˙ajja
Salesjana
mejju-Ìunju 2009
il-209 Óar©a
Don Bosco u Il-Madonna tal-Konsolata
Why the World Needs Salesians
G˙eluq il-50 Sena mill-Mewt ta’ Piju XII
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
Qima Lejn il-Papa 3
Pedago©ija Salesjana 5
Calendar of Events 7
Don Bosco u Il-Madonna tal-Konsolata 8
Why the World Needs Salesians 10
Crimes 7 12
G˙eluq il-50 Sena mill-Mewt ta’ Piju XII 15
Something to think about… 18
Pius XII and the Holocaust 20
Kburin bil-Qaddis Tag˙hom 21
San ÌuΩepp G˙alliem tal-Familja 2 22
Alla jg˙in lil min jg˙in ru˙u 24
The Maltese Salesian Past Pupils Association
of Victoria Australia 1959 ~ 2009 26
The Life of St. Paul (3) 28
Don’t We All? A story 30
Where Is Home? 31
Could God be calling Me? 32
A Combined Feast of Importance
for the Congregation 34
˙ajjaSalesjana
Editorjal
Il-komunità Salesjana, kull filg˙odu, tin©abar
g˙at-talb u tispiçça l-laqg˙a tag˙ha b’talba
ta’ konsagrazzjoni. Wa˙da mill-eqdem
talbiet li g˙andha hija ndirizzata lil Marija
G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara, u fiha jing˙ad dan
il-kliem, “…g˙allem lilna
wkoll kif nikbru…fil-qima
tag˙na lejn il-Papa u l-Isqfijiet
kollha.’’
A˙na n˙obbu ng˙idu li Dun
Bosco ˙allielna tlitt im˙abbiet
speçjali: lejn l-Ewkaristija,
lejn Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-
Insara u lejn il-Papa. Dawn
a˙na nippriedkawhom
u nxerrduhom kull fejn
immorru, u ng˙allmuhom
lill-istudenti nsara kollha
tag˙na. Nafu li fil-˙ajja ta’
Dun Bosco kif ukoll fl-istorja
tal-Kongregazzjoni tag˙na
tinsab aktar minn okkaΩjoni
wa˙da meta l-Papa wera xi
xewqa minn tieg˙u mas-
Superjur tag˙na, u dan
malajr ra kif g˙amel sabiex
il-kongregazzjoni twettaqha.
B’kura©© u sagrifiççju, kienu
jinstabu Salesjani sabiex jitwettaq dak il-
pro©ett mixtieq mill-Papa.
Issa din is-sena qieg˙din infakkru s-70 sena
minn meta l-Papa Piju XII kien ©ie elett Papa:
2 ta’ Marzu 1939. Dan waqt li s-sena l-o˙ra
l-Knisja fakkret il-50 sena mill-mewt tieg˙u:
9 ta’ Ottubru 1958. F’din id-data l-Papa
Benedittu XVI, fuq talba tal-Kongregazzjoni
g˙all-KawΩi tal-Qaddisin, iddikjara lil Piu
XII ‘Venerabbli’. Kien ittamat li dan ir-
rikonoxximent tal-virtujiet ta’ Papa Pacelli
jwassal fit-tiemha l-kontroversja fuq jekk hu
kienx ̇ adem biΩΩejjed biex jiddefendi u jg˙in
lil-Lhud u vittmi o˙ra tan-Nazi. Imma dak li
©ara kien li xi persuna©©i, Lhud u mhumiex,
minn diversi bnadi tad-dinja, talbu lill-Papa
jwaqqaf dan il-proçess lejn il-
qdusija ta’ Piu XII. Xi whud
kienu totalment kuntrarju,
o˙rajn talbu li jg˙addi aktar
Ωmien sakemm ma ji©ux
studjati dokumenti li hemm
fil-Vatikan fuq dan il-kaΩ.
Ta’ min jaqra u jistudja
dan il-perjodu ta’ l-iStorja:
Storja tal-Knisja u Storja ta’
l-Ewropa. Óafna dokumenti
qieg˙din ji©u miflija u qed
jinkixfu veritajiet mo˙bija.
A˙na s-Salesjani wkoll
qieg˙din nag˙tu s-sehem
tag˙na f’dan, kif tistg˙u
taqraw f’din il-˙ar©a ta’
‘hajja Salesjana’ f’artiklu
fuq is-Simposium li sar
f’Ìerusalem, ‘Pius XII and
the Holocaust’. Aqraw ukoll
l-istorja ta’ dan il-Papa fl-
artiklu l-ie˙or, ‘G˙eluq il-50
Sena mill-Mewt ta’ Piu XII’.
Min˙abba din l-oppoΩizzjoni lejn il-Papa,
kif ukoll min˙abba l-˙afna kritika anti-
kattolika li qieg˙da tinstema mad-dinja,
deherli li kelli nippubblika dan l-editorjal u
dawn l-artikli fuq Papa Pacelli.
Qima Lejn il-Papa
˙ajjaSalesjana
When the Salesian community gathers for
the morning prayers, it ends its meeting
with an ‘Act of Consecration’. One of the
oldest prayers we recite is addressed to Our
Lady Help of Christians, and in it we say
these words, “…show us how
to imitate… ‘Don Bosco’s’
loyalty to the Pope and the
Bishops of the Church.”
We love to repeat that Don
Bosco has left us three special
loves: of the Eucharist, of Our
Lady Help of Christians and
of the Pope. We preach and
spread these three loves, and
teach them to all our Christian
students. We know that in
Don Bosco’s life and in the
history of our congregation
there are several instances
when His Holiness expressed
some desire to our Superior,
and this was taken as a
command and quickly done.
With courage and sacrifice,
Salesians would be found to
carry out the desired project.
Now, this year we are
recalling the 70th anniversary of the
pontificate of Pope Pius XII: 2nd March
1939, while last year the Church recalled
the 50th anniversary of his death: 9th
October 1958. On this date, at the request
of the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints, Benedict XVI declared Pope Pius
XII as ‘Venerable’. It was hoped that this
recognition of the virtuous life of Pope Pacelli
would bring to an end the controversy over
whether he did enough in defense of the
Jews and other victims of the Nazis. But what
happened was that from certain quarters,
both Jewish and not, and from different
parts of the world, requests were sent to
Benedict XVI to stop the process towards
sainthood of Pius XII. Some
people were totally opposed
to it; others asked that more
time be given to study
related documents found in
the Vatican.
It would be interesting
to read and study this period
of history: history of the
Church and history of Europe.
Many documents are being
examined and new truths
are emerging. We Salesians
also are contributing to
this research, as you can
read in this number of
˙ajja Salesjana in the article
about a Symposium held in
Jerusalem: ‘Pius XII and the
Holocaust’. Please read also
about Pius XII in the other
article: ‘G˙eluq il-50 Sena
mill-Mewt ta’ Piu XII’.
I felt I should write this editorial
and publish the articles about Pope Pacelli
because of certain opposition to His Holiness,
and also because of the anti-catholic criticism
being bandied around the world.
Respect Towards the Pope
˙ajjaSalesjana
Pedago©ija Salesjana
Minn Pascual Chaves - Trad. Joe Cini SDB
Kummenti fuq li ‘Strenna 2009’: “Moviment Kbir Favur iΩ-Ûg˙ar’’
Kif di©à kont g˙idtilkom, g˙eΩieΩ qarrejja,
il-kbira FS g˙andha l-istess kariΩma u l-istess
missjoni: dik ta’ ˙idma favur l-edukazzjoni u
l-©id morali u spiritwali ta’ l-ifqar tfal u l-aktar
abbandunati. Din l-esperjenza hija l-qofol ta’
min kien Dun Bosco, id-don tieg˙u u ta’
dawk kollha li jimxu wara l-qalb kbira tieg˙u.
Din il-vokazzjoni partikulari kienet dik is-
sej˙a speçjali li f’aktar minn okkaΩjoni wa˙da
l-Mulej sejja˙lu g˙aliha permezz ta’ ˙olm
profetiku u ta’ osservazzjoni attenta tas-
sitwazzjoni soçjali ta’ Turin fi Ωmienu. Wara
l-1850 tfal u Ωg˙aΩag˙ niΩlu bi ˙©arhom
mill-kampanja lejn l-ibliet sabiex isibu
L-Istess KariΩma, l-Istess Missjoni
L-ewwelnett iΩ-Ωg˙ar: huma
r-rigal ta’ Alla lill-Familja
Salesjana (FS). Ma humiex biss
dawk li g˙alihom na˙dmu;
huma wkoll l-istess vokazzjoni
tag˙na. Il-Mulej wera lil Dun
Bosco li Ω-Ωg˙ar, u speçjalment
dawk l-aktar fil-bΩonn, huma
l-ewwel mira, u dik prinçipali,
tal-missjoni tag˙na
˙ajjaSalesjana
xog˙ol bi ftit ˙las fl-industriji, fil-lant tal-bini,
fil-˙wienet tax-xog˙ol. Óafna minnhom,
we˙idhom, ming˙ajr tag˙lim, bla saqaf fuq
rashom saru vittmi ta’ l-in©ustizzja, l-abbuΩ,
il-vjolenza; mimlija dubji, biΩa’, g˙aks u bl-
ebda fer˙ tal-˙ajja; xi w˙ud saru kriminali
Ωg˙ar. “li tara qtajjiet ta’ Ωg˙aΩag˙…
f’sa˙˙ithom,, mo˙˙hom tajjeb… imbag˙ad
tarahom mitluqa jitg˙aΩΩnu, mikulin bil-
brieg˙ed u l-qamel, neqsin mill-ikel tar-ru˙ u
tal-©isem …dan werwirni.” (G.Bosco: Tifkiriet
ta’ L-Oratorju, 141).
L-ewwel ˙a©a mela: dun Bosco kien
jaf jag˙raf is-sitwazzjoni soçjali u ji©bed
tag˙limiet minnha. Fih inxteg˙let ˙niena
kbira lejn dawn iΩ-Ωg˙ar. Meta rahom
hekk mag˙kusin ˙ass bΩonn ur©enti li
jipprovdilhom post ta’ kenn kif ukoll mod
ta’ edukazzjoni jaqbel ma’ ˙ti©ijiethom.
