˙ajja
Salesjana
SETTEMBRU-OTTUBRU 2009
il-210 Óar©a
Pilgrimage to Turin
The Folded Napkin
Marija u r-RuΩarju
Fl-1877, Dun Bosco beda jippubblika “Il Bibliofilo Cattolico”. Wara sentejn, semmih
- Bollettino Salesiano”. Kien jo˙or©hu bi ˙sieb li jg˙aqqad lil dawk kollha li g˙andhom
g˙al qalbhom il-˙idma Salesjana fid-dinja kollha, billi jwasslilhom tag˙rif fuq il-˙ajja
tal-Kongregazzjoni Salesjana. Tag˙lim siewi g˙all-˙ajja Nisranija. Insibuh imxerred
mad-dinja kif iddur, mitbug˙ f’aktar minn g˙oxrin ilsien ewlieni … fosthom il-Malti
wkoll fiç-çokon tieg˙u. F’sena jitqassmu ‘l fuq minn g˙axar miljun kopja. Hawn Malta
jo˙ro© ta˙t l-isem ‘˙ajja Salesjana’ u kull xahrejn, barra x-xhur tas-sajf – Lulju, u
Awissu. Jitqassam b’xejn lil kull min jitolbu. G˙alhekk wie˙ed jista’ jikteb lill-Editur:
Óajja Salesjana
c/o St. Patrick’s School, Triq San Ìwann Bosco,
Sliema SLM 1925, Malta.
Tel: 2133 0238 e-mail: joecini@onvol.net
Jie˙u ˙sieb Fr. Joe Cini SDB
Bord Editorjali Fr. Paul Formosa SDB
Margaret Buhagiar
Andre’ Camilleri
Josie Grech
Jg˙inuh ukoll Fr. Charles Cini SDB
Eileen Alden
Joyce Scicluna
Joe M. Busuttil
Óajr minn qalbna lill-˙bieb tag˙na li jibag˙tu xi
˙a©a tal-flus g˙an-nefqa biex il-Óajja Salesjana
jista’ jintbag˙at b’xejn lil
• Dawk li mqar bit-talb tag˙hom jg˙inu
fil-˙idma Salesjana
• Dawk li jg˙inu l-vokazzjonijiet g˙all-˙ajja
Reli©juΩa Salesjana
Infakkru lill-qarrejja tag˙na li l-˙idma Salesjana
Maltija tinfirex ukoll fl-Afrika ta’ fuq, fit-TuneΩija.
Designed & Printed by Salesian Press
Fuqiex se naqraw
Il-Bullettin Salesjan 3
Pedago©ija Salesjana 5
Calendar of Events 7
Tifel jisraq il-Mag˙mudija 8
Min-Ni©erja - Fr Richard SDB 10
Crimes 8 12
Pilgrimage to Turin 14
Il-Mi©ja ta’ Laura 17
Something to think about… 18
The Folded Napkin 20
Marija u r-RuΩarju 22
Salesians Open YouTube Channel 23
A Voluntary Experience in Tunisia 24
Il-Qaddej ta’ Alla Dun Feliç Canelli 25
The Maltese Salesian Past Pupils Association
of Victoria Australia 1959 ~ 2009 26
The Life of St. Paul (3) 28
Sette Giugno f’ Jum il-Premjazzjonijiet 30
Óajjitha g˙all-O˙rajn 31
Could God be calling Me? 32
Laqg˙at g˙al Óbieb Duminku Savio u Laura
Vicuna f’Savio College 34
Front Cover: Is-‘Si©ra tal-Familja Salesjana’ u d-Dar Ìeneralizja tas-Salesjani f’Ruma
˙ajjaSalesjana
Editorjal
F’nofs ix-xahar ta’ Mejju li g˙adda, mort
Ruma, fid-dar Ìeneralizzja tag˙na, g˙al-
laqg˙a mad-diretturi jew edituri tal-Bullettin
Salesjan (BS). Dawn ©ew minn ̇ afna partijiet
tad-dinja, g˙alkemm mhux kollha kienu
hemm. U dan min˙abba li fil-
©img˙at ta’ qabel kienu saru
laqg˙at o˙ra fil-Korea t’Isfel,
fl-Indja u fil-Ìermanja. Dawn
it-tip ta’ laqg˙at isiru qisu kull
3 snin biex jinqasmu u ji©u
diskussi l-problemi u hekk il-
BS ta’ kull nazzjon ji©i dejjem
imtejjeb.
Dun Bosco kien beda
jikteb fuljett ta’ a˙barijiet
Salesjani fl-1877. Wara
sentejn semma dan il-fuljett
‘Bullettin Salesjan’ u kellu l-
˙sieb li bih iwassal tag˙rif fuq
dak li kien qieg˙ed ji©ri fil-
kongregazzjoni. Kien jag˙tih
importanza kbira g˙aliex kien
iqisu b˙ala mezz ta’ g˙aqda.
Meta ra li ma setax jiddedika
ru˙u g˙all-BS kif xtaq, sejja˙
wie˙ed mill-a˙jar Salesjani li
kellu u g˙amlu d-‘Direttur’
tal-BS. Dan juri liema importanza Dun Bosco
kien jag˙ti lill-BS.
Is-Salesjani, f’kull nazzjon li jinsabu fih,
jifhmu kemm hu ta’ siwi li jkollok mezz ta’
komunikazzjoni mal-˙afna membri tal-
Familja Salesjana, ˙bieb, kollaboraturi u
nies o˙ra li jinteressaw ru˙hom fil-˙idma
Salesjana. G˙alhekk jaraw kif jag˙mlu sabiex
ikollhom il-BS bl-ilsien tal-pajjiΩ. Meta g˙al xi
ra©uni, ma jistg˙ux jistampaw dak tag˙hom,
jing˙aqdu ma’ provinçji jew pajjiΩi o˙ra ta’
l-istess ilsien, sabiex ikollhom BS li jistg˙u
jxerrdu u jikkomunikaw bih. Hekk, per
eΩempju, f’xi pajjiΩi ta’ l-Afrika tal-Punent,
BS bil-FrançiΩ iservi g˙al aktar minn pajjiΩi
wie˙ed jew provinçja wa˙da. L-istess fl-Afrika
tal-Lvant. G˙all- kuntrarju,
fl-Indja, waqt li hemm BS
bl-IngliΩ imxerred mal-pajjiΩ
kollu, hemm ukoll sitta o˙ra
b’ilsna tad-diversi re©juni ta’
dan il-pajjiΩ hekk kbir.
Imma l-BS dan iΩ-Ωmien
ma jeΩistix biss fuq karta,
forma ta’ ktejjeb; ˙afna
provinçji Salesjani jpo©©uh
ukoll fuq l-internet u hekk
jista’ jinqara fuq kompjuter.
B’dan il-mod wie˙ed jista’
jsib artikli ta’ l-img˙oddi,
jikteb direttament lill-editur,
jikkummenta jew jikkritika,
ifittex informazzjoni fuq is-
Salesjani u sa˙ansitra jaqra
minn qabel xi artikli mill-BS
li jkun se jo˙ro© aktar tard
fix-xahar.
Qabel ma tlaqna mil-
laqg˙a li kellna f’Ruma,
ing˙atajna homework g˙at-3 snin li ©ejjin.
Irridu (1) intejbu l-BS tag˙na, (2) nippruvaw
inpo©©uh fuq l-internet, u (3) inΩidu fin-
numru ta’ qarrejja u ˙bieb. Jiena se nag˙mel
˙ilti sabiex inlesti dan il-homework; intom
araw kif tistg˙u tg˙inu ̇ alli l-BS ta’ Malta ma
jkunx xog˙ol ta’ wie˙ed li ja˙dem f’uffiçju,
imma opra tag˙na lkoll.
Il-Bullettin Salesjan
˙ajjaSalesjana
In the month of May, I went to Rome, to
our Superiors’ House, to attend a meeting
of directors or editors of the Salesian Bulletin
(SB). These Salesians came from many parts
of the world, but were not all there because
in the weeks before there had
been other similar meetings
in South Korea, India and
Germany. This type of
meeting is held about every
3 years so that problems may
be shared and discussed and
thus the SB of every nation
can be improved.
Don Bosco had started
distributing a leaflet of Salesian
news in 1877. Two years later
he called it “Salesian Bulletin”
and he was using it to spread
news about events in the
Congregation. It was very
much to his heart because
he considered it a means of
unity; and when he could no
longer dedicate himself to it
as he wished, he called one of
his best Salesians and made
him “Director of the SB”. This
shows the importance Don Bosco gave to
the SB.
Every nation they are in, the Salesians
appreciate the fact of having a means of
communication among the many members
of the Salesian family, friends, collaborators
and others who take an interest in Salesian
works. So they find means of publishing
the SB in the language of that country.
When, for some reason they cannot print
their own, they join other countries or
provinces of the same language so as to
have a SB which they can spread so as to
communicate news. Thus, for example, in
West Africa, the SB printed in French unites
the several countries which have French as
second language. The same
is done in East Africa, but in
English. On the contrary, in
India, while a SB in English
is spread throughout the
country, there are printed
six other SB in different
local languages of that vast
country.
Nowadays, the SB does
not appear only on paper in
the form of a booklet; many
Salesian provinces have it on
internet and it can be read
on computer. In this way
one can look for past articles,
contact the editor directly,
comment or criticize, look
for more information and
even read articles still to
appear in future editions as
soon as they are ready.
At the end of our meeting
in Rome, we were given some ‘homework’
to do in the coming 3 years. We are to (1)
improve our SB, (2) try to edit it on internet,
and (3) increase the number of readers and
friends. I shall do my best to accomplish
this homework; on your part see how you
can help so that the Maltese SB won’t be
the work of one man in an office, but the
achievement of us all.
The Salesian Bulletin
˙ajjaSalesjana
Pedago©ija Salesjana
Minn Pascual Chavez – Trad. Joe Cini
Kummenti fuq li ‘Strenna 2009’: “Moviment Kbir Favur iΩ-Ûg˙ar’’
Huwa moviment, u g˙alhekk huwa
dinamiku, ̇ aj. Dan jispjega g˙aliex ikompli
dejjem jikber, kemm fin-numru tal-membri u
kemm fil-gruppi Ωg˙ar fi ˙danu. Illum hemm
26 grupp li uffiçjalment huma parti mill-FS.
Hemm ukoll mat-30 o˙rajn li mexjin lejh
li juru aspetti interessanti u sinifikattivi. Ir-
Rettur Ma©©ur ta’ qabli, Fr. Egidju Viganò,
kien iddikjara li l-FS g˙ad tasal li jkollha
mill-inqas 300 grupp. Din esa©erazzjoni?
Iktar ng˙id li huwa entuΩjaΩmu jew fiduçja
fil-kariΩma ta’ Dun Bosco, fil-˙afna wçu˙
tag˙ha, fid-dinamiΩmu tag˙ha u fl-abiltà li
tesprimi ru˙ha b’modi diversi.
