Hajja Salesjana MEJJU-ÌUNJU 2010il-215 Óar©a
San GuΩepp Cafasso
A Sandpiper to bring you joy
Qdusija Salesjana
The Logo of the Salesians of Don Bosco is made up of two superimposed images: in
the background a stylised “S” (Salesians) in white marked to the right and left by two
cuttings between the hills (a road). The second image is in the centre of the globe: an
arrow pointing upwards resting on three perpendicular legs on top of which are three
closed circles making a stylised image of three people: the first of these in the midde
and taller (the Salesian) appears as if embracing the side figures (the young). The three
stylised figures can also be viewed as an arrow pointing upwards (education / formation)
or simply as a dwelling (Salesian house) with three pillars holding it up (reason, religion,
loving kindness).
The coat of arms of the Salesian Congregation shows the shining star, the large anchor,
the heart on fire symbolizing faith, hope and charity; the figure of St. Francis de Sales
recalling the Patron of the Society; the small wood in the lower part reminds us of the
Founder (Bosco) the high mountains signify the heights of perfection towards which
members strive; the interwoven palm and laurel that enfold the shield either side are
emblematic of the prize reserved for a sacrificial and virtuous life. The motto Da mihi
animas, caetera tolle (give me souls, take the rest) expresses every Salesian’s ideal.
Óajja Salesjana
St. Patrick’s School, Triq San Ìwann Bosco,
Sliema SLM 1925 – MALTA
Tel. (+356) 2133 0238 / (+00356) 9986 1586
e-mail: hajjasal@salesiansmalta.org
Il-Bulettin Salesjan, imsejja˙ b’diversi ismijiet, ji©i
stampat f’56 edizzjoni u f’ 29 ilsien madwar id-
dinja u huwa mxerred fi 131 nazzjon
Responsible: Fr. Paul Formosa SDB
Director/ Editor: Fr. Joseph Cini SDB
Editorial Board : Margaret Buhagiar,
Andre Camilleri, Matthew Borg, Josie Grech.
Office: Eileen Alden, Joyce Scicluna.
Design & Printing: Salesian Press, Sliema.
Tista taqra ˙ajja Salesjana fuq il-kompjuter:
http://www.salesiansmalta.org
Fuqiex se naqraw
Front Cover: Billi din is-sena ja˙bat ic-çentenarju tas-Salesian Brigade, u billi l’istrenna tar-Rettur Ma©©ur tg˙idilna “nwasslu
l-Van©elu liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙”, ir-ritratt tal-qoxra juri mumenti fil-˙ajja tas-Salesian Brigade.
Jum Don Bosco iççelebrat
mill-istudenti ta’ St. Patrick’s 9
Benedict XVI not letting
Cardinal Bertone Retire 10
A Sandpiper to bring you joy 12
Blessed Michael Rua (3) 14
Malta Salesjana 20
Qdusija Salesjana 22
Ûjara mis-Superjura 24
Hail Mary 26
Xi jg˙idu l-Qaddisin u l-G˙orrief 27
Apprezzament 28
Salesians in the world 30
Dun Bosco fis-santi u kartolini 31
San GuΩepp Cafasso 34
Editorjal / Pedago©ija / Caledar of events /
Something to think about / Marian Apparitions
3Hajja Salesjana
EDITORJAL
Il-Kappillan il-©did kien g˙adu kif wasal fil-
parroçça. Darba minnhom kellu jmur g˙all-qadja
u rikeb il-karozza tal-linja, ˙allas lix-xufier u mar
isib post biex ipo©©i bil-qieg˙da. Malli po©©a ̇ ares
lejn il-bqija u nteba˙ li x-xufier kien ˙a Ωball u tah
˙ames çenteΩmi Ωejda. Beda ja˙seb bejnu u bejn
ru˙u x’ kellu jag˙mel. “Óames çenteΩmi llum x’
jiswew?” ˙aseb il-kappillan. “Imma g˙alfejn se
noqg˙od in˙abbel rasi fuq ftit çenteΩmi? Hekk jew
hekk, il-kumpanija tat-trasport mhux se tiftaqar
ming˙ajrhom, u x-xufier Ωgur ma jimpurtahx, u
Ωgur li mhux se jinduna bl-iΩball li g˙adu kemm
wettaq. Lanqas ˙aqq noqg˙od inqum minn posti,
min jaf x’ ja˙sbu n-nies u lanqas ˙aqq nie˙u xi
skoss! M’ hemmx x’ tag˙mel, tg˙id ©iet hekk hux!”
qatag˙ha l-kappillan.
Meta wasal fl-istage fejn kellu jinΩel iΩda, il-
kappillan ma fela˙x iktar il-kuxjenza tniggΩu biex
imur g˙and ix-xufier bil-bqija Ωejda u g˙alhekk
waqaf ˙dejn il-bieba tas-sewwieq u newwillu
lura dawk l-imberkin ˙ames çenteΩmi. “Hawn
˙a ˙abib,” qallu, “Tajtni bqija Ωejda. Dawn huma
tieg˙ek!”
Ix-xufier tbissem u b’ ˙arsa ftit imqarba qal lill-
Kappillan, “Grazzi Dun. Aqtag˙li kurΩita’, int mhux
il-Kappillan il-©did tal-parroçça tag˙na? G˙ax
tg˙id, ili ftit ma nersaq sal-Knisja, tbeg˙idt xi ftit
minn Ìesù u dan l-a˙˙ar kont qieg˙ed intella’ u
nniΩΩel ner©ax lura u ner©a’ nibda ni©i g˙ax ˙ajti
ming˙ajr Ìesù hi bla direzzjoni u bla sens. Issa li
ltqajt mieg˙ek, ner©a’ ni©i. Kelli kurΩita’ nara x’ se
tag˙mel meta nag˙tik bqija Ωejda!!”
Meta niΩel mill-karozza, il-povru Kappillan
waqaf mument iserra˙ mal-pilastru ta’ l-istage u
bejnu u bejn ru˙u qal, “Mulej a˙firli! Kont se nbig˙
lil Ibnek g˙all-˙ames çenteΩmi!”
Tassew g˙eΩiez illum iktar minn qatt qabel,
il-˙ajja tag˙na b˙ala nsara hija l-uniku Van©elu
li jaqraw bosta nies. Dan jg˙inna nifhmu kemm
fuq l-eΩempju ta’ Marija Omm Ìesù u Ommna
lkoll, je˙tie© li ng˙ixu u nwettqu fil-prattika dak
li nisimg˙u lil Ìesù jg˙idilna biex nag˙mlu f’tant
siltiet mill-Van©eli. A˙sibha sew u ftakar li Ìesù
jridek tkun nisrani full time. Fidi bla opri hi mejta
u opri bla fidi huma fierg˙a. Illum m’ g˙adx
baqa’ Ωmien g˙all-insara part time! Int ma’ liema
kategorija tag˙mel, mal-part time jew mal-full
time?
Fr. Sandro Camilleri sdb
Insara full time!
“... L-ONESTA’ U L-IRÌULIJA
HUMA VALURI SBIEÓ WISQ U
JISWEW FERM IKTAR MINN
ÓAMES ÇENTEÛMI...”
4 Hajja Salesjana
EDITORIAL
The new Parish Priest had just arrived in his
parish. One day he had to go on an errand and
boarded the bus, paid the driver and found a
place to sit down. He then counted the change
and saw that the driver had given him 5 cents
more. He started thinking about what to do. “What
are 5 cents worth nowadays? On the other hand,
honesty and uprightness are valuable moral
values and are worth more than 5 cents”. He kept
on thinking, “But why should I be worried about
a few cents? Certainly, the transport company
will not go bankrupt, and the driver doesn’t care
and he won’t even realise he made a mistake. It
is not worth getting up from my seat: who knows
what the other passengers might think; and I
might even fall down in this rickety bus.” Thus he
concluded by thinking, “That’s it, I’ll stay where
I am.”
When he reached his destination, as he was
moving towards the exit, the Parish Priest felt a
twinge of conscience. he felt he should stop and
give back to the driver, the extra 5 cents. So he
approached and said to the driver: “Here you
are my friend; you gave me extra change. These
belong to you.”
The driver smiled and, with a rather
mischievous look, said to the Priest, “Thank you
Father. Now, let me see: aren’t you the new Parish
Priest for our church? You know, it’s been some
time since I was in church; I have been away from
Jesus and these last few days I was debating
whether I should come back to church because
my life without the Lord is somewhat confused.
Now that I have met you, I am sure that I’ll come
back. And, you know, I was curious to see how you
would react when I gave you extra change!”
When he alighted from the bus, the poor Parish
Priest had to stop and catch his breath. Then he
said within himself, “Lord, forgive me. I was going
to sell your Son for 5 miserable cents!”
Nowadays, more than in the past, our life as
convinced christians has become the only Gospel
that many people ‘read’. This helps us understand
how much, by the example of Mary the Mother of
Jesus and our mother too, we need to live and
act out in practice what, in many passages of
the Gospel, Jesus tells us to do. Think well about
this and remember that Jesus wants you to be a
‘full time christian’. Faith without action is dead
and actions without faith are useless. There is no
place, nowadays, for ‘part time christians’. Which
category are you in, the part time or the full time
christians?
Fr. Sandro Camilleri sdb
Full Time Christians
“... HONESTY AND
UPRIGHTNESS ARE VALUABLE
MORAL VALUES AND ARE
WORTH MORE THAN 5 CENTS...”
5Hajja Salesjana
PEDAGOÌIJA
Salesjana
Kummenti fuq li Strenna 2010:
Il-Van©elu liΩ-Ûg˙aΩag˙
Minn Pascual Chavez – Trad. Joe Cini
L-unika ˙a©a li tati sens lill-˙ajja tikkonsisti filli tg˙in
sabiex titwaqqaf is-Saltna ta’ Alla (Leo Tolstoy)
Il-Van©elu ta’ San Mark juri l-bidu tal-predikazzjoni
ta’ Ìesù bi kliem sempliçi, imma mog˙ni b’tifsir
profond: ‘IΩ-Ωmien huwa mitmum u s-Saltna ta’
Alla waslet. Indmu u emmnu fil-Bxara t-tajba’
(Mk 1, 15). B’çertu mod, il-messa©© kollu ta’ Ìesù
nistg˙u nsibuh f’dawn l-erba’ kelmiet.
1. ‘IΩ-Ωmien huwa mitmum’: l-istorja kollha ta’
Israel tistà ti©i kkunsidrata b˙ala relazzjoni
bejn Alla u l-poplu tieg˙u. Fil-qalba tag˙ha
nsibu l-weg˙da tal-Messija u t-twettiq tag˙ha.
Matul is-sekli, IΩrael g˙adda minn ˙afna taqlib,
˙afna minnu negattiv: gwerer mal-popli ta’
˙dejh, qsim tas-saltna, eΩilju, qerda tal-belt
u tat-tempju, persekuzzjoni reli©juΩa... imma
t-tama tieg˙u qatt ma naqset, g˙aliex ittama
f’Alla, dejjem fidil lejn il-weg˙diet tieg˙u. Ma’
Ìesù l-istennija tasal fi tmiemha.
2. ‘Is-Saltna ta’ Alla waslet.’ F’dan jikkonsisti
l-element prinçipali tat-twettieq tal-weg˙da.
