Hajja Salesjana JANNAR - FRAR 2013il-228 Óar©a
Friends are God’s way of taking care of us
Maltin li kellmu jew kitbu lil Dun Bosco
Dehriet ta’ Lourdes
G˙ad tasal g˙all-misteri tal-ferh, ibni ...
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, 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: It-tfal u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ huma r-ra©uni
li g˙aliha jeΩistu s-Salesjani
Strenna 2013 : Don Bosco the Educator 7
Maltin li kellmu jew kitbu lil Dun Bosco 9
Don Bosco Around the World 10
St. John Bosco to Parents and Teachers 14
Dehriet ta’ Lourdes 16
A Buddhist, I became a Christian... 20
Ìabra pariri ta’ San Ìwann Bosco.... 26
G˙ad tasal g˙all-misteri tal-fer˙, Ibni... 27
Stejjer Qosra fuq Don Bosco Qaddis 30
Association’s 25th Anniversary Celebration 32
Friends are God’s way of taking care of us 33
Editorjal / Pedago©ija / Calendar of events /
Something to think about
3Hajja Salesjana
EDITORJAL
Bdejna Sena Ìdida, imma fil-fatt di©a` qeg˙din
fil-proçess ta’ avvenimenti importanti li bdew
qabel u li sejrin ng˙ixuhom matul dis-sena. Dawn
l-avvenimenti jinteressawna sew b˙ala nsara
kif ukoll b˙ala membri tal-Familja Salesjana jew
‘Óbieb ta’ Dun Bosco’. Ippermettuli nfakkarkom
fihom.
1. Qeg˙din ng˙ixu tul is-snin li ser iwassluna
g˙aç-çelebrazzjonijiet tal-Biçentenarju tat-twelid
ta’ San Ìwann Bosco (1815 – 2015). G˙alhekk
b˙alissa qeg˙din fit-tieni sena li matulha
nistudjaw is-Sistema Edukattiv tal-qaddis: l-hekk
imsejja˙ Sistema Preventiv. Fuq dan is-su©©ett,
issibu serje ta’ artikoli fil-Óajja Salesjana (l-Ewwel
Parti f’p14: Don Bosco to Parents and Teachers).
Flimkien ma’ dan inkomplu nsegwu l-pellegrina©©
tal-urna ta’ Dun Bosco madwar id-dinja.
2. Matul ix-xhur ta’ dis-sena sejrin ukoll
nersqu lejn il-Kapitlu Ìenerali tal-Kongregazzjoni
Salesjana li ser jiltaqa’ f’Ruma fl-2014. G˙alhekk
matul dis-sena jsiru konsultazzjonijiet,
diskussjonijiet u su©©erimenti min-na˙a tal-
Familja Salesjana kollha madwar id-dinja. G˙al
dan il-g˙an ng˙ollu lejn is-sema t-talb tag˙na
g˙as-suççess spiritwali tal-Kapitlu.
3. Sejjer ikompli l-‘Pro©ett Ewropa.’ Dan huwa
sforz min-na˙a tas-Salesjani kollha biex jaraw kif
jistg˙u jqawwu w jsostnu l-opri Salesjani fl-Ewropa
li qeg˙din isibu diffikultajiet, l-iΩjed min˙abba
n-nuqqas ta’ vokazzjonijiet.
4. Fl-a˙˙ar, ejjew inΩommu f’mo˙˙na li
qeg˙din nippruvaw ni©©eddu fil-fidi tag˙na waqt
li niççelebraw is-Sena tal-Fidi li bdiet fil-11 ta’
Ottubru li g˙adda u tintemm fl-a˙˙ar Óadd ta’
Novembru ta’ dis-sena 2013. Diversi okkaΩjonijiet
u çelebrazzjonijiet ta’ Fidi qed ikunu organizzati
mill-Knisja ta’ Malta u G˙awdex: g˙alhekk ejjew
nippruvaw nie˙du sehem fihom biex nit˙e©©u fil-
fidi tag˙na f’ Alla ˙anin u kollu m˙abba, il-Missier,
l-Iben u l-iSpirtu s-Santu.
Nixtieqilkom ilkoll Sena Ìdida mill-isba˙ li
matulha tikbru fl-im˙abba ta’ Alla fuq l-eΩempju
u t-tag˙lim ta’ San Ìwann Bosco.
Fr Joe Cini
"NIXTIEQILKOM ILKOLL SENA ÌDIDA MILL-ISBAÓ
LI MATULHA TIKBRU FL-IMÓABBA TA’ ALLA"
Sena Ìdida
Li Tqawwina
4 Hajja Salesjana
EDITORIAL
We are starting a New Year, but we are already
living in the process of important events that
have started before and through which we shall
be living during this year. These events concern
us as Christians and as Members of the Salesian
Family or Friends of Don Bosco. Let me remind you
what they are.
1. We are living through the years that lead to
the celebrations of the Bicentenary of St. John
Bosco’s birth (1815 -2015). During this second year
we focus on the Educational System of the Saint:
the so called Preventive System. You will find in
Hajja Salesjana a series of articles on this topic
(1st part on p.14 in Don Bosco to Parents and
Teachers). In conjunction with this we follow the
pilgrimage of Don Bosco’s Casket as it travels
around the world.
2. We are also living through the months
during which we look forward to the General
Chapter 27 of the Salesian Congregation which
will take place in Rome in 2014. During the year
there will be consultations, discussions and
proposals from all the Salesian Family around the
world, accompanied by prayers for the spiritual
success of the General Chapter.
3. The Salesians will also continue to focus
on “Project Europe” which is an on-going effort
on the part of all the Salesian Family to try to
strengthen and sustain the Salesian Communities
in Europe that are experiencing difficulties,
mostly because of lack of vocations.
4. Lastly, let us remember that we are all
trying to renew ourselves in the Christian Faith
as we celebrate the Year of Faith. This started on
11th October 2012, and will end on the last Sunday
of November of this year 2013. Several public
manifestations and celebrations of faith are being
organised by the Churches in Malta and Gozo. We
should try to participate and refresh our faith in
God, our merciful and loving Father, His Son, Our
Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
I would like to wish you all a Bright New Year
that you may grow in the love of God through the
example and teachings of St. John Bosco.
Fr Joe Cini
"I WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU ALL A BRIGHT
NEW YEAR THAT YOU MAY GROW IN THE LOVE
OF GOD"
Exciting
New Year
5Hajja Salesjana
Dun Bosco jirrakkonta
Sabiex nitkellem fuqi nnifsi u ng˙id l-istorja tieg˙i, irrid nibda mill-bidu ta’ ˙ajti. Kienu snin sbie˙
u diffiçli, snin meta tg˙allimt nkun tifel u nsir ra©el. Nista’ ng˙idilkom bl-akbar sempliçita` : dak Dun
Bosco li intom tafu xi ftit, dak li mbag˙ad sar qassis u edukatur u ˙abib taΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙, tg˙allem mill-
˙afna li kien qieg˙ed ji©ri madwaru f’dawk is-snin. Óalluni npo©©i quddiemkom il-valuri li tg˙allimt
ng˙ix u li wara jien g˙addejt b˙ala wirt lis-Salesjani. Matul is-snin dawn saru l-pedament tat-tag˙lim
tieg˙i.
PEDAGOÌIJASalesjana
Minn Pascual Chávez Villanueva – Trad. Joe Cini
Dun Bosco Edukatur 1
Nitg˙allmu minn dak kollu li ji©rilna
“Jiena dejjem g˙andi bΩonn l-g˙ajnuna ta’ kul˙add”
6 Hajja Salesjana
L-G˙aΩiΩa ommi
Mamma Margerita kien g˙ad g˙andha 29
sena meta miet missieri bi pnewmonja qawwija
li qabditu. Dil-mara qalbenija u mimlija ˙e©©a
xammret il-kmiem u bdiet taqdi d-dover ta’ omm u
missier kollha ̇ lewwa u rieda tajba. Snin wara, meta
jiena sirt qassis, stajt ng˙id, minn dak li tg˙allimt,
li “L-ewwel fer˙ ta’ tifel huwa li j˙ossu ma˙bub.”
Konvint minn dan, jiena kont veru papa` g˙at-tfal
tieg˙i, b’˙afna atti ta’ m˙abba serena, li jferr˙u u
ji©bdu. Jien ˙abbejt lit-tfal u tajt ru˙i kollni kemm
jien g˙alihom. Din l-im˙abba, qawwija u serja, kont
tg˙allimtha minn g˙and ommi, u tag˙ha jiena grat.
Rigward bΩulija, ommi kienet l-ewwel li tag˙ti
l-eΩempju. Kienet tinsisti: “Min ma jidrax ja˙dem
meta jkun Ωg˙ir, jibqa’ g˙aΩΩien sa ma jixjie˙.”
Jiena wkoll, wara l-ikel ta’ filg˙axija jew wara t-talb,
kemm-il darba rripetejt lit-tfal tal-Oratorju: “Il-
©enna m’hijiex g˙all-g˙aΩΩenin.”
Min Hu Alla
Ommi kienet ©abret it-tag˙lim tal-katekiΩmu
f’sentenza li kienet tirrepeti kull waqt: “Alla qieg˙ed
jarak!”Hekk jiena kbirt ta˙t il-˙arsa ta’ Alla. Mhux xi
Alla-pulizija, biered u ma ja˙firx, imma Alla twajjeb
u ©eneruΩ li jiena tg˙allimt nara fit-tibdil tal-
ista©uni matul is-sena, li jiena tg˙allimt niΩΩi ˙ajr
fi Ωmien il-˙sad jew fil-©bir tal-g˙eneb, Alla kbir li
kont nistag˙©eb bih meta n˙ares lejn il-kwiekeb.