Huwa moviment spiritwali, min˙abba
li huwa frott l-Ispirtu li spirah u jkompli
Il-Familja Salesjana B˙ala Moviment
G˙eΩieΩ Qarrejja, kemm-il darba
jiena g˙edt li l-Familja Salesjana(FS)
hija moviment - ˙a©a li fil-Knisja
kellha suççess. JeΩistu llum ˙afna
movimenti fil-Knisja, differenti minn
xulxin, li jinvolvu eluf t’erwie˙.
Dak li beda Dun Bosco hu mag˙ruf
b˙ala “moviment vast ta’ nies g˙as-
salvazzjoni taΩ-Ωg˙ar”: moviment li
huwa spiritwali u appostoliku.
˙ajjaSalesjana
jo˙olqu. Il-FS mhux xi pro©ett ma˙sub fl-
uffiçju; lanqas ma hu frott tal-©enju ta’ Dun
Bosco. Huwa ̇ idma ta’ l-Ispirtu s-Santu, u sar
realtà bl-intervent ta’ Marija. G˙alhekk huwa
kariΩmatiku, g˙otja ta’ Alla g˙as-servizz tal-
Knisja u tad-dinja. Ha©a sewwa li nkunu nafu
li l-fundatur tal-FS huwa l-Ispirtu s-Santu.
Huwa moviment appostoliku: ji©ifieri li
g˙andu missjoni x’jaqdi. M’huwiex xi klabb
tal-˙bieb u lanqas xi g˙aqda filantropika.
Imma huwa unità fi ˙dan il-Knisja li
ja˙dem g˙all-bnedmin. Fi kliem ie˙or,
huwa vokazzjoni, sej˙a sabiex titkompla l-
˙idma ta’ Kristu, b’xejra partikulari – dik li
tiddedika ru˙ha, permezz ta’ l-edukazzjoni,
g˙as-salvazzjoni tat-tfal u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ fqar u
f’sitwazzjonijiet diffiçli.
Tliet g˙anijiet li nixtieq inpo©©i
quddiemkom g˙aΩ-Ωmien li ©ej huma:
- Li tag˙rfu lil xulxin a˙jar billi ssiru aktar
konxji ta’ x’hini il-FS. Hemm bΩonn li l-gruppi
jsiru jafu lil xulxin, jiltaqg˙u ma’ xulxin,
jiççelebraw flimkien il-fatt li huma a˙wa li
jaqsmu l-istess kariΩma. Irridu napprezzaw
il-fatt tal-˙afna sitwazzjonijiet, g˙aliex
hemm min hu reli©juΩ, jew ikkonsagrat;
hemm dawk huma membri ta’ grupp lajk
jew ikkonsagrati g˙alkemm jg˙ixu fid-
dinja; dawk li ja˙dmu f’xi organizzazzjoni
u dawk li jag˙mlu appostolat wa˙edhom
kuljum; hemm gruppi Ωg˙ar u gruppi kbar.
Dan ipo©©i responsabbiltà fuq is-Salesjani li
hemm bΩonn juru fiduçja akbar fil-Familja li
Dun Bosco afdalhom, li tag˙ha huma parti
integrali, u li jridu j˙obbu u jmexxu.
- Li tiffurmaw ru˙kom flimkien. Din
hi attività li hemm bΩonn tinbeda. Il-
formazzjoni tag˙na g˙andha çerti elementi
b˙al, qabel kollox, l-g˙arfien ta’ Dun
Bosco sabiex nag˙rfu, nifhmu u nwettqu
l-pro©ett kariΩmatiku tieg˙u u l-kriterju tal-
˙idma pastorali tieg˙u. Iç-çelebrazzjoni
ta’ anniversarji, çentenarji u okkaΩjonijiet
importanti o˙ra huma mumenti tajba
sabiex nitg˙allmu aktar. Utili ˙afna jkunu
xi jiem ta’ rtiri flimkien li jo˙olqu atmosfera
ta’ qsim spiritwali. Fejn possibli g˙andu
jkun hemm korsijiet ta’ vera formazzjoni u
tag˙rif a˙jar fuq is-sitwazzjoni taΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
jew tal-lokalità fejn inwettqu l-appostolat
tag˙na. Dan kollu jg˙inna n˙ossuna familja
g˙alkemm kull grupp jibqa’ bil-karatteristika
tieg˙u.
- Li ta˙dmu flimkien; u hawn nistg˙u
n©ibu l-eΩempju li Dun Bosco juΩa sabiex
ifisser l-g˙aqda. Óajta wa˙eda, jekk tin©ibed,
tinqata’. Imma ̇ afna ̇ jut mibruma flimkien,
jag˙mlu ˙abel li ˙add ma jaqta’. G˙alhekk
mhux f’loku li gruppi tal-FS li jg˙ixu fl-istess
lokalità, li jiffaççjaw l-istess sfidi, imbag˙ad
ja˙dmu kull wie˙ed g˙al rasu. X’hemm
bΩonn isir? L-ewwelnett nag˙rfu l-isfidi li
l-Knisja, li tag˙ha a˙na membri, qieg˙da
tiffaççja; nikkolaboraw ma’ l-isqfijiet; nag˙tu
preferenza lil dawk li huma qrib il-g˙an
tal-missjoni tag˙na; flimkien ma’ dawk, fis-
soçjetà çivili, li qeg˙din ja˙dmu huma wkoll
fl-istess settur. In-nies tal-belt jew re©jun fejn
inwettqu l-opra tag˙na jridu jinnutaw il-©id
li nag˙mlu u jqisuna qawwa g˙all-©id soçjali
u spiritwali tal-komunità madwarna.
G˙eΩieΩ qarrejja, dan li qieg˙ed
ng˙idilkom m’huwiex biss xi ˙olma! Dan
di©à qieg˙ed jsir f’˙afna postijiet fid-dinja.
Nifhem li bejn dak li qed ji©ri u dak li jista’
jsir, hemm distanza kbira. Imma issa l-waqt
li niççaqalqu!
Il-Konsulta Dinjija tal-Familja Salesjana
mar-Rettur Maggur f’Ruma
˙ajjaSalesjana
Calendarof Events
C A L E N D A R O F S A L E S I A N F E A S T S & E V E N T S
For any other info about the Salesians: www.sdb.org / www.youtube.com/user/ANSchannel
Salesians in Malta: www.salesiansmalta.org / www.salesiantheatremalta.com
www.saviocollege.edu.mt / www.spysmalta.org/spysint / www.stpatrickspastpupils.org
SePt
31 Aug–3 Sep Boscofestival Group 1 Live-in at Savio College (www.boscofest.org )
Wed 2 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s
5 – 8 Boscofestival Group 2 Live-in at Savio College
Thu 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions. Boscofestival General Rehearsal at
Savio College (all day)
Fri 11 Perpetual Profession of Bros. Jeremy Vella and Gerald Mangion at St.
Gregory’s Church at 6.30 p.m.
12 & 13 Boscofestival at Savio College (5.00 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.)
18 & 19 “Dominic Savio” – The Musical! At Salesian Oratory, Sliema -8.00 p.m.
Thu 24 Commemoration of Mary Help of Christians. St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
Mon 28 Start of New School Year at Savio College and St. Patrick’s
OCt
Mon 5 Bl. Alberto Marvelli (Member of Salesian Family)
Wed 7 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s.
Sat 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions. 1st lecture in ‘Salesian Spirituality
Course’ for all the Salesian Family.
tue 13 Bl. Alessandrina da Costa (Salesian Cooperator)
17 – 18 Atturi Salesjani present “Il-Wirt tas-Sur Peppin” at Salesian Theatre, Sliema.
Sat 24 Bl. Louis Guanella (Priest, collaborator of St. John Bosco)
Mon 26 Commemoration of Mary Help of Christians. St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
Thu 29 Bl. Michael Rua (First Successor of St. John Bosco)
nOv
Wed 4 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s.
Fri 6 Bl. Joseph Calasanz and 93 companions (Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War)
Tue 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
14 – 15 Atturi Salesjani present “l-Akkuzat” at Salesian Theatre, Sliema
˙ajjaSalesjana
Tifel jisraq
il-Mag˙mudija
Jirrakkonta l-qassis li jie˙u
˙sieb it-tfal
It-tfajjel twieled ta˙t si©ra tal-coconut
f’ra˙al ta’ xatt-il Malabar fl-Indja t’Isfel. Issa
kellu ˙dax-il sena u wasal fir-re©jun tag˙na
flimkien mal-©enituri tieg˙u g˙ax xtaqu
˙ajja a˙jar u bdew ifittxu x-xog˙ol. IΩda
msieken…minflok sabu l-mewt!
Tfaçça g˙andna messa©©ier ta’ l-isptar
b’ittra f’idu ming˙and it-tabib. Qalli li ra©el
Indjan u martu qabdithom il-marda tal-
kolera u mietu. Huma ˙allew warajhom tifel
imfarfar li ˙aseb li jkun l-a˙jar jekk jidda˙˙al
fl-orfanatrofju tal-missjoni. Jiena pront
aççettajtu g˙ax fhimt li kien kaΩ kemmxejn
rari u okkaΩjoni speçjali ming˙and Alla.
It-tfajjel, g˙adma u ©ilda, wasal g˙andna
mlibbes imqatta’ u b’sorra çkejkna f’idu.
Naturalment kien jolfoq u jnissel ˙niena.
Orfni, u wa˙du fid-dinja , anki bog˙od minn
ra˙al twelidu min jaf kif ˙assu l-imsejken
tifel. Imma t-tfal tag˙na malajr daru mieg˙u
u Ωieg˙lu bih kemm setg˙u. F’qasir ̇ in huwa
nduna li kien sab ˙bieb tajba li j˙obbuh.
Malajr t˙allat sew mat-tfal kollha. Hekk huwa
wkoll seta’ jkun kuntent b˙alhom.
Min isalva ru˙ ˙addie˙or
Xi ©ranet wara, it-tfal li kont ng˙allem
jien kollha qalu li xtaqu jsiru appostli peress
li kont ng˙idilhom li min isalva r-ru˙ ta’
sie˙bu, isalva tieg˙u ukoll. Allura bdew l-
im˙atra bejniethom min minnhom g˙andu
l-˙ila jikkonverti imqar tifel wie˙ed pagan,
˙alli b’hekk huma jkunu jistg˙u jid˙lu l-
©enna fiΩ-Ωgur. U tassew! Dawk il-©odda li
jiena g˙ammidt fl-orfanatrofju, kollu nafu
(wara Alla) g˙all-˙ila tat-tfal koperaturi
Ωg˙ar tieg˙i.
G˙alhekk kull tifel ©did li jasal fl-
orfanatrofju, dritt jitkixxfu ming˙andu jekk
hux nisrani jew pagan. Jekk ikun ta’ l-a˙˙ar,
pulit pulit iduru mieg˙u biex jikkonvertuh.