M’hix kwistjoni tat-twaqqif ta’ xi sistema
soçjo-politiko, kuntrarju tas-saltniet l-o˙ra
tal-bnedmin, speçi ta’ ‘Óakma Minn Alla’; imma
f’dominju ˙anin ta’ Alla fuq il-poplu l-mag˙Ωul
u fuq il-©nus kollha. Il-Litur©ija tippreΩentaha
b˙ala ‘Saltna ta’ ©ustizzja, im˙abba u sliem’
mag˙quda mal-persuna ta’ Ìesù. Ori©ene
6 Hajja Salesjana
g˙andu din l-espressjoni ori©inali: Ìesù huwa
fih innifsu s-Saltna (autobasileia); li taççetta
s-Saltna jfisser li taççetta lil Ìesù f’˙ajtek.
3. ‘Indmu’: dan kollu li g˙edna jidher aktar çar
f’din it-tielet kelma: indiema jew konverΩjoni,
bidla fid-direzzjoni fuq stedina ta’ Ìesù.
Bil-Grieg, il-kelma metanoia tirreferi g˙al
osservanza aktar fidila tal-li©i, g˙al bidla fil-
mod kif wie˙ed ja˙seb u ji©©udika, g˙al bidla
tal-qalb.
4. ‘Emmnu fil-Bxara t-tajba’ tesprimi din il-
konverΩjoni bi kliem prattiku. Ìesù jistedinna
ninfet˙u g˙all-im˙abba ta’ Alla, li issa turi
ru˙ha b’mod ©did, definittiv u skonçertanti.
Il-Van©eli nfatti, ma ja˙bux il-fatt li kliem
Ìesù huwa ‘sinjal li jmeruh’ (Lk 2, 34). Ikollna
nammettu li kemm il-messa©© tieg˙u kif
ukoll Huwa nnifsu ma kinux ‘bxara tajba’
g˙al kul˙add. G˙all-kuntrarju kienet bxara
sfortunata ˙afna drabi mhix milqug˙a li
wasslitu fuq is-salib.
Hemm ˙afna mumenti fil-Van©elu li juru dan li
g˙edna. Niftakru fix-xena fis-sinagoga ta’ Nazaret
(Lk 4, 18...), fejn “sena tal-grazzja tal-Mulej”
li Ìesù j˙abbar mhijiex milqug˙a tajjeb minn
dawk li, mag˙luqin fihom infushom, ma j˙ossux
il-bΩonn tal-ma˙fra ta’ Alla: “Mhux il-©usti ©ejt
insejja˙, imma l-midinbin” (Mk 2,17; Mt 9,13; Lk 5
32). Min˙abba f’hekk, “il-Pubblikani u l-midinbin
kienu jffitxu lil Ìesù sabiex jisimg˙u dak li kellu
x’jg˙id” g˙aliex kienu j˙ossuhom imbieg˙da minn
Alla. Fl-istess waqt, dawk li kienu j˙ossuhom
©usti min˙abba li kienu josservaw il-li©i, ma
g˙arfux li l-Im˙abba ta’ Alla hija dejjem Grazzja,
ji©ifieri g˙otja mog˙tija b’xejn. Dawn l-aspetti
fundamentali tax-xandir tas-Saltna ta’ Alla minn
Ìesù jinsabu wkoll fil-parabboli.
Ir-reazzjoni tal-poplu ta’ Israel g˙at-tag˙lim
ta’ Ìesù tkompliet, matul is-snin, fil-˙ajja ta’
l-Insara. A˙na wkoll in˙ossuna m˙e©©a meta
na˙sbu li qeg˙din ng˙ixu fil-milja taΩ-Ωmien tas-
Saltna ta’ Alla fostna; imma meta, li taççetta
s-Saltna, jimplika bidla s˙i˙a ta’ mentalità u ta’
˙ajja, jibdew il-problemi. Inkunu nixtiequ li kollox
ji©ina lixx, u g˙alhekk ikun diffiçli naççettaw li Alla
jrid ir-risposta ˙ielsa tag˙na u l-kollaborazzjoni
tag˙na fil-bini tas-Saltna. Imma dan ma g˙andniex
inqisuh b˙ala xi ‘penitenza’ jew ‘kastig’.
G˙al Dun Bosco il-konverΩjoni mhijiex
mifruda mill-fer˙. Ma jistax ikun mod ie˙or, billi
din tikkonsisti filli tilqa’ lil Ìesù u l-Bxara t-Tajba
li Alla huwa Missierna li j˙obbna, u li a˙na ma
nistg˙ux ng˙ixu b˙ala wliedu jekk ma ng˙ixux
7Hajja Salesjana
ukoll b˙al a˙wa bejnietna. Min ma jridx jindem
qieg˙ed jg˙ix fis-solitudni, fid-dlam, fid-dwejjaq.
BiΩΩejjed niftakru fil-fer˙ tar-Rag˙aj it-Tajjeb,
meta jerfa’ n-nag˙©a l-mitlufa fuq spallejh, jew
fil-mara li ssib il-flus li kienet tilfet, jew il-missier
li ibnu “kien mejjet u re©a’ qam, kien mitluf u
issa nstab.”(cf Lk 15). Fil-kitbiet ta’ Dun Bosco
insibu dil-konnessjoni bejn konverΩjoni u fer˙,
b˙al fil-˙ajja ta’ Mikiel Magone. Il-bidla f’˙ajtu,
mag˙mula fis-sagrament tal-qrar, g˙enitu sabiex
jg˙ix hu stess dak l-istess fer˙ u sliem li hu kien
jara fi s˙abu, u li hu kien tant jixtieq; u li jie˙u gost
bil-mumenti ta’ talb li qabel kien isib ta’ dwejjaq.
Dan hu l-bidu tal-mixja li twassal g˙all-qdusija, li
fl-Oratorju ta’ Dun Bosco kienet tikkonsisti filli
“nkunu dejjem fer˙anin.”
G˙al Dun Bosco il-konverΩjoni mhijiex mifruda mill-fer˙.
Ma jistax ikun mod ie˙or, billi din tikkonsisti filli tilqa’ lil
Ìesù u l-Bxara t-Tajba li Alla huwa Missierna li j˙obbna,
u li a˙na ma nistg˙ux ng˙ixu b˙ala wliedu jekk ma
ng˙ixux ukoll b˙al a˙wa bejnietna. Min ma jridx jindem
qieg˙ed jg˙ix fis-solitudni, fid-dlam, fid-dwejjaq.
8 Hajja Salesjana
FEASTS & EVENTS
MA
Y
JUN
E
JUL
Y
CALENDAR OF SALESIAN
2010
Read ˙ajja Salesjana on the website: www.salesiansmalta.org
Pictures of Don Bosco set to reflective music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1dVsM9KAbw
Monday to Friday, all month, Rosary and Mass at 6.30 pm - St. Patrick’s Church
Wed 5 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s : 6.15 p.m.
Thu 6 St. Dominic Savio. Celebrations in all Salesian Houses.
Sat 8 Hbieb Dom Savio & Laura Vicuna at Savio College. Dingli Cooperators’ Meeting
Sat 8 Atturi Salesjani: Il-Guri ta’ l-Imhallfin-Nurimberga 1946 . Salesian Theatre 7.30 p.m.
Sun 9 Atturi Salesjani : Il-Guri… fis-6.30 p.m.
Sun 9 Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s Committee Meeting at 9.30 a.m.
Mon 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Thu 13 St. Mary Dominica Mazzarello (Co-Foundress with Don Bosco of the
Salesian Sisters = FMA)
19 – 28 Provincial Retreat and Chapter in Limerick, Ireland.
Mon 24 Mary Help of Christians. Rosary, Enrollment of New Members, Mass at 6.30p.m.
Sat 29 Blessed Joseph Kowalski (Polish Martyr in Auschwitz in 1942)
Sun 30 Procession of Mary Help of Christians in Sliema at 6.00 p.m. Mass in the yard will
follow.
Wed 2 Sliema Salesian Cooperators monthly meeting: 6.15pm.
Thu 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Sat 12 Blessed Francis Kesy and Companions (Polish Oratory Youths killed by Nazis
in 1942). Graduation Ceremony for Form 5 students of Savio College
14-18 Annual Exams in our schools
Thu 24 Feast for the Rector Major. Traditional occasion when Past Pupils feasted Don
Bosco. Commemoration of Mary Help of Christians at St. Patrick’s: 6.30 p.m.
Fri 25 End of scholastic year
Mon 28 Mnarja Night at Savio College and Sliema Oratory
Wed 7 Blessed Maria Romero Meneses FMA. Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at
St. Patrick’s : 6.15 p.m.
Sat 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Mon 26 Commemoration of Mary Help of Christians at St. Patrick’s: 6.30 p.m.
9Hajja Salesjana
Waqt il-quddiesa, l-istudenti bl-g˙ajnuna ta’ Ms
Singh, tellg˙u produzzjoni Ωg˙ira fejn fiha g˙exna
episodju mill-˙ajja ta’ Don Bosco. Dawn l-istudenti
Ωg˙ar urew id-diffikultajiet li ltaqa’ mag˙hom Don
Bosco waqt il-missjoni tieg˙u, partikolarment
sakemm sab post stabbli g˙aΩ-Ωg˙azag˙ tieg˙u.
Wara l-quddiesa, kul˙add libes il-˙wejje©
sportivi u r˙iela g˙all-bit˙a biex jing˙aqad mat-
tim tieg˙u. La darba t-timijiet tal-˙omor, sofor,
˙odor u blu ifformaw, ing˙ataw bidu il- ‘Bosco
Games’. Il-log˙ob tal-futbol, relay, tug of war u
table soccer bdew fl-istess ˙in, b’hekk kull tim
kien impenjat il-˙in kollu. Minkejja l-inkejja tax-
xita, iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ tag˙na xorta wa˙da komplew
g˙addejjin bil-log˙ob. Kull tim g˙amel ˙iltu biex
itejjeb l-iskor. It-timijiet rebbie˙a kienu dawk
tas-sofor kemm min-na˙a tal-juniors kif ukoll
min-na˙a tas-seniors bi skor ta’ 110 u 85 punt
rispettivament.
Fi spirtu Salesjan, ikkonkludejna l-©urnata billi
kilna flimkien ma’ l-istudenti tag˙na f’atmosfera
ta’ familja u dan g˙amel il-©urnata iktar speçjali.
Jum Don Bosco iççelebrat
mill-istudenti ta’ St. Patrick’s
IL-FESTA TA’ DON BOSCO MA
TISTAX TONQOS MILL-KALENDARJU
SALESJAN! ÌEWWA L-ISKOLA
TA’ ST. PATRICK’S ÓADNA ÓSIEB
BIEX DIN IL-ÌURNATA NAGÓTUHA
L-IMPORTANZA LI TISTÓOQQILHA.
IL-ÌURNATA BDEJNIHA B’QUDDIESA
LI ÌIET IKKONÇELEBRATA MINN FR
SAVIO VELLA LI NGÓAQAD MAGÓNA
WKOLL F’DIN IL-ÌURNATA SPEÇJALI.
10 Hajja Salesjana
In the text, the Pontiff recalls “with
heartfelt recognition” the “long journey”
of collaboration with the cardinal, which
began with his work as a consulter of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The Holy Father underlined in particular the
“delicate work” carried out by the cardinal
“to build the dialogue with Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre,” who is the founder of
the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X.
