Hajja Salesjana MARZU-APRIL 2010il-214 Óar©a
Haiti - The Salesians Hit by the Earthquake
A Saintly Salesian Brother
G˙aqda mar-Rieda ta’ Alla
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.
Randan 10
Haiti - The Salesians Hit 12
Blessed Michael Rua (2) 14
Malta Salesjana 21
Diçembru Fl-Iskola ta’ St. Patrick – Sliema 22
A Saintly Salesian Brother 24
Ir-Ra©el ©ust ta’ Marija
San ÌuΩepp fil-kitba Apocrifa 26
The Empty Egg 28
Diaconate Ordination of Br Martin Tanti SDB 29
Dun Bosco fis-Santi u Kartolini 31
G˙aqda mar-Rieda ta’ Alla 32
Editorjal / Pedago©ija / Caledar of events /
Something to think about / Marian Apparitions
3Hajja Salesjana
Ûmien ir-Randan
editorjal
G˙eΩieΩ qarrejja
Ninsabu fi Ωmien ir-Randan u ˙afna jistaqsu x’tip
ta’ penitenza wie˙ed jista’ jag˙mel. Qabel kienet
issir ˙afna insistenza fuq sawm mill-ikel u o˙rajn
jinsistu fuq li l-kafé jew it-te jkun bla ˙alib. Ma
rridx nag˙ti l-impressjoni li dawn m’g˙adhomx
jg˙oddu. Ikun a˙jar iΩda jekk in˙arsu lejn il-
penitenza b’mod poΩittiv. X’jista’ wie˙ed jag˙mel
u mhux x’ma jistax jag˙mel biex jissaffa min-
nuqqasijiet tieg˙u.
Óa©a li tolqotni ˙afna u ©©eg˙ilni nirrifletti
mhux ftit hija l-˙ajja ta’ ˙afna ©enituri llum.
Ja˙dmu t-tnejn u meta jer©g˙u lura mix-
xog˙ol, g˙ajjenin kif inhuma ijridu jie˙du ˙sieb
it-tfal, jag˙mlu l-˙asla, ix-xirja, it-tisjir, jg˙inu
l’uliedhom jag˙mlu l-‘homework’, jo˙orgu jixtru
l-o©©etti li t-‘teacher’ tkun talbet lit-tfal biex
i©ibu mag˙hom l-g˙ada, il-preokkupazzjoni
g˙aliex ma jistg˙ux ila˙˙qu mal-˙ajja, il-flus ma
jservux etc., etc. Xi w˙ud minn dawn impenjati
wkoll fil-volontarjat fejn jag˙tu minn ˙inhom
g˙all-o˙rajn fin-‘nurseries’, fil-klabbs tal-banda,
fl-armar tal-festi, etc. U ng˙id lili innifsi: kieku
dawn jag˙mluh kollu mhux biss b˙ala dover imma
wkoll b˙ala att ta’ m˙abba lejn Ìesu’ li jixtieqna
lkoll inkunu sensittivi g˙all-˙ti©ijiet ta’ l-o˙rajn,
kemm jiswilna aktar ta’ ©id. Óajjitna tkun aktar
bis-sens. Dan huwa eΩerçizzju li billi mhux façli
jista’ jservi ta’ penitenza g˙ar-Randan.
Fil-qari tieg˙i lltqajt ma’ eΩempju klassiku ta’
dan. Fr Pedro Aruppe qabel kien Superjur Ìenerali
tal-ÌiΩwiti, kien qieg˙ed iservi b˙ala Mastru
tan-Novizzi fil-Ìappun meta fis-6 ta’ Awwissu
1945 niΩlet il-bomba atomika fuq Hiroshima.
X’˙in ra l-belt sewda bil-©mied tal-˙ruq, eluf
mejtin, o˙rajn feruti u ma˙ruqa ji©©errew fit-
toroq jittalbu l-ilma, imqanqal minn dak li ra,
©era lejn il-kappella, inxte˙et g˙arkobbtejh u
talab jg˙ajjat: «Int Mulej taf kollox u tistedinna
nag˙mlu xi ˙a©a. » Óare© minn hemm u flimkien
man-novizzi biddel id-dar fi sptar ta’ emer©enza.
Xena tassew kommoventi. M’hemmx osservanza
a˙jar tar-Randan minn meta dak li jkun, meta jara
l-˙tie©a ta’ dawk ta’ madwaru, mhux biss i˙oss
g˙alihom iΩda jmidd idejh biex itaffi s-sofferenzi
tag˙hom.
Nawguralkom G˙id Qaddis.
Fr Victor Mangion SDB
Rettur Komunità Salesjana ta’ l-Isla
... kieku dawn jag˙mluh kollu mhux biss b˙ala
dover imma wkoll b˙ala att ta’ m˙abba lejn Ìesù
li jixtieqna lkoll inkunu sensittivi g˙all-˙ti©ijiet
ta’ l-o˙rajn, kemm jiswilna aktar ta’ ©id.
4 Hajja Salesjana
editorial
“If these people were to perform all these activities
not just as a duty but also as an act of love of Jesus,
who desires that we be sensitive to the needs of
others, wouldn’t it be of more spiritual advantage to
them? Wouldn’t their life make more sense?”
Dear Readers,
We are in the time of Lent and many of us ask
what kind of penance we can practice. In the old
days there was much insistence on fasting and
we were even forbidden milk in our coffee or
tea. I don’t wish to say that these practices are
not good any more; but it would be much better
if we looked at penance in a positive manner.
Let us think of what we can do, and not of what
is forbidden, so that we may be purified of our
misdeeds.
There is something that strikes me and makes
me stop and think: that is the life of many parents
nowadays. They both have a job and when they
come back home, tired as they are, they need
to look after their children, the shopping, the
cooking, their children’s homework; they need
to purchase things the teacher has asked for
from their children, adding this to their worry
about the cost of living, and the stretching of
their pay-cheque. Now, some of these parents
are also involved in “voluntary” work where
they give their time to football nurseries, band
clubs, feast decorations, etc. So I ask myself, “If
these people were to perform all these activities
Time of Lent
not just as a duty but also as an act of love of
Jesus, who desires that we be sensitive to the
needs of others, wouldn’t it be of more spiritual
advantage to them? Wouldn’t their life make more
sense?” This certainly would be a worthy exercise
of penance for Lent.
Some time ago I read a story that would be a
classical example of what I am saying. Fr. Pedro
Arrupe SJ, who later became Superior General of
the Jesuit Fathers, was Master of Novices in Japan
when on 6th August 1945 the atomic bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima. When he saw the blackened
town, the thousands of dead, the maimed and
burned roaming the streets begging for water,
moved by what he saw he ran to the chapel, fell to
his knees and prayed aloud, “You, Lord, know the
meaning of this, and you ask us to do something
about it…” Out of the chapel and with the help
of his novices, he transformed the house into an
emergency hospital - a really moving scene.
There is no better observance of Lent than
when someone, seeing the need of those around
him, not only feels moved by their plight but also
goes into action to alleviate their suffering.
I wish you all a Holy Easter.
5Hajja Salesjana
PEDAGOÌIJA
Salesjana
Kummenti fuq li Strenna 2010:
Il-Van©elu liΩ-Ûg˙aΩag˙
Minn Pascual Chavez – Trad. Joe Cini
Fil-Familja, l-Edukazzjoni ta’ Ìesù
Il-familja hija l-iskola kbira mwaqqfa minn Alla g˙all-edukazzjoni
tal-©ens uman (Gotthold E. Lessing)
Wie˙ed mill-elementi li jg˙inna nifhmu lilna nfusna
b˙ala bnedmin u li lilu ©iet mog˙tija importanza
kbira fis-seklu g˙oxrin, hija n-natura storika tal-
˙ajja umana. A˙na mhux biss ng˙ixu fl-istorja,
imma qeg˙din ukoll ninbnew permezz tag˙ha, jum
wara l-ie˙or, fi proçess li jintemm biss bil-mewt.
Dan jidher daqshekk ovvju, li xi kultant ninsewh;
bil-konsegwenza li nifhmu l-˙ajja b˙ala proçess
dejjem miexi: qatt ma nistg˙u ng˙idu li a˙na
‘kompluti’, lanqas ma nistg˙u nieqfu b˙al xi ©ebla.
G˙alhekk, jekk inqisu serjament il-fatt li l-Iben ta’
Alla ried jaqsam il-˙ajja tag˙na, dan ifisser li a˙na
nemmnu li Huwa wkoll g˙ex Ωmien ta’ eΩistenza
storika matul ˙ajtu.
Dan hu li, baΩikament, jfissru l-kliem ta’
l-Iskrittura ‘It-tifel baqa’ jikber u jissa˙˙a˙, mimli
bil-g˙erf. U l-grazzja ta’ Alla kienet fuqu’ (Lq 2, 40).
Il-˙ajja tieg˙u fuq l-art ma kinetx apparenza biss!
Insibuha diffiçli nemmnu li Alla ˙abbna daqshekk
li ried ikun wie˙ed minna. (Wa˙da mir-ra©unijet
6 Hajja Salesjana
g˙aliex il-Knisja sa mill-bidunett irrifjutat ‘il-
van©eli apokrifi’ kienet li dawn, baΩikament ma
jag˙rfux il-verità ta’ l-inkarnazzjoni). G˙aldaqstant
dan jippermettilna nit˙addtu fuq ‘l-edukazzjoni
ta’ l-Iben ta’ Alla’ li tixbah lil dik ta’ kwalunkwe
bniedem ie˙or, li jin˙tie©lu din il-kura sabiex jista’
‘jikber’. Lil Ìesù din il-kura ©iet ipprovduta, qabel
xejn, minn Marija u ÌuΩeppi r-ra©el tag˙ha. Pawlu
VI jg˙id sewwa li: ‘l-ekwilibriju uman ta’ Ìesù huwa
sinjal tal-preΩenza tal-©enituri tieg˙u.’
San ÌuΩepp, kif nafu, mhux il-‘missier’ ta’ Ìesù,
fis-sens fiΩiku; imma l-kollaborazzjoni tieg˙u mal-
pjan ta’ Alla u fl-iΩvilupp uman ta’ Ìesù hija aktar
rilevanti mill-fatt li jkun il-missier ‘biolo©iku’ fid-
dar ta’ NaΩaret. Jekk nibbaΩaw rwie˙na fuq l-istess
kriterju teolo©iku li jippermettilna nitkellmu fuq
il-Ver©ni Marija b˙ala ‘Omm Alla’, nistg˙u wkoll
insej˙u lilha u lil San ÌuΩepp ‘edukaturi ta’ Alla.’
