Year 5 | Issue No. 17 Dec - Jan - Feb 2011
From admiration to
ZAMBIA - ZIMBABWE - MALAWI - NAMIBIA
Imitation
Strenna 2011
Retreat SA
Outgoing Provincial
Provincial Events
New Provincial
Editorial
Strenna for 2011
Pope’s Message of World Youth Day 9
Retreat in South Africa 14
Wishes for Christmas and New Year 15
ZMB Photos 16
3
A Word of thanks 4
New Provincial 5
6
Formation 7
Chingola Brass Band rocks the District 11
Healing Through Christmas 12
Happy Christmas and
Prosperous New Year
2
Photo cover:
The Rector Major with English-speaking African
Provincials, Provincial Councillors and Rectors .
Director: Fr. Joseph Czerwinski sdb
Editor: Cl. Alexio Mesi
Redaction Board: Fr. Dennis Higgins, Fr. Joseph Czerwinski,
Fr. Javier Barrientos
Graphic Design: Cl. Alexio Mesi
Photos: Fr. Leszek Aksamit, Fr Antonio Barrientos,
Moshi SDBs
E-mail: zmbsocialc@zmb.co.zm
Website: www.salesianszmb.org
Salesian Newslink | ZMB Quarterly publication
Year 4/Nº16 Dec -Jan -Feb 2011
1. A word of thanks
2.New Provincial
3. Chingola Brass band
.
4. Healing through Christmas
1
2
3
4
In This Issue
ll that ends had a beginning and all that begins faces We are also this year saying goodbye to Fr Joseph
an end. The meaning of this statement can be felt in Czerwinski who is finishing his term as superior of ZMB A
an intense or very conscious way at the beginning of a vice-province. We would like to express our sincere
new year. As the end of year approaches, people tend to gratitude for the service that he rendered to the province.
look back to reflect on significant events and experiences It was truly a wonderful, dedicated and humbly
of the year that has passed. Without such reflection, past mothering of the province. We would like to express
events remain simply an empty collection of memories. congratulations to Fr George Chalissery who has been
This is something that we do regardless of our religious appointed the new provincial of the ZMB vice-province.
affiliation or other distinguishing elements. We are Let us keep them both in our prayers.
encouraged to do this not just at some particular time
during the year but throughout our lives. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Fr Antonio
the chief editor of our magazine, and the editorial board
If we look back over the past year, we can see significant for a wonderful work to keep the province informed and
ends and beginnings in the province. We witnessed Fr updated. Sincere gratitude goes also to all confreres and
Michael Mbandama sharing a new beginning of young people for their correspondence and articles.
priesthood. The province also hosted some interprovincial
meetings like the CIVAM meetings at both formation and May God bless you all.
youth ministry levels. In Kabwe, the mother congregation
gave birth to three new confreres. The year provided for all
those in authority in the province a time for renewal in Alexio Mesi
South Africa: the retreat preached by the Rector Major.
Nevertheless, there were other events I have not
mentioned; I acknowledge their significance too.
3Salesian NewslinkZMB
ENDS AND BEGINNINGS
Lapsing a year may,
its spirit and
experience
live on.
Editorial
4
Fr Jozef Czerwinski sdb zmbprovincial@gmail.comWords of the Provincial
I cannot forget here about our that I am not a perfect person. On the
benefactors who through their generous contrary, there have been times when
material and spiritual support helped us my weaknesses and limitations took the
to work more efficiently in our mission better of me and in the process I may
for the young people. have hurt someone.
Therefore, I take this opportunity and
ask for your pardon. At the same time
please keep me in your prayers so that I
become a good and faithful salesian!
Conclusion
The six years passed very quickly
indeed (as a matter of fact all together I
was 11 years in Lusaka in the PH) with
the considerable growth of the ZMB
Vice Province in terms of infrastructure
and vocations. Now the “new chapter
will be written” and I hope and believe
that the province will continue its
developing course with a new approach
and ideas.
May Mary our Patroness and Help,
obtain for each of us the graces we need
for our different projects so that we may
be instrumental in winning many souls
for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Wishing You All God's abundant
blessings and the real joy of
Christmas as well as a New Year
I express my words of thanks to the filled with peace and serenity.
Salesian Procures in Poland, Germany,
Spain, Italy and USA. I thank many
agencies and individual benefactors
who helped generously the Vice
Province.
May the Merciful Lord give You
All his abundant blessing.
