Fl-1877, Dun Bosco beda jippubblika “Il Bibliofilo Cattolico”. Wara sentejn , semmieh -
Bollettino Salesiano”. Kien jo˙or©u 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:
Hajja Salesjana
c/o St. Patrick’s School, Triq San Gwann Bosco,
Sliema SLM 10, Malta.
Tel. 21 33 0238 e-mail: joecini@onvol.net
Jie˙u ˙sieb Fr. Joe Cini SDB
Bord Editorjali Fr. Victor Mangion SDB
Margaret Bu˙agiar
Andre’ Camilleri
Josie Grech
Jg˙inuh ukoll Fr. Charles Cini SDB
Eileen Alden
Joyce Scicluna
Juliana Kroeger
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
Editorjal/Editorial ....................................
Pedago©ija Salesjana
Ir-Rigal tal-Óajja 2 .........................
Calendar of Salesian Events ................
A˙barijiet minn Tag˙na .................
Youth Point
The value of Eternity ........................
Atturi Salesjani ...............................
Something to Think About
I believe ............................................
Lectio Divina .......................................
Malli jitla’ l-qamar ..............................
A quiet man ..................................
25 years in Nigeria ......................
The Salesian Cooperator
Pennant .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BorΩa ta’ Studju ................................
Il-Volontarji ta’ Dun Bosco ................
Rector Major at Salesian
Cooperators’ World Congress ......
A Salesian View of the World ...........
The Ouija Board ................................
St. Dominic Savio ...............................
03/04
05
07
08
10
13
14
16
18
20
22
24
25
26
27
28
30
32
atul ix-xhur ta’ Diçembru u Jannar
li g˙addew, iΩda l-aktar qrib il-jum
ta’ l-ordinazzjoni ta’ l-Arçisqof il-©did, il-
meΩΩi tax-xandir kollha ta’ Malta kienu
f’kompetizzjoni bejniethom biex i©ibulna
ritratti, artikli u kummenti dwar l-Isqfijiet
maltin. U tawna gost bis-s˙i˙. S’intendi l-
aktar li kien jissemma u jidher kien l-
Arçisqof il-©did Mons. Pawlu Cremona.
“Óajja Salesjana” ma tistax t˙alli dawn
il-©rajjiet jg˙addu ming˙ajr ma ssemma
le˙inha sabiex tirringrazzja lil Mons.
GuΩeppi Mercieca li temm il-kariga tieg˙u
wara tletin sena ta’ servizz ©enwin, u tilqa’
u tifra˙ lil Mons. Pawlu Cremona, waqt li
tawguralu.
Mons. ÌuΩeppi Mercieca mexxa l-knisja
ta’ Malta fi Ωminijiet diffiçli. Huwa wera
g˙aqal u prudenza li ma b˙alhom. Qatt
ma kkomprometta d-duttrina tal-Knisja,
la mil-lat soçjali u lanqas mil-lat morali.
Huwa jibqa’ g˙alina xempju ta’ fedelta` u
m˙abba lejn il-Mulej Ìesu`. A˙na nixtiequ
nuru l-apprezzament tag˙na g˙at-tre©ija
g˙aqlija tieg˙u, waqt li nawgurawlu sa˙˙a
u sliem, u tgawdija tal-mistrie˙ mist˙oqq.
Waqt li nilqg˙uh, nifir˙u lill-Mons. Pawlu
Cremona, ir-rag˙aj il-©did tag˙na. Di©a`,
l-entuΩjaΩmu u l-ispirtu ferrie˙i tieg˙u,
serqu l-qlub ta’ ˙afna. Il-missjoni tieg˙u
mhijiex façli u çertament g˙andu bΩonn
tat-talb u s-solidarjeta` tag˙na, li a˙na,
b˙ala wlied Dun Bosco, inweg˙duh bis-
s˙i˙.
Meta na˙sbu fil-wirt spiritwali li ˙allielna
Dun Bosco, qabel kull ˙a©a o˙ra niftakru
fil-qima u m˙abba lejn l-Ewkaristija, fid-
devozzjoni lejn Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara
u fil-lealta` lejn il-Knisja. B’dan il-kliem
dwar il-Knisja, Dun Bosco kien jifhem
ubbidjenza u rispett lill-Papa u lill-Isqfijiet,
aççettazzjoni tat-tag˙lim u tad-deçiΩjonijiet
tag˙hom, g˙aqda mag˙hom fil-fehma u fit-
tag˙lim tal-poplu t’Alla. Dan kollu huwa
wettqu anke meta huwa stess ma kienx
mifhum jew kien imfixkel mill-istess
awtoritajiet tal-knisja ta’ Turin. A˙na ma
nistg˙ux ma nimxux fuq il-passi tal-missier
spiritwali tag˙na u nkunu dejjem solidali
mal-Papa u l-Isqfijiet tag˙na.
03
M
Filwaqt li kien ma˙luq xbieha ta’
Alla, li Huwa wie˙ed fi tliet Persuni,
jigifieri li huwa f’komunjoni, il-bniedem
iΩolat wa˙du, b˙ala individwu, ma jistax
ikun “xbieha ta’ Alla”. Isir Alla-komunjoni
biss jekk isir komunita` (fil-familja jew
fis-soçjeta`). Il-Ktieb tal-Ìenesi infatti
jg˙id li “Alla ˙alaqhom ra©el u mara”.
Imbag˙ad fdalhom il-kura tal-˙olqien u
r-responsabbilta` ta’ kull ma ji©ri. L-esseri
uman huwa esseri-komunjoni.
G˙aldaqstant il-bniedem huwa
msejja˙ sabiex ipo©©i ru˙u f’relazzjoni
ta’ sid mal-˙olqien, fejn ja˙kem sabiex
jikkurah u j©ibu dejjem aktar g˙as-servizz
tal-bnedmin tad-dinja kollha. Dan jag˙mlu
permezz ta’ l-intelli©enza tieg˙u applikata
g˙ax-xjenza u t-teknolo©ija, sabiex ikun
hawn il-progress u l-©id. Imma l-bniedem
imsejja˙ ukoll biex ipo©©i ru˙u f’relazzjoni
ta’ a˙wa ma’ l-o˙rajn, ming˙ajr dominju
fuqhom, imma biss bir-responsabbilta` li
jikkurahom, b˙alma rag˙aj jindokra n-
nag˙a© fdati lilu. G˙alhekk tin˙tie©lu
m˙abba kbira sabiex jista’ jkun ta’ sapport
lilhom u mag˙hom jibni l-familja umana,
ming˙ajr distinzjoni ta’ razza, kulur, ilsien,
kultura, ©ens jew nazzjon. U fl-a˙˙ar il-
bniedem imsejja˙ ukoll sabiex ipo©©i ruhu
f’relazzjoni personali mieg˙u nnifsu.
Konxju mill-aspetti kollha tieg˙u, jipprova
jiΩviluppahom u jikseb armonija interna
u unita` ta’ ©isem, qalb, mo˙˙ u ru˙. Dan
hu possibli g˙al min jag˙raf lilu nnifsu,
x’qieg˙ed jag˙mel f’did-dinja u x’doveri
05
06
g˙andu jwettaq.
U fl-a˙˙ar imma mhux l-inqas, il-
bniedem huwa msejja˙ ipo©©i lilu nnifsu
f’relazzjoni ta’ iben ma’ Alla. Sabiex jil˙aq
dan l-g˙an, irid jag˙mel attenzjoni kbira
sabiex jevita li jqis lil Alla b˙ala xi Sid li
hu jrid jaqdi u li jista’ jittrattah kif irid,
jew inkella li jqis lil Alla b˙ala xi m˙allef
sever li jhedded il-liberta` jew il-fer˙
tieg˙u. L-ewwel xbieha ©©ib il-biza’ u
tag˙milna lsiera, it-tieni wa˙da tipprovoka
ribelljoni u xewqa li nne˙˙u lil dan Alla
li jinda˙lilna. Ir-relazzjoni ta’ Ìesu` ma’
Alla kienet mhux ta’ lsir jew ribell, imma
ta’ iben. L-aktar xbieha karatteristika ta’
Alla li Ìesu` tana hija dik ta’ missier. Lilu
kien isejja˙lu “Abba” – Papa`, u ma xtaq
jag˙mel xejn aktar milli r-rieda ta’
Missieru. Din kienet il-missjoni tieg˙u u
l-ikel tieg˙u! Dan kollu, il-bniedem jista’
jil˙qu permezz tal-fidi, li tifta˙lu qalbu
g˙all-im˙abba ta’ Alla.