Dan it-titlu g˙andu jkun g˙aΩiΩ g˙alina l-membri
tal-Familja Salesjana. A˙na wkoll, infatti, msej˙in
sabiex fil-˙idma edukattiva u pastorali tag˙na,
inqarrbu lit-tfal sabiex jixbhu lil Kristu, ‘sabiex
ikun Hu l-ewwel fost ˙afna a˙wa’ (Rom 8, 29). Xi
drabi nisimg˙u min jg˙id, rigward it-tfal, ‘G˙andha
g˙ajnejn ommha jew ‘g˙andu wiçç missieru’ u
b’hekk jitqajjem fil-©enituri çertu sens ta’ kburija.
G˙andna l-˙ila ng˙idu dan g˙al Ìesù? Jien na˙seb
li iva. ÌuΩeppi, f’mument deçiΩiv u f’sitwazzjoni li
ma tantx seta’ jifhem, ‘billi kien ra©el ©ust’ g˙aΩel
li jimxi mhux fuq il-Li©i imma fuq l-im˙abba u
˙aseb biex jissepara bil-kwiet minn Marija li hu
kien i˙obb, minflok ma jikka©unalha nkwiet (Mt
1, 19). Dan, Ìesù tg˙allmu perfettament, u qalilna,
‘Jekk il-˙ajja tajba tag˙kom ma tkunx ˙afna a˙jar
minn dik tal-kittieba u l-FariΩej, ma tid˙lux fis-
Saltna tas-Smewwiet’ (Mt 5, 20).
F’Marija niskopru l-mudel ta’ dedikazzjoni
u servizz ©eneruΩ, b˙al meta marret g˙and
ku©initha EliΩabetta sabiex tg˙inha waqt it-tqala
tag˙ha ming˙ajr ma tat kas ta’ l-istat tag˙ha;
jew inkella meta, f’Kana, kienet attenta g˙all-
‘Bin il-Bniedem ma
©iex biex ikun moqdi,
imma biex jaqdi u biex
jag˙ti ˙ajtu b’fidwa
g˙all-kotra’
(Mt 20,28)
7Hajja Salesjana
bΩonnijiet ta’ l-o˙rajn, avolja dan ma kienx
responsabbiltà tag˙ha. Hija kienet omm dak li
snin wara ing˙ad fuqu li, ‘Bin il-Bniedem ma ©iex
biex ikun moqdi, imma biex jaqdi u biex jag˙ti
˙ajtu b’fidwa g˙all-kotra’ (Mt 20,28). Imma,
barra minn dan, f’Marija u ÌuΩeppi, meta f’modi
differenti ji©u mistiedna sabiex jikkolaboraw mal-
Pjan tas-Salvazzjoni, naraw illi t-tnejn li huma, bil-
kelma imma aktar bl-attitudni tag˙hom, iwie©bu
lil Alla ming˙ajr tlaqliq: il-fidi tag˙hom tintwera
f’ubbidjenza totali. ‘Ara, jiena l-qaddejja tal-Mulej:
˙a jsir minni skond kelmtek’ (Lq 1, 38). ‘Meta
ÌuΩeppi qam, g˙amel kif ordnalu l-an©lu tal-Mulej,
u ˙a lil martu g˙andu’(Mt 1, 38). Binhom tg˙allem
din il-lezzjoni perfettament tant li saret l-attitudni
çentrali ta’ ˙ajtu: ‘obda sal-mewt, anzi sal-mewt
tas-salib’ (Fil 2, 8b).
Wie˙ed mill-elementi li jg˙inna nifhmu lilna nfusna b˙ala bnedmin u
li lilu ©iet mog˙tija importanza kbira fis-seklu g˙oxrin, hija n-natura
storika tal-˙ajja umana. A˙na mhux biss ng˙ixu fl-istorja, imma
qeg˙din ukoll ninbnew permezz tag˙ha, jum wara l-ie˙or, fi proçess
li jintemm biss bil-mewt. Dan jidher daqshekk ovvju, li xi kultant
ninsewh; bil-konsegwenza li nifhmu l-˙ajja b˙ala proçess dejjem
miexi: qatt ma nistg˙u ng˙idu li a˙na ‘kompluti’, lanqas ma nistg˙u
nieqfu b˙al xi ©ebla.
8 Hajja Salesjana
Every Friday: Stations of the Cross at St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
1 – 3 “Live-in for ‘Hbieb Domenico Savio” Form 3 at Savio College
Wed 3 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s.
Sat 6 Course in Salesian Spirituality 6
8 – 10 Live-in for ‘Hbieb Domenico Savio” Form 2 at Savio College
8 – 12 Lenten Sermons at St. Patrick’s at 7.00pm
Sat 13 Pre-Chapter Meeting for Salesian Family
Sat 13 Cousre in Salesian Spirituality 6
Sun 14 Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s Committee Meeting at 9.30 a.m.
15 – 16 Live-in for ‘Hbieb Domenico Savio” Form 1 at Savio College
Mon 15 BL. Artemide Zatti SDB
Thu 18 Dingli Cooperators’ Meeting at Savio College
18 - 21 Book Fair at St. Patrick’s Sliema.
Fri 19 Feast of St. Joseph. Yearly Bikeathlon at Savio College
Sun 21 Lectio Divina at Savio College
22 – 24 Live-in for ‘Hbieb Domenico Savio” Form 4 at Savio College
Wed 24 Monthly Commemoration of Mary Help at St. Patrick’s: 6.30 p.m.
Fri 26 Our Lady of Sorrows. End of School Term
Sun 28 Open Day at Savio College. Day Retreat for Past Pupils
1 – 3 Maundy Thursday / Good Friday / Holy Saturday
Sun 4 Easter Sunday. Salesian Pilgrimage to Turin
Wed 7 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s
Sun 11 Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s Committee Meeting at 9.30 a.m.
Mon 12 Start of 3rd School Term
Sat 17 Course in Salesian Spirituality 7. Meeting for “Hbieb Dom Savio”
at Savio College
Mon 26 Monthly Commemoration of Mary Help at St. Patrick’s: 6.30 p.m
Fri 30 Savio College prize Day
Wed 5 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s
Thu 6 St. Dominic Savio. Celebrations in all Salesian Houses.
Sat 8 Hbieb Dom Savio & Laura Vicuna at Savio College. Dingli Cooperators’
Meeting
Sun 9 Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s Committee Meeting at 9.30 a.m.
FeaStS & eVeNtS
ma
rcH
apr
il
ma
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
9Hajja Salesjana
10 Hajja Salesjana
L-istedina tar-Randan hija li
nersqu qrib Kristu u n©eddu
l-˙ajja tag˙na ta’ fidi.
Ûmien ta’ Fidi
Il-Fidi hija rigal kbir minn g˙and Alla. Permezz
tal-fidi a˙na nistg˙u nisimg˙u l-Kelma ta’ Alla u
npo©©uha fiç-çentru tal-˙ajja tag˙na. Permezz
tal-fidi nifhmu l-veru sens ta’ ˙ajjitna u tad-dinja
madwarna. Permezz tal-fidi a˙na kapaçi mmexxu
u nfasslu ˙ajjitna skond ir-rieda ta’ Alla kif, fil-
˙niena tieg˙u, Hu jurina. Permezz tal-fidi npo©©u
lil Alla fin-nofs ta’ dak kollu li nag˙mlu.
L-ewwel frott tal-fidi huwa t-talb. Talba
fiduçjuΩa ta’ kuljum hija l-ewwel sinjal tal-˙ajja
ta’ min jemmen. Tassew, Ìesù jg˙allimna mhux
biss l-importanza tat-talb, imma anki kif g˙andna
nitolbu. G˙alhekk jag˙mel sens li l-priorità tag˙na
matul ir-Randan tkun li n©eddu l-˙ajja tag˙na ta’
talb. U mat-talb ji©u wkoll iΩ-Ωew© dimensjonijiet
l-o˙ra tar-Randan: is-sawm u l-karità. Kull wa˙da
minn dawn hija espressjoni prattika tal-fidi u tat-
talb tag˙na.
Matul ir-Randan huwa importanti li kull
wie˙ed/wa˙da minna jipprattika ç-ça˙da: din x’se
tkun, g˙aΩel inti. Imma, li f’xi ˙in jiena niçça˙˙ad
minn xi ̇ a©a li g˙andi kull dritt nixxennaq g˙aliha,
dan ifakkarni kemm verament jiena niddependi
minn Alla. Importanti wkoll li nitg˙allmu nag˙tu
©eneroΩament: forsi flusna, forsi ˙ina, forsi
˙ilitna. U dan nag˙mluh b’mod partikulari lejn
min hu fil-bΩonn. G˙aliex irridu niftakru kemm
a˙na rçevejna minn g˙and Alla. Alla jipprovdilna
mhux bil-ftit; ejjew nipprovdu bil-˙afna lil min hu
fil-bΩonn.
KLiem iL-PaPa
‘Irrid nistedinkom tag˙rfu l-Ispirtu s-Santu aktar
fil-fond u b’mod personali. Fil-Kredu a˙na ng˙idu
“Nemmen fl-Ispirtu s-Santu, il-Mulej li jag˙ti
l-˙ajja, li ©ej mill-Missier u mill-Iben.” Iva. l-Ispirtu
s-Santu, l-Ispirtu ta’ m˙abba bejn il-Missier u l-
Iben, huwa l-g˙ajn tal-qdusija, “g˙aliex l-im˙abba
ta’ Alla ssawbet fi qlubna permezz ta’ l-Ispirtu s-
Santu li kien mog˙ti lilna” (Rum 5,5). Imma mhux
biΩΩejjed tag˙raf l-Ispirtu: irridu nilqg˙uh b˙ala
dawl ta’ ru˙na, b˙ala “l-g˙alliem tal-˙ajja tar-
ru˙”, li jmexxina lejn il-fidi u jg˙allimna ng˙ixuha
kuljum bis-s˙i˙. L-Ispirtu jsuqna lejn l-o˙rajn, waqt
li jkebbes fina n-nar ta’ l-im˙abba u jag˙milna
missjunarji ta’ l-im˙abba ta’ Alla.’
B’dawn il-kliem, il-Papa jistedinna nid˙lu
aktar fil-fond tal-misteru tal-Fidi. Jistedinna
Randan
Ûmien biex nersqu qrib Kristu mill-Arçisqof Vincent Nichols
11Hajja Salesjana
nifhmu b’mod aktar g˙oli kif il-˙idma tal-Missier,
l-Iben u l-Ispirtu s-Santu ssib postha f’˙ajjitna.
Il-Papa Benedittu jitkellem fuq l-Ispirtu s-Santu
b˙ala l-G˙alliem tal-˙ajja tar-ru˙. Dan hu kliem
importanti. Il-˙ajja tar-ru˙ ta’ kull wie˙ed/wa˙da
minna huwa dak kollu li jse˙˙ lilhinn minn dak li
naraw. Huwa l-parti l-aktar importanti ta’ ˙ajjitna.