Apology.
Dear confreres, the ministry in
authority and service
is a demanding one.
In practice it means
that there are bound
t o b e s o m e
misunderstandings
and difficulties in the
p r o c e s s o f
animation. I know
thOn 11 December '10, our Rector Major
appointed Fr George Chalissery sdb, as
the new Superior of the ZMB. We thank Fr
George for accepting this challenging post
of service and at the same time we wish him
a fruitful and joyful ministry!
Words of thanks.
s I finish my term of
o f f i c e , a s t h e ASuperior of the ZMB
Vice Province of Mary Help
of Christians, I would like
first of all to thank God for his
infinite love that he showed
me in making me his
instrument in the growth of
the ZMB Vice Province.
I take this opportunity and
express my sincere words of
gra t i tude to my c lose
collaborators - the ZMB
Council Members. Despite
m y w e a k n e s s e s a n d
limitations we were able to
work together and confront
m a n y c h a l l e n g e s a n d
difficulties. Through mutual
and brother ly support ,
(sometimes right correction
and advice) we have done
what we could, in order to
create more unified ZMB
Vice Province.
I extend my sincere thanks to all of You
Dear Confreres! Your, support,
collaboration and understanding
enabled me to carry on my duties
without major difficulties.
I would like to express my gratitude to
all the members of the SF, and in a
special way to the Salesian Sisters for
t h e i r s u p p o r t a n d w o r d s o f
encouragement.
Dear confreres and Members of the Salesian Family
A Word of Thanks
In Don Bosco
Fr Joseph
New ZMB Superior
Fr George
Chalissery
SDB
Habemus novus ZMB
Inspector!!!
Rector Major Rev. Pascual Chavez
appointed Fr George Chalissery SDB as a
new Superior of the ZMB Vice Province.Fr
George is the former provincial of AFE
Province and at present he is the rector of the
formation community in Moshi.
He will be installed as the new superior of
th
ZMB on Tuesday 4 January 2011, during
the Eucharistic celebration at 17.00h, in
the chapel of the Provincial house in
Chawama, Lusaka.All confreres are invited
as well as members
of the SF to take part in this important event of our
province.
As we congratulate Fr George, let us thank God for the
gift of the new Provincial and support Fr George with
our prayers.
5
experienced something immensely Presentation of the 2011 Strenna
beautiful from the moment they “came and 2. Become Don Bosco for the young It is an historic detail, confirmed by each of
saw where he was staying and they people of todaythe four evangelists, that from the outset of
remained with him” (Jn 1:39). Ÿ Be aware of the central, obvious place his evangelising activities (cf. Mk 1:14-15),
of consecrated persons in the carrying Jesus called some to follow him (cf. Mk
Here then is the pedagogical direction we out of the Salesian mission. This was 1:16-20). These first disciples of his thus
must take: Don Bosco's belief and experience.became "companions throughout the time
1. Return to Don Bosco: Ÿ Create a culture of vocation as was the that the Lord Jesus went in and out amongst
Ÿ Make the Valdocco experience our own; case at Valdocco, one marked by us, beginning from the baptism of John
it creates a family environment of great seeking the meaning of existence, with until the day he was taken up from us" (Acts
spiritual worth, one of apostolic transcendence as its horizon, sustained 1:21-22).
i n v o l v e m e n t a n d s p i r i t u a l and supported by profound values, a Evangelisation and vocation thus become
planning mentality, and aimed at t w o i n s e p a r a b l e
a culture of fellowship and elements. Furthermore,
solidarity.a cr i ter ion of the
Ÿ Ensure accompaniment through authenticity of good
the quality of our personal lives, evangelisation is its
our education to love and ability to give rise to
chastity, our responsibility for vocations, to see to the
history, starting them out in growth of projects of
prayer, apostolic involvement.g o s p e l l i v i n g , t o
Ÿ Make the Salesian Youth completely involve
Movement a privileged place for t h o s e w h o a r e
the journey of vocational evangelised to the point
discernment: where young where they become
people experience and show how disciples and apostles.
the current of communion
flowing around Don Bosco, his Following on from the
pedagogical values , and Strenna for 2010 ,
Salesian Youth Spirituality “Lord, we want to see
results in a volunteer movement Jesus”, about the urgent
and projects of life.need to evangelise, I am
making a heartfelt
appeal to the Salesian
Rome, 31 May 2010.Family now to feel the
Fr Pascual Chávez Villanuevaurgency of, the need to
Rector Majorcall others.
