Hajja Salesjana MARCH - APRIL 2013il-229 Óar©a
Id-Devezzjoni lejn Maria Addolorata
Maltin li kellmu jew kitbu lil Dun Bosco
Jesus in my wallet
Il-Libsa tat-Tie©
The Logo of the Salesians of Don Bosco is made up of two superimposed images: in
the background a stylised “S” (Salesians) in white marked to the right and left by two
cuttings between the hills (a road). The second image is in the centre of the globe: an
arrow pointing upwards resting on three perpendicular legs on top of which are three
closed circles making a stylised image of three people: the first of these in the midde
and taller (the Salesian) appears as if embracing the side figures (the young). The three
stylised figures can also be viewed as an arrow pointing upwards (education / formation)
or simply as a dwelling (Salesian house) with three pillars holding it up (reason, religion,
loving kindness).
The coat of arms of the Salesian Congregation shows the shining star, the large anchor,
the heart on fire symbolizing faith, hope and charity; the figure of St. Francis de Sales
recalling the Patron of the Society; the small wood in the lower part reminds us of the
Founder (Bosco) the high mountains signify the heights of perfection towards which
members strive; the interwoven palm and laurel that enfold the shield either side are
emblematic of the prize reserved for a sacrificial and virtuous life. The motto Da mihi
animas, caetera tolle (give me souls, take the rest) expresses every Salesian’s ideal.
Óajja Salesjana
St. Patrick’s School, Triq San Ìwann Bosco,
Sliema SLM 1925 – MALTA
Tel. (+356) 2133 0238 / (+00356) 9986 1586
e-mail: hajjasal@salesiansmalta.org
Il-Bulettin Salesjan, imsejja˙ b’diversi ismijiet, ji©i
stampat f’56 edizzjoni u f’ 29 ilsien madwar id-
dinja u huwa mxerred fi 131 nazzjon
Responsible: Fr. Paul Formosa SDB
Director/ Editor: Fr. Joseph Cini SDB
Editorial Board : Margaret Buhagiar,
Andre Camilleri, Josie Grech.
Office: Eileen Alden, Joyce Scicluna.
Design & Printing: Salesian Press, Sliema.
Tista taqra ˙ajja Salesjana fuq il-kompjuter:
http://www.salesiansmalta.org
Fuqiex se naqraw
Front Cover: It-tfal u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ huma r-ra©uni
li g˙aliha jeΩistu s-Salesjani
Jesus in my wallet 7
Maltin li kellmu jew kitbu lil Dun Bosco 9
Don Bosco Around the World 10
St. John Bosco to Parents and Teachers 14
My wife had been fighting cancer 16
Id-Devozzjoni lejn Maria Addolorata 20
Cardinal Oneyaiken’s Visit 22
L-G˙id it-tajjeb 23
Tag˙lim ta’ San Ìor© Preca 26
Il-Libsa tat-Tie© 27
Stejjer fuq Don Bosco Qaddis 30
Patrick’s Life History 32
The Pontiff on St. Joseph 33
Editorjal / Pedago©ija / Calendar of events /
Something to think about
3Hajja Salesjana
"..LI NKUNU NIXBÓU LIL KRISTU U NSIRU SINJALI TAL-
IMÓABBA TA’ ALLA LI AÓNA GÓANDNA GÓAT-TFAL U
Û-ÛGÓAÛAGÓ.."
EDITORJAL
G˙andu jkollna fiduçja s˙i˙a f’Alla l-Missier. Huwa
tana Kelmtu, u l-wieg˙da tieg˙u issarfet fit-twelid
tal-Kelma Divina li saret bniedem u ˙adet isem:
dak Ìesu` li twieled fostna huwa l-Emmanwel…
Alla mag˙na. Dan Ìesu` mhux biss g˙ix fostna
imma g˙adu dejjem qrib tag˙na, u permezz tal-
g˙erf tieg˙u jista’ jifhimna u juri ˙niena mag˙na.
B˙ala saçerdot Salesjan jiena msejja˙ sabiex
naqsam ˙ajti, l-ener©ija u t-talenti tieg˙i mat-
tfal li jg˙ixu mag˙na fid-Dar ta’ St. Patrick. F’din
il-missjoni n˙ossni nixba˙ ˙afna lil Dun Bosco,
li wkoll qasam u offra ˙ajtu b˙ala rigal lit-tfal
ji©©errew mat-toroq ta’ Turin. Qieg˙ed niskopri li
b˙ala saçerdot Salesjan jiena mistieden nag˙raf u
n˙oss it-tbatija tal-we©g˙at tat-tfal li bosta drabi
j˙ossuhom wa˙edhom u mhux ma˙buba. Kemm
huma veri l-kliem ta’ Madre Teresa ta’ Kalkutta,
“Óobb sakemm twe©©a” u dawk ta’ Teresa ta’
Lisieux li sempliçement qalet,“Il-vokazzjoni tieg˙i
hi li n˙obb.”
Fix-xhur qabel ma sirt saçerdot kont nitlob
lill-Mulej mill-qieg˙ ta’ qalbi sabiex jg˙ini nifhem
xi jfisset tkun qassis. Mhux ta’ b’xejn li g˙aΩilt
dal-kliem: “Óudu u kulu lkoll minn dan, g˙ax dan
M˙abba b˙al ta' Ìesu`
u ta' Dun Bosco
huwa ©ismi li jing˙ata g˙alikom.” Il-Mulej qieg˙ed
jistedinni ng˙ix, fl-esperjenzi ordinarji tal-˙ajja,
dak li jitwettaq fis-sakrifiççju ewkaristiku. Hekk,
allura, kull diskursata, rikreazzjoni, adorazzjoni
fis-skiet jew xog˙ol fl-uffiçju jew mat-tfal, ikun
tassew offerta li tog˙©ob lill-Missier. Ìesu` g˙amel
xi ˙a©a straordinarja g˙alina meta ta lilu nnifsu
b˙ala rigal. Din hija l-qalba tas-sej˙a tag˙na: li
nkunu nixb˙u lil Kristu u nsiru sinjali tal-im˙abba
ta’ Alla li a˙na g˙andna g˙at-tfal u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Bih u mieg˙u u fih, f’g˙aqda mal-Ispirtu s-Santu,
˙ajjitna ssir sagrifiççju lil Alla tag˙na.
Illum, mela, waqt li niΩΩu ˙ajr lill-Mulej
g˙ar-rigal li g˙amlilna f’Don Bosco, nitolbuh
ukoll jag˙tina il-˙e©©a appostolika tieg˙u u
l-entuΩjaΩmu tieg˙u. Hi ˙a©a tal-g˙a©eb kif dik ix-
xrara li tkebbset fir-ra˙al çkejken ta’ Becchi issa
la˙qet l-ibg˙ad trufijiet tad-dinja u saret ˙u©©ie©a
li tati dawl u m˙abba lill-eluf ta’ tfal u Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Fr Jeremy Vella SDB
4 Hajja Salesjana
EDITORIAL
God the Father is trustworthy. He has given us his
Word, and his promise has been delivered in flesh
and blood. The Divine Word that became flesh in
time has a name: Jesus who came among us is the
Immanuel…God with us. Jesus has not only dwelt
among us but is still so close to us through his
divine knowledge that he can really understand
and show compassion towards us.
As a Salesian priest I am called to share my life,
energy and talents with youngsters with whom we
share our home. In this mission I feel so close to
Don Bosco who shared and offered his life as a gift
for the boys roaming around the streets of Turin.
I am discovering that as a Salesian priest I am
invited to get in touch and feel the pain coming
from the wounds of boys who oftentimes feel
lonely and unloved. How true are the words of
Mother Teresa of Calcutta who said “Love until it
hurts” and Teresa of Lisieux who simply said, “My
vocation is love”.
In the months before my priestly ordination
I used to plead and earnestly ask the Lord to
show me what it means to be a priest. It is no
coincidence that I chose the words “Take this
all of you and eat it, this is my body which will
be given up for you”. The Lord is inviting me
to translate in the ordinary experiences of life
what happens during the Eucharistic sacrifice. In
this way my daily chats, recreation time, silent
adoration and office work for and with young
people truly become an offering pleasing to the
Father. Jesus did not just do something for us
but actually gave us himself as a gift. This is at
the core of our calling: to be Christ-like and thus
signs and bearers of God’s love for young people.
Through Him, and with Him and in Him in the unity
of the Holy Spirit our life becomes a pleasing
sacrifice for our God.
Let us, therefore, while thanking God for the
gift of Don Bosco, ask for his apostolic fervour and
enthusiasm. How amazing it is that a tiny spark,
born in the little hamlet of Becchi, has reached the
furthest ends of the world and is now a burning
flame that gives light and love to multitudes of
young people!
Fr Jeremy Vella SDB
"..TO BE CHRIST-LIKE AND THUS SIGNS
AND BEARERS OF GOD’S LOVE FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE.."
Love like Jesus
and Don Bosco
Dun Bosco jirrakkonta
Kien Óadd il-G˙id meta fl-a˙˙ar stajt ng˙id
lit-tfal tieg˙i, «Issa g˙andna dar ! » Kemm konna
ilna ni©©errew ma’ Turin! Id-data ma tistax
tintesa : 12 ta’ April 1846! Jiena kelli 30 sena,
li 5 minnhom b˙ala qassis. Kollni fiduçjuΩ fil-
Providenza intfajt b’ru˙i u ©ismi g˙ax-xog˙ol :
sabiex niltaqa’ mat-tfal fuq il-lant tax-xog˙ol
kont nitla fuq it-tavluni, nid˙ol ©ol-fabbriki,
©ol-˙wienet. Kont ninkwieta fuq sa˙˙ithom,
nitkellmilhom mas-sidien, ˙afna minnhom nies
5Hajja Salesjana
PEDAGOÌIJASalesjana
Minn Pascual Chávez Villanueva – Trad. Joe Cini
Dun Bosco Edukatur 2
bla ˙niena. Kelli xewqa nibni mag˙hom relazzjoni
ta’ ˙biberija u fiduçja f’xulxin. L-edukazzjoni
m’hijiex ˙a©a ta’ jum wie˙ed, u trid ˙afna
paçenzja u ˙afna tama.