Huwa dak kollu li jokkupa lil qalbna u lil mo˙˙na;
dak kollu li jg˙ollina anke jekk g˙al ftit; dak kollu
li jdawwalna lilhinn mill-˙wejje© jew ©rajjiet
immedjati u ovvji. Il-˙ajja tar-ru˙ hija l-mumenti
ta’ niket, ta’ frustrazzjoni, ta’ mog˙drija u ta’
m˙abba. Il-Papa qieg˙ed jg˙idilna li l-˙ajja tar-ru˙
tag˙na tista’ titpo©©a ta˙t l-influss ta’ l-Ispirtu
s-Santu sabiex issir ˙a©a ta’ sbu˙ija u verità,
u fuq kollox, ta’ m˙abba. Meta ji©ri dan, ikompli
jg˙idilna, insiru ‘missjunarji ta’ l-im˙abba ta’ Alla.’
eKoLoÛija Umana
B’kuntrast ma’ dan, il-˙ajja normali hija mifhuma
sewwa g˙ax kollox ji©ri quddiem g˙ajnejna; naraw
x’ji©ri fina u madwarna. Dan hu li l-aktar ji©bed l-
attenzjoni tal-bniedem illum. U sewwa li ninkeddu
g˙al dak li qed ji©ri madwarna u naraw kif nistg˙u
in˙arsuh. Il-kelma ‘ekologija’ qieg˙da tinstema’
dejjem aktar g˙aliex irridu naraw li n-natura ma
tinqeridx. G˙al kuntrarju hemm bΩonn li tkun ip-
preservata u kkurata.
Il-˙ajja tar-ru˙ ukoll g˙andha l-ekolo©ija
tag˙ha. Din hija l-ekolo©ija umana: il-mod kif
infasslu r-relazzjoni tag˙na ma’ l-o˙rajn; il-mod
kif nifhmu u n˙arsu lejn il-©ewwieni tag˙na; il-mod
kif intejbu l-veru progress uman fil-familja u fis-
soçjetà. Din l-ekolo©ija umana hija l-post fejn, fuq
kull imkien ie˙or, irridu nipprote©u dak kollu li hu
tassew tajjeb. G˙ax tassew, waqt li qeg˙din nag˙tu
din l-attenzjoni kollha lill-ekologija esterjuri tad-
dinja tag˙na, qeg˙din nitilfu l-kuntatt mas-sewwa
ta’ l-ekolo©ija umana u d-dimensjoni spiritwali
tag˙ha. Huwa mela hawn li d-don tal-fidi u d-don
ta’ l-Ispirtu s-Santu huma daqshekk importanti.
L-Ispirtu s-Santu jg˙allimna fuq il-˙ajja interjuri
tag˙na, fuq is-sewwa ta’ l-ekolo©ija umana u fuq
kif ng˙ixu b’mod li nipprote©u u nmantnu kull
ma’ hu umanament tajjeb. Dan jista’ jsir l-a˙jar
meta teΩisti relazzjoni miftu˙a ma’ Alla, mΩejna
b’umiltà, ma˙fra u m˙abba, u dejjem immexxija
mit-tag˙lim tal-Knisja.
Il-Mulej iberikna fl-isforzi tag˙na. Il-Mulej
iqawwi r-relazzjoni tag˙na mieg˙u fit-talb u
jg˙inna nag˙mlu frott ta’ ça˙da u ©eneroΩità lejn
l-o˙rajn.
12 Hajja Salesjana
When you read this article, things
will have changed in Haiti. But at
the time we go to print, a week or
so after the disaster, this was the
situation.
“We have been hit very hard,” said Fr
Ducange Sylvain SDB, appointed the new
Superior of the “Blessed Philip Rinaldi” Vice
Province of Haiti last December, referring to
the situation of the Salesians.
In a short and dramatic communication
Fr Sylvain gave a picture of the situation a
few hours after the earthquake measuring
7.0 on the scale, which struck the Carribean
island of Haiti on Tuesday 12th January in the
afternoon local time.
The house of Port-Au-Prince Enam and
the foundations near the “Saint John Bosco”
Institute, such as the Work of the Little Schools
of Father Bonhem, entrusted to the Salesians,
and the “Lakay”, suffered the greatest
damage in the city. The Salesians from the
centre were injured. Here the Salesians have
a primary school, a technical school and also
a reception centre for youngsters in difficulty
and an oratory.
The Salesian Brother Sanon (aged 85)
died under the ruins and sadly over 500
pupils and some teachers were buried there.
The Provincial House and that of Fleuriot,
both in Port-Au-Prince, have been severely
damaged; two young Salesians in formation
(aged 26 and 28) who were at the university
were killed when the house collapsed. At the
house of Carrefour-Thorland, a part of the
building and the reception centre collapsed
but the Salesians are safe.
At Gressier class-rooms collapsed. At
Petion-Ville the buildings suffered serious
damage. Fr Harold Bernard, aged 83, has
been rescued from the ruins alive. Archbishop
Joseph Serge Miot, the archbishop of Port-Au-
Prince, died under the rubble.
The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians
have suffered damage to their works in Port-
au-Prince and at “Saint Mary D. Mazzarello” in
Pétion-Ville. At present there is also a Daughter
The SaleSianS hiT by The earThquake
haiTi
13Hajja Salesjana
of Mary Help of Christians in hospital.
“It is a very difficult situation,” Fr Ducange
Sylvain concluded. The emergency rescue
services and the Salesians themselves
concentrated on trying to pull survivors from
the rubble, in particular the more than 500
pupils and teachers at Port-Au-Prince Enam.
In the meantime the Salesian world
geared itself up to respond as quickly as
possible to help the people of Haiti. The
Missions Department of the Congregation,
in collaboration with the Salesian Mission
Office in New Rochelle, (United States) and
the “Don Bosco Network” (DBN) was busy
creating a net-work to collect funds from the
Provinces and from benefactors around the
world. The Provinces in Spain, Venezuela and
Italy immediately and actively engaged and
collaborated in this service.
The Salesian Missions joined with “Catholic
Charities”, “Catholic Relief Services” and
“Feed the Children” to deal with the more
urgent food and health emergencies; and, at
a later stage coordinated the offers of human
voluntary resources coming in from various
places. So also, attempts were quickly made to
establish a network of e-mail communications
between the Salesian Mission Offices and
the NGO which were in the country so as to
coordinate all these relief efforts.
Fr. Eric Cachia ©ie mistieden il-Palazz tal-President f’San Anton fejn hemm hekk ©ie ipprezentat bis-
somma sabi˙a ta’ eUR 15,000 b’rizq il-missjoni tag˙na s-Salesjani f’ Haiti. Il-President wera nteress s˙i˙
u ©enwin mhux biss dwar il-qag˙da f’Haiti iΩda wkoll fuq il-˙idma tag˙na s-Salesjani f’Malta. Il-President
baqa’ impressjonat u g˙adu jsemmi x-xog˙ol siewi li qed nag˙mlu Dar Osanna Pia. F’din iΩ-Ωjara ˙adu
sehem numru ta’ studenti minn Savio College u l-President kien ferm kuntent bil-kortesija u l-maturità
li wrew. Il-President g˙arrafna wkoll li l-festa taç-çitru li saret nhar il-Óadd 1 ta’ Frar fil-Palazz ta’ San
Anton, il-qlieg˙ kollu tag˙ha ser imur b’rizq il-missjoni tag˙na f’Haiti. Grazzi Eççellenza.
14 Hajja Salesjana
Blessed Michael Rua (2)
timothy is FaithFUL
For the best part of 45 years, Don Rua was glued
to an office desk. A lot of that time he was to
spend deciphering the handwriting of Don Bosco’s
voluminous letters and manuscripts. “None of you
can make head or tail of my writing,” Don Bosco
would joke, “except Michelino.”
Only one who has actually seen the saint’s
feverish hieroglyphics, which would defy the
professional code-breaker, can fully appreciate a
Salesian wisecrack, “On that score alone Don Rua
deserves to be beatified!”
One week it would be such a mountain of
mail that Don Rua was forced to call in three
secretaries to help; next time he would burn the
midnight oil getting Don Bosco’s History of Italy or
current Catholic Readings off to the printer.
This faithful interpretation of Don Bosco’s
hand was symbolic: only Rua could read the man,
the complex saint with an incredible number of
irons in the fire. Only Rua could understand the
vast world-vision that drove Don Bosco’s Bishop,
Archbishop Gastaldi, to distraction. Only Rua
realized the revolutionary concept of a totally
new religious life, stripped of every monastic
vestige and modern enough to adapt to every
time and place. So much so, that Rua secretly
asked his fellow Salesians to keep written records
of this “golden age’ in Don Bosco’s life.
For this reason it was Rua who always
accompanied Don Bosco on his trips to Rome,
France, Spain. Of his first trip to Rome, Don Bosco
wrote back to the Oratory: “Michael Rua is in the
seventh heaven. Besides the revised constitutions,
his bag contains 25 gold florins which Pope Pius IX
sent expressly to provide a treat for our boys.”
After crowds had mobbed Don Bosco in
Marseilles, he turned to Don Rua in the departing
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.
15Hajja Salesjana
train. “Do you recall, Michael, that poor old house
on the hill on the Murialdo road? That was my
home, and there I pastured our two cows. If these
people only knew they were making so much fuss
about a poor peasant from Becchi!”
A splendid photograph of the Barcelona
trip shows Don Rua leaning over Don Bosco
in an armchair, his eyes fixed on the saint as if
anticipating his every word or need.
If it was not an easy job to be dotting Don
Bosco’s “i’s and “t’s”, it was still less to be his
financial administrator. Finance was never Don
Bosco’s strong point. Not that he lacked the
charm to empty pockets in every part of Europe;
he too often risked gigantic undertakings without
considering his already heavy debts.
And it was precisely here that Don Rua shone.
“So perfect was his office administration, you
would have thought he was a bank manager all his
life,” a Turin financier observed. Not one Salesian
house escaped his minute scrutiny of accounts,
all hoping to hear his customary ‘thank God’ if
they successfully passed the ordeal.
Again like a good vicar, Don Rua was prepared
to act as a buffer to let Don Bosco’s fatherly
image be preserved. Any odium he would take
on his own shoulders. Thus on the back of an old
envelope are still preserved some
of the admonitions written by Don
Bosco but carried out by Don Rua:
“See that no punishments are
given without authority. Some
houses are still wasting soap, gas
and fuel. Check on attendance at
meditation and spiritual reading,
and a priceless one: See that
young aspirants are not put in
charge of the wine cellar.”