“Nirra©unaw”
Din il-kelma nuΩawha sabiex ng˙idu li nixtiequ
nitkellmu bejnietna, nispjegaw, naslu g˙all-deçiΩjoni
flimkien. Jiena wΩajt il-kelma“ra©uni”sabiex
minnha nag˙mel pilastru tal-metodu edukattiv
tieg˙i. G˙alija dil-kelma tfisser djalogu, fiduçja,
ftehim, li nilqa’ lil dak li jkunu. Din tfisser ukoll
attitudni sabiex bejn l-g˙alliem u t-tifel ma jkunx
hemm rivalita` imma biss ˙biberija u stima lejn
xulxin. G˙alija tifel ma jkun qatt biss wie˙ed li
jobdi l-ordnijiet passivament. Meta nkun mat-tfal
nismag˙hom tassew, niddiskutu, nirra©unaw.
Il-Pjaçir tal-˙idma flimkien
G˙al ˙afna snin kont l-aqwa fost s˙abi: qed
nitkellem fuq meta kont nag˙milha ta’ akrobata
qrib ra˙al twelidi, Becchi, il-Ódud wara nofsinhar;
qed na˙seb fuq kemm kont popolari ma’ s˙abi
tal-iskola fi Chieri, tant li stajt nikteb, fl-istorja ta’
˙ajti, li kont “b˙al kaptan ta’ armata Ωg˙ira.” Aktar
tard fhimt li hija xewqa ta’ kulhadd li jkun iç-çentru
tal-attenzjoni. Dan kien il-bidu tal-“Kumpanija tal-
Fer˙” mag˙mula minn studenti fejn kul˙add kien
indaqs. Ir-regolamenti kienu tlieta u qosra: li nkunu
dejjem fer˙anin, li nag˙mlu d-doveri tag˙na sewwa,
li na˙arbu dak kollu li ma j˙alliniex inkunu nsara
tajbin. Meta g˙adda Ω-Ωmien nibtu g˙aqdiet o˙rajn,
u gruppi ta' Ωg˙aΩag˙ fejn il-©id fost l-o˙rajn
u l-qdusija kienet tin˙ass minn kul˙add. Kienu
“inizjattivi g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ ”fejn setg˙u jesprimu
ru˙hom.
Il-Fer˙ li nkunu flimkien
Dejjem xtaqt li l-edukaturi, kbar jew Ωg˙ar,
ikunu fost iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙, b˙ala “missirijiet kollhom
im˙abba”: bil-kunfidenza f’xulxin, jimxu flimkien
sabiex jibnu u jaqsmu bejniethom. Verament nie˙u
gost ng˙id b’ferh kbir, “Mag˙kom in˙ossni sew.
Óajti hija li nkun mag˙kom.”
"L-ewwel fer˙ ta’ tifel huwa li j˙ossu ma˙bub."
7Hajja Salesjana
Strenna 2013 is, as already announced for the
preparation process for the Bicentenary of Don
Bosco's birth, an invitation to get to know him
by seeing him as the educator. “Like Don Bosco
the educator, we offer young people the Gospel
of joy through a pedagogy of kindness”. It is
an opportunity to deepen our understanding of
and update the Preventive System.
This year too, the Rector Major's first official act
in opening the General Council's summer plenary
session was to present the topic for Strenna 2013.
Fr Pascual Chávez explained its content, his choice
of area and the angle he was taking by recalling
a twofold need: “A deeper study of Salesian
pedagogy is certainly necessary, on the one hand,
so it can be updated according to the sensitivity
and demands of our time” and on the other hand
“to make the content and approach of what he
offered in educative and pastoral terms our own”.
It is a rediscovery, then, of the Preventive
System that takes into account an historical
understanding of Don Bosco's approach and
the insights which were already present in his
experience of the Oratory at the Pinardi house,
“that would afterwards acquire a deeper value as
part of a complex human and Christian synthesis”.
“Once we have a correct understanding of
the past, we need to translate the Preventive
System's major insights and virtues for today… to
the advantage of the formation of the 'new' youth
of the 21st Century called to experience and deal
with a vast, totally new range of circumstances and
problems in times which have changed decisively,
and which the human sciences themselves are now
critically reflecting upon”.
Fr Chávez offeres three particular slants,
developed briefly, which will help set a process of
modernisation in place:
1. Relaunching the idea of “upright citizen”
and “good Christian”
2. Return to the young with better
preparedness
3. Education of the heart
The Rector Major's presentation is already a
good tool for reflection and work on the part of the
educative and pastoral community and the various
Salesian Family commissions or coordinating
bodies. The text in fact suggests some evaluation
processes which cover both attitudes and planning
possibilities. As he did last year, Fr Chávez
offers the Salesian Family a bibliography as a
set of references: The Preventive system in the
Education of Youth, the Letter from Rome, and the
Lives of Dominic Savio, Michael Magone, Francis
Besucco, all written by Don Bosco and which well
illustrate both his educational experience and his
pedagogical options”.
(The complete text of the Presentation of
Strenna 2013 is available on www.sdb.org)
Strenna 2013:
Don Bosco the educator
8 Hajja Salesjana
FEASTS & EVENTSCALENDAR OF SALESIAN2013
JAN
UA
RY
FEB
RUA
RY
MA
RCH
Tue 1 New Year’s Day. Happy New Year to all our Readers. Our Lady Queen of Peace.
Fri 4 Retreat for Salesian Aspirants. First Friday Devotions at St. Patrick’s at 6.15 p.m.
Sat 5 Salesian Family Course in Salesianity: St. Patrick’s at 7.00 p.m.
Sun 6 St. Patrick’s Past Pupils Committee Meeting.
Mon 7 Beginning of 2nd Scholastic Term.
7 – 9 Live-In at Savio College for Hbieb Domenico Savio
Wed 9 Salesian Cooperators- Sliema- Monthly Meeting
Thu 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
14 – 16 Live-In for 4G at Savio College
Tue 15 Bl. Luigi Variara – Salesian Missionary
19 – 20 Gozo Delicatessen Sale
Tue 22 Bl. Laura Vicuna – Pupil of the Salesian Sisters
Thu 24 St. Francis of Sales – Patron Saint of the Salesian Congregation. Devotions to Mary
Help of Christians at St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m. and Oratory (Sliema) at 7.30 p.m.
Sun 27 Feast of St. John Bosco at St. Patrick’s Church. AGM for St. Patrick’s Past Pupils.
Solemn Mass for Salesian Family at 11.30 a.m. followed by Feast Day Lunch
Thu 31 St. John Bosco. Celebrations in all Salesian Houses, Schools & Oratories
Sun 3 St. Patrick’s Past Pupils Committee Meeting.
Wed 6 Salesian Cooperators- Sliema- Monthly Meeting. School Leaving Exams at Savio
College
Sat 9 Bl. Eusebia Palomino FMA. HDS and Gospa Carnival Party
Sun 10 Feast of St Paul Shipwrecked. Prayer Day for Salesian Missions. Cake Sale by St.
Patrick’s Past Pupils
11 – 12 Carnival Holidays
Wed 13 Ash Wednesday. Stations of the Cross and Holy Mass at St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
Fri 15 Stations of the Cross and Holy Mass at St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
Mon 25 Saints Louis Versiglia and Callisto Caravario – martyred in China
Every Friday Stations of the Cross and Holy Mass at St. Patrick’s at 6.30 p.m.
Sun 3 St. Patrick’s Past Pupils Committee Meeting.
Wed 6 Salesian Cooperators- Sliema- Monthly Meeting
Sat 9 HDS and Gospa meeting at Savio College
Sun 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
For any other info about the Salesians: www.sdb.org
Daughters of Mary Help of Christians: www.cgfmanet.org
Salesians in Malta : www.salesiansmalta.org
Hajja Salesjana On Line : www.salesiansmalta.org/hajjasalesjana
9Hajja Salesjana
MALTIN LI KELLMU
JEW KITBU LIL DUN BOSCO (1)
nafu wkoll li dakinhar filg˙axija kiel ma’ Dun Bosco.
Mikielan© Marija Mizzi twieled fil-Belt Valletta fl-
10 ta’ Marzu 1849. G˙ex ˙ajtu f’Malta, G˙awdex,
u Ruma fejn kien ˙abib personali tal-Papa Piu
IX, il-Papa li kien jaf ˙afna lil Dun Bosco. Kien
Koperatur Salesjan u sa˙ansitra g˙amel diskors
fl-Ewwel Kungress Internazzjonali tal-Koperaturi
li sar f’Bologna, Italja. G˙amel tlitt snin membru
tal-Kunsill tal-Gvern li kien imexxi Malta ta˙t il-
Gvern IngliΩ. Il-Papa kien g˙amlu Konslu fil-Liberja
u l-Paragwaj. T˙abat biex tinfeta˙ dar Salesjana
fil-Liberja u kien jemmen li l-˙idma ta’ Dun Bosco
g˙andha ssir mag˙rufa mad-dinja kollha.
Mikielan© Marija Mizzi kien ji©i mill-qrib minn
Fortunatu Mizzi, dak li beda l-Partit Nazzjonalista
f’Malta, u li kien il-prim ku©in t’Alfonsu Marija Galea
minn- na˙a t’ommu Marianna. Mikielan© hu Malti
minn nisel G˙awdxi . Aktarx li miet barra minn
Malta g˙ax il-mewt tieg˙u mhix re©istrata f’Malta.
Qeg˙din in©ibulkom sensiela ta’ artikli ta’ tag˙rif
dwar Maltin jew GÓawdxin li kellmu li Dun Bosco
personalment jew li kitbulu l-ittri. Dan huwa xog˙ol
ori©inali, siltiet fil-qosor, me˙udin mir-riçerka li
g˙amel Dun Frans Ûammit, Salesjan, meta kien
student fl-Universita` Salesjana f’Ruma, bejn is-
snin 1978 – 1980.