Dear brothers and
sisters, every member of
accompaniment which is sustained by
the Salesian Family, I therefore invite you
intense love for the Church and the
to be true spiritual guides for the young, like
world.
John the Baptist pointing out Jesus to his
Ÿ Show the beauty, the appropriateness of
disciples and telling them: “Look, here is
our Salesian vocation for today and its
the Lamb of God!” (Jn 1:36), so they can
variety: a life completely given to God
follow him to a point where Jesus, aware
in the service of the young is well worth
that they are following him, turns to them
living.
directly with the question: “What are you
Ÿ Live our lives and help the lives of
looking for?” and they, overcome with the
others to be understood as vocation and
desire to profoundly get to know who this
mission. And all this as a great gift
Jesus is, ask him: “Rabbi, where do you
which is experienced with God at the
live?” (Jn 1:38), and he invites them to
centre, in fellowship with all
share the experience of being with him:
consecrated men and women dedicated
“Come and see”. They will have
to the poorest and most needy.
6
2 STRENNA011
“Look, here is the Lamb of God!...
What are you looking for?....
Rabbi, where do you live?...
Come and See”
A few weeks before the official presentation
of the Strenna of the Rector Major for 2011,
entitled “Come and See” the Councillor for
Salesian Formation, Fr Francesco Cereda,
replied to some questions on the subject of
vocations.
1. How do you see the vocational situation
in our Congregation?
In the world many young people are
attracted by the Salesian charism and in
particular by the person of Don Bosco.
They are fascinated by his eucharistic,
biblical and Marian spirituality; they want
to devote their lives and share his mission
for the young, especially the poorest ones;
they like his style of community and family
life and his simple and joyful relationships.
As a Congregation we have on average 550
novices a year: this is a great grace from
God! Our vocational proposal to the young
needs to concentrate more on consecrated
life, in other words on the primacy of God,
on love for the Lord Jesus and on following
him, on being open to the Spirit; as well as
the mission to youth, it is
necessary to present to young
people and also give them the
experience of fraternal life
lived in community and life
l i v e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e
evange l i ca l counse l s o f
obedience, poverty and chastity,
which are the characteristic
features of Salesian consecrated
life. There are many ways of
living the charism of Don
Bosco, as lay people too;
consecrated life is one of the
ways, to which God constantly
calls young people. I hope that
by improving the stages of the
a s p i r a n t a t e a n d o f t h e
prenovitiate, the Congregation
will be able to accompany better
FORMATION
2011 Strenna from the point of view of
7
the vocations which God sends her.
2. Is this situation the same in the whole
Congregation or are there differences in
different countries?
The vocational geography of the
Congregation has changed rapidly
especially in the last thirty years. After the
launching of "Project Africa" at the
beginning of the 80s, and the planting of the
charism in a more widespread manner, in
this continent there are about 80-90
candidates to Salesian consecrated life
every year; these are "African" vocations
which require us to prepare teams of
f o r m a t i o n p e r s o n n e l , f o r m a t i o n
communities, study centres and above all a
m e t h o d o f f o r m a t i o n w h i c h i s
individualised and inculturated. The same
applies to Asia where, in addition to
countries with a well-established vocation
tradition such as India, there are new
countries with a flourishing of vocations
such as Vietnam, East Timor, Indonesia,
Myanmar, Korea. The situation in Oceania,
and especially in the Pacific Islands, is in its
early days vocationally speaking; there are
promising signs, for example in Samoa. The
situation in America is varied: as well as
countries where vocations are on the
increase, there are others where the situation
is stable or stagnating. Europe, finally, is in
difficulties, but we can observe an average
of about 50-60 novices a year. The
geography of vocations in the Congregation
has changed, and therefore new balances of
cultures are beginning to form. It should
also be noted with satisfaction that in the
countries which are vocationally more
fruitful there is an outpouring of missionary
generosity, towards all the Regions of the
Congregation; on this account the
international communities and the
intercultural experiences are always
becoming more important.
3. How could the vocational Strenna of the
Rector Major help us to take better care of
vocations for the Church and for the
Salesian Family?