Jibdew juruh kemm jaqbel li wie˙ed isir
nisrani sabiex ikollu ˙ajja ferrie˙a f’din id-
dinja u fl-o˙ra, g˙ax koroh u jqarrqu huma
d-drawwiet tal-pagani. Sintendi l-lezzjonijiet,
il-katekiΩmu, l-eΩempji t-tajba, l-im˙abba ta’
xulxin u d-devozzjoni lejn il-Madonna u l-
Ewkaristija jag˙mlu l-kumplament. It-tifel
©did pagan tag˙na ma damx ma sab ru˙u
f’din ix-xibka fina tat-tfal. Huwa wkoll min-
na˙a tieg˙u, beda j˙ossu jg˙ir g˙al dawk
˙ajjaSalesjana
s˙abu li kienu jersqu filliera wara xulxin g˙at-
tqarbin waqt li hu jibqa’ wa˙du fil-bank. Anki
hu xtaq jibda jilqa’ ©ewwa fih lil dak Alla li ©a
kien beda jduq mit-tjubija tieg˙u g˙all-kura
li sab fl-orfanatrofju.
Kienu g˙adhom kemm g˙addew tliet
xhur. It-tifel bdejna nsej˙ulu Bernard b’tifkira
ta’ wie˙ed benefattur li miet dik il-˙abta.
Bernard ©ie fuqi u minn ta˙t l-ilsien talabni
biex ng˙ammdu g˙ax ried jibda jirçievi lil
Ìesu’ b˙at-tfal l-o˙ra. Dak il-˙in jien ˙assejt
g˙afsa ta’ qalb g˙ax ma stajtx nikkuntentah
hekk malajr. Il-prudenza titlob li almenu t-
tfal jag˙mlu sena s˙i˙a mag˙na b˙ala prova.
Dejjem hekk imxejna, g˙ax ©ieli kellna tfal li
wara Ωmien qasir ˙arbu mill-orfanatrofju u
sparixxew.
“Ibni’’, g˙idtlu jien, “inti taf ir-regolamenti
tag˙na. Jonqsok tistenna disa’ xhur o˙ra…’’
Imma Bernard kien jer©a’ jinsisti u jaqbad
inewwa˙ kull darba li jkun qribi. Óin wie˙ed
mar fuq s˙abu u qalilhom li l-Father ma
riedx jg˙ammdu.
“Issa jekk jien nimrad u mmut…x’ji©ri?...’’
staqsa lit-tfal.
“Minn daqshekk xejn la tibΩa’, we©buh
“g˙ax imbag˙ad il-Father malajr ji©i ji©ri
biex jg˙ammdek’’
Fil-©img˙a ta’ wara, it-Tnejn filg˙odu,
Bernard ma qamx mis-sodda. Wara l-quddies
jiena mort fejnu ˙a nara x’©ara.
“G˙aliex ma qomtx?’’
Ma nifla˙x, Father…’’
“X’G˙andek?’’
“In˙ossni stordut.’’
‘U iva…Issa dalwaqt jg˙addilek’’.
Bernard baqa’ fis-sodda l-jum kollu, bla
ma jiekol xejn. Jixrob biss. L-g˙ada l-istess.
Jien ma stajtx nifhem x’kien qabdu dat-
tifel. Billi baqa’ ma jikolx u jidher mag˙dur,
bdejt na˙seb li Ωgur se jaqa’ f’debbulizza
kbira. Bilfors li kellu xi ˙a©a serja. Il-Óamis
fil-g˙axija tassew inkwetani. Mort fta˙t qalbi
ma’ wie˙ed minn s˙abi l-qassisin u dak qalli:
“Jekk ta˙seb li hu gravi…ara li ma jmutx mal-
lejl. A˙jar tg˙ammdu u sserra˙ mo˙˙ok.’’
Fl-a˙˙ar kellna ng˙ammduh
Iddeçidejt li nie˙u l-parir tieg˙u. Ersaqt
lejn it-tifel u tlabtu jindem minn xi dnubiet li
seta’ kellu. Wara kollox, g˙all-˙erqa li kellu,
tag˙lim tal-katekiΩmu kien jaf biΩΩejjed.
Mela, bil-qieg˙da fis-sodda u b’devozzjoni
kbira, Bernard irçieva is-Sagrament imqaddes
tal-Mag˙mudija li g˙amlu iben ta’ Alla u
werriet tal-©enna. Wara ç-çerimonja jien
mort fil-kappella sabiex in©ib iΩ-Ωejt imbierek
˙alli nag˙millu wkoll il-griΩma. Imma x’˙in
wasalt lura fil-kamra, is-sodda kienet vojta u
l-marid ma stajt narah imkien!
Dak il-˙in it-tfal kienu jilag˙bu fil-bit˙a.
Mort ng˙id lil katekista li jkun mag˙hom u
nittawwal minn ta˙t il-veranda. U x’nara?...
Bernard kien hemm mat-tfal…ji©ri u jaqbeΩ
qisu mhux hu!
“Hawn x’©ejt tag˙mel?’’ g˙idtlu.
“Father issa jiena fiqt g˙ax nisrani!...’’
irrispondieni b’wiççu mbissem u bla ma
˙abbel rasu li g˙adda erbat ijiem bil-©u˙.
Ma kellix kura©© ng˙ajjat mieg˙u talli
g˙amilli u da˙ak bija. Wara kollox g˙all-età
tieg˙u, tassew kien g˙amel att erojku biex
baqa’ sajjem dawk il-©ranet. Anzi qanqal fija
ammirazzjoni. Madankollu kelli nag˙tih xi
forma ta’ kastig; bg˙attu immedjatament
jg˙in fil-kçina u jlaqqat dak li kien fadal.
It-tfal g˙arfu l-g˙aqal ta’ mo˙˙u u biex
jinkuh laqqmuh ‘il-˙alliel tal-mag˙mudija’.
Nista’ ng˙id li kemm dam mag˙na
Bernard baqa’ dejjem fidil g˙all-grazzja tal-
mag˙mudija. Kien bravu u ubbidjenti g˙al
kull ma tg˙idlu; mudell eççellenti g˙at-tfal
l-o˙ra. Meta kiber huwa sab xog˙ol adattat
g˙alih u tg˙arras u ΩΩewwe© fil-knisja tal-
missjoni. Bix-xieraq a˙na g˙amilnielu festa
sabi˙a. Bernard g˙adu eΩempju ta’ ˙ajja
tajba g˙an-nies kollha li jafuh.
˙ajjaSalesjana10
Min-niÌerja
– Fr. Richard SDB
minn Dr. Frank Cassar
Wie˙ed mill-programmi msejjah VUÇI
MISSJUNARJA (20 ta’ Marzu, 2009) fid-
9.00 p.m. fuq RADJU MARIJA (102.3 FM)
˙adna fil-belt ta’ Ondo fin-Ni©erja, il-
pajjiΩ bl-akbar popolazzjoni fil-Punent
tal-Afrika. F’din il-belt hemm skola
tas-salesjani u fiha jinsab patri Salesjan
Ωag˙Ωug˙, Fr Ric˙ard Ebejer.
G˙alkemm ninsabu ‘l bog˙od minn Turin
fejn twieled u g˙ex Don Bosco, in˙ossuna
f’dinja Salesjana bl-ispirtu tal-fundatur
isegwina fl-isfond. Fr. Richard, b’mod l-aktar
sempliçi u mexxej da˙˙al lis-semmieg˙a f’din
id-dinja u f’din l-atmosfera missjunarja li ma
telqitniexx qabel ma ntemm il-programm.
Wara li g˙amel ˙idma maΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
f’Malta u fit-TuneΩija, fl-2005 Fr Richard ©ie
fdat bil-formazzjoni tal-prenovizzi Salesjani
fin-Ni©erja. Huwa spjega fid-dettal il-
programm intensiv ta’ formazzjoni fil-livell
uman li jag˙ti dixxerniment vokazzjonali;
fil-˙ajja nisranija fi knisja li qed tikber
sostanzjalment; fl-ispirtu Salesjan imsejjes
fuq il-fidi, l-im˙abba u r-ra©uni; u fil-
prattika g˙ax permezz ta’ ˙idma fost it-tfal
u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ tal-Oratorji, ta’ kull ©img˙a,
l-prenovizzi jit˙alltu maΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ l-o˙ra
u permezz tal-log˙ob u l-isport ji©bduhom
lejhom u jnisslu fihom sens ta’ formazzjoni.
Fr. Richard spjega wkoll il-pro©etti li qed
iwettqu s-Salesjani partikolarment fl-iskola
teknika fejn barra li jg˙allmu diversi snajja`
lil mijiet ta’ studenti bniet u subien foqra,
huma jsibulhom xog˙ol wara li jtemmu l-
korsijiet tag˙hom. Isemmi wkoll kif l-istess
ta˙ri© qed ji©©enera qlig˙ finanzjarju g˙all-
iskola u g˙all-istudenti mill-bejg˙ tal-o©©etti
li jipproduçu. Fil-fatt il-bankijiet kollha tal-
knejjes Kattoliçi tad-djoçesi jin˙admu f’dik
l-iskola!
Huwa ddeskriva wkoll il-pro©ett “Kairos’’
(kelma Griega li tfisser “issa huwa l-waqt
opportun’’) bil-bini ta’ çentru g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
mill-istess Ωg˙aΩag˙ bl-g˙ajnuna finanzjarja
ta’ benefatturi Maltin u Taljani. Don Bosco
jg˙id li kull ma kellu kienet l-intenzjoni tajba li
jg˙in, imma li kieku ma jkunux il-benefatturi
ma jista’ jag˙mel xejn. Huwa jqabbel dik l-
g˙ajuna maΩ-Ωejt li jing˙ata lill-magna biex
tkompli ta˙dem.
Interessanti wkoll li Fr. Richard nisse©
rakkont storiku ta’ l-involviment tal-kumpaniji
multi- nazzjonali taΩ-Ωejt li da˙lu fin-Ni©erja.
Filwaqt li qabel dawn kienu interessati biss fl-
isfruttament ta’ din il-materja prima, f’dawn
l-a˙˙ar snin bdew jag˙tu importanza lill-
element uman u g˙alhekk bdew jinvestu
fin-nies u fil-lokal. B˙ala riΩultat dirett ta’
dan l-iΩvilupp, is-Salesjani ©ew mistiedna li
11˙ajjaSalesjana
jmexxu skola fl-istat tad-Delta, mibnija u
fornuta proprju mill-kumpaniji taΩ-Ωejt!
Fr Richard ddeskriva n-Ni©erja b˙ala
pajjiΩ rikk fil-vokazzjonijiet saçerdotali u
reli©juΩi. Huwa jmur lura storikament g˙aΩ-
Ωmien ta’ ˙idma kbira mwettqa mill-ewwel
missjunarji IrlandiΩi fix-Xlokk tal-pajjiΩ,
liema missjoni qed tag˙ti frott kbir tant li,
g˙an-Ni©erjani li jg˙ixu f’dak ir-re©jun, hija
˙a©a ta’ valur imprezzabbli li familja jkollha
vokazzjoni. B’dan il-mod il-Knisja Kattolika
fin-Ni©erja qed tikber tant li kull sena ssir
selezzjoni minn dawk il ˙afna li japplikaw
biex jing˙aqdu fis-Soçjeta` Salesjana.
Dan (Vuçi Missjunarja) kien programm
g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ ming˙and missjunarju
Ωag˙Ωug˙ im˙e©©e© mill-ispirtu Salesjan. Fr.