Il-Wieg˙da ta’ Dun Bosco
Ix-xahar ta’ Lulju huwa s˙un. Ìewwa Valdocco
kont taqta’ nifsek. Kollox ©ara bla mistenni: jiena
waqajt ma l-art. Óari©li d-demm u ntlift minn
sensija. X’˙in ©ejt f’tieg˙i sibt ru˙i fuq is-sodda
b’˙afna nies madwari sa ma wasal it-tabib. Qal li
l-kaz kien serju u ordnali nistrie˙. Domt ©img˙a
Meta tati kollox ifisser li ma jibqag˙lek xejn
6 Hajja Salesjana
n˙ossni sejjer lura, bla sa˙˙a u stordut. Wara dan,
qisu b˙al se˙er, stenba˙t u bil-mod, il-mod bdiet
ti©ini lura sa˙˙ti. Ósibijieti kienu dejjem fit-tfal: fejn
kienu? Jer©g˙u ji©u lura Valdocco? Kien il-Óadd,
u nserra˙ fuq bastun, ˙ri©t minn kamarti. Smajt
g˙ajjat ta’ fer˙; qassis li kien hemm offrieli drieg˙u
sabiex iwieΩinni. Dan qalli bil-˙afna sagrifiççi li
g˙amlu t-tfal, ‘G˙aliex, qalu, Dun Bosco m’g˙andux
imut!” Indunajt li kienu kisbu miraklu! It-tfal il-kbar
po©©ewni bilqieg˙da fuq si©©u u ©arrewni fuq
spallejhom. Kollha n©abru madwari u g˙edtilhom,
“G˙eΩieΩ, tlabtu u g˙amiltu sagrifiççi sabiex ner©a’
nie˙u sa˙˙ti. Ìrazzi. Óajti nafa lilkom. Inweg˙idkom
li ng˙ix ˙ajti kollha g˙alikom.” Ma fla˙tx nitkellem
aktar.
L-Im˙abba g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
Kien l-A˙˙ar tas-Sena tal-1859. G˙alkemm konna
f’faqar kbir ©o Valdocco kien hemm tqassim ta’
rigali Ωg˙ar: xi lapis, gomma, santa, ˙elu,… affarijiet
Ωg˙ar mog˙tija mill-qalb.
Jiena wkoll xtaqt nag˙tihom xi ˙a©a, g˙alhekk
wara t-talb ta’ filg˙axija g˙edtilhom erba’ kelmiet.
“G˙eΩieΩ tfal, intom tafu kemm in˙obbkom fil-
Mulej u kemm nixtieq nag˙milkom a˙jar. Il-ftit li
naf, l-esperjenza li g˙andi u dak li jien huwa kollu
g˙alikom. Dak kollu li tag˙mlu intom huwa ta’
nteress g˙alija, imma speçjalment dak li hu tar-
ru˙. Min-na˙a tieg˙i nati ru˙i kollni kemm jien: forsi
mhux ˙afna imma meta natih ifisser li ma nΩomm
xejn aktar g˙alija.”
G˙addew 13 –il sena minn dakinhar: il-familja
ta’ Valdocco kibret. Issa kienu ˙afna mijiet dawk
li kienu tg˙allmu xi seng˙a. U jiena qatt ma kont
sejjer in©ib fix-xejn il-fiduçja li dawn, u s-Salesjani
li ©ew warajhom, kienu po©©ew fija. Ridt infisser
li ma kontx g˙adni na˙seb fija nnifsi, ma kontx
aktar tieg˙i innifsi; sirt tag˙hom g˙al-dejjem.
MaΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ imxejt dejjem skont din id-deçiΩjoni
u din l-g˙aΩla. LiΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ qatt ma kont ser
nittradihom.
Ittra ta’ m˙abba
Jiena ktibt eluf ta’ ittri, imma kieku kelli nag˙Ωel
wa˙da mibktuba minn qalbi, kont nag˙Ωel dik li
ktibt lis-Salesjani tieg˙i, lill-g˙alliema u student
tag˙hom f’Lanzo Torinese. Din hija biçça minnha:
“Óalluni ng˙idilkom, u ˙add ma jie˙u g˙alih , intom
kollha ˙allelin; ng˙id u ner©a’, sraqtuli kollox.
Meta ©ejt Lanzo sa˙˙artuni bil-kura u m˙abba li
wrejtuni… Minn ©ol-povra qalbi sraqtuli m˙abbti
kollha. Issa l-ittra ffirmata minn 200 ˙bieb g˙eΩieΩ
˙aditli qalbi fejn ma baqa’ xejn ˙lief xewqa kbira
li n˙obbkom fil-Mulej, li nag˙milkom l-a˙jar u li
nsalva ru˙ kull wie˙ed minnkom.”
Dan kien il-mod kif kont nikteb liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙:
b’qalbi f’idejja, bi kliem sinçier u ng˙id dak li
nemmen. B˙al bidwi tajjeb tg˙allimt inΩomm
kelmti, li kienet: Weg˙edt lil Alla li sa l-a˙˙ar nifs
jiena ng˙ix g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Jiena naf li t-tieni successor tieg˙i, Dun Pawlu
Albera, kiteb ittra sabi˙a li fiha jg˙id ˙a©a vera
tassew: “Dun Bosco g˙allimna n˙obbu, ni©bdu lejna,
naqbdu u nbiddlu”. Erba’verbi, kollha importanti:
l-im˙abba ti©bed, il-©ibda ssir reb˙a u din tispiçça
biex tbiddel. Jiena kont g˙edt, “G˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
jiena lest nissagrifika kollox; lest li anke nag˙ti
demmi sabiex insalvahom”. Dawn ma humiex biss
kliem, iΩda huma programm ta’ ˙ajja.
Fl-1888, fuq is-sodda tal-mewt, lill-g˙aΩiΩ Dun
Bonetti, jiena g˙addejt l-a˙˙ar messa©© li ji©bor
fih ˙ajti kollha: “G˙id liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ li nistennihom
ilkoll fil-©enna’. Dan kien it-testment tieg˙i, l-a˙˙ar
xewqa fl-agonija tieg˙i. Jiena ˙abbejt liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
sa l-a˙˙ar! U xtaqthom mieg˙i, g˙al dejjem, fil-
©enna.
"G˙id liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ li nistennihom ilkoll fil-©enna"
7Hajja Salesjana
A ticket collector in a train found an old worn out
wallet in a compartment full of many people. He
looked inside to find the name of its owner. There
was no clue. All that there was in it, was some
money and a picture of Jesus Christ. He held it up
and asked, ‘Who does this wallet belong to?’
An old man said, ‘That’s my wallet, please give
it to me.’ The ticket collector said, ‘You’ll have to
prove that it is yours. Only then I can hand it over
to you.’ The old man smiled a toothless smile and
said. ‘It has a picture of Jesus Christ in it.’ The
ticket collector said, ‘That is no proof; anyone can
have a picture of Jesus Christ in his wallet. What is
special about that? Why is your picture not there
in it?’
The old man took a deep breath and said, ‘Let
me tell you why my picture is not there in it. My
father gave this wallet to me when I was in school.
I used to get a small sum as pocket money then. I
had kept a picture of my parents in it.
When I was a teenager I was greatly enamoured
by my good looks. I removed my parent’s picture
and put in one of my own. I loved to see my own
face and my thick black hair. Some years later, I
got married. My wife was very beautiful and I loved
her a lot. I replaced my own picture in this wallet
with a picture of her. I spent hours gazing at her
pretty face.
When my first child was born, my life started
a new chapter. I shortened my working hours, to
play with my baby. I went late to work and returned
home early too. Obviously, my baby’s picture
occupied the prized position in my wallet.’
The old man’s eyes brimmed with tears as he
went on. ‘My parents passed away many years ago.
Last year my wife too left this world. My son, my
only son is too busy with his family. He has no time
to look after me. All that I had ever held close to my
heart is far, far away from my reach now.
Now I have put this picture of Jesus Christ in
my wallet. It is only now that I have realized that
He is the eternal companion. He will never leave
me. Alas! If only I had realized this before. If only I
had loved the Lord all these years, with the same
intensity as I loved my family, I would not have
been so lonely today!’
The collector quietly gave the wallet to the old
man. When the train stopped at the next station,
the ticket collector went to the book stall at the
platform and asked the salesman, ‘Please give me
a small picture of Jesus Christ. I need one to put in
my wallet!’
The Question we need to ask is where is Jesus in
our lives today? Think of it, because it could make
a difference to your life today and in the days to
come.
Jesus in my wal let
8 Hajja Salesjana
FEASTS & EVENTSCALENDAR OF SALESIAN2013
MA
RCH
APR
IL
MA
Y
Every Friday Stations of the Cross and Holy Mass at St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
Fri 1 Half Yearly Exams at Savio College. Women World Day of Prayer celebration at St.
Patrick’s Church at 10.30 a.m. First Friday Devotions at St. Patrick’s: 6.15 p.m.
Sun 3 St. Patrick’s Past Pupils Committee Meeting.
Mon 4-6 Live-in for Óbieb Domenico Savio 1 at Savio College
Wed 6 Salesian Cooperators- Sliema- Monthly Meeting
Sat 9 HDS and Gospa meeting at Savio College
9 – 15 Making of Figolli at Savio College
Sun 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
11 – 15 Lenten Sermons at St. Patrick’s Church at 7.00 p.m.
Tue 12 1/2 Day Retreat by Magnificat at St. Patrick’s
Thu 14 Parents’ Day Forms 2 & 4 at Savio College
Fri 15 Parents’ Day Forms 1 & 3 at Savio College
Sat 16 St. Patrick’s Mass for Irish Community in Malta at 10.30 a.m.
Sun 27 Feast of St. John Bosco at St. Patrick’s Church. AGM for St. Patrick’s Past Pupils.
Sun 17 Day Retreat for St. Patrick’s Past Pupil and Friends Association.
Tue 19 Feast of St. Joseph. Bikeathlon at Savio College
Thu 21 School Leaving Form 5 at Savio College
Fri 22 National Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows – End of Term for Schools
18 – 31 Holy Week Celebrations at Salesian Oratory, Sliema and at St. Patrick’s Church
Fri 29 Animators’ Retreat at Savio College
Sun 31 Easter Sunday
1 -6 Annual Spiritual Retreat for Salesians
Fri 5 First Friday Devotions at St. Patrick’s at 6.15 p.m.
Sat 6 Meeting for HDS and Gospa/ Lectio for Animators at Savio College
Sun 7 Divine Mercy Sunday. Adoration and Mass at St. Patrick’s: 5.00 p.m.
St. Patrick’s Past Pupils’ committee Meeting. Family Day at Savio College.
Mon 8 Start of School Term for all schools
Tue 9 Vocal Concert by Welsh Choir at St. Patrick’s at 7.30 p.m.