Called by John Paul II to render service in the
“VALUABLE COLLABORATION”
Benedict XVI not letting Cardinal Bertone Retire
Benedict XVI confirmed that Cardinal
Tarcisio Bertone will continue to serve
as his secretary of state despite the
fact that the Salesian turned 75 last
December, thus making him eligible
for retirement. The Vatican news-
paper L’Osservatore Romano gave a
report this week of a letter written
by the Pope in which he reveals his
intention to keep Cardinal Bertone on
as secretary of state.
11Hajja Salesjana
Roman Curia, Cardinal Bertone “carried out with
competence and generous devotion the office of
secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith” during “intense and demanding years,
in which documents were born of great doctrinal
and disciplinary importance,” said Benedict XVI.
“I have always admired his ‘sensus fidei,’
his doctrinal and canonical preparation
and his ‘humanitas,’ which helped us very
much to live, in the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, a climate of genuine
familiarity, unity and a decisive and determined
discipline of work,” the Pope continued.
“All these qualities were the reason that led me
to the decision, in the summer of 2006, to appoint
him as my secretary of state, and are the reason
why today and also in the future, I would not like
to give up his valuable collaboration,” he added.
SALESIAN
Cardinal Bertone, a Salesian, was born
in Romano Canavese, Turin, on Dec. 2,
1934, and was ordained priest in 1960.
He obtained a licentiate in sacred theology
from the Salesian Theological Faculty of
Turin, continuing his studies later in Rome at
the Pontifical Salesian Athenaeum, where he
obtained a licentiate and doctorate in canon law.
Along with an intense teaching activity, he
collaborated in the last phase of the revision of
the Code of Canon Law and directed the working
group that translated the code into Italian.
In 1989, he was elected University Rector of the
Salesian University. In 1991, Pope John Paul II
called him to lead the Archdiocese of Vercelli.
In 1995, he was appointed secretary of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and
in 2002 he was named archbishop of Genoa.
He was created cardinal in 2003, and in 2006 was
named by Benedict XVI as his secretary of state.
“carried out with competence and
generous devotion the office of
secretary of the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith”
12 Hajja Salesjana
She was six years old when I first met her on the
beach near where I live. She was building a sand
castle or something and looked up, her eyes as
blue as the sea.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I’m building.’ I answered with a
nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small
child.
‘I see that. What is it?’ I asked, not really caring.
‘Oh, I don’t know, I just like the feel of sand.’
That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my
shoes. A sandpiper glided by.
‘That’s a joy,’ the child said. ‘It’s a joy. My mama
says sandpipers come to bring us joy.’
The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye
joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain. I turned
to walk on. I was depressed; my life seemed
completely out of balance.
‘What’s your name?’ She wouldn’t give up.
‘Robert,’ I answered. ‘I’m Robert Peterson.’
‘Mine’s Wendy... I’m six.’
‘Hi, Wendy.’ She giggled. ‘You’re funny,’ she said.
In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked
on. Her musical giggle followed me.
‘Come again, Mr. P,’ she called. ‘We’ll have
another happy day.’
The next few days passed, as dull as ever. Then
the sun was shining one morning as I took my
hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I
said to myself, gathering up my coat. The ever-
changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The
breeze was chilly but I strode along, trying to
recapture the serenity I needed.
‘Hello, Mr. P,’ she said. ‘Do you want to play?’
‘What did you have in mind?’ I asked, with a
twinge of annoyance.
‘I don’t know. You say.’
‘How about charades?’ I asked sarcastically.
The tinkling laughter burst forth again. ‘I don’t
know what that is.’
Then let’s just walk.’ Looking at her, I noticed the
delicate fairness of her face. ‘Where do you live?’
I asked.
‘Over there.’ She pointed toward a row of
summer cottages. Strange, I thought, in winter.
‘Where do you go to school?’
‘I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on
vacation.’
She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the
beach. When I left for home, Wendy said it had
been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I
smiled at her and agreed.
A Sandpiper
to bring you joy
by Robert Peterson
13Hajja Salesjana
Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a
state of near panic. I was in no mood to even
greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the
porch and felt like demanding she keep her child
at home.
‘Look, if you don’t mind,’ I said crossly when
Wendy caught up with me, ‘I’d rather be alone
today.’ She seemed unusually pale and out of
breath.
‘Why?’ she asked.
I turned to her and shouted, ‘Because my mother
died!’ and thought, My God, why was I saying this
to a little child?
‘Oh,’ she said quietly, ‘then this is a bad day.’
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘and yesterday and the day before
and -- oh, go away!’
‘Did it hurt?’ she inquired.
‘Of course it hurt!’ I snapped, misunderstanding,
wrapped up in myself. I strode off.
A month or so after that, when I next went to the
beach, she wasn’t there. Feeling guilty, ashamed,
and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up
to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the
door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-
colored hair opened the door.
‘Hello,’ I said, ‘I’m Robert Peterson. I missed your
little girl today and wondered where she was.’
‘Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy
spoke of you so much. I’m afraid I
allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance,
please, accept my apologies.’
‘Not at all; she’s a delightful child.’ I said,
suddenly realizing that I meant what I had just
said.
‘Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had
leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you.’
Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch
my breath.
‘She loved this beach, so when she asked to
come, we couldn’t say no. She seemed so much
better here and had a lot of what she called
happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined
rapidly...’ Her voice faltered, ‘She left something
for you, if only I can find it. Could you wait a
moment while I look?’
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something
to say to this lovely young woman. She handed
me a smeared envelope with ‘MR. P’ printed in
bold childish letters. Inside was a drawing in
bright crayon hues -- a yellow beach, a blue sea,
and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully
printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had
almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took
Wendy’s mother in my arms. ‘I’m so sorry, I’m so
sorry, I’m so sorry,’ I uttered over and over, and
we wept together.
The precious little picture is framed now
and hangs in my study. Six words - one for each
year of her life - that speak to me of harmony,
courage, and undemanding love.
A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair
the color of sand, who taught me the gift of love.
14 Hajja Salesjana
Blessed Michael Rua (3)
WHILE STILL A BOY, MICHAEL RUA MET
SAINT JOHN BOSCO AND WAS SOON WON
OVER BY HIM. HE LIVED IN THE SHADOW
OF THE SAINT, WAS HIS MOST TRUSTED
HELPER, AND BECAME HIS SUCCESSOR
AS HEAD OF HIS WORLDWIDE RELIGIOUS
ORDER, THE SALESIAN SOCIETY.
DECLARED “BLESSED” BY THE CHURCH
HE SO NOBLY SERVED, FATHER MICHAEL
RUA, WHO SHARED DON BOSCO’S
APOSTOLIC LABOURS, NOW SHARES
WITH HIM THE HONOURS OF THE ALTAR.
FLAWS IN THE CLAY
Don Rua’s character would keep any critic busy:
the hesitancy and insecurity; the scrupulous anxi-
ety for minutae which seems to prevent him from
going through life at full stretch; the perfection-
ist hobbled to half-pace. At least to most eyes it
would appear so.
His secretary recalls a classic example. “More
than once I was called to task for my carelessness
with mail in not having fixed a stamp in the right
position.” What may seem pettiness to us, was to
him an infringement of principle; and a man of his
integrity could never bypass principles.
Was it for this reason perhaps, that Don Bosco
gently joked about his vicar at times, even in
public? At table on one occasion Don Bosco set
all his Salesians laughing, Rua loudest of all. “Last
night I dreamed I was in the sacristy and wanted
to go to confession. Looking around for a priest, I
caught sight of Don Rua… But he looked so stern
that my courage failed me, and I couldn’t bring
myself to approach this severe taskmaster.”
This monastic severity seems reflected again
in the way that Father Joseph Simeoni was given
his assignment overseas. “I was told by Don Rua
that a Salesian was urgently needed for six years
in San Francisco – to me, the end of the world –
and that he would like an answer by suppertime.
Next morning I was off, with my six years actually
turning out to be fifty.”
In the same vein his extreme care for poverty
might seem parsimonious to modern eyes:
whether picking up bread scraps, using old
envelopes for his daily notes, or calling the cook
into his office to point out a wasted meat chop he
had recovered. Yet oddly enough it was on this
15Hajja Salesjana
very point of poverty that Don Bosco at times
took Rua himself to task. “They tell me, Don Rua,
that you’re hoarding some money in your desk
to meet some heavy commitments in two weeks’
time. That’s the way human prudence works, not
Divine Providence. Use it today!”
It is folly to play at character judging our
predecessors, more so today with Vatican II
hindsight. Besides, as God’s call in Scripture
indicates, Providence does not always choose
perfect personalities for the wedding banquet.
Let Don Rua’s patron, St. Francis de Sales, have
the last word on this: “God has left certain faults
even to the holiest of souls, which they are unable
to cast out in spite of all good will; so they are
compelled to constant prayer and humble reliance
on God.”
BE ALWAYS STEADFAST
As a character Don Rua has never been universally
popular, even with his own Salesians. As Cardinal
Cagliero once told Don Bosco in his own inimitable
way, “Rua’s not everyone’s darling, you know.”
Aquiline and forbidding in appearance, Rua
might have been an Old Testament prophet come
straight from the desert. His statue-like posture
at prayer was in itself a rebuke to any slackers.
Meriting the nickname of the “living rule,” this
steadfast priest would each day make the rounds
of every corner of the Salesian house. At night he
would gently but firmly enforce the silence after
prayers, collecting any transgressors he found
and then conscripting them into rosary with him
in the courtyard.
Such strength and gentleness were admirably
blended in Brother Dogliani’s case. At times this
veteran Salesian maestro burned the late-night
oil in composing his musical scores, so that
his violin – for all its eloquence – cut into the
prescribed night silence. A discrete knock on the
door was enough.
“Ah, Dogliani, I thought I heard two violins in
harmony.”
“No Don Rua, I’m composing an exercise for
two strings.”
Wonderful, wonderful, but do look after
your health now; the Oratory wants to keep its
musical maestro in perfect shape, you know. And
now, ‘Sogni d’oro’ (Pleasant dreams).” Not even
Dogliani for all his sensitive genius could take
offence at that.
His strength of character was evident above
all in his work. His day began at 4 a.m. and finished
at 11p.m., so that often he had to stand at his
inclined writing desk to keep himself going. “Even
in a train,” a Belgian Salesian recalls, “Don Rua
would still be busy every minute, reading letters
or making notes.”
There is another little-known side to Rua’s
character as well: a gentle moderation and warm
humanity that shone through in spite of himself.
After his last surviving brother died, Father
Francesia found him with his eyes red from crying.
“Poor John was the last of my dear brothers, and
now I’ll soon be joining them.”
In the last few years of her life, Mamma
Giovanna kept house for the Salesians, and Rua
was embarrassed by the little comforts that his
mother insisted on getting for his room – a better
iron bedstead, thicker woollen blankets – much to
the secret delight of the other Salesians and boys.
There were many personal kindnesses that
showed the heart of the man. Father Tozzi,
suffering from a persistent cough in South Africa,
receiving a bottle of medicine from Don Rua in far-
off Turin; the Salesian baker in Montevideo, South
America thrilled by Don Rua’s note praising his
“excellent loaves”; the Argentinean priest proud
of the 115 letters from Don Rua to help him with his
largely imaginary problems; the local friends who
16 Hajja Salesjana
annually received the first grapes or new pears
from the Oratory garden.
And Don Rua insisted on the same personal
approach in others. In South America a heavy-
handed superior, Father Borghino, opened a
parcel from Don Rua to find a small jar of honey
with a note attached “Take a spoonful every
morning, dear Father, to sweeten your community
life!”