In every storm Don Rua would
gladly stand in as lightning rod. In
the long misunderstanding between the pioneer
Salesians and the gifted Archbishop Gastaldi, for
example, it was Rua who bore the brunt of the
painful correspondence and humiliating meetings
to the point where he was found in tears at times.
A Timothy to Paul, a Francis Xavier to Ignatius,
so would Don Rua be to Don Bosco – his alter ego
or other self, prepared to eclipse for the moment
his own ideas and feelings. At all costs he would
be the loyal disciple and faithful interpreter. We
have testimony of this from his secretary, Father
Vespignani:
“For me Don Rua’s office was an inspiring
classroom. We started each day with a devout
Angelus and a brief thought from St. Francis de
Sales’ writings. Most of the correspondence dealt
with spiritual matters or charitable requests,
and I marvelled at his good humour, seasoned
with simple faith. I absorbed his zeal and his
enthusiasm for the foreign missions; an anecdote
of Don Bosco’s pioneer days broke the routine
every so often. Every visitor whether priest,
layman or boy left his office encouraged or
consoled. In that room, God’s glory or the good of
souls seemed always paramount.”
More scope was given Don Rua’s zeal when he
was appointed part-time rector of the Vanchiglia
16 Hajja Salesjana
Sunday Oratory. Local residents soon got used
to the noisy crowds of boys who would walk
the three miles with him. When one youngster
grumbled at having to recite the Rosary during
the walk home, Don Rua encouraged him, “Just
one more decade, Domenico, and you can have
my dessert at supper tonight,” as Father Dominic
Teia recalled of his own life. He added, “He was
constantly at recreation, taking part in all our
games and songs.”
Don Rua was now given a two-year respite
from his office work when Don Bosco appointed
him full-time Rector of the Oratory and School
at Mirabello. Again his personality expanded in
this wider apostolate: his senior St. Vincent de
Paule lads visiting needy families with parcels;
his juniors strengthening their faith in the St.
Aloysius Sodality. If spiritual results are tangible
then one could point to the diocesan seminary at
Mirabello, where the numbers jumped from 28 to
122 during his time there, most of them his past
pupils.
Vocations were almost uppermost in Don Rua’s
mind. Delayed vocations, men of mature age, were
his forte in this field. “I was 42 and a practicing
chemist,” writes Father Angelo Lago, ‘when Don
Rua encouraged me to study. He joked I could
say Mass for forty years before I was ninety.”
Not that Don Rua’s work was one long success
story. Far from it! In an era unsettled by the
Industrial Revolution and badly hit by war, street
fights and gang warfare among the youths of
Turin were only too common, and at times they
invaded the Salesian premises. More than once
some of his restless hostel lads would disappear
with his blankets and borrowed clothing, after
having upset the house discipline no end. At such
times, the priest would need to call on his well-
known self-control and patience.
Recalled to his old office at Don Bosco’s
Oratory in 1868, Don Rua found that the
administrative work had become totally out of
hand. Snowed-under by mountains of paper and
already worn-out from Mirabello, he suddenly
collapsed on the job. Don Bosco seemed
strangely unconcerned. “Don’t worry Don Rua;
even if you fell from your window onto the
footpath you wouldn’t die: we need you for many
years yet.”
Even so, a holiday was long overdue, and he
was sent off to the country for a few weeks to
recuperate. (to be continued)
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…
Fasts have a tendency to be
orientated towards things like
giving up food or T V. But there are
many other creative ways we can
welcome Jesus’ healing touch.
19Hajja Salesjana
Here are suggestions you may want to consider:-
• Fastfromangerandhatred.Giveyourfamilyan
extra dose of love each day.
• Fastfromjudgingothers.Beforemakingany
judgmentsrecallhowJesusoverlooksyour
faults.
• Fastfromdiscouragement.HoldontoJesus’
promise that He has a perfect plan for your life.
• Fastfromcomplaining.Whenyoufindyourself
about to complain, close your eyes and recall
someofthelittlemomentsofjoyJesushasgiven
you.
• Fastfromresentmentorbitterness.Workon
forgiving those who may have hurt you.
• Fastonspendingtoomuchmoney.Trytoreduce
your spending by 10% and give those savings to
the poor.
WishingyouallPeace,LoveandHappinessduring
Lent,andtheJoyoftheRisenChristatEaster.
a different approach to Fasting
20 Hajja Salesjana
Malta Salesjana
FL-isLa: iL-BaRRanin UKoLL
Nhar it-Tnejn 21 ta’ Diçembru 2009, l-Arçipriet tal-BaΩilka
ta’ l-Isla, il-Kan. Joseph Grech, flimkien mal-Komunità
tas-Salesjani tad-Dar San Filippu, organizza Bible
Service, fis-7.30 ta’ filg˙axija, g˙ar-residenti barranin
ta’ L-Isla. Dawn l-a˙˙ar snin numru ©mielu ta’ barranin
marru joqog˙du f’dik il-Belt storika u bosta minnhom
t˙alltu sew mal-komunità ta’ din il-belt. Fosthom hemm
min sa˙ansitra jie˙u sehem fl-attivitajiet tal-Parroçça
jew tal-Kunsill Lokali. Wa˙da mill-attivitajiet li tinΩamm regolarment, hija dik ta’ laqg˙a, organizzata mil-
Parroçça, matul il-jiem tal-Milied. Din is-sena ©ie deçiΩ li jsir Bible Service bi t˙ejjija g˙al-Milied Imqaddes.
Fr. Victor Mangion ©ie mitlub i˙ejji u jmexxi din il-laqg˙a li g˙aliha marru numru sabi˙ minn dawn in-nies
u li ntg˙o©bot minn kul˙add. Wara din iç-çerimonja sar riçeviment g˙al dawk kollha li attendew, u hekk il-
Komunità Salesjana kellha okkaΩjoni sabi˙a biex tiltaqg˙a ma’ dawn in-nies u tag˙mel ˙bieb ©odda.
iL-“BRotheRs oF ChRist”
Fr. Paul Formosa SDB, id-Delegat tal-Provinçjal, g˙amel Ωjara
lil Brothers of Christ waqt li kienu mi©bura flimkien g˙al
tlitt ijiem fl-Irtir Spiritwali ta’ l-a˙˙ar tas-sena. Dan sar fid-
Dar tal-Karmelitani, il-Lunzjata, limiti tar-Rabat. Din iΩ-Ωjara
˙adet xejra ta’ djalogu, fi spirtu ta’ familja, u damet sejra
g˙al aktar minn sieg˙a. Is-su©©etti li tkellmu fuqhom kienu:
l-organizzazzjoni tal-G˙aqda tag˙hom, il-formazzjoni tal-
membri, in-natura tal-missjoni tag˙hom, it-tip ta’ impenn li
jridu jie˙du, is-sistema finanzjarja tal-G˙aqda u fl-a˙˙arnett,
ir-relazzjoni tag˙hom mal-Familja Salesjana. Fr. Paul
stedinhom ukoll sabiex matul is-sena 2010, huma jiffokaw
l-attenzjoni tag˙hom u jistudjaw il-figura ta’ Dun Mikiel Rua,
˙a©a mixtieqa mir-Rettur Ma©©ur tag˙na. Inkora©©ihom
ukoll ikunu r©iel
ta’ viΩjoni, nies
kreattivi u impenjati.
Imbag˙ad Fr. Paul
irringrazzja lil Fr.
Francis Ûammit SDB
talli qieg˙ed janima
Salesjanament lil dan
il-grupp.
La GoULette Fit-tUneÛija
Jekk xi ˙add imur iΩur il-Knisja Kattolika li
hemm fil-Goulette, speçjalment jekk kien di©à
mar xi darba qabel, ser jibqa’ ma˙sud bil-bidla
li jara fiha. Dan g˙aliex il-koppla g˙ada kemm
©iet irrestawrata u kull pittura li hemm fil-
knisja ©iet jew mnaddfa jew mibdula b’˙afna
gost. F’din il-knisja, is-Salesjani li hemm
f’TuneΩ, imorru sikwit jag˙tu daqqa t’id lill-
kappillan li jie˙u ˙siebha. Hemmhekk, il-« Mal-
tin ta’ TuneΩ » jiltaqg˙u ta’ kull sena, nhar l-10
ta’ Frar, sabiex jiççelebraw il-Festa ta’ San
Pawl. F’din il-knisja hemm ukoll xbieha tal-
«Madonna tal-Mellie˙a». Minn xi snin ‘l hawn,
21Hajja Salesjana
LittLe anGeLs iÛURU LiLL-isqoF
Nhar il-Ìimg˙a 18 ta’ Diçembru 2009, l-An©li Ωg˙ar
tag˙na, ©ew me˙uda jΩuru lill-Isqof Mons. Mario Grech.
Dawn l-An©li Ωg˙ar huma t-tfal li jattendu l-Kinder Gar-
den tas-Sorijiet Salesjani (FMA = Figlie di Maria Ausilia-
trice) ©ewwa Victoria, G˙awdex. Din iΩ-Ωjara g˙alkemm
kienet sorpriΩa g˙all-Eççellenza, laqag˙hom bi m˙abba
kbira u ˙a pjaçir ˙afna bihom. Bl-akbar ˙lewwa huma
kantawlu l-g˙anjiet tal-Milied Ninni La Tibkix IΩjed u
Jingle Bells. Imbag˙ad Mons. Isqof mexxa purçissjoni
qasira fl-istess Kurja bit-tfal i©orru l-Bambin Ìesù.
It-tfal kienu akkumpanjati minn Sr. Elsa Gretter u Sr.
Stella Spiteri, u qabel ma telqu irçevew ming˙and l-
Isqof xi çikkulata li ˙adu ©ost biha ˙afna.
attività oÓRa tas-sB
Is-SB (Salesian Brigade) torganizza attività fil-bera˙
kull xahar. Din id-darba, 28 u 29 ta’ Novembru 2009,
kien imiss wasla sal-Forti Campbell, f’Selmun fil-limiti
tal-Mellie˙a, forti li kien inbena fl-1937 mill-Gvernatur
Bonham Carter. Immexxija mil-leaders Joe Camilleri u
Jesmond Cassar, il-grupp mag˙mul minn xi leaders o˙ra
u minn 21 membru tas-SB, telaq g˙al g˙onq it-triq sa ma
wasal Fort Campbell. Dan huwa mdawwar minn grupp
ta’ barracks li ma jie]u ]siebhom ˙add u g˙alhekk xi ftit
imkissra. Mal-wasla, malajr tnaddaf l-imkien fejn kienu
se joqog˙du biex wara setg˙u jibdew l-eΩerçizzi fiΩiçi.
Dawn kienu struzzjonijiet u prattika ta’ l-abseiling, ta˙ri©
ta’ CPR/AED, prattika tal-qari tal-kumpass u tal-mappa.
