Cagliero 11 - Maggio 2012 - ING


Cagliero 11 - Maggio 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
Praying for missionaries
T he proclamation of the Gospel is made
effective, with the grace of God, when it
is accompanied by prayer. So, the pri-
rivitalises the whole
Salesian Community
mary prerequisite of the mission is the mission-
ary’s deep relationship with God (Redemptoris Missio, 78). On the other hand, everyone has the op-
portunity to collaborate with the Church's missionary activity through prayer, sacrifice and accep-
tance of sufferings in life, and offering these to God with love for the missionary apostolate of the
Church, and for the missionaries who are often either in hostile situations or are suffering due to per-
secution. The prayer of every Salesian community is always animated by the missionary trait of Don
Bosco’s Da mihi animas. All the confreres, especially the elderly and sick, are also missionaries when
they offer their prayers and suffering for missionaries and for missionary vocations!
It is in this light that every year a prayer card based on the theme of the Salesian Mission Day is
printed and distributed to all communities. In some places there is also the practice of praying the
rosary missionary or to abstain from something during Lent and offer
its cash equivalent for the mission. Prayer and sacrifice for the mis-
sionaries foster greater love for the Church and growth of missionary
trait that revitalizes the entire local and Province community.
It is for this reason that, under the leadership of Fr. T.C. George, Re-
gional Delegate for Missionary Animation of South Asia, that the
«Prayer Mission Hub» was launched by the Rector Major on Feb 22,
2011 to promote an apostolate of prayer for a springtime of mission-
ary fervour which will bear abundant fruits in the South Asian region.
Prayer requests for mission areas, for the Provinces or specific situa-
tions are sent to the missionary group of the Kristu Jyoti Salesian Theologate in Bangalore, India
(prayermissionhub@gmail.com). The group functions as a hub. It, then, forwards these requests to
missionary groups, formation houses, and individuals in the region creating a missionary movement of
prayer!
For additional copies of the prayer card for the Salesian Mission Day 2012 write to srafalko@sdb.org
May 24th - Day of Payer
for the Church in China
«O Lord, comfort China and those perse-
cuted for Christ in that great country:
Grant them joy in their communion with the universal Church. Bless them so
that the seed they plant during their years of sufferings, patience and love will
be richly harvested.
Grant mercy, O Lord, to those brothers and sisters who chose to be separated
from you; may they return to the one fold and One Shepherd».
Ignatius Cardinal Kung, Bishop of Shanghai (1991)

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The witness of life of the Salesian missionaries in East Timor
is the foundation of my missionary vocation
T he first time met the Salesians was at the Salesian Oratory. Living with the
Salesians, especially with the missionaries during my pre aspirantate and
aspirantate for six years, was a wonderful and unforgettable experience for
me. I believe the Lord has revealed to me his face and his love through the wit-
ness of tireless work of Salesian missionaries, their presence among us and their
generous spirit. I am convinced that they were mediators of God's love for our
people and our country especially for young people. It was this experience that
gave birth to my missionary vocation.
After my practical training, while I was in Jakarta, Indonesia, I had the opportu-
nity to reflect more about my missionary life. After a long period of discernment
and dialogue with my Provincial, I expressed my desire to be a missionary by writ-
ing my application to the Rector Major and was destined to Argentina. I attended
the Course for New Missionaries in Rome and Turin in September 2008 and received the missionary cross
from the hands of Fr. Pascual Chávez at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians. I arrived in Argentina on
October 1, 2008, the memorial of Saint Therese, patroness of the
missions.
In Patagonia, I learnt the language and local culture, and I
had my first pastoral experience among the youth of the parish. It
was a very beautiful experience of fraternal and apostolic life, in
particular with the natives of Patagonia Plateau Gangan, Trelew,
Chubut. It cannot be denied that the first few months cost me a
lot because of the language, climate and of culture shock. The tem-
perature is very different from that in Indonesia and Timor: Here it
is extremely cold in winter. I am grateful that so far I have not had
any problems and at the moment my health is fine. I am happy as a
missionary in Patagonia, the land dreamt by our father Don Bosco.
I thank God for my family who taught and transmitted to me the values of the Gospel and for the
gift of my Salesian and missionary vocation. Thanks to them I am here today among the confreres in Pata-
gonia. I am also grateful to the Salesians of East Timor who have accompanied me in my formation. Dur-
ing my initial introduction into this new culture and new people I felt comfortable, guided, supported and
loved by my Salesian community. My community has always been my support. Now I know that young peo-
ple of this land sincerely accept me as a friend and brother.
Cl. Natalino Venancio Freitas de Jesus
Timorese, Missionary in Patagonia-Argentina
Salesian Missionary Intention
ASIA - For the Church in China
That it may grow in ecclesial communion and that Chinese communities
abroad may be evangelised.
The Holy Father invites us every year precisely on the feast of Mary Help of
Christians, May 24, to pray for the Church in China. The Church is in a very com-
plex, delicate and painful situation. It is an invitation to pray that the official
and unofficial church may grow in communion, for true reconciliation and fidel-
ity to the Church of Jesus Christ, and to the Successor of Peter.
At the same time we also ask the Lord to send apostles to the communities of the Chinese diaspora,
now spread across all continents. The most recent wave alone of Chinese migrants in Africa, is already
more than 25 million.
We ask the Lord to raise up fervent missionaries to the Chinese living outside their homeland .
All previous issues of "Cagliero 11" are available at purl.org/sdb/sdl/Cagliero