First of all it should be noted that real
concern about vocations in the various
groups of the Salesian Family is generally
weak; we meet many young people who are
generous and ready, but we pay little
attention to making the proposal and to their
accompaniment, in order to help them to
live an apostolic Christian life and discover
their vocation. This is a conviction I have
come to from my knowledge
of the Provinces of the
Congrega t i on and t he
Salesian Family. We are often
persuaded that vocations arise
spontaneously when in our
groups and in our educative
pastoral communities there is
a calm, welcoming and joyful
atmosphere; this is certainly
important, but not enough. Fr
Egidio Viganò, seventh
successor of Don Bosco, used
to say that "without the
p r o p o s a l t h e r e i s n o
response." It is necessary
therefore to have the courage
to make the vocational
proposal. However, personal
accompaniment is also
8
necessary, because without a spiritual guide
a vocation cannot come to maturity. With
his Strenna this year, the Rector Major Fr
Pascual Chávez is inviting not only us
Salesians, but the whole Salesian Family to
have greater concern about vocations and to
work not only for vocations to one's own
group, but also for those to other groups of
the Salesian Family and to the Church.
4. As the Salesian Family what ought to be
the convictions as the basis for our
commitment to vocations?
Prior to any of our pastoral attention to
vocations there needs to be in each one of us
the profound conviction that it is God who
raises up vocations, that it is the Lord Jesus
and his Gospel which attract and fascinate
young people, that it is the Spirit who
inspires, animates and moves. Therefore
God continues to call the young, also in the
most difficult and secularised places: God
is also calling young people from Europe to
be apostles of the young people of Europe.
God never tires of calling and proposing; it
is we who sometimes become discouraged
and resigned; therefore prayer needs to
precede, accompany and follow all
vocational activity. In the second place, it is
the joyful and fraternal witness in living
one's own vocation in communion with
other brothers which can provoke a certain
vocational restlessness and can be the
beginning of a vocational journey for the
young; it is not so much the words as the
witness of genuine disciples of Jesus and
therefore his apostles, full of passion
following the example of Don Bosco,
which creates a vocational atmosphere.
God speaks through our lives and our
witness. The vocational proposal becomes
worthy of trust only if there are credible
witnesses.
5. How can we in particular Salesians,
educators and pastors, help young people
in their search and in the accompaniment
of their vocation ?
As Salesians we have the 26° General continuity of formation and not have gaps
Chapter which encourages us and gives us in the proposal for the various age ranges,
practical suggestions to help young people especially in a culture of fragmentation and
discover their vocation. Every confrere complexity. The young people who have
needs to have the courage to make an made a vocation journey which was not
explicit vocational proposal. improvised have more of a sound
The community needs to motivation, they have undertaken a more
commit itself to creating a attentive discernment process, they have
vocational culture, by which acquired the readiness and the right
each young person feels attitudes for accompaniment. So formation
himself thought of and called personnel are also waiting for the
by God; it fosters apostolic commentary on the Strenna of the Rector
vocations among the young, Major; it will also help us to form in the
inviting them to do good to confreres a sensitivity to and a capacity for
their peers; it accompanies vocational guidance.
those young people who are
asking themselves questions
7. How can formation and youth ministry about consecrated Salesian
collaborate in vocation promotion ?life; it helps them discover the
Salesian consecrated lay In the month of September this year 2010
vocation. For vocational we concluded the meetings of the
discernment it is necessary Commissions for Formation and Youth
that the community is open Ministry of the eight Regions of the
and welcoming; that it offers the young Congregation on the third key issue of the
people the possibility of taking part in GC26 "Need for vocation ministry". These
community occasions; it proposes were meetings for the sharing of ideas and
experiences of “come and see” it starts and i n v e s t i g a t i n g h o w t o p u t t h e
consolidates experiences of the aspirantate. recommendations of the Chapter into
The Strenna of the Rector Major will help practice. Some Regions are further ahead
us to develop further these suggestions. in the process of reflection and
experimentation while others are only just
beginning. It is my hope that the same spirit
6. Will greater care for vocations also of collaboration will be taken up at
have positive effects on Salesian Province level by the Formation
formation? Commissions and the Youth Ministry
Formation personnel involved in initial Teams. The common ground for discussion
and collaboration is the
accompaniment of
candidates and the
search for new and
different kinds of
aspirantate, but there
could also be reflection
on the faith journey of
young people, on their
affective maturing, on
the vocation culture and
on ways of bringing to
maturi ty apostol ic
vocations, on how to
involve the families in
vocation procedures,
on approaches suited to
y o u n g u n i v e r s i t y
students ... It seems to
formation are particularly ready and open me that formation personnel are ready to
to collaborating in sound vocational offer their experience, and to work with
promotion in the communities and in the young people and for young people.