‘Óafna drabi sirt naf li mhux ftit minnhom…
kienu mitluqa g˙al ri˙hom. “Min jaf?” g˙edt
bejni u bejn ru˙i, “li kieku dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
kellhom jiltaqg˙u ma’ ˙abib li jie˙u ˙siebhom,
jg˙inhom, jg˙allimhom ir-reli©jon nhar il-
festi… min jaf jekk ikollhomx il-˙ila jΩommu
ru˙hom ‘il bog˙od mill-g˙aw© jew talanqas
jitnaqqas il-g˙add ta’ dawk li jinsabu maqfulin
il-˙abs?’’ Dawn il-˙sibijiet qsamthom ma’ Dun
Cafasso u fuq il-kelma mdawla tieg˙u qg˙adt
na˙seb u ng˙arbel f’mo˙˙i, intella’ u nniΩΩel
kif nista’ nid˙ol g˙al din il-biçça xog˙ol’
(G.Bosco: Tifkiriet ta’ L-Oratorju, 142).
It-tieni ˙a©a li nosservaw: il-˙e©©a
pastorali li kienet timbotta lil Dun Bosco
sabiex, b’mod kreattiv u ©eneruΩ, ifittex
soluzzjoni g˙al dawn l-isfidi li kienu jirrekjedu
strutturi ©odda li jo˙olqu l-possibiltà li
tinbidel il-˙ajja ta’dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ f’dinja
a˙jar.
Dun Bosco ried “jippreveni” jew
ja˙seb minn qabel g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ billi
qabel ma jit˙assru, jilqag˙hom malli jaslu
Turin biex ifittxu xog˙ol jew malli jkunu
abbandunati mill-©enituri tag˙hom. Beda
billi offrielhom edukazzjoni bbaΩata fuq
t˙ejjija g˙ax-xog˙ol u li tg˙inhom jirb˙u
lura l-istima u l-kunfidenza fihom infushom.
Ma’ dan pprovdilhom ambjent mimli
fer˙, ˙biberija u valuri morali. Kien hemm
˙afna tfal, imma l-˙ti©ijiet kienu aktar;
huwa uΩa l-ener©iji kollha tieg˙u filwaqt
li beda jibni “armata ta’ msie˙ba’’ li tkun
tista’ twie©eb g˙all-emer©enza edukattiva
ta’ dawk iΩ-Ωminijiet. Il-Familja Salesjana
kienet se tkun din l-armata: seminaristi,
qassisin, sorijiet, lajçi impenjati, sinjuri u
foqra, miΩΩew©a jew m’humiex, flimkien
ma’ l-istess ©uvintur li issa li kibru, setg˙u
jsiru leaders fost s˙abhom. U qatt ma
kellu biΩΩejjed: huwa fehem kemm kienet
importanti dil-missjoni g˙as-salvazzjoni
taΩ-Ωg˙ar mil-lat uman, soçjali, morali,
spiritwali u reli©juΩ.
G˙eΩieΩ qarrejja, aktar ma nsir naf
il-Kongregazzjoni aktar jien konxju ta’ l-
isforzi kbar li l-FS g˙amlet sabiex tkun fidila
g˙al din il-missjoni ta’ g˙ajnuna lil dawk
iΩ-Ωg˙ar li bosta drabi s-soçjetà tinjora: tfal
li huma dg˙ajfa u mwarrba, dawk li ma
jirnexxux, dawk li ji©©errew fit-triqat, tfal
suldati, tfal ˙addiema, tfal uΩati fil-mis˙ut
turiΩmu sesswali. Illum ukoll hemm ˙afna
x’wie˙ed jag˙mel. G˙alhekk qieg˙ed
insej˙ilkom sabiex timtlew bil-˙e©©a ta’
Dun Bosco. “Flimkien nirnexxu!’’: aktar
minn slogan politiku din g˙andha tkun
l-g˙ajta ta’ dawk li jemmnu fit-tajjeb.
Flimkien nistg˙u noffru liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ toroq
ta’ tama u ta’ twettiq sabiex hekk tirnexxi l-
˙olma ta’ Dun Bosco li narawhom fer˙ana,
l-ewwel fuq din l-art imbag˙ad fil-©enna.
Jiena wkoll, suççessur tieg˙u, g˙andi
˙olma: li nara l-FS m©edda fil-kariΩma u
mimlija ˙e©©a g˙al din il-missjoni.
˙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
Salesians in Malta: www.salesiansmalta.org / www.salesiantheatremalta.com / www.saviocollege.edu.mt
/ www.spysmalta.org/spysint / www.stpatrickspastpupils.org / www.vocations.salesiansmalta.com
May
Fri 1 First Friday Devotions at 6.15 p.m.(St. Patrick’s) and 7.30p.m. (Oratorju)
Sun 3 Lectio Divina at Savio College
Mon 4 Start of Holy Rosary and Mass in St. Patrick’s Church, at 6.30 p.m.
Monday to Friday, all month
Wed 6 St. Dominic Savio. Sports Day at Savio College. Sports heats at St.
Patrick’s School. Festivity at Salesian Oratories. Sliema Salesian
Cooperators’ meeting
Fri 8 Dingli Salesian Cooperators’ meeting at 6.30 p.m.
Sun 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Wed 13 St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello (Co-Foundress of the Salesian
Sisters with Don Bosco)
Sat 16 Dingli Salesian Cooperators’ Promise
Fri 22 Akkademja in honour of MHC at Savio College
Sun 24 Procession of Mary Help of Christians in Sliema at 6.00 p.m.
Mon 25 Liturgical Feast of Mary Help of Christians. Day of Celebration of 150
Anniv. Found. Salesian Congregation
Fri 29 Bl. Joseph Kowalski (Polish. Killed in Auschwitz in 1942)
June
Wed 3 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ meeting
Sun 7 Oratory Day at Sliema Oratory. Lectio Divina at Savio College
Wed 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Fri 12 Bl. Francis Kesy & Companions (Polish Oratory Youths killed by Nazis
in 1942)
Sat 13 Form 5 Graduation Ceremony at Savio College
Wed 24 Feast day of the Rector Major. Traditional Day when Past Pupils feasted
Don Bosco. Day of Celebration of 150 Anniv. Found. Salesian Congregation.
Sun 28 Mnarja Night at Salesian Oratory, Sliema & at Savio College
Mon 29 Sts. Peter and Paul: MNARJA
JuLy
Wed 1 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ meeting; outing and new members’ Promise.
Sat 4 Bl. Piergiorgio Frassati
6 – 10 SDB Annual Retreat
Tue 7 Bl. Maria Romero Meneses FMA (from Nicaragua)
Fri 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Mon 13 Start of Summer School at Oratory, Sliema
˙ajjaSalesjana
Hija In-niçça tal-Konsolata, bi statwa
tal-Ver©ni Marija ©o fiha, dejjem meqjuma
b’xi bukkett fjuri tal-g˙elieqi mi©juba
mid-devoti tag˙ha. It-tfajjel Ìanni Bosco
g˙adda kemm-il darba minn quddiem dik
in-niçça, ine˙˙i l-kappell u jg˙id xi sliema u
qaddisa, kif kienet g˙allmitu jag˙mel ommu
Margerita.
Fl-1958 is-Salesjani rrestawraw din in-
niçça qadima. Imbag˙ad, b’çerimonja
solenni, inawgurawha g˙al darba o˙ra
g˙all-kult tan-nies ta’ l-in˙awi, kif insibu
miktub fil-kronaka ta’ dik is-sena fl-arkivju
ta’ l-Istitut ‘Bernardi Semeria’. Dik l-istatwa
mela, mhux bog˙od minn daru, setg˙et
kienet l-ewwel xbieha ta’ Marija Santissima
li Dun Bosco qiem fi tfulitu.
Lejn il-Konsolata ta’ Turin
Kien g˙adu student fis-seminarju ta’ Chieri
meta, na˙sbu, li Dun Bosco seta’ mar Turin
sabiex iqim lill-Ver©ni Marija Konsolata (MB
I, 267-268). Li nafu biç-çert hu li, meta la˙aq
saçerdot, iççelebra t-tieni quddiesa tieg˙u
proprju fis-santwarju tal-Konsolata “sabiex
niΩΩi ˙ajr’’ – kif kiteb – “lill-Kbira Ver©ni
Marija g˙all-˙afna favuri li qalg˙etli minn
g˙and id-Divin Binha Ìesù’’ (S. Gwann
Bosco, ‘Tifkiriet’ p132).
F’dak iΩ-Ωmien imbag˙ad, meta l-Oratorju
kien jiççaqlaq minn post g˙all-ie˙or, Dun
Bosco kien imur mat-tfal tieg˙u ©o xi knisja
ta’ Turin g˙all-quddiesa tal-Óadd. Bosta
drabi ˙adhom ukoll il-Konsolata (MB II, 248,
346). Fix-xa˙ar ta’ Mejju ta’ l-1846 u 1847,
sabiex jiΩΩi ˙ajr lil Ver©ni Konsolatriçi talli
kienu sa fl-a˙˙ar sabu dar stabbli, kien tella’
hemmhekk lit-tfal tieg˙u sabiex jitqarbnu
devotament, filwaqt li t-twajbin Oblati Ta’
Marija, ir-reli©juΩi li jie˙du ̇ sieb is-Santwarju,
semg˙u il-qrar tat-tfal. (MB II, 430).
Meta, fis-sajf ta’ l-1846 Dun Bosco
marad sew, it-tfal tieg˙u mhux biss wrew is-
sog˙ba tag˙hom bid-dmug˙ li bkew, imma
mbeΩΩa’ li l-kura tat-tobba ma kinetx se tkun
biΩΩejjed g˙all-fejqan tieg˙u, kollha kemm
huma, wie˙ed wara l-ie˙or, kienu jmorru fis-
Santwarju tal-Konsolata, jitolbu lill-Madonna
li tfejjaq lill-˙abib u missier tag˙hom marid.
Kien hemm fosthom min g˙amel xi weg˙da,
ta’ tifel li kien, u min sam ˙obΩ u ilma sabiex
il-Madonna tisimg˙u. It-talb tag˙hom wasal
u Dun Bosco wieg˙ed lil Alla li sa l-a˙˙ar
nifs ta’ ˙ajtu kien sejjer jg˙ix u ja˙dem
g˙alihom.
