged the doctor

said and she would be protected only by fixing a metal piece

inside the hip but quite costly. Understanding her situation,

she withdrew but complained bitterly and actually said that

her last chance of getting help from the hospital was over.

She cried but the son comforted her by asking her to stay with

him for some days before going back to the village. The son's

home is just few metres from Don Bosco Campus so upon

hearing that the Casket of Don Bosco was coming, she asked

the son if she could stay some more days with him so that she

could see the Casket of Don Bosco a chance she missed when

the figure of St Philomena was brought to Balaka. Anyway

she was not feeling well that day when the Casket arrived but

asked the son to drop her off and later spend the whole night

praying with the charismatic group. In the morning she

thought of attending the morning mass but couldn't manage

because she started feeling very bad. She called the son to

pick her up so that she could go and rest but felt very bad not

to attend mass that day the 30th of July. But however she

went and the whole day she slept and never actually woke up.

Food was taken to her bedroom but felt worse than before. In

the morning when she woke up, she felt better and tried to

stretch up and actually she did. As usual she picked the

crutches but asked herself why she was taking the crutches

when actually she was not feeling any pain. She immediately

put the crutches down and tried to walk in doubt but actually

she managed to walk. She decided to move out of her

bedroom to the sitting room where she found her daughter in-

law seated in the living room and just laughed at her. The

grandchildren started laughing and mocking her but actually

she managed to walk without any problem; those who were

laughing at her became a little bit curious and wanted to

know what really happened because by now she was fine and

no longer in pain, besides, she was able to walk freely

without any help.

With this she called for a priest from Don Bosco Parish so

that she could explain what she experienced during the visit

of Don Bosco. I went with Brother Chifundo to the house to

hear a testimony of God's greatness. She said that she knelt

before Don Bosco asking him to pray for her to God for the

gift of healing. She added that she accepted the message from

the Doctors but believed that one day God will answer her

prayers. She also told us that she always prayed the Rosary

and was testifying before many Christians around there that

there is power in the Rosary. On the following Saturday she

came again walking all by herself as a public testimony that

the miracle actually happened and said farewell to the parish

priest, thankful for God's kindness.

3 Pages 21-30

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3.1 Page 21

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SALESIAN FAMILY

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

A reflection from Fr Jorge Ormeño on the elements which bind up the Salesian Family as an

entity for the service of the mission whilst keeping each its own indentity

e can only explain

W the Salesians

Family looking at it

from the point of

Panel of the Salesian Family (SDB, FMA, Salesian Cooperators)

during the Salesian Youth Rally in Kasama.

view of God. It is God that brings

together people from any gender

(male or female); any way of life

(single, married, consecrated);

any vocation (secular or

religious) in a great variety of

social, cultural and geographical

backgrounds in order to live a

common project of life:

participate in the Salesian

mission at the service of the

young and the promotion of the

Christian humanism. The ties God unites

them all are interior, charismatic and spiritual

and are expressed in concrete by a shared

Christian identity and a common mission,

spirituality and history.

The Christian identity enables the unity of the

Salesian Family: the unity of what we are.

The different groups of the Salesian Family

temples of the Holy

Spirit. We are his in the

real sense of the word.

However being his, we

have also come to be

related to each other: we

have become a big family,

the Family of God. God

has called us to put aside

the natural reservations

we have for each other;

Jesus has given us an

example to work together

for the good of his

have God as the source of people; the Holy Spirit

their communion. First has given us a particular

of all, we are all children way of being children of

of God. We have been God akin to Don Bosco

sealed with a covenant and also to each other.

with God on the day of The common mission

our baptism. We have gives the Salesian Family

entered into a close a unity in what they want

relationship with God: to do. God called Don

we are children of the Bosco for a specific

Father, brothers and mission. God gave him a

sisters of Jesus and vocation: to be a father

and an apostle. Don

The differences within the groups Salesian Family are Bosco was a father and

evident, but there are several elements that speak of

its unity.

teacher to his young

people, an educator to the

working classes and a

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3.2 Page 22

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SALESIAN FAMILY

promoter of Christian humanism. Don Bosco

carried out his vocation with God's assistance,

some people around him and by setting up some

concrete charitable works. God endowed Don

Bosco with some charisma, both personal and in

benefit for his mission. Every group and every

member of the Salesian Family are also

endowed with some charisma to carry out the

Salesian mission.

The common spirituality offers the Salesian

Family a unity in the way they do things. The

groups of the Salesian Family do things the way

Don Bosco was doing them, that is, the way God

inspired Don Bosco to do them, sharing his

spirit. Don Bosco was a master of building

relationships based in loving kindness, being

simple and concrete in his approach to God and

man, showing joy and optimism in his approach

to life, untiringly working for the good of all. The

groups and each member of the Salesian Family

live out the different elements of the Salesian

Spirituality of Don Bosco and recognize

themselves in them.