For all his seriousness, shrewd observers
noticed that Don Rua had a subtle sense of
humour. When a naïve Father Versiglia (later
bishop and martyr) indiscreetly asked Don Rua
whether he had ever worked a miracle, the priest
feigned embarrassment; “Well, there was this
woman with a heart condition whom I blessed,”
Rua began reluctantly.
“And she…?” interrupted the ingenuous
Versiglia.
“And she died a quarter of an hour later.” All
this with a straight face, apart from the smile
around the corners of his eyes.
Likewise, on leaving the novitiate house in
France, Don Rua gave the absent-minded Father
Binelli three 100-franc notes as a farewell token.
“Don’t thank me, Don Binelli,” Rua laughed, “I
Found them as markers in the book beside my
bed.”
In short we need to get beyond the caricature
of an icy, distant figure to do justice to the man
who had taken Francis de Sales as his model of
gentleness and kindness.
THERE IS ANOTHER LITTLE-
KNOWN SIDE TO RUA’S
CHARACTER AS WELL: A
GENTLE MODERATION AND
WARM HUMANITY THAT
SHONE THROUGH IN SPITE
OF HIMSELF. AFTER HIS
LAST SURVIVING BROTHER
DIED, FATHER FRANCESIA
FOUND HIM WITH HIS EYES
RED FROM CRYING. “POOR
JOHN WAS THE LAST OF
MY DEAR BROTHERS, AND
NOW I’LL SOON BE JOINING
THEM.”
17Hajja Salesjana
“A good priest is a truly human person who
expresses his love for God in prayer and in
love for people. These gifts are sanctified
and focused through the grace of ordination
when he becomes ‘a man for others’.”
Cardinal Cormac Murphy – O’Connor
• Do I really want to follow Jesus and show
his love to others, especially to the young,
as Don Bosco did?
• Is prayer and my own relationship with God
at the centre of my life?
• Do I want to be honest and ‘real’ before
God and others?
• Do I enjoy the life and company of other
people? Am I approachable?
• Am I concerned for the young, the poor
and vulnerable?
way of life?
Are you
being calledto the
PRIESTHOOD
And to the
SALESIAN
If you believe you have a calling to be a
Salesian priest then contact the voca-
tions director, Fr. Louis Grech SDB at:
Tel. 21 454546 / 21 456251
or e-mail: vocations@salesiansmalta.org
for more information
www.vocations.salesiansmalta.org
18 Hajja Salesjana
Something
to think about…
19Hajja Salesjana
Without Love
Intelligence without love makes you perverse
Fairness without love makes you inflexible
Diplomacy and tact without love makes you a hypocrite
Success without love turns you arrogant
Wealth without love makes you mean and tight-fisted
Poverty without love turns you into a radical
Beauty without love makes you capricious
Authority and power without love leads to tyranny
Labour without love turns you into a slave
Naivety without love deprives you of values
Prayer and worship without love turn you into an egotist
Faith without love turns you into a fanatic
Bearing your cross in life without love becomes a terrible burden
Life without love loses its meaning
20 Hajja Salesjana
Malta Salesjana
IS-SALESIAN BRIGADE
Nhar id-19 ta’ Marzu, Festa ta’ San GuΩepp,
is-Salesian Brigade Corps of Drums gie
mistieden iΩewwaq il-festi çentenarji ta’
l-Oratorju ‘Domenico Savio’ ta’ Birkirkara.
Il-membri li ˙adu sehem libsu l-uniformi
l-©dida g˙all-ewwel darba. Din tikkonsisti
f’qalziet iswed, jersey a˙dar bl-ispalletti
suwed, ingravata rrigata u beritta sewda
bil-badge. Il-banda ferr˙et lill-folla nies
bid-daqq tag˙ha u bil-marching preçiΩ
u bid-dehra sabi˙a tag˙ha. Ta’ min ikun
jaf li l-Oratorju Domenico Savio kien ©ie
mibni g˙as-Salesjani fl-1910 minn Michael
u Giulia Casolani. Kien ir-Rev. Dun Mikiel
Sammut li sejja˙ lis-Salesjani f’Birkirkara,
u huma mexxew dan l-Oratorju g˙al
sentejn. Min˙abba nuqqas ta’ Salesjani,
Grupp ta’ madwar 30 ru˙ kienu jiltaqg˙u ©ewwa St.
Patrick kull nhar ta’ Tnejn filg˙axjia sabiex jag˙mlu kors
ta’ ta˙didiet fuq punti reli©juΩi. Dawn is-sessjonijiet,
organizzati minn Fr. Joe Cini u mmexxija minn Mrs.
Madeleine Bianchi, saru matul ix-xhur ta’ Jannar, Frar
u Marzu. Din hija t-tieni sena li saru dawn il-laqg˙at,
u dis-sena is-su©©ett kien ‘In-Nisa fil-Bibbja’ u ‘Storja
Qasira tal-Qaddisin’. Nhar is-Sibt 27 ta’ Frar, dan il-
grupp mar jag˙mel vista lill-Monasteru Benedittin ta’
San Pietru fl-Imdina. Ìewwa dan il-Monasteru kienet
g˙exet il-Beata Adeodata Pisani. Hemmhekk il-grupp
kellu quddiesa u talb quddiem ir-relikwa tal-Beata, u
wara Ωjara lill-kmamar fejn g˙ammret Adeodata. Kien
speçi ta’ pellegrina©© li rnexxa ˙afna u ˙alla memorji
sbie˙ f’kull min ˙a sehem.
EÛERÇIZZI TAR-RANDAN
Ta’ kull sena jsiru l-EΩerçizzi tar-Randan bl-
IngliΩ fil-Knisja ta’ St. Patrick f’Tas-Sliema. Kull
sena, wkoll, ikun predikatur barrani li jag˙mel
dawn it-Ta˙didiet tar-Randan Imqaddes. Dis-
sena kien hemm Fr. Michael Ross, Salesjan
mill-Irlanda, meg˙jun minn Mr. John Delaney
li huwa bniedem mog˙ni bl-Ispirtu tat-Talb u
l-Fejqan. It-tnejn li huma kienu kellmu lin-nies
u talbu mag˙hom u fuqhom, kull filg˙axija, mit-
Tnejn sal Ìimg˙a, waqt il-quddiesa u anke wara.
Il-knisja kienet dejjem mimlija u minn ©ie ˙ass
l-Ispirtu ta’ Alla fil-kliem tag˙hom. Fr. Michael
u John kienu mistiedna wkoll imexxu rtir ta’
©urnata s˙i˙a g˙all-grupp ta’ nies ta’ lsien Inglis
©ewwa s-Seminarju tar-Rabat.
21Hajja Salesjana
ÛJARA F’KAIROUAN
Qeg˙din fit-TuneΩija. It-tfal ta’ l-iskola tag˙na li hemm
f’Manouba, qrib TuneΩ, g˙andhom ˙ar©a bil-karozzi
sal-belt qaddisa Mussulmana ta’ Kairouan. Tfal u
g˙alliema, Salesjani u xi ©enituri, kollha, minn kmieni,
g˙alkemm nieΩla x-xita, jirkbu f’Ωew© coaches li sejrin
iwassluhom sa din il-belt, l-ewwel wa˙da fil-Magreb,
imwaqqfa sa mis-sena 671 W.K. mill-mexxej Oqba ibn
Nafi li ©ab l-Islam fl-Afrika ta’ Fuq. Issa li wasalna, ix-
xita waqfet u t-temp baqa’ bnazzi sa ma ©ejna sabiex
nitilqu. Kairouan hija wkoll famuΩa g˙all-imqaret,
mimlijin bit-tamar u jew g˙a©ina tal-lewΩ; ma setax
jonqos li nduquhom. Fit-triqtna lura waqafna wkoll fiΩ-
Zoo ta’ Friguia, imma billi re©g˙et bdiet nieΩla x-xita,
ma tantx rajna annimali, g˙aliex dawn ippreferew
jibqg˙u g˙all-kenn.
IL-BIKEATHLON TA’ SAVIO COLLEGE
Il-Ìimg˙a 19 ta’ Marzu ˙ar©et ©urnata xemxija
b’temperatura ideali li kkontribwiet g˙as-
suççess tat-22 edizzjoni tal-Bikeathlon ta’
Savio College. Sa minn kmieni bdew jin©emg˙u
l-familji li kienu se jie˙du sehem jew jg˙inu
f’dan l-avveniment. Ma’ l-400 parteçipant kienu
hemm waqt li Fr. Carmel Sacco u xi missierijiet
˙adu ˙sieb li kull rota kienet f’kundizzjoni tajba.
Malli waslu l-Ambulanza u l-escort tal-Puluzija,
Fr. Sandro qal talba u dawk tar-roti (studenti,
past pupils, missirijiet u ommijiet u xi Salesjan),
telqu bil-mod mill-Kulle©©. Warajhom bdew
mexjin g˙al g˙onq it-triq dawk li kienu ser
jag˙mlu l-mixja ta’ xi 12 il-kilometru fuq l-Irdum
ta’ Óad-Dingli u l-Imta˙leb. Mas-1.30 p.m. kwaΩi
dan imbag˙ad g˙adda f’idejn id-De La Salle
Brothers (il-Freres) li mexxew l-Oratorju g˙al
4 snin. Wara dan rega’ ˙adu f’idejh Dun Mikiel
Sammut li ma’ ˙uh Dun ÌuΩepp, ˙a ˙siebu sa
l-1927. F’dik is-sena g˙adda f’idejn is-Soçjeta
Missjunarja ta’ San Pawl (MSSP). Minn dan
l-Oratorju kienet ̇ ar©et vokazzjoni Salesjana:
dik ta’ Bro. Carmelo Galea.
kul˙add kien wasal lura u ng˙ataw xi midalji
ta’ tifkira mid-Direttur Fr. Joe Portelli. Prosit
u grazzi lil kull min organizza, ˙adem jew
g˙en sabiex g˙al darb’o˙ra il-Bikeathlon tkun
suççess.
22 Hajja Salesjana
Nhar it-22 ta’ Jannar, il-Prefett tal-Kongregazzjoni
g˙all-KawΩi tal-Qaddisin iffirma d-digriet sabiex
jinbeda l-proçess li jifli l-martirju tas-saçerdot
Salesjan Slovakk, Dun Titu Zeman (1915 – 1969).
L-istorja tieg˙u hija xempju eççellenti ta’ fedelta’
lejn Dun Bosco.
Dun Titu twieled f’familja tassew nisranija
nhar l-4 ta’ Jannar 1915 f’Vajnory, qrib Bratislava.
Sa minn meta kellu 10 snin wera x-xewqa li jsir
saçerdot. Huwa g˙amel l-studji tieg˙u fl-iskola
primarja, sekondarja u superjuri fl-iskejjel
Salesjani ta’ Šaštín, Hronsky Sväty Benedikt u
Frištak u Holešova. Meta spiçça, fl-1931 g˙amel
in-Novizzjat, imbag˙ad fis-7 ta’ Marzu 1938
ipprofessa g˙al dejjem fis-Soçjetà Salesjana fil-
BaΩilka tal-Qalb ta’ Ìesu f’Ruma.