IΩ-Ωjarat ta’ Dun Bosco u t-tfal tieg˙u
lill-Konsolata komplew. Darba kienu ©ew
mistiedna jkantaw quddiesa fis-Santwarju.
Dun Bosco wasal hemm mal-kor tat-tfal li
kien g˙aqqad fi ftit jiem u kantaw quddiesa
miktuba minnu stess g˙all-okkaΩjoni. Dun
Bosco innifsu kellu jdoqq l-orgni, u t-tfal
Don Bosco
(N. Cerrato / J. Cini)
u Il-Madonna tal-Konsolata
FiΩ-Ωona tal- ‘Becchi’ (Pjemonte – Italja) hemm niçça tal-©ebel li nbniet
qrib is-sena 1700. Mhux il-bog˙od minnha llum insibu dar Salesjana li
tilqa’ fiha Ωg˙aΩag˙ pellegrini li ji©u jΩuru t-Tempju u d-dar fejn twie led
Dun Bosco, fuq ‘colle Don Bosco’.
˙ajjaSalesjana
kantaw mill-a˙jar li setg˙u. L-il˙na safja
tag˙hom ©ibdu l-ammirazzjoni u s-simpatija
tal-fidili li kienu hemm g˙all-quddiesa (MB
II, 148).
Ûjarat ta’ Sikwit
Mill-1848 sa l-1854 Dun Bosco kien jitlaq
mat-tfal tieg˙u f’purçissjoni, matul it-toroq
ta’ Turin, sas-Santwarju tal-Konsolata. Il-
qriemeç tieg˙u kienu jkantaw innijiet tal-
Madonna matul it-triq, u meta jaslu jisimg˙u
l-quddiesa li kien jiççelebra hu stess. Meta
mietet ommu Margerita, nhar il-25 ta’
Novembru 1856, Dun Bosco mar dik l-
g˙odwa stess iqaddes quddiesa b’suffra©ju
g˙al ru˙ha fil-kappella ta’ isfel tas-Santwarju.
Wara waqaf jitlob ̇ in twil quddiem ix-xbieha
ta’ Marija Konsolatriçi, jixtieqha bil-˙niena li
tkun hi, issa, kemm ommu u kemm omm
it-tfal tieg˙u. U Marija Santissma laqg˙et it-
talb tieg˙u (MB V, 556).
F’dan is-Santwarju tal-Konsolata, Dun
Bosco mhux biss kellu okkaΩjoni li jqaddes,
imma darba ©ietu wkoll l-okkaΩjoni sabiex
g˙in il-quddiesa. Meta da˙al f’dil-knisja
sabiex jag˙mel vista lis-Sagrament, sema’
l-qanpiena tas-sagristija ddoqq g˙all-
quddiesa; induna li ma kienx hemm abbatin.
Malajr qam u telaq lejn is-sagristija, qabad il-
missal, ˙are© mas-sacerdot li kien se jqaddes
u g˙in il-quddiesa bl-akbar devozzjoni. (MB
VII, 86). U dawn iΩ-Ωjarat ta’ Dun Bosco ma
waqfu qatt, speçjalment fl-okkaΩjoni tan-
novena u tal-festa tal-Konsolata.
Statwa tal-Konsolata fil-Kappella
Nhar it-2 ta’ Settembru 1847, g˙all-prezz ta’
27 liri Taljani, Dun Bosco xtara statwa Ωg˙ira
tal-Madonna Konsolatriçi u po©©iha fil-
kappella ta’ l-Oratorju (il-Kappella Pinardi).
Fl-1856, bdiet titwaqqa’ dil-kappella u Dun
Francesco Giacomelli, ˙abib ta’ Dun Bosco
minn Ωmien is-seminarju, xtaq iΩomm g˙alih
dik li hu sejja˙ il-monument l-aktar sinifikattiv
tat-twaqqif ta’ l-Oratorju. Hu ̇ a l-istatwa lejn
dar il-familja tieg˙u fir-ra˙al ta’ Avigliana.
Ìara mbag˙ad, li o˙t Dun Giacomelli riedet
li tinbena, qrib id-dar tag˙hom, niçça sabi˙a
u fiha po©©iet dik l-istatwa tant prezzjuΩa.
Meta s-Salesjani saru jafu b’din il-©rajja
tan-niçça tal-Madonna f’Avigliana, u wara li
nies il-familja Giacomelli kienu kollha mietu,
irnexxielhom jakkwistaw lura dik l-istatwa
antika. Hekk, nhar it-12 ta’ April ta’ l-1929
n©abet lura fl-Oratorju ta’ Turin, wara 73
sena minn meta Dun Giacomelli kien ˙adha
mill-ewwel kappella Pinardi (Giraudi, L-
Oratorio di Don Bosco. SEI 1935). Illum, din
l-istatwa Ωg˙ira u storika hija rikordju uniku
ta’ l-img˙oddi, u hija meqjusa b˙ala teΩor
g˙aΩiΩ u prezzjuΩ.
Dun Bosco, li xerred id-devozzjoni lejn
Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara mad-dinja
kollha, qatt ma nesa l-ewwel devozzjoni
tieg˙u lejn il-Ver©ni Mbierka tal-Konsolata, li
hu kien iqim sa minn çkunitu fuq-il-kolonna
qrib Becchi. Meta wasal Turin, saçerdot
djoçesan Ωag˙Ωug˙, fil-jiem qalbiena ta’ l-
ewwel Oratorju tieg˙u, kien isib fil-Ver©ni
Konsolatriçi dawl u fehma, kura©© u fara©
g˙all-missjoni li l-Mulej kien afdalu. Anke
min˙abba f’dan, Dun Bosco huwa meqjus
b˙ala qaddis TuriniΩ ewlieni.
˙ajjaSalesjana10
Interview with the Superior-General of
Sisters of Don Bosco, Mother Yvonne
Reungoat elected superior-general of
the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, the
Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, in
October 2008.
The Salesian charism has a special task in
today’s world, marked by what Benedict
XVI calls an “educational emergency.”
At the beginning of the celebrations
marking the 150th anniversary of the
Salesian family, Mother Reungoat (MR)
speaks about her new mission and
the importance of Salesian charism.
Q: What did you feel upon being elected
mother superior of the Salesian sisters?
Mr: When I was elected, I was surprised. I
did not expect this election. However, one
knows that when one gives one’s life to
the Lord, He can ask whatever He wishes,
which often is not what we ourselves
want. It was a moment of surprise, but
also of some disconcert, yet always of
much confidence. What is most important
is that my life belongs to the Lord.
When one feels small and poor before a
mission, at that moment one feels more
strongly the need for confidence and help.
It was a moment of great trust in him and in
Mary Help of Christians, because Don Bosco,
and our founder Mother Maria Mazzarello,
always said that Mary Help of Christians
was the senior founder of the institute. So
I felt that she took me by the hand, I feel
her present in my life and I count on her.
I had the experience, at the same time,
that the Lord was asking me and giving
me the gift of a new maternity: to carry in
my heart all the Daughters of Mary Help of
Christians worldwide. And along with them
so many young people, so many lay persons
who share the mission with us in the whole
world. This is a most beautiful experience.
Q: What has changed in your life since
then?
Mr: From the personal point of view,
for the time being nothing has changed
much, but my sense of responsibility has
changed. Now I cannot think of myself,
as every moment of my life becomes a gift
for others, a gift for my sisters and for the
whole institute. I have had the experience
of a great call, first of all to holiness, because
I think that what is most important is the
quality with which one gives one’s life to
the Lord, letting oneself be enraptured
by him to be able to be a channel of his.
Why the World
Needs Salesians
By María de la Torre
11˙ajjaSalesjana
Then one feels the responsibility of being a
bond of communion in a great family such
as ours, which extends to every continent,
to different cultures, called to a continual
interrelationship and to carry out together
in unity a common mission to the young.
Q: What do the Salesians offer today’s
world?
Mr: What we Salesians can offer today’s
world is an educational mission, a
commitment in the field of education. There
is so much talk today, and Benedict XVI has
mentioned it many times, that we are living
a moment of educational emergency. We
feel it, increasingly, as our responsibility and
as the current task of our charism: to educate
the youth of today, taking into account the
great challenge of a society that constantly
changes at great speed; to be in constant
search in order to answer these challenges,
having in mind the plan God has for humanity.
This educational mission is a great
responsibility for us, but also a great
stimulus, a challenge that commits not
only us, but also many lay persons that
collaborate with us. That is why a synergy
must be created with other institutions
that seek to make an effort in education.
Q: What does it mean to continue the way
of Don Bosco and of Mother Mazzarello?
Mr: To continue the way of Don Bosco
and Mother Mazzarello today is to live the
pedagogical style, which is the style of the
“preventive system”, a system based on
confidence in young people making them
feel loved, so that they can come to believe
that God really loves them; to help them to
discover and develop all their resources so
that they become leaders in the construction
of the society of today and of tomorrow.
Don Bosco had this great passion to help
young people grow as human beings, find
their place in society and in the Church,
and discover God’s place and presence in
their lives; from this experience to become
preachers of Jesus to other young people.
This is an important challenge for us: to make
young people leaders of this proclamation,
missionaries in the midst of other young
people to help them find the meaning of their
lives. We, all together, must be witnesses so
as to help them to find God, who is close
to them, who gives meaning to their lives.
Q: Where do you yourself find the strength
to carry out this responsibility?
Mr: Several elements strengthen me. One
is knowing that I am not alone as I feel
supported by prayer, commitment and
affection of all my sisters worldwide. I have
seen the commitment and dedication of so
many Daughters of Mary Help of Christians
worldwide who with much courage, joy and
love give their life with passion to their mission.
Another element that supports me is the
vocations that the Lord continues to send to
the Institute from different parts of the world.
Vocations are more numerous in some parts
and less in others, but worldwide every year
a certain number of young people continue
to hear this call from God and choose to say
“yes” to our family. This is a sign of God’s
confidence in us, of the importance of our
vocation and of constant renewal.
˙ajjaSalesjana12
Crimes 7
Excerpts from the book “ Crimes of the Inocent” by Fr. Charles Cini S.D.B.
