Hajja Salesjana NOVEMBRU-DIÇEMBRU 2010il-217 Óar©a
IΩ-Ûjara tar-Rettur Ma©©ur
Advent & Advents
God does answer our prayers
The Logo of the Salesians of Don Bosco is made up of two superimposed images: in
the background a stylised “S” (Salesians) in white marked to the right and left by two
cuttings between the hills (a road). The second image is in the centre of the globe: an
arrow pointing upwards resting on three perpendicular legs on top of which are three
closed circles making a stylised image of three people: the first of these in the midde
and taller (the Salesian) appears as if embracing the side figures (the young). The three
stylised figures can also be viewed as an arrow pointing upwards (education / formation)
or simply as a dwelling (Salesian house) with three pillars holding it up (reason, religion,
loving kindness).
The coat of arms of the Salesian Congregation shows the shining star, the large anchor,
the heart on fire symbolizing faith, hope and charity; the figure of St. Francis de Sales
recalling the Patron of the Society; the small wood in the lower part reminds us of the
Founder (Bosco) the high mountains signify the heights of perfection towards which
members strive; the interwoven palm and laurel that enfold the shield either side are
emblematic of the prize reserved for a sacrificial and virtuous life. The motto Da mihi
animas, caetera tolle (give me souls, take the rest) expresses every Salesian’s ideal.
Óajja Salesjana
St. Patrick’s School, Triq San Ìwann Bosco,
Sliema SLM 1925 – MALTA
Tel. (+356) 2133 0238 / (+00356) 9986 1586
e-mail: hajjasal@salesiansmalta.org
Il-Bulettin Salesjan, imsejja˙ b’diversi ismijiet, ji©i
stampat f’56 edizzjoni u f’ 29 ilsien madwar id-
dinja u huwa mxerred fi 131 nazzjon
Responsible: Fr. Paul Formosa SDB
Director/ Editor: Fr. Joseph Cini SDB
Editorial Board : Margaret Buhagiar,
Andre Camilleri, Matthew Borg, Josie Grech.
Office: Eileen Alden, Joyce Scicluna.
Design & Printing: Salesian Press, Sliema.
Tista taqra ˙ajja Salesjana fuq il-kompjuter:
http://www.salesiansmalta.org
Fuqiex se naqraw
Front Cover: Billi din is-sena ja˙bat ic-çentenarju tas-Salesian Brigade, u billi l’istrenna tar-Rettur Ma©©ur tg˙idilna “nwasslu
l-Van©elu liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙”, ir-ritratt tal-qoxra juri mumenti fil-˙ajja tas-Salesian Brigade.
A Good Night... on the Good Night 9
Advent & Advents 10
Lectio Divina 11
Il-Kamp taç-Çentinarju 12
Blessed Michael Rua (5) 14
Malta Salesjana 20
God does answer our prayers 22
Long and rewarding journey of God’s love:
Fr Martin Tanti sdb 24
Three Things 25
G˙eΩieΩ Nanniet 26
Omm Alla tas-Saçerdoti 28
Dun Bosco fis-santi u kartolini 30
IΩ-Ûjara tar-Rettur Ma©©ur 33
Editorjal / Pedago©ija / Caledar of events /
Something to think about / Marian Apparitions
3Hajja Salesjana
EDITORJAL
Óajja ta’ OttimiΩmu
IS-SENA 2010 RIESQA LEJN L-AÓÓAR XHUR
TAGÓHA. KEMM ÌRAJJIET ÛEWQU L-ÌRANET
TAGÓHA! BÓALA FAMILJA SALESJANA
MALTIJA WEÌIBNA GÓALL-APPELL
TAR-RETTUR MAÌÌUR HEKK KIF ÓUTNA
F’HAITI ÌARRBU ÓSARAT DEVASTANTI.
Kemm jg˙addi malajr iΩ-Ωmien, igerrbu l-jiem, il-
©img˙at u x-xhur. Pa©na wara l-o˙ra tad-djarju
jitnaqqru u jfakkruna li Ω-Ωmien g˙addej u ma
jistenna lil ˙add. Façli li nid˙lu f’ritmu u rutina. Ir-
riskju tar-rutina jista’ jo˙loq im˙adda komda fejn
l-entuΩjaΩmu u l-inizjattiva ©dida jitwarrbu b˙al xi
˙a©a li tqanqal wisq xog˙ol.
Is-sena 2010 riesqa lejn l-a˙˙ar xhur tag˙ha.