Wed 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions. Monthly Meeting for Salesian Cooperators, Sliema
Sat 13 Pre-Chapter Meeting for Salesians. Concert by St. Paul’s Choral Society at 7.30 p.m
15 – 17 Live in Form 4G at Savio College
Sun 21 Open Day at Savio College
Sun 5 St. Patrick’s Past Pupils’ committee Meeting
Mon 6 Feast of St. Domenic Savio. Sports Day at Savio College.
From today Rosary and Mass at 6.30 p.m., Mon to Fri at St. Patrick’s Church
Fri 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions.
For any other info about the Salesians: www.sdb.org
Daughters of Mary Help of Christians: www.cgfmanet.org
Salesians in Malta : www.salesiansmalta.org
Hajja Salesjana On Line : www.salesiansmalta.org/hajjasalesjana
9Hajja Salesjana
MALTIN LI KELLMU
JEW KITBU LIL DUN BOSCO (2)
wkoll, omm Alfonsu. (3)
Annibale Preca g˙allem lil Alfonsu, tifel ta’
seba’ snin, u lil ˙uh Fran©isku, sena iΩg˙ar minn
˙uh, f’dar missierhom stess. Meta Alfonsu kiber u
kiteb sensiela ta’ kotba mag˙rufin b˙ala ‘ Mog˙dija
taΩ-Ûmien’, jg˙id çar u tond f’wie˙ed minnhom li
l-im˙abba kbira li hu kellu f’qalbu g˙al Dun Bosco
kienet bdiet u kibret minn dak li kien jisma’ fuqu
f’dar missieru meta kien g˙adu daqsxejn ta’ tifel.
Is-sena 1877 li fiha Annibale Preca kiteb lil Dun
Bosco kienet ukoll is-sena li fiha beda jg˙allem lil
Alfonsu. (4).
Dwar Alfonsu Marija Galea, kif ukoll dwar
missieru Pietru Pawl u zijuh ÌuΩe Galea, ser
nitkellmu aktar ’il quddiem fuq kull wie˙ed
minnhom b’wisq aktar dettalji f’din l-istess sensiela
li qeg˙din nippubblikaw fil-Óajja Salesjana.
Annibale Preca kien jaf b’g˙axar lingwi, fosthom
l-Ebrajk, il-Latin u l-Grieg u qaleb l-Iskrittura
Mqaddsa g˙all-Malti. Kiteb ukoll kotba g˙at-tfal
ta’ l-iskejjel, u kiteb ukoll il-ktieb li ©ab ˙afna
diskussjoni, ‘ Malta Kananea’
Annibale Preca miet fl-1901, sentejn qabel ma
fet˙et l-ewwel dar Salesjana f’Malta, St.Patrick’s, u
tlitt snin wara li kien miet Pietru Pawl Galea.
Fl-a˙˙ar ̇ ar©a tal-Óajja Salesjana g˙edna li l-ewwel
Malti li qatt iltaqa’ ma Dun Bosco kien Mikielan©
Marija Mizzi. F’din il-˙ar©a ser nuru kif l-ewwel Malti
li qatt g˙amel kuntatt ma’ Dun Bosco bil-kitba kien
edukatur mag˙ruf sewwa fi Ωmienu.
Fl-1878, Annibale Preca, g˙aΩeb ta’ 54 sena minn
Óal-Lija, g˙alliem, kitteb, u nisrani li kien jg˙id
il-Brevjar kuljum, kiteb lil Dun Bosco u talbu biex
jibg˙at lis-Salesjani tieg˙u f’Malta u G˙awdex. Dan
jo˙ro© minn ktieb ta’ 500 pa©na fuq l-Istorja tal-
Knisja miktub minn Dun Bosco bit-Taljan, ktieb li ©ie
maqlub kollu kemm hu g˙all-Malti minn Annibale
Preca fl-1895. Fin-Noti tat-Tifsir, Preca jg˙id li 18-il
sena qabel hu kien kiteb lil Dun Bosco. Jg˙id ukoll
li kien wie©bu Dun Mikiel Rua, l-ewwel suççessur
ta’ Dun Bosco, u qallu li Dun Bosco kien ilu li ˙aseb
f’Malta. (1) Annibale Re©a’ kiteb lil Dun Bosco fil-
31 ta’ Jannar 1883 u g˙amillu l-istess talba biex
jibg˙at is-Salesjani Malta.
Meta Dun Bosco irçieva l-ittra ta’ Annibale
(1878) kien g˙adu kif beda l-G˙aqda tal-Koperaturi
Salesjani. Annibale fin-Noti tal-ktieb tieg˙u jg˙id li
hu kellu x-xorti li jkun wie˙ed minnhom. Jg˙id ukoll
li issa, li Dun Bosco miet, hu jista jg˙id li jrid fuqu, u
nfexx ifa˙˙ru kemm jifla˙. (2)
Annibale Preca kien surmast tal-iskola tal-
gvern tal-Mosta u kien ukoll jg˙allem lit-tfal tas-
sinjuri f’dar il-©enituri tag˙hom stess, kif kienet
id-drawwa taΩ-Ωmien min˙abba nuqqas ta’ skejjel
u g˙alliema. Min˙abba sa˙htu, Annibale kellu
jirriΩenja mit-tag˙lim fl-iskejjel u beda ja˙dem ta’
skrivan ma’ ditta tad-drappijiet fil-Belt Valletta,
id-Ditta P.P.Galea & ÌuΩe’ Galea. Pietru Pawl Galea
kien missier Alfonsu Marija Galea, dak li rnexxielu
j©ib is-Salesjani Malta fl-1903. ÌuΩe’ Galea kien ˙u
Carmela, il-mara ta’ Pietru Pawl; allura xebba Galea
ANNIBALE PRECA
Biblijografija: 1. PRECA, Storia tal Cnisja, 1896, stampat minn Ìanni
Muscat – Valletta, pagna 501.
2. L-istess ktieb, f’pagni 338 u 422 fost l-o˙rajn.
3. GRASSO Louis L., Alfonsu Maria Galea’ 1992, mitbug˙ fil-Marsa Press,
pa©ni 6, 7, 15.
4. GALEA Alfonso, Ulied Dun Bosco f’Malta, numru 80 fis-Sensiela Mog˙dija
taΩ-Ûmien, stampat 1908. Ara d-da˙la ta’ dan il-ktieb.
10 Hajja Salesjana
Bosco created a system of prevention which is still
esteemed today. It tries to prevent young people
from losing their way to happiness and helps them
find meaning in life.
Father Reinhard Gesing, who had organised the
pilgrimage through Germany, was also satisfied
with the visit of the statue in Germany: “In many
places people experienced the pilgrimage as a great
pastoral opportunity.” He was personally pleased
that many young people had the occasion to get
to know Don Bosco as a friend. More information
can be found on the http://www.iss.donbosco.de/
website.
GREAT BRITAIN
The 3rd January 2013 saw the official beginning of
the pilgrimage of Don Bosco's relic in Great Britain.
The first two stopovers were in Scotland. More than
1800 packed St Andrew's Metropolitan Cathedral
in Glasgow to celebrate the Saint of the young.
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, of Glasgow celebrated
the Mass, The Archbishop, recognising how at
times the Church has failed the young, invited
those present to follow Don Bosco's example and
especially his unique approach to education. All
over the Cathedral (and outside!!) Salesians offered
GERMANY
The Don Bosco statue finished its pilgrimage
through Germany on December 28th with a
celebratory service in Bonn. Since the evening
of its arrival the statue had stopped over at 33
different institutions, parishes and communities
in Germany and Switzerland. But on this day the
statue was not the only “special guest” at the
parish of St. Winfried in Bonn: Fr Pascual Chávez,
Rector Major and his vicar Fr Adrian Bregolin also
came. In his homily Father Chávez referred to three
important messages about Don Bosco: First of all,
he trusted in young people and cared for those who
had no place in either church or society. Secondly,
education was very important to him. Thirdly, Don
11Hajja Salesjana
simple entertainments to the young (and the young
at heart), which led them to their personal moment
with Don Bosco.
Saturday 5 January all headed to the
National Pilgrimage Shrine of Scotland in Carfin,
Motherwell. The smaller shrine building created a
beautiful atmosphere of prayer, reflection, thought,
peace and celebration - all mixed together. The
Local Bishop of Motherwell, the right Reverend
Joseph Devine, led a packed church in the Holy
Mass. Fr Martin Coyle preached, reflecting on the
importance that Don Bosco holds in the hearts
of Scottish Catholics, especially to teachers and
educators, commenting on the long-established
Teachers Guild of Don Bosco.
Welcome to Cardiff, and welcome to St David's
Metropolitan Cathedral - Over 1000 school pupils
and people flocked to praise God and pray at the
Relics of St John Bosco. It was great to welcome
parishioners from Newent and Cooperators from
Cornwall to the event.
Over 3500 people (including 2000 school
children) pour into the Metropolitan Cathedral of
Christ the King Liverpool, for a celebration of joy!
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most
Precious Blood, Westminster opened its doors to
well over 2000 people today as the Pilgrimage of
the Relics of Don Bosco came to London. Schools
brought their pupils, friends brought their friends,
and tourists brought their cameras as people from
all walks of life walked the Pilgrim Experience and
enjoyed a moment with St John Bosco.
A moving Closing Liturgy was led by James
Trewby, and gave those in attendance the
opportunity to exercise their vocal chords, as well
as to reflect on the essential traits of optimism and
hope.
In a change to the advertised public programme,
the Relics of Don Bosco were taken this morning
into Feltham Young Offenders Institute. After the
initial request from the RC Chaplain, Fr Roger
Reader, the UK Ministry of Justice sanctioned
the visit. Bishop Alan Hopes and the Provincial Fr
Martin Coyle celebrated two morning masses with
the young offenders (aged 15-18).
St George's Cathedral, Southwark saw over
a thousand pilgrims brave the rain, the snow, the
sleet and even a power-cut to spend some time
with Don Bosco on this, the last public day of The
Pilgrimage of the Relics of Don Bosco in Great
Britain.
12 Hajja Salesjana
The Platinum (75 years in South Asian terms)
Jubilee of Don Bosco School Liluah was celebrated
from 1 to 8 December with a week of important
events and performances including a full round
of religious, social, cultural and sporting events
involving current students, past pupils and people
in the area.
Festivities began with the blessing of a statue
of Don Bosco in front of the school's auditorium,
and the opening of a basketball court and a
children's park. On Sunday, Archbishop Thomas
D’Souza, Archbishop of Kolkata, celebrated Mass
for the faithful in St John Bosco Parish, Liluah. On
Monday 3 there was a charity event on behalf of
a thousand homeless people in the area; food and
blankets for winter were distributed, an event at
which Sr Mary Prema Pierick, Superior General of
the Missionaries of Charity, was chief guest. In the
evening the cultural programme showcased the
Evening Schools and Adult Education activities.