Provinces. Nowadays the maturing
processes of the young are slower; life
decisions cannot be improvised, but need
gradual steps though not too long-drawn-
out; on this account from the educational
and formation points of view we need to Don F. Cereda
make the point "slow is cool." This does not
mean that we have to lengthen formation
procedures; rather we have to ensure the
9
which can prove decisive for their lives. It something new. We wanted to discover life
is an experience of the Lord Jesus, risen and itself, in all its grandeur and beauty.
alive, and of his love for each of us. Naturally, part of that was due to the times
we lived in. During the Nazi dictatorship 1. At the source of your deepest
and the war, we were, so to speak, aspirations
“hemmed in” by the dominant power
In every period of history, including our structure. So we wanted to break out into
own, many young people experience a the open, to experience the whole range of
deep desire for personal relationships human possibilities. I think that, to some
marked by truth and solidarity. Many of extent, this urge to break out of the ordinary
them yearn to build authentic friendships, is present in every generation. Part of being
to know true love, to start a family that will young is desiring something beyond
remain united, to achieve personal everyday life and a secure job, a yearning
fulfilment and real security, all of which are for something really truly greater. Is this
the guarantee of a serene and happy future. simply an empty dream that fades away as
In thinking of my own youth, I realize that we become older? No! Men and women
stability and security are not the questions were created for something great, for
that most occupy the minds of young infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough.
people. True enough, it is important to have Saint Augustine was right when he said
a job and thus to have firm ground beneath “our hearts are restless till they find their
our feet, yet the years of our youth are also a rest in you”. The desire for a more
time when we are seeking to get the most meaningful life is a sign that God created us
out of life. When I think back on that time, I and that we bear his “imprint”. God is life,
remember above all that we were not and that is why every creature reaches out
willing to settle for a conventional middle- towards life. Because human beings are
made in the image of God, we do
this in a unique and special way.
We reach out for love, joy and
peace. So we can see how absurd it
is to think that we can truly live by
removing God from the picture!
God is the source of life. To set
God aside is to separate ourselves
from that source and, inevitably, to
deprive ourselves of fulfilment
and joy: “without the Creator, the
creature fades into nothingness”
(Second Vat ican Counci l ,
, 36). In some
parts of the world, particularly in
the West, today's culture tends to
exclude God, and to consider faith
a purely private issue with no
relevance for the life of society.
Even though the set of values
underpinning society comes from
the Gospel – values like the sense
of the dignity of the person, of
solidarity, of work and of the
family –, we see a certain “eclipse
of God” taking place, a kind of
amnesia which, albeit not an
outright rejection of Christianity,
class life. We wanted something great, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our
Gaudium et Spes
Dear Friends,
I often think back on the
.
There we had an experience of a great
festival of faith in which the Spirit of God
was actively at work, building deep
communion among the participants who
had come from all over the world. That
gathering, like those on previous occasions,
bore rich fruit in the lives of many young
people and in the life of the whole Church.
Now we are looking forward
to the next World Youth Day,
to be held in Madrid in
August 2011. Back in 1989,
several months before the
historic fall of the Berlin
Wall, this pilgrimage of
young people halted in
Spain, in
. Now, at a
time when Europe greatly
needs to rediscover its
Christian roots, our meeting
will take place in Madrid
with the theme:“Planted
and built up in Jesus Christ,
firm in the faith” (cf. Col
2:7). I encourage you to take
part in this event, which is so
important for the Church in
Europe and for the universal
Church. I would like all
young people – those who
share our faith in Jesus
Christ, but also those who
are wavering or uncertain, or
who do not believe in him –
to share this experience,
World Youth
Day held in Sydney in 2008
Santiago de
Compostela
World Youth Day 2011
Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for 26th World Youth Day
“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7)
faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of
our deepest identity.
For this reason, dear friends, I encourage
you to strengthen your faith in God, the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the
future of society and of the Church! As the
Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of
Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid
foundation! This is particularly true today.
Many people have no stable points of
reference on which to build their lives, and
so they end up deeply insecure. There is a
growing mentality of relativism, which
holds that everything is equally valid, that
truth and absolute points of reference do not
exist. But this way of thinking does not lead
to true freedom, but rather to instability,
confusion and blind conformity to the fads
of the moment. As young people, you are
entitled to receive from previous
generations solid points of reference to help
you to make choices and on which to build
your lives: like a young plant which needs
solid support until it can sink deep roots and
become a sturdy tree capable of bearing
fruit...