Richard temm il-˙in tieg˙u mas-semmieg˙a
ta’ Radju Marija, billi mill-esperjenza tieg˙u,
qasam g˙add ta’ messa©©i u riflessjonijiet
immirati direttament g˙all-voluntiera
Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Tistg˙u tisimg˙u ˙afna aktar fil-
programm VUÇI MISSJUNARJA kull nhar
ta’ Ìimg˙a, fid-9.00 p.m. fuq RADJU
MARIJA (102.3 FM), b’ripetizzjoni t-
Tlieta f’nofs il-lejl sbi˙ l-Erbg˙a, bi
produzzjoni u preΩentazzjoni ta’ Dr
Frank Cassar u Helena Sammut.
Hello Fr Joe,
Jiena kont ©o St. Patrick’s meta kont
g˙adni tifel. Dan kien iΩ-Ωmien bejn l-1960
u 1966. Jiena jisimni George Chilton; imma
jekk tfittex ismi fir-re©istru trid issibni ta˙t
l-isem ta’ George Grima. Jiena kont ˙ajjat
b˙al ˙ija Leli; imma ˙una l-ie˙or Fredu
kien stampatur.
Qieg˙ed niktiblek min˙abba li jiena
u xi g˙axra o˙ra qeg˙din infittxu li
nikkuntattjaw lil s˙abna ta’ dak iΩ-Ωmien,
u forsi inti tista’ tg˙inna f’dan. Jiena ˙laqt
grupp fuq ‘Facebook’ u kull min irid jista’
jikkuntattjana billi jifta˙ il-kompjuter fuq is-
sit: http://www.facebook.com/group.
php?gid=45617059023
Dan, fil-fatt huwa is-‘St. Patrick’s School
Malta ‘Old Boys’ of the 1960’s’.
Inkunu obbligati u tassew rikonoxxenti
lejk jekk tista’ tippubblika dan il-messa©©
u dan l-indirizz fejn jistg˙u jarawh l-‘Old
Boys’ ta’ dik l-iskola g˙aΩiΩa tas-Salesjani.
Nie˙du gost b’kull min jixtieq iΩur dan is-
sit jew jiktbilna il-kummenti tieg˙u.
Grazzi ta’ kull g˙ajnuna li tista’ toffrilna.
Dejjem tieg˙ek,
George Chilton (Ex: George Grima)
George Grech - Leli Grech - George Chilton - Frankie Grech
- ? - Bianchi ? - ? - Azzopardi - Victor Grech - Eddie Pavia
˙ajjaSalesjana12
Crimes 9
Excerpts from the book “ Crimes of the Innocent” by Fr. Charles Cini S.D.B.
Abridged extracts
The lack of interest shown by some
young people in politics and religion can be
attributed to an institutional crisis. Youths,
do not consider the government, the Church
and maybe even the family as authorities,
and they have lost confidence in them. But
we must not blame the youths themselves
for this. The State and the Church have in
the past neglected youths and let them
down, particularly where their future was
concerned, and it is very difficult for these
institutions to regain young people’s
confidence.
One other reason for young people’s
nonchalant behaviour is that today Malta is
no longer an isolated country. Youths travel
a lot these days. They meet their peers from
other countries both here in Malta and
abroad, and are influenced by their way of
life. The mass media is also playing a big
part in affecting the changing behaviour of
our youth.
Today’s young people do not have
the same difficulties that other young
generations had in the past. The spadework
was already done for them by their fathers
and mothers, and nowadays they seem to
get everything they wish for. This has its
counter-effect because today’s youths do
not appreciate what their parents have to go
through to give them a decent living.
In most families, everything has been
settled for them and they do not really
need to suffer to get what they require.
Self-confidence regained
through positive thinking
1˙ajjaSalesjana
Today’s young people have been “spoilt”;
youths have never had it so good. Their
families offer them the material wealth they
need, and since the youths themselves do
not have to work for it, they tend to take
everything for granted. Permissive parents
must be blamed for not exercising enough
discipline on their children and for not
instilling in them a sense of sacrifice, which
is very important for helping youths to build
a strong character.
Very often young men and women do
have values which they can share but they
are too disorientated and distracted or they
do not find enough good role models to
imitate. Nowadays they are more worried
about what to wear on weekends and
where to spend their free time. Their ethical
behaviour and morality leave a lot to be
desired, not to say that they are completely
inexistent. Young people do not appreciate
the gift of sexuality, and are not prepared
to build strong relationships with other
people and are mainly interested in getting
more money and goods, even if this means
harming their colleagues.
Certainly one should not only look at
young people’s behaviour but rather at the
motivation leading to such attitudes. There is
a great imbalance between their willingness
to face the reality of life and the exaggerated
wish to escape this reality. Most of the
youths are so empty and lonely that they
find a safety-valve in sex, drugs, alcohol and
promiscuity. Afterwards, they end up even
lonelier. The fact that a large percentage of
youths feel the urge to leave home to be
able to enjoy themselves every day without
any restraint, is already a problem in itself.
One needs to tackle young people’s
problems by expressing confidence in them
and in their capabilities. Youths are people
who question everything, even themselves,
and therefore need to be guided. They should
be motivated into thinking positively.
˙ajjaSalesjana1
I am one of those parents who, this
Easter, went on the Salesian Pilgrimage
to the places where St. John Bosco lived
and worked. I want to share with you
the emotions I had during this wonderful
experience.
As from day one, I cannot forget the vigil
mass we heard on Holy Saturday, at the
Basilica of St. John Bosco. I must have been
tired after an exhausting and hectic day of
travelling; but something about the mass
struck a chord in me. I was to come face
to face with Don Bosco, a man who was to
bring great serenity to my heart…
Pilgrimage to
Easter Sunday:
We spent most of our first morning at the
house in which Don Bosco was brought up.
As I walked up to it, I noticed that there was
a sign above the door: ‘‘QUESTA È LA MIA
CASA’’. It made me feel like this was my own
home … a calling by Don Bosco. As soon as
I entered, I was drawn to a wall on which
were hung frames with Mamma Margerita’s
proverbs. Her words of wisdom pacified me,
they made me feel like I had at last found
that something that could accompany me
and support me in parenthood. I grabbed
a pen and paper and started jotting down
her proverbs furiously, fearing my memory
would disappoint me, and that the words
of this sweet, humble, loving mother would
fade away from my mind. ‘‘There is no
altar without a cross’’ and ‘‘In the absence
of horses, donkeys trot” – this wisdom that
cannot be acquired through books … is
still valid today. I looked into the bedroom
that Mamma Margherita had shared with
her mother-in-law. I prayed to her to help
me live in a household full of males (I have
five boys). It’s not always easy to live in a
minority. In Don Bosco’s bedroom, I found
the courage to offer him all the dreams that
I have for my children and the dreams that
they have for their own future. I asked him to
bless these dreams and make them happen,
if they are God’s plan for my sons. This was
the same room in which Don Bosco had
the dream of all dreams, at the age of nine
years. I prayed to the Madonna and to Don
Bosco to help me in difficult situations that I
(by JOSANNE CASSAR)
Turin
1˙ajjaSalesjana
meet in class, as a teacher, or at home as the
mother of growing, rebellious children.
Opposite Don Bosco’s house was the
Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians. This,
to me, was symbolic of Don Bosco’s close
relationship with the Madonna. In fact, in
many paintings, Don Bosco points towards
her to show that one should always pray to
her and give her glory. Every time I prayed
to Don Bosco, I felt he was telling me, “She
is the source I go to, follow my example”.
Monday:
This day was dedicated entirely to St.
Domenico Savio. As the day progressed,
I felt as if Domenico Savio had come to
life. He was no longer simply a painting
adorning each classroom I teach in. I was
struck by this boy’s humanity: his secret
was doing the ordinary in an extraordinary
way. For example, he would sit next to those
students who were weak academically so
that he would help them with their work.
From a young age, he already had one clear
goal in mind: he wanted to become a saint.
And others were to follow in his footsteps.
At the house where he lived for a number
of years, there were two walls covered
in frames containing the photos and
biographies of young people and Salesians
who were Blesseds and awaiting sainthood
– some had already been declared saints.
I was taken aback by their number, their
youth, their diversity, but most of all because
quite a few of them lived in our times. The
last frame portrayed a youth who had died
in 2004. This was an eye opener for me…
sainthood is not only something of 200 years
ago, when people went to church and could
pray their way to sainthood. Sainthood is
something that is alive, even today, and
one can be a saint in our times, too. There
was an outright invitation to sainthood
– ‘‘Santo anche tu: Perche’ non provarci?’’
it was almost like an advertisement! Who
wouldn’t try it out?
Tuesday:
We went to visit the church of the
parish to which Don Bosco belonged, and
I was surprised to learn that this parish had
produced 4 saints (including Don Bosco) all
˙ajjaSalesjana1
from the same era. I couldn’t help thinking
what a good, Christian parish this must be
– the parish priest said that the parishioners
knew that they must keep the spirit of
Christ alive by going to confession regularly,
receiving communion, and listening well to
the word of God. They would spread the
word they had listened to during mass to
those who did not attend – they were an
organised laity, in full cooperation with God.
What an example to follow! That same day,
we also paid a visit to Valdocco, Don Bosco’s
first oratory, where we heard mass. In his
rooms there were his mass vestments – his
robes were in tatters, and they showed that
he was not a tall man. They made me reflect
on his simplicity, and how he achieved
greatness in spirit by persisting against all
odds and by seeking humility. Looking at his
deathbed, I felt that he was reaching out to
me and calling me to help him continue his
work today. He had touched my heart, and I
could not say no…
Wednesday:
We went to see Don Bosco’s burial place
in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.
As I stood there, I felt a wave of gratitude
towards him for having given me the
opportunity to teach in one of his schools
and thus experience first hand his love for
youth. I felt he could help me become a
better mother and teacher, in the light
of religion, reason and loving kindness. I
prayed that Giovanni Bosco would show me
what role I have to take to help him out in
continuing his mission.
Thursday:
At Pinerolo, where Salesian novices go to
study, I felt a strong desire that one of my
children would be called to the priesthood.
I knew that this was not something that was
up to me, so I prayed to God that if it is His
will, one of my sons will take up this path.
Friday:
On this day I visited the birthplace of the
foundress of the Salesian sisters. I thanked
her, in my heart, for all the wonderful work
they have already done, as well as the work
they will be doing when the Salesian sisters
come to Malta in June to help the Salesian
Fathers with the Oratories in Malta as well as
with the primary school that will feed Savio
College.
I felt that this was a much needed spiritual
renewal, a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Don
Bosco. I felt that I had made a new friend
in this most humble of saints whose efforts
succeeded against all odds. More people
should have this personal encounter with
Giovanni Bosco and Mamma Margherita.
Only then will people understand that his
work is God’s manifestation of His love for
youth of all times, a mission which he could
not have accomplished without the guiding
hand of Mary Help of Christians.
1˙ajjaSalesjana
Meta kont naf li ˙rigt tqila, ˙assejt
˙afna emozzjonijiet f’daqqa, fer˙ infinit,
responsabbiltà u maturità. Xi demg˙a
qabΩet ukoll! Óassejtni li sirt mara kompluta,
mill-ewwel ˙assejt rabta kbira mat-tarbija
li kelli f’©ufi. Bdejt nara anke l-˙ajja b’lenti
iktar poΩittiva. Kien jin˙ass li fil-familja kienet
qed tinbet ˙ajja ©dida.