Kemm ©rajjiet Ωewqu l-©ranet tag˙ha! B˙ala
Familja Salesjana Maltija we©ibna g˙all-appell tar-
Rettur Ma©©ur hekk kif ˙utna f’Haiti ©arrbu ˙sarat
devastanti. Grazzi g˙all-©eneroΩità tal-poplu Malti
u G˙awdxi stajna nag˙tu Euro 246,000 g˙all-bini
mill-©did tal-iskejjel. Din is-sena wkoll immarkat
iç-çentinarju mill-bidu tas-Salesian Brigade.
Kienu bosta l-inizjattivi li ttie˙du biex it-tifkira ta’
100 sena tissarraf f’ti©did u a©©ornament f’dik li
hija proposta edukattiva. Kienet sena fejn rajna
numru sabi˙ ta’ tfal u Ωg˙aΩag˙ jing˙aqdu mal-
Brigade u jsa˙˙u dak li nbeda b’g˙an nobbli snin
ilu. L-istess im˙abba u dedikazzjoni tal-Officers
fissret impenn lejn it-tfal u Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙, kif xtaq
Dun Bosco. Fis-sena 2010 fakkarna l-ewwel sena
mill-mi©ja f’ Malta tas-Sorijiet Salesjani, preΩenza
sabi˙a u profetika li ssebba˙ il-Familja Salesjana
f’Malta u tag˙ti kulur ©did g˙all-˙ajja reli©juΩa
femminili fuq l-istil Salesjan. Mhux ‘l-bog˙od wisq
kellna wkoll iΩ-Ωjara kanonika tar-Rettur Ma©©ur
li g˙adda jiem ta’ Ωjarat f’kull dar u laqg˙at ta’
t˙e©©i© ma’ kull Salesjan. Mument importanti
kienet il-quddiesa li Don Pascual Chavez mexxa
nhar il-5 ta’ Settembru g˙all-Familja Salesjana
kollha. Ma nistg˙ux in˙allu barra Ω-Ωjara li l-Papa
Benedittu XVI g˙amel. Kienu jiem ta’ ti©did
ekkleΩjali, ta’ stima pubblika lejn il-Vigarju ta’
Kristu u grazzja minn Alla.
Minkejja l-attivitajiet u t-tifkiriet sbie˙, is-sena
2010 offriet wkoll il-we©g˙at tag˙ha. Numru ta’
©enituri, Koperaturi u benefatturi ing˙aqdu mal-
Mulej fis-sliem. Kienet ukoll sena ta’ grazzja fejn
xi studenti Salesjani resqu g˙al stadji importanti
fil-mixja Salesjana tag˙hom, min b˙ala Djaknu
(2) min b˙ala profess (3) u min b˙ala novizz (2).
U issa, in˙ejju ru˙na g˙all-Avvent u l-Milied, a˙na
u niftakru li kull mewt tnissel ˙ajja u li kull ˙ajja
tnissel tama ©dida g˙all-futur a˙jar. U eqreb milli
wie˙ed ja˙seb, se ner©g˙u nsibu ru˙na n˙ejju
g˙as-sena 2011. X’hemm merfug˙ g˙alina, ˙add
ma jista jg˙id. IΩda f’idejna tinsab iç-çavetta
sabiex b’kull mod possibbli nkunu strumenti ta’
paçi, ta’ g˙aqda u ambaxxaturi tal-im˙abba ta’
Kristu lil dinja aljenata u fgata f’ ©id materjali li
jg˙addi. Nag˙mlu tag˙na l-appell ta’ Dun Bosco:
ejja ng˙ixu kull mument ordinarju b’ottimiΩmu
u fer˙ ˙alli b’hekk ise˙˙u affarijiet straordinarji
fil-˙ajja tag˙na u f’dawk ta’ madwarna».
4 Hajja Salesjana
EDITORIAL
Optimism in Our Life
THE YEAR 2010 IS APPROACHING ITS END. THERE
WERE MANY OCCASIONS WHICH EMBELLISHED
ITS DAYS. AS A SALESIAN FAMILY IN MALTA WE
RESPONDED TO THE RECTOR MAJOR’S APPEAL
WHEN OUR BROTHERS IN HAITI SUFFERED
DEVASTATING DAMAGES.
Time really flies, and the days, weeks and months
pass us by. Page after page of the diary fill up
and remind us that time waits for no man. It is
easy to fall into habits and routine with the risk of
creating a comfortable space where enthusiasm
and new projects are put aside because they
require too much work.
The year 2010 is approaching its end. There
were many occasions which embellished its
days. As a Salesian Family in Malta we responded
to the Rector Major’s appeal when our brothers
in Haiti suffered devastating damages. Thanks
to the generosity of the people of our islands
we sent €246,000 for the rebuilding of schools
there. This year we also celebrated the centenary
of the Salesian Brigade. The many significant
moments that marked the year were meant to
renew and bring up to