Tuesday and Wednesday featured a series of
interschool (Salesian) competitions and quizes
for the students, and in the evenings a concert
and music led by well-known DJs. On 6 December
the primary school children put on a musical
on Don Bosco's life and charism. Then a laser
presentation presented the school's history. In
the evening there was music again: a concert for
10,000 people by singer Usha Uthup who spoke on
stage of her close association with the Salesians
since her childhood in Mumbai.
On the occasion of the school’s jubilee,
BallyMunicipality in Howrah ceded a traffic island
to Don Bosco Liluah Alumni Association on 6th
December. It is in front of Liluah Railway Station
but stands between two Don Bosco Institutions in
opposite directions, namely Don Bosco Liluah and
Don Bosco Mirapara.
The senior and technical sections of the school
were the main players on Saturday, putting on a
musical called “Journey to freedom”.
Platinum Jubilee of
Don Bosco School,
Liluah
India
13Hajja Salesjana
Thailand
Sisters Servants of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary
(SIHM) Diamond Jubilee
On December 8, 2012, the Sisters Servants of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary (SIHM), celebrated
the 75th Anniversary of the Foundation of
the Congregation at the Cathedral of the
Nativity of the Vigin Mary, Bang–Nok-Khuek,
SamutSongsongkram, Thailand.
Bishop Gaetano Pasotti sdb, the First Bishop
of the Diocese of Ratchaburi was the founder of
the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary. The Institute was founded on December 7,
1937. The motto of the Congregation is “Caritas
Christi Urget nos” (The love of Christ impels us).
The Spirit of the Congregation is love, service
and forgiveness, ready to respond like Mary, to
dedicate oneself totally to others, ready to do the
will of God with the spirit of sacrifice.
The Mission of the Congregation is to devote
oneself to the needs of the Church. The Identity
of the Congregation: simplicity of life, spirit of
sacrifice, family spirit and being joyful in giving
service to God and to others.
The Celebration started with the opening
of the exposition of the SIHM’s life and mission
from the beginning until now, followed by the
“75th anniversary of love and service throughout
the flow of God’s blessings”–a drama about the
history of the SIHM Congregation.
At 10.30 a.m. there was a Eucharistic
Celebration which began with the procession of all
SIHM’sitsters. Bishop John Bosco Panya presided.
14 Hajja Salesjana
St. John Bosco
To Parents
and Teachers
St. John Bosco’s method of education has
proven successful throughout the world. The
name he gave to his approach, the Preventive
System, is based on the three key principles
of REASON, RELIGION, and LOVING KINDNESS.
While not a system in the strict sense of the
word, this strategy was very effective in Don
Bosco’s day and proves to be equally effective
today. This tried technique was given to
his followers with the firm conviction that
the youth of all times and cultures could be
personally guided and motivated to help create
a better world for the next generation. This
method, founded on pastoral charity seeks
to create an environment that underscores
Christian family life and values.
3. LOVING KINDNESS
This means reaching the hearts of youth in
demonstrating that one in genuinely concerned
for their welfare. With confidence in the
transforming power of love, one must foster
“heart-to-heart” communication and affirm them
in their struggle to grow and mature.
The fundamental principle that Don Bosco
chose for his approach to help the young to
mature and to find their place in society was
CHARITY which he expressed by the words LOVING
KINDNESS. To quote his own words: “The practice
of this system is wholly based on the words of St.
Paul: ‘Love is patient and kind. It bears all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.’” This basic
virtue was the foundation of all his efforts; it
was the mainspring of all his actions on behalf of
youth.
Scattered throughout the writings of this
nineteenth century educator we find expressions
such as these: “Education is a matter of the heart,
friendly counsels which appeal to the heart of the
young and win over the heart, the educator will
speak in the language of the heart. I will do all I
can if only I will win over the hearts of the young.
After winning the heart of a pupil, the educator
can exercise great influence over that person.
Let us make ourselves loved, and we shall posses
their hearts.”
When Don Bosco speaks of the heart he
compares it to a fortress to be opened only by
Part 2
Fr. Paul Avallone SDB, Phyllis M. Hakeem, M.A.
15Hajja Salesjana
authentic Christian loving kindness. “Remember
that education is a matter of the heart. Let us use
all means to become master of that fortress which
locks itself off from all severity and harshness. Let
us make ourselves loved and we shall see hearts
open to us with surprising ease.” To describe the
role that this loving kindness plays in winning the
heart, Don Bosco employs the striking analogy
used by St. Gregory who
compares the heart to
an impregnable fortress,
never to be conquered
except by affection and
kindness.
The “heart-to-heart”
dynamic of loving-
kindness should not be
viewed as a weakness on
the part of an educator,
but as a sign of self-control
and inner strength. This dimension, closely
related to REASON, calls one to a readiness to
be reasonable, especially when circumstances
are the result of tension and thoughtlessness.
Usually a kind word and an open ear will suffice
to bring a person back to duty and responsibility.
Loving-kindness creates an atmosphere of trust
where self- expression is fostered and becomes
the norm. Through respectful interpersonal
relating, confidence is generated between pupils
and educators, who in Don Bosco’s words are
like dedicated parents that encourage, counsel,
affirm, and correct at the right moment in the
right way.
II – Relevance for Today
John Paul II, a great lover and friend of youth,
has this to say about Don Bosco’s method: “The
figure of this saint, the friend of youth, continues
to exert a fascinating attraction for young people
of the most differing cultures under heaven.
Don Bosco is relevant to the present day; he
teaches us to integrate the permanent values of
tradition with ‘new solutions’ so as to meet in a
creative fashion the newly emerging requests
and problems; he continues to be our teacher in
the present difficult times and suggests a ‘new
education’ which is at once
creative and faithful (John
Paul II, Juvenum Patris).
The following represent
some qualitative postures and
dimensions that will support
the mastery of this method.
1. APPROACHABILITY
– a welcoming stance.
St. Francis de Sales (after
whom the Salesians are
named) repeated often: “We catch more flies
with a teaspoon of honey than with a barrel
of vinegar.” I was happy a short time ago to
notice this attractive plaque over the door of a
classroom: ENTER HERE WITH A HAPPY HEART.
Sure enough, I did and I met a smiling educator
welcoming me. We have all experienced how a
severe exterior repels and does not attract. The
welcoming attitude with the proverbial smile is
attractive and reveals a cheerful disposition. It is
said that Mother Teresa would not allow a Sister to
go out on her daily rounds of mercy, if she did not
manifest a cheerful and happy countenance with
a sincere smile. Someone once said: “The shortest
distance between two persons is a smile.”
(To continue)
16 Hajja Salesjana
That night, we didn't talk to each other. I knew
she wanted to find out what had happened to our
marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory
answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. The woman
who had spent ten years of her life with me had
become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted
time, resources and energy but I could not take
back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly.
Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was
what I had expected to see.
The next day, I came back home very late and
found her writing something at the table. In the
morning she presented her divorce conditions:
she didn't want anything from me, but needed a
month's notice before the divorce. She requested
that in that one month we both struggle to live as
normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple:
our son had his exams in a month's time and
she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken
marriage. But she had something more: she
requested that every day for the month's duration
I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door
ever morning. I accepted her odd request.
I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions.
She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd.
My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since
my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So
when I carried her out on the first day, we both
appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us,
“Daddy is holding mommy in his arms!” From the
bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I
walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She
closed her eyes and said softly: “Don't tell our son
about the divorce.” I nodded, feeling somewhat
upset.
She went to wait for the bus to work; I drove
alone to the office. On the second day, both of us
acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I
could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized
that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a
long time. There were fine wrinkles on her face,
her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its
toll on her.
On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a
sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman
who had given ten years of her life to me. I didn't
tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her
as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday
workout made me stronger. I suddenly realized
that she had grown so thin. Suddenly it hit me...
she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her
heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched
her head.
Our son came in at the moment and said, “Dad,
it's time to carry mom out.” To him, seeing his
father carrying his mother out had become an
When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, “I've got something
to tell you.” She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes; but I had to let
her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn't seem to be
annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, “Why?”
My wife had been
fighting cancer
17Hajja Salesjana
essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our
son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I then
held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom,
through the sitting room, to the hallway. I held
her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.
But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the
last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly
move a step. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't
noticed that our life lacked intimacy.
I drove to office... jumped out of the car
swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any
delay would make me change my mind...I walked
upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her,
“Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.”
She looked at me, astonished, and then touched
my forehead. I moved her hand off my head. My
marriage life was boring probably because my
wife and I didn't value the details of our lives, not
because we didn't love each other anymore. Now
I realize that since I carried her into my home on
our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until
“death do us apart.”
I walked downstairs and drove away. At the
floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of
flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what
to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, “I'll carry
you out every morning until death do us apart.”
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my
hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to
find my wife in the bed – dead!
My wife had been fighting cancer for months
and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She
knew that she would die soon and she wanted to
save me from whatever negative reaction from
our son, in case we push thru with the divorce. At
least, in the eyes of our son, I'm a loving husband...
The small details of your lives are what really
matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion,
the car, property, the money in the bank. These
create an environment conducive for happiness
but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find
time to be your spouse's friend and do those little
things for each other that build intimacy.
18 Hajja Salesjana
Something
to think about…
Someone will always be prettier,
Someone will always be smarter,
Someone’s house will be bigger,
Someone will drive a better car,
Someone’s children will do better in school,
Someone’s husband will fix more things around the house…
So just let go and love yourself and your circumstances.
encouragementWoman to woman
19Hajja Salesjana
Think about it:
The prettiest woman in the world can have hell in her heart,
The most highly favoured woman on your job may not be
able to have children,
The richest woman you know – who’s got the car, the house,
the clothes – may be very lonely.
So, love yourself, love who you are right now.
Tell yourself, “I am too blessed to be stressed”.
Be blessed, ladies. And remember: to the world you might
be one person, but to one person you might be the world.
You are certainly so to God!
20 Hajja Salesjana
Id-devozzjoni lejn Marija Addolorata minn
dejjem kellha g˙eruq sodi fost l-insara li jaraw
fiha l-qdusija u l-kompassjoni li wriet waqt il-
passjoni u l-mewt ta’ Binha, Sidna Ìesu’ Kristu.
IΩda kien biss fis-sekli tlettax u erbatax li
din id-devozzjoni ˙adet spinta ‘l quddiem.
Marija g˙andha g˙eruq fl-istorja; l-insara raw
f’Marija mara speçjali li sa mit-twelid ta’ Binha
bdiet mixja ta’ tbatija li ntemmet fuq l-g˙olja
tal-Kalvarju, kif kien ipprofetizza San Xmun.