Tul id-disa’ xhur tat-tqala tieg˙i, kont
nie˙u gost nimma©ina t-tarbija f’idejja, però
rrid ng˙id li kelli wkoll mumenti ta’ biΩa’
u tensjoni . Kelli ansjetà kbira biex jg˙addi
kollox b’wiçç il-©id biex inkun nista’ n˙addan
lil din il-kreatura ma’ qalbi.
Fis-17 ta’ Marzu 2008, kien wasal il-
mument tant mistenni. Wellidt lit-tifla
tieg˙i u semmejtha Laura. Dak il-mument
ma ninsieh qatt u kien verament miraklu u
meravilja x’˙in rajt liç-çkejkna Laura t˙ares
lejja g˙all-ewwel darba. Donnha minn tant
nies l-isptar indunat li jien kont ommha!
Óassejt fer˙ kbir ©o qalbi u dak il-˙in liç-
çkejkna Laura weg˙idtha li ng˙oΩΩha u
nipprote©iha tul ˙ajti kollha.
Il-preΩenza ta’ Laura fostna biddlitilna
˙ajjitna. Fil-bidu, jien ftit li xejn bdejt norqod
g˙ax lejl u nhar mo˙˙ni fiha. Waqaft ukoll
mix-xog˙ol tieg˙i biex Ωgur niddedika l-˙in
tieg˙i b˙ala omm, lil Laura 24 sieg˙a kuljum.
Bla dubju, tarbija ©©ib mag˙ha ̇ afna xog˙ol
u tirrikjedi ˙afna ener©ija. Però sakemm
kollox isir b’im˙abba, kull sagrifiççju kont
nag˙mlu minn qalbi u fl-a˙˙ar mill-a˙˙ar
l-aqwa ˙a©a kienet li nara lilha qawwija u
s˙i˙a.
Ftit ©img˙at ilu bdiet tag˙mel xi pass
‘l hemm u ‘l hawn u tistg˙u timma©inaw
Il-Mi©ja ta’ Laura
x’ferh qabadni li issa rajt lil Laura timxi,
b˙alma Ωgur kien mument mill-isba˙ meta
smajtha tg˙ajjatli g˙all-ewwel darba ‘MA’ !
Laura imliet il-familja tag˙na b’fer˙ kbir
g˙ax hija l-aktar ˙a©a g˙aΩiΩa li g˙andna
jien u Ωew©i. B˙al ma’ hija g˙aΩiΩa g˙al ˙uti,
zijiet, u l-©enituri tieg˙i li g˙amlithom nanniet
g˙all-ewwel darba. Tistg˙u timma©inaw
x’g˙andna biha kollha kemm a˙na !
Fl-a˙˙ar u mhux l-inqas nirringrazzja ‘l
Alla tad-don kbir li sirt omm u ta’ dan it-teΩor
li g˙o©bu jippremjani bih ! Grazzi Mulej !
by Ritianne
˙ajjaSalesjana1
Today…I can be positive!
I woke up early today, excited over all I have to do before the clock strikes midnight. I
have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day
I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy, or…I can be thankful that the grass is
getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money, or…I can be glad that my finances
encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health, or…I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up, or…I
can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns, or…I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends, or…I can excitedly embark upon a quest to
discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work, or…I can shout for joy because I have a
job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school, or…eagerly open my mind and fill it
with the rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework, or…I can feel honoured
because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets
to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I
will have!
1˙ajjaSalesjana
˙ajjaSalesjana20
I had never had a mentally handicapped
employee and had my doubts about
hiring Stevie, a young man with Down’s
Syndrome. His placement counsellor
assured me that he would be a good,
reliable busboy.
Truckers don’t generally care who buses
tables as long as the meatloaf platter is
good and the pies are homemade. The
four-wheeler drivers were the ones who
concerned me; the mouthy college kids;
the yuppie snobs, the pairs of white-shirted
businessmen on expense accounts: I knew
those people would be uncomfortable
around Stevie so I closely watched him for
the first few weeks.
I shouldn’t have worried. Within a month
my truck regulars had adopted him as their
official truck stop mascot. He was eager to
laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his
attention to his duties. He would hover in
the background, and as soon as a table was
empty he would scurry to clear it and wipe it
meticulously with a practiced flourish of his
rag. He took pride in doing his job exactly
right, and tried hard to please every person
he met.
Over time, we learned that he lived with his
disabled mother on Social Security benefits
in public housing close to the truck stop.
What I paid him was probably the difference
between them being able to live together
or Stevie being sent to a group home.
That’s why the restaurant was a gloomy
place that morning last August, the first
morning in three years that Stevie missed
work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester
getting a new valve put in his heart. His
social worker said that people with Down’s
Syndrome often have heart problems at an
early age. Later that morning a ripple of
excitement ran through the staff when we
received word that Stevie was out of surgery,
in recovery, and doing fine.
Frannie, the head waitress, let out a
war hoop and did a little dance in the aisle
when she heard the good news. Marvin
Ringer and two other truckers sitting at his
booth asked her what it was all about. She
explained about Stevie’s heart problem then
sighed: ‘I’m glad he’s going to be OK, but I
don’t know how he and his Mom are going
to handle all the bills. I hear, they’re barely
getting by as it is.’
Marvin nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie
hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.
Stevie hadn’t been replaced and the girls
were busing their own tables.
After the morning rush, Frannie walked
into my office. She had a couple of paper
napkins in her hand and a funny look on her
face.
‘What’s up?’ I asked.
‘I went to clear that table where Marvin
and his friends were sitting’, she said. ‘This
was folded and tucked under a coffee cup’.
She handed the napkin to me, and three
$20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened
Fr. Joe
The Folded Napkin
(A Truckers Story)
21˙ajjaSalesjana
it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was
printed ‘Something For Stevie.’
‘Pete asked me what that was all about,’
she said, ‘so I told him about Stevie and
he and Tony ended up giving me this.’
She handed me another paper napkin that
had ‘Something For Stevie’ scrawled on its
outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within
its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet,
shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply:
‘Truckers.’
That was three months ago. Today is the
first day Stevie is supposed to be back at
work. He called 10 times in the past week,
making sure we knew he was coming, and
that his job was not in jeopardy. Stevie was
thinner and paler, but couldn’t stop grinning
as he pushed through the doors and headed
for the back room where his apron and
busing cart were waiting.
‘Not so fast, Stevie,’ I said. ‘Work can wait
for a minute. To celebrate your coming back,
breakfast for you and your mother is on me!’
I led them toward a large corner booth at the
rear of the room, the staff following behind
as we marched through the dining room.
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth
after booth of grinning truckers empty and
join the procession. We stopped in front of
the big table. Its surface was covered with
coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all
sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded
paper napkins. ‘First thing you have to do,
Stevie, is clean up this mess,’ I said. I tried to
sound stern.
Stevie looked at me, and then at his
mother, then pulled out one of the napkins.
It had ‘Something for Stevie’ printed on the
outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell
onto the table.
Stevie stared at the money, then at all the
napkins peeking from beneath the tableware,
each with his name printed or scrawled on
it. I turned to his mother. ‘There’s more than
$10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all
from truckers and trucking companies that
heard about your problems.’
Well, it got real noisy about that time,
with everybody hollering and shouting,
and there were a few tears, as well. But you
know what’s funny? While everybody else
was busy shaking hands and hugging each
other, Stevie, with a big smile on his face,
was busy clearing all the cups and dishes
from the table.
Best worker I ever hired.
Plant a seed and watch it grow.
˙ajjaSalesjana22
MarIja
Br. Leonard Konopka, MIC
Santa Fawstina tikteb hekk: “Marija
hija l-g˙alliema tieg˙i, dejjem turini kif
ng˙ix g˙al Alla. L-Ispirtu tieg˙i jixg˙el fil-
Ìentilezza u l-Umilta’ tieg˙ek, O Marija’’
(Djarju, 620)
B˙ala g˙alliema, Marija jista’ jkollha
influwenza kbira fuq ˙ajjitna wkoll.
Jing˙ad li kull unur li tirçievi ming˙andna
tg˙addih lil binha Ìesù. Min-na˙a
tieg˙u imbag˙ad, Hu jxerred il-grazzji
tieg˙u fuqna permezz tag˙ha. Óafna
jemmnu li Alla fil-˙niena tieg˙u twieled
minn Marija u g˙alhekk juΩa lilha b˙ala
strument g˙as-salvazzjoni tag˙na.
Santa Fawstina dan fehmitu sew u g˙amlet
u r-ruÛarju
Marija, omm Ìesù, kienet aktar
minn mudell fil-˙ajja ta’ Santa
Fawstina Kowalska. Na˙sbu li hija
kienet ukoll involuta fil-formazzjoni
tal-˙ajja spiritwali tag˙ha. Matul
ix-xahar ta’ Ottubru, ix-xahar tar-
ruΩarju mqaddes, a˙na wkoll jista’
jkollna skop ie˙or waqt li nitolbu
r-ruΩarju u nΩebb©u l-kuruna
f’idejna. Nistg˙u nift˙u qalbna
mas-Sinjura u nitolbuha tg˙allimna
ng˙ixu ˙ajjitna b’aktar sinifikat u
determinazzjoni. B’dan il-proçess
ng˙ixu iΩjed it-tifsira tar-RuΩarju. minn kollox biex tie˙u kull parir ming˙and
din is-Sinjura, Tron tal-G˙erf.
Nistg˙u nitolbu ma’ Santa Fawstina “O
Ver©ni Mqaddsa mimlija dija, pura daqs
il-kristall, l-aktar qrib lejn Alla, noffrilek
il-˙ajja spiritwali tieg˙i. Ag˙mel fiha kull
ma’ hemm bΩonn biex ting˙o©ob minn
Ibnek Ìesù.’’ (Djarju 844). Óafna drabi
f’˙ajjitha ©eddet din it-talba .
Fuq kollox Marija g˙allmet lil Fawstina
kif issib ‘l Alla f’ru˙ha. M’hemmx dubju
li Marija tista’ tg˙allem l-istess verità
lilna wkoll jekk a˙na nitolbuha. Meta
m’g˙andniex gwida f’˙ajjitna, min jista’
j©ibna iΩjed viçin lejn Ìesù Kristu jekk
mhux Ommu?
Santa Fawstina daret ukoll lejn Marija
meta xtaqet tifhem iΩjed l-Ewkaristija.
2˙ajjaSalesjana
Hija tikteb: “L-Omm t’Alla qed tg˙allimni
fuq il-˙ajja interjuri tar-ru˙ ma’ Ìesù
speçjalment fit-Tqarbin Imqaddes’’ (Djarju
840). Dan kien it-tip ta’ djalogu li hi spiss
kienet tag˙mel ma’ Marija.