The common history provides the Salesian

Family with a unity of past, present and future.

There are several decisions taken by Don Bosco

that shaped his spiritual family at Valdocco: the

devotion to the Eucharist and Mary Help of

Christians, the practice of the Christian

Humanism of St. Francis de Sales, the

commitment to the defence of the Church, the

filial loyalty to the Pope, the responsible

participation in the life of the civil society and

the dedication for his advancement, the

commitment to education of the young people

and the working classes.

The differences within the groups Salesian

Family are evident, but there are several

elements that speak of its unity. Maybe the last

one to be mentioned is the fact that they want to

be together and have the successor of Don Bosco

as the father of this vast family.

First Professions: 15.8.2013

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3.3 Page 23

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Youth Forum

By Sharon Mubanga

FAITH

Life sometimes is so hard, indeed challenging and complicated at

the same time. I, have gone through a lot of challenges in my life,

Yes! many obstacles. It is sad to have a father who doesn't care

about you (his own blood) and the whole family. Through

experience of having heartless father, I indeed thank God for the

gift of faith for it is through that that God wants me to be strong in

my faith. He never lets His children down, rather shows them the

path to eternal happiness. Besides the hardships undergone and

still undergoing, I believe that one day things will be fine for me no

matter what, God will not fail me.

A God sent Don Bosco into the church giving him a zealous heart for

the young people. Yes! you and me through the opening of the

oratories. It is through Don Bosco's oratory that I found a

conducive environment to learn with a vision of becoming a good

citizen and a good leader. It is also through Don Bosco's school

that I am able to find the man of my life as part of fulfillment of my

vocation dreams for we are called to serve God in different paths

of life.

So I just want to encourage you my fellow youths out there that

you never lose heart in unfriendly situations, rather trust in God.

Life will corner you left and right but know that God is the only

answer to all the questions that stirs up our hearts. You only need

to have faith in Jesus, as we are in the year of faith too. Let Jesus be

the pillar of your life.

I know some young people are still in the dark, thinking they are

enjoying life through immoral behaviour. My advice to you is that

better you let go these misleading behaviors. God is waiting for

you for He loves you so much despite displeasing things done to

him (GOD).

H So why not let go the works of darkness? In my case through faith I

have become who I am today since life has to be dynamic. As said

already, it is all through faith and unceasing prayers that things

change in one's life. My brothers and sisters we cannot run away

from challenges as far as life is concerned. No one is born with a

silver spoon in the mouth; rather it is through working tooth and

nail that we become successful in life. One day you shall become

who you dream to be through faith in God. Remember the little

dreamer (Don Bosco) and all that he went through in life. Shun

with thanks for your dedication and away from idleness and be in an intimate relationship with God

then you shall see the wonders in your life.

service to the Church... Thank God for you bear Christ's name.

(1 Peter 4:16) one love!!!!!!!!!!

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ROADMAP

zmbsocialc@salesianszmb.org

1. Bauleni (ZAMBIA) Meeting of the Salesian

ordination and Coadjutors in perpetual vows.

Cooperators with Fr Guillermo Basañes on

Fr Alphonse Owudou facilitated the meeting

occasion of his visit to Zambia.

together with Fr George Chalissery.

2. Bauleni (ZAMBIA): Bishop Clement

7. Sao Paulo (BRAZIL): Various moments of the

Mulenga, Fr Mbongiseni and Fr Guillermo

WYD. Gathering with Card. Scherer for the

Basañes on an informal visit to Bauleni

Send Off mass. 8. Cultural Presentation of

Parish.

the Zambian Delegation. 9. Brazilian Dance

3. Pope-Square Lusaka (ZAMBIA): Fr Andrew

“Capoeira” during the Mission Week.

Reut during the celebrations of Life Matters’ 10. Livinstone (ZAMBIA): Fr Jorge Ormeño

Day for the Archdiocese of Lusaka.

together with the novices during a visit to the

4. Chingola (ZAMBIA): Cl Gabriel Mwenya,

Victoria Falls before the first professions.

acting principal of the Don Bosco Technical 11. Kabwe (ZAMBIA): Golden Jubilee of

School addressing the students in

Religious Profession Fr Andrew Dzieborski.

preparation to the final exams.

12. Bauleni - Lusaka (ZAMBIA): Cl Maurice

5. Kasisi - Lusaka (ZAMBIA): Fr. Alphonse

Tichi addressing a group of youngsters

Owudou together with the participants to

during a seminar on faith issues.

the II Annual Retreat.

13. Card. Medardo Mazombe dies on 29 August

6. Chingola (ZAMBIA): Ongoing Formation

2013, at the age of 81 at Lusaka Orthopedic

Meeting of confreres under 5 years of

Hospital.