FiΩ-Ωminijiet tag˙na, f’xi partijiet tad-
dinja, qieg˙ed die˙el is-sekulariΩmu, fejn
in-nies tg˙ix b˙allikieku Alla ma jeΩistix,
u fejn il-fidi hija kkunsidrata ˙a©a privata.
Dis-sitwazzjoni ssir ag˙ar, hemm fejn
da˙al l-anjostiçiΩmu, çoe` twemmin fil-
progress tat-teknolo©ija u x-xjenza
ming˙ajr ebda traxxendenza, fejn insibu
wkoll attitudnijiet u esperjenzi ta’
atejiΩmu. Minn dejjem kien hemm
tendenzi li jirriduçu lill-bniedem g˙all-
dimensjoni wa˙da u jwarrbu l-o˙rajn,
waqt li jmexxuh lejn kultura tal-mewt.
G˙ax il-kultura hija l-mod kif il-bniedem
jirrelata mal-˙olqien, ma’ l-o˙rajn, mieg˙u
nnifsu u ma’ Alla. Imma rridu nammettu
li biss meta jkollu relazzjoni ©enwina ma’
Alla, il-bniedem jirrelata sewwa ma’ l-
o˙rajn. G˙aldaqstant il-mudell li fuqu
je˙tie© li nibnu ˙ajjitna sabiex ikollna xi
suççess fit-twe©iba tag˙na g˙all-
mistoqsijiet fundamentali dwar l-eΩistenza,
g˙andu jkun Ìesu`.
MARCH
Saturday 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
10 – 11 “Manuvri tas-Sefturi” (Peter Coke) Atturi Salesjani – Salesian Theatre,
Sliema
Sunday 11 Lectio Divina 6 at Savio College 10.00 to 13.00 hrs.
Thursday 15 Bl. Artemide Zatti : Salesian Lay Brother
Saturday 17 Feast of St. Patrick. Special Mass for Irish Community at 10.30 a.m.
in Sliema
Monday 19 Feast of St. Joseph. Bikeathlon & Meeting for Past Pupils at Savio
College
19 – 23 Lenten Sermons at St. Patrick’s Church at 7.00 p.m.
Sunday 25 Rhythm and Dance School Annual Show at Salesian Theatre, Sliema
Thursday 29 Prize day for St. Patrick’s School. Leaving School Ceremony-Form 5 at
Savio College
Friday 30 Maltese Devotional Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. End of 2nd Term of
School
APRIL
Sunday 1 Open Day at Savio College. Day Retreat for Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s.
5 – 7 Easter Triduum. Religious functions at Salesian Oratory, Sliema, and St.
Patrick’s
Sunday 8 Easter Sunday
Tuesday 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Sunday 15 Car Wash organized by Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s.
Monday 16 Beginning of 3rd Term of School
Sunday 22 Lectio Divina 7 at Savio College 10.00 to 13.00 hrs.
21 – 22 “Dehra Mill-Pont” (Arthur Miller) : Atturi Salesjani – Salesian Theatre,
Sliema
Friday 27 Prize Day for Savio College Students
Saturday 28 Foundation Day Concert (Orchestra & Choir) for Assn.of Lyceum Past
Students
MAY
Tuesday 1 Public Holiday. Outing for PEPPRIN Children’s Choir
Sunday 6 Feast of St. Dominic Savio
Monday 7 Celebrations of St. Dominic Savio at St. Patrick’s School
Thursday 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
For any other info about the Salesians:
www.sdb.org
For any other info about Salesians in Malta:
www.salesiansmalta.org
Calendar of
Salesian Events
7
TISLIJA MILL-KARDINAL
L-ambaxxatur ta’ Malta g˙as-Santa Sede,
l-Eçç. Tonio Ganado, kemm il-darba kellu
g˙aliex jiltaqa’ mas-Segretarju ta’ l-Istat
tal-Vatikan, il-Kardinal Tarcisio Bertone,
li kif nafu huwa Salesjan. Billi l-ambaxxatur
Ganado huwa mid˙la tas-Salesjani f’Tas-
Sliema, il-Kardinal sikwit isaqsih g˙as-
Salesjani ta’ Malta. IΩda waqt l-a˙˙ar
laqg˙a li kellu mieg˙u, il-Kardinal mhux
biss semma lis-Salesjani imma bag˙at
tislija speçjali, meta talab lill-ambaxxatur
iwassal, “Un caro saluto e un abbraccio
ai miei confratelli e a tutta la Famiglia
Salesiana di Malta”. Grazzi, Eççellenza
‘ÓAJJA SALESJANA’ FUQ
L-INTERNET
Fl-a˙˙ar numru ta’ ‘˙ajja salesjana’
konna semmejna xi “websites” tas-
Salesjani maltin. Nittama li xi w˙ud
minnkom marru fuq l-internet u raw
x’fihom dawn il-pa©ni sbie˙. Issa nixtiequ
nΩidu a˙bar o˙ra fuq das-su©©ett. Jekk
wie˙ed jiftah is-“site” www.salesians
malta.org, jinduna li n-na˙a ta’ fuq tal-
pa©na, fuq il-lemin, ta˙t il-kelma “News”
hemm “link” jisimha “˙ajja Salesjana”
li tqabbdek ma’ l-a˙˙ar numru tal-Bulettin
Salesjan malti , çoe` ma’ “˙ajja
Salesjana”. Hemmhekk issibu l-pa©ni
kollha, l-artikli kollha bl-istampi bil-kulur.
Mela issa, “˙ajja Salesjana” qieg˙da
wkoll fuq l-internet.
PAST PUPILS TA’ L-ORATORJU
Il-“Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco”
ta’ l-Oratorju tas-Salesjani f’Tas-Sliema
kellhom il-laqg˙a annwali tag˙hom nhar
it-Tnejn, 29 ta’ Jannar 2007. Ippreseduta
mis-sinjura Rina Camilleri u fil-preΩenza
tad-Delegat Fr. Victor Mangion SDB, il-
laqg˙a bdiet bil-quddiesa. Wara malajr
inqraw ir-rapporti li soltu jag˙mlu is-
09
Segretarja u t-TeΩorier. Il-President
Nazzjonali, is-Sur Noel Camilleri,
imbg˙ad, ˙e©©e© lil dawk kollha preΩenti
biex ikomplu ja˙dmu bil-˙e©©a ta’ Dun
Bosco. Wara dan kien hemm dibattitu
sabi˙ u mqanqal fuq xi inizzjattivi li Ω-
Ωg˙aΩag˙ ta’ l-Oratorju kienu ˙adu u
xtaqu jer©g˙u jorganiΩΩaw fil-©ejjieni.
B˙ala konkluΩjoni tkellem Fr. Victor
Mangion li wissa lill-membri biex ikunu
nsara konxji u kritiçi ta’ dak li jintqal
jew jintwera fuq il-meΩΩi tax-xandir, u
sabiex jag˙tu dejjem u fuq kollox l-
importanza li jixirqilha lill-˙ajja tal-
bniedem.
KUMITAT ÌDID KOPERATURI
Il-Festa ta’ Dun Bosco ti©i dejjem
iççelebrata f’jumejn - nhar l-a˙˙ar Óadd
ta’ Jannar u nhar il-31 ta’ Jannar. Dan
sabiex jista’ jintla˙aq pubbliku akbar u
jistg˙u jie˙du sehem il-membri kollha
tal-Familja Salesjana. Ìewwa St. Patrick’s,
din is-sena, nhar il-Óadd 28 ta’ Jannar,
waqt quddiesa solenni g˙all-Koperaturi
Salesjani u Past Pupils flimkien, ©ie
ppreΩentat il-Kumitat il-©did tal-
Koperaturi Salesjani. Imsej˙in b’isimhom,
il-membri tal-kumitat telg˙u quddiem l-
artal, u flimkien mal-©emg˙a fil-knisja
talbu talba li serviet b˙ala bidu uffiçjali
tal-˙idma tag˙hom. Nifir˙u lil dawn in-
nies ©eneruΩi li jag˙tu ˙afna mill-˙in
tag˙hom u nawgurawlhom ˙idma ta’
fejda fost s˙abhom.
LAN PARTY
Numru sabi˙ ta’ sittin Ωg˙aΩag˙, tfajliet
u ©uvintur, kollha bejn is-16 u 20 sena,
iltaqg˙u fiç-Çentru TaΩ-Óag˙Ωag˙ tas-
Salesjani f’Tas-Sliema sabiex jg˙addu l-
a˙˙ar tal-©img˙a f’LAN PARTY (= local
area network). Dan l-avveniment, li kien
qed ji©i organiΩΩat mis-Salesjani g˙at-
tieni darba, sar bejn il-©img˙a 5 u l-Óadd
7 ta’ Novembru 2006. Kull wie˙ed u
wa˙da minn dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ kellhom
il-kompjuter tag˙hom. Fuqu setg˙u
jilag˙bu f’kompetizzjoni ta’ 5 log˙biet
kontra xulxin, ta˙t forma ta’ turnament,
kemm ukoll jisfidaw lil xulxin fl-istess
log˙ob teknolo©iku barra mil l-
kompetizzjoni. Kien hemm kompjuters
ta’ kull g˙amla u marka, kif ukoll ˙afna
makkinarju ie˙or tat-teknologija ta’ l-
informatika.
I tend to be inspired to write through some song I listen to. One
singer, and songwriter, very much to my taste is Dido - a sweet
person with an excellent voice and with meaningful songs. One
song, which strikes me most from her album is the title track Life
For Rent, particularly the verse “I deserve nothing more than I get
‘cause nothing I have is truly mine.” Think about it…is eternity so
much of a value? Is it a value after all?
Contact SPYS Tel: 21454546, 21456251
info@spysmalta.org
www.spysmalta.org/spysint
Ashes to ashes...
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust!” All living
things have to go through this process.
Some believe we were nothing before
our conception. Others believe that our
soul lived in the soul of someone or
something else. The physical reality
however is that there’s a beginning and
an end. I would further extend this to
inanimate, material objects that may have
even been crafted by human hands.
Everything begins and ends. Existentialists
in their time argued that life is one whole
meaningless journey starting at Birth
towards destination Death. Quite a
pessimistic way of looking at things, but
doesn’t it make a bit more sense if the
word ‘meaningless’, is removed?
Attachment
We human beings tend to attach
ourselves to persons and things we feel
we belong to or deem important to us
–our car, computer, television, or maybe
a youth group. On a different level, come
less material forms of attachments –
attachments with family members,
friends, husband or wife. It’s here that
the value of eternity comes in.
Eternity
What is eternity? The very idea of it just
blasts my mind. Think of the greatest
number you can think of…it’s never the
eternity-number…because if you add
one to it, that would be even greater
than your imagined number. So also the
idea of who or what created the
World…some claim it was the Big Bang.
But, you may rightfully ask, what triggered
the Big Bang, and what triggered the
trigger that caused the Big Bang? Basically,
the Latin expression ad infinitum will fit
in nicely here…something that is forever
is eternal. But what is forever? Is there
anything that can be forever?
A World of Concepts
A rather Platonic way of looking at things
is that there’s a world of ideals detached
from this world; that whatever we see
is a copy of the ideal which is the perfect
form of something. The world we see
is a distorted version of the world of
forms. Plato’s idea may seem a bit
farfetched at times, however, it is true
that the more detached something is
from the world, the more ‘eternal’ it is.
The concept of ‘Love’ is more eternal
than the love we practice, so is the
11
12
concept or form ‘Friendship’ as opposed
to friendship. And think about it, don’t
we all try to struggle to at least come
close to the perfect, ideal form of Love
or Friendship?
Belonging to this world…
Think about how your life would change
if your mobile were stolen, your car
broke down, or your computer got a
destructive virus. I’m sure your life would
change, and some of us might feel it’s
like the end of our world. However,
how much worse would you feel if
someone special in your life were
suddenly taken away – a relationship
broken, a loved one passed away, Aren’t
all of these examples of losses, like
“nothing I have is truly mine”?
…and not of this world
Very late in my teens I realised that we
tend to crave for things that either do
not last long, or else disappoint us - like
belonging to a group or organisation
which is flourishing one day, and shuts
down the next; being so happy in a
relationship today, but breaking up
tomorrow. The older I grow, the more
I realise how meaningless things are if
not given a higher purpose. I think about
my past and see that a number of people
and things I was really attached to are
not important anymore. Each occasion,
however, makes me realise that there
had to be something more, something
beyond… that’s always there and will
be there throughout my life, a being that
must be eternal.
An Eternal Being
The concept of eternity struck me at
the same moment that I realised that
whatever belongs to this world can’t be
forever. The basic idea of Genesis is
where all my questions always lead me…
by going back to the account of Creation
in the Bible. The Big Bang must have
been triggered by something….
Whenever I think of this, I just have to
come to the conclusion that some being
must have caused the trigger. “Nothing
comes from nothing” is a linguistically
contradicting statement, which however
makes sense in reality. Nevertheless, I
believe in a Being that is the first cause
of all things and all causes. This being
must be God. God is Friendship. God is
Love. God is Goodness, Honesty,
Humility and Righteousness. God is the
Ideal Form of all things. God shows us
His Love every morning when He gives
us strength to wake up; when He lets
someone pass away peacefully instead
of suffering. God’s love can be seen
everywhere. Wars and other problems
of this world might not be a true example
of love…unless thought of as something
wanted by God. I often stress this point,
and it’s good that everyone should realise
it. God created us humans as free beings
and He left us free to choose whether
to follow Him or not.
With Him and Through Him
If one tries to live life with God and
through God, the disappointments in life
will diminish. I’m not saying they will
disappear – after all we’re flesh and blood
– we have feelings and we cry as much
as we may laugh. But if God becomes
the underlying, or rather higher purpose
towards all our goals, our achievements
will be much more fulfilling because we
will know and understand that by doing
what we’re doing we’re also pleasing the
Lord.
l-a˙˙ar jum ta’ Settembru feta˙ l-
ista©un teatrali 2006/2007 g˙all-Atturi
Salesjani. Fit-Teatru Salesjan ta’ Tas-Sliema
s-sezzjoni Ωg˙aΩag˙ ippreΩentaw ‘The
Dancer... a breath taking journey’. Din kienet
lejla ta’ Ωfin allegru g˙all-˙oss ta’ muΩika
popolari li tmur lura mis-snin ˙amsin sa
dak tal-lum. Óadu sehem madwar 30 tfajla
u ©uvni li ma waqfu xejn g˙al sag˙tejn
s˙a˙ jippreΩentaw Ωifna wara l-o˙ra
b’kostumi differenti u kkuluriti. Kien
jinvolvi ˙afna xog˙ol li beda fi Ωmien is-
sajf meta Edwina Farrugia, li ddiri©iet din
l-attivita`, bdiet tag˙Ωel Ωg˙aΩag˙
kompetenti jew lesti li jitg˙allmu jiΩfnu.
Wara bdew il-provi li naturalment
Ωammew lil dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ okkupati
matul ix-xhur s˙an tas-sajf. Flimkien ma’
dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ kien hemm grupp ie˙or
li wkoll kien attiv ˙afna, dan kien il-grupp
‘Mamma Margerita’ mag˙mul minn
madwar 12-il mara ˙ajjata li ˙adu ˙sieb
i˙ejtu l-kostumi kollha ta’ din l-attivita`.
Is-sagrifiççji li saru ssarrfu f’suççess kbir
fuq il-palk quddiem udjenzi numeruΩi, li
˙onqu t-Teatru Salesjan f’Tas-Sliema nhar
is-Sibt 30 ta’ Settembru 2006 u l-Óadd 1
ta’ Ottubru 2006.
It-tieni attivita` ta’ l-Atturi Salesjani kienet
nhar is-Sibt 25 u l-Óadd 26 ta’ Novembru
2006, meta fl-istess teatru ppreΩentaw
il-kummiedja popolari ‘Dik l-Imbierka
Zija,’ xog˙ol maqlub g˙all-Malti minn Paul
Vella mill-kitba ta’ Brandon Thomas –
Charlie’s Aunt. G˙al darb’o˙ra er©ajna
rajna numru sabi˙ ta’ Ωg˙aΩag˙ jie˙du
sehem g˙all-ewwel darba, fuq il-palk
tag˙na ma’ atturi stabbiliti. Id-direttur ta’
din il-kummiedja, Paul De Bono, ˙ass li
hemm bΩonn li jibdew jit˙arr©u atturi
©odda biex ikompli jikber in-numru ta’
atturi fi ˙dan il-kumpless Salesjan f’Tas-
Sliema. Óadu sehem xejn anqas minn
˙ames Ωag˙Ωug˙ u Ωag˙Ωug˙a g˙all-ewwel
darba f’partijiet prinçipali u impenjattivi.
F’kummenti li tana wara l-a˙˙ar
rappreΩentazzjoni, Paul DeBono qal li
˙assu verament kburi bil-mod kif
interpretaw il-partijiet tag˙hom dawn iΩ-
Ωg˙aΩag˙ li ˙admu iebes g˙al sitt ©img˙at
s˙a˙ biex setg˙u mhux biss jie˙du
sodisfazzjon huma, imma wkoll taw pjaçir
lill-udjenza numeruΩa li ©iet tarahom.
It-tielet produzzjoni ta’ l-Atturi Salesjani
kienet Thriller ta’ Agatha Christie bit-
titlu ta’ “Alibi” mill-ori©inal “The Murder
of Roger Ackroyd”. Dan ix-xog˙ol ©ie
maqlub g˙all-Malti minn Tonio Vassallo,
li wkoll mexxa l-produzzjoni. Il-wirjiet
kienu nhar is-27 u 28 ta’ Jannar 2007.
Issa, l-Atturi Salesjani saru mag˙rufa
sewwa ma’ numru kbir ta’ dilettanti tal-
palk, li qatt ma jitilfu l-wirjiet imtellg˙in
minnhom. Infatti sejrin jer©g˙u jidhru fuq il-
palk nhar il-10 u 11 ta’ Marzu bil-kummiedja
“Manuvri tas-Sefturi”, xog˙ol ta’ Peter Coke.
Infakkrukom li g˙al kull tag˙rif dwar l-attivitajiet
ipprogrammati fit-Teatru tas-Salesjani, tistg˙u ΩΩuru
l-websajt tag˙hom : www.salesiantheatremalta.com
F
t h a t o u r b a c k g r o u n d a n d
circumstances may have influenced
who we are, but we are responsible
for who we become.
that no matter how good friends may
be, they are going to hurt you once
in a while, and you must forgive them
for that.
that just because others don’t love
you the way you want them to, doesn’t
mean they don’t love you with all they
have.
that true friendship continues to grow
even over the longest distance; same
goes for true love.
that it’s taking me a long time to
become the person I want to be.
that you should always leave loved
ones with loving words: it may be the
last time you see them.
that you can keep going long after you
think you can’t.
that we are responsible for what we
do no matter how we feel.
that either you control your attitude
or else it controls you.
that heroes are the people who do what
has to be done, when it needs to be
done, regardless of the consequences.
that money is a lousy way of keeping
15
score.
that my best friend and I can do
anything or nothing and still have the
best time.
that people you expect to kick you
when you’re down will be the ones
to help you get back up.
that sometimes, when you are angry
you have the right to be angry, but
that doesn’t give you the right to be
cruel.
that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you’ve had
and what you’ve learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you’ve celebrated.
that it isn’t always enough to be
forgiven by others; sometimes you
have to learn to forgive yourself.
that no matter how badly your heart
is broken, the world doesn’t stop for
your grief.
that just because two people argue it
doesn’t mean that they don’t love
each other. And just because they
don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.
that you shouldn’t be so eager to find
out a secret: it could change your life
for ever.
that two people can look at the exact
same thing and see something totally
different.
that your life can be changed in a
matter of hours by people who don’t
even know your name.
that even when you have no more
to give, when a friend cries out to
you, you will find the strength to
help.
that credentials on the wall do not
make you a decent human being.
that people you care about most in
life are taken from you much too
soon.
that life is more precious than money
will ever be able to be.
X’INHI L-LECTIO DIVINA?
Il-LECTIO DIVINA hija dik l-
esperjenza li fl-antik kienu jg˙ixu
l-patrijiet fil-monasteri fejn
quddiem il-kelma t’Alla kellhom
il-˙in u anke l-kura©© li jaqrawha
– LECTIO ©ejja mill-kelma latina
LEGGERE – waqt li fis-silenzju
j˙allu l-qari jinΩel mill-mo˙˙ g˙all-
qalb.
G˙ax huwa l-qari tal-Kelma ta’
Alla, Kelma divina, allura g˙andna
din il-fraΩi LECTIO DIVINA.
B’dan il-mod sieket u rispettuΩ
kienu jirriflettu kif dik il-Kelma li
qed jaqraw g˙andha messa©© xi
twassl i lhom f is-s itwazzjoni
tag˙hom.
Il-proçess li kienu jag˙mlu kien
sempliçi u profond fl-istess ˙in.
Waqt li jag˙mlu dan il-qari divin,
kienu jimmeditaw il-Kelma –
MEDITATIO. Il-meditazzjoni tal-
Kelma fi kliem ie˙or tfisser li kienu
16
Fabio Attard SDB
17
jixtarru l-Kelma. F’dan il-kuntatt
personali u intimu, g˙alhekk, il-
kelma li ti©i mixtarra kienet issir
Kelma g˙all-persuna, fil-qalb
tag˙ha. Ma kinitx tibqa’ iktar
Kelma ‘hemm barra’ li ma tmissx
lill-qalb. Imma kienet issir Kelma
li g˙andha l-˙ila ddawwal il-mo˙˙
u l-qalb tal-persuna fis-sitwazzjoni
u l-isfidi li je˙tie© tiffaççja.
Mill-meditazzjoni – MEDITATIO
– kienu jg˙addu g˙at-talb –
ORATIO. Dan ifisser li l-Kelma li
tinqara – LECTIO – u l-Kelma
mixtarra – MEDITATIO – issir
talba personali – ORATIO. Dak li
qed ji©i mmeditat jissarraf f’talba
li ‘l-persuna tag˙mel quddiem Alla,
talba ˙ier©a minn qalb li qeg˙da
kull ma tmur tit˙abbeb mal-
Kelma.
Il-persuna li tag˙Ωel lill-Kristu,
allura, lilu tisma’ – LECTIO – lilu
tixtarr – MEDITATIO – u lilu titlob
– ORATIO – u g˙alhekk, fi ˙dan
proçess b˙al dan, lilu tikkontempla
– CONTEMPLATIO.
Dan hu l-a˙˙ar stadju ta’ din l-
esperjenza tal-LECTIO DIVINA.
I l - k o n t e m p l a z z j o n i m h i x
esperjenza li to˙ro©ni mid-dinja
imma hija l-istedina li Kristu
jag˙milli biex wara li nkun smajtu,
immeditajtu u tlabtu, lilu biss
inΩomm quddiem g˙ajnejja, lilu
n˙allih ikellimni fil-fond ta’ qalbi
waqt li ng i̇x il-˙ajja tieg i̇ ta’ kuljum.
EΩempju li jista’ jg˙inna nifhmu
dan l-istadju huwa dak ta’ omm u
t-tarbija tag˙ha. Avolja ma tkunx
fl-istess kamra jew dar fejn hemm
it-tarbija tag˙ha, xorta l-˙sieb u l-
attenzjoni tag˙ha huma fuq l-
g˙aΩiΩa tarbija tag˙ha. U bir-
ra©un.
Hekk ji©rilha l-qalb li tkun
“innamrata” ma’ Alla. Tkun fejn
tkun, tag˙mel x’tag˙mel, lilu tibqa’
t˙obb, lilu tibqa’ ΩΩomm quddiem
l-g˙ajnejn ta’ qalbha. Ma tistax
tag˙mel mod ie˙or.
X’QED NAGÓMLU F’SAVIO
COLLEGE?
L-esperjenza ta’ tant ©enituri u
wliedhon ©ewwa Savio College
darba fix-xahar hija proposta li
tg˙inna ng˙addu minn din l-
esperjenza li tqarribna iktar lejn
il-Kelma. Esperjenza li tg˙inna
iktar niggustaw u nixtarru l-Kelma.
U fil-˙biberija tag˙na mal-Kelma
n˙allu t-talb ikun esperjenza reali,
esperjenza vera, li fiha kull wa˙da
u kull wie˙ed minna naraw fejn
ninsabu quddiem i l -Mulej .
Minn din l-esperjenza naqraw a˙jar
il-mixja tag˙na u liema huma dawk
l-g˙aΩliet li fi ˙biberija tag˙na
mieg˙u nafu li je˙tie© li nie˙du.