Waqt sta©un partikolari tal-Avvent, l-
Omm t’Alla wissiet lil Fawstina biex ma
tieqaf qatt tadura lil Alla li hemm jg˙ix
©or-ru˙ tag˙ha stess: “Binti ag˙mel ˙iltek
biex tg˙ix fis-skiet u fl-umiltà, biex isserra˙
lil Ìesù li jinsab dejjem f’qalbek. M’hemm
g˙alfejn tfittex imkien iΩjed imma adurah
f’qalbek.’’ (Djarju, 785). Din hija riflessjoni
qawwija ˙afna, parir li a˙na wkoll nistg˙u
nie˙du benefiççju kbir minnu. M’hemmx
bΩonn li wie˙ed imur ji©©erra, jew isiefer
lejn pajjiΩi ‘l bog˙od biex iΩid l-g˙aqda li
jixtieq ma’ Alla. Huwa biΩΩejjed li jiffoka
fuq Alla li qed jg˙ix ©ewwa fih. Naraw
wkoll din l-istedina ming˙and Sidna Ìesù
li qal: “Ibqg˙u fija u jiena nibqa’ fikom’’
(Ìw 15-4). Din hija g˙aΩla tag˙na u
˙add ma’ jista’ jne˙˙ihielna jekk mhux
b’kunsens tag˙na.
It-talb tar-RuΩarju huwa preçiΩament
il-mod li g˙andna biex nibqg˙u fi Kristu
u ma’ Marija. Iservi b˙ala kenn spiritwali
mill-©ibdiet qarrieqa li hawn fid-dinja ta’
dawn iΩ-Ωminijiet. Nistg˙u wkoll nag˙mlu
sforz speçjali biex nitolbu g˙all-˙arsien ta’
dawk li a˙na n˙obbu jew nie˙du ˙sieb.
L-attitudni tag˙na tista’ tkun b˙al dik
ta’ Santa Fawstina li tikteb: “ Jiena kont
qed ng˙ix ta˙t il-mant ver©nali ta’ l-Omm
t’Alla. Kienet tie˙u ˙siebi u tg˙allimni.
In˙ossni fil-paçi, viçin il-Qalb Immakulata
tag˙ha. Jiena nitgezzez viçin il-Qalb
tag˙ha b˙al tarbija g˙ax tant jiena dg˙ajfa
u bla esperjenza.’’ (Djarju 1097)
Salesians Open YouTube Channel
ANSchannel is the new Salesian Internet
presence, a place on YouTube where they
can provide video information on the life of
our religious family.
The Salesian information agency reported
today that their new channel, which seeks
to collect and share amateur videos about
their religious group and young people,
has received a positive response in the first
days since its initiation. It opened with the
clip, “Siamo Salesiani” (We Are Salesians),
the anthem of the participants in the 27th
edition of the Salesian Family Spirituality
Days.
One of the latest videos is a presentation
of the musical drama “Bosco, In the Name
of God,” produced by some young people
from the Salesian house in Salta, Argentina.
Another of the videos is the original version
of the song “We Are Salesians,” which is
part of the musical “Andiamo ragazzi” (Let’s
Go, Boys), produced with the participation
of laypeople and religious of the Salesian
Family of Piedmont and the Aosta Valley.
On the channel, an interview can also be
seen with Magdi Cristiano Allam, a journalist
who tells of his conversion to Christianity
and his experience of faith.
“ANSchannel is open to all those who
want to send in a video, a news item about
youth and Salesian events,” explained
Father Donato Lacedonio, director of ANS.
He added: “We know that there is a lot
going on and that creative activity is a great
feature of the Salesian world. In particular
we would like to have information about
things happening in connection with the
celebration of the 150th anniversary of the
founding of the Salesian Congregation.”
For all the material mentioned in the article above, visit
http://www.youtube.com/user/ANSchannel
http://www.infoans.org/Index.asp?Lingua=2
˙ajjaSalesjana2
None of us knew what to expect. Fr Louis
Grech and a group of 16 year old students
were off for a 10-day voluntary experience
in Tunisia. We knew some details: that
we would be staying in a Salesian school
in Manouba; that we would be living in a
Muslim country, where even the mention
of Christ is prohibited. But none of us knew
what this experience would mean, what it
would teach us or how it would change us.
One smile can change your life
Perhaps the thing I anticipated the most
in this adventure was the time that we would
get to spend with the children of the school.
I admit that we were slightly preoccupied.
How will the children react to our presence,
them being Muslim and so different to us?
Will we be met with prejudice, probably the
same way we would have met them?
But as the children started to come out
of their classrooms, all our worries were
instantly forgotten. The children welcomed
us in a way that we had not imagined.
Friendly hugs and pats on our backs were
enough to break the ice and get us to start
living the experience.
We instantly became friends. We played
with them, talked with them, laughed with
them, sang with them. We lived with them;
and for the children, that meant the world.
They appreciated the fact that we left our
luxurious homes to come and spend time
with them.
For our part, we were happy. Each smile
we managed to bring on the children’s
faces gave us satisfaction that cannot be
described in words. Each smile showed us
how happy these simple children were,
despite all their needs. Each smile made the
whole experience worth it.
Actions speak louder than words
The community that looks after the
school and that allowed us to live with them
consists of four Salesians. Four Catholic
priests working in the midst of a Muslim
society and looking after Muslim children.
A Voluntary
Experience in
by Clint Rizzo of Savio College
Tunisia
2˙ajjaSalesjana
At first it didn’t make much sense to me.
But as the days passed and we saw the way
the Salesians and the children treated each
other, we understood their mission better.
While they did not preach Christ through
words, they preached Him through their
actions, by setting a good example and
spreading Christ’s love through the chores
of everyday life.
Christ at the Centre
Each day, we always made sure to
celebrate Holy mass. All of us felt the need
to grow, both as a group and individually.
And this experience provided the perfect
environment to reflect about all that we
saw and listen more intently for Christ’s
calling. The Holy Mass became the peak
of each day, a spot where we could share
our deepest thoughts with each other and
with God.
Now that we’re back in Malta, we
can understand even better the purpose
of this experience. What we learned from
the smiles of those children; what we
discovered about Christ’s importance to
our lives are things that will remain with
all of us for life. I think that in the end, we
ended up receiving in return much more
that we gave. By giving a helping hand
and by making those around us happy, we
earned something that will forever remain
an important lesson in each of our lives.
Il-Qaddej ta’ alla
Dun Feliç
Canelli
Tard wara nofsinhar, fil-25 ta’ Marzu,
fil-parroçça tas-Salib Imqaddes f’San
Severo, bdiet l-inkjesta dwar il-KawΩa
tal-Beatifikazzjoni u Kanonizzazzjoni tal-
Qaddej t’Alla , Dun Felice Canelli, qassis
djoçesan u koperatur Salesjan
Iç-çerimonja tal-ftu˙ se˙˙et waqt iç-
çelebrazzjoni tal-Kelma mill-Isqof ta’ San
Severo, Lucio Renna. Kien hemm numru kbir
ta’ nies mill-parroçça fejn g˙al Ωmien twil
Fr. Canelli kien ja˙dem u jie˙u ˙sieb il-fidili.
Kollha kienu attenti jisimg˙u b’devozzjoni l-
ispjegazzjoni tal-proçedura waqt li din kienet
qed isse˙˙.
F’diskors li g˙amel l-Isqof Renna semma’
kif Dun Felice Canelli rnexxielu jg˙aqqad il-
kontemplazzjoni max-xog˙ol. Huwa qal “Dun
Felice, kemm b˙ala qassis, b˙ala ra©el u çittadin
kellu personalita’ qawwija. B˙ala bniedem li
jitlob kien jitkellem ma’ Alla u jikkontemplah
l-ewwel bl-g˙ajnejn tal-mo˙˙, u mbag˙ad,
meta jifta˙ g˙ajnejh bera˙ u j˙ares madwaru
kien jifta˙ qalbu g˙ad-dinja ta’ madwaru
speçjalment g˙aΩ-Ωg˙ar, iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ u l-foqra.
Kien qassis djoçesan li sar Koperatur Salesjan.
Il-Viçi-Postulatur tal-kawΩa, Sr. Francesca
Caggiano, tas-sorijiet Salesjani (Ulied Marija
G˙ajnuna tal-Insara), qrat l-ittra formali li fet˙et
l-inkjesta djoçesana dwar il-Qaddej t’Alla Dun
Felice Canelli mibg˙uta minn Dun Enrico dal
Covolo, il-Postulatur tal-familja Salesjana.
Wara dan, il-Kançillier tal-Kurja djoçesana
qara ittra tal-Kongregazzjoni g˙al-KawΩa tal-
Qaddisin, indirizzata lill-Isqof ta’ San Severo, li
biha ing˙ata in-“Nihil Obstat’’ mis-Santa Sede
g˙all- ftu˙ tal-kawΩa u sabiex l-Isqof Renna
jkun jista’ jibda l-inkjesta djoçesana.
Dun Felice g˙ex u ˙adem b’dedikazzjoni
kbira biex jirba˙ erwie˙ g˙al Alla u biex ixerred
il-karità f’kull tip ta’ grupp u organizzazzjoni u
f’kull tip ta’ ˙idma, biex kul˙add mill-iΩg˙ar
sa l-ikbar, jista’j˙ossu parti mill-knisja tal-lokal,
u ja˙dem mal-Providenza Divina g˙al soçjetà
umana ispirata mill-Van©elu.
˙ajjaSalesjana2
The year 2009 is the year the Maltese Past
Pupils of Victoria Australia are celebrating 50
years of help to the Past Pupils, friends and
the community. The occasion was marked
by a Dinner Dance.
The aim of the Association was, and
still is, to deliver news of the Oratory and
Don Bosco by circulating the Association
Newsletter and the “Hajja Salesjana” to the
Past Pupils, and organise functions, a way
the Past Pupils can get together and raise
money which go as donations to Salesian
missions.
A group of Past Pupils from NSW
travelled 800 km to Victoria to join us in the
celebrations. This made our festivities more
memorable. Thank you friends.
The Victorian Past Pupils are proud of
being one, of the very few Associations or
groups that has reached this milestone.
One other achievement that the Past
Pupils of Victoria can boast of is that they
are the first and only Association in Victoria
that has a second generation Maltese as
President: this is Mr. Joe Portelli. Joe’s
father, John, a Past Pupil and Oratory
boy of Sliema, migrated to Australia and
settled in Melbourne. John Portelli joined
the Association in the 50s becoming
its President from 1989 till 1991, when
health made him resign from this position.
20 years later Joe put on his father’s shoes
and became President of the Association.
Well done Joe.
The Maltese Salesian Past Pupils Association
of Victoria Australia 1959 ~ 2009
By Joe Sacco
In the early 1950s a few Maltese migrants, who were
Past Pupils of the Salesian Oratory in Sliema Malta,
joined the Don Bosco Federation in Brunswick, Victoria.
A group of Victoria & NSW Past Pupils
2˙ajjaSalesjana
The year 2009 is the year the Maltese Past
Pupils of Victoria Australia are celebrating 50
years of help to the Past Pupils, friends and
the community. The occasion was marked
by a Dinner Dance.