Wara dan saret dawra mal-Forti u mbag˙ad it-tisjir u l-
ikel. G˙all-quddiesa l-grupp kollu mexa sal-kappella ta’
Selmun. L-g˙ada, bil-mixi, il-grupp g˙adda minn ˙dejn
il-Palazz ta’ Selmun u wasal sal-bajja ta’ M©ieba˙. Waqt
din il-mixja, ©ew uΩati il-kumpassi u l-mapep b˙ala parti
mit-ta˙ri© tal-membri tas-SB. Wara nofsinnhar ta’ din it-
tieni ©urnata, marru lura lejn Tas-Sliema. Veru mawra li
rnexxiet; g˙alhekk grazzi lil kull min ˙a sehem jew g˙in
b’xi mod.
fid-dar li hemm ma©enb il-knisja u li darba kienet id-Dar tal-
Kleru, hemm komunità ta’ Sorijiet ta’ Madre Teresa ta’ Kal-
kutta, is-Sorijiet tal-Karità. Dan l-a˙˙ar il-Komunità ta’ dawn
is-sorijiet ©iet tag˙mel Ωjara lil Fathers Salesjani li joqog˙du
f’Manouba, qrib ˙afna tal-belt ta’ TuneΩ. Huma ©ew imdawra
mad-dar u ma’ l-iskola, imbag˙ad ˙adu kafe mal-Fathers u
verament ˙adu gost jaqtg˙u xi larin© mis-si©ar li hemm fil-
©nien tad-dar tag˙na. Din kienet l-ewwel darba li s-sorijiet
ta’ Mother Theresa Ωaru id-dar tas-Salesjani.
iL-BRotheRs Fis-snin ta’ FoRmazzjoni
Il-laqg˙a li ssir kull sena, g˙all-˙abta tal-Milied,
lil Brothers tag˙na li g˙adhom fis-snin ta’
formazzjoni saret proprju meta Bros. Jeremy
Vella u Gerald Mangion ©ew Malta minn Turin
g˙all-btala tag˙hom. Din il-laqg˙a tkun Ωmien
ta’ formazzjoni u relax permezz ta’ sessjonijiet
formali u ˙in ta’ flimkien. Ir-riflessjoni prinçipali,
mmexxija min Bros. Gerald u Jeremy, uriet lil Dun
Mikiel Rua u d-devozzjoni tieg˙u lejn l-Ewkaristija
kif ukoll il-fedeltà li kellu lejn is-sej˙a tieg˙u u
lejn Dun Bosco. Fr. Charlie Said, ir-reponsabbli
mill-istudenti tag˙na, mexxa l-ewkaristija. Wara
dan, nhar il-Óadd 27 ta’ Diçembru, il-Brothers
marru l-palazz ta’ l-Arçisqof, il-Belt, sabiex mas-
Seminaristi u membri ta’ Istituti reli©juΩi o˙ra,
jag˙tu x-xewqat tal-festi lill-Isqfijiet tag˙na.
Billi din s-sena hija ddedikata lis-saçerdozju,
l-Arçisqof Mons. Pawlu Cremona kellimhom fuq
il-barkiet li jaqla’ min jisma’ s-sej˙a ta’ Alla u
jilqag˙ha b’qalb miftu˙a. Billi kienet ukoll il-Festa
tal-Familja Mqaddsa, Mons. Cremona rringrazzja
lill-familji kollha li jg˙inu lil uliedhom jisimg˙u
s-sej˙a t’Alla u sa˙aq kif il-grazzja tal-vokazzjonia
timxi mag˙hom matul il-vja©© kollu ta’ ˙ajjithom.
22 Hajja Salesjana
Ix-xahar ta’ Diçembru kien ikkaratterizzat minn
diversi attivitajiet li l-istudenti ta’ St. Patrick’s
kellhom l-opportunità li jattendu g˙alihom jew
jie˙du sehem dirett fihom.
Fis-7 ta’ Diçembru, l-iskola tag˙na, flimkien ma’
l-iskejjel li jiffurmaw parti mill-kulle©© ta’ Santa
Clara, ipparteçipat fil- Queen’s Baton Relay li waslet
Malta fi triqtha lejn il-log˙ob tal-Commonwealth li
se jsiru ©ewwa New Delhi, fl-Indja matul is-sena
2010. Din il-©irja simbolika saret max-xatt ta’ Tas-
Sliema u spiççat fil-pjazzetta f’G˙ar id-Dud. Matul
din il-©irja il-baton g˙addiet minn rappreΩentanti
ta’ kull skola kif ukoll mill-atleti li se jipparteçipaw
f’dawn il-log˙ob. Il-Queen’s Baton se ΩΩur 71 pajjiΩ
qabel ma tispiçça New Delhi, fl-Indja.
L-attivitajiet matul dan ix-xahar komplew bi
Ωjara ©ewwa s-sezzjoni ta’ l-Airwing tal-Forzi
Armati ta’ Malta u Ωjara fil-MuΩew ta’ Ìrajjet
l-Assedju l-Kbir ta’ Malta ©ewwa l-Café Premier,
il-Belt Valletta. Ìewwa l-hangar tal Forzi Armati
l-istudenti raw mill-viçin ajruplani Ωg˙ar li jintuΩaw
g˙as-salvata©© waqt li uffiçjali ta’ din is-sezzjoni
taw spjegazzjoni dwar l-uΩu u l-kapaçitajiet ta’
dawn l-ajruplani. Raw ukoll ta˙ri© ta’ tlug˙ u nΩul
diçemBRU
Fl-iskola ta’ St. patrick – Sliema
minn Sue Callus
23Hajja Salesjana
ta’ helikopters kif ukoll l-uΩu ta’ dawn l-in©enji
f’kaΩ ta’ salvata©©.
Ìewwa l-muΩew ta’ l-Assedju l-Kbir, l-istudenti,
bl-g˙ajnuna tal-gwida awdjo, esploraw dan
l-avveniment storiku importanti fil-©rajja ta’
Malta. IΩ-Ωjara ©ewwa l-Belt intemmet mas-salut
tal-kanun li ta’ kuljum ji©i sparat f’nofsinhar mill-
Barrakka ta’ Fuq.
Har©a o˙ra ta’ nteress kienet Ωjara ©ewwa
ç-çentru tal-Falkunerija ©ewwa s-Si©©iewi. F’dan
iç-çentru wie˙ed seta’ jammira mill-viçin numru
ta’ tajr tal-priΩa b˙al isqra, barba©anni u diversi
speçi ta’ ajkli fost o˙rajn. L-istudenti kellhom
ukoll l-opportunità li jΩommu fuq idejhom u˙ud
minn dawn it-tjur u jaraw dimostrazzjoni ta’ kif il-
falkun jaqbad il-priΩa.
Matul il-festi tal-Milied, fl-iskola tag˙na, Ωgur li
ma setg˙etx tonqos il-Pantomima. G˙al darb’o˙ra,
l-istudenti tag˙na tellg˙u produzzjoni ta’ livell
g˙oli. Madwar 30 student – bejn back stage crew
u atturi - ˙adu sehem fil-Pantomima “Aladdin u
l-Lampa tas-Sindku.’’ F’okkaΩjonijet b˙al dawn,
l-istudenti jing˙ataw l-opportunita’ li juru l-˙afna
talenti sbie˙ li g˙andhom. Prosit lil kull min ˙a
sehem u g˙amel unur lill-iskola tag˙na.
L-ewwel term ta’ l-iskola tag˙na ©ie fi tmiemu
fit-18 ta’ Diçembru. Kif kien xieraq bdejna
l-©urnata b’quddiesa ta’ ringrazzjament li kienet
imΩewqa bil-pageant tradizzjonali tal-Milied kif
ukoll il-priedka tat-tifel. Il-©urnata ©iet fi tmiemha
bil-party ta’ l-iskola. Mod sabi˙ ta’ kif tikkonkludi
sena mimlija attivitajiet.
24 Hajja Salesjana
eaRLy LiFe
Artemides Zatti was born in Boretto, in the
province of Reggio Emilia, on the 12th October
1880, to Louis Zatti and Albina Vecchi, a farming
family. Since he was a small child he was
accustomed to work and sacrifice. Already by the
time he was nine, he was earning money as a hired
hand. In 1897 the Zatti family, forced by poverty,
emigrated to Argentina to establish life anew at
Bahia Blanca. Here Artemides began to attend the
parish run by the Salesians and became a helper
to the parish priest, Fr Carlo Cavalli, with whom
he often shared work and prayer. He felt a desire
to become a Salesian, and was accepted as an
aspirant by Bishop Cagliero and, by the time he
was twenty, went to the Community at Bernal.
tUBeRCULosis - and a PRomise
He began studying in earnest to make up for lost
time. Providence entrusted him with assisting
a young priest who was ill with tuberculosis,
and who then died in 1902. The day when
Artemides was to receive his clerical habit, he
too contracted the disease. When he got back to
the community, Fr Cavalli sent him to the mission
hospital in Viedma. Fr Evarisio Garrone, with
wide experience in the task, was in charge of the
hospital. Artemides, along with him, asked and
obtained from Mary Help of Christians the grace
of recovery, promising to dedicate his entire life
to looking after the sick.
ResPonsiBiLity FoR the PhaRmaCy
He recovered and kept his promise. At first he
began to look after the pharmacy attached to
the hospital, where he learned how Fr Garrone
worked: only those who could need pay. When Fr
Garrone died, he took on the entire responsibility.
In 1908 he made his perpetual profession. He was
completely dedicated to the sick. People sought
Blessed Artemides Zatti (1880 – 1951), a Salesian Lay Brother,
was beatified on 14th April 2002 by H.H.Pope John Paul II.
A Saintly
Salesian Brother
25Hajja Salesjana
him out and admired him. For the personnel at the
hospital he was not only an excellent director, but
an excellent Christian above all.
a day in the LiFe oF...
This is how his day was spent: “At 4.30 he was
already up. Meditation and Mass. Visit to all the
sick. Then on his bike he would head out to visit
the sick around the city. After lunch he would play
an enthusiastic game of bocce with those who
were recovering. From 2 pm till 6 pm he would
visit those in the hospital again as well as those
outside. Then until 8 pm he would work in the
pharmacy. Then back to the hospital again. Until
11 pm he would study medicine, and finally, some
spiritual reading. Then he would rest but was
always available for anyone who called for help”.
an exemPLaRy saLesian BRotheR
He gained his diploma as a nurse. In 1913 he led
the construction of the new hospital then, much
to his displeasure, it was demolished. Without
being discouraged he started out afresh. Like Don
Bosco, Providence was his first and certain entry
in any of the accounting he had to do. Mary Help
of Christians never abandoned him. When Don
Bosco was dreaming of his Salesian Brothers, he
certainly wanted them to be holy like Artemides.