Abridged extracts
“The Show Must Go On” is the title of
the song of Freddie Mercury (Queen)
who died because of drugs and aids.
People continue to die because of drugs,
sometimes without being noticed by
anyone. Very few die with an overdose
but many die indirectly, after a long time
in the world of addiction. It is incredible
how we do not want to accept the fact
that we are living in a mess.
Some time ago, a priest sent me a
message with another priest, friend of
mine. “Tell Fr. Charles to shut up, we
are fed up of hearing him preaching
the same sermon about drugs. He is
wasting his time.” To this priest and to
many other Maltese citizens, including
certain authorities who do not want to
see the drug plague we have in Malta, I
am going to report the dialogue which
I had at the Addolorata Cemetery with
one of the many drug victims of these
last years. I switched on my tape recorder
and these are the words I managed to
record from my friend drug addict.
“Pass the tray around, I used to hear
when, at the age of fourteen, I was invited
to a coke party. It is difficult to explain
to you the excitement I used to feel as
soon as the tray started to go round,
artistically displayed with lines of coke.
It is all free of charge, on the house. You
My grave was already allotted
Meditations near the grave of a young man
who died with drug overdose
1˙ajjaSalesjana
do not want to believe that in Malta, 13
year olds take drugs? They do, not only
because they like it but also to look cool
and to be accepted in the scene, in the
society; but people give the impression
that nothing is happening. Several times
I also gave my body to another, mainly
to have money to buy some coke. “
Then he added: “Drugs in Malta are
easy to find: all types, and at any time
of day and night. Some times I am
mad with grief and try to put down
my rebellious act when I see that drugs
are in the open. Especially on week-
ends, people arrive at the various discos
in Malta already stoned; but others
get drugs there. Three together in a
toilet and they enjoy it. Please tell the
parents…to live up to the responsibility
of their mission as the first in the list to
fight the drug problem in Malta. Let
them not be deceived by their children
as I used to deceive my own parents.
I was so shrewd and so weak but how
much weaker my parents! I tried to get
out of this horrible world but I fought
alone.”
When I asked him about the situation
in Malta, he told me: “Who are the real
poor young people in Malta today? In
the same convertible flashy cars which
go around to impress people, there you
find young people poor in values. In
the groups of teenagers on their roller-
blades, there you might find the weak
and most prone of Maltese society... Tell
young people in Malta and Gozo that
at the moment the only winners are the
barons... Life is a wonderful gift, do not
waste it…Tell them to fight for their
dignity. They are being used by society.
The insecurity and dissatisfaction that
they are facing is the main cause of
the catastrophe we are living today!
The worst is that people seem to be
happy about it... Young people are
against any type of sacrifice, hard work,
commitment, continuity and stability.
˙ajjaSalesjana1
For them life is enjoyment. Sometimes
they don’t appreciate what is being
done for them.”
After resting a bit he continued:
“Even the Maltese Media sometimes
are not up to telling the true story of
the drug problem in Malta. They find
space for all futile things, but very little
to fight the drug problem. Do the state,
the church, the families know the real
problem? Who is running the show
in Paceville, the barons or the young
people themselves?...”
After this he burst into tears and
shouted: “A word of advice to all
Maltese citizens. Speak up and defend
the innocent who are becoming, even
without wanting, the victims of drugs.
You are responsible more than others
to organize the battle. You speak about
everything: VAT, taxes, economy,
export, tourism, culture but seldom
about drugs! Do not be cowards. Are you
afraid? If only the people responsible had
acted more quickly and more decisively,
many would certainly have had a longer
and better life. Man is disorientated. As
a result, both his personal and social
life have become a dramatic struggle
between good and evil, between light
and darkness. Please do something
about it. People in Malta know the
sources of the problem. Why do they
not speak? They prefer to remain silent
and keep their mouths shut. Even the
Mafia prefers the conspiracy of silence.”
My interlocutor sent me away with
tears in his eyes. I thanked him for the
wonderful teachings he gave me, these
coming from his first hand experience.
1˙ajjaSalesjana
G˙eluq il-50 Sena
Ftit ‘il fuq minn 50 sena ilu, preçiΩament fid-9 ta’ Ottubru 1958
miet Papa Piju XII. Kien papa g˙al 19- il sena, mill-1939 sa l-
1958. L-ewwel snin tal-pontifikat tieg˙u kienu wie˙ed mill-ikreh
Ωminijiet fl-istorja tad-dinja, ji©ifieri t-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija.
mill-Mewt ta’ Piju XII
Il-˙ajja fil-qosor
Ew©enju Pacelli twieled Ruma fit-2 ta’
Marzu 1876 minn familja nobbli. Ìie ordnat
saçerdot fit-2 ta’ April 1899. Fl-1920 ©ie
ma˙tur Nunzju Apostoliku fir-Repubblika
©dida tal-Ìermanja. Ftit Ωmien wara tfaçça
Adolf Hitler fix-xena internazzjonali. Fl-1929
il-Papa Piju XI g˙amel lil Ew©enju Pacelli
kardinal, u ftit wara, Segretarju ta’ l-Istat.
Peress li kien jaf ˙afna lingwi ©ie mibg˙ut
mill-Papa b˙ala legat tieg˙u f’laqg˙at,
çelebrazzjonijiet u kungressi internazzjonali.
B’hekk sar mid˙la ta’ personalitajiet g˙oljin
fid-dinja politika.
Fit-2 ta’ Marzu 1939, wara l-mewt ta’ Piju
XI, ©ie elett Papa u ˙a l-isem Piju XII. Hawn
beda l-Pontifikat twil tieg˙u, wie˙ed mill-
iktar diffiçli u ta’ tbatija, li qatt rat id-dinja
matul elfejn sena.
Fl-ewwel Radjumessa©© tieg˙u fit-3 ta’
Marzu 1939, naraw il-preokkupazzjoni kbira
li kellu: “F’dan iΩ-Ωmien ta’ ansjetà, waqt li
l-kapijiet tan-nazzjonijiet qishom ma jridux il-
vera paçi, li hija x-xewqa ˙erqana ta’ kul˙add,
jiena nitlob mill-qieg˙ ta’ qalbi sabiex l-Mulej
idawwal il-mo˙˙ ta’ dawk li g˙andhom ir-
responsabbiltà li jmexxu l-popli tag˙hom lejn
il-prosperità u l-progress.’’
˙ajjaSalesjana1
Ta’ diplomatiku kbir li kien, ipprova
minn kollox biex iwarrab il-gwerra li kienet
tidher fil-qrib, billi jindirizza personalment
lill-kapijiet tal-gvernijiet. Permezz tar-Radju,
f’Awissu ta’ 1939 g˙amel appell li ̇ are© mill-
qieg˙ ta’ qalbu: “Huwa permezz tal-ftehim u
mhux ta’ l-armi li l-©ustizzja tintla˙aq… Xejn
ma jintilef bil-paçi, kollox jista’ jintilef
bil-gwerra.’’ Il-vuçi tieg˙u baqg˙et mhux
mismug˙a. Fl-1 ta’ Settembru tal-1939
il-Ìermanja naΩista invadiet lill-Polonja. Il-
gwerra kienet bdiet. F’qasir Ωmien parti kbira
mill-Ewropa sabet ru˙ha fil-gwerra. Fi tmiem
l-1941 il-ÌappuniΩi attakkaw Pearl Harbour.
Il-gwerra saret dinjija.
Il-Le˙en tal-Papa
Piju XII, f’din “is-sieg˙a tad-dlamijiet’’
˙adem lejl u nhar biex itaffi it-tbatijiet ˙orox
permezz ta’ radjumessa©©i (aktar minn
200) b’diversi ilsna, mad-dinja kollha. Hu
stess f’Lulju ta’ 1943 mar fil-kwartier ta’ San
Lorenzo u ta’ San Giovanni, Ruma, ifarra©
lil dawk li ndarbu waqt il-bumbardament.
Meta fil-15 u 16 ta’ Ottubru 1943 ˙afna
Lhud ˙arbu mill-getto ta’ Ruma, il-Vatikan
imtela bir-refu©jati li raqdu sa˙ansitra fil-
kurituri.
Il-vuçi tal-Papa baqg˙et tis˙aq: ‘gwerra
kontra din il-gwerra…li qieg˙da ©©ib
tbatijiet tal-biΩg˙a li jmorru kontra kull sens
nisrani u uman.’’ (1 ta’ Marzu 1944).
Meta spiççat il-gwerra, l-Unjoni Sovjetika,
li kienet fost in-nazzjonijiet rebbie˙a,
irnexxielha tie˙u ta˙t il-kontroll tag˙ha
nazzjonijiet qrib biex i©©ibhom ta˙t is-
setg˙a tag˙ha. Il-Papa wissa li “dan g˙ad
jista’ ‘l quddiem iqajjem inkwiet ie˙or.’’
Matul il-Pontifikat kollu tieg˙u Papa Piju
XII g˙amel minn kollox biex jiddefendi l-
paçi, il-libertà reli©juΩa, u d-dinjita’ umana
ta’ popli mhedda mill-komuniΩmu. Kien
bniedem ta’ spiritwalità profonda u li qatt
ma jieqaf mix-xog˙ol . Kien devot ˙afna tal-
Madonna u matul is-Sena Mqaddsa tal-1950
iddikjara id-domma ta’ Marija Mtellg˙a s-
Sema bir-Ru˙ u l-Ìisem.
Miet fid-9 ta’ Ottubru tal-1958.
Radd il-Óajr lil Piju XII
Issa qieg˙din nistennew li l-Knisja tiddikjara
uffiçjalment il-qdusija tieg˙u. Id-digriet tal-
Beatifikazzjoni lest, jonqos biss il-firma tal-
Papa Benedittu. Milli jidher “inkwiet’’ ie˙or
qieg˙ed ji©ri wara dan il-papa kbir. Huwa
akkuΩat minn xi komunitajiet Lhud, li matul
it-tieni gwerra dinjija ma tkellimx biΩΩejjed
biex iwaqqaf il-persekuzzjoni min NaΩi
kontra l-Lhud. Fil-fatt, saru bosta u bosta
dikjarazzjonijiet mil-Lhud stess li jixhdu
kemm g˙amel Piju XII, u l-Knisja Kattolika
favur il-Lhud, matul it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija.