The aim of the Association was, and
still is, to deliver news of the Oratory and
Don Bosco by circulating the Association
Newsletter and the “Hajja Salesjana” to the
Past Pupils, and organise functions, a way
the Past Pupils can get together and raise
money which go as donations to Salesian
missions.
A group of Past Pupils from NSW
travelled 800 km to Victoria to join us in the
celebrations. This made our festivities more
memorable. Thank you friends.
The Victorian Past Pupils are proud of
being one, of the very few Associations or
groups that has reached this milestone.
One other achievement that the Past
Pupils of Victoria can boast of is that they
F’Jum l-Awstralja 2009, Fr John F. Briffa
SDB, OAM ©ie onorat mill-Gvern Awstraljan
g˙ax- xog˙ol siewi li wettaq fl-in˙awi ta’
Engadine NSW u kull fejn serva fil-missjoni
tieg˙u. Illum, Fr Briffa g˙andu 81 sena.
G˙adu attiv ˙afna u huwa wkoll fil-kumitat
u direttur spiritwali tal-Maltese Past Pupils
ta’ Don Bosco f’NSW, organizzazzjoni li
l-g˙an prinçipali tag˙ha hu li ti©bor il-flus
g˙all-missjonijiet.
B˙ala turija ta’ ringrazzjament u rispett,
l-G˙aqda tas-Salesjani organizzat ikla
f’wie˙ed mill-isba˙ bajjiet li hawn
f’NSW, The Spit, f’Mosman. Qabel ma
waslu r-restaurant, il-grupp Ωar wkoll
x-xatt ta’ Manly g˙all-morning tea.
Madwar 30 persuna attendew g˙al festa
ta’ ikla ˙ut li kienet mill-aqwa. Ir- restaurant
kien ‘The Catch’ li huwa mmexxi minn Joe u
Miriam Portelli li wara li spiççaw mill-Valletta
Café, fil-qalba tal- belt ta’ Sydney, issa fet˙u
dan ir- restaurant.
Il-President tal-MPP of DB, Victor Grech
fa˙˙ar il-kontribut enormi ta’ Fr Briffa tul
il-˙ajja twila tieg˙u, mhux biss lejn din l-
g˙aqda iΩda lejn il- komunità Salesjana. Meta
wie©eb Fr Briffa qal li jaqsam l-unur li rçieva
mill-Gvern Federali Awstraljan ma’ dawk
kollha li kienu g˙enuh g˙ax wa˙du ma seta’
jasal qatt. Huwa rringrazzja lil dawk kollha li
b’xi mod jew ie˙or wasslulu x-xewqat tajba
g˙all-g˙oti tal-Order of Australia.
F’ jum tal-˙arifa mill-isba˙, u qrib il-ba˙ar,
kull min attenda dan il-lunch sab quddiemu
festa ta’ ikel ta’ kull kwalità ta’ ˙ut bnin
f’atmosfera tassew sabi˙a.
Ikla Óut f’Ìie˙ Fr. J. Briffa
Lawrence Dimech OAM J.P.
Il-grupp li attenda g˙all-festa tal-˙ut
f’The Catch f’The Spit, Mosman.
U˙ud minn dawk li attendew,
Fr Briffa SDB jidher bil-wieqfa.
˙ajjaSalesjana2
A brief account of the Life
of the Apostle Paul. This is
the fourth part.
The Life of
St. Paul (4)
Paul returned briefly to Antioch before
setting out on the third missionary journey
which took him through Galacia, Phrygia
and then Ephesus, the flourishing capital of
the Roman province of Asia. He preached
persuasively in the synagogue about the
kingdom of God, and for three months all
went well until some of the congregation
began to attack his teaching. He moved to
the lecture rooms in the school of Tyrranus
where he led daily discussions for two
years, and Jews and Gentiles alike came
from all over Asia to hear the word of the
Lord. The number of converts grew, the
Gospel was carried to the Lycus valley, and
Christian groups were formed in the cities of
Colossae, Loadicia and Hierapolis. That his
time in Ephesus was not without problems
is evident when he writes to the Corinthians
about the many adversaries he had there, of
being in constant danger, and fighting with
“wild beasts”, no doubt a metaphor for the
savagery of the opposition with which he
had to contend. (cf. Ac 16-20; 1 Cor 16:8-9)
The Final Years
With the Church in Ephesus fairly
established and the evangelization of the
east ended for the time being, Paul decided
to take the news of Christ to the far west
where it had not yet reached. The Gentile
Christians had collected alms for the poor
of the Mother-church as proof of their
loyalty and their communion in the family
of believers, so he decided to take their
donations to Jerusalem via Macedonia and
Arabia, and then continue on to Rome. He had
no doubts about the fate which eventually
awaited him, and his farewell speech to the
Ephesian elders has been called his last will
and testament. It reveals a timeless nobility,
heroism, and selfless dedication to Christ
and His work of Redemption.
“You can witness how I have lived among
you since I came to Asia, humbly serving
the Lord, not without tears over the trials
I endured when the Jews plotted against
me, and how I never failed you when there
was a need for preaching or teaching either
2˙ajjaSalesjana
in public places or in your own homes. To
both Jew and Gentile I have proclaimed
repentance before God, and faith in Our
Lord Jesus Christ. As far as I can see, I
am already a prisoner but I am going to
Jerusalem even though I do not know what
is going to happen to me and, as I go from
city to city, the Holy Spirit warns me that
only prison and suffering awaits me there.
That does not concern me because my
life is of less value than my responsibility
to preach as the Lord Jesus Christ directs,
proclaiming the good news of God’s grace.
I am well aware that I came and returned
to you preaching the Kingdom of God, and
that you will not see me again but you know
today that I am innocent of any person’s
blood and have never hesitated to tell you
the whole of God’s plan. Keep careful watch
over God’s church in which the Holy Spirit
has appointed you bishops to be shepherds
of the Flock which He has won for Himself
by shedding His blood. I am sure that when
I have gone, hungry wolves will descend
upon the flock and will not spare it. Some
will come from your own ranks and attract
followers with their false message. Be on
your guard and remember the three years I
spent teaching every one of you until I was
weeping. As I did then, I now commend you
to God and His gracious promise which will
sustain you and give you your inheritance
among all those He has made holy. You
know that I have never asked for money or
clothes and that I worked to keep myself
and my companions. I have always tried to
show you that we have a duty to work and
support the vulnerable remembering Our
Lord’s own words, ‘It is more blessed to give
than to receive.’ When he had finished, he
knelt and prayed with them, and by now
they were all in tears. They put their arms
around Paul and kissed him, heartbroken
that they should never see him again, and
kept him company as far as his ship.” (cf.
Ac 19:21-31, 20:18-38, tr. JBM; Rm 15-19.)
A Prisoner for Christ
Paul had not been long in Jerusalem
when some Asian Jews who were on
a pilgrimage for the feast of Pentecost
accused him of violating the Temple by
entering with a number of Greek Gentiles.
A riot ensued during which he would have
been beaten to death had it not been for
the intervention of the Roman tribune
commanding the prison who took him
into preventive custody. When he declared
his Roman citizenship he was allowed to
address the crowd, but the rioters shouted
him down. He was then transferred to
Fortress Antonia, the military base named
after Mark Antony, which offered a vantage
point overlooking the Temple precincts and
enabled early recognition and suppression
of the frequent disturbances.
That night “the Lord appeared to
Paul and said, ‘Courage! You have borne
witness for me in Jerusalem; now you must
do the same in Rome.’” In the morning
the tribune intended to bring Paul before
the Sanhedrin, but when he discovered
that forty men had vowed to fast until
they had killed him, he sent him under
guard to Felix, the Governor stationed
in Caesarea who, merely to avoid further
trouble unjustly imprisoned him from AD
57-59. When Festus succeeded Felix, the
Jewish leaders tried to have Paul brought
to trial in Jerusalem but he invoked his right
as a Roman citizen to be tried before the
emperor, and so by-passed the Governor’s
jurisdiction. In the first instance, he
presented his case before Herod Agrippa
II in a speech of impressive moderation,
prudence, and respect for his hearers and
the Law. (cf. Ac 21; 17-24:26, 26.)
˙ajjaSalesjana0
Il-PatrijottiΩmu kienet il-karatteristika
ewlenija li ddominat Jum il-Premjazzjoni
©ewwa l-iskola Salesjana ta’ St. Patrick’s.
It-tema li ntg˙aΩlet g˙all-produzzjoni
teatrali ta’ din is-sena kienet il-©rajja
importanti g˙all-gΩejjer Maltin li se˙˙et fl-
1919 - Is-Sette Giugno. Din il-produzzjoni
ttellg˙et ©ewwa t-teatru Salesjan, Tas-
Sliema, fit-30 ta’ April 2009. Il-©rajja li
tellg˙u t-tfal ˙aditna f’dawk iΩ-Ωminijiet
imqanqla ta’ 90 sena ilu, meta l-poplu
Malti ried juri l-g˙adab tieg˙u lejn min
kien qieg˙ed imexxi ming˙ajr interess
fil-©id u l-kundizzjonijiet ta’ l-g˙exien
ta’ l-istess poplu. Il-protagonisti ta’
dan il-musical kienu studenti ta’ l-iskola
li ppreΩentaw din il-©rajja b’impenn u
serjeta’ kbira.
Jum il-Premjazzjoni huwa meqjus b˙ala
‘show case’ ta’ l-iskola. Ir-ra©unijiet g˙aliex
jing˙ata daqshekk importanza huma varji.
Kwazi l-iskola kollha tipparteçipa g˙al din
il-produzzjoni. L-g˙alliema jag˙tu kontribut
siewi bit-talenti varji tag˙hom. Kollox ji©i
ppreparat mill-iskola, sew jekk kostumi,
‘props’, xenarju, ‘make-up’ u dak kollu li
jista’ jinqala’ sa l-a˙˙ar minuta. L-istudenti
jag˙tu daqqa t’id matul is-sena biex kollox
ji©i ppreparat bl-a˙jar mod possibli. Il-
produzzjoni ta’ din il-©urnata hija fil-fatt
esperjenza ta’ ‘team work’. L-udjenza
preΩenti apprezzat l-isforz u x-xog˙ol li ̇ adet
din il-produzzjoni u l-livell g˙oli kien jidher
– xi ˙a©a li kull min hu familjari mag˙na
jistenna li jara ta’ kull sena.
Barra l-atturi, tajjeb insemmu l-kontribut
siewi tal-‘back stage group’ li ˙adu ˙sieb il-
bidliet fix-xenarju bl-iktar mod professjonali
Aspett ie˙or familjari ma’ l-iskola tag˙na
huwa l-mod ta’ kif student ji©i ppremjat.
Ìewwa l-iskola tag˙na mhux min ji©i l-
ewwel jew it-tieni biss ji©i ppremjat. L-iskola
tag˙na tippremja wkoll lil min jag˙mel ˙iltu
biex jimxi ‘l quddiem sew jekk f’xog˙ol
skolastiku kif ukoll fuq livell personali. Il-˙ajja
tista’ toffri diversi oportunitajiet, g˙alhekk l-
istudent g˙andu jkollu ˙jiel ta’ x’inhu kapaçi
jag˙mel sabiex fejn ma jla˙˙aqx bil-ktieb
ikun jista’ jirnexxi b’mo˙˙u, ˙iltu jew il-
personalita’ tieg˙u.