Minn dak li nafu b’çertezza s’issa, Mikielan©
Marija Mizzi kien l-ewwel Malti li ltaqa’ ma’ Dun
Bosco, g˙al diversi drabi, u kellmu personalment.
L-a˙˙ar darba li Mikielan© ltaqa’ ma Dun Bosco kien
f’Mejju 1880, meta hu mar Valdocco (Turin) g˙all-
Festa ta’ Marija G˙ajnuna tal-Insara. Dun Bosco issa
kellu 64 sena.
Fl-1986, Dun Bosco kien irçieva ittra minn
GÓawdex biex hu jibg˙at lil xi stampatur minn
tieg˙u biex jg˙allem lit-tfal jistampaw f’din il-gΩira.
S’issa ma nafux sewwa min kiteb din l-ittra, imma
nafu fiΩ-Ωgur li fl-14 ta’ Jannar 1886, Mikielan©
Marija Mizzi, imwieled fil-Belt Valleta u li kien mar
joqg˙od g˙al xi snin f’G˙awdex, kiteb lil Dun Bosco
u qallu hekk:
“G˙alkemm m’g˙andix il-pjaçir li jkolli x’naqsam
mieg˙ek fuq xi xog˙ol, nista’,imma, nifta˙ar li
fl-img˙oddi bistlek idejk g˙al tant drabi, l-a˙˙ar
darba, jekk niftakar tajjeb, kient f’Ìunju tal-1880,
meta jiena ©ejt infittxek f’dak il-jum li fih, il-mejjet
Mons. Comboni, mexxa dik il-festa solenni li ssir
kull sena fl-Oratorju tieg˙ek.”
Fil-fatt, Mons. Danjel Comboni, Isqof ta’
Claudiopoli u Vigarju Appostoliku tal-Afrika
Çentrali, li miet fl-10 t’Ottubru 1881, kien hu li mexxa
l-Quddiesa Solenni ta’ Marija G˙ajnuna tal-Insara,
tard fix-xahar ta’ Mejju, fl-Oratorju ta’ Valdocco, kif
Mikelang Marija Mizzi
10 Hajja Salesjana
The Cardinal Patriarch of the city José da Cruz
Policarpo, presided at a solemn Mass concelebrated
by other Bishops and about 60 priests.
On Sunday and Monday afternoons the casket
was in Vendas Novas. The last stop in Portugal was
at Évora. The next morning Don Bosco’s casket was
taken to Badajoz, in Spain.
SPAIN
From the 19th of September, an urn containing a
celebrated relic of Don Bosco is on pilgrimage in
the Province "Maria Ausiliatrice", in the Spanish
Province of Seville, where it remained until October
13. The participation of the youth is always very
festive. The relic arrived in Badajoz in the early
hours of the morning of Sept. 19th. Then in the
afternoon the urn was transferred to Puebla. On
PORTUGAL
Mogofores – From 24 August the casket of Don
Bosco was on pilgrimage in the “Saint Anthony”
Province of Portugal; first Capo Verde, then
the island of Madeira and finally continental
Portugal. Everywhere there were thousands of
people especially young ones, with faith, joy and
enthusiasm paying homage to the saint of youth.
In Setúbal, the day of celebration concluded with
Mass in the city cathedral. On the 11-12 September
it was the turn of the communities of Cascais and
Estoril to welcome the casket. The city of Manique
paid homage to Don Bosco on 13 September. The
casket stayed in the Portuguese capital Lisbon
between 14 and 16. Don Bosco’s casket was
transported on a special Portuguese army vehicle.
11Hajja Salesjana
September 21st , the relic was greeted in Córdoba.
"Don Bosco is coming not only for the Salesian
House, but for the whole city – said Fr Diego Molina,
Rector of the local Salesian Institute. After ‘dropping
in’ to Jaén and Granada, on the 24th – 25th the
relic of the Saint of Youth visited Malaga. At the
Salesian Institute of San Bartolomé youth groups
staged various celebrations and above all a great
Salesian festival. Then, at the Shrine of Mary Help of
Christians, a prayer vigil followed. The next day, in a
festive procession, the urn was transported to the
Cathedral, where Mass was celebrated. From Cadiz,
on 29th-30th September the urn then called into
the city Seville. On the afternoon of the 29th Mons.
Juan José Asenjo Pelegrina, Bishop of the city,
presided over a Solemn Mass in the Cathedral. The
celebration, enlivened by the Salesian International
Choral and the Seville Diocesan Youth Choir,
represented the pinnacle of the great celebration
organized by the young Salesian Youth movement.
In the days following, the relic visited other
places in the Province of Seville where there was
a Salesian presence, like Carmona, Alcalá, Utrera,
Morón and Sanlúcar. From the 5th of October, the
relic was on pilgrimage to the Canary Islands.
The urn of Don Bosco was on pilgrimage from
13th to 31st October in the Salesian Province of
Valencia. The Organization of various activities
saw the involvement of municipalities and the
attendance of young people at moments of prayer,
at the Eucharistic celebrations, vigils and artistic
and cultural activities. On Sunday 14th October
the Bishop of Cartagena, Mons. José Manuel
Lorca, presided at a Mass in the presence of the
relic, attended by a large number of the faithful.
On that occasion he said, "Don Bosco is a man of
today, who responded not only to the events of the
historical period in which he lived, but also those
of the present day". The Director of the Salesian
work of Cartagena, Fr Candido Orduña, said that
in the Year of Faith, Don Bosco's example helps
"to appreciate the importance of guiding young
people towards God, not only by bringing them to
be an honest citizen, but also to help them become
good Christians". The Bishop of Orihuela-Alicante,
Mons. Jesús Murgui, who took part in the delightful
reception ceremony put on at the Salesian Institute
of Alicante, declared: "Don Bosco is not only the
father of the great Salesian family, but he is the
son of the whole Church, hence our brother.” On
Saturday, October 20th , also, about a thousand
young people from schools and youth associations
of the Province welcomed with great joy the holy
relic from Turin, as part of the VI Federation Day
celebrated in Alicante.
12 Hajja Salesjana
The Institute for Media, Animation, Graphics
"Don Bosco", based in Kochi, has organized the
3rd Edition of the Don Bosco International Film
Festival (DBIFF), a film festival dedicated to the
promotion of young authors.
In this edition over 50 films were screened,
grouped according to international and
contemporary Malayalam language, to which was
added a special ‘look back’ dedicated to one of the
most important filmmakers in the State of Kerala,
Kulakkatil Geevarghese George.
Alongside the projection of various works,
the festival was marked by the extensive sets of
workshops, panels, roundtables and forums on
filmmaking, such as: two media seminars, one on
the Actor's Studio, the presentation of various
books, sessions "meet the Director" and other
events.
The festival is designed primarily as a
showcase for young local filmmakers, among
them many students of the Institute, Don Bosco
Image. The purpose of the festival is to promote
creative and technical capacities of young people,
offering them a meeting place where to show their
creativity to the experts and lovers of the seventh
art, and allow them to be noticed and evaluated.
"In these films we can see how our young
people see the world, and how to express
themselves through films; how to use them to
inform, entertain, enhance, enlighten; how to
react to what is happening in them and around
them and how they want to recreate society"
wrote Fr Jiji Kalavanal, the Director of Don Bosco
Image, at the presentation of DBIFF.
In its short history the festival is getting
attention and consideration, arousing the interest
of many local and national media.
India
Don Bosco
International Film
Festival: in support of
young authors
13Hajja Salesjana
China
The Gospel of
Mark in comics
On the occasion of the opening of the Year of
Faith, the Salesians of the Province of China (Hong
Kong) published an English language edition of
the Gospel of Mark in comic form, taking cues
from the original version of the book in Mandarin.
The new edition, comprising two volumes,
had already been completed long ago under the
guidance of the Salesian, Fr Dennis Martin, who
died in 2006. Assisted by a group of enthusiastic
pupils, Fr Dennis had supervised the production of
the new version changing the lyrics based on the
Gospel of Mark in the New American Bible.
Now, in response to the invitation of Pope
Benedict XVI to renew the commitment to
Christian proclamation, the Province "Maria
Ausiliatrice" gave to the printers the two volumes
in English. In doing so, the Chinese Salesians
intend, in the first place, to offer young readers
the opportunity to get to know the figure of Jesus,
through the simple and compelling comics form;
and secondly, to pay their last respects to the
Salesian missionary life of Fr Dennis, appreciating
a piece of his legacy.
The comics are one of the most popular media
among young people around the world, and this
helps to make this work a useful tool to tell the
story of Jesus. The new English Edition already
has various famous admirers: Salesian Cardinal
Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, Bishop emeritus of Hong
Kong, hoped that "this book might arouse the
interest of people to explore the Gospel and
the Kingdom of heaven", while Fr Steve Ryan,
Coordinator of Youth Pastoral and young adults
of the Province of the Eastern United States,
recommends this book to parents, teachers and
instructors.
The book is on sale in major Catholic
bookstores in Hong Kong; for those who want to
buy it elsewhere or receive further information
try osenquiry@vap.org.hk
14 Hajja Salesjana
St. John Bosco
To Parents
and Teachers
St. John Bosco’s method of education has
proven successful throughout the world. The
name he gave to his approach, the Preventive
System, is based on the three key principles
of REASON, RELIGION, and LOVING KINDNESS.
While not a system in the strict sense of the
word, this strategy was very effective in Don
Bosco’s day and proves to be equally effective
today. This tried technique was given to
his followers with the firm conviction that
the youth of all times and cultures could be
personally guided and motivated to help create
a better world for the next generation. This
method, founded on pastoral charity seeks
to create an environment that underscores
Christian family life and values.
Three Principles
1. REASON – that it is most reasonable to reach
“civil, moral, and intellectual” fulfillment as a
human person through a life of faith.