Fl-1233 ©ewwa Firenze fl-Italja, seba’ Ωg˙aΩag˙
waqqfu L-Ordine dei Servi di Maria bl-iskop li
jxerrdu d-devozzjoni lejn Marija Addolorata.
L-ewwel darba li l-festa bdiet ti©i ççelebrata kien
fis-sena 1413, meta ©iet imwaqqfa uffiçjalment
mis-Sinodu ta’ Cologne ©ewwa l-Ìermanja u li
sas-seklu sittax bdiet ti©i ççelebrata f’xi partijiet
tal-Ewropa. Fl-1570, il-Papa Piju V inkluda l-festa
fil-kalendarju Tridentin. Fis-seklu sbatax, il-
Papa Benedittu XIII waqqaf il-Festa g˙al jum
tal-Ìimg˙a ta’ qabel Óadd il-Palm. Fl-1814 ,il-
Papa Piju VII estenda ç-çelebrazzjoni tal-festa li
bdiet ti©i ççelebrata fit-tielet hadd ta’ Settembru
g˙all-Knisja kollha, u finalment il-Papa San Piju X
iffissa d-data g˙al 15 ta’ Settembru, l-g˙ada tal-
Festa tal-Esaltazzjoni tas-Salib Imqaddes. Wara
l-Koncilju Vatikan it-Tieni ,ittie˙det id-deçiΩjoni li
minflok Ωew© festi,tibqa’ biss dik ta’ Settembru
b˙ala l-festa litur©ika ddedikata lis-Seba Duluri
ta’ Marija, filwaqt li dik ta’ matul ir-Randan
(meta jsiru ˙afna purçissjonijiet penitenzjali) ti©i
meqjusa b˙ala tifkira. Fl-Ittra Appostolika Inter
Sodalicia tat-22 ta’ Marzu 1918, il-Papa Benedettu
XV jiddeskriva s-sehem ta’Marija f’ri©el is-Salib
b˙ala Co-Redentriçi fis-Salvazzjoni tal-bnedmin.
Huwa ma˙sub li f’pajjiΩna, id-devozzjoni da˙let
g˙all-˙abta tas-seklu sbatax l-iΩjed ©ewwa l-Belt
Valletta u r-Rabat sakemm fis-seklu dsatax da˙let
ukoll ©ewwa tas-Sliema. Skont iç-çensiment li
kien inΩamm fl-1871 il-popolazzjoni ta’ tas-Sliema
kienet tla˙˙aq 1,600 ru˙. Sittax- il sena qabel
kien tlesta l-bini tal-Knisja ta’ Stella Maris, iΩda
minkejja li l-fidili kellhom il-fara© spiritwali tal-
Knisja l-©dida kienu bdew de˙lin çerti kulturi li
kienu nfluwenzati minn reli©jonijiet o˙ra u li kienu
ta’ theddida g˙as-sa˙˙a spiritwali tal-poplu. Çertu
Vincenzo La Rosa li kien qed i˙ejji g˙as-saçerdozju,
xtaq jikkumbatti l-perikli billi jda˙˙al ©ewwa tas-
Sliema id-devozzjoni lejn Marija Addolorata; wara
l-ordinazzjoni tieg˙u beda minnufih ixerred id-
devozzjoni u l-ewwel ˙a©a li g˙amel kien li, bis-
sa˙˙a tal-benefattur u devot tal-Madonna Paolo
Speranza, ordna statwa ta’ Marija Addolorata
g˙and l-istatwarju Vincenzo Cremona.
Nhar l-Erbg˙a 27 ta’ Marzu, 1872 ©ewwa tas-
Sliema inΩammet l-ewwel purçissjoni, meta
g˙al ˙abta ta’ nΩul ix-xemx, l-istatwa ta’ Marija
Addolorata ©iet akkumpanjata minn dar fi triq
San Pietru min numru ta’ nies bit-torçi f’idejhom
sal-Knisja ta’ Stella Maris – kienet l-ewwel
manifestazzjoni Marjana esterna li nΩammet
f’tas-Sliema. Jumejn wara, nhar il-Ìimg˙a l-Kbira,
Dun Vinçenz La Rosa mexxa funzjoni ©ewwa
l-Knisja tal-Vergni Desolata. Matul is-snin din
id-devozzjoni li welled iΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙ u ˙abrieki
saçerdot Dun Vinçenz La Rosa tant da˙let f’qalb
in-nies li baqg˙et tinΩamm sal-a˙˙ar tas-snin
˙amsin tas-seklu li g˙adda.
Fit-22 ta’ Settembru, 1872 ©iet imwaqqfa
ID-DEVOZZJONI LEJN
MARIJA ADDOLORATA
21Hajja Salesjana
g˙aqda ©dida bl-isem ta’ Pia Unione bl-iskop
li d-devozzjoni lejn Marija Addolorata tkompli
tinxtered ©ewwa tas-Sliema. In-numru tal-
imse˙bin kompla dejjem jikber u fl-1896 kienu
jla˙˙qu 1,285. Bit-t˙abrik ta’ Dun Vinçenz La
Rosa, f’Ottubru tal-1896 l-Isqof ˙are© id-digriet li
permezz tieg˙u il Pia Unione tibda tissejja˙ it-Terz
Ordni Serviti ta’ Marija.
Kif rajna iΩjed ‘ilfuq din id-devozzjoni li tant
infirxet matul is-snin g˙andha preΩenza qawwija
mad-dinja kollha. F’Malta wkoll din id-devozzjoni
g˙andha tant g˙eruq sodi li tista’ tg˙id li f’kull
Knisja g˙andek issib xi pittura jew statwa tad-
Duluri. Meta fl-1905 ©iet imwaqqfa l-Parroçça
ta’ San Pawl il-Bahar din ©iet imqeg˙da ta˙t il-
patroçinju tas-Seba’ Duluri ta’ Marija.
Fil-Knisja ta’ Stella Maris hemm wie˙ed
mill-kappelluni mag˙ruf b˙ala tad-Duluri fejn
insibu pittura kbira tal-Kruçifissjoni, xog˙ol
Mario Caffaro Rore, ta’ nofs is-snin ˙amsin tas-
seklu g˙oxrin u statwa ta’ Marija Addolorata
mi©juba minn Bolzano fl-Italja fl-1950 u li
t-tnejn ˙adu post pittura deskrittiva ˙afna tal-
Kruçifissjoni, xog˙ol Giuseppe Cali’ tal-1886, u
l-istatwa artistika u devota tad-Duluri imsemmija
iktar ‘il fuq, u li t-tnejn intilfu fl-a˙˙ar gwerra.
L-aqwa studjuΩi tal-Marjolo©ija isostnu li
d-devozzjoni lejn il-Madonna tad-Duluri hija
essenzjalment Kristolo©ika g˙aliex it-tbatijiet
tag˙ha huma marbutin intimament mal-
aççettazjoni tag˙ha li tkun Omm ir-Redentur, kif
imfisser tant tajjeb mill-Papa Benedittu XV fl-Ittra
Appostolika Inter Sodalicia tat-22 ta’ Marzu 1918.
Referenzi:
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.
Artiklu ta’ Dun V. Soler fil-ktieb ‘Il-Madonna u Tas-
Sliema’ ta’ Patri R. Ûammit OFM.Cap (1989)
Il-Gazzetti: Fede ed Azione 23/4/1875, 17/5/1876,
Il-Óabib 30/09/1892,
Corriere Mercantile Maltese 12.03.1886
La Croce di Malta 30.03.1872
22 Hajja Salesjana
The newly appointed Cardinal, His Eminence
John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja paid a
surprise visit to the Salesian Parish of The
Church of the Archangels in Durumi, Abuja in
Nigeria. Actually the Salesians had only been
handed the Parish at the end of October on the
eve of the feast of Don Rua, and these first
few months have been a time of transition as
the Salesian community comes to know the
people especially the young.
A two week programme has been drawn up
in preparation for the feast of Don Bosco. The
programme will climax in a day of Celebration on
the 10th of February when the Cardinal has been
invited to the Parish to celebrate the Mass of Don
Bosco, to confer the sacrament of Confirmation
and to inaugurate a new Blessed Sacrament
Chapel.
It was therefore a very pleasant surprise when
the Cardinal unexpectedly called on the Parish to
celebrate Mass with the Parish community so that
he would see the people, as he said, as they really
are. Providentially, his visit coincided with the visit
of the Provincial Delegate for Nigeria, Fr Michael
Karikunnel, who was visiting the community and
the Parish in his role of animation.
Fr Michael explained to the people the history
of how the Salesians came to Abuja and took the
opportunity to thank the Cardinal for inviting and
giving them the responsibility of the Parish of the
Archangels, which is right in the heart of the city
of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The Cardinal on
his part spoke of his joy at seeing the Salesians
in his Archdiocese and he had long been praying
for this. He welcomed Fr Michael and said that
having the Salesians in the Diocese was not only
to run the Parish, but more especially to help in
the youth ministry in the Diocese. The people
were quite overjoyed to welcome the Cardinal,
especially so soon after his appointment.
The Cardinal blessed the people who came
up in thanksgiving. In particular the children
received a blessing from the Cardinal as he
wished them well till he meets them again for the
day of celebration.
The new community is made
up of Fr Dominic Hounsounou
from Togo, Fr Richard
Ebejer from Malta (3rd one
standing from left), Fr Charles
Uzoeto from Nigeria and Bro.
Kunle Ogundana a Nigerian
missionary. The community will
soon be joined by Deacon Peace
Ike who hails from Abuja itself.
Cardinal Onaiyekan’s Visit
23Hajja Salesjana
L-G˙id it-Tajjeb nixteqilkom
Minn qieg˙ qalbi dawn il-jiem;
Jalla bil-qawmien ta’ Kristu
Qalbkom tfur b’hena u sliem!
Kristu bata, miet u rxoxta
Sabiex jifdi lil kul˙add;
Issa jmiss il-parti tag˙na –
Li ma niç˙duh qatt u qatt.
Kristu ssallab fuq injama
Fost Ωebli˙, swat u tbatija;
Twieled f’g˙ar g˙eri u fqajjar
Biex jifdina minn kull ˙tija.
Fit-tlett snin li dam iterraq
Mat-triqat tal-Palestina
Smajt lill-folol ta’ spiss jg˙idu
‘Dan il-bniedem biss, ja˙jina!’
G˙aliex Kristu l-Bniedem-Alla
Kien ifejjaq lil kul˙add –
G˙alih mhemmx razez, fruntieri,
Qatt ma ˙ares lejn wicç ˙add!