In 1950, he fell on the stairs and was confined to
bed.
death
After some months signs of cancer showed up. He
breathed his last on the 15th March 1951. John Paul
II declared him Beatified on the 14th April 2002.
His body is laid to rest in the Salesian chapel at
Viedma.
26 Hajja Salesjana
Fonti GÓaLL-istÓaRRiÌ
Ovvjament l-ewwel fonti awtentiçi rigward il-figura
ta’ San ÌuΩepp, jibqg˙u dejjem il-Van©eli. Fihom
huwa deskritt b˙ala r-ra©el ©ust u safi ta’ Marija u
missier putattiv ta’ Ìesù. Fil-van©eli ma niltaqg˙ux
ma’ San ÌuΩepp b˙ala ra©el xi˙, anzi huwa ppreΩentat
b˙ala ra©el b’seng˙a ta’ mastrudaxxa, kap tal-familja
u lest jag˙mel vja©©i twal. Aktarx li forsi kellu
madwar 25 sena waqt li Marija kellha dawk il-15-il
sena, u g˙alhekk forsi kien ikbar minn Marija dawk
l-10 snin jew ftit iktar. Hekk ukoll i˙ares lejh, b˙ala
ra©el Ωag˙Ωug˙, Massimu ta’ Turín fil-5 seklu w.K., kif
ukoll l-ikonografija fil-knejjes orjentali u hekk ukoll
iddeskrivih il-Papa Pawlu VI fil-festa ta’ San ÌuΩepp
fl-1975.
Il-figura ta’ San ÌuΩepp b˙ala ra©el xi˙ u mda˙˙al
fiΩ-Ωmien g˙alhekk insibuha fl-Apokrifi (il-kelma
griega ‘apokrypha’ tfisser ‘mo˙bija’), kitbiet li ma
©ewx meqjusin b˙ala ispirati min˙abba d-dettalji
sekondarji li fihom u g˙alhekk ma ©ewx inkluΩi fil-
lista tal-kotba ispirati tal-Bibbja, ji©ifieri fil-Kanoni.
Fihom anke xi esa©erazzjonijiet Ωejda u g˙alhekk ©ew
mo˙bijin u mpo©©ija fil-©enb g˙ax kellhom kontenut
dubjuΩ; però Ωgur li ˙allew il-marka tag˙hom fid-
devozzjoni popolari. Kienu jservu fuq kollox b˙ala
romanzi jew stejjer Kristjani u g˙alhekk mhux dejjem
ta’ min jorbot fuqhom.
iL-PRotovanÌeLU ta’ ÌaKBU
Fost din il-kitba Apokrifa insibu l-‘Protovan©elu ta’
Ìakbu’, jew a˙jar kif kien mag˙ruf qabel, ‘It-Twelid
ta’ Marija skond Ìakbu’ jew ‘It-Twelid ta’ Marija’. Dan
aktarx inkiteb madwar is-snin 150/200 w.K. bil-g˙an
li jkabbar il-glorja ta’ Marija u jiddefendi l-ver©inità
tag˙ha. Dan ix-xog˙ol hu attribwit lil San Ìakbu ap-
postlu li kien ji©i minn Ìesù, aktarx xi ku©in u mhux
˙uh b˙al ma jipprova jispjega b’mod Ωbaljat dan il-
ktieb, g˙aliex jg˙id li San ÌuΩepp kien miΩΩewwe©
qabel u safà armel bit-tfal u g˙alhekk jipprova jfisser
b’dan il-mod Ωbaljat il-fraΩi ta’ ‘a˙wa ta’ Ìesù’ fil-
van©eli, u biex isalva wkoll il-ver©inità ta’ Marija.
A˙na ng˙idu li dawn l-‘a˙wa ta’ Ìesù’ kienu ku©ini
tieg˙u, billi bl-ebrajk, il-kelma ‘a˙wa’ g˙andha tifsira
iktar wieg˙sa minn kif nifhmuha a˙na, u tfisser ©en-
Ir-Ra©el ©ust ta’ Marija
San ÌuΩepp fil-kitba Apokrifa
minn Fr Charles Buttigieg
Il-figura dominanti ta’ San ÌuΩepp fl-
arti sagra, b˙al fl-istatwi u fil-pittura,
b˙al per eΩempju imma©ni taΩ-Ωwie©
ta’ ÌuΩeppi ma’ Marija, ix-xeni tat-
twelid ta’ Ìesù fl-g˙ar ta’ Betlehem,
il-˙ajja tal-Familja Mqaddsa f’
NaΩaret u tal-mewt ta’ San ÌuΩepp
imdawwar b’Ìesù u Marija, hija
©eneralment dik ta’ ra©el matur
fiΩ-Ωmien u b’bastun f’idu mfawwar
bil-ward tal-©ilju.
27Hajja Salesjana
eralment ‘dawk li ji©u minnek mid-demm’, b˙al ma
huma l-ku©ini jew qraba o˙ra.
Ikompli jg˙id ukoll, dan il-ktieb, li meta kienet
ser issir l-g˙aΩla ta’ l-g˙arus tax-xbejba Marija,
San ÌuΩepp kien quddiem il-qassis il-kbir bl-isem
ta’ Ûakkarija u ©ara li ˙amiema bdiet iddur fuq San
ÌuΩepp, li kien imda˙˙al sew fiΩ-Ωmien, biex tindika li
kien huwa r-ra©el mag˙Ωul g˙al Marija.
aPoKRiFi oÓRa
Insibu kitbiet Apokrifi o˙ra, fosthom il-‘Van©elu tal-
Psewdo-Mattew’ (7 – 8 seklu w.K.) li fih xi le©©endi
dwar meta San ÌuΩepp kien fl-E©ittu bil-Familja
tieg˙u. Hemm, imbag˙ad, apokrifi o˙ra b˙al: ‘il-
Van©elu Sirjak u G˙arbi ta’ l-Infanzja’ (tas-6 – 7
seklu w.K.), ‘il-Van©elu Armen ta’ l-Infanzja’, il- ‘Liber
de Infantia Salvatoris’. Insibu wkoll ‘l-Istorja ta’
l-Infanzja Skond Tumas’ li jirrakkonta ˙afna mirakli
tat-tfajjel Ìesù. Dan jirrakkonta wkoll kif San ÌuΩepp
b˙ala mastrudaxxa, kien ja˙dem u jag˙mel l-imrie˙et
ta’ l-injam u g˙odod o˙ra g˙all-g˙elieqi.
Xog˙ol ie˙or Apokrifu huwa dak ta’ l-‘Istorja ta’
ÌuΩepp il-Mastrudaxxa’ li jirrakkonta l-a˙˙ar snin ta’
San ÌuΩepp. Dan huwa kitba Griega tat-2 seklu w.K, u
jg˙id li San ÌuΩepp kellu aktar minn mitt sena meta
miet u li miet madwar is-sena 18 jew 19 A.D., qabel ma’
Ìesù beda l-˙ajja pubblika tieg˙u madwar is-sena 30
A.D. Dan il-ktieb jag˙ti deskrizzjoni dettaljata tal-
mewt ta’ ÌuΩepp fejn ifisser il-paçi u l-konsolazzjoni
li kellu fil-punt tal-mewt tieg˙u, mdawwar b’Ìesù u
Marija. Nafu tajjeb li l-Ìudeo-Kristjani fil-Palestina
kienu jikkommemoraw kull sena il-mewt ta’ San
ÌuΩepp fuq il-qabar tieg˙u ©ewwa NaΩaret, sakemm
imbag˙ad ©ew imkeççija minn hemm. Dan ix-xog˙ol
kellu influenza kbira fil-knisja Kopta ta’ Lixandra
©ewwa l-E©ittu, fejn teΩisti festa li tfakkar meta miet
San ÌuΩepp u li ti©i ççelebrata fis-26 ta’ Abib, li ji©i
t-2 ta’ Awwissu tal-kalendarju tag˙na.
stejjeR Fantastiçi U LeÌÌendi
Ovvjament dawn il-kitbiet Apokrifa fihom ˙afna
tag˙rif dwar San ÌuΩepp li ma nsibuhx fil-van©eli;
però billi ma humiex meqjusin ‘ispirati’ minn
Ommna l-Knisja Mqaddsa, li hija dejjem immexxija
mid-dawl ta’ l-Ispirtu s-Santu, wie˙ed dejjem irid
jg˙arbel sew dak li jaqra fihom. Infatti, San Irinew
kien jikkonsidra dawn il-kitbiet kollha li semmejna
b˙ala mimlija gideb; u Tertulljanu kien jarahom b˙ala
foloz. L-istejjer tag˙hom huma dejjem fantastiçi u
esa©erati wkoll. Ûgur li dawn il-kitbiet mhux ta’ minn
joqog˙od fuqhom imma jservu biss biex jissodisfaw
il-kurΩità. Infatti San Ìirolmu u diversi Missirijiet o˙ra
tal-Knisja ˙aΩdu dawn il-kitbiet u l-istejjer marbuta
ma’ San ÌuΩepp li wie˙ed isib fihom.
Dawn l-Apokrifi Ωgur mela huma kkontaminati
minn le©©endi u romanzi li jtellfu l-kredibilità
tag˙hom. Min-na˙a l-o˙ra, il-van©eli, dejjem ta˙t
l-influss ta’ l-ispirazzjoni, jippreΩentawlna figura
ta’ ÌuΩeppi dejjem iktar korretta, konkreta, ©usta,
sempliçi u, fuq kollox, Ωag˙Ωug˙a: bniedem li ja˙dem,
li jmidd g˙onqu g˙al kull seng˙a, sa˙ansitra li ja˙dem
l-injam iebes tal-Libanu b˙ala mastrudaxxa, u li lest
jag˙mel vja©©i twal sabiex isalva l-familja tieg˙u. Din
kienet il-missjoni fdata lilu minn Alla – li jie˙u ˙sieb
lil Ìesù u lil Marija.
28 Hajja Salesjana
Eight-year-old Steven was mentally retarded and had many health problems. His health appeared to be growing worse every day.
His teacher was concerned his classmates might
stop identifying with him and loving him as they
became more aware of his differences.
In April, the teacher asked the class to put
together one plastic Easter egg filled with a small
object representing new life in the Spring. Thinking
Steven might not understand (and not wanting
to embarrass him), the teacher had each child
place their egg on her desk so that she could open
each one individually. She needn’t have worried.
The first egg contained a tiny wild flower,
which truly was an indication of new life.
Next, came a rock and the teacher assumed
the rock was Steven’s. Her reasoning was that
rocks don’t symbolize new life and growth. But a
little boy shouted from the back of the room that
the rock had moss on it, thereby showing new life.
The teacher agreed.
