Cagliero 12 - dicembre 2012-ING


Cagliero 12 - dicembre 2012-ING

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Nome società
Titolo n otiziario
Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation
A Publication of the Mission Department for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Mission
D ear Salesian missionaries
and friends of the Salesian
Missions!
A few weeks ago I received a very
valuable gift in Japan. Sr. Rosa, an
FMA of 82, painted during the Spiri-
tual retreat the whole journey of
faith of Mary. She drew on a 4 me-
ter roll of paper the journey from
the Virgin’s YES up to the upper
room while awaiting for Pentecost
with the Apostles. The roll recalls
the foundation of our Christian life
- the journey of faith can never be
stopped!
On the right hand side of the trip-
tych of Aparecida given by Bene-
dict XVI to the Church in America in
2007 there are three scenes from
the Bible depicting listening, and
on the left hand side three other
scenes of proclamation. The dy-
namics of a living faith are simple -
Listen to Jesus (Come to me!) and
be sent by Jesus (Go and proclaim)!
In the journey of Advent 2012 I in-
vite all to live with a heart more
open to Christ Jesus. We meet him
in the Word and the Eucharist, but
also in our young people, especially
non-Christians. Thanks to the young
people - who are awaiting our wit-
ness and word of faith – we can live
more fully the missionary mandate
of Jesus!
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB
Councilor for the Missions
Rediscover the experience of the Salesian
“sodalities” and of missionary groups
I n the November 2012 issue of the Italian Salesian Bulletin
Fr. Pascual Chávez wrote that «almost instinctively, Don
Bosco felt the importance of “social reinforcement” in the for-
mation of young people, especially those formed by friends and
peers. Young people need friends like the air they breathe. The
gang, peer group, group of friends can badly influence even
the well educated youth. Don Bosco, in his genial pedagogical
instinct, invented a “place” for friends which brings out the
best in them».
The Rector Major underlined that «social ties and friendships
are an important protective factor. A person is satisfied when
he feels recognised, endorsed, supported, treated with kind-
ness by people with whom he lives ... the “sodalities” devel-
oped from these insights as original and fruitful experience of
youth groups, and became part of the Salesian panorama. To-
day, the charismatic heritage is passed on to the Salesian
Youth Movement (SYM). It is an educative movement offered to
all young people, to make them subjects and protagonists of
their own human and Christian growth, with a will to have an
influence in the neighborhood and in civil society in which it is
inserted and make its contribution to the local church».
It is also in this light that the missionary groups in every Sale-
sian presence fosters the revival of the missionary conscious-
ness of young people and of the whole Educative Pastoral Com-
munity in order to achieve new levels of faith and commit-
ment, with a specific interest in sharing their faith in Christ,
witness of life, and Christian solidarity. As a result, the mis-
sionary group revitalises the enthusiasm for the faith and the
fascination for the Salesian charism. It helps to «overcome
faith fatigue and rediscover the joy of being Christians, of be-
ing sustained by the inner happiness of knowing Christ and be-
longing to his Church» (Benedict XVI). This, in turn, stirs up the
ardour that gives birth to new vocations.
May Christ be the centre of our Christmas celebrations!
Happy New Year 2013!

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God blesses the generous giver
While participating in youth groups during my adolescence I often heard
the experiences of missionaries who narrated to us their adventures and difficulties. This
awakened in me the desire to be a priest and work in foreign lands surrounded by many young peo-
ple. I think that for the first time it made me think seriously about God's call to follow him more
closely. On the other hand the witness of so many priests who were fully committed to their priestly
ministry while seeing in their faces the joy in what they did motivated me to give my response to
God. Seeing the problems of the world especially of the youth, later made me ask myself if Jesus
Christ had given his life for me why can’t I dedicate mine
for the good of others, as a response to His great love?
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of our Salesian
Congregation the Rector Major Fr. Pascual Chávez asked
each Province to send 1 Salesian as missionary. I had ap-
plied to be a missionary during my novitiate so I reminded
my Provincial of this desire of mine to which he graciously
acceded to.
Many people asked me «Mexico needs missionaries, why do
you want to be a missionary ad gentes? » Little by little I
discovered that faith must be lived without borders and
that if God gives one the gift of the missionary vocation he
must respond to it with generosity. God does not allow that
the place left by a missionary to go to other places remains
empty, God blesses the generous giver. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said «give until it hurts»,
which means give from our poverty. This is what my Province has done with my becoming a mission-
ary. Yet Mexico needs so many missionaries to awaken the lethargic faith of many people, to give
hope to many people living in fear, insecurity, spiritual and material poverty, it also needs mission-
aries who are passionate about the ideals of Jesus Christ. I truly believe that through our witness of
life and the joy of living this call of God, He Himself will raise up among our young people vocations
to work for the needy in Mexico and world over.
God has called me to work in Peru. As a Salesian missionary I am immensely happy in living my voca-
tion because I feel the close presence of God who has called me to share his mission in other lands,
with other young people. I know God has big plans for me and I'm willing to say "yes" with the help of
our Mother, Help of Christians.
To young Salesians I say: If God calls you to be a missionary do not hesitate to answer his call. You
will see that God will bless you greatly. Live your life worthily by giving it to God in the place where
He will send you. Be generous with him and you will experience the fullness of joy!
Fr. Alfonso Abarca Patricio
Mexican, missionary in Peru
Salesian Missionary Intention
Mission for Hispanic migrants in the United States
That the Salesians of the American continent are made aware of the
phenomenon of migration in order to prepare a regional plan in this regard .
International migration in the whole American continent is one of the most important
signs of our times. It has grown dramatically over the last twenty years. Statistics tell us
that now there are about 50 million Hispanic migrants in the United States, making up
70% of the Catholic community of the country. Due to the lack of pastors about 600,000 migrant Catholics in the
United States leave the Church each year. During the 2011 team visit to the 13 Provinces of the American continent,
the Rector Major has called on all Provinces in the region to raise the awareness of confreres regarding the phe-
nomenon of migration and to prepare a regional plan in this regard.
All previous issues of "Cagliero 11" are available at purl.org/sdb/sdl/Cagliero