Din hija t-tielet sena ta’ esperjenza
tal-LECTIO DIVINA. Mixja li qed
tkompli tissa˙˙a˙ . Mixja li
permezz tag˙ha b˙ala komunità
edukattiva, Salesjani, ©enituri u
wliedhom, nixtiequ nkomplu
nikbru fil-qadi ta’ wliedna u fit-
tis˙ie˙ tal-fidi tag˙na lkoll.
eta jiena kont g˙adni nibda bix-
xog˙ol tieg˙i fil-Missjoni, l-isqof
sejja˙li u qalli, “Na˙seb li inti tajjeb ˙afna
biex tmur ta˙dem fil-parroçça l-©dida li
se nwaqqaf”. Jien li dejjem kont
ubbidjenti g˙all-kelma tieg˙u, urejtu li
nie˙u gost immur f’˙idma ©dida. Infatti
fil-post ma kien g˙ad hemm xejn – la
knisja, la dar tal-Fathers…biss ˙afna
nies, ˙afna g˙erejjex u ˙afna ©iri tat-tfal.
Niftakar l-ewwel ˙a©a li g˙amilna -
bnejna malajr kamra kbira tal-qasab li
bdiet isservi ta’ knisja. Din kienet timtela
bin-nies , kol lha f id i u…kol lha
superstizzjoni. Kont g˙al qalbi ˙afna
f’din il-parroçça fqira. L-hena tieg˙i meta
nkun mat-tfal, g˙ax jien nittie˙ed malajr
mill-entuΩjaΩmu sinçier tag˙hom. Imma
anki mal-kbar u ma’ l-anzjani kont immur
tajjeb.
Fost l-anzjani kien hemm wie˙ed li ma
naqas qatt g˙ar-ruΩarju u g˙at-tag˙lim
tal-katekiΩmu. U fil-quddiesa kien jersaq
jitqarben b’fervur kbir, hekk li anke jien
kont nedifika ru˙i. Bdejt nitkellem ˙afna
mieg˙u u l-konverΩjoni tieg˙u kienet
issa˙˙a˙ il-˙ajja spiritwali tieg˙i. Kul˙add
kien iΩommu b˙ala bniedem ta’ ˙ajja
tajba.
Imma darba wa˙da, mara resqet fuqi u
bil-mod il-mod qaltli, “Father oqg˙od
attent minn dak il-bniedem!” Óassbitni
u bdejt nimma©ina li forsi hemm daqsxejn
ta’ l-g˙ira. G˙alhekk dik it-twissija
f’widnejja ma ˙allitnix bi kwieti. Jien
18
M
19
bqajt xorta wa˙da nsellem u nkellem lil
dak l-anzjan. Anzi bdejt nosservah aktar
fil-qrib u ng˙addi min-na˙a ta’ fejn kien
joqg˙od hu. Nistqarr li mill-g˙arix tieg˙u
kien jo˙ro© du˙˙an ta’ ri˙a ˙elwa li ma
nafx x’kienet.
LEJLA MA’ L-ISPIRTI
Ìurnata wa˙da kif kont wiçç imbwiçç
mieg˙u, qalli li kwaΩi kull fil-g˙axija hu
jkellem l-ispirti u j©ib twe©iba g˙al dawk
li jkollhom bΩonn, inkella jitlob il- fejqan
minn xi marda. Beda jg˙idli li ji©uh nies
sa˙ansitra mill-bog˙od g˙ax jafu li hu
ma jqarraq b’˙add. “Tajjeb,” g˙idtlu,
“anki jien nixtieq inkun naf xi ˙a©a. Ma
tistax tkellimhom dwari lill- ispirti
tieg˙ek?” U pront we©ibni, “G˙aliex le?
Meta jkolli lejla franka nsejja˙lek.”
G˙addiet ©img˙a u jien qatt ma r©ajt
fakkartu. Imma g˙odwa wa˙da, wara l-
quddiesa, dal-bniedem twajjeb resaq
inkiss minn warajja u minn ta˙t l-ilsien
qalli, “Il-lejla malli jitla’ l-qamar nistennik”.
Dix-xorta ta’ appuntament ˙asditni-
g˙oddu qabadni it-tkexkix. L-ewwel
darba li kien se jkolli esperjenza nid˙ol
fid-dinja misterjuΩa ta’l-okkult. Dik il-
lejla qabel mort, qist li ng˙id b’devozzjoni
r-ruΩarju u rrikmandajt ru˙i lil Madonna.
Il-qamar deher tielg˙a minn fuq is-si©ar
g˙oljin u suwed tal-bosk u jien tlaqt lejn
l-g˙arix ta’ dak il-˙abib. Bil-wieqfa jserra˙
mal-©enb, b’sigarru tat-tiben f’˙alqu,
hemm kien, jistennieni. Talabni nid˙ol
u npo©©i fuq banketta. Ìewwa dlam -
dlam ma tara xejn ˙lief xi xquq fil-˙itan.
Malli g˙ajnejja bdew joqog˙du ndunajt
li hemm ©ew kien hemm xi brandi bil-
familja ©a rieqda fuqhom. F’imnifsejja
bdiet ©ejja r-ri˙a tfu˙ tal-©iΩmin. Ix-
xwejja˙ po©©a ma’ ©enbi u qag˙ad kwiet
bla kliem donnu qed jistenna lil xi ˙add.
Jien kont attent g˙al kull ˙oss jew çaqliq
li setg˙u ji©ru madwari.
X’˙in deherlu dak qalli “Ara waslu”.
“Min wasal ?“ g˙idtlu jien. Qalli, “Huma
Ωew© spirti, wie˙ed jismu ‘mew© il-ba˙ar’
u l-ie˙or ‘mera tal-qamar’. Qeg˙din
isellmulek, we©ibhom”. Jien ma kont
qed nisma’ u nara xejn, iΩda billi n˙obb
nobdi g˙idt, “Il-lejl it-tajjeb!” Dak il-
mument b˙al smajt fil-bog˙od lil min
i˙ar˙ar “Il-lejl it-tajjeb.” U bdejt niddubita
jekk dik it-t˙ar˙ira kenitx xi log˙ba ta’
l-istess ̇ abib tieg˙i. It-t˙ar˙ir u t-tgedwid
fil-baxx issuktaw, u jien ma kont qed
n i fhem xe jn . G˙a jne j j a bde j t
inberraqhom biex Ωgur ma na˙sibx li
kont qieg˙ed no˙lom.
Fl-a˙˙ar indunajt li kien qed jing˙ad xi
kliem ta’ tif˙ir dwari, li n-nies tal-
parroçça tirrispettani… li l-knisja tieg˙i
hi l-isba˙ wa˙da… Issa aktar bdejt
nissuspetta u qawwejt qalbi. F’dak id-
dlam bdejt niddritta u ntawwal g˙onqi
˙alli nara mnejn kien ©ej dak il-le˙en
stramb. KwaΩi t˙okk mieg˙i, indunajt li
kien hemm il-branda bil-mara tax-
xwejja˙. In-nifs tag˙ha ma kienx b˙al
ta’ wa˙da rieqda, imma skond il-kelmiet
li beda jg˙id ‘l-ispirtu.’ Malajr fhimt il-
qerq kollu tag˙ha.
Kont se nqum u ng˙ajjat, ”Imbruljun u
˙alliel” g˙ax kien jit˙allas tajjeb talli jilqa’
n-nies. Imma mbag˙ad ˙arist lejn il-
brandi l-o˙ra li fihom kienu reqdin is-
seba’ wliedu u ©ietni ˙niena minnhom.
Qomt u g˙idtlu, “Óabib, tid˙aq biss
b’dawk li jemmnuk, imma b’Alla ma
tid˙aqx Ωgur. Attent… il-lejl it-tajjeb.”
U tlaqt i l-barra. Da’Ωgur, b˙ala
bniedem devot fil-knisja, jiena ma
ridtux ikollu x’jaqsam ma’ l-okkult,
imma lanqas japprofitta ru˙u mill-
injoranza tan-nies!
20
Carl was a quiet man. He would always
greet you with a big smile. Even after
living in our neighbourhood for over 50
years, no one could really say they knew
him well. Seeing him walking down the
street often worried us. He had a slight
limp from a bullet wound received in
W.W.II. We worried that he might not
make it through our changing uptown
neighbourhood with its ever-increasing
random violence, gangs, and drug activity.
When he saw the flyer at our local church
asking for volunteers for caring for the
gardens behind the minister’s residence,
he responded in his characteristically
unassuming manner.
He was well into his 87th year when, one
day, the very thing we had always feared
finally happened. Three gang members
approached him. Ignoring their attempt
to intimidate him, he simply offered a
drink from the hose. As Carl offered the
hose to him, the other two grabbed Carl's
arm, throwing him down to the ground,
and stole his retirement watch and his
wallet, and then fled.Carl tried to get
himself up, but he had been thrown down
on his bad leg. The minister, who had
witnessed the attack from his window,
couldn't get there fast enough to help
him. "Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
the minister kept asking. Carl sighed,
shaking his head. “Just some punk kids.