Kristu Rxoxt hu l-Missier twajjeb
Mis-salib feta˙ idejh,
G˙aliex ried meta jitg˙olla
Lilna ji©bed lkoll lejh.
U g˙alhekk f’dan l-G˙id Imqaddes
Nitolbuk Mulej Gesu’
Irxuxtana mill-mewt tag˙na
Imla ‘l qalbna b’kull virtu’.
Kav Joe M Attard
L-G˙id
it-Tajjeb
24 Hajja Salesjana
Malta Salesjana
WORSHIP TEAM
The Salesian Worship Team organizza
Ωew© attivitajiet fl-ewwel ©img˙a tas-Sena
l-Ìdida. Wa˙da kienet Badger Karting fejn
Ωew© tims qattg˙u sieg˙a itellqu kontra
xulxin. Il-˙dax il-membru li ˙adu sehem
˙alqu bejniethom sens ta’ ˙biberija u ta’
familja – u dan tant hu importanti. It-tieni
attivita` kienet workshop fuq it-teorija tal-
muΩika g˙all-quddiesa tal-Óadd. Immexxija
minn Edward Mifsud, din li kienet it-tielet
sessjoni, li marret tajjeb ˙afna.
LAQGÓA MPORTANTI
Is-Salesjani kollha ta’ Malta iltaqg˙u
©ewwa tas-Sliema g˙al-laqg˙a importanti
mmexxija minn Fr. Paul Formosa, id-Delegat
tal-Provinçjal. Dan sar sabiex jiddiskutu
x’direzzjoni g˙andhom isegwu fil-kura tat-
tfal u Ωg˙aΩag˙ in vista ta’ possibilitajiet
©odda li qeg˙din jinqalg˙u. Fr Antoine
Farrugia ippresenta pro©ett li jista’ jg˙in
sabiex nissodaw u nespandu. Wara l-laqg˙a
lkoll telg˙u fis-swali l-©odda fuq il-Kappella
tal-Oratorju fejn qasmu l-ikel f’atmosfera ta’
fer˙ Salesjan.
TISLIMA LIL FR ALFRED SACCO
Grupp çkejken ta’ barranin li joqg˙odu L-Isla,
xi kultant jiltaqg˙u flimkien sabiex jaraw
kif jistg˙u jintegraw ru˙hom u jifhmu aktar
l-ambjent Malti. Huma saru ˙bieb tas-Salesjani
g˙aliex sikwit jiltaqg˙u proprju fid-dar tag˙na.
Xi ftit ilu ©ew ilkoll sabiex isellmu lill-Fr Alfred
Sacco li kien ser jitlaq lejn Savio College. Lil Fr
Alfred ippeΩentawlu pittura çkejkna tal-faççata
tad-Dar San Filippu, fejn joqg˙odu s-Salesjani
fl-Isla.
25Hajja Salesjana
ÓBIEB DUMINKU SAVIO
Matul it-tieni ©img˙a ta’ Jannar, l-istudenti tal-Form 2
ta’ Savio College, daqs 30 minnhom, kellhom tlitt ijiem
ta’ Formazzjoni li matulhom setg˙u jg˙ixu u jorqdu fil-
kulle©©. Dawn kienu membri tal-g˙aqda “Óbieb Duminku
Savio”.
Kien hemm ˙in g˙ar-rikreazzjoni, g˙all-istudju, g˙al
sessjonijiet ta’ formazzjoni u g˙at-talb. Nag˙tu prosit
lill-animaturi kollha li ˙admu biex dan ikun suççess.
SKOLA SAJF
It-Tfal li ˙adu sehem fl-Iskola Sajf,
jiltaqg˙u fl-Oratorju, tas-Sliema darba
fix-xahar. Nhar id-19 ta’Jannar saret il-5
laqg˙a, kemm g˙at-tfal kif ukoll g˙al-
leaders tag˙hom, li kienet tikkonsisti
f’log˙ob organizzat kif ukoll mument ta’
talb. Waqt dan it-talb it-tfal raw video u
˙adu sehem fi“sketch” bit-tema “Óobb
lill-G˙edewwa” sabiex minn dan huma
jitg˙allmu r-rispett lejn l-o˙rajn anke
meta forsi mhux kul˙add jog˙©obhom.
(boscosummerschool.org.)
FAMILJA SALESJANA TIÇÇELEBRA
13 –il Salesjan ikkonçelebraw ma’ Mons.
Lawrence Gatt fil-quddiesa ad unur
ta’ San Ìwann Bosco. Din kienet iç-
çelebrazzjoni g˙all-Familja Salesjana
©ewwa l-Knisja ta’ St. Patrick, u g˙aliha
attendew membri tal-Past Pupils
Ass., tas-Salesjani Koperaturi, tal-Ass.
ta’Marija Awsiljatriçi, qraba u ˙bieb. Il-
kant kien immexxi mill-grupp musikali
tal-Oratorju ta’ Tas-Sliema. Fl-a˙˙ar tal-
quddiesa, Fr Paul Formosa bierek ikona
©dida, miktuba minn Miss Loreta Grech.
Il-festa tkompliet b’ikla (buffet) fil-
Lukanda Intercontinental ta’ Paceville.
1. Mini˙obblilAllamhuwiexkuntentlij˙obbuwa˙du.
2. Óobb‘lAllag˙axhu˙abbekqabelma˙abbejtuint.
3. SinjurAllajienag˙andibΩonnok.
4. SinjurAllafittixnibiexnadurak.
5. Kunu˙biebtal-Evan©elju.
6. FejnhemmAllahemml-im˙abba,il-paçiul-fer˙.
7. Ìidlilkul˙addudenilil˙add.
8. GrazziSinjurAllaua˙firliSinjurAlla.
9. Waqtil-provakollox.
10. Minhug˙aqlimajag˙milxid-dnub.
11. Il-Mulejjag˙Ωelniessempliçiujag˙melbihom˙wejje©kbar.
12. QaddsulilkominfuskomuAllajinqedabikom.
13. Il-Fidikollox,uliedi.
14. Allajarani,Allajismag˙niuAllaji©©udikani.
15. Kolloxminnek,kolloxb’˙iltekukolloxg˙alik.
16. Ag˙Ωellitg˙ixta’veru.
TAGÓLIM TA’
SAN ÌORÌ PRECA
26 Hajja Salesjana
Kien hemm tradizzjoni twila minn ©enerazzjoni
g˙all-o˙ra fil-familja tag˙na li l-ewwel tifla
tiΩΩewwe© b’libsa bajda twila ma˙duma bil-
gan©. Il-libsa tat-tie© li waslet sa g˙and ommi
ma damitx wisq teΩisti, g˙ax xi jiem wara
t-tie© waqg˙et bomba fuq id-dar u spiçça
kollox; spiççat il-libsa bit-tifkiriet sbie˙ kollha
li kienet tfisser g˙alina. G˙allinqas, ommi u
missieri baqg˙u ˙ajjin. Dan li qed insemmi
ilu bosta snin, imma ommi baqg˙et dejjem
issemmi d-dispjaçir tag˙ha g˙al dik il-libsa
tat-tie© li mhux biss ma baqg˙etx teΩisti biex
turihielna, imma l-fatt li ma stajtx nilbisha u
niΩΩewwe© biha jien.
Imma jien sa minn tfuliti kont da˙˙altha
f’mo˙˙i li la nikber na˙dem libsa bil-gan©, irridha
l-istess b˙alma ommi tirrakkonta li kienet. Ritratti
ma ˙adux dak iΩ-Ωmien, mo˙˙ ir-ritratti kellhom!
Xtaqt inkompli t-tradizzjoni tal-familja tieg˙i. Ftit
kont naf g˙alxiex die˙la.
Kien lejlet it-tie©. Ma stajt norqod b’xejn. Tant
domt indur u nitqalleb. G˙ajnejja marru bija g˙al
ftit minuti u kelli ˙olma kerha. Qomt mis-sodda,
fta˙t il-gwardarobba biex inserra˙ mo˙˙i li l-libsa
kienet g˙adha hemm g˙ax fil-˙olma xi ˙add
seraqhieli; mela jien l-g˙ada ma stajtx niΩΩewwe©!
Óaditli tliet snin biex inlestiha u issa kienet libsa
tassew ori©inali, libsa li l-veru ssa˙˙rek bi ©mielha.
Kellha ward Ωg˙ir maqlug˙ minn sfond ta’ weraq,
kollox ma˙dum bil-gan©. Tista’ tg˙id li l-ward
kollu ta’ l-istess daqs, barra minn sitta minnhom
li ˙dimthom ftit akbar u aktar folti, fis-sider tal-
libsa. Dan ©ara g˙ax ˙dimthom meta ftit kelli xi
j˙ajjarni biex inkompli nlesti l-libsa ... f’kelma
wa˙da kelli qalbi maqtug˙a g˙al kollox. Kont qed
ng˙ix qisni f’dalma tremenda, u meta, bil-mod
kont nilma˙ ra©© ta’ Ωerniq, immur na˙dem warda
speçjali, na˙dimha bid-dmug˙ f’g˙ajnejja.
Bdejt na˙dem dil-libsa mill-ewwel jiem li ltqajt
ma’ John. Qalbi kienet tg˙idli li konna g˙al xulxin,
lanqas biss tad-dar ma kienu g˙adhom jafu li qed
niltaqg˙u. Bdejt nixtri l-˙ajt u g˙edtilhom li ser
nibda na˙seb g˙al meta jasal dak il-jum sabi˙ tat-
tie©. Óuti s-subien tg˙idx kemm iΩΩuffjettaw bija,
l-aktar il-kbir; g˙andi suspett li dak kellu xi xamma
ta’ xi ˙a©a u g˙alkemm qatt ma qal xejn, dik it-
teg˙miΩa u t-tbissima li jag˙tini kienu jfissru
˙afna.
Wara xi sitt xhur John beda jid˙ol id-dar.
Min-na˙a tal-familja tieg˙i kollox kien ˙arir,
imma ma nistax ng˙id l-istess g˙an-na˙a tieg˙u.
Dehrilhom li ©uvni ta’ tnejn u g˙oxrin sena, li
g˙adu jistudja, ma kellux g˙ax i˙ares lejn Ωwie©
qabel ma jispiçça l-kors, ˙ames snin o˙ra. Meta
Il-Libsa
tat-Tieg
Lina Brockdorff
27Hajja Salesjana
28 Hajja Salesjana
tkun g˙adek Ωg˙ira ˙ames snin huma eternità.