The first dimension of this methodology
focuses on the concept of reason. It not only
challenges the educator to embrace fulfillment
through a life of faith but it also requires that the
educator be reasonable when interacting with
the young. It is essential to acquire the ability
to know and understand the human dynamics of
young people and to be able to communicate and
dialogue with them. This reasonable stance calls
for an active and constant presence on the part of
the educator – a pleasant and unrestrained being
together. This genuine considerate presence
opens the way for the young to come to perceive
the educator as a caring guide and counsellor.
Authentic parents and educators do make a
difference!
Such an approach or technique is not
restricted to the environments of the home or the
classroom. Parents can create opportunities to
get to know their children not only while playing,
reading, praying and worshipping together, but
also during car rides, vacations, camping, social
activities and volunteer projects. Teachers and
youth leaders will not only find occasions to
mingle with the young in the hallways, media
centre library and cafeteria but also during
academic, social, athletic, cultural and religious
Part 1
Fr. Paul Avallone SDB, Phyllis M. Hakeem, M.A.
15Hajja Salesjana
events. Becoming acquainted with the value
systems of their charges during these informal
meetings, dedicated parents, educators, and
youth leaders seize every occasion to influence
their direction. These encounters become graced
moments for instilling permanent values that are
‘caught’ rather than ‘taught’.
This reasonable style of education brings
meaning and purpose to
the roles of parents and
educators. Their efforts
become more creative and
interactive. A healthier
rapport develops and
becomes a dynamic and
constructive force in
education. John Bosco
would say, “Students
must not only be loved,
they must know that they
are loved.” This he achieved by making himself
available, taking a keen interest in their studies,
work, sports, clubs and in all their activities
while noticing a change in behaviour patterns or
withdrawal symptoms. Body language does not
escape parents and educators who are attentive.
We cannot underestimate the need for spending
quantities of quality time with the young. Many
children feel neglected while surrounded with
abundance!
2. RELIGION - living according to the truth
entrusted to the Church. The young, through
example, will be afforded diverse opportunities to
develop an informed conscience, act responsibly,
and embrace their sacramental liturgical life, in
becoming responsible partners in social living.
The second element of this educational method
is Religion built upon the Gospel of love and
the Beatitudes. It is the ground where personal
accountability for one’s actions is encouraged
and fostered. There is a significant difference
between acting in good conscience and acting
from an informed conscience. Genuine formation
is found in the official guidance of the Church
and consistent involvement in a believing faith
community. To study and live according to these
truths is an invitation to prayer and grace that
comes from embracing a sacramental liturgical
life and devotion to Mary and
the saints as role models for
true discipleship.
Therefore in his pastoral
and educational approach, Don
Bosco insisted that individual
responsible involvement was
the road to be traveled if one
was serious about helping
to improve society and
build Christian communities.
Emphasis on personal
accountability in fulfilling one’s duties and
obligations was an essential part of John Bosco’s
efforts to build character. By constant and kindly
insistence on fidelity to one’s routine obligations
and one’s acceptance of one’s circumstances,
Don Bosco was preparing his youngsters to find
their place in society and to become morally
productive citizens.
Don Bosco’s genius united all his followers in
their aim to foster joy and optimism in whatever
situation the youngsters found themselves. He
loved to repeat the words of the Bible “Serve the
Lord in joy.” In a prayer book for the young he
wrote: “I want you to be happy. I would like to
teach you how to lead a life that will make you
happy and contented.” He spoke of the happiness
born out of service to furthering the kingdom of
God not the fleeting happiness offered by the
world.
(To continue)
16 Hajja Salesjana
Min-nhar il-11 ta’ Frar, f’˙afna knejjes,
tibda ting˙ad il-Kurunella tal-Ma-
donna ta’ Lourdes. Din tibqa’ ting˙ad
g˙al 18 –il darba skont id-dati tad-
dehriet, bejn Frar u Lulju. Fil-qosor,
din hija l-istorja ta’ Lourdes.
Id-dehriet f’Lourdes ©raw 4 snin wara
li l-Papa Piu IX ipproklama d-domma
tal-Immakulata Kunçizzjoni fl-1854.
Hemm rabta qawwija bejn dawn iΩ-
Ωew© ©rajjiet.
Nhar il-Óamis 11 ta’ Frar, Bernardet
Soubirous, tfajla ta’14 –il sena, rat
mara Ωag˙Ωug˙a sabi˙a fl-g˙ar ta’
Massabielle, daqs nofs mil barra
mir-ra˙al. Il-Mara kienet fuq xitla
tal-ward u mdawra b’dawl qawwi u
s˙aba dehebija. Bernardet ˙ar©et
il-kuruna tar-ruΩarju mill-but u bdiet
titlob, iççassata. Meta spiççat titlob,
id-dehra sej˙itilha imma Bernardet
ma t˙arrkitx. Il-Mara tbissmitilha
u g˙ebet. Bernardet wara qalet kif
kienet rat tfajla, xi daqsha miΩ-Ωmien
u mit-tul, mlibbsa l-abjad jg˙ammex,
b’ter˙a çelesti madwar qaddha u
velu abjad fuq rasha.
17Hajja Salesjana
Din kienet l-ewwel minn sekwenza ta’ dehriet,
tmintax -il wa˙da b’kollox, li ©raw matul ir-
rebbieg˙a u s-sajf tal-1858. Marija kellmet lil
Bernardet g˙all-ewwel darba nhar it-18 ta’ Frar
meta talbitha ti©i hemm kuljum g˙al ©imag˙tejn.
Il-Óamis 25 ta’ Frar kien hemm mag˙ha folla ta’
xi tlett mitt ru˙, u nkixfet dik li kellha tag˙mel lil
Lourdes post famuΩ: l-g˙ajn mirakuluΩa ta’ ilma
©ieri.
Matul id-dehriet li ©raw
wara, Marija talbet sabiex
tinbena kappella u li jsiru
purçissjonijiet, imma Dun
Peyramale, il-kappillan tal-
parroçça, insista li s-Sinjura
trid tg˙id isimha qabel ma
jkun jista’ jsir xi ˙aga minn
dan. Kmieni nhar il-25 ta’
Marzu, festa tal-Lunzjata
(T˙abbira tal-An©lu lil Marija)
Bernardet marret il-grotta
fejn sabet lis-sabiha Sinjura
di©a` tistennieha. Bernardet staqsiet lis-Sinjura
isimha, u wara li din g˙aqqdet idejha fuq sidirha
u ˙arset lejn is-sema, qalet, “Jiena l-Immakulata
Kunçizzjoni.”
Bernardet telqet tg˙a©©el lejn dar il-kappillan,
waqt li baqghet tirrepeti l-kliem stramb tas-
Sinjura sabiex ma tinsiehomx. Iltaqg˙et ma’ Dun
Peyramale u ˙allietu mibluh meta qaltlu l-kelmiet,
“Jiena l-Immakulata Kunçizzjoni”; hekk hu nduna
li s-Sinjura kienet wie©bet g˙al xewqtu li jkun jaf
isimha. Issa l-messa©© ta’ Lourdes kien komplut,
imma Bernardet re©g˙et rat lil Marija l-Erbg˙a
wara l-G˙id, 7 ta’ April, meta baqg˙et f’estasi g˙al
xi 45 minuta.
Bernardet setg˙et tag˙mel l-Ewwel Tqarbina
fil-festa tal-Korpus, u mbag˙ad rat lil Marija g˙all-
a˙˙ar darba, minn barra l-grotta, nhar is-16 ta’
Lulju, festa tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu.
L-Isqof Laurence, nhar it-28 ta’ Lulju, waqqaf
Kummisjoni Kanonika sabiex
tinvestiga dawn id-dehriet u x’kien
ikkawΩahom. Din il-Kummissjoni
l-ewwel intervistat lil Bernardet
g˙al nofs Novembru u baqg˙u
impressjonati bix-xhieda tag˙ha u
b’g˙add dejjem jikber ta’ fejqan.
Imma ma kienx qabel Jannar 1862,
kwazi 4 snin wara li kienu ©raw
id-dehriet, li l-Isqof ta l-verdett
tieg˙u fuq Lourdes, f’Ittra Pastorali
li g˙alqet ˙alq dawk kollha li kienu
kontra Bernardet.
“A˙na niddikjaraw illi
l-Immakulata Marija, Omm Alla, verament dehret
lil Bernardet Soubirous nhar il-11 ta’ Frar, 1858, u
fil-©ranet ta’ wara, g˙al 18 –il darba b’kollox, fil-
Grotta ta' Massabielle, ˙dejn il-belt ta’ Lourdes: u
li dawn id-dehriet g˙andhom kull ˙jiel ta’ verita`,
u li l-fidili g˙andhom kull ra©un li jemmnu fihom
tassew. Bl-umilta` kollha nissottomettu l-©udizzju
tag˙na g˙all-©udizzju tal-Papa li f’idejh g˙andu
t-tre©ija tal-Knisja kollha.”
18 Hajja Salesjana
Something
to think about…
19Hajja Salesjana
Our lives are the only Bible some people will
ever read.
People watch us as Christians, and will,
sometimes, put us to the test!
Always be on guard, and remember – you carry
the name of Christ on your shoulders when you
call yourself 'Christian.'
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
20 Hajja Salesjana
A Buddhist,
I belonged to a Buddhist family but some of my
sister’s friends were Catholics. She used to join
them in some church activities. One day, my sister
expressed her desire to become Catholic. It was
then that my father told the whole family that
before dying, our grandfather told my father that
he was told that our forefathers were Catholics
and he asked my father to look for our Catholic
relatives.
He not only permitted my sister, he surprisingly
added: “I want our whole family to become
Catholic according to the wish of Grandpa.”
The nearest church to our house was run by
the Salesians and my sister came to know Fr.
Fabian Hao. She shared the story and the desire of
my father to Fr. Hao who offered to help. A couple
of months later, Fr. Hao told my father that he
had gone to our grandfather’s birthplace and he
found our Catholics relatives there and one had
even become a priest. With that news, my father
decided that our whole family would convert back
to Catholicism. Our whole family supported my
father’s decision except me.