A butterfly flew out of the next egg and the
little girl that brought it bragged that the butterfly
was hers, and how it had came from a cocoon,
symbolizing new life. The teacher agreed again.
The fourth egg was empty. The teacher knew
this had to be Steven’s egg, and she nervously set
it aside, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
As she began to pick up a different egg, Steven
excitedly announced that the empty egg was his!
Hesitating, the teacher replied, “But it’s empty!”
“That’s right,” said Steven. “Just like Jesus’
tomb was, and that means new life for everyone!”
The teacher was amazed at Steven’s insight and
his love for Jesus.
Later on, at the end of the school year, Steven’s
condition worsened and he died.
At his funeral, the children from his class each
placed an empty Easter egg among the flowers.
Many of the adults at Steven’s funeral were
puzzled by the appearance of all the eggs, and the
message Steven shared with his classmates was
shared again!
An empty tomb some two thousand years
earlier gave Steven the hope of a new life!
Although the flowers were beautiful, it was the
empty eggs that shared the message of hope in
Eternal Life through Jesus Christ!
What a wonderful message to share this Easter
with those you love.
“Why do you look for the living among the
dead? He is not here; He is risen!” (Luke 24:5)
The Empty Egg
29Hajja Salesjana
BR MARtIN tANtI, A MALtESE SALESIAN FROM
MELBOuRNE, HAS FINALLy RECEIVED tHE
DIACONAtE AND WILL BE ORDAINED IN 2010.
Fr John Briffa writes: It was a celebration of great joy! Many
friends and members of Salesian family gathered at St.
Margaret Mary Church in North Brunswick on 4 December
to join the Tanti family for the diaconate ordination of their
son, Martin.
Br Martin Tanti was ordained a deacon by Bishop Tim
Costelloe. About thirty Salesian priests including the
provincial, Fr. Frank Moloney SDB, concelebrated the
ordination Mass. There were a number of Salesian Sisters
and many co-operators present at this joyous occasion.
In his homily, Bishop Tim Costelloe encouraged Martin
to follow the examples of Mary the Mother of God and
St. John the Baptist who listened and followed the will of
God in their lives. Martin, in turn, after the communion,
thanked all people who came along to support him not
just on that special day but also in the last many years. He
thanked particularly the Bishop, Fr. Frank Moloney, and Fr.
John Murphy, the rector of Brunswick community. He also
thanked Fr. John Prest, the rector of his community, and all
the members at Lysterfield.
Last of all, his gratitude went to his proud mother and
father, and the members of his family who have supported
him all along. Martin asked everyone to continue to support
him in prayer.
Refreshments were provided in the parish hall after the
Mass to continue the celebration. It was truly a celebration
of great joy and everyone is looking forward to Martin’s
priestly ordination sometime in 2010.
Diaconate Ordination
Br Martin Tanti SDB
in Melbourne of
30 Hajja Salesjana
Dun Bosco
fis-santi u kartolini
Din is-santa li g˙andha daqs ta’ 11.0 x 7.0 çm, ©iet stampata
madwar il-bidu tas-snin 1900 permezz tal-proçess msejja˙
kromolitografija ji©ifieri litografija bil-kulur. Hawn qed naraw
lil Dun Bosco mdawwar bit-tfal fuq speçi ta’ tron fi sfond
b’arkittetura gotika. Billi mhux soltu li Dun Bosco ji©i muri b’dan
il-mod, diffiçli tg˙id x’kellu f’mo˙˙u l-artist li pin©a din l-istampa.
Fuq wara tas-santa hemm bijografija qasira ta’ Dun Bosco
kif ukoll lista Ωg˙ira ta’xi affarijiet li Dun Bosco kien jis˙aq
fuqhom kontinwament. Fosthom insibu biex iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
iΩommu ‘l-bog˙od mill-qari ta’ kotba u gazzetti ˙Ωiena daqs li
kieku qed ja˙arbu mill-pesta. Jaraw li ma jag˙tux çans lix-xitan
jirbahom billi jΩommu ru˙hom okkupati kontinwament. Jis˙aq
ukoll biex meta wie˙ed ji©i biex jorqod g˙andu, qabel, ja˙seb
f’liema qag˙da spiritwali ser ikun jekk il-mewt ti©i matul dak il-
lejl. Jirrikmanda li Ìesù Kristu ikun il-mudell tal-˙ajja tag˙hom
u li s-sa˙˙a spiritwali ti©i mit-tqarbin ta’ spiss. Jinkora©©ixxi
biex wie˙ed jirrrikorri g˙and Ommna Marija g˙al kull xorta ta’
g˙ajnuna u kura©© li jkollu bΩonn.
Fuq wara hemm dikjarat li s-santa hi proprjeta ta l-Oratorju
Salesjan (probabbli referenza g˙all-‘copyright’), iΩda ma hemm
l-ebda indikazzjoni ta’ liema oratorju jew ta’ fejn.
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.
Sejrin inkomplu din is-sensiela billi naraw ftit santi o˙ra mill-kollezjoni
tieg˙i li jien inqies b˙ala ta’ interess mill-att ta’ rarità,
preΩentazzjoni artistika u dokumentazzjoni.
31Hajja Salesjana
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.
Is-santa li qeg˙din naraw hawn tixbah ftit lil ta’ qabilha f’dak li hu
stil. Din aktarx li ©iet stampata madwar l-1930, mid-ditta DOVEN
ta’ Turin u hija wkoll litografija bil-kulur. B˙ala ikonografija
(ji©ifieri x’inhu s-suggett ta’ l-imma©ni) naraw lil Dun Bosco
jitlob quddiem statwa ta’ Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insara, li nafu
sew x’kienet tfisser g˙alih u x’devozzjoni kellu lejha. Apparti
mid-disinn sabi˙ u ntrikat li bih imΩejna l-imma©ni, insibu wkoll
relikwa ‘ex indumentis’ tal-qaddis. Il-kliem ‘ex indumentis’ ifissru
dik it-tip ta’ relikwa (normalment drapp) li tkun ©iet minsusa ma’
xi ˙wejje© tal-Qaddis.
Fuq wara tas-santa li l-qies tag˙ha hu 10.1 x 6.0 cm, insibu
talba lil Dun Bosco bl-Ispanjol. Hemm ukoll is-si©ill tar-relikwa bl-
arma tas-Salesjani mdawra bil-kliem ‘POSTULATOR CAUS. SERV.
DEI P. SOC. SALESIANAE. Fl-a˙˙ar hemm ukoll appell li jg˙id li
ti©i aççettata kull donazzjoni g˙all-kawΩa tal-kanonizzazzjoni
tal-Beatu Dun Bosco.
Fuq il-faççata ta’ din is-santa li g˙andha daqs ta’ 11.1 x 6.1çm,
naraw imma©ni ta’ Dun Bosco mΩejna b’disinn fuq stil li g˙andu
minn dak mag˙ruf b˙ala Art Nouveau u li kien ferm in voga fis-
snin ta’ bejn l-1896 u l-1930. Dan kien tip ta’ dekorazzjoni u arti
bbaΩat fuq disinji stilizzati ispirati min-natura, l-aktar il-pjanti u
l-fjuri. Jidher li kien hemm xi sett minn dawn is-santi b’imma©ni
u dekorazzjoni differenti, g˙ax barra li jien g˙andi o˙ra fil-
kollezzjoni, naf li jeΩistu o˙rajn.
Ta’ interess hu l-fatt, li kif jidher fuq wara tas-santa, din
tqassmet b˙alha rikordju ta’ kors ta’ eΩerçizzji spiritwal li saru
fil-‘Collegio Don Bosco’ f’Bahia Blanca ©ewwa l-Ar©entina, bejn
it 23 u s- 27 ta’ Awwissu ta’ l-1933. Hemm indikat min kienu
l-predikaturi u anke lista ta’ rakkomandazzjonijiet biex wie˙ed
jg˙ix ˙ajja nisranija tajba. Kollox bil-lingwa Spanjola.
Din is-santa ©iet stampata fl-Italja mis-‘Societa’ Editrice
Internazionale’ ta’ Turin.
32 Hajja Salesjana
Ilkoll kemm a˙na nixtiequ li nikbru fil-˙ajja
spiritwali u nterjuri tag˙na, u l-qofol tal-
maturità tag˙na hu li persuna twettaq bil-qalb
u bis-s˙i˙ ir-rieda t’Alla f’˙ajjitha. Attitudni
b˙al din, li g˙andha tfawwar mill-im˙abba
lejn Alla, hi wkoll prova konkreta tal-fiduçja
ta’ dak li jkun f’Alla. Tant hu hekk li Ìesù jg˙id
lil Fawstina, “Ru˙ li t˙obbni ˙afna, g˙andha
tg˙ix bir-rieda tieg˙i” (Djarju nru. 1023).
Fuq l-istess ˙sieb, Fawstina ttenni li l-vera
m˙abba lejn Alla tikkonsisti filli wie˙ed iwettaq
ir-rieda Tieg˙u f’˙ajtu (279). Tant hu hekk li
t-twettieq perfett ta’ din ir-rieda t’Alla jg˙in
lill-persuna timmatura fil-qdusija – “Il-qdusija
u l-perfezzjoni tieg˙i tikkonsisti billi jkun
hemm g˙aqda s˙i˙a bejn ir-rieda tieg˙i u
dik t’Alla” (1107). Issostni Swor Fawstina li
kienet temmen b’qalbha kollha li meta wie˙ed
ibaxxi rasu g˙ar-rieda t’Alla f’kull çirkostanza
ta’ ˙ajtu jag˙ti aktar glorja ‘l Alla milli kieku
jag˙mel ˙afna mortifikazzjonijiet u talb twil.
Ìesù nnifsu jikkonferma dan il-˙sieb ta’
Fawstina meta jg˙idilha, “Binti, tag˙tini aktar
glorja meta b’paçenzja tissottometti ru˙ek
g˙ar-rieda tieg˙i. B’dan il-mod, taqla’ aktar
merti milli kieku qlajt permezz ta’ xi sawma
jew mortifikazzjoni. Kun af binti, li meta
tissottometti r-rieda tieg˙ek g˙al tieg˙i,
int ti©bed lejn ru˙ek l-ikbar pjaçir tieg˙i.
Dan is-sagrifiççju jog˙©obni u hu kollu
G˙aqda mar-Rieda ta’ Alla
fil-Óajja ta’ Santa Fawstina Kowalska
Fr. Sandro Camilleri sdb
XtERDEt ÓAFNA F’MALtA u
GÓAWDEX ID-DEVOZZJONI LEJN
IL-ÓNIENA DIVINA. IL-FEStA,
NHAR IL-ÓADD Fuq L-GÓID, tIÌI
ççELEBRAtA F’AKtAR MINN 100
PARROççA u KAPPELLA. ISSA
GÓANDNA WKOLL SANtWARJu
tAL-ÓNIENA DIVINA FIL-LOKALItà
tA’ SAN PAWL tAt-tARÌA. HAWN,
MELA, XI tAGÓRIF SPIRItWALI Fuq
IL-qADDISA LI NtGÓAÛLEt MINN
ÌESù SABIEX tKuN L-APPOStLu
tA’ DIN ID-DEVOZZJONI.