Darba ommu pperswadietu biex idum ma jarani
˙mistax biex hekk ikun jaf jekk hux veru j˙obbni
jew le. Minn dan ma kont naf xejn. Telefowns id-
dar ma kellniex. Kienu jiem meta ˙assejtni qed
ni©©ennen, dejjem nistenna, nistenna li narah jew
li jibg˙atli risposta ma’ xi ˙add. Tg˙id kien ser
jirnexxilhom jifirduna darba g˙al dejjem? John
kien ©uvni twajjeb u kien jag˙tini l-impressjoni li
joqg˙od g˙al kull ma tg˙idlu ommu. Sa fl-a˙˙ar
çempilli fuq ix-xog˙ol u ˙assejtni li qed ner©a’
nie˙u l-˙ajja. L-ewwel maltemp kien g˙adda u
˙dimt l-ewwel warda speçjali fil-libsa.
It-tieni warda damet sena biex twieldet. Kollox
kien miexi sew sa ma John t˙ajjar, jew ˙ajruh,
isiefer biex ikompli l-istudju barra minn Malta. Il-
kors kien ta’ disa’ xhur. Il-firda kiefra u fil-bidu
qtajt qalbi li xi darba g˙ad jg˙addi dak iΩ-Ωmien li
tulu stajt nikkonsla biss b’xi ittra u qatt ma nisma’
le˙nu. Kien tul dan iΩ-Ωmien li komplejt id-djul tal-
libsa u lestejt ukoll warda kbira speçjali.
John kien g˙adu ma ©iex lura meta o˙ti Louise
bdiet to˙ro© ma’ Paul. Bosta drabi kont nibqa’
©ewwa waqt li nikkriepa nara ‘l o˙ti ˙ier©a man-
namrat; kien hemm drabi wkoll meta o˙ti kienet
tipperswadini biex no˙ro© mag˙hom ... mag˙hom
u ma’ Nigel, ˙abib ta’ Paul. Bdiet tinbet ˙biberija
sabi˙a bejnietna t-tnejn, kont ninkwieta g˙ax
spiss kont insibni nqabbel ‘il Nigel ma’ John: il-
manjieri tag˙hom, kif jitkellmu, l-istess interess li
beda juri fija Nigel. Óassejt il-bΩonn li niddeçiedi
darb’g˙al dejjem jekk kellix nibqa’ miexja f’dik
il-˙biberija. Irra©unajt li ma kontx qed nimxi sew
ma’ John. Allura spiss kien ikolli skuΩa lesta, skuΩa
ta’ w©ig˙ ta’ ras, jew li kelli xi xog˙ol ta’ l-uffiççju
li kien je˙tie© isir id-dar. Minflok kont noqg˙od
na˙dem fil-libsa tat-tie©.
G˙adda Ω-Ωmien u waslet ir-rebbieg˙a. Kont
ng˙odd il-jiem biex jasal l-a˙˙ar ta’ Ìunju u hekk
inkun nista’ nara ‘l John. Imma l-jiem ma l˙aqtx
g˙addejthom kollha. John kellu jinΩel qabel g˙ax
ma kienx f’sikktu. Qatt ma kien qalli nofs ta’ kelma
fl-ittri biex ma jinkwetanix, imma malli rajtu stajt
ninduna li ilu ma jifla˙x. Kellu jispiçça l-isptar g˙al
xahrejn biex fl-a˙˙ar beda jirpilja. Kemm bkejt
f’dawk il-jiem! Bkejt u fl-istess ˙in sibt refu©ju
na˙dem il-gan© biex mill-mitluf nirba˙ xi ˙a©a.
Filg˙axija kont immur inΩuru kuljum.
Meta fl-a˙˙ar ˙are© mill-isptar, il-konsulent
qallu li g˙all-bidu a˙jar jie˙u l-˙ajja bil-mod.
Filg˙axija konna nag˙mlu passi©©ata qasira fil-
frisk, u tul dawk il-ftit passi er˙ilna nippjanaw il-
©ejjieni. Konna wasalna biex nitg˙arrsu, u xtaqna
li ma ntawlux wisq, forsi wara sena niΩΩew©u.
Imma l-marda ta’ John ˙adet fil-tul aktar milli
stennejna. Hawn beda inkwiet ©did min-na˙a
tal-familja tieg˙i li spiss kienu jΩellqu xi kelma
dwar jekk kellniex nibqg˙u g˙addejjin nippjanaw
g˙at-tie©. Fuq kollox, John kien jifla˙ g˙aΩ-Ωwie©?
Kienu jaqsmuli qalbi!
G˙ax ‘l John mhux talli kont in˙obbu, imma
g˙alih kont lesta li nag˙mel kollox basta ner©a’
narah hieni, narah f’sikktu kif kien qabel ma
marad. Fuq kollox, x’jimporta jekk ma nitg˙arrsux
u niΩΩew©u dik is-sena? L-aqwa li jibqa’ ˙aj, l-aqwa
li narah u jibqa’ j˙obbni. Xi dnub li bosta drabi
l-©enituri jinsew xi tfisser dik l-im˙abba ta’ meta
tkun Ωag˙Ωug˙! Kont ng˙addi ljieli s˙a˙, nibki
u nitlob, nippjana x’ser ng˙idlu biex nag˙millu
kura©©.
Sal-Milied John deher li ˙a sa˙˙tu mill-©did.
Ósibt li konna ˙lisna minn kull intopp imma ...
hawn ommu re©g˙et bdiet treddinlu biex isiefer u
jkompli l-kors li ma kienx irnexxielu jispiçça. U jekk
29Hajja Salesjana
jer©a’ jimrad waqt li jkun imsiefer wa˙du u nitilfu
g˙al dejjem? Lanqas hu ma beda juri wisq ˙e©©a
g˙al din il-proposta ta’ ommu. Kien Ωmien meta
˙assejna li ma nistg˙ux ng˙ixu aktar mifrudin
minn xulxin. Qam ftit inkwiet mhux ˙aΩin, kemm
fuq in-na˙a tieg˙u u kemm minn tieg˙i, imma
waqafnielhom u fl-a˙˙ar irba˙na a˙na. Qtajnieha
li nitg˙arrsu, nibdew infittxu appartament Ωg˙ir u
nippjanaw biex niΩΩew©u fi Ωmien qasir.
Imma altru tg˙id li ssib appartament u altru
jse˙˙ dak li kellek f’mo˙˙ok. Wara xahrejn ta’
tfittxija bqajna ming˙ajr appartament. Filg˙axija
konna n˙allu ‘l xulxin b’qalb sewda. Ma kontx
inkun nista’ nag˙laq g˙ajnejja, dejjem nipprova
na˙seb fejn stajna mmorru nfittxu xi Ωew©t
ikmamar. Addijo rqad, u mnalla kienet tkun il-libsa
biex ng˙addi Ω-Ωmien fuqha.
Jum fost l-o˙rajn, koppja ˙bieb tag˙na li ma
kinux ilhom miΩΩew©in irçevew a˙bar li kienu
ilhom jistennew. Aççettawhom it-tnejn b˙ala
g˙alliema g˙al sentejn New Zealand! Offrewlna
li jekk nixtiequ, lesti li j˙alluna noqog˙du fl-
appartament tag˙hom g˙al sentejn! U sa ma ji©u
lura nkomplu nfittxu l-appartament g˙alina.
Hekk sa fl-a˙˙ar a˙na stajna n˙ejju biex
niΩΩew©u. Il-libsa sabi˙a lesta, qed tistennieni
fil-gwardarobba u nittama li g˙ada nilbisha. Hekk
dawk is-sitt wardiet, folti u kbar aktar mill-o˙rajn
ifakkruni u jg˙allmuni li bis-sabar u bit-tama
kollox jg˙addi. Nittama li din l-istess libsa g˙ad
ng˙addiha ‘l uliedi ... u mag˙ha nirrakkontalhom
kif in˙admet din il-libsa tieg˙i tat-tie©!
ROSINA BIL-LIBSA BAJDA
“Kien it-30 ta’ Awwissu 1859, il-festa ta’ Santa
Rosa, il-qaddisa tieg˙i. Ommi, dejjem tara kif
tferra˙ni, tatni b˙ala rigal statwa çkejkna ta’
Marija Immakulata, u mbag˙ad qrib id-disg˙a
ta’ filg˙odu ˙aditni g˙and Dun Bosco fejn
qg˙adna g˙al ftit tal-˙in. Dun Bosco weg˙dna
li fis-sitta ji©i jiekol g˙andna, u Ωamm kelmtu.
Matul l-ikel g˙amilli l-awguri u staqsieni fuq
sa˙˙ti. Wara l-ikel tlabtu jid˙ol f’kamarti
fejn, fuq komodina kont po©©ejt l-istatwa
tal-Madonna. Tlabtu jberikhieli u li jitlobha
g˙alija grazzja speçjali ming˙ajr ma qag˙ad
ng˙idlu iΩjed. Kienet il-grazzja li nsib mod
kif inwettaq il-vokazzjoni tieg˙i g˙all-˙ajja
reli©juΩa.
Dun Bosco g˙aqqad idejh flimkien u
resaq lejn l-istatwa tal-Madonna; fis-skiet
˙aΩΩ sinjal tas-salib fuq l-istatwa u kompla
jitlob. Wara dan, ming˙ajr ma tilef il-©abra, u
dejjem i˙ares lejn il-Madonna, qal: “O Ver©ni
Mqaddsa Immakulata, bierek u qawwi lil
Rosina li jiena qieg˙ed nara liebsa l-abjad.”
Stejjer Qosra fuq
Dun Bosco Qaddis
Me˙udin mill-Ktieb ta’ Claudio Russo: Don Bosco e il soprannaturale.
Il-Kardinal Vives Y Tuto`, li ddefenda l-kawΩa tal-kanonizzazzjoni ta’ Dun Bosco, kien
qal: “Matul ˙ajti eΩaminajt bosta kawΩi imma qatt ma ltqajt ma’ wa˙da tant mimlija
bis-soprannatural daqs din.” Il-Mulej kien g˙o©bu jg˙ani r-ru˙ ta’ Dun Bosco b’kariΩmi
speçjali, b˙al ma kienu li jkollu viΩjonijiet u ˙olm, li jara l-©ejjieni, jg˙id profeziji, u
jaqra fil-kuxjenza.
30 Hajja Salesjana
31Hajja Salesjana
“Imma Dun Bosco,” interrompejtu jiena,
“Jien m’hinix liebsa l-abjad; anzi ma n˙obbx
nilbes dak il-kulur (jiena dak iΩ-Ωmien kelli
19 –il sena). Dak il-bniet Ωg˙ar jilbsu l-abjad,
imma fl-eta` tieg˙i dak ma jmurx (u f’qalbi
kont in˙oss x’jimbuttani milli nsir soru
Dumnikana g˙aliex dawk jilbsu l-abjad)”.