They all started to study the catechism
without me. I resisted but with the help of Fr. Hao I
eventually decided to join my family. On December
22, 1992 Fr. Hao baptised our whole family.
A month later my father was diagnosed with
cancer. The death of my father, a few months later,
hit me hard but I was even more overwhelmed by
the support given by Fr. Hao to my father during
his illness and to our family after he passed away.
Br. Andrew Tran Le Phuong, Vietnamese, missionary in Mongolia.
and a Missionary!
a Salesian
I became a Christian,
Br. Andrew Tran Le Phuong and his sister
21Hajja Salesjana
I finally asked my sister to take me to Fr. Hao. I told
him that I do not know what consecrated life is all
about but I just want to be like him. So I became
an aspirant while working to support my family.
After reading the biographies of Don Bosco, Bl.
Artemide Zatti and Simon Srugi I became more
determined to be a Salesian brother.
One day, while cleaning an old bookshelf I saw
a book narrating how missionaries in Vietnam
suffered and died during persecution for the sake
of Christ. This was the seed of my missionary
vocation. I shared this desire to be a missionary
ad gentes with my Novice Master and with my
Rector in the postnoviciate.
In 2000 I applied and I was sent to Papua
New Guinea to study in Don Bosco Technological
Institute in preparation for my mission in
Mongolia. When confreres ask me why I want to be
a missionary abroad while we have a lot of people
in Vietnam who do not know Christ, I simply
respond: “We have received so much from other
missionaries even at the cost of their lives. I just
feel that we also have a duty to share our faith in
Christ”. I am sure God will bless us abundantly for
our generosity. He will send more people to take
my place in the Province.
Since 2004 I have been happily working in
Mongolia as a missionary Salesian brother. Thanks
to the Salesians, witness of life which touched my
stubborn Buddhist heart and led me to Christ and
my Salesian vocation. Above all, thanks to God for
the marvellous things he has done for me!
Salesians and Friends in Mongolia.
22 Hajja Salesjana
Fil-ktieb tat-talb g˙at-tfal Dun Bosco jispjega
kif Alla jsejja˙ Ωag˙Ωug˙ biex jimxi warajh,
b’dan il-kliem: “Meta naqraw l-Istorja tal-
Knisja kull tant insibu li Alla jsejja˙ lil xi
Ωag˙Ωug˙ biex isir saçerdot b’mod tassew tal-
g˙a©eb. IΩda dan rari ˙afna. Fil-biçça l-kbira
tas-sej˙iet, Ìesù “isejja˙” liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ billi
jqieg˙ed f’qalbhom xewqa g˙al dan l-istat u
jag˙tihom il-kwalitajiet me˙tie©a”.
Il-vokazzjoni tibda’ mill-qalb ta’ Alla
Nieqfu ftit fuq il-mod kif Alla jsejja˙. Ebda sej˙a
m’hi b˙al o˙ra, g˙aliex kull vokazzjoni ti©i mill-
qalb ta’ Alla li biex ng˙idu hekk isejja˙ Ωag˙Ωug˙
biex jikteb mieg˙u l-©rajja ta’ ̇ ajtu, li hija l-grazzja
tal-im˙abba ta’ Alla g˙alih.
Ta’ spiss Alla jinqeda mill-ambjent ta’ kuljum
taΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙. Fil-fatt ix-xewqa g˙as-Saçerdozju
jew g˙all-˙ajja Reli©juΩa tista’ ti©i bil-mod, il-mod,
mill-im©ieba ta’ familja tassew nisranija; jew mis-
sehem li wie˙ed jie˙u fil-parroçça jew fl-Oratorju
jew f’xi g˙aqda fejn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ jimpenjaw
ru˙hom li jag˙mlu xi servizz g˙all-foqra. Dawn
l-attivitajiet i©ieg˙lu liΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙ jistaqsi lilu
n-nifsu : « G˙aliex ma nibqax nag˙mel dan ix-
xog˙ol tul ˙ajti kollha? » Óafna vokazzjonijiet
nibtu minn çirkustanzi b˙al dawn.
Minn na˙a l-o˙ra, kull tant ji©ri wkoll li
Ωag˙Ωug˙ li jsib ru˙u f’ambjent ftit jew xejn
nisrani, jid˙ol fih nnifsu u jg˙id : « Hawn je˙tie© li
xi ˙add imidd idejh g˙ax-xog˙ol u jag˙mel b˙alma
g˙amel Ìesù.
Il-Mulej jista’ jinqeda bi bniedem ie˙or,
ng˙idu a˙na b’saçerdot, jew surmast, jew ˙abib li
jg˙idlu : « Qatt ˙sibt li tista’ ssir saçerdot ? jew
reli©juΩ ? jew missjunarju ? » Xi drabi jista’ ji©ri
li xi konferenza fuq il-vokazzjoni, jew xi ittra ta’
xi missjunarju, jew storja tal-˙ajja ta’ xi qaddis,
i©©ieg˙el liΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙ ja˙seb li hu wkoll jista’
jag˙mel l-istess. Ta’ spiss, waqt xi ©urnata rtir,
Ìesù stess ikellem lir-ru˙ ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ u j©ieg˙lu
jifhem kemm hi ˙a©a sabi˙a li jag˙ti ˙ajtu g˙al
Alla u g˙all-o˙rajn. G˙alhekk, importanti ˙afna
li jsiru laqg˙at, jew irtiri fejn Ωg˙aΩag˙ ikollhom
esperjenzi ta’ m˙abba kbira lejn Ìesù, fejn i˙ossu
x-xewqa li jwasslu ’l Ìesù lill-o˙rajn biex i©ibu
m˙abba u fara© fejn hemm faqar u tbatija u niket.
Ejja u Imxi Warajja
23Hajja Salesjana
Nafu li ta’ g˙axar snin meta kien ji©bor it-tfal
madwaru biex jag˙mlilhom il-buΩullotti u log˙ob
ie˙or, b˙al dak li jimxi fuq il-˙abel, qabel ma
jibda l-log˙ob, kien i˙oss il-˙tie©a li ji©borhom
madwaru biex jitolbu flimkien. Dan hu il-mod li
tfajjel çkejken wie©eb g˙as-sej˙a li Alla kien ©a
qieg˙ed f’qalbu.
O˙rajn semg˙u s-sej˙a aktar ‘il quddiem fiΩ-
Ωg˙oΩija. G˙andna l-kaΩ ta’ Dun Rinaldi; li ltaqa’
ma’ Dun Bosco meta kellu ˙ames snin, g˙ax Dun
Bosco kien ˙abib tal-familja Rinaldi, u madankollu
ddeçieda li jsir Salesjan meta kellu g˙oxrin sena
u aktar ‘il quddiem sar it-tielet suççessur ta’ Dun
Bosco.
O˙rajn wie©bu g˙as-sej˙a wisq aktar tard. Il-
Konti Cays kien membru tal-Parlament u ̇ abib kbir
ta’ Dun Bosco u kien ilu jtella’ u jniΩΩel jekk i˙allix
kollox u jsir Salesjan. Ra b’g˙ajnejh miraklu ta’
tifla pparalizzata tfieq g˙al kollox wara li rçeviet
il-barka ta’ Marija G˙ajnuna tal-Insara minn g˙and
Dun Bosco, u dan g˙alih kien il-waqt ta’ deçiΩjoni
biex isir Salesjan, u baqa’ ma’ Dun Bosco.
Nag˙lqu bil-kliem ta’ Dun Bosco stess:
Dawk li j˙ossu f’qalbhom ix-xewqa li jsiru
saçerdoti jew reli©juΩi, jistg˙u jkunu Ωguri li din
ix-xewqa ©ejja minn Alla; fil-fatt xewqa hekk tajba
u sabi˙a ming˙and Alla biss tista’ ti©i. M’g˙andu
jkollhom ebda biΩa’ li ma jkunux kapaçi jwettqu
xewqa hekk g˙olja. Alla li qieg˙ed f’qalbhom din
ix-xewqa, jag˙tihom il-grazzji kollha me˙tie©a
biex iwettquha.”
Mit-Taljan ta’ Don Gianni Asti / Maqlub g˙al
Malti minn Fr.Joe Fonde - Il Tempio di Don Bosco
Mudell li jsa˙˙ar
G˙al tifel jew Ωag˙Ωug˙ li jiltaqa’ ma’ saçerdot u
jara fih xi ˙a©a straordinarja, tista’ tkun okkaΩjoni
li t˙ajru jimita lil dak is-saçerdot. Hekk kien Dun
Bosco. Kemm huma dawk li saru saçerdoti g˙ax
iltaqg˙u ma’ Dun Bosco!
Na˙sbu fuq iç-çkejken Mikiel Rua, li ta’ tmien
snin iltaqa’ ma’ Dun Bosco fi Pjazza Emanuele
Filiberto f’Turin, qrib l-iskola tal-Frères. Fil-
Memorie Biografiche (MB 2316) insibu li :
« Mikiel Rua minnufih sar i˙obb lil Dun Bosco,
issa˙˙ar warajh meta ra lil s˙abu l-istudenti
mi©budin lejn dan is-saçerdot Ωag˙Ωug˙, kollha
jridu jqerru g˙andu, u fil-knisja jqumu bil-wieqfa,
jo˙or©u mill-bankijiet, iduru madwar Dun Bosco u
ma jkunux kuntenti qabel ma’ jirnexxilhom ibusulu
jdejh. Kien idum ˙afna sakemm jasal fis-sagristija
biex iqaddes. »
Mikiel baqa’ msa˙˙ar wara Dun Bosco. Wara
li g˙amel xi Ωmien imur l-Oratorju ta’ Dun Bosco
laqa’ stedina ta’ Dun Bosco u da˙al fl-iskola ta’
Dun Bosco u beda jistudja g˙al saçerdot.