Insemmu biss xi w˙ud minn eluf li jinsabu
fl-arkivji tal-Vatikan.
Fis-7 ta’ Settembru 1945 ÌuΩep nathan
kummissarju ta’ l-G˙aqda Komunità Lhudija
irringrazzja uffiçjalment lill-Papa u lir-
reli©juΩi r©iel u nisa, g˙al dak kollu li g˙amlu
mal-Lhud, b’sogru kbir, ma’ tul il-gwerra
(Osservatore Romano, 8 Ottubru 1945).
Fil 21 ta’ Settembru 1945 Dr. A. Leo
Kubowitski, segretarju tal-Kungress
Mondjali Lhudi mar personalment g˙and Piju
XII biex jirringrazzjah ta’ kull ma g˙amlet il-
Knisja Kattolika favur il-Lhud. (Oss. Rom. 23
Settembru 1945.
Fid-29 ta’ Novembru 1945, 80 Delegat
ta’ Lhud li kienu n˙elsu mill-kampijiet ta’
konçentrament fil-Ìermanja, “stqarru
kemm kienu onorati li setg˙u jirringrazzjaw
personalment lill-Papa g˙all-©eneroΩità li
g˙amel mag˙hom ma’ tul iΩ-Ωmien ikrah
tan-NaΩismu u FaxxiΩmu. (Oss. Rom. 30
Novembru 1945).
Ir-Rabbi Israel Zolli li matul il-gwerra
kollha kien kap ta’ wa˙da mill-eqdem
komunitajiet Lhud u direttur tal-“Colleggio
Rabbinico Italiano,’’ kellu ˙afna kuntatti
1˙ajjaSalesjana
ma’ Piju XII, u seta’ jara mill-qrib kemm
g˙amel il-Papa g˙all-komunitajiet Lhud.
Meta fil-bidu ta’ l-1945 il-persekuzzjoni
NaΩista kienet spiççat, sar nisrani u ˙a l-
isem Eu©enju b˙ala sinjal ta’ radd il-˙ajr
lill-Papa Eugenio Pacelli. Bintu Myriam
f’intervista fl-1998 qalet: “Wara l-gwerra,
missieri qalli, issa tara, is-silenzju li d-dinja
kollha Ωammet quddiem id-delitti NaΩisti
iwa˙˙luh fuq il-Papa.’’
Fil-fatt, la l-Gvern Amerikan, la l-Ingilterra
u l-anqas ir-Russja, ma g˙amlu ebda
protesta pubblika, g˙alkemm kienu jafu li
kienu jeΩistu kampijiet ta’ konçentrament u
gas chambers (kmamar tal-gass)
fejn mietu eluf ta’ Lhud. Ew©enju Zolli
kien profeta.
Imma Veru s-Skiet tal-Papa?
Nisimg˙u l-kliem tieg˙u stess: “Óafna
drabi kelli ˙sieb niskomunika n-NaΩismu,
u ng˙arraf lid-dinja bil-kruha li tkexkxek li
hi l-qerda tal-Lhud. Kont naf li kienet tista’
ssir tpattija ˙arxa mhux kontra l-persuna
tieg˙i, iΩda kontra l-imsejkna Lhud stess li
kienu sabu ru˙hom ta˙t il-˙akma NaΩista.
Wara ˙afna qsim il-qalb u talb wasalt g˙all-
konkluΩjoni li l-protesta tieg˙i ma kienet sejra
tag˙mel ©id lil ˙add, anzi kienet tqajjem
˙ruxija akbar kontra l-Lhud. Forsi l-protesta
uffiçjali tieg˙i kienet tikseb xi tif˙ir lili mid-
dinja, imma kienet i©©ib persekuzzjoni akbar
kontrihom. (G. Galeazzi Gariboldi)
Din kienet il-konvinzjoni ta’ Piju XII u
kienet ikkonfermata minn dak li ©ara fl-
Olanda. Il-Óadd 26 ta’ Lulju 1942 fil-Knejjes
Kattoliçi kollha ta’ l-Olanda inqrat Ittra
Pastorali tipprotesta dwar id-deportazzjoni
ta’ familji s˙a˙ ta’ Lhud (aktar minn g˙axart
elef ru˙). Ir-riΩultat kien li aktar minn 40,000
©ew trasportati lejn il-kampijiet ftit wara
- fosthom Edith Stein, soru Karmelitana
kanonizzata mill-Papa Ìwanni Pawlu II, u
o˙tha Rosa.
Meta Piju XII sar jaf b’din it-tra©edja mar
fil-kçina u hu stess ˙araq Ωew© folji ta’ kitba
waqt li qal: Din hija l-protesta tieg˙i kontra l-
persekuzzjoni tal-Lhud. Il-lejla kienet se tidher
fuq l-Osservatore Romano. Imma jekk il-
protesta ta’ l-isqfijiet OlandiΩi kkawΩat il-qtil
ta’ erbg˙in elf ru˙, il-protesta tieg˙i tista’ tkun
kawΩa ta’ mitejn elf. Mela a˙jar na˙dem fis-
skiet b˙al ma g˙amilt s’issa. (Xhieda ta’ Sr.
Pascalina Lenhert. Cfr. Avvenire 7 t’Ottubru
1998).
Issa nafu li n-numru ta’ Lhud li n˙elsu
mill-mewt permezz tal-knisja, refu©jati fil-
kunventi, fil-knejjes, fil-Vatikan u fl-istituti
reli©juΩi, jil˙aq aktar minn miljun. Fl-omelija
waqt il-quddies fil-50 anniversarju mill-
mewt ta’ Papa Piju XII, Papa Benedettu XVI
qal: “Nitolbu biex il-kawΩa tal-beatifikazzjoni
ta’ Piju XII tispiçça b’wiçç il-©id.’’
Din hija wkoll it-talba tag˙na f’g˙eluq il-
50 sena mill-mewt tieg˙u u f’g˙eluq ukoll
tas-70 sena mill-elezzjoni tieg˙u b˙ala
Papa.
(Mitt-Taljan Il Tempio di Don Bosco
Novembre 2008: Trad. J. Fonde SDB).
˙ajjaSalesjana1
Something to
The Devil’s Beatitudes
If the Devil were to write his Beatitudes, they would probably go
something like this:
Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend
an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church - they are
my best workers.
Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be
thanked - I can use them.
Blessed are the touchy, with a bit of luck they may stop going to
church - they are my missionaries.
Blessed are those who are very religious but get on everyone’s nerves
- they are mine forever.
Blessed are the troublemakers - they shall be called my children.
Blessed are those who have no time to pray - they are easy prey for
me.
Blessed are the gossipers - for they are my secret agents.
Blessed are those critical of church leadership - for they shall
inherit a place with me in my fate.
Blessed are the complainers - I’m all ears for them.
Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people
and not yourself - I’ve got you.
1˙ajjaSalesjana
think about…
˙ajjaSalesjana20
In the course of the meeting held at
the “Yad Vashem” Holocaust Museum,
historians and scholars, sharing the results
of their own research, attempted to respond
to a series of questions on the role of Pius XII
in the Holocaust.
Taking part were scholars representing
the two currents of thought on the Pope’s
activity, the more critical one by Sergio
Minerbi, Paul O’Shea, Michael Phayer,
Susan Zuccotti and the more favourable one
by Thomas Brechenmacher, Jean-Dominque
Durand, Grazia Loparco, Matteo Luigi
Napolitano, Andrea Tornielli.
The meeting, conducted in the cordial
and respectful spirit of the two Institutions
promoting the event, should lead to a
common agreement regarding the current
notice displayed in the premises of the “Yad
Vashem” which in a polemical manner
comments on the role of Pope XII: “Even
when reports about the murder of Jews
reached the Vatican, the Pope did not protest
either verbally or in writing. In December
1942, he abstained from signing the Allied
declaration concerning the extermination of
and the Holocaust
On Sunday 8 and Monday 9 March
in Jerusalem there was held an
international Academic Workshop on
“Pius XII and the Holocaust, the current
state of research,” promoted by the
“Yad Vashem” International Institute
of Research into the Holocaust and the
“Studium Theologicum Salesianum Santi
Pietro e Paolo”.
Jews. When Jews were deported from Rome
to Auschwitz, the Pope did not intervene.”
For some researchers and historians
Pope Pius XII was an indifferent spectator
of the Holocaust, who through his silence
connived at the terrible tragedy that was
unfolding; for others, however, he acted in
a variety of ways to limit the consequences,
sometimes quite effectively. Historical
archive documents and verbal and written
testimonies of those directly involved affirm
that Pius XII worked in practical ways to
save Jews. Among the scholars who support
this thesis independently of their ethnic or
religious background are not a few Jews.
The American Rabbi, David Dalin, lecturer in
history and political science maintains that
Pius XII deserves the title of “Just among
the Nations” a mark of recognition which
“Yad Vashem” bestows on those non-Jews
who heroically defended and protected Jews
during the Holocaust.
This year occurs the 70th anniversary of
the election of the Servant of God Pius XII,
formerly Eugenio Pacelli to the throne of
Peter.
Pius XII
21˙ajjaSalesjana
Dan jinsab fil-katidral ta’
St. Patrizju u ©ie mikxuf
mill-President ta’ Malta
waqt iΩ-Ωjara uffiçjali
tieg˙u. San Ìor© Preca
kien ©ie ddikjarat qaddis
fl-2007 waqt çerimonja
fil-Vatikan, mill-Papa
Benedittu XVI.
Il-President ta’ Malta,
Edward Fenech Adami kixef il-bust tal-bronΩ
ta’ San Ìor© Preca fil-katidral ta’ San Patrizju
fil-belt ta’ Melbourne nhar it-22 ta’ Frar.