Allura Dun Bosco re©a’ qal, “Iva, Rosina
liebsa l-abjad” u b’mod profetiku kompla
jirrepeti dawk il-kliem sakemm le˙en il-
papa` ma sejja˙lux lura fil-kamra tal-pranzu
g˙all-kafe`.
Sentejn wara li ©ara dan, ji©ifieri fis-16
ta’Awwissu tal-1861, il-Mulej feta˙li l-bieb
tal-Istitut tal-Maestre Domenicane fil-belt ta’
Mondovi` Carcassone, u l-Ver©ni Mmakulata
fl-istess waqt qatghetli xewqti u wettqet it-
talba ta’ Dun Bosco u l-profezija tieg˙u.
Imma dan mhux kollox. Jiena kont
Mondovi` g˙al xi snin u kollox kien miexi ̇ arir.
Imma x-xitan ma ˙amilx u ˙alaq disordni
fil-komunita`. Min˙abba dak li ©ara diversi
tfajliet telqu mill-komunita`. Hawnhekk is-
Superjura, Madre Manfredini, sej˙itli u qaltli
nikteb lil Dun Bosco u, waqt li nibg˙atulu
offerta çkejkna, nitolbuh jag˙mel novena
sabiex il-kunvent ji©i lura g˙all-istat sabi˙
li kien fih qabel. Ftit jiem wara Dun Bosco,
kif kien soltu jag˙mel, wie©eb bi kliem ta’
ringrazzjament, ta’ parir u ta’ nkora©©ament.
Fi Ωmien qasir 20 tfajla ©ew b˙ala aspiranti;
kull disordni ©ie mne˙˙i u l-kalma, il-fer˙ u
l-g˙aqal ˙adu posthom fostna.
Ekku, Reverendu Dun Rua, il-memorji
tieg˙i fuq Dun Bosco kif g˙adni niftakarhom,
çarissmi f’mo˙˙i.” (Ara suor Filomena
Cravosio, fil-Memorie Biografiche di Don
Bosco VI, 262).
Finding yourself
at age 6 without
your parents
and ill-treated
by your relatives,
but also having
to look after
your younger
siblings would be
cause enough to end up on the street. That's what
happened to Patrick, but he was lucky enough
to meet someone who could give him reason to
dream once again. Here is his story.
My name is Patrick Ngugi Gichuhi. I was born
of a very humble family in 1986. I am the first
of six children in a family of three brothers and
two sisters. I had a nice family that cared for me
and my siblings. More importantly I had dreams
like any child in a family that can make his/her
dream come true. However, all these dreams were
shattered in the years that followed.
In 1991 my parents separated because my
dad sold marijuana for a job, and he spent most
of the time in prison rather than taking care of
his family. My mother had reached a point of no
return after a series of efforts to persuade my
father to leave the business; so she left us all. My
father decided to take us all to our rural home
in Nyeri; but instead of taking us straight to my
grandfather's house – he was not in good terms
with the extended family on my mother’s side – he
dumped us in a nearby town called Kiganjo, and
gave me the responsibility of taking care of my
younger brothers and finding my relatives.
I finally found people who could look after us
but to my surprise they weren’t at all accepting
of us. There was a lot of mistreatment from my
relatives. They didn’t take us in as their own and
instead saw us as a burden. So in 1992 my younger
brother and I ran away from Nyeri and arrived in
Karatina from where, after a few days we reached
Nairobi. There we became street kids.
We decided to hustle, find food through
begging and always slept on the street. That
lasted two years. In 1995 we got arrested and were
charged for being unlicensed parking attendants
and were sent to a child reception centre at
Kabete. A year later the public prosecutor saw
that nobody was coming to claim us and asked me
what I wanted to do. I had heard some boys in the
remand centre talking of a place called Don Bosco
where children could go to school, get nice food
and clothes, and without hesitation I said I wanted
to be taken to Don Bosco.
I was accepted into the Salesian place at
Kariua, Nairobi, one of the Bosco Boys Programme
locations and began to study. Thanks to my good
school results I became part of the first group at
the Salesian school that then went on to senior
classes in the public school. I completed everything
there and then with God's grace finished up with
an International Business Administration degree
specialising in finance.
I am sincerely grateful to the Salesians of
Don Bosco for their effort and determination in
assisting young people like me to transform our
lives. I also cannot forget all the benefactors and
well-wishers who did so much to see me succeed
in life. Most important, I cannot forget our good
Lord Jesus Christ who has made this success
story a reality.
At the end, indeed, we will not be judged by
how many diplomas we have received or how
much money we have made, or how many great
things we have done. We will be judged by, “I was
hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed
me, naked and you clothed me”.
Kenya - Patrick’s life history:
from street to University
32 Hajja Salesjana
33Hajja Salesjana
The Pontiff set out to reflect on the figure
of St. Joseph, whose feast day the Church
celebrates on 19th March. St. Joseph is the
patron saint of the Pope, who was born
Joseph Ratzinger, and the patron of the
universal Church.
A "meditation on the human and spiritual
journey of Saint Joseph invites us to ponder
his vocation in all its richness, and to see
him as a constant model for all those who
have devoted their lives to Christ in the
priesthood, in the consecrated life or in
the different forms of lay engagement. St.
Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus,
whose Father is God alone, and yet he lives
his fatherhood fully and completely."
"To be a father means above all to be at
the service of life and growth," Benedict XVI
added. "St. Joseph, in this sense, gave proof
of great devotion. For the sake of Christ
he experienced persecution, exile and the
poverty which this entails. He had to settle
far from his native town. His only reward was
to be with Christ."
"When Mary received the visit of the
angel at the Annunciation, she was already
betrothed to Joseph. In addressing Mary
personally, the Lord already closely
associates Joseph to the mystery of the
Incarnation.
"Joseph agreed to be part of the great
events which God was beginning to bring
about in the womb of his spouse. He took Mary
into his home. He welcomed the mystery that
was in Mary and the mystery that was Mary
herself. He loved her with great respect,
which is the mark of all authentic love."
"Joseph teaches us that it is possible
to love without possessing," said the Holy
Father. "In contemplating Joseph, all men
and women can, by God's grace, come to
experience healing from their emotional
wounds, if only they embrace the plan that
God has begun to bring about in those close
to him, just as Joseph entered into the work
of redemption through Mary and as a result
of what God had already done in her."
"Joseph was caught up at every moment
by the mystery of the Incarnation," reflected
Benedict XVI. "Not only physically, but in his
heart as well, Joseph reveals to us the secret
of a humanity which dwells in the presence
of mystery and is open to that mystery at
every moment of everyday life.
"In Joseph, faith is not separated from
action. His faith had a decisive effect on
his actions. Paradoxically, it was by acting,
by carrying out his responsibilities, that
he stepped aside and left God free to act,
placing no obstacles in his way. Joseph is
a 'just man’ because his existence is 'ad-
justed' to the word of God."
"The life of Saint Joseph, lived in
obedience to God’s word, is an eloquent sign
for all the disciples of Jesus who seek the
unity of the Church," the Pope concluded.
"His example helps us to understand that it
is only by complete submission to the will
of God that we become effective workers in
the service of his plan to gather together all
mankind into one family, one assembly, one
'ecclesia.'"
The Pontiff
on St. Joseph
“A good priest is a truly human person who
expresses his love for God in prayer and in
love for people. These gifts are sanctified
and focused through the grace of ordination
when he becomes ‘a man for others’.”
Cardinal Cormac Murphy – O’Connor
• Do I really want to follow Jesus and show
his love to others, especially to the young,
as Don Bosco did?
• Is prayer and my own relationship with God
at the centre of my life?
• Do I want to be honest and ‘real’ before
God and others?
• Do I enjoy the life and company of other
people? Am I approachable?
• Am I concerned for the young, the poor
and vulnerable?
If you believe you have a calling to be a
Salesian priest then contact the voca-
tions director, Fr. Louis Grech SDB at:
Tel. 21 454546 / 21 456251
or e-mail: vocations@salesiansmalta.org
for more information
www.vocations.salesiansmalta.org
way of life?
Are you
being calledto the
PRIESTHOOD
And to the
SALESIAN
34 Hajja Salesjana
Testmenti
Il-kontribuzzjonijiet kollha, kemm Ωg˙ar u kemm kbar,
huma dejjem apprezzati.
Ibg˙at il-kontribuzzjonijiet tieg˙ek lil:
Fr. Eric Cachia SDB - Amministratur tad-Delegazzjoni
Savio College, Buskett Road, Dingli DGL2702
Tel: 2145 4546
Tista’ tg˙inna fix-xog˙ol li a˙na nag˙mlu mat-tfal u
maΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ foqra billi tiftakar fina fit-testment tieg˙ek
jew tibg˙at donazzjoni.
Huwa bil-g˙ajnuna ta’ nies b˙alek li x-xog˙lijiet li
g˙andna madwar id-dinja jibqg˙u jag˙tu l-frott.
BorΩa ta’ Studju
X’INHI BORÛA TA’ STUDJU?
Hija somma ta’ flus li tg˙inna biex in˙allsu parti mill-formazzjoni
ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ li qed i˙ejji ru˙u biex isir saçerdot Salesjan.
KEMM TRID TAGÓTI BIEX TWAQQAF BORÛA TA’ STUDJU?
Kapital ta’ b600
JEÓTIEÌ LI BILFORS TAGÓTI S-SOMMA F’DAQQA?
Le. Wie˙ed jista’ jag˙tiha biçça biçça, tant fix-xhar jew tant fis-sena.
JEÓTIEÌ LI BILFORS IS-SOMMA TKUN MOGÓTIJA MINN WIEÓED BISS?
Le. Jistg˙u jiftehmu flimkien iktar minn persuna wa˙da u kul˙add jag˙ti
sehmu. IΩda min jo˙ro© wa˙du s-somma kollha, ikun fundatur ta’ dik il-BorΩa.
JISTÀ WIEÓED IÓALLI L-BORÛA BÓALA LEGAT WARA MEWTU?
Jistà. U min jag˙mel hekk, jistà jikteb fit-testment: “In˙alli b˙ala legat
lis-Salesjani ta’ Don Bosco, is-somma ta’ g˙all-formazzjoni ta’
Ωag˙Ωug˙ Malti fl-istess Soçjetà.
NEWSPAPER POST ST.PATRICK’S SCHOOL, ST. JOHN BOSCO STREET, SLIEMA 1925