I hope they'll wise-up someday." His wet
clothes clung to his slight frame as he
bent to pick up the hose. Satisfying himself
that Carl really was all right, the minister
could only marvel. Carl was a man from
a different time and place. A few
weeks later the three returned. Carl again
offered them a drink from his hose. This
time they didn't rob him. They wrenched
the hose from his hand and drenched
him head to foot in the icy water. When
they had finished, they sauntered off down
the street, falling over one another
laughing at the hilarity of what they had
just done. Carl just watched them. Then
he turned toward the warmth giving sun,
picked up his hose, and went on with his
watering.
The summer was quickly fading into fall.
Carl was doing some tilling when he was
startled by the sudden approach of
someone behind him. He turned to see
the tall leader of his summer tormentors
in front of him. He braced himself for
the expected attack.”Don't worry old
man, I'm not going to hurt you this time."
The young man spoke softly. Then he
pulled a crumpled bag from his pocket
and handed it to Carl."What's this?" Carl
asked. "It's your stuff back," the man
explained. "Even the money in your
wallet." "I don't understand," Carl said.
"Why would you help me now?"The man
shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and
ill at ease. "I learned something from
you," he said. "I ran with that gang and
hurt people like you. We picked you
because you were old and we knew we
could do it. But every time we came and
did something to you, instead of yelling
and fighting back, you tried to give us a
drink. You didn't hate us for hating you.
You kept showing love against our hate."
He stopped for a moment. "I couldn't
sleep after we stole your stuff, so here
it is back." He paused for another
awkward moment, not knowing what
more there was to say. "That bag's my
way of saying thanks for straightening me
21
out, I guess." And with that, he walked off
down the street.
Carl looked down at the sack in his hands
and gingerly opened it. He took out
his retirement watch and put it back on his
wrist. Opening his wallet, he checked for his
wedding photo. He gazed for a moment at
the young bride that still smiled back at him
from all those years ago. Carl died one
cold day after Christmas that winter. Many
people attended his funeral. In particular the
minister noticed a tall young man sitting
quietly in a distant corner of the church. The
minister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in
life. “We will never forget Carl and his
garden."
The following spring another flyer went up.
It read: "Person needed to care for Carl's
garden." One day a knock was heard at the
minister's office door. Opening the door,
the minister saw a pair of scarred and
tattooed hands holding the flyer. "I believe
this is my job, if you'll have me," the young
man said. The minister recognized him as
the same young man who, because of Carl's
kindness, had turned his life around. Handing
him the keys to the garden shed, he said,
"Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and
honour him." Over the next several years,
the man tended the flowers and vegetables
just as Carl had done. In that time, he went
to college, got married, and became a
prominent member of the community, never
forgetting his promise to Carl's memory. He
kept the garden as beautiful as Carl would
have kept it. One day he approached the
minister and told him that he couldn't care
for the garden any longer. He explained with
a shy and happy smile, "My wife had a baby
boy last night, and she's bringing him
home."”Congratulations!" said the minister.
"Tha t ' s wonder f u l ! Wha t ' s t he
baby's name?""Carl," he replied.
The feast of St John Bosco on the 31st
January 2007, marked the official opening
of the celebrations commemorating the
25th Anniversary of the arrival of the
S a l e s i a n s i n N i g e r i a , when
representatives from the four
communities came together for a special
function held in Akure.
Bishop Francis Alonge, Bishop of Ondo
who had first invited them, unveiled the
Logo that will be used throughout the
year. Bishop Alonge spoke of how he
first met the Salesians in Ireland when
he was still studying there, and seeing
the great work that they were doing
with the youth, especially through their
Agricultural schools, immediately sought
to bring them to Nigeria on becoming
a bishop.
The guest of honour was Dr E.E.
Adewole, special advisor to the
Governor, of Ondo State on Education,
and representing him for the event. He
praised the sterling work that the
Salesains contribute in training young
men and so helping in building up the
nation. Also present were Fr Vincenzo
Marrone and Br. John Patrucco, two of
the first pioneers to arrive in this vast
country.
Fr. Richard Ebejer SDB
22
23
The highlight of the Anniversary
Celebrations will be the visit of the
Rector Major to Nigeria in October
2007. This will not be the first time
that the Rector Major will visit the
English Speaking West Africa Vice-
Province, since he has already visited
Liberia in 2004 to mark the 25th
Anniversary of the Salesian presence
there.
Special occasions, which will be marked
during the year, will be the Ordination
to the Priesthood of two Nigerian
Deacons on the 26th May in the Shrine
of Mary Help of Christians in Akure,
and the Perpetual Profession of two
Nigerian Salesians at Onitisha on the14th
July. The S.Y.M. will be organising three
congresses to coincide with these
occasions. The Salesians in Nigeria have
four presences in Akure, Ibadan, Ondo,
and Onitsha and there are around fifty
Nigerian Salesians at present.
Richard Ebejer
Salesians of Don Bosco
Oke Odunwo
PO Box 937351001
ONDO Nigeria
Mobile +234 80293 24600
The first pennant ever had by the
Salesian Cooperators Association in
Malta, was displayed in the Church of
St. Patrick’s Sliema on Sunday 28th
January 2007.
The original development of my
idea on the pennant was shared
with two of my grandchildren
Melchior and Denise – both 14
years of age and very efficient
o n t h e a c t u a l
mechanics of slide
shows on their
personal computer.
Having drawn a
rough sketch of my
idea I left it to them
t o u s e t h e i r
imaginat ion and
develop the concept
and position of the
elements.
I followed them in
their every step of
the process until they
had completed their
task; then we sent the
rough sketches to the
designer in Malta, Silvio
Pace of Qormi.. The
manufature of the pennant
was then carried out in France
in the establishments of
Pastorboni.
The pennant is fully hand
embroidered with gold and
silver metallic threads and coloured silk
threads on crimson-corded silk.
Embroidered in the centre, the badge
of the Association draws attention to
Louis Rengée’s oil portrait of the
Founder Saint John Bosco within a
circle bearing the motto ‘DA MIHI
ANIMAS’ (taken from the Coat-
of-Arms of the Salesian Society and
the ideal of every Salesian).
Around, all the border of
t he pennan t i s
e l a b o r a t e l y
embroidered with
foliage design in
various types of gold
thread and bullions,
and the bottom edge
is trimmed with a
thick gold fringe. On
the reverse side of
the pennant, lined
with satin silk material,
an embroidered
dedication ‘Donated
by the Members of
t h e S a l e s i a n
C o o p e r a t o r s
Association Malta – 8th
December 2006’. Gold
cord and tassels drop down
on the sides. The pennant is
mounted on a crossbar with an
upright staff surmounted by a
Maltese Cross standing on a small
sphere and is furnished with a
stand – the works of art by Cutajar
Works in Malta.
The Salesian Cooperator
by Joe Busuttil - Coordinator
24
25
X’inhi BorΩa ta’ Studju?
Hija somma ta’ flus li tg˙inna biex in˙allsu
parti mill-formazzjoni ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ li qed
i˙ejji ru˙u biex isir saçerdot.
Kemm trid tag˙ti biex twaqqaf BorΩa ta’
Studju?
Kapital ta’ Lm250.
Je˙tie© li bilfors tag˙ti s-somma f’daqqa?
Le. Wie˙ed jista’
jag˙tiha biçça
biçça tant fix-
xahar jew tant fis-
sena.
Je˙tie© li bilfors is-
somma tkun
mog˙tija minn
wie˙ed biss?
Le. Jistg˙u
jiftehmu flimkien
iktar minn
wie˙ed, u
kul˙add jag˙ti
sehmu. IΩda min
jo˙ro© wa˙du s-
somma kollha, ikun
Fundatur ta’ dik il-BorΩa.
Jista’ wie˙ed i˙alli l-BorΩa
b˙ala legat wara mewtu?
Jista’. U min jag˙mel hekk, jista’
jikteb fit-testment: “In˙alli b˙ala legat
lis-Salesjani ta’ Dun Bosco, is-somma
ta’ Lm g˙all-formazzjoni ta’
Ωag˙Ωug˙ Malti fl-istess Soçjeta’.