5. Sustained by the faith of the Church, in
order to be witnesses
Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you believed
because you have seen me? Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have come
to believe” (Jn 20:29). He was thinking of
the path the Church was to follow, based on
the faith of eyewitnesses: the Apostles.
Thus we come to see that our personal faith
in Christ, which comes into being through
dialogue with him, is bound to the faith of
the Church. We do not believe as isolated
individuals, but rather, through Baptism,
we are members of this great family; it is the
faith professed by the Church which
reinforces our personal faith. TheCreed that
we proclaim at Sunday Mass protects us
from the danger of believing in a God other
than the one revealed by Christ: “Each
believer is thus a link in the great chain of
believers. I cannot believe without being
carried by the faith of others, and by my
faith I help support others in the faith”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 166).
Let us always thank the Lord for the gift of
the Church, for the Church helps us to
advance securely in the faith that gives us
true life (cf. Jn 20:31).
In the history of the Church, the saints and
the martyrs have always drawn from the
glorious Cross of Christ the strength to be
faithful to God even to the point of
offering their own lives. In faith they
found the strength to overcome their
weaknesses and to prevail over every
adversity. Indeed, as the Apostle John
says, “Who is it that conquers the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the
wishes to make you firm in faith through Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:5). The victory born
the Church. The decision to believe in of faith is that of love. There have been,
Jesus Christ and to follow him is not an and still are, many Christians who are
easy one. It is hindered by our personal living witnesses of the power of faith that
failures and by the many voices that point is expressed in charity. They have been
us towards easier paths. Do not be peacemakers, promoters of justice and
discouraged. Rather, look for the support workers for a more humane world, a world
of the Christian community, the support of in accordance with God's plan. With
the Church! Throughout this year, competence and professionalism, they
carefully prepare for the meeting in have been committed in different sectors
Madrid with the bishops, priests and youth of the life of society, contributing
leaders in your dioceses, parish effectively to the welfare of all. The charity
c o m m u n i t i e s , a s s o c i a t i o n s a n d that comes from faith led them to offer
movements. The quality of our meeting concrete witness by their actions and
will depend above all on our spiritual words. Christ is not a treasure meant for us
preparation, our prayer, our common alone; he is the most precious treasure we
hearing of the word of God and our mutual have, one that is meant to be shared with
support.others. In our age of globalization, be
witnesses of Christian hope all over the Dear young people, the Church depends on
world. How many people long to receive you! She needs your lively faith, your
this hope! Standing before the tomb of his creative charity and the energy of your
friend Lazarus, who had died four days hope. Your presence renews, rejuvenates
earlier, as he was about to call the dead man and gives new energy to the Church. That
is why World Youth Days are a grace, not
only for you, but for the entire People of
God. The Church in Spain is actively
preparing to welcome you and to share
this joyful experience of faith with you. I
thank the dioceses, parishes, shrines,
religious communities, ecclesial
associations and movements, and all who
are hard at work in preparing for this
event. The Lord will not fail to grant them
his blessings. May the Virgin Mary
accompany you along this path of
preparation. At the message of the angel,
back to life, Jesus said to Lazarus' sister
she received God's word with faith. It was
Martha: “If you believe, you will see the
in faith that she consented to what God was
glory of God” (cf. Jn 11:40). In the same
accomplishing in her. By proclaiming her
way, if you believe, and if you are able to
“fiat”, her “yes”, she received the gift of
live out your faith and bear witness to it
immense charity which led her to give
every day, you will become a means of
herself entirely to God. May she intercede
helping other young people like
for each one of you so that, in the coming
yourselves to find the meaning and joy of
World Youth Day you may grow in faith
life, which is born of an encounter with
and love. I assure you of a paternal
Christ!
remembrance in my prayers and I give you
6. On the way to World Youth Day in my heartfelt blessing.
Madrid
From the Vatican...Dear friends, once again I invite you to
attend World Youth Day in Madrid. I await BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
each of you with great joy. Jesus Christ
10
the stakeholders of the
Chingola district national
e v e n t s o r g a n i s i n g
committee under the
office of the District
Commissioner. This is so
because when there is a
high profile national
event in the district they
look no further than Don
Bosco Youth Centre.