Huwa ©ie hawnhekk waqt li kien qieg˙ed
fuq Ωjara ta’ 10 ijiem fl-Awstralja, fuq stedina
tal-Gvernatur Generali Quentin Bryce. Il-
Viçi President tal-‘Malta Historical Society’,
is-Sur Emmanuel Cilia iddeskriva il-kxif tal-
bust, ta’ qisien naturali, b˙ala moment
storiku g˙all-Komunità Maltija. “Ìor© Preca
kien bniedem radikali… dan il-qaddis ta lill-
Maltin it-tag˙lim tal-Kotba Mqaddsa, u dan
hu g˙aliex il-Maltin huma llum daqstant
reli©juΩi; u a˙na niΩΩuh ̇ ajr. Kien missjunarju
kbir. A˙na kburin naraw lill-qaddis ewlieni
tag˙na pprezentat hawnhekk.”
Fl-1907 San Ìor© Preca waqqaf is-Soçjetà
tad-Duttrina Nisranija MUSEUM, li kienet
tippermetti lil-lajçi jg˙allmu l-fidi nisranija lit-
tfal. Sa dak iΩ-Ωmien, it-tag˙lim ta’ l-iskrittura
kien f’idejn il-kleru. G˙alkemm kienet ˙ar©et
ordni sabiex il-MUSEUM jing˙alaq, l-Arçisqof
Mauro Caruana approva lil din l-G˙aqda fl-
1932, u hekk is-Soçjetà fet˙et çentri f’kull
ra˙al ta’ Malta. Issa,
is-Soçjetà tad-Duttrina
Nisranija, tinsab ukoll
fl-Awstralja, l-Ingilterra,
l-Albanija, il-Kenja, is-
Sudan u l-Peru.
il-Kunsill tal-Komunità
Maltija ©abar $50.000
g˙al din l-istatwa. Il-Viçi
President tal-Kunsill, is-
Sur Guy Deguara qal li huwa jiftakar, meta
kien tifel, lil San Ìor© Preca. “Meta kont
g˙adni tifel, a˙na t-tfal konna ni©ru warajh
fit-triq sabiex hu jberikna”, jiftakar dan ix-
xwejja˙ ta’ 75 sena. “Hu kien qaddis, minn
qabel ma ©ie ddikjarat. Il-mara ta’ ˙ija,
madwar is-sena 1940, waqt il-gwerra, kienat
marida. Kellha biss xi tlitt snin, ma setg˙etx
timxi, u o˙tha qalet lil ommha, ‘G˙addej
Dun Ìor©‘. Huma g˙ajtulu ©ewwa; huwa
da˙al, po©©a idejh fuq ras it-tarbija u talab
talba. Fi ftit ˙in ta’ sag˙tejn, ng˙idilkom
onestament, hija kienet qieg˙da timxi. U
hemm ˙afna stejjer o˙rajn b˙al din.”
Charles Belli, li huwa wkoll ta’ 75 sena,
emigra lejn l-Awstralja fl-1954 waqt il-
mew©a ta’ emigrazzjoni ta’ wara l-gwerra,
i˙e©©e© lin-nies sabiex iΩuru l-bust ta’ San
Ìor© Preca ©ewwa Melbourne. “Huwa
mhux biss g˙all-Maltin; qaddis huwa qaddis
g˙al kul˙add.”
Ritratt: Guy u Mary Deguara ˙dejn l-istatwa ta’ San Ìor©
Preca. Ritratt ta’ Peter Weaving
Kburin bil-Qaddis Tag˙hom
Minn Charmaine Camilleri
Il-Komunità Maltija ta’ Melbourne iççelebrat moment glorjuΩ
ta’ l-istorja tag˙ha bil-kxif ta’ monument, bust ta’ l-ewwel
u l-uniku qaddis ta’ pajjiΩha.
˙ajjaSalesjana22
Alla jag˙Ωel lil San ÌuΩepp biex jie˙u ˙sieb
lil Ìesù Kristu u lil Marija, f’santwarju ˙aj
©ewwa d-dar ta’ NaΩaret.
Kien ÌuΩeppi mela li mexxa u ˙a ˙sieb
ta’ din il-familja ta’ Ìesu’ u Marija. Is-
Santi Padri tal-Knisja, fosthom Sant’Irinew
mall-ewwel fehmu b’din il-missjoni li kellu
ÌuΩeppi (ara S.Irenaei, ‘Adversus haereses’,
IV, 23, 1: S.Ch. 100/2, 692-694). Huwa
©arr it-toqol ta’ din ir-responsabbilta’
kbira bir-riskju u s-sagrifiççji marbuta
mal-familja. Ja˙asra kieku l-familja tal-lum
tkompli t˙ares lejn l-eΩempju ta’ ÌuΩeppi
biex tirba˙ id-diffikultà u mhux iççedi
quddiemha jew tfittex it-triq façli
t as-separazzjoni! Mhux li kien li l-familja
t˙ares lejn dan il-bniedem b˙ala mudell
tag˙ha!
ÌuΩeppi huwa l-kap tal-Familja
Mqaddsa; mhux biss bil-g˙aqal tieg˙u
imma ukoll g˙aliex bil-g˙araq ta’ ©binu
˙adem g˙al din il-familja. ÌuΩeppi huwa
xempju ta’ l-appostolat u tal-˙idma bieΩla
tieg˙u fid-dar ta’ NaΩaret (Redemptoris
Custos n. 22-24). Kien mastrudaxxa
imma mhux daqshekk biss. Infatti l-kelma
mastrudaxxa (bl-ebrajk, ‘charash’ u bil-
grieg, ‘tekton’), tfisser bniedem kapaçi
g˙al kull teknika, ˙addiem tas-seng˙a
li jinqala’ biex jag˙mel kollox, anke biex
ja˙dem l-injam iebes tal-Libanu qrib
NaΩaret. G˙alhekk meta kien ikun hemm
xi problema, in-nies tar-ra˙al kienu jfittxu
lilu, g˙ax barra li ÌuΩeppi kien bniedem
b’qalb tad-deheb, kien imΩejjen b’˙afna
talenti. Ix-xog˙ol tal-mastrudaxxa
g˙alhekk kien importanti ̇ afna u ftit kienu
dawk li kienu kapaçi g˙al din is-seng˙a
g˙ax mhux lakemm kont issib il-missirijiet
b’din il-kapaçità f’pajjiΩ fejn il-˙idma l-iktar
popolari kienet dik ta’ rag˙aj. Dan hu l-
kobor ta’ San ÌiΩepp b˙ala kap tal-Familja
u Óaddiem.
Infatti din is-seng˙a tal-mastrudaxxa,
din il-kapaçità , ÌuΩeppi Ωgur g˙addieha
San ÌuÛePP
G˙alliem tal-Familja (2)
Minn Fr. Charles Buttigieg
Bejn Alla u l-bniedem hemm storja
partikulari, storja tassew sabi˙a
g˙aliex hija storja ta’m˙abba.
Bejn Alla u San Ìuzepp, se˙˙ il-
qofol ta’ din l-istorja.
2˙ajjaSalesjana
liΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙ Ìesu’ kif insibu f’Mk 6:3
meta Ìesu’ wara ftit Ωmien Ωar NaΩaret
fejn trabba u n-nies qalu g˙alih, ‘Dan
mhux il-mastrudaxxa, bin Marija…’ F’Mt
13:55, in-nies bdew jg˙idu ‘dan mhux
bin il-mastrudaxxa?’. U f’Lq 4:22 insibu,
‘U kul˙add kien ifa˙˙ru u jistag˙©eb
bil-kliem ta’ ˙lewwa li kien ˙iere© minn
fommu u bdew jg˙idu: Dan mhux bin
ÌuΩeppi?’. San Ìwann ukoll fil-Van©elu
tieg˙u jsemmi darbtejn lil Ìesu’ b˙ala
‘bin ÌuΩeppi’ (1:45 u 6:42). Hekk
g˙andna allura nimma©inaw lil San
ÌuΩepp, bniedem mfittex ˙afna min-nies
ta’ NaΩaret fejn il-kapaçita’ ta’ dan ir-ra©el
minn Betlem (Beth-lehem), il-belt ta’
David (ara LQ 1:27), bil-qalb disponibbli
tieg˙u, lesta, pronta sabiex tg˙in lil dak li
jkun, reb˙et il-qlub tar-ra˙al ta’ NaΩaret.
Ejjew g˙alhekk n˙arsu lejn ÌuΩeppi g˙all-
valuri tal-familja u tax-xog˙ol.
San ÌuΩepp huwa l-qaddis tas-
skiet,…liema skiet? Is-skiet tal-˙ajja
interjuri, tal-˙ajja tat-talb, skiet li jdawwal
lill-bniedem sabiex jid˙ol f’kuntatt ma’
Alla (Redemptoris Custos n. 25-27). Fil-
˙anut tax-xog˙ol tieg˙u Ωgur li kien
hemm g˙odda speçjali li mhux lakemm
kont issibha f’post ie˙or tax-xog˙ol:
kien hemm il-qawwa tat-talb. Kien ©ust
ÌuΩeppi, kien jaf u jg˙ix il-kelma t’Alla,
kien bniedem li jitlob. Ûgur li kellu çar
quddiemu l-kliem tad-Dewt 6:7; ‘Dawn
il-kelmiet idda˙˙alhom f’mo˙˙ uliedek u
titkellem fuqhom int u qieg˙ed id-dar.’
U g˙alhekk nistg˙u nimma©inaw dik ix-
xena tassew mill-isba˙ fid-dar ta’ NaΩaret,
ÌuΩeppi jg˙allem lit-tfajjel Ìesu’ il-kredu
Lhudi, “Isma ja IΩrael’’ (ara Dt 6:4), it-talb
u t-traduzzjoni Lhudija. Ûgur li d-dar ta’
ÌuΩeppi li bena bil-g˙araq ta’ ©binu kienet
santwarju ˙aj ta’ talb, simbolu tal-g˙aqda
fil-familja, fejn tin©abar sabiex titlob u
tirringrazzja lill- Mulej. Hekk il-familja ta’
NaΩaret hija tassew innu ta’ tif˙ir lil Alla.