Kien madwar erbatax-il sena ilu li grupp
ta’ tfajliet Maltin ˙assew is-sej˙a li joffru
˙ajjithom lil Alla bi stil differenti -
konsagrazzjoni fid-dinja fuq il-passi ta’
Dun Bosco. Din ir-realta` kompliet tikber
u tissa˙˙a˙ u qed tattira dejjem aktar
Ωg˙aΩag˙.
Forsi xi w˙ud mill-qarrejja jistaqsu, min
huma l-VDBs? Il-“Volontarji ta’ Dun
Bosco” huwa Istitut Sekulari fi ˙dan il-
Familja Salesjana. Twaqqaf fl-1917 mit-
tielet suççessur ta’ Dun Bosco, il-Beatu
Filippu Rinaldi u g˙aldaqstant din is-sena
jiççelebra d-disg˙in sena mit-twaqqif
tieg˙u. Il-membri huma lajçi kkonsagrati
illi filwaqt li jipprofessaw il-voti, jibqg˙u
jg˙ixu fid-dinja ming˙ajr ˙add ma jinduna
bil-preΩenza tag˙hom g˙aliex m’
g˙andhom xejn li jiddistingwihom mill-
persuni l-o˙ra. Huma jemmnu li l-
preΩenza tag˙hom f’kull settur tal-˙ajja
hija b˙all-˙mira, li g˙alkemm ma tidhirx
hija effettiva, b˙all-mel˙ li jag˙ti t-tog˙ma
lis-soçjeta`. Ix-xewqa tag˙hom hija li
jxerrdu l-kariΩma Salesjana kull fejn ikunu
u bil-preΩenza ta’ madwar 1340 membru
madwar id-dinja, huma jwasslu l-˙olma
ta’ Dun Bosco fl-ambjenti tax-xog˙ol u
l-appostolat.
G˙aliex ma jidhirx l-isem ta’ dawn il-
persuni f’dan l-artiklu? Kif spjegajt fil-
paragrafu ta’ qabel, il-membri ta’ dan l-
Istitut Sekulari jag˙Ωlu li ma jg˙idux li
huma persuni kkonsagrati... mhux g˙ax
mhumiex fer˙anin bil-vokazzjoni tag˙hom
imma g˙aliex jemmnu bis-s˙i˙ li b’dan
il-mod huma jistg˙u jkunu mel˙ ta’ l-art.
L-anonimat tag˙hom huwa sinjal ta’
faqar… huma preΩenza silenzjuΩa imma
effettiva, preΩenza li tistimula d-
diskussjoni u r-riflessjoni. Min jixtieq isir
jaf aktar dwar dan l-istil ta’ ˙ajja, jista’
jikkuntattja lis-Salesjani jew lill-VDBs fuq
vdbmalta@yahoo.com Is-sit uffiçjali
tag˙na huwa:
www.volontariedonbosco.org
27
On 12 November 2006, the Rector Major
flew in from Poland to be greeted by 300
Co-operators and Salesian Family
Delegates. This meeting between the
group and the Rector Major had
somewhat epochal proportions, not so
much for the rapturous welcome, as for
the content of his address to the
assembled Salesian world.
What were once the Regulations of
Apostolic Life, have now become a
Project of Apostolic Life - and indeed
the Rector Major made the point that
from here on, for 35,000 Salesian
Cooperators around the world, the
message is clear: Salesian Cooperators
are to completely renew themselves in
line with the one thing that matters, the
mission to poor and abandoned young
people, total self-giving, a spirituality
which is fundamentally and practically
that of Don Bosco and the Salesian Family
as he wanted it to be.
'This is an evangelical project of life', he
pointed out. ‘It is meant to transform
your lives. When Don Bosco presented
his Constitutions to the Holy See for
approval, one chapter on the “extern
Salesian” was rejected. Don Bosco then
founded the Salesian Cooperators. Don
Bosco wanted you to be one hundred
percent Salesians and at the same time
to be open and docile to all social, cultural
challenges, the magisterium of the Church
and the Salesian Family’. In effect, the
Rector Major spelt out the essential
features of the spirituality as it touches
the Cooperator, with the mission at its
core, total-giving as its driving force.
The Rector Major asked the Salesian
Cooperators to shift mentality - not an
Association, but a Movement. Only if
they come fully into a common sense of
Movement, along with all members of
the Salesian Family, will they have impact
on society today.
He then spelt out the challenges to be
met by the Movement: evangelisation,
life, family, education, and, he added
'involvement in political life'. He clarified
an oft-asked question: ‘Can non-
Christians be Cooperators?’ Not in the
sense of fully pledged members, since
the Promise requires fidelity to the Pope
and presumes Catholic baptism, but they
can cooperate in every other respect.
He also addressed the difficulty of
separated and divorced couples, asking
for understanding for people in difficult
situations. Separation and divorce per se
are no reason why a person may not be
a Salesian Cooperator. Second marriage
outside the Church's understanding
creates other difficulties. These matters
require our constant attention and further
study.
Rev. Fr. Alfred Sacco and Mr. Joe Busuttil
with the Rector Major
THE SALESIAN REGION OF
SOUTH ASIA
Today South Asia includes nine Provinces
and the Vice-Province of Konkan in India,
the Vice-Provinces of Myanmar and of
Sri Lanka, and the communities and
foundations in the Andaman Islands
(belonging to the Chennai Province).
Then there are the Salesian Houses in
Nepal (belonging to the Kolkata
Province), in Yemen (belonging to the
Bangalore Province) and in Kuwait (which
belongs to the Province of Mumbai).At
the beginning of the twentieth century,
at the time of the arrival of the Salesians,
India, Burma (now Myanmar) and Ceylon
(now Sri Lanka) were British Colonies,
while Kuwait was a British Protectorate.
India gained independence in August
1947, Myanmar in January 1948, Sri Lanka
in February 1948 and Kuwait in
September 1961. Nepal had been an
independent country from the second
part of the eighteenth century.
INDIAN HISTORY
Geographically India is situated between
Myanmar and Pakistan, in the southern
part of Asia with boundaries extending
from the Arabian Sea to the Gulf of
Bengal. India’s original inhabitants were
the Dravidians, whose civilisation was
one of the oldest in the world, going
back at least 5,000 years. About the year
1500 BC, groups of Arians invaded the
Indian subcontinent from the northwest,
and their fusion with the original
inhabitants gave rise to the classical Indian
culture of the present day. Later the
Indian territory witnessed regular
incursions by Arabs, Turks and European
traders until finally, during the nineteenth
century Great Britain assumed political
control over almost the whole of Indian
territory. Prolonged resistance to British
co lon ia l i sm eventua l l y led to
independence in 1947 . Wi th
independence, the subcontinent was
divided into two: the secular State of
India and the smaller Muslim State of
Pakistan. A war between the two
countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan
becoming a separate nation, called
Bangladesh.
PEOPLE AND RELIGION
Successive waves of foreign invaders left
28
In order to understand better the presence of the Salesians in this
part of the world it is necessary to know a little bit about the political,
social and religious situation in this region. This time we talk about
India.
A Salesian
View of the World
prepared by Fr. Victor Mangion SDB
an indelible mark on the culture of the
Indian subcontinent. Of the total
population, some 72% is of Indo-Aryan
origin with 25% of Dravidian. A
considerable number of the inhabitants
are identified as Dalits. These are placed
under the heading of “scheduled castes”
by the Indian government and are able
to enjoy certain social benefits. And
there are finally various tribes that are
listed as “scheduled tribes”. The Hindu
religion (dharma) contemplates four
castes in hierarchical order: the Brahmins
(the priestly caste), the Kshatriya (the
princely class), the Vaishya (the
commercial class), and the Sudra (the
working class). The members of these
main castes oppressed different groups
of the original inhabitants, and reduced
them to a class without caste at all, the
Dalits, the Pariahs.
During and after the struggle for
independence there was a strong
reaction to this unjust situation, and
today both government and Church do
a great deal for the wellbeing of the
“casteless” group. We have made
specific mention of this group because
some 70% of Indian Christians belong
to the Dalits and in some of our Indian
Provinces they constitute the main
subjects and beneficiaries of our
apostolate.
Today, India is the biggest democracy in
the world and the country with the
s e c o n d h i g h e s t p o p u l a t i o n
(1,095,351,995), of whom 80.5% are
Hindus, 12.4% Muslims, and 2.3%
Christians. Within the country can be
found enormous differences between
rich and poor. The literacy index is only
59.5%. The official language is Hindi,
while English enjoys the position of a
national language. In addition there are
14 other official languages, each with its
own script, and 200 other non-official
languages, to say nothing of thousands
of dialects. The overall result is that
India is a veritable mosaic of tongues,
cultures and traditions, which all
contribute to a disconcerting complexity
and a unique richness.