Mistieden speçjali g˙al din is-serata kien
is-Sur Brian Magro, Kap tas-Segretarjat
fi ˙dan il-Ministeru ta’ l-Edukazzjoni. Is-
Sur Magro kien kuntent ˙afna li ng˙aqad
mag˙na speçjalment billi matul il-karriera
tieg˙u qatta’ xi Ωmien mag˙na b˙ala
g˙alliem kif ukoll b˙ala social worker. Huwa
inkora©©ixxa x-xog˙ol li qed isir kif ukoll
fa˙˙ar l-atmosfera sabi˙a li tag˙mel lill-iskola
ta’ St. Patrick’s daqshekk speçjali.
Sette Giugno
f ’ Jum il-Premjazzjoni
Minn Susanne Callus
1˙ajjaSalesjana
Din il-mara twajba re©g˙et lura lejn id-
Dar tal-Missier nhar it-Tnejn, 6 ta’ April,
wara xi Ωmien ta’ tbatija, milqug˙a u mg˙ixa
f’g˙aqda serena mar-rieda ta’ Alla.
Tifla unika ta’ familja distinta tal-
Belt Victoria, f’G˙awdex, minn ommha,
Koperatriçi Salesjana, hija ˙adet l-im˙abba
lejn Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara u lejn
Dun Bosco, u fuq il-passi u l-eΩempju
tag˙hom kibret fid-devozzjoni qawwija
lejn l-Ewkaristija. Dawn l-im˙abbiet kbar
imbuttawha sabiex tqassam ©idha kollu
– hija kienet l-unika eredi tal-©enituri tag˙ha
– u sabiex tara li Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara
u Dun Bosco jkollhom, ©ewwa Victoria, it-
tif˙ir dejjiemi ta’ persuni ˙ajjin fil-preΩenza
tas-Sorijiet, Ulied Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-
Insara.
Dejjem ˙abirket tg˙ix ˙ajjitha u ta˙dem
f’isem Marija billi g˙addiet jiemha mal-
komunità tas-sorijiet. Hemm kienet tqassam
ir-ritmu tal-©urnata b’mumenti ta’ talb u ta’
adorazzjoni kwieta; u dan bosta drabi kienet
ittawlu fis-sig˙at ta’ bil-lejl, meta kienet
toqg˙od fil-˙emda tal-kappella sabiex tg˙id
lil Ìesù kull sigriet ta’ qalbha.
Il-jum ta’ ̇ ajjitha fuq din l-art , x’˙in resaq
lejn tmiemu, temmitu billi baqg˙et tg˙id
it-talba çkejkna “Auxilium Christianorum”
– O Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara – sakemm
ma fet˙et g˙ajnejha g˙ad-dawl tal-
Qawmien fil-fer˙ bla tmiem. Il-©id li hija
kienet Ωerg˙et b’id miftu˙a wera l-frott
tieg˙u fir-rikonoxximent li l-Belt Victoria
tatha fil-funeral tag˙ha, meta korteo twil
mexa wara t-tebut u l-poplu ˙onoq il-knisja
g˙aç-çelebrazzjoni Ewkaristika. Kollha kienu
hemm: kleru, familji ta’ dawk li kienu marru
l-“L-Iskola ta’ Olimpja’’, is-Sorijiet Salesjani,
il-Patrijiet Salesjani, biex flimkien jag˙tu ©ie˙
u ringrazzjament lil Alla l-Missier ma’ Ìesù,
g˙all-©eneroΩità ta’ din il-mara ‘g˙aqlija’ li
çça˙det minn ©idha sabiex tuΩah g˙all-©id
ta’ l-o˙rajn.
Óajjitha
Minn Sr. Carmelina Quaglia FMA
Óajja mog˙tija lill-o˙rajn kienet il-˙ajja ta’ Maria Olimpia Bondì.
g˙all-O˙rajn
˙ajjaSalesjana2
1
Could God be
calling Me?
Yes! God calls each of us to life, to wholeness, and to service. The task of the young adult is to discern what path God wants him or her to follow: marriage or religious life as a Sister, Brother or Priest. We call this the discernment process.
2
3
4
5
Pray
Spend a few moments each day in thoughtful
conversation with the Lord. Ask the Lord,
“Lord, what do you want me to do with my
life?”
Investigate
Talk to people whose opinion you respect.
Ask questions. Talk to a vocation director.
Get involved
A great way to understand how you would
enjoy ministry is to get involved. The Church
needs the energy of dedicated young
people.
Experience
Visit religious communities, your parish or
seminary. See how they live and work.
Decide
The bottom line question is, “Can I see
myself as a religious, a church minister?” If
the answer is yes, it is time to act.
˙ajjaSalesjana
For more info about
The Salesians, contact:
Fr. Louis Grech SDB
Savio College, Dingli.
Tel.21454546/ 21456251.
louismgrech@yahoo.com
www. vocations.salesiansmalta.org
Sr. Elsa Gretter FMA
20,Republic Street, Victoria VCT1012
Tel. 21556614. fmagozo@yahoo.com
Vocation- a personal journey
of discovery
Vocation means a ‘Calling’ - a personal
and unique invitation from God to follow
a path of personal discovery where he will
guide you.
A dream come true
In Don Bosco, our Founder, his sense of
being called first hit him in his famous
dream at the age of nine. He found himself
surrounded by a ravening crowd of wild
beasts, like some of the youngsters he
knew and struggled with. He was inspired
to ‘shepherd them with kindness and
goodness, not with blows’. He often used
to say: It is not enough for youngsters to be
loved; they must know they are loved.’ This
became his programme of life.
Who are the Salesians?
The Salesians were founded by Saint John
Bosco, an Italian priest who lived and worked
in Turin in the 19th century. He dedicated
his life to working for the welfare of young
people. Even today, 120 years after his
death, the Salesians carry on his mission to
poor and abandoned young people helping
them become ‘Good Christians and honest
citizens’.
˙ajjaSalesjana
‘Fun Day’ u ‘Carnival Party’
Il-‘Fun Day’ organizzata ©ewwa Savio
College g˙alqet kapitlu ie˙or fil-kalendarju
Salesjan ta’ l-attivitajiet li jsiru hemmhekk
– sena o˙ra ta’ ˙idma u impenn f’g˙eluq il-
150 sena tas-Salesjani b˙ala Kongregazzjoni.
Din il-©urnata kienet esperjenza s˙i˙a u
bla waqfien ta’ fer˙ u m˙abba bejnietna li
˙adna sehem, bi skop wie˙ed “Li l-ener©ija
u l-mixja tag˙na tal-˙ajja b˙ala Ωg˙aΩag˙
nag˙tuha direzzjoni…fejn Hu jkun iç-çentru
ta’ kollox!’’
Matul is-sena li g˙addiet, tassew li l-kariΩma
ta’ Don Bosco u l-protezzjoni tal-Madonna
G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara ˙assejniehom dejjem
mag˙na. Domenico Savio kompla jkun
dejjem l-ispirazzjoni wara l-gruppi ta’ l-HDS,
filwaqt li l-inizjattiva sabi˙a ta’ l-SLV kompliet
tressaq aktar tfajliet lejn l-ambjent Salesjan
ta’ Savio College.
U˙ud mill-attivitajiet kienu ma˙suba sabiex
jag˙tu spazju mhux biss biex nikbru fir-
relazzjoni tag˙na ma’ Alla, iΩda wkoll l-
opportunità li nkunu kreattivi u li nie˙du
Laqg˙at g˙al Óbieb Duminku Savio
u Laura Vicuna f’Savio College
Matul is-sena ta’ l-iskola 2008 - 9,
mal- 225 subien u bniet attendew
g˙al-laqg˙at tal-‘Óbieb Duminku
Savio’ u ‘Laura Vicuna’, darba fix-
xahar, f’Savio College. L-età ta’ min
jattendi kienet tvarja minn 11- il sena
sa 17- il sena. It-tfal li kienu jattendu
ma kinux biss minn Savio College iΩda
kienu ji©u minn diversi skejjel f’Malta.
pjaçir ilkoll flimkien, u fejn nitg˙allmu
nivvintaw u naqsmu flimkien u ma’ xulxin.
Tipiçi ta’ dan kienu il-‘Carnival Party’ u l-
‘Fun Days’ li fost o˙rajn impennjawna fix-
xog˙ol tat-t˙ejjija u wara fid-divertiment ta’
l-okkaΩjoni nnifisha.
Wara Dun Bosco
Il-wasla tar-Rettur Ma©©ur kien moment
ma©iku li ©ab ukoll ˙afna entuΩjaΩmu fostna
Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙. A˙na lkoll li konna hemm u li
b’xi mod jew ie˙or konna involuti f’dawn l-
okkaΩjonijiet kbirna fil-qdusija u l-fer˙ skond
l-ispirtu ta’ Dun Bosco. B’qalbna kollha
nirringrazzjaw lil kull min qieg˙ed joffri mill-
˙in tieg˙u g˙all-formazzjoni tat-tfal u Ω-
Ωg˙aΩag˙.
It-triq ma tiqafx hawn… Spiççat l-iskola,
imma g˙andna sajf sabi˙ quddiemna. Dan
hu Ωmien mimli attivitajiet u inizjattivi ©odda,
li ma jistax ikun li ma ni˙dux sehem fihom u
nag˙tu l-g˙ajnuna li hemm bΩonn. Mela ejja
naqbdu idejn xulxin u nimxu warajH! Viva
Don Bosco!
minn Andrew Muscat
- animatur Salesjan
Sena ta’ Grazzja
Newspaper Post
Please return to: Óajja Salesjana - St. Patrick’s School – Sliema SLM1925 – MALTA.
Is-sENa PawlINa
Fuq il-kliem ta’ San Pawl lill-Korintin, “ L-
Im˙abba taf tistabar u t˙enn, … kollox
tag˙der, kollox temmen, kollox tittama, kollox
tissaporti. L-im˙abba ma tintemm qatt,’’ Don
Bosco jsejjes s-sistema edukattiv u formattiv
tieg˙u g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Grazzja lIlNa u lIll-OÓrajN
Ir-Rettur Ma©©ur jag˙tina linja gwida g˙al
matul dis-sena. Hija l-Istrenna li t˙e©©i©na fil-
˙idma tag˙na u fl-ispirtu Salesjan: Nimpenjaw
ru˙na sabiex nag˙mlu mill-Familja Salesjana
moviment vast ta’ nies impenjati g˙as-
salvazzjoni taΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Il-150 sENa Tal-KONGrEGazzjONI salEsjaNa
Nhar il-Óadd,18 ta’ Diçembru 1859, Dun Bosco
jistieden 18 minn dawk li kienu ja˙dmu mieg˙u
sabiex jing˙aqdu uffiçjalment f’Soçjetà li tissejja˙ ta’
San Frangisk ta’ Sales (Salesjani). Mill-ewwel huma
jiffurmaw Kapitlu sabiex jiggverna u Dun Bosco huwa
l-ewwel Superjur Ma©©ur.