Studja t-teolo©ija fl-Universita Gregorjana
f’Ruma u spiççaha fi Chieri (Piemonte); hu kien
iqatta’ l-˙in liberu tieg˙u maΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ ta’
l-Oratorju. Kien f’Torin, fit- 23 ta’ Ìunju 1940 li
la˙aq l-g˙an tant mixtieq tas-saçerdozju minn
idejn il-Kardinal Maurizio Fossati. Nhar l-4 ta’
Awwissu, qaddes l-ewwel quddiesa solenni tieg˙u
fejn kien twieled, f’Vajnory.
F’April 1950, ir-re©im komunista taç-
Çekoslovakkja ordna li ma jkunx hemm aktar
ordnijiet reli©juΩi fil-pajjiΩ, u beda jarresta xi
reli©juΩi, r©iel u nisa, u jibg˙athom fil-kampi ta’
konçentrament. Kien hemm bΩonn, g˙alhekk, li
bil-mo˙bi ji©u organizzati vja©©i lejn Turin sabiex
Ωg˙aΩag˙ studenti Salesjani jistg˙u jkomplu
l-istudji tag˙hom. Dun Zeman ˙a f’idejh dan ix-
xog˙ol perikoluΩ. Huwa ©abar u bag˙at lejn l-Italja
Ωew© gruppi ta ‘l fuq minn 60 student Salesjan.
Mat-tielet tentattiv, ©ie maqbud u arrestat ma’
dawk li kienu se jitilqu. G˙addewh minn proçess
iebes fejn kien mixli b˙ala traditur ta’ pajjiΩu u
spija tal-Vatikan; kwaΩi qatg˙uhielu g˙all-mewt.
Fit-22 ta’ Frar 1952, min˙abba xi çirkustanzi
attenwanti, ©ie kkundannat g˙al 25 sena ˙abs.
Dun Zeman g˙adda 12-il sena fil-˙abs u ©ie
lliberat fl-1964; imma l-˙ruxija ta’ dawk is-snin
g˙arrqitlu sa˙˙tu u miet 5 snin wara, fit-8 ta’
Jannar 1969, mag˙ruf b˙ala martri u bniedem
qaddis.
Dun Titu Zeman huwa l-172 “persuna speçjali’’
fil-Familja Salesjana u t- 28 Qaddej ta’ Alla. Fi ftit
©img˙at o˙ra, fi Bratislava fejn huwa miet, se jkun
iççelebrat il-ftu˙ tal-proçess djoçesan.
Qdusija
DUN TITU ZEMAN, QADDEJ TA’ ALLA
23Hajja Salesjana
Nhar il-15 ta’ Frar 2010, fil-belt tal-Vatican, in˙are©
il-‘Decreto di Validità’ li jag˙raf l-Atti Djoçesani
ta’ St˙arri© fil-Proçess ta’ Beatifikazzjoni u
Kanonizzazzjoni ta’ Dun Carlo Crespi. B’dan id-
digriet bdiet il-mixja li ©˙ad twassal fi tmiemha
l-kawΩa ta’ beatifikazzjoni u kanonizzazzjoni
tal-Qaddej ta’ Alla, s-saçerdot Salesjan Dun
Carlo Crespi Croci. Huwa twieled f’Legnano, qrib
Milan, nhar id-29 ta’ Mejju 1891 u miet fi Cuenca,
l-Ekwador, nhar it-30 ta’ April 1982. Dan il-bniedem
kien missjunarju, edukatur, ˙abib tal-fqar, studjuΩ
u dak li waqqaf l-Università Politeknika Salesjana
ta’ l-Ekwador.
Nhar il-15 ta’ Jannar li g˙adda, il-Prefett
tal-Kongregazzjoni g˙all-KawΩi tal-Qaddisin, is-
Salesjan Arçisqof Angelo Amato, iffirma d-digriet
li bih g˙araf l-Atti li kienu saru fl-Arçidjoçesi ta’
Cuenca. Xahar wara, dan id-Digriet ©ie mxandar.
Il-Postulatur tal-KawΩi g˙all-Qaddisin Salesjani,
Dun Enrico dal Covolo mill-ewwel talab lill-Prefett
li ja˙tar minnufih ir-Relatur tal-kawΩa, ji©ifieri dak
li jkun responsabbli li ji©bor dokumenti li jixhdu
mill-a˙jar possibli li jistg˙u, il-˙ajja qaddisa u
l-virtujiet tal-Qaddej ta’ Alla Dun Carlo Crespi.
Il-viçi postulatur ta’ din il-kawΩa huwa
Dun Luçjanu Bellini, li qabel kien ir-Rettur ta’
l-Università Politeknika ta’ l-Ekwador, u li fil-
preΩent huwa r-Rettur tad-dar Salesjana fi
Guayaquil. Huwa qieg˙ed ji©i meg˙jun minn Dr.
Luis Alvarez Roda, ta’ l-istess università.
Salesjana
DUN CARLO CRESPI
24 Hajja Salesjana
Matul ix-xahar ta’ Ottubru 2009, is-Sorijiet
Salesjani (FMA) tar-re©jun ta’ l-Ingilterra u
l-Iskozja, kellhom dik li tissejja˙ ‘Ωjara kanonika’
mis-Superjura Re©junali tag˙hom Sr. Kathleen
Taylor, li hija IrlandiΩa. Kienet qieg˙da tag˙mel din
il-biçça xog˙ol f’isem is-Superjura Ìenarali. Matul
Ωjara b˙al din, is-Superjura tg˙addi xi ©ranet f’kull
Komunità, u matul dawn il-jiem hija titkellem ma’
kull soru, tg˙ix il-˙ajja komunitarja mag˙hom, tifli
x-xog˙lijiet kollha tal-komunità (skejjel, clubs)
tiltaqa’ mal-kollaboraturi f’dawn ix-xog˙lijiet u
ma’ l-g˙alliema fl-iskejjel, tkellem lil dawk kollha
li b’xi mod g˙andhom x’jaqsmu ma’ l-attivitajiet
immexxija mis-sorijiet kif ukoll mal-membri tal-
Familja Salesjana (Past Pupils, Koperaturi, Devoti).
Sr. Kathleen, g˙aldaqstant, Ωaret il-
komunitajiet kollha ta’ l-Ingilterra u l-Iskozja. Hija
kellha wkoll laqg˙a ©enerali mas-sorijiet kollha li
setg˙u jattendu fi Brettargh Holt , Kendal. Wa˙da
Zjara mis-Superjura
.
MILL-INGILTERRA, TIKTBILNA
SR. MARIA DEBONO FMA U
TATINA TAGÓRIF DWAR IÛ-ÛJARA
UFFIÇJALI TAS-SUPERJURA
REÌJUNALI LI ÌIET MINN RUMA.
25Hajja Salesjana
miΩ-Ωjarat tag˙ha kellha tkun ukoll dik tad-dar
li hemm f’Cowley (Oxford). Ìo din il-komunità
hemm Ωew© sorijiet Salesjani Maltin, li huma
Sr. Agnes Azzopardi u Sr. Maria Debono. Wie˙ed
mix-xog˙lijiet ta’ din il-komunità hija l-iskola
mag˙rufa b˙ala ‘Our Lady’s Primary Catholic
School’. Hemmhekk hija kienet mog˙tija mer˙ba
mill-kap ta’ l-iskola, is-Sinjura Hilary Webb
flimkien mal-kap assistent, is-Sur Tim Grundy.
Dik li tie˙u ̇ sieb iΩ-Ωg˙ar nett ta’ l-iskola hija Sr.
Marija Debono, li ukoll tat mer˙ba lil Sr. Katleen
u ˙aditha dawra ma’ l-iskola. Is-Superjura
baqg˙et impressjonata mill-ispirtu Salesjan li
jin˙ass ©ewwa din l-iskola, fejn hemm diversi
Koperaturi Salesjani ja˙dmu b˙ala g˙alliema
jew assistenti. Il-motto ta’ l-iskola huwa “Intom
Ωg˙ar, intom ma˙buba, intom prezzjuΩi’’ (You
are young, you are loved, you are precious). Dan
hu mifhum u pprattikat kemm mill-kbar kif ukoll
mit-tfal kollha li jattendu din l-iskola.
Sr. Katleen inzertat kienet f’din il-Komunità
ta’ Cowley (Oxford) meta l-Koperaturi Salesjani
ta’ hemm kienu qeg˙din jiççelebraw it-30
sena mit-twaqqif ta’ l-G˙aqda tag˙hom. Hija
baqg˙et impressjonata bil-fervur li rat fosthom
u fa˙˙rithom talli kienu dejjem ikabbru l-ispirtu
Salesjan li bih kienu mimlijin. Fer˙itilhom g˙an-
numru ©mielu tag˙hom u awguratilhom li o˙rajn
isegwu l-eΩempju tajjeb tag˙hom.
Sr. Kathleen Ωaret ukoll il-Junior Club immexxi
mis-Sorijiet ta’ din il-komunità. Dan jilqa’ tfal
kull nhar ta’ Erbg˙a wara l-˙in ta’ l-iskola. Din
l-attività g˙o©bitha ˙afna u nnutat kemm kienu
j©ibu ru˙hom sewwa t-tfal li kienu hemm. Hija
kellmithom ilkoll b˙ala grupp qabel ma marru
lejn id-dar, u qassmitilhom xi ˙elu.
Nawguraw il-˙idma t-tajba lil Sr. Kathleen kif
ukoll lis-Sorijiet Salesjani fl-Ingilterra u l-Iskozja.
G˙al aktar informazzjoni fuq dan kollu, Ωur
il-website www.salesiansisters.org.uk
26 Hajja Salesjana
When I recite the
Hail Mary,
Heaven rejoices,
Earth marvels,
Satan withdraws,
Hell trembles,
all Sadness
vanishes,
Joy returns,
my heart grows,
my soul is filled with
Holy Unction;
Hope animates my bosom,
and a wonderful
Consolation
gladdens my whole being.
(Thomas a Kempis)
Hail Mary
27Hajja Salesjana
San Germano: “Óadd ma jaqla’ grazzja jekk
mhux bl-interçessjoni ta’ Marija; imbierek dak
il-bniedem li bl-im˙abba u bil-fiduçja jirrikorri
g˙and l-Omm tal-Óniena.»
San Bonaventura: “Tant il-Madonna hija
xewqana li tg˙inna u tag˙tina l-grazzji illi t˙oss
ru˙ha bil-wisq offiΩa minn dawk li ma jitolbuhiex
il-grazzji. »
San Massimiljanu Kolbe: “Marija kienet dejjem
Omm Óanina, u hekk g˙adha s’issa, u hekk se
tibqa’ g˙al dejjem: fil-˙ajja, fil-mewt u fl-eternita’.
Ejjew na˙sbu f’dan sikwit fix-xkilijiet li jinqalg˙u
minn barra, imma l-aktar f’dawk iebsin
li jinqalg˙u minn ©ewwa.’’
San Bernard: “Fil-periklu li tidneb, fid-dwejjaq
tieg˙ek, fid-dubju dwar dak li g˙andek tag˙mel,
sejja˙ lil Marija u Hija tg˙inek.’’
San Alfons Maria de Liguori: “Jekk inti t˙obb
lill- Madonna, ˙abrek biex hija tkun ma˙buba
wkoll mill-o˙rajn.’’
Papa Pawlu VI: “Ir-RuΩarju jpo©©i lil dawk li
g˙andhom fiduçja fih f’komunikazzjoni diretta
mal-Madonna; huwa l-mezz li jista’ j©ib l-ordni
fid-diΩordni li hawn illum fid-dinja.’’
Papa Ìwanni XXIII: “Marija dejjem
tirrakkomanda g˙al uliedha l-a˙jar ˙wejje©; b˙ala
mezz g˙as-salvazzjoni tag˙na hija rrikmandat
ir-RuΩarju Mqaddes.’’
Gersone: “Marija xejn ma titlob ‘l Alla u ma
taqilg˙ux; u hija b˙ala Sultana tibg˙at lill-An©li
biex jilluminaw, isaffu u jipperfezzjonaw lis-servi
tag˙ha.’’
San Bonaventura: “Marija Santíssma hija
hekk bieΩla biex tg˙in lill-midinbin li donnu
m’g˙andhiex xewqa o˙ra akbar minn din.’’
Bernardino de Bustis: “Ix-xewqa li Marija
g˙andha li tag˙tina l-grazzji hija wisq akbar
mix-xewqa li a˙na g˙andna li nirçevuhom;
g˙aldaqstant meta nirrikorru g˙andha nsibuha
dejjem b’idejha mimlijin bil-grazzji.’’
Xi jg˙idu l-Qaddisin u l-G˙orrief
TAL-KNISJA DWAR IL-MADONNA
28 Hajja Salesjana
Sa mill-bidu nett tal-ftu˙ ta’ l-ewwel
Oratorju Don Bosco f’G˙awdex, dak ta’ Triq
il-Karità fir-Rabat, Anton Scicluna jew Toni
g˙ax hekk konna nsibuh, kien fost dawk it-tfal
li attendew g˙all-ewwel darba dan l-Oratorju.
Trabba u kiber ma’ djul Dun Pawl Micallef, il-
fundatur ta’ l-Oratorju, segwih f’Ωog˙Ωitu u
kompla miexi tul din it-triq ˙ajtu kollha.
Toni kiber u da˙al fid-dinja tax-xog˙ol
ippreparat biex ikun çittadin onest fis-soçjetà
skond it-tag˙lim li rçieva mill-Oratorju, it-
tag˙lim ta’ Dun Bosco. Attenda il-kulle©©, la˙aq
g˙alliem u g˙allem fl-iskejjel governattivi f’Malta
u G˙awdex. Spiçça mill-impjieg bl-età fil-kariga
ta’ Head Teacher fl-iskola tar-ra˙al Ta’ Kerçem,
G˙awdex.
Kien impenjat ˙afna fl-Oratorju, u fil-˙in
liberu tieg˙u kien jag˙ti sehmu bis-s˙i˙ u jmidd
g˙onqu g˙al kull biçça xog˙ol. L-Oratorju kien il-
mimmi ta’ g˙ajnejh. Kien i˙obbu u baqa’ j˙obbu
sa l-a˙˙ar. Ma’ s˙abu ta’ Ωmienu ˙a sehem
f’diversi attivitajiet li kienu ji©u organizzati
l-Oratorju. Kien wie˙ed mill-protagonisti li fl-1945
flimkien ma’ grupp ta’ Ωg˙aΩag˙ s˙abu oratorjani
twaqqaf kumitat ta’ l-isports u ©ie ffurmat
l-ewwel tim tal-futbol ta’ l-Oratorju bl-isem
‘St.John Bosco Football Team’ bil-gear isfar u
l-qalziet abjad. Toni, fost l-o˙rajn, kien intg˙aΩel
biex ikun il-goaler ta’ dak it-tim. Din l-inizjattiva
g˙o©bot ˙afna lil Dun Pawl g˙ax induna li t-tfal li
rawwam, kibru, saru Ωg˙aΩag˙ u qeg˙din jag˙tu
sehemhom fis-soçjeta’. Fera˙ tant li ©ieg˙el lin-
nepputija tieg˙u Giorga Micallef, Soru Salesjana
biex t˙it il-gear g˙al dan it-tim. Toni baqa’ attiv
f’dan il-kumitat tal-futbol g˙al bosta snin.
Imma l-aktar li jibqa’ mag˙ruf huwa b˙ala
MRO. MICHAEL ZAMMIT
G˙alkemm ‘is-Surmast’ Kelinu kien l-isptar u
kellu g˙omor ta’ 96 sena, l-a˙bar tal-mewt
tieg˙u li ©rat nhar il-11 ta’ Novembru 2009,
˙asdet lil ˙afna. Kien hemm min kien mar iΩuru
l-isptar imma qatt ma basar li kien wasal sa-
biex i˙allina. B’niket f’qalbna, imma wkoll
b’radd ta’ ˙ajr lil Alla g˙at-tajjeb li g˙amel
Mro. Michael Zammit, nixtiequ nfakkruh.
‘Kelinu’ twieled fl-1913 u ta’ 7 snin beda
jiffrekwenta l-Oratorju tas-Salesjani. Tifel kwiet
u xi ftit mist˙i, minflok lejn il-log˙ob, in©ibed lejn
il-banda tas-‘Salesian Boys Brigade’(SBB) u malajr
APPREZZAMENTI
TONI SCICLUNA 18-11-1929 - 19-01-2010
29Hajja Salesjana
attur fuq il-palk. Il-palk kien parti minnu. Kiteb
diversi ‘sketches’ u pantomimi b˙al Cinderella,
Aladin, Robin Hood, is-Sbej˙a Rieqda, is-Sultan
Ba˙nan u is-Sa˙˙ar tal-Flawt b’muΩika ta’
Mro Alfred Arnold. L-aktar li spikka kien fir-
rappreΩentazzjonijiet ta’ l-S.S.S. (Serata Soçjali
Salesjana), varjetajiet mill-aqwa li g˙adhom
jissemmew sa l-lum. Toni, flimkien ma’ s˙abu
ÌuΩeppi Cremona u Toni Mizzi kienu ikunu
l-protagonisti ta’ din is-serata. Il-versi li kienu
jitkantaw minn dawn it-tliet kummidjanti kienu
kitba ta’ Toni stess. Din l-attivita’ tal-palk fl-
Oratorju jekk tikteb dwarha ma tispiçça qatt u
Toni baqa’ sa l-a˙˙ar ta’ ˙ajtu jie˙u sehem ma’
s˙abu.
Wa˙da mill-aktar okkaΩjonijiet li kienet
g˙al qalb Toni hija meta fis-sena 1977, fl-20 ta’
Novembru, twaqqfet uffiçjalment l-G˙aqda tal-
Past-Pupils ta’ Dun Bosco f’G˙awdex. Kienet
inizjattiva ta’ Toni li fit-13 ta’ Diçembru 1977
saret it-tieni laqg˙a fl-Oratorju Dun Bosco biex
jin˙atar il-kumitat ta’ din l-g˙aqda. Dak in-nhar
Toni n˙atar l-ewwel President u dam jokkupa
din il-kariga g˙al bosta snin. Baqa’ msie˙eb ma’
din l-g˙aqda b’mod attiv b˙ala viçi-president tul
g˙omru sakemm l-Img˙allem Divin sejja˙lu biex
jing˙aqad ma’ s˙abu l-past-pupils fis-sema fi ̇ dan
missierna Dun Bosco u ommna Marija G˙ajnuna ta’
l-Insara.
Mulej ag˙tih il-mistrie˙ ta’ dejjem.
TONI MIZZI
President Past-Pupils ta’ Dun Bosco, G˙awdex
kien jifforma parti minnha. Studja l-muΩika u
tg˙allem idoqq il-klarinett fil-kaΩin tal-Banda ta’
Tas-Sliema, u wara dan malajr qabad idoqq ukoll
is-‘saxafone’. Kompla bl-istudju ta’ l-armonija
mas-Surmast Antonio Muscat Azzopardi. Ta’ 19-il
sena kellu l-˙ila jibda jg˙allem il-muΩika u kien
hu l-g˙aΩla naturali sabiex fl-1937 imexxi l-banda
©dida ta’ l-SBB li tag˙ha dam Surmast sal-1976.
F’kemm parati ˙adu sehem, kemm il-purçissjoni!
Min se jg˙odd l-iSports Days u l-mawriet, anke sa
G˙awdex, bil-banda ddoqq fuq id-dg˙ajsa tal-latini
hija u tofroq il-mew©! U xi ng˙idu g˙al dawk is-
serati muΩikali fit-teatru tas-Salesjani?
Matul dal-perijodu Michael kompla l-istudji
tieg˙u tal-muΩika mas-Surmast Carmelo Pace,
sabiex seta’ jasal b’suççess sa ‘grade 7’ fl-
armonija u fit-teorija tal-muΩika fil-‘London
College of Music’. Issa kien kapaçi jmexxi banda
s˙i˙a, u g˙alhekk kien Surmast ta’ diversi KaΩini;
imma min hu mid˙la tas-Salesjani jibqa’ jiftakru
l-iΩjed b˙ala s-Surmast tal-Banda tas-SBB kif ukoll
ta’ dik ta’ l-iskola ta’ St. Patrick. Infatti, fl-1957
kienet qieg˙da ti©i ffurmata banda ©dida fl-iskola
ta’ St. Patrick, u s-Sur Zammit kien ©ie mitlub
jie˙u ˙siebha hu. G˙al 39 sena, b’paçenzja kbira u
dedikazzjoni s˙i˙a huwa g˙allem lil mijiet ta’ tfal
u Ωg˙aΩag˙ idoqqu xi strument, jaqraw il-muΩika,
jimmarçjaw u jferr˙u bid-daqq waqt Sports day,
30 Hajja Salesjana
Prize day jew f’xi akkademja tal-festi.
Jekk Mro. Zammit kien ©ie l-Oratorju fl-età
ta’ 7 snin u miet ta’ 96 sena, nistg˙u ng˙idu li
g˙adda kwaΩi 90 sena mas-Salesjani. Dun Bosco
kien it-tieni missier tieg˙u u l-Oratorju l-ewwel,
imbag˙ad St. Patrick kienu t-tieni dar tieg˙u. Bid-
da˙ka li tittie˙ed dejjem fuq fommu, Michael kien
bniedem li ji©bed is-simpatija. Ra©el ta’ ftit kliem
iΩda ta’ ˙afna fatti g˙aliex dejjem g˙addej minn
biçça xog˙ol g˙al o˙ra. Meta rtira, ma qag˙adx
bi kwietu, imma g˙aΩel li jibda jmur Lourdes kull
sena mal-pellegrina©© organizzat mill-Ordni tal-
Kavallieri ta’ Malta. Mar g˙al 9 darbiet u hemm
ukoll reba˙ is-simpatija ta’ l-organizzaturi tant
li ©ie mog˙ti l-medalja tal-fidda “g˙all-˙idma
wtieqa u eΩemplari tieg˙ek skond l-ideali u l-miri
ta’ l-Ordni’’.
Fit-Tempju ta’ Dun Bosco fuq Colle Don Bosco
(Castelnuovo, Asti) hemm muΩajk kbir li fost xeni
o˙rajn juri lil Dun Bosco miexi ‘l quddiem b’˙afna
Ωg˙aΩag˙ warajh, xi w˙ud minnhom bl-istrumenti
tal-banda f’idejhom jew ma’ ˙alqhom. Jiena
nist˙ajjel li l-‘Mast’ Kelinu issa qieg˙ed mag˙hom,
f’dik in-na˙a tal-©enna fejn hemm Dun Bosco,
is-Salesjani u ˙afna Ωg˙aΩag˙, kollha fer˙ana
jilag˙bu, jdoqqu u jkantaw it-tif˙ir tal-Mulej.