29
to be continued …
Mumbai, India - 19 October 2006. Street Children in Mumbai who were celebrating “Diwali
Mela” (Festival of Light) at the “ Don Bosco High School”, presenting a petition against the
violence they suffer to Mr. Shri Armes Deomane Medhekar, Local Councillor.
30
The Ouija
Board
31
hat week was Halloween, and my
two oldest girls wanted a party on
the Saturday before. I said okay, but
one of the girls they invited brought a
Ouija board.
My girls sneaked it upstairs, because
they knew I wouldn't allow it in the
house. They also took this oil candle of
mine up with them, one of those things
with a glass globe. They turned off all
the lights and were asking questions like
'Who am I going to marry? How many
kids am I going to have?'
"But then my daughter Ellen, who is
very bright, asked, "Am I going to have
a happy life?' And she put the pointer
down and it started to move all by itself.
First it went over and touched "Yes',
then it swung back and touched 'No'.
They were all, 'Whoaaa.' Not touching
it. Finally my daughter asked, 'Who are
you?' And it went over to the question
mark. So they got an idea. They picked
the pointer up and used a piece of
masking tape to attach a pencil. And
then they put it down on top of a blank
sheet of paper. And then they said,
'Identify yourself.' And the pointer
started to move again. They thought it
was writing, but it was drawing. And
then, all of a sudden, the oil candle
exploded – flame shot straight up into
the air, until it actually burned the ceiling.
And the kids ran downstairs screaming,
every one of them.
We heard this absolutely terrified
screaming, and then this thundering
down the stairs, and the front door
opening, and all this shrieking as they
ran outside. We thought they were
having a good time, but then we heard
crying and sobbing. So we went out the
front door, and they were all standing
in the front yard. I said, 'What did you
do, scare yourselves with ghost stories?'
I told them to come in, but they
wouldn't. My daughters told me,
'Mommy, don't go upstairs.' Finally I
coaxed them all back into the house,
but they were still crying and shaking.
After a while they told me what
happened, but it came out very broken.
My husband tried to convince them
they were just imagining it. Finally Ellen
said, 'I know what. Go up and get the
piece of paper off the Ouija board.' My
husband went up alone, and came back
down with the Ouija board and the
pointer and the paper. And he said, ' Is
this what scared you kids? Who drew
this?' And they said, 'Drew? Isn't there
a name on it? And Ron said, 'No, there's
a picture on here. But it's very faint.'
So we turned on the lamp and held it
under the light and could see it clearly.
It was a picture of Satan, but not the
Satan a kid would draw. This thing was
so elaborate: Beard, horns, a figure of
a man sitting on a huge rock, legs
crossed, with cloven hooves and the
most horrible grin on his face.
"Ron took the Oiuja board and the
pointer and the paper outside, and
burned everything in their presence.
My daughters' friends were still in
hysterics, though. And they called their
parents and asked them to pick them
up. They said, 'We're not spending the
night here. This is a weird house. And
we think your mom is really weird too.'
They left in tears, and my daughters
were in tears.
(A Mother – Tennessee, USA)
T
On the 150th year of his death, we present a very short biography
of St. Dominic Savio, in order to commemorate this event.
Dominic Savio died on 8-3-1857, was beatified on 5-3-1950 by
H.H. Pope Pius XII and canonized on 12-6-54 by the same Pope.
32
PROMISE OF HOLINESS
Dominic was born on April 2, 1842, in
San Giovanni di Riva, near Chieri
(Turin). On the occasion of his First
Communion, at the age of seven, he
set out his life's programme: "I will go
to Confession frequently and
Communion as often as my confessor
allows. I want to make Sundays and
feast days holy. My friends will be Jesus
and Mary. Death but not sin". At twelve,
Don Bosco accepted him into the
Oratory in Turin and Dominic asked
his help in order to "become a saint".
Gentle, serene and happy, he put great
effort into fulfilling his duties as a student
and helping his companions in every
way he could, teaching them Catechism,
assisting the sick and settling quarrels.
ROAD TO HOLINESS
One day he said to a companion, who
had just arrived in the Oratory: "You
should know that here we make
holiness consist in being always cheerful.
We just try to avoid sin, which is the
St. Dominic Savio. i i i
33
great enemy that robs us of the grace
of God and peace of heart, and we
try to fulfil our duties exactly." He
was very faithful to his programme
of work, sustained by intense
participation in sacramental life, by a
filial devotion to Mary and by joyful
sacrifice. God enriched him with many
special gifts.
LOVE FOR MARY
On December 8, 1854, when Pius IX
proclaimed the dogma of the
Immaculate Conception, Dominic
consecrated himself to Mary and
began to advance rapidly in holiness.
In 1856, he founded the Immaculate
Conception Sodality among his friends.
This was a group dedicated to
apostolic action and peer ministry.
LOVE FOR THE EUCHARIST
Mamma Margaret, who had come to
Turin to help her priest son Don
Bosco, one day said to him: "You have
many good boys, but no one surpasses
the beauty of heart and soul of
Dominic Savio". And she explained:
"I see him always praying, even
remaining in Church after the others;
every day he leaves recreation to
visit the Blessed Sacrament; when he
is in Church, he is like an angel in
Heaven".
Dominic died in Mondonio on March
9, 1857. His remains are in the Basilica
of Mary Help of Christians in Turin.
His feast is celebrated on May 6. Pope
Pius XI defined him as "A little, or
rather, a great giant of the Spirit". He
is patron of young choir singers.
34
Fr. Paul Formosa sdb Delegation Economer
Savio College, Buskett Road, Dingli, RBT 09.
Tel: 2145 4546
Ghinil-hidma
Salesjana
awk li huma l-iΩjed fil-periklu l-aktar jin˙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.
Huwa fatt ta’ swied il-qalb li llum ˙afna Ωg˙aΩag˙ huma:
vittma ta’ min juΩahom biex jistg˙ana
abbuΩati sesswalment
uΩati mill-mexxejja tad-droga
imça˙˙din minn valuri essenzjali fil-˙ajja
Int tista’ 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
ibierkek g˙al kull g˙ajnuna li tista’ tag˙ti.
B˙ala g˙ajnuna g˙all-missjoni tag˙kom. Naf li din ma tqieg˙ed
l-ebda obligazzjoni fuqi u li nista’ nwaqqaf il-kontribuzzjoni
tieg˙i meta rrid.
Iva, nixtieq ng˙in lis-Salesjani. Se nibg˙at
ISEM
INDIRIZZ
On 26th April 1852, the
ammunition depot in
Turin, exploded. The
Oratory was situated
near enough to suffer
serious damages.
Fortunately no one was
hurt. As a memento of
this protection from
heaven, Don Bosco
printed five thousand
holy pictures
representing Our Lady
protecting the Oratory.
On top there were
printed the words: “In
danger and in need
recur to Mary” and
underneath the image,
“The sons of the Oratory
of St. Francis of Sales to
Mary our Consoler:
prostrated at your feet,
saved from the burning
powder, we give thanks
to you, Holy Virgin”
.
(From “La Madonna
di D. Bosco” by
C. De Ambrogio
and G. Del Col)
r-Rettur Ma©©ur, qieg˙ed, din is-sena,
jistedinna sabiex in˙arsu lejn wie˙ed
mill-isba˙ doni ta’ Alla li hija L-ÓAJJA.
Hu jag˙tina ˙jiel fuqiex nimxu meta
jg˙idilna
Ejjew ni©u mmexxija mill-im˙abba
ta’ Alla g˙all-˙ajja.
Imbag˙ad jistedinna sabiex
f’dawn iΩ-Ωminijiet
meta l-˙ajja hija mhedda
mill-kultura tal-mewt,
a˙na, b˙ala Familja
Salesjana, nikkommettu
ru˙na sabiex
nilqg˙u l-˙ajja b˙ala
don sagru ta’ Alla,
in©ibu l’ quddiem
il-˙ajja b’servizz
responsabbli,
niddefendu d-dinjità
u kwalita` ta’ kull
˙ajja, specjalment
tad-dg˙ajjef, tal-fqir
u ta’ l-innoçenti.
c/
o
St
. P
at
ric
k’
s
Sc
ho
ol
,
Tr
iq
S
an
G
w
an
n
Bo
sc
o,
Sl
ie
m
a
- S
LM
1
0
M
al
ta
NE
W
SP
AP
ER
P
OS
T