L-istess hu il-kaΩ ta’ Francesco Piccollo; kien
tifel fqir, u Dun Bosco aççettah fl-iskola bla ˙las.
Óass id-dmir li jag˙ti lilu nnifsu lil Dun Bosco billi
jsir Salesjan u jibqa’ ja˙dem mieg˙u g˙all-©id ta’
tfal iltiema u foqra b˙alu.
Meta jsejja˙ Alla?
Xi w˙ud i˙ossu din is-sej˙a meta jkunu g˙adhom
Ωg˙ar. Dun Bosco jg˙id g˙alih innifsu: “Ix-
xewqa li ng˙ix fost it-tfal, ni©borhom madwari,
ng˙allimhom id-duttrina, kienet ©a f’qalbi meta
kelli biss ˙ames snin.”
24 Hajja Salesjana
Malta Salesjana
IS-SALESIAN BRIGADE U S-SALIB L-AÓMAR
G˙axar voluntiera mis-Salesian Brigade
˙adu sehem f’eserçizzju ta’ kaΩi ta’
emer©enza nazzjonali msejja˙ ‘Novex 2012’
li kien organizzat mis-Civil Protection Dept.
Il-grupp tas-SB telqu lejn Pembroke Red
Cross Base sabiex kunu b˙ala awsiljarji fiç-
Çentru tal-Operazzjonijiet tas-Salib l-A˙mar.
Ìew mog˙tija lbies g˙al tal-apposta u ©ew
istruwiti fuq l-eΩerçizzju li kien ser isir. Kien
hemm aktar minn 300 ru˙ jie˙du sehem fin
l-operazzjoni. BREAKFAST TAJJEB
Sabiex ji©i nkura©©ut l-ikel tajjeb, l-Ekoskola
Group ©ewwa St. Patrick’s f’Tas-Sliema,
organizza Breakfast b’Xejn g˙at-tfal kollha
tal-iskola. Kien hemm varjeta` ta’ çerejali,
jogurt, ˙alib u laring mag˙sur. Espert fid-
dieta kellem ukoll lit-tfal fuq kif wie˙ed
igawdi sa˙˙tu permezz ta’ ikel u dieta
bilançjata. Prosit imur lill-Ekoskola Group
ta’din l-inizzjattiva.
STATWA ÌDIDA
Is-Salesjani g˙andhom devozzjoni qawwija lejn
Marija GÓajnuna tal-Insara. Fil-Knisja tal-Isla,
il-Komunita` Salesjana xtaqet minn dejjem
ikolla statwa tal-Madonna. Bil-g˙ajnuna tal-
mejta May Pantalleresco u t-t˙abrik ta’ o˙ta
Sr. Eugenja, dil-˙olma se˙˙et. L-Artist mag˙ruf
Alfred Camilleri Cauchi ˙adem statwa mill-
isba˙ li sejra titpo©©a fil-knisja, pari©© l-istatwa
tal-Qalb ta’Ìesu, sabiex b’hekk juru iΩ-Ωew©
devozzjonijiet kbar ta’Dun Bosco.
25Hajja Salesjana
NILQGÓU FOSTNA
Mer˙ba minn qalbna lil Fr Lawrence Essery SDB
li rega’ lura Malta. Fr Lawrence kien telaq b˙ala
missjunarju lejn it-Tunisija daqs 14 il-sena ilu. Wara
li ˙adem hemmhekk g˙al xi 13 il-sena, talab li ji©i
lura. Qatta xi xhur l-Ingilterra u l-Irlanda, imma issa
rega’qieg˙ed fostna fil-Komunita` ta’ l-Oratorju
tas-Salesjani f’Tas-Sliema.
ÓAQQU PREMJU
Kirk Curmi, student ta’ Savio College fil-
Form 4 reba˙ il-"Premju tal-Volontarjat
San Nikola minn Tolentino", imniedi
ta’ kull sena mill-Patrijiet Agostinjani
f’Malta. Kirk jiddedika l-˙in tieg˙u fl-
iskola lil wie˙ed minn s˙abu li g˙andu
bΩonn ta’attenzjoni, kura u m˙abba
min˙abba l-marda tieg˙u. Minbarra
li nifir˙u lil Kirk, nag˙tu wkoll prosit
kbir lil-klassi kollha li flimkien ma’Kirk
adattaw ˙ajjithom ta’studenti g˙all-
bΩonnijiet ta’se˙ibhom.
JIGGRADWA
Nifir˙u minn qalbna lil Fr Jesmond Apap
SDB li l-a˙˙ar tas-sena akkademika
li g˙addiet iggradwa bil-“Masters in
Counselling” mill-Universita` ta’ Malta.
Fr Jesmond qieg˙ed fil-Komunita`
Salesjana ta’ St. Patrick f’Tas-Sliema u
huwa is-Surmast tal-iskola.
26 Hajja Salesjana
Ìabra Pariri
ta’ San Ìwann Bosco lill-edukaturi
1. Il-qalb tat-tfal hi b˙al fortizza,
tinfeta˙ meta ti©i miftu˙a bil-
˙lewwa, ting˙alaq meta tittie˙ed
bil-herra.
2. Ag˙ti liΩ-Ωg˙ar il-libertà kollha li
je˙tie©u imma kun Ωgur li tara’
x’inhu tajjeb fihom biex inti tkun
tista’ tiΩviluppa dan it-tajjeb
tag˙hom.
3. Mhux possibbli teduka t-tfal dment li huma ma jafdawx fik u ma jift˙ux
qalbhom mieg˙ek.
4. L-edukazzjoni: jekk din trid tkun verament effettiva je˙tie© li din tkun
ibbaΩata fuq ir-ra©uni, r-reli©jon u l-˙lewwa.
5. Biex teduka, e˙les lit-tifel mill-periklu u mhux tiffitta˙ b’qawwa Ωejda.
6. Óobb jekk trid li tkun ma˙bub, u hekk tkun tista’ takkwista dak li trid,
speçjalment ming˙and iΩ-Ωg˙ar.
7. Qatt tirrikorri g˙all-kastig qabel ma tkun irrikorrejt g˙al mezzi o˙ra.
8. Is-sa˙˙a tas-soçjetà u tal-Knisja tiddependi fuq l-edukazzjoni soda li
nag˙tu liΩ-Ωg˙ar.
9. L-aqwa mezz biex tg˙allem lill-˙addie˙or huwa li tag˙mel int dak li
tixtieq tg˙allem lill-o˙rajn.
10. Fil-Ìenna biss inkunu nafu kemm il-Madonna g˙amlet g˙alina.
11. Ftakar li inti ma tistax teduka tifel jew tifla jekk mhux minn ©ewwa l-qalb
tag˙hom, u Alla biss jista’ jag˙tina ç-çavetta ta’ din il-qalb.
12. L-edukatur huwa persuna li huwa ddedikat g˙all-©id ta’ dawk afdati
f’idejh.
13. Trid issalva t-tfal u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙? Ibnihom fuq Ìesù Ewkaristija u fuq il-
Madonna.
(Me˙ud minn Paçi u Sliem, Jannar 2012)
Il-mara ta’ ©os-sodda kienet tidher batuta sew,
bilkemm tifla˙ titkellem. G˙ajnejha mag˙luqa
kwaΩi l-˙in kollu u x˙in tifta˙hom ma taqlag˙homx
minn fuq binha Franco ta’ g˙axar snin. Mag˙hom
kien hemm Dun Manwel li minn ˙in g˙all-ie˙or
jipprova jikkonsla lil dik il-moribonda. Óin
minnhom g˙olliet ftit le˙inha u bi tbatija laqalqet
lis-saçerdot:
“Jien naççetta kollox minn idejn Alla, Dun
Manwel ... imma g˙idli ftit x’ser isir minn ibni ...
ru˙i qalbi, ser in˙allieh wa˙du. We©ibni, x’ser isir
minnu?”
“Dak er˙ilu f’idejja, dak ji©i mieg˙i
l-orfanatrofju; ma jkun jonqsu xejn u nweg˙dek li
ma nitilqu qatt minn ta˙t g˙ajnejja.”
It-tifel filli j˙ares lejn il-qassis u filli jdawwar
wiççu lejn ommu, bejn jifhem u bejn ma jifhimx
x’qed ji©ri madwaru. Óin minnhom qabad idejn
ommu t-tnejn minn fuq is-sodda u b’le˙nu miksur
qalilha: “Fejn sejra, ma? G˙aliex qed tg˙id li ser
t˙allini wa˙di? Ma tistax te˙odni mieg˙ek?”
Ma we©bitux, imma ne˙˙iet il-kuruna li kellha
mdawra ma’ jdejha, warrbet idejn it-tifel minn
idejha, po©©iet il-kuruna f’qieg˙ idejh u qaltlu:
“Ismag˙ni sew, ibni. Din il-kuruna g˙alik ...
g˙oΩΩha u titlaqha qatt minn idejk. Jien tul ˙ajti
kollha ng˙id ir-ruΩarju, aktarx dejjem il-Misteri
tat-Tbatija g˙ax hekk kienet ˙ajti, tbatija biss.
Le, tibkix, sabi˙ tieg˙i ... t˙allinix narak ixxerred
dmug˙. Ersaq aktar qrib ˙alli nqieg˙dlek din il-
kuruna madwar g˙onqok ... Ara, x’qed ng˙idlek ...
obdi dejjem lil Dun Manwel ... u jekk Alla jrid inti
g˙ad tasal u tg˙id il-Misteri tal-Fer˙ ...”
Mal-ewwel daqqa t’g˙ajn il-kuruna ma kien fiha
xejn speçjali – la fidda u lanqas tal-perla, kienet
tal-injam kollha kemm hi; imma meta tifliha sew
tinduna li kull Ωib©a kienet f’g˙amla ta’ warda
çkejkna, kuruna li Ωmien twil ilu, xi ˙bieb kienu
©abu lil Çikka minn Pompej.