With this gesture and
commitment from the
young people indeed, skills training; sports but now the
they are heading for excellence in Brass band and the majorettes.
the province and the country at
Aw a r e o f o t h e r f o r m s o f
large. As for next year in as much as
evangelization present here at Don
we wish to consolidate the
Bosco Youth Centre Such as
membership to include more young
education and sports this one is
school-going youths as veterans are
simply evangelization through
posed to rest the trumpets we
blowing and dancing.
wish to cross borders and
perform at events outside the
district.
As for the young dancing
girls, the majorettes you need
only see them show-case their
drills as the band plays in the
background. Don Bosco
Youth Centre once again
continues to be the centre of
attraction not only in the usual
Don Bosco boys and girls are
undeniably the leading brass band in
Chingola. This may be argued from
the many call ups we receive from
var ious o rgan iza t iona l and
government functions that we are
invited to grace. The inclusion of the
young dancing girls alias the
majorettes, is just what was missing
for the band to enable them climb
the ladder of the elite brass bands on
the Copperbelt province of Zambia.
This year alone some of the high
profile national events performed at
the Chingola district level included
the installation of the Mayor of
Chingola; the Independence
celebration; World AIDS Day etc. If
I am to make a claim in this regard I
Chingola
...undeniably leading Brass band in the District .
by
Br. John Musonda
101
Don Bosco Brass Band
12
behavior of those who run Eucharist and the words of the
here and there searching for Consecration are pronounced, the
acceptance, longing for a blessing incarnation which happened 2000
but experiencing curses instead. years ago is experienced. The priest
Through Christmas we have being the instrument of the Lord,
entered into the life of Jesus in a pronounces the words; “Lord, you
powerful way, and experience the are Holy indeed, the fountain of all
curses in our lives being changed to holiness. Let your Spirit come upon
blessings (Deut 23:5). The Lord these gifts to make them holy, so
says in Joel 2:25:" I will repay you for that they may become for us the
the years which the locust has body and blood of our Lord, Jesus
eaten, the grasshopper, the Christ.” (cf. Eucharistic Prayer II).
devourer, and the cutter..."The Now this is very much what
blessing goes deeper into the layers happened at the scene of the
of pain in our lives the more we annunciation. The initiative
place ourselves in the presence of coming from the Father to redeem
the One who blesses. For He is a humanity. He sent the angel
God of restoration. He is a God of Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
blessing. I believe that at each When she doubted, the angel
celebration of the Eucharist, we re- assured her that the power of the
live the experience of Christmas. Holy Spirit will overshadow her
Now listen to this; (To the Liturgist and what will be born in her will be
it may be a heresy). Am sorry! Every holy, and he must be named Jesus,
time when we are celebrating the and when she said Yes, she
What does "blessing" mean
to you? Some definitions of blessing
include: "To invoke divine care for;
to confer prosperity or happiness
upon; to dedicate; to approve; to
endorse." As we reflect upon God's
covenant of blessing through the
incarnation of his only Son, we see
that God has made tremendous
provision for blessing His people.
We all need to experience blessing.
We need continually to receive it
from our Heavenly Father, and we
need to be givers of blessings to
others. We need to know that we
are deeply valued, that we are
i m p o r t a n t . W e n e e d t o
communicate to others that they
have high value. Consider the scars
of the unblessed in our society.
Consider the abandoned, the
outcast, the homeless, and the
unloved. Reflect on the destructive
Healing through Christmas
13
c o m e t o H i s
m a r v e l o u s , a w e s o m e
p r e s e n c e i s i n t h e
E u c h a r i s t d u r i n g
r e c e p t i o n o f H o l y
Communion. Every time I
have said these words
before receiving Holy
Communion, I've always
wondered about the
significance of them. Does
Jesus today so easily heal
with “His Word” as the Jesus knew someone had touched
Centurion in the Bible passage him, because he felt the power
experienced? What exactly is Jesus coming out of him…the power of
healing, when I say these words healing. There were so many people
who were pressing round him but
at this moment, he knew someone
touched him…it was like he was
asking…”Who has been healed? The
power of healing has come out of
me.” And interestingly, every day
when we are celebrating the Mass,
we touch him...healing should take
place…Yes we touch him! Are we
that crowd just pressing round
him, or we are touching him with an
intention of getting healed; “If only
I touch the Eucharist I will be well
again…I will be healed.” I pray that
the wonder of this great gift will
rise in our spirits and bring great
faith in the healing power of the
each time I receive the Holy Mass. Lord Jesus, we thank You
Eucharist? How do I experience that You have called us by name;
this healing? What does it take to You called us to Mass to heal us, to
reach a point where the healing liberate us, to set us free. You called
power of God saves me from myself us to empower us to heal the
(my OWN will, my stubbornness, broken hearted, hear us. Lord, let
and my weaknesses) and my our healing be so deep that we walk
disease? So many questions – but out of Mass new creations, new
they were not all answered for me at people, healed in body, mind and
once. It has been (and continues to spirit. Thank You, Heavenly Father,
be) a long journey of deepening for loving us so much. Thank You,
faith and repeated experiences of Jesus, for not bearing to leave us,
the love of God, healing me and thus sending the Holy Spirit.
