Oceania is a fertile ground
for the Salesian charism
R ecently I have had an intense visit to the Salesian houses in sever-
al countries of Oceania. And the first thing that comes to my
mind is the joy and the certainty in realising that the missionary dream of
our beloved Father Don Bosco is underway !
Ho potuto vedere con i miei occhi un’enorme diversità culturale. … Per noi in Oceania è davvero un tempo
opportuno. In tutte le parti è urgente un annuncio audace e convincente di Gesù Cristo. Si percepisce subito
che c'è l’apertura al Vangelo. Si respira tra la gente la semplicità di chi sa accogliere il Vangelo come Buona
Novella. Da parte nostra sarà sempre necessario rispettare i tempi di ogni terra affinché i cuori e le menti si
aprano all'azione dello Spirito. Ciò che è importante è non smettere di seminare abbondantemente nel cuore
di ogni giovane: a suo tempo Egli saprà come e quando renderlo fecondo ….
This is a fertile ground for the charism to proclaim Jesus. A land where the charism bears fruit and grows
deep roots, and will still bear more fruit and grow deeper roots in the future, if we are faithful to Don Bosco
and youth of Oceania today.
It is my strongest desire then that this Salesian Mission Day may foster even more the growth of the apostolic
passion in our beloved Salesian Family!
Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB
Geographically, Oceania comprises the continent of
Australia, many islands, big and small, and vast ex-
panses of water. The sea and the land, the water and
the earth meet in endless ways, often striking the
human eye with great splendour and beauty. Alt-
hough Oceania is geographically very large, its popu-
lation is relatively small and unevenly distributed,
though it comprises a large number of indigenous and
migrant peoples. The great variety of languages to-
gether with the vast distances between islands and
areas make communication across the
region a particular challenge. In many
parts of Oceania, travelling by sea and
air is more important than travelling
by land.
The Salesians arrived in Australia in
1922. It is from the Province of Aus-
tralia that two courageous initiatives
have taken their origin. The first of
these took the Salesian charism to Sa-
moa in 1978 where it has given rise to many voca-
tions, linked with the formation of local catechists;
the second launched the Salesians in the Fijian Islands
in 1999. These are now in the processing of being
formed as the Pacific Delegation. The most recent
Pacific presence is in Auckland, New Zealand (since
2009).
Meanwhile Salesians from the Philippines opened a
difficult mission at Araimiri in Papua New Guinea in
1980, while Salesians from Japan opened a similarly
difficult mission at Tetere in the Solomon Islands in
1995. In these countries the mission is carried out in
poor areas among a population of which the majority
is Christian (and Catholics are a minority), but in
need of evangelisation and education for its young
people, as well as social development. Since 2005
these formed the Delegation of Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands.
To implant, and make the Salesian charism take root
and become inculturated in the young Churches of
Oceania, a great deal of patience is
needed if our spirit and activity is to
be faithfully expressed in local cul-
tures. This is a great challenge that
demands knowledge and love from
both the standpoint of the culture
concerned and that of Don Bosco and
the Congregation. Dialogue between
the cultures from which our confreres
come and those in which they are
working, together with the witness of a Salesian liv-
ing of the Gospel of Christ, is producing good results.
There is no doubt that our closeness to the people,
our presence among the young, and our educative and
pastoral style, with its welcoming friendliness and
family spirit, its religious and spiritual quality, draw
people to us and make us in general esteemed by the
local Church.
(cf. ACG 397)
Salesian Missionary Intention
That the Lord may inspire and sustain in our communities the capacity to welcome and
accompany Christian refugees of the Middle East, who are part of the large crowd of ref-
ugees in the region.
It is urgent to have a clear prayerful intention, to stir up charity in prayer. We need to stir up
attention and solidarity for Christian refugees in the Middle East, and with them intensify the
prayer for Christians in the Middle East. We are particularly concerned about our dear young
people in the Middle East, we pray for them and with them, that the Lord may strengthen
their hope .