Kien g˙alhekk illi erbatax- il sena ilu,
nhar il-15 ta’ Awissu 1989 fl-okkaΩjoni taç-
çentinarju tal-Ittra Ençiklika, ‘Quamquam
Pluries’ (ara ‘Leonis XIII P.M. Acta’,
IX ©1890˙ 175-182), il-Papa Ìwanni
Pawlu II, kiteb l-EΩortazzjoni Appostolika,
Redemptoris Custos dwar il-Persuna u
l-Missjoni ta’ San ÌuΩepp fil-˙ajja ta’
Kristu fejn naraw il-kobor tal-qaddis; ‘Dan
hu proprju l-misteru li fih kellu sehem
ÌuΩeppi ta’ NaΩaret, sehem li ebda
bniedem ie˙or qatt ma kellu, ̇ lief il-Ver©ni
Marija. G˙alhekk hu r-ra©el veru u ver©ni
ta’ Marija, omm Ìesu’. San ÌuΩepp hu l-
missier-ver©ni ta’ Ìesu’ (ara Redemptoris
Custos n.7).
Talba. O ÌuΩeppi int li ˙sibt g˙all-
g˙ixien tal-Iben t’Alla, int li bi bΩulitek
˙arist lil Kristu, int kap tal-Familja Mqaddsa,
xempju tal-˙addiema u sur qawwi ta’
kull familja, a˙na n˙arsu lejk u lejn din
il-familja tieg˙ek. Óares il-familji tag˙na,
ÌuΩeppi, mir-rovina li trid teqred lil dan it-
teΩor. Erodi g˙adu jeΩisti ÌuΩeppi, l-Erodi
tad-divorzju, tal-konvivenza, u ta’ l-abort!
Urina x’g˙andna nag˙mlu. Min hu devot
tieg˙ek ma jistax ma jkunx devot ukoll ta’
Marija, min hu devot tassew ta’ Marija
g˙andu jkun devot tieg˙ek. InΩuru mela
l-familja tieg˙ek ÌuΩeppi u int mill-ewwel
tippreΩentalna lil Marija, ni©u g˙andek
ÌuΩeppi u nsibu Ωgur lil Kristu, is-Salvatur
tag˙na.
˙ajjaSalesjana2
nega-Vera-Papadu hu isem ta’
wie˙ed mill-villa©©i fl-istat ta’
Andhra Pradesh, Indja. Darba dar-
ra˙al kien mag˙dud b˙ala wie˙ed
mhux importanti, g˙ax imwarrab
u ˙add ma jag˙ti kasu. Hekk ukoll
in-nies kienu j˙ossuhom minsijin
minn kull˙add. Imma wara snin
jg˙ixu g˙al ri˙hom, huma xtaqu
li xi ˙add jinteressa ru˙u fihom
u jaqbeΩ g˙alihom f’dak kollu li
kienu je˙tie©u. Kemm-il darba
kienu semg˙u minn ˙addie˙or kif
ir˙ula o˙ra rnexxielhom iqumu fuq
saqajhom u ma jibqg˙ux fil-g˙aks u
l-miΩerja.
Fl-istess waqt fehmu li jekk iridu
˙ajja a˙jar kien je˙tie©ilhom ja˙dmu
bil-g˙aqal u jg˙ixu fl-ordni kif irid
Alla. G˙alhekk ma’ l-ewwel darba
li ltaqg˙u mas-saçerdot kattoliku,
u˙ud minnhom talbuh iΩur ir-ra˙al
“sabiex jg˙allimhom kif jitolbu u
jsiru nies tajba’’.
ÓSIeB IR-RuÓ
Il-missjunarju malajr g˙araf l-
intenzjoni tajba tan-nies. Imma kellu
joqg˙od attent peress li f’dawk in-
na˙at jeΩistu ˙afna tradizzjonijiet
reli©juΩi differenti u ma kienx
jaqbel li ja˙bat difrejh mag˙hom.
B’danakollu, l-abitanti ta’ nega-
Vera-Papadu kienu ˙erqana u
bla sabar. Huma qabbdu lix-xju˙
tag˙hom sabiex jersqu quddiem
il-missjunarju u jippreΩentawlu
lista ta’ familji li riedu tassew
isiru kattoliçi.
B˙ala l-ewwel pass, il-
missjunarju beda jibg˙at
soru kull ©img˙a fosthom
Alla jg˙in lil min jg˙in ru˙u
Ìrajjiet minn ˙ajjet Dun Karm Attard SDB, kif jaf jirrakkonta hu stess –
©rajjiet li se˙˙ew fl-Indja fejn hu ˙adem g˙al 60 sena s˙a˙
2˙ajjaSalesjana
sabiex tag˙mel laqg˙a ta’ talb g˙al
kull min ried jattendi. Meta n-nies
bdiet tikkonkorri bil-kbir, allura ©ie
ma˙tur katekista li kien joqg˙od fir-
ra˙al ©o g˙arix li bnewlu apposta
g˙alih.
G˙al sentejn s˙a˙ il-katekista
kien jg˙allem lil kull˙add bil-kelma
u bl-eΩempju il-veritajiet tal-fidi
nisranija. In-nies g˙o©obhom ˙afna
t-tag˙lim; bdew jikkoperaw bis-s˙i˙
u jkunu ta’ g˙ajnuna g˙al xulxin.
Kien fihom g˙axqa jg˙ixu l-˙ajja
komunitarja. L-ewwel grupp ta’
familji li tg˙ammdu kien jil˙aq il-75.
Tassew konkorrenza sabi˙a!
Illum ir-ra˙al hu komunità wa˙da
ta’ nsara ferventi. Il-katekista jmexxi
t-talb u jag˙ti tifsir tal-Van©elu kull
nhar ta’ Óadd. Il-Missjunarju jersaq
lejn il-post skond kif ikun jista’,
darba jew tnejn fix-xahar.
ÓSIeB IL-ÌISeM
In-nies ta’ nega-Vera-Papadu huma
aktarx ˙addiema foqra. Óafna
minnhom “coolies’’ ji©ifieri qaddejja
li j©orru u jservu lis-sidien kbar tan-
negozji. IΩda dak li jdabbru minn
dat-tip ta’ xog˙ol hu tassew ftit. L-
awtoritajiet tal-knisja jixtiequ li dix-
xorta ta’ nies tqum fuq saqajha u
ttejjeb il-kundizzjonijiet tal-g˙ajxien
tag˙ha. Je˙tie© li jibdew ikunu
kapaçi jfendu g˙al rashom.
Permezz tas-sistema djoçesana
tas-servizz soçjali, huma jistg˙u
jiksbu self mill-bank b’img˙ax baxx.
Dan jg˙inhom biex jie˙du biçça raba
b’kera u li jibdew ja˙dmu g˙alihom
infushom. B’hekk huma ma jibqg˙ux
jg˙addu ˙ajjithom fil-miΩerja u l-
iskjavitù.
Sabiex tittaffa d-dipendenza minn
fuq is-self tal-bank, twaqqfet skema
ta’ tfaddil, billi kull membru iwarrab
somma fissa kull xahar. Permezz ta’
dat-tfaddil hemm it-tama’ li maΩ-
Ωmien kull familja tkun tista’ tixtri
dik l-g˙alqa g˙aliha u hekk huma
wkoll isiru sidien Ωg˙ar ta’ l-art.
Bil-˙sieb , bil-g˙aqal u x-xog˙ol
kollox qieg˙ed jog˙ti riΩultati sbie˙.
In-nies infushom qed i˙ossuhom
ferm kuntenti bil-kwalita’ ta’ ˙ajja.
Issa qieg˙din ja˙sdu l-frott ta’
˙idmiethom u jbierku ‘l Alla talli sabu
lil min jie˙u ˙siebhom u jmexxihom
g˙all-˙ajja a˙jar fir-ru˙ u fil-©isem.
˙ajjaSalesjana2
The group was run under the
leadership of His Honour Judge Frank
Walsh QC, President Salesian Past Pupils
Federation of Victoria. This was a mixed
group of Australians and migrants from
different countries.
In 1959 after some organising
between the Oratory Past Pupils, it
was agreed to form an Association, the
“Maltese Salesian Old Boys”. The group
started to advertise on the Maltese
newspaper “il-Maltija”, spreading the
word, informing, and attracting past
pupils to join the Association. Family
picnics, get-togethers, dinner dances
and film nights were organised. This
went on for a number of years with
a monthly meeting at the Maltese
Community Centre in Parkville.
Functions were organised on a
regular basis, funds were growing and
going as donations to missions, but in
the seventies the Association became
dormant. However, three Past Pupils,
the late John Portelli, Domenic Bonello
and Paul Borg kept the name of the
Salesian Old Boys alive with members
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.
Mr & Mrs Portelli ma’ Frs J. Mangion u J. Borg
2˙ajjaSalesjana
of the Maltese Community. In March
1989 Fr Victor Mangion, travelled to
Melbourne to visit his family and meet
the Past Pupils. On the 13th March
1989, a reception was held in his honour
at the Maltese Centre in Parkville. A
good number of Past Pupils attended.
In the “˙ajja Salesjana” June / July 1989
the late Mr. John Portelli, President
of the day wrote, “We felt proud and
honoured to have Fr. Victor with us
here in Melbourne.” It was during
this reception that Fr. Victor Mangion
encouraged the Past Pupils to revive the
Association.
On the 24th April 1989 the first
meeting was held. During the meeting
the late John Portelli spoke of the
dormant years of the Association. A
committee was formed with John
becoming the first President after the
revival with Fr Joe Pulis as Chaplain of
the Association.
At a meeting held on the 9th February
1990, the name of the Association was
changed from Salesian Old Boys to
the Maltese Salesian Past Pupils. The
reason for the change was that because
the Association started accepting
ladies as members, the name became
inappropriate.
The Association gained strength year
after year with the membership now
numbering 300 plus. The aim of fund
raising for the missions still powers the
members, giving a chance of better living
to children in Developing Countries.
The total amount of money donated
during the years 1989 ~ 2009 is of
$135,863.00
On Saturday 30th May of this
year, the Past Pupils of Victoria are
organizing a Charity Ball to celebrate
the 50th Anniversary of its existence.
Distinguished guests for the occasion will
be His Grace Bishop Joe Grech (Bishop
of Sandhurst), Mrs Angele Azzopardi,
Consul General of Victoria and others.
Past members of the MSPPA Committee
Mr & Mrs Darmanin ma’ Fr Joe Cini
˙ajjaSalesjana2
How much do we know of
the Apostle’s life? Here we
present a brief account of
the Life of the Apostle Paul.