Grazzi, ‘Mast’, tal-fer˙ u briju li ©ibtilna bil-
muΩika tieg˙ek tul is-snin li domt mag˙na.
(ANS – Rome) –The statistical data of the Salesian Congregation updated to 31 December
2009 showed that Salesians in the world (including Bishops and Novices) number 15.952.
From the information sent in from the 92 Provinces and Vice Provinces in which the
Congregation is organised, it emerges that professed Salesians in the world amount
to 15,465. The number of novices at the end of December 2009 was 487. The complete
number is 15,952, -142 with respect to 2008. In detail, the perpetually professed are
13,084, the Salesians in temporary vows are 2,381.
The newly-professed Brothers in 2009 were 39, the equivalent of 8.95% of the total
number of the newly-professed in the year. The number of newly ordained priests in
2009 was 195.
Considering the Regions, there has been a noticeable increase in the South Asia Region.
There was also an increase in the Africa-Madagascar Region. The East Asia–Oceania
Region is almost unchanged. The other Regions all experienced falls in their numbers,
more marked in those for Europe.
There are 92 Provinces and Vice Provinces, one less than in 2008. The Salesians of Don
Bosco are present in 130 countries.
SALESIANS
in the world
31Hajja Salesjana
Dun Bosco
fis-santi u kartolini
minn Renè Sacco
Nota: Qed nag˙mlu appell biex min ikun irid jibg˙at xi kumment jew iΩid xi ˙a©a ma’ dak li
qieg˙ed jidher f’din is-sensiela, ma joqg˙odx lura iΩda jikkuntattja lil Fr.Joe Cini (joecini@
onvol.net) jew lil Rene’ Sacco (rene.sacco@gmail.com). Nirringrazzjawkom bil-quddiem.
Inkomplu din is-sensiela billi naraw ftit santi o˙ra mill-kollezzjoni
tieg˙i li jien inqis b˙ala ta’ interess mill-att ta’ rarità, preΩentazzjoni
artistika u dokumentazzjoni.
It-Tielet parti
Din id-darba, qabel ng˙addu biex naraw xi
˙a©a o˙ra mill-kollezzjoni ta’ santi u kartolini
ta’ Dun Bosco, ˙sibt biex nirriproduçi silta mill-
fuljett imsejja˙ ‘Jum il-Mulej’ li jintuΩa fil-knejjes
waqt il-quddies fil-Ódud u Festi kmandati. F’din
is-silta naraw kif ta˙sibha l-knisja dwar ix-xbihat
sagri, li fosthom hemm is-santi . Naqraw hekk: “
X’importanza g˙andhom ix-xbihat sagri fil-knejjes
tag˙na jew f’imkejjen o˙ra? Sa mill-qedem l-arti
kellha valur qawwi, hi mezz ta’ komunikazzjoni
biex nifhmu a˙jar il-messa©©. B’xi mod, l-arti sagra
tqarribna aktar lejn il-persuna©© impitter. Xbieha
tal-Madonna hija stedina biex il-bniedem i˙ossha
viçin tieg˙u. Anke jekk m’humiex neçessarji ix-
xbihat g˙all-fidi, imma meta tara jew tmiss xbieha
fil-konkret, t˙oss çerta g˙aqda mal-figura li
tirrappreΩenta.
Ix-xbieha turina li hemm preΩenza, u b’xi mod
tistedinna nirriflettu u ng˙ixu xi virtu’ milli g˙exet
il-persuna li tirrappreΩenta. Is-salib, ix-xbihat tal-
Madonna u l-qaddisin jg˙inuna “nerfg˙u qlubna
lejn il-Mulej” u nag˙tu twe©iba tal-fidi li ng˙ixu.
L-arti hija talba kontinwa g˙ax permezz tag˙ha, il-
bniedem jid˙ol fi djalogu mal-Mulej. L-arti kollha,
pittura, skultura, muΩika, poeΩija.......meta tintuΩa’
tajjeb, hi sinjal li jidher minn barra tal-fidi li hemm
minn ©ewwa”
Dan li g˙adna kif qrajna, nistg˙u inΩiduh mà
dak li ktibna fil-bidu ta’ din ir-rokna fil-˙ar©a tal-
‘˙ajja Salesjana’ Nru 212 ta Jannar-Frar 2010 (bi
Ωball stampata 2009). G˙al din id- darba deherli
li jkun xieraq naraw xi kartolini mill-kollezzjoni li
bla dubju g˙andhom element qawwi ta’ nteress
g˙alina li n˙obbu lil Dun Bosco.
32 Hajja Salesjana
F’din il-kartolina, li g˙andha daqs normali ta’ 9.0 x 14.0 çm, naraw
xbieha pjuttost Ωag˙Ωug˙a ta’ Dun Bosco li tista’ tkun ritratt veru
jew me˙uda minn ritratt veru. Mill-bidu tal-fotografija kien hemm
l-uΩanza li ritratti mi©buda fi studju b˙ala ‘portraits’ isirilhom dak
l-irtokk –(retouching) neçessarju biex l-imma©ni to˙ro© kemm jista’
jkun sabi˙a u bla difetti. B’dan il-proçess li fil-passat kien isir bl-
idejn fuq in-negattiva tar-ritratt u li llum isir bil-kompjuter, jitne˙˙ew
difetti b˙al tbajja jew ponot fuq il-wiçç, tikmix Ωejjed, eçç. Hu x’inhu
din il-kartolina ©iet stampata mhux aktar tard mis-sena 1907. Dan
jixhdu l-fatt li ta˙t ir-ritratt hemm biss il-kliem ‘D. Giovanni Bosco’,
ifisser li Dun Bosco l-anqas biss kien g˙adu ddikjarat venerabbli, fatt
li mbag˙ad se˙˙ fl-24 ta’ Lulju 1907. Prova o˙ra ta’ l-età tal-kartolina
hija l-faççata ta’ wara ta’ l-istess kartolina. Din hija tal-g˙amla msej˙a
‘undivided back’ fost il-kollezzjonisti tal-kartolini. Dan ifisser li wara
tal-kartolina ma kienx maqsum f’Ωew© spazji biex f’wie˙ed jinkiteb
l-indirizz u fl-ie˙or xi nota b˙al ma naraw fil-kartolini tal-lum, iΩda
biss ftit linji dritti min-na˙a g˙all-o˙ra, fejn kien permess biss jinkiteb
l-indirizz fejn sejra l-kartolina u ta’ min bag˙atha. Din kienet karatteristika ewlenija fil-kartolini ta’ dik l-epoka.
Din il-kartolina ori©inat mill-Italja, hi nnumerata u propjetà riservata ta’ ditta bl-isem ALTEROCCA minn
TERNI. Fir-rokna t-isfel, in-na˙a tal- lemin jidhru inizjali qishom A u G. Dawn jafu jkunu l-inizjali tal-fotografu
li jkun da˙˙alhom fin-negattiva waqt l-irtokk.
Din il-kartolina hija 8.7 x 13.7 çm. B˙ala ikonografija, ji©ifieri
l-imma©ni, din il-kartolina turi lil Dun Bosco f’ambjent ta’ uffiççju jew
studju b’Ωag˙Ωug˙ quddiemu, li hu Domenico Savio, u speçi ta’ viΩjoni
ta’ Marija AwΩiljatriçi fuq wara. IΩda l-interess ta’ din il-kartolina jmur
‘il bog˙od ferm aktar minn hekk. Li qeg˙din naraw hawn, hija stampa
ta’ wa˙da minn serje twila ta’ skulturi dwar il-˙ajja ta’ Dun Bosco. Dawn
l-iskulturi huma xog˙ol l-artist Domenico Mastroianni u fil-fatt huma
tat-tip msej˙a ‘basso rilievo’ jew ‘alto-rilievo’. Mastroianni twieled
fl-1876 u miet fl-1962. Kien jappartjeni g˙all-familja ta’ artisti u jibqa’
msemmi g˙all-‘invenzjoni’ tieg˙u msej˙a ‘scultografia’. BaΩikament
li kien jag˙mel hu li l-ewwel jimmudella xena bil-pastellina jew tafal
fuq baΩi çatta, imbag˙ad je˙dilha ritratt li minnu jkun jista’ jipproduçi
eluf ta’ kartolini. Il-kartolina li qed tidher hi eΩempju ta’ dan. F’dan
it-tip ta’ xog˙ol, ir-riΩultat mhuwiex kompletament tridimensjonali
b˙al meta g˙andek statwa wieqfa li tista’ ddur mag˙ha u taraha
minn fejn trid. B’din it-teknika l-artist jo˙ro© il-figuri ftit ’il fuq mill-
baΩi ming˙ajr ma jaqlag˙hom g˙al kollox minn mag˙ha u g˙alhekk,
g˙alkemm ikunu jidhru maqlug˙a wie˙ed ma jistax idur mag˙hom.
L-effett a˙˙ari hu ta’ kwadru bil-figuri jew o©©etti qishom ˙er©in
minnu. Jissejja˙ ‘basso’ jew ‘alto rilievo’ skond kemm l-artist ikun qala’ l-barra l-karattri minn mal-baΩi.
G˙all-bidu tas-seklu (1900) dan it-tip ta’xog˙ol kien sar popolari ˙afna u fi Franza dan it-tip ta’ kartolini bdew
33Hajja Salesjana
Kartolina o˙ra li qeg˙din ninkludu llum hija 8.5 x 13.5çm b˙ala qies,
u turi wkoll xog˙ol artistiku, iΩda din id-darba pittura. Din ukoll gejja
minn sett ie˙or dwar il-˙ajja ta’ Dun Bosco. Sfortunatament, g˙adni
sibt biss tlieta minn dan is-sett, iΩda di©a huma biΩΩejjed biex wie˙ed
japprezza s-sbu˙ija tag˙hom. G˙al dak li hi mma©ni, naraw lil Dun
Bosco bilqieg˙da jo˙lom dwar il-missjonijiet fil-Patagonia.
Fuq tnejn mill-kartolini li g˙andi, innutajt l-isem C.MEZZANA. Mill-
ewwel assumejt li dan kien isem l-artist wara dawn ix-xog˙lijiet u
bdejt infittex xi ˙aga dwaru. Óadt ˙afna pjaçir bl-informazjoni li sibt
dwar dan l-artist.
CORRADO MEZZANA kien artist ta’importanza kbira fix-xena ta’
l-arti kontemporanja Taljana. Huwa twieled fl-1890 b’tendenzi naturali
g˙all-arti. Permezz ta’ Ωvilupp kontinwu hu spiçça biex sar awtorita
fl-arti, storja u kultura. Kien ing˙ata ˙afna kummissjonijiet (fosthom
il-25 kwadru dwar il-˙ajja ta’ Dun Bosco-1929) u kkontribwixxa bil-kbir
g˙al ˙afna kotba, ençiklopediji u disinji ta’bolli postali kemm Taljani
kif ukoll ta’ San Marino. Il-kwadri ta’ Dun Bosco pittirhom bit-teknika
imsej˙a ‘Tempera’. Din it-teknika, flimkien mal- ‘Fresco’ kienet il-mod
ta’ pittura qabel ma ©iet il-pittura biΩ-Ωejt madwar l-a˙˙ar tas-seklu 1400. Illum din it-teknika g˙adha tintuΩa
fit-tpingija ta’ l-ikoni Griegi. F’din it-teknika t-tpingija ssir wara preparazzjoni twila tal-panew ta’ l-injam li
fuqu tkun ser isir il-pittura. Il-kuluri g˙al dan ix-xog˙ol, ikunu forma tà trab li biex jintuΩaw iridu jit˙alltu ma’
l-ilma u l-isfar jew l-abjad tal-bajd.