G˙all-ewwel ftit jiem Franco ma seta’ jidra
b’xejn fl-orfanatrofju qalb dawk it-tfal kollha li
g˙alih dehru kollha l-istess wiçç bla ma jaf biss
isem wie˙ed minnhom; imma bil-mod iΩ-Ωmien
beda jtaffilu d-dulur tat-telfa t’ommu. Dun Manwel
ma nesiex il-weg˙da li jie˙u ˙siebu u g˙alkemm
mhux g˙alliem kien jag˙mel minn kollox biex g˙al
anqas jiltaqa’ mat-tfajjel xi ftit kuljum.
G˙addew erba’ snin. Dik il-kuruna baqg˙et ma’
g˙onq Franco. Imma ©ara li wara ftit xhur li kien
ilu fl-orfanatrofju, it-tfajjel mhux biss beda jidra
imma beda jfarfar rixu. Ma kienx gwapp g˙all-
istudju u mhux darba u tnejn waqt il-lezzjoni tal-
matematika er˙ilu jaqla’ l-kuruna minn m’g˙onqu
u biex jg˙addi Ω-Ωmien bl-g˙alliem taparsi jg˙odd
in-numri fuq il-kuruna. L-g˙alliem wissieh kemm-il
darba u meta wasal biex jitlef is-sabar mar dritt fuq
Franco u ˙ataflu l-kuruna minn idejh.
"Ghad tasal
ghall-misteri tal-ferh, ibni ...
Lina Brockdorff
27Hajja Salesjana
Franco bilkemm ried jemmen x’qed ji©ri.
Marritlu l-arja kollha li kellu u infexx jibki, g˙ax
g˙alih il-kuruna kienet tfisser l-unika ˙a©a li
baqg˙et tg˙aqqdu m’ommu. Óalli g˙al s˙abu biex
jg˙adduh biΩ-Ωmien g˙ax ˙add minnhom ma kien
qatt jibki quddiem l-o˙rajn; issa kienu ©uvnotti li
kollha jippretenduha ta’ r©iel. Meta filg˙axija mar
Dun Manwel ˙dejh u Franco beda ser jirrakontalu
x’©ara, induna li kien ©a jaf bl-istorja kollha, waqt
li serra˙lu mo˙˙u li l-kuruna tinsab g˙andu, tinsab
imsakkra fil-kexxun tieg˙u u ̇ add ma seta’ jmissha.
Weg˙edu li jekk irabbi l-g˙aqal u jibda joqg˙od
attent fil-klassi, hu jer©a’ j˙allihielu f’idejh.
Ìara li bla ma kien jistenna, Dun Manwel irçieva
ordni li jitlaq malajr lejn il-Peru fejn s˙abu kellhom
˙tie©a tieg˙u wara terrimot ikrah. Lesta l-kuruna
fil-but biex qabel jitlaq imur ikellem lil Franco,
jg˙idlu x’©ara u jag˙tihielu. Imma drabi l-affarijiet
ma jimxux eΩattament fuq il-pjani li nfasslu a˙na,
g˙ax l-ajruplan kien ser jitlaq qabel mill-˙in iffissat
u l-qassis baqa’ sejjer lejn l-ajruport bil-kuruna
fil-but. Franco skanta kif Dun Manwel ma marx
jittawwallu dak il-jum, ma kien jaf xejn dwar dik
l-istorja tas-safar. Stenna jumejn, tlitt ijiem u meta
ra li baqa’ ma rahx g˙amel ftit kura©© u staqsa
g˙alih lil wie˙ed mis-saçerdoti l-o˙ra.
Iççassa u baqa’ imnixxef x˙in sema’ kif kien il-
kaΩ! Lil Dun Manwel kien iqisu b˙ala l-uniku kuntatt
ma’ ˙ajtu madwar ommu, g˙alih kien ˙abib ©enwin,
kien kwaΩi missieru ... u issa Dun Manwel g˙ab g˙al
kollox. Barra milli nkwieta g˙as-saçerdot, bdiet ittih
rasu meta rrealizza li ma kienx jaf x’sar mill-kuruna
tieg˙u ... dik il-kuruna g˙aΩiΩa li fdat f’idejh ommu.
X’kien ser jag˙mel ming˙ajrha? Meta staqsa jekk
hux ©ej lura qalulu li aktarx idum hemm xi sitt snin.
Sitt snin g˙alih dehru eternità.
Wara ftit tal-jiem irçieva ittra qasira ming˙and
Dun Manwel fejn qallu b’dak li ©ara u biex ma
jinkwetax dwar il-kuruna, dik kienet f’idejh u g˙ad xi
darba jroddhielu lura. U minn dak il-lejl stess beda
jhewden u jpaspar kif ser jag˙mel biex jer©a’ jsib
dik il-kuruna g˙aΩiΩa tieg˙u ming˙ajr ma jistenna
sitt snin. Kien fadallu biss ftit xhur biex jo˙ro© mill-
orfanatrofju. Beda jfassal pjan kif malli jo˙ro© minn
hemm ©ew jibda ja˙dem, jibda jfaddal il-flus, imqar
jekk lanqas biss jiekol, basta jfaddal sa ma jkollu
biΩΩejjed biex jaqta’ biljett u jmur il-Peru u j©ib lura
dik il-kuruna g˙aΩiΩa.
Is-superjuri tieg˙u irran©awlu fejn kellu jmur
joqg˙od, sa˙ansitra sabulu xi xog˙ol ˙afif sa ma
jirnexxilu jsib xi ˙a©a a˙jar. B’dankollu, Franco
xtaq li jkollu aktar flus f’idejh, u b’xorti ˙aΩina sab
xi ˙bieb bla galbu li ˙ajruh jag˙tiha g˙as-serq.
Ix-xog˙ol g˙o©bu, imma ma tantx gawdieh g˙ax
inqabad u we˙el ˙ames snin ˙abs.
Tg˙idx kemm beda jis˙et xortih tul dak iΩ-Ωmien
li dam hemm ©ew; kollu tort ta’ dik il-kuruna t’ommu
li ma baqg˙etx madwar g˙onqu. Kien ittraskura
kollox, mhux biss ma jg˙idx ruΩarju imma ma riedx
jara la patrijiet u lanqas qassisin. Intant, iΩ-Ωmien
beda g˙addej, jew a˙jar beda jitkaxkar.
Kieku ma kienx fadallu aktar minn ftit jiem il-
˙abs, imma dan l-istess ˙sieb beda jwerwru. U la
jo˙ro© minn hemm? Fejn ser imur? Min ser iqabbdu
xi xog˙ol, ladarba la˙aq iççappas mal-˙abs? Xtaq li
jmut, il-˙ajja kienet toqol Ωejjed fuqu, l-ebda tama
o˙ra ma kien fadallu. Óadd fid-dinja kollha ma kien
hemm proxxmu li jag˙ti kasu jew i˙obbu.
Darba minhom, b˙as-soltu kien bilqieg˙da fuq
is-sodda fiç-çella tieg˙u, b’rasu bejn idejh, mitluf
fid-disperazzjoni meta sema’ l-˙oss tal-imfieta˙
fis-serratura taç-çella tieg˙u. X’inqala? Le˙en il-
gwardjan ˙asdu: “Hawn xi ˙add speçjali li xtaq
jarak ...” Mhux soltu li dawk li jΩuru jit˙allew imorru
fiç-çella.
Il-merΩuq dawl qawwi li da˙al malli nfeta˙ il-bieb
we©g˙©alu g˙ajnejh tant li kellu jag˙laqhom u g˙al
ftit sekondi ma seta’ jara xejn. Sema’ l-bieb jer©a’
28 Hajja Salesjana
jissakkar. Imbag˙ad le˙en sejja˙lu bil-
˙lewwa: “Franco! Hawn jien ... ma nsejtx
il-weg˙da tieg˙i ... ©ibtielek il-kuruna ...”
Dak le˙en Dun Manwel! Imma kif
jista’ jkun ... qam bil-©iri minn fuq is-
sodda se jaqa’ u ma jaqax meta dirg˙ajn
Dun Manwel ˙addnuh mieg˙u. Óadd
minnhom ma fela˙ jg˙id kelma ...
Óass il-kuruna f’qieg˙ idejh, minnufih
stabat g˙arrkubtejh mal-art: “Hawn,
ma ... re©g˙et ©iet il-kuruna tieg˙ek ...”
Ìieb quddiem g˙ajnejh stampa t’ommu
dejjem iΩΩebbe© dik il-kuruna. Infexx
jolfoq waqt li baqa’ g˙arrkubtejh fejn
kien.
Le˙en il-qassis ˙asdu: “Franco, ma
nistax indum ˙dejk, ser ikolli mmur...”
“Le, t˙allinix ...” qam ji©ri qisu mi©nun
biex jipprova jΩomm il-qassis ˙dejh,
imma dak il-˙in re©a’ nfeta˙ il-bieb taç-
çella. “Meta ser ner©a’ narak?”
“Jekk tixtieqni, jien lest li ni©i fil-˙in
tal-viΩti...”
“Iva, irridek, ne˙tie©ek ... weg˙edni li
ti©i Ωgur ...”
Imma Dun Manwel la˙aq ˙are© u
re©a’ ssakkar il-bieb. Bil-kuruna f’idu,
Franco deffes rasu bejn il-˙adid tat-tieqa
u baqa’ j˙ares lejn il-qassis waqt li beda
jitbieg˙ed tul il-kurutur. Baqa’ j˙ares sa
ma dar il-kantuniera u g˙ab g˙al kollox.
F’dawk il-ftit minuti ˙ass ˙ajtu
tinbidel. “Iva, ma. Sewwa g˙iedtli, issa
Ωgur ser nibda il-Misterji tal-Fer˙!”