33Hajja Salesjana
˙lewwa. Nie˙u ˙afna gost bih u fih ˙afna
qawwa” Djarju nru 904). Barra minn hekk,
l-Img˙allem qal lil din ir-ru˙ mag˙Ωula minnu li
meta wie˙ed jag˙mel sagrifiççju ta’ dan it-tip,
ji©bed fuqu ba˙ar ta’ grazzji (954 u 955).
Malli Fawstina g˙arfet l-importanza ta’
l-im˙abba lejn ir-rieda t’Alla fuq kollox, u malli
nteb˙et li din ir-rieda divina hi espressjoni
ta’ l-im˙abba t’Alla lejn il-bniedem, hi bdiet
issejja˙ lir-rieda t’Alla s-ser˙an tag˙ha (1004),
il-˙ajja ta’ ru˙ha (6), l-hena ta’ qalbha (650),
l-ikel tag˙ha (1003), l-iskop ta’ l-eΩistenza
tag˙ha (195), il-fer˙ tag˙ha (775) u l-o©©ett ta’
m˙abbitha (678).
Swor Fawstina kienet tinteba˙ Alla x’kien irid
minnha mhux biss permess tal-kmandamenti
tieg˙U imma wkoll permezz ta’ l-obbligi li
s-sej˙a tag˙ha kienet titlob minnha, permezz
tat-twettieq tar-regoli reli©juΩi tag˙ha (375)
u permezz ta’ dak li s-Superjuri u d-diretturi
spiritwali tag˙ha kienu jg˙idulha. Hi kienet
temmen li xejn ma ji©ri ming˙ajr il-permess
t’Alla u li xejn ma jmur kontra r-rieda tieg˙U.
G˙aldaqstant, b’din il-mentalità Fawstina
kienet t˙ares b’g˙ajnejn mimlija fidi anke lejn
it-tbatijiet u s-sitwazzjonijiet diffiçli li ©arrbet
u li ltaqg˙et mag˙hom tul ˙ajjitha. Hi kienet
temmen li Alla kien jippermetti diffikultajiet
biex iΩidilha l-merti u jsa˙˙a˙ha fil-virtujiet
tag˙ha. B’dan il-mod, kienet t˙obb tg˙id, il-
fedeltà tag˙na tkun tista’ tidher sew (1409).
Sabiex tifhem Alla x’ried minnha, din is-soru
kienet titlob b’˙e©©a kbira sabiex malli tag˙raf
x’inhu dak li Alla jrid minnha, hi kienet twettqu
sa l-inqas tikka. Kienet waslet biex tg˙id li ma
riditx tmut minuta qabel jew tg˙ix minuta aktar,
jew li tbati inqas jew iktar minn dak li ried Alla
g˙aliha (1729). Riedet biss twettaq ir-rieda t’Alla
f’˙ajjitha f’kollox u kienet iddefinixxiet ˙ajjitha
b˙ala sforz kontinwu li tag˙mel dan (1740). Fl-
1935, wara rtir ta’ tmint ijiem ©ewwa Vilnius,
fuq pa©na vojta, kitbet dawn il-kelmiet- Mil-
lum’ il quddiem ir-rieda tieg˙i ma teΩistix
iktar ( 374). Permezz ta’ salib qatg˙et ir-rieda
tag˙ha u g˙amlet riΩoluzzjoni li Ωammitha
matul ˙ajjitha kollha. Mil-lum’ il quddiem jien
se nag˙mel ir-rieda t’Alla kullimkien, dejjem
u f’ kollox (374).
Mal-medda taΩ-Ωmien, il-˙e©©a fit-twettieq
tar-rieda ta’ Alla tista’ tikber u timmatura.
Tant hu hekk li fid-djarju tag˙ha Swor Fawstina
titkellem fuq tliet livelli ta’ kif wie˙ed iwettaq
u jimmatura fit-twettieq ta’ din ir-rieda t’Alla
–L-ewwel livell jikkonsisti filli r-ru˙ twettaq
dak kollu li l-istat tag˙ha jitlob minnha. Fit-
tieni livell ir-ru˙ taççetta u twettaq fedelment
l-ispirazzjonijiet interni. Fit-tielet grad, filwaqt
li r-ru˙ tintelaq kompletament g˙ar-rieda ta’
Alla f’˙ajjitha, hi t˙alliH jinqeda biha u jag˙mel
biha dak li jrid Hu. Tkun strument doçli f’idejH
(444).
Pero` dan kollu li g˙idna s’issa, kif twettaq
fil-˙ajja ta’ din il-qaddisa? Skond il-kitbiet fid-
Djarju tag˙ha u skond dak li qalu s-Superjuri
tag˙ha, Fawstina kienet soru kwieta u doçli
˙afna li wettqet fedelment dak li talbuha
tag˙mel. U tassew kellu jkollha spirtu qawwi ta’
fidi biex tag˙raf ir-rieda t’Alla f’çerti ubbidjenzi
li ng˙atat b˙al meta, fuq ordnijiet tas-Superjuri
tag˙ha, ©iet mitluba ta˙dem wa˙edha fil-
©nien avolja hi qatt ma kienet ˙adet ˙sieb ta’
©nien qabel. Barra minn hekk, spiss Fawstina
©iet mitluba tmur minn kunvent g˙al ie˙or.
G˙alkemm g˙al ˙afna nies, dan kien jo˙loq
çertu ammont ta’ diffikultà, Swor Fawstina,
li wkoll kienet t˙ossha d-diffikulta`, qatt ma
lmentat. Din is-sottomissjoni g˙ar-rieda t’Alla
kienet tidher ukoll f’affarijiet insinifikanti b˙al,
34 Hajja Salesjana
ng˙idu a˙na, li twettaq il-biçça xog˙ol li ©iet
mitluba tag˙mel, allavolja riedet titlob biex
tit˙alla tmur timtedd ftit qabel g˙ax kienet
t˙ossha ma tifla˙x.
Attenta g˙all-ispirazzjonijiet ta’ l-Ispirtu
s-Santu u g˙all-intwizzjonijiet li kien ikollha,
darba minnhom kienet marret i©©ib barmil
ilma s˙un sabiex tassisti wa˙da minn s˙abha
li kienet marida, allavolja hi kienet g˙ajjiena
jew b˙al meta darb’o˙ra g˙alkemm imfarrka
bl-u©ig˙ li kellha, kienet marret g˙and soru li
kellha bΩonn ˙afna ta’ g˙ajnuna (756). Dawn
il-˙afna ©awhar Ωg˙ar ta’ fedelta`, bnew il-
qdusija ta’ Fawstina u g˙amlu l-weg˙da tag˙ha
li, “naççetta, b’sottomissjoni kompleta
g˙ar-rieda tieg˙u, kull ma Alla jibg˙atli”
(1394).
B˙all-Mulej fl-ort tal-Ìetsemani, xi drabi
t-twettiq tar-rieda ta’ Alla kien iebes ˙afna
g˙al Swor Fawstina. Kellha taççetta Ωminijiet
ta’ nixfa u dalma spiritwali u li tinsa l-pjanijiet
tag˙ha. Sa˙ansitra xi drabi kien ikun hemm
konflitt bejn dak li hi kienet t˙oss li Alla qed
jitlob minnha u dak li s-Superjuri u l-konfessur
tag˙ha kienu jitolbu minnha. Aççettat ukoll
li tilqa’ esperjenzi iebsa u qarsa li ©ew min-
nuqqas ta’ tjubija lejha u minn kummenti li jferu
l-qalb.
Lejn tmiem ˙ajjitha , Fawstina kienet
aççettat b’sabar u b’sottomissjoni totali
g˙ar-rieda ta’ Alla, it-tbatijiet ˙orox tag˙ha.
Hi dejjem talbet sabiex f’kollox titwettaq ir-
rieda tal-Mulej f’˙ajjitha (1633) g˙ax kienet
taf lid-diffikultajiet, anke jekk iebsin ˙afna,
jippurifikaw ir-ru˙ u jag˙mluha b˙al Ìesù (166).
B’dan il-mod hi kienet tg˙ammar f’paçi interjuri
kbira g˙ax kienet taf li f’kollox qed tag˙mel
ir-rieda ta Sidha (1328) u kienet tara din ir-
rieda b˙ala l-espressjoni ta’ l-im[abba t’Alla
lejha. Kienet titlob – Mexxini Mulej f’liema
mog˙dija trid, jien po©©ejt il-fiduçja kollha
tieg˙i fir-rieda tieg˙eK li hi g˙alija im˙abba
u ˙niena nnifisha (1264). B’dispoΩizzjoni b˙al
din, kollox isir grazzja u g˙al kollox, anke g˙ad-
diffikultajiet, wie˙ed irodd ˙ajr ‘l Alla g˙ax
f’kollox jara don ta’ l-im˙abba tieg˙U.
Nag˙laq dan l-artiklu, billi niftakru li ma
nistg˙ux verament nafdaw f’Alla jekk ma
nag˙mlux ir-rieda tieg˙U f’˙ajjitna. Nitolbu
biex kliem Swor Fawstina f’din it-talba, ikun
il-kliem tag˙na wkoll sabiex b’˙ajjitna nag˙tu
dejjem glorja ‘l Alla, “Alla etern… ˙ares
lejna bi tjubija…sabiex f’mumenti iebsa
ma niddisprawx u ma nintelqux, imma
b’kunfidenza kbira nbaxxu rasna g˙ar-
rieda qaddisa tieg˙ek, li hi M˙abba u Óniena
nnifisha” (950).
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
In obedience to the
command of Jesus to preach
the Gospel till the ends of
the earth, the Apostle St.
James the Great traveled
through the Roman Empire
as far as the village of
Zaragoza, in northern
Spain. However, he became
discouraged because people
paid no attention to his
preaching. On January
2/40 AD, while he was at
prayer, the Virgin Mary
with Baby Jesus in her arms
appeared to him standing on
a six-foot tall pillar of Jasper carried by angels. Mary gave him
a wooden statue of herself and instructed him to build a church
in her honour. She said: “This place is to be my house, and this
image and column shall be the title and altar of the temple that
you shall build.” Accordingly, St. James built a small chapel in
that place to preserve the original jasper column and the wooden
state of Mary. It was the first church in history ever dedicated
to the honour of the Virgin Mary, which is now the majestic
Our Lady of the Pillar