Fost il-˙afna disinji li g˙amel g˙all-bolli postali, hemm sett ta’ dsatax- il bolla li juru s-snajja tipiçi ta’
l-Italja. Dan is-sett (1945-50) niftakru tajjeb minn meta kont tfal u konna ingemmg˙u il-bolli. Tg˙idx kemm
kien popolari u kul˙add kien jag˙mel ˙iltu biex jag˙qdu. Xi ftit bolli minn dan is-sett g˙adhom g˙andi sal-lum.
Sintendi issa Ωdied sew il-valur sentimetali tag˙hom. Dan l-artist çelebri miet fl-1952.
Appell: Nixtieq nie˙u din l-opportunità biex nistieden lil min g˙andu xi santi ta’ Dun Bosco li
jista’ jiddisponi minnhom biex jg˙addihomli ˙alli titkompla tikber il-kollezzjoni. Il-kollezzjoni
tinkludi ukoll lil S. Fran©isk ta’ Sales, S. Domenico Savio, Maria AwΩiljatriçi, u l-erwie˙ tajba
kollha Salesjani. Ni©bor ukoll domni, bolli, midalji u materjal ie˙or b’konnessjoni ma’ Dun
Bosco jew is-Salesjani. Grazzi bil-quddiem.
jissej˙u ‘sculptogravures’.
Fil-kaΩ ta’ dawn l-episodji mil-˙ajja ta’ Dun Bosco, wie˙ed ma jistax ma jammirax il-bravura ta’ dan l-artist
li tidher fis-sens ta’ spazju u perspettiva, ji©ifieri il-font li rnexxielu jo˙loq f’dan it-tip ta’ xog˙ol b’teknika
hekk diffiçli.
Hemm x’jindika li saru mal-˙amsin minn dawn il-kwadri. Il-kartolini tag˙hom stampati bil-kulur sepja,
˙ar©u f’settijiet ta’ g˙axra minn diversi istituzzjonijiet f’pajjiΩi differenti fosthom l-Italja u l-Ar©entina. S’issa
fil-kollezzjoni hemm tnax minn dawn il-kartolini, u din li qeg˙din nuru hi biex wie˙ed jkun jistà jduq kemm
kemm, is-sbu˙ija ta’ dawn ix-xog˙lijiet.
34 Hajja Salesjana
DIRETTUR TA’ SEMINARJU
ÌuΩeppi Cafasso twieled f’Castelnuovo d’Asti fl-
1811. Ommu u missieru, g˙alkemm mhux sinjuri, ma
kien jonqoshom xejn. ÌuΩeppi kien it-tielet wie˙ed
fost erbat a˙wa. IΩ-Ωg˙ira kienet Marianna, li ‘l
quddiem, binha kellu jkun il-Beatu ÌuΩeppi Alla-
mano. Minn çkunitu kemm niesu kif ukoll il-©irien
kienu jist˙ajluh qaddis çkejken. Studja t-Teolo©ija
fis-seminarju ta’ Chieri u fl-1833 sar saçerdot.
Erbà xhur wara mar ikompli l-istudju tieg˙u fil-
Convitto Ecclesiastico, fejn saçerdoti ©odda kienu
jkomplu l-istudji tag˙hom tat-Teolo©ija Pastorali.
Din kellha tkun il-karriera tieg˙u. ‘Il quddiem hu
stess sar Rettur tal-Convitto.
DIRETTUR SPIRITWALI
Il-Convitto Ecclesiastico kien mag˙ruf g˙at-
tag˙lim skond l-ispiritwalità ta’ Sant Injazju u
t-teolo©ija pastorali ta’ Sant Alfonsu Maria de
Liguori. L-iskop ta’ dan it-tag˙lim kien li j˙ejji
s-saçerdoti biex jamministraw is-Sagrament tal-
Qrar u fl-istess ˙in ikunu kapaçi jxandru l-Kelma
t’Alla. F’dan l-istitut ÌuΩeppi Cafasso studja wkoll
l-ispiritwalita’ ta’ San Fran©isk de Sales, li l-quddi-
em, b˙ala direttur, g˙addieha lil wie˙ed student
tieg˙u, Ìwanni Bosco. Dun Cafasso kien direttur
spiritwali ta’ Dun Bosco mill-1841 sa l-1860. Matul
dan iΩ-Ωmien kien ta’ g˙ajnuna spiritwali kbira
g˙al Dun Bosco. Waqt it-tag˙lim Dun Cafasso kien
jis˙aq ˙afna fuq il-fatt li d-dmirijiet ta’ kuljum,
mag˙mulin sewwa, jistg˙u iwasslu g˙all-qdusija.
B˙ala fundatur tas-Soçjeta’ Salesjana, Dun Bos-
co stqarr fuq Dun Cafasso: “Il-virtù straordinarja
tieg˙u kienet li kien dejjem jag˙mel bl-akbar reqqa
l-˙wejje© ordinarji.”
APPOSTOLAT MAL-FOQRA
Dun Cafasso kellu m˙abba kbira g˙all-foqra. Kien
iΩurhom ta’ spiss u jg˙in bi flusu lil dawk li kienu
fil-bΩonn, u fl-istess ˙in jag˙tihom il-fara© tar-ru˙.
Parti o˙ra ta’ l-appostolat tieg˙u kien li jqarar lill-
˙absin u jassisti sa l-a˙˙ar dawk ikkundannati
g˙all-mewt. G˙alhekk kien mag˙ruf b˙ala l-qassis
tal-˙absin! Kien tassew bniedem g˙aqli li ntg˙aΩel
b˙ala direttur spiritwali tag˙hom, minn saçerdoti,
lajçi, kif ukoll ministri tal-parlament u sa˙ansitra
fundaturi ta’ ordnijiet reli©juΩi.
IL-ÌAWHRA TAL-KLERU TALJAN
Papa Piju XI sejja˙lu “Il-©awhra tal-kleru Taljan.” Dun
Cafasso kien benefattur kbir ta’ Dun Bosco u tal-Kon-
gregazzjoni Salesjana sa mill-bidu nett. Wara marda
qasira Don Cafasso miet fit-23 ta’ Ìunju 1860. Kellu
biss 49 sena. Kien ibbeatifikat fl-1925 u ddikjarat qa-
ddis minn Papa Piju XII fis-sena 1947. Huwa sejja˙lu
« Mudell tal-˙ajja saçerdotali, missier il-foqra, fara©
tal-morda, g˙ajnuna tal-˙absin, u salvatur ta’ dawk
ikkundannati g˙all-mewt. » L-istess Papa fl-ençiklika
Mentis Nostrae tat-23 ta’ Settembru 1950 ipproponih
b˙ala mudell tas-saçerdoti.
San GuΩepp Cafasso (1811 – 1860)
IL-FESTA TA’ SAN ÌUÛEPP CAFASSO TIÌI
ÇÇELEBRATA FIT-23 TA’ ÌUNJU. KIEN
SAÇERDOT QADDIS, DIRETTUR SPIRITWALI
TA’ ÓAFNA SAÇERDOTI FOSTHOM
IÛ-ÛAGÓÛUGÓ DUN ÌWANN BOSCO
Iva, nixtieq ng˙in lis-Salesjani. Se nibg˙at
q5 q10 q25 q50
kull xahar kull tliet xhur kull
sena
b˙ala g˙ajnuna g˙all-missjoni tag˙kom. Naf li din
ma tqieg˙ed l-ebda obbligazzjoni fuqi u li nistà
nwaqqaf il-kontribuzzjoni tieg˙i meta rrid.
Isem
Indirizz
Int tistà tg˙inna. Meta qed tag˙mel hekk, int tkun qed tie˙u
sehem fil-˙idma ta’ Don Bosco. Alla biss ikun jaf il-©id li tkun
qed tag˙mel.
A˙na s-Salesjani fil-quddies u t-talb tag˙na, niftakru f’dawk
kollha li jg˙inuna b’xi mod jew ie˙or. Ma tit˙ajjarx tg˙inna int
ukoll? Il-Mulej li qal: “Dak li tag˙mlu ma’ l-içken fost ˙utkom
tkunu qed tag˙mluh mieg˙i”, Ωgur ibierek g˙al kull g˙ajnuna
li tista’ tag˙ti.
G˙in il-˙idma Salesjana
Dawk li huma l-iΩjed fil-periklu l-aktar ji˙tie©u g˙ajnuna. Dawk li
m’g˙andhomx le˙en je˙tie©u xi ˙add jiddefendihom. San Ìwann Bosco
kien jafu dan. Hu ˙adem f’˙ajtu kollha g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙, g˙all-foqra u
g˙al dawk li huma l-aktar fil-bΩonn.
X’INHI BORÛA TA’ STUDJU?
Hija somma ta’ flus li tg˙inna biex in˙allsu parti mill-formazzjoni
ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ li qed i˙ejji ru˙u biex isir Salesjan.
KEMM TRID TAGÓTI BIEX TWAQQAF BORÛA TA’ STUDJU?
Kapital ta’ b600
JEÓTIEÌ LI BILFORS TAGÓTI S-SOMMA F’DAQQA?
Le. Wie˙ed jista’ jag˙tiha biçça biçça, tant fix-xhar jew tant fis-sena.
JEÓTIEÌ LI BILFORS IS-SOMMA TKUN MOGÓTIJA MINN WIEÓED BISS?
Le. Jistg˙u jiftehmu flimkien iktar minn persuna wa˙da u kul˙add jag˙ti sehmu.
IΩda min jo˙ro© wa˙du s-somma kollha, ikun fundatur ta’ dik il-BorΩa.
JISTA WIEÓED IÓALLI L-BORÛA BÓALA LEGAT WARA MEWTU?
Jista’. U min jag˙mel hekk, jista’ jikteb fit-testment: “In˙alli b˙ala legat lis-Salesjani ta’ Don
Bosco, is-somma ta’ g˙all-formazzjoni ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ Malti fl-istess Soçjetà.
BorΩa ta’ Studju
Çempel lil Fr Eric Cachia SDB fuq 21 331 447
Apparitions of Our Lady
NEWSPAPER POST
ST. PATRICK’S SCHOOL, ST. JOHN BOSCO STREET, SLIEMA SLM 1925
On 13 May 1917, the
Virgin Mary appeared
in Fatima, Portugal, to
three little shepherds:
Lucia, Francisco and
Jacinta. As they were
praying the Rosary, they
saw a beautiful lady over
a small oak tree, clothed
in pure white. She said to
them “I want you children
to come here on the
thirteenth of each month,
until October. Then I will
tell you who I am.” In the
course of the apparitions,
Our Lady asked them to
pray the Rosary everyday and to add after each mystery the
so-called Fatima Prayer. She also showed to the children the
fires of hell, and said: “Did you see Hell, where the souls of
the poor sinners are cast down? The Lord, in order to save
them, wants to establish all over the world the devotion to
my Immaculate Heart.” She also said: “I am the Lady of
the Rosary, and I have come to warn the faithful to amend
their lives and ask pardon for their sins. People must say the
Rosary, and a church must be built on this place.”
Our Lady of Fatima