emotionally and physically. And Thank You, Holy Spirit, for guiding
remember the beautiful words of us into the freedom of children of
the woman suffering from the God.
discharge of blood for twelve years,
in MK. 5, “If only I touch the fringe
of his cloak, I will be well again, I
will be healed”. She did that and she
was well again, she was healed and
conceived Jesus Christ the
Lord. As a priest I see the chalice as
the womb of the Virgin Mary where
incarnation takes place at each and
c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e
Eucharist…another heresy…So the
celebration of the Eucharist is the
incarnation...Each part of the Mass
therefore, which is a Christmas
celebration, aids in the healing and
blessing process: The Introductory
Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the
Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the
Concluding Rite. Enter into each
part intimately, deeply and
honestly. Open up and receive the
full effects our Lord intends for you
to receive. But how does healing
take place in the celebration of
Christmas, during the Mass? God is
love, and He wants to heal us more
than we want to be healed. On
earth, the closest we
by
Fr. N. Lesa
Retreat with the Rector Major
Provincials, rectors of communities and event which is the second of it kind; the first organised and allowed enough time for the
provincial councilors travelled to one took place in Nairobi (Kenya) in the personal reflection and prayer. There were
Johannesburg from all corners of Africa to year 2004. The retreat was animated by Fr. also some activities in common besides
participate in the retreat preached by Fr. Pascual Chavez who gave the morning morning and evening prayer. The Rector
Pascual Chavez SDB, Rector Major of the reflection, mostly on Mariology, plus two Major animated the conferences with good
S a l e s i a n s o f D o n B o s c o . conferences during the day and the Good- and clear examples of everyday life; he also
night-talk. Fr. Francois Dufour, the shared a lot of information on the matters of
The retreat for the English speakers of the provincial of AFM, was the director of the the Congregation and of the Salesian World
African region took place at Don Bosco retreat and also in-charge of the logistics in general. As it was the comment of many,
Youth Centre in Randvaal, Johannesburg along with Fr. Robert Gore and Fr. John the retreat was a wonderful occasion to be
(South Africa). The Salesian province of Coleman. renewed in spiritual life, but also in
Blessed Michael Rua (AFM) hosted the The programme of the retreat was well knowledge and love for the Congregation.
14
The
Retr
eat i
n SA
was
a sp
ecia
l eve
nt fo
r all
the
part
icipa
nts.
121
Sale
sian
s gat
here
d to
liste
n
to o
ur b
elov
ed R
ecto
r Ma
jor.
He '
Don
Bos
co',
in hi
s co
nfer
ence
s an
d ta
lks
imp
lore
d us
to “
Be im
itato
rs of
Don
Bos
co a
s I
was
of C
hrist
”.
·
Let u
s the
refo
re co
ntem
plate
Don
Bosc
o - t
o re
turn
to t
he r
oots
of o
ur id
enti
ty
with
the
sigh
t an
d th
e ex
amp
le of
Do
n Ru
a;
thro
ugh
the
stud
y of
the
Con
stitu
tion
s an
d
espe
ciall
y wi
th a
con
stan
t car
e of
one
's ow
n
voca
tion
as c
onse
crate
d ap
ostle
s.
·
Let u
s mo
ve fr
om
adm
irati
on t
o
imit
atio
n, m
akin
g ou
rs, h
is sy
nthe
sis o
f a n
ew
way
to h
oline
ss, t
hrou
gh t
he c
are o
f on
e's o
wn
spiri
tual
life.
...from Admiration
to imitation.South Africa
May the joy and peace of Christmas be
yours now and throughout the New Year
2011
May the newly born saviour give you an
abundance of hope, life and joy for
many years to come.
15
Editorial team
16
Flash back