29Hajja Salesjana
DAK IL-QASSIS:
JEW XITAN JEW QADDIS
Francesco Alpi studja fl-istitut “San Ìwann
Evan©elista”; imbag˙ad sar infermier fl-
Oratorju ta’ Dun Bosco u fl-a˙˙ar g˙alliem
fid-Dar Salesjana ta’ Pagno (Saluzzo). Huwa
rrakkonta storja lil çertu Dun Alessandro
Luchelli li kitibha b˙ala ittra lir-Rettur
Ma©©ur, Dun Paolo Albera, bid-data tal-20 ta’
April 1916. L-istorja kienet tg˙id li Francesco
Alpi, Ωag˙Ωug˙ ta’ 15 –il sena, kien ©ie aççettat
b˙ala student fil-kulle©© ta’ Alassio. Wara xi
tlieta jew erbg˙at ijiem kien sema’ min jg˙id
li kellu ji©i hemmhekk Dun Bosco, fi trieqtu
lejn Franza, u li min xtaq seta’ jag˙mel
qrara g˙andu. IΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙ Francesco qatt
ma kien sema’ b’Dun Bosco, u ˙aseb, bejnu
u bejn ru˙u: “Ladarba ©ej qassis barrani, li
ser idum hawn jum wie˙ed jew tnejn biss,
qabel jer©a’ jitlaq, jaqbel li mmur inqerr
g˙andu u nag˙mel qrara ©enerali. Hekk ma
jkunx hemm g˙alfejn inqerr g˙and wie˙ed
mill-qassisin tal-kulle©©, li wara jkun jista’
jag˙rafni.”
Stejjer Qosra fuq
Dun Bosco Qaddis
Me˙udin mill-Ktieb ta’ Claudio Russo: Don Bosco e il soprannaturale.
Il-Kardinal Vives Y Tuto`, li ddefenda l-kawΩa tal-kanonizzazzjoni ta’ Dun Bosco, kien
qal: “Matul ˙ajti eΩaminajt bosta kawΩi imma qatt ma ltqajt ma’ wa˙da tant mimlija
bis-soprannatural daqs din.” Il-Mulej kien g˙o©bu jg˙ani r-ru˙ ta’ Dun Bosco b’kariΩmi
speçjali, b˙al ma kienu li jkollu viΩjonijiet u ˙olm, li jara l-©ejjieni , jg˙id profeziji, u
jaqra fil-kuxjenza.
30 Hajja Salesjana
31Hajja Salesjana
Hekku, allura, li l-g˙ada filg˙odu mar iqerr
g˙and Dun Bosco ming˙ajr ma jaf min kien.
Malli beda l-qrara tieg˙u, talab lill-konfessur
jg˙inu xi ftit; imbag˙ad qerr dak kollu li kien
jiftakar. Meta spiçça jitkellem u ma kienx jaf
xi jg˙id aktar, Dun Bosco qallu, “Insejt tqerr
dak it-tali dnub li kont g˙amilt fit-tali post u
fit-tali Ωmien.” Imbag˙ad fissirlu fid-dettal
dak li Francesco kien g˙amel meta kellu bejn
l-g˙axra u t-tnax –il sena, u kompla jg˙idlu,
“Huwa veru li inti ma wettaqtx id-dnub
b’g˙emilek b˙alma g˙amlu s˙abek li kienu
mieg˙ek, iΩda dnibt bil-˙sieb u bix-xewqa, u
anke hekk nistg˙u noffenduH lil Alla.”
IΩ-Ωag˙Ωug˙ Francesco, meta sema’ dak
il-kliem, tant stag˙©eb li beda jxoqq l-g˙araq
g˙alih u kwaΩi kien se j˙ossu ˙aΩin. Malli
ntemmet il-qrara, mar malajr g˙and id-
direttur, Dun Cerruti, u, mbeΩΩa’ u jolfoq,
qallu, “Imma min hu dak il-qassis li sema’
l-qrara tieg˙i? Dak Ωgur li jew xitan jew
qaddis! Qalli bi dnub li jien kont ili nΩomm
sigriet fija u li kont insejtu g˙al kollox u
l-anqas kont na˙sbu dnub!”
Dun Cerruti, bi tbissima fuq fommu, qallu
li dak kien Dun Bosco; mbag˙ad serra˙lu rasu
u qallu biex ma jinkwetax. (MB 19, 446)
The Annual General Meeting of the Maltese Past Pupils of Don Bosco in NSW – Australia, took place on Sunday 21st
Oct. 2012. The President, Mr Mark Caruana said, “A farewell is given to Victor Grech who served very well on the
out-going committee as a PRO and who has been a great asset to all of us. His role as PRO is currently vacant, but
he has volunteered to help. We welcome Sam Gatt who brings with him a wealth of experience. Charlie Muscat
continues in the role of Social Organiser and he has started a regular column in The Voice to inform members of
forthcoming events.
For the remainder of this year, we will now focus on a Christmas get-together and the Festa of Don Bosco in
February 2013. The funds raised through the guessing competition, $8,888, will now be distributed to Salesian
missions both local and overseas.” Here are some pictures of the Celebration Dinner on the occasion of the 25th
Anniversary of the foundation of the Association. (The Secretary: P.O. Box 5332 – Greystanes - NSW LPO 2145).
The first president Joe Zerafa and the current one Mark
Caruana cutting the Association’s 25th Anniversary cake.
32 Hajja Salesjana
Association’s 25th
Anniversary Celebration
6th October 2012
Mark Caruana presenting a gift to Fr. Joe Pulis SDB who
is celebrating his 50th year as a Salesian priest. Fr.Joe
Pulis was the Association’s special guest this year.
Fr. Joe Pulis presents a gift to Charles Catania
in recognition of services rendered to the Association
especially always selling the highest number of raffle
tickets to raise funds for charitable purposes.
Members of the Committee and other special guests at
the 25th Anniversary Dinner Dance seated at table.
Left to right: Antoinette Caruana, High Commissioner
Mr. F. Tabone, Mark Caruana, Lawrence Dimech hidden
behind Mark, Marlene Dimech, Josephine and Joe Galea,
Rose and George Vella, Lino Vella and Alfred Fenech.
Past and Present committee members of the association
with H.E. Mr. Francis Tabone, High Commissioner for
Malta and Fr. Joe Pulis SDB
Dancing the night away
33Hajja Salesjana
As I was driving home from a meeting one
evening at about 5, I got stuck in traffic on
Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke
and splutter - I just barely managed to coast
into a gas station, and was glad that I would
not be blocking traffic and would have a
somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow
truck. Before I could make the call, I saw a
woman walking out of the supermarket, and
it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell
into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she
was okay.
When I got there, she seemed like she
had been overcome by sobs rather than
that she had fallen. She was a young woman
who looked really haggard, with dark circles
under her eyes. She dropped something as I
helped her up, and when I picked it up to give
it to her I saw it was a nickel.
At that moment, everything came into
focus for me: the crying woman, the old
‘Suburban’ pick up car crammed full of stuff
with 3 kids in the back and the gas pump
reading $4.95.
I asked her if she was okay and if she
needed help, and she just kept saying 'I don't
want my kids to see me crying!' So we stood
on the other side of the pump from her car.
She said she was driving to California and
that things were very hard for her right now.
So I asked, 'And you were praying?' That
made her back away from me a little, but
I assured her I was not a crazy person and
said, 'He heard you, and He sent me.'
I took out my card and swiped it through
the card reader on the pump so she could
fill up her car completely, and while it was
fuelling, I walked to the next door McDonald's
and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift
certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee.
She gave the food to the kids in the car,
who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by
the pump eating fries and talking a little.
She told me her name, and that she lived
in Kansas City. Her boyfriend had left her
2 months before and since then had not
been able to make ends meet. She knew she
wouldn't have money to pay the next rent,
and finally, in desperation, had called her
parents, with whom she had not spoken for
about 5 years.
They lived in California and told her she
could go live with them and try to get on her
feet while living there.
So she packed up everything she owned
in the car. She told the kids they were going
to California for Christmas, but not that they
were going to live there. I gave her my gloves,
a little hug and said a quick prayer with her
for safety on the road. As I was walking over
to my car, she said, 'So, are you like an angel
or something?'
This definitely made me stop and think. I
said, 'Sweetie, at this time of year angels are
really busy, so sometimes God uses regular
people.'
It was so incredible to be a part of someone
else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it,
when I got into my car it started right away
and I arrived home with no problem. I'll take
it tomorrow to have it checked, but I suspect
the mechanic won't find anything wrong.
Sometimes the angels fly so close to you
that you can almost hear the flutter of their
wings!
' Friends are God 's way of taking care of us '
Written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician
Testmenti
Il-kontribuzzjonijiet kollha, kemm Ωg˙ar u kemm kbar,
huma dejjem apprezzati.
Ibg˙at il-kontribuzzjonijiet tieg˙ek lil:
Fr. Eric Cachia SDB - Amministratur tad-Delegazzjoni
Savio College, Buskett Road, Dingli DGL2702
Tel: 2145 4546
Tista’ tg˙inna fix-xog˙ol li a˙na nag˙mlu mat-tfal u
maΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ foqra billi tiftakar fina fit-testment tieg˙ek
jew tibg˙at donazzjoni.
Huwa bil-g˙ajnuna ta’ nies b˙alek li x-xog˙lijiet li
g˙andna madwar id-dinja jibqg˙u jag˙tu l-frott.
BorΩa ta’ Studju
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 saçerdot 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.
JISTÀ WIEÓED IÓALLI L-BORÛA BÓALA LEGAT WARA MEWTU?
Jistà. U min jag˙mel hekk, jistà 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.
NEWSPAPER POST ST.PATRICK’S SCHOOL, ST. JOHN BOSCO STREET, SLIEMA 1925