This is the third part.
The Life of
St. Paul (3)
Peter had made the first evangelical contact
with the Gentile world when he baptized the
Roman centurion Cornelius, his family and
household in Caesarea. Now, in Antioch-On-
The-Orontes, not far from present-day Aleppo
in Syria, refugee Christians were successfully
preaching the Gospel, so the Apostles sent
Barnabas to see if their efforts could benefit
from support. First he collected Paul from
Tarsus and the two went to Antioch which
became such a vibrant centre of missionary
activity that it was here that the followers
of Jesus were first officially recognized as
“Christians”. Its geographical position made
it also an ideal place from which the Gospel
could be taken to Asia Minor and Greece.
From Antioch, Paul and Barnabas sailed to
Cyprus, Barnabas’ birthplace, and then on
to Perga in south-west Turkey calling at
another Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra
and Derbe. More often than not they
opened their missions in the synagogues,
but it was the non-Jews who responded
to their preaching and miracles with most
enthusiasm. Paul, who had quickly assumed
leadership and was conscious of the Jews’
resistance to the Gospel, said to them,
“We had to proclaim the word of God to
you first, but since you have rejected it, …
we must turn to the pagans”. Some Jewish
opposition was so violent that at Lystra, for
example, Paul was stoned and left for dead,
but he and Barnabas bravely returned along
the route they had come, encouraging and
organising new groups of believers to whom
they would later return to appoint priests in
each church and consolidate progress. (cf.
Ac 13, 14.)
In AD 48, they accompanied a delegation
from Antioch to discuss the status of Gentile
Christians with the leaders of the Church
in Jerusalem. Some Judaeans were insistent
that salvation was not possible without
circumcision according to the Law which
God had given to Moses, and for Paul
this raised a question of policy as well as
principle. To accept such teaching would
negate his mission to the Gentiles, dash his
2˙ajjaSalesjana
hopes of “gaining the world for Christ”,
and be a denial of the intrinsic merits of His
Sacrifice on the Cross and His death which
opens the way to salvation. To impose
national or racial regulations on converts
was contrary to his certainty that Christ
died for all without distinction. Eventually,
the Apostles approved his mission to the
Gentiles, support which he found most
reassuring and timely in view of the bitter
hostility he was encountering from many
Jewish Christians. Peter supported by
James, proposed the freedom of the Gentile
Christians and it was agreed that, unlike
their Jewish counterparts, they were not
obliged to be circumcised or be subject to
Mosaic Law. When the leaders in Jerusalem
sent Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with
their decision, one of their number, a Roman
citizen called Silas or “Silvanus”, went with
them. Paul found him very much a kindred
spirit and chose him rather than Barnabas
as the companion for his next mission (cf.
Ac 15.)
The Second and Third Missionary
Journeys AD 49-58
The second and third journeys which started
from and ended in Jerusalem are referred to
as the “Aegean Mission” because this region
saw eight years of sustained activity. He and
Silas travelled through Syria, Cilicia and the
Galatian towns which had been evangelized
during the first mission. When they were
refused entry to Bithynia in the north, they
turned west past Mysia to Troas on the coast
and, in answer to an appeal they received
in a vision, they continued on to Philippi in
the Roman province of Macedonia where
they were joined by Luke and Timothy.
Here the mission began favourably with
the conversion of Lydia, a lady who was a
successful cloth-merchant from Thyatira.
Then they freed a slave girl, who was a
fortune-teller, from a troublesome spirit,
but her masters were furious that the
exorcism and her new-found faith deprived
them of the income from her soothsaying.
They complained to the magistrates that
Paul and Silas were creating a disturbance
contrary to Roman law, with the result that
they were beaten and thrown into gaol, the
first instance of persecution not initiated by
the Jews; but the incarceration was not to
be lengthy. One night, as the two prisoners
were praying and singing God’s praises, a
sudden earthquake flung open the doors
and burst their chains, a miracle which
inspired the gaoler’s confession of belief
and the baptism of his household.
When the magistrates discovered that
the prisoners were Roman citizens, they
feared repercussions and released them
immediately on condition that they left the
city immediately. Paul and Barnabas went
to Thessalonika, the capital of Macedonia,
where they preached successfully until
some Jewish antipathy forced them to
flee to Berea. They stopped briefly at
Athens where Paul soon recovered from
the disappointment, and with enthusiastic
energy restored, they made for Corinth on
the maritime route between Rome and the
East, which was to be the centre of Paul’s
activity for the next eighteen months. He
earned his living as a tent-maker so that
he should not be a burden on the church
in Corinth, and because he wanted to
distinguish himself from those wandering
philosophers and politicians who expected
free board and lodging. When opposition
from the synagogue again made life
difficult, Our Lord came in another vision
to tell him to move on to a more fruitful
Gentile field and assured him, “Do not be
afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to
be silenced. I am with you and no one will
ever attempt to hurt you.”
˙ajjaSalesjana0
One evening I was parked in front of the
shopping arcade wiping my car from some
water. I had just come from the car wash and
was waiting for my wife to get out of work.
Coming my way from across the parking lot
was what society would consider a bum. From
the looks of him he had no car, no home,
no clean clothes and no money. There are
times when you feel generous but there are
other times that you just don’t want to be
bothered. This was one of the ‘Don’t want to
be bothered’ times.
“I hope he doesn’t ask me for money,” I
thought. He didn’t. He came and sat on the
curb in front of the bus stop and he didn’t look
like he could have enough money to even ride
the bus. After a few minutes he spoke. “That’s
a very nice car,” he said. He was
ragged but had
an air of dignity
around him.
I said,
“Thanks,” and
continued wiping
my car.
He sat there
quietly as I worked.
The expected plea for
money never came. As
the silence between us
widened something inside
said, “Ask him if he needs
any help.” I was sure
that he would say yes,
but I held true to the inner voice.
“Do you need any help?” I asked. He
answered in three simple but profound
words that I shall never forget. We often look
for wisdom in great men and women. We
expect it from those of higher learning and
accomplishments. I expected nothing but
an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke three
words that shook me.
“Don’t we all?” he said.
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a
place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in
my wallet and gave him not only enough for
bus fare but enough to get a warm meal and
shelter for the day.
Those three little words still ring true. No
matter how much you have, no matter how
much you have accomplished, you need help
too. No matter how little you have, no matter
how loaded you are with problems, even
without money or a place to sleep, you can
give help. Even if it’s just a compliment, you
can give that.
You never know when you may see
someone that appears to have it all. They are
waiting on you to give them what they don’t
have: a different perspective on life, a glimpse
at something beautiful, a respite from daily
chaos that only you, through a torn world,
can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless
stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was
more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power
that is great and wise to minister to a soul too
comfortable in itself.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel,
dressed him like a bum, then said, “Go minister
to that man cleaning the car, that man needs
help.”
“Don’t We All?”
Don’t We All?
1˙ajjaSalesjana
St Patrick’s Salesian School in Malta through
its Support Services Team has organised a
three-day conference in collaboration with
the Office of the Commissioner for Children
exploring therapeutic interventions with
children who are in out-of-home care and
their families. The term ‘out-of-home care’
includes foster care, residential care and
therapeutic residential care, among others.
The event was held from Thursday 12th
till Saturday 14th March 2009 at Hilton Malta
International, St. Julian’s. It was preceded
by a day pre-conference workshop entitled
Learn the Child on exploring strategies
and interventions for educators and carers
on how to best support children in care in
their learning and enhance their educational
experiences in school settings.
The Conference included the participation
of exponents from international organizations
and experts in the field alongside contributions
from local professionals, agencies and
other bodies. Actively participating in this
conference there were the Commissioner
for Children, Ms. Carmen Zammit, the
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for
Social Policies, Mr. Frans Borg and the
Salesian Capitular Superior for Youth Fr.
Fabio Attard. The overall structure of the
Conference consisted of plenary sessions
open to all conference participants in
addition to workshops covering specialized
issues to which participants chose to
attend.
The overall aim of the conference will
be to enable conference participants
to engage with the dilemmas and
challenges that out-of-home care poses
for children and their families within the
local context. It is our aspiration that the
conference gives voice to issues that the
children and their families have to face,
including those frequently brought to the
foreground in therapeutic encounters.
The Conference was attended by a great
number of social workers, care workers,
foster carers, educators, therapists,
psychologists, counsellors, academics and
students in social tudies. Well done to all
organizers and participants, but especially
to St. Patrick’s Fathers and Support Services
Team.
˙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
All this brings us to a curious point. 24th
June is the Feast of St John the Baptist.
But John Bosco, if one goes to the details
contained at St Andrew’s Parish Church in
Castenuovo (now called Castelnuovo Don
Bosco, but in his time, Castelnuovo d’Asti),
when baptized, on 17th August 1815, was
named for John the Evangelist rather than
John the Baptist. So how it is that the Rector
Major’s Feast Day is held on 24th June and
not on 27h December, feast of St. John
Evangelist?
Here is where the Past Pupils of Don
Bosco come in. Their origins go back to
the Oratory in Valdocco, Turin. They were
‘Don Bosco’s boys’, after all. It was they
who made the mistake, when, as boys who
had been at the Oratory they wanted to do
something for what they thought was their
Father’s name day, which they thought was
on 24th June. Don Bosco was hardly one to
put them out or deny a good opportunity for
festivity, especially since this was a ‘summer’
feast and the other one would not only have
been winter time but just two days after
Christmas!
And it all fits in nicely these days, since
one could hardly hold the feast day of the
Rector Major, whose is called Pascual, on
24th June either! Thus this day has ceased
to be any kind of ‘name day’ and, instead
has become a feast of gratitude - which it
really was anyway in that original Oratory
setting.
So - while saying ‘happy feast day’ to
our Rector Major - let’s not also forget
that it is, appropriately, also the feast
day of the Past Pupils of Don Bosco who
started it all. Happy feast day to them too!
a Combined Feast
of Importance for the Congregation
24th June each year is a double feast
day for the Salesian Family; but not
many know why. This day has become
the day when the Rector Major is
feasted. This is done to him in his role
as successor of Don Bosco rather than
who it happens to be at any particular
moment. This day is also the Feast Day
of the Past Pupils of Don Bosco.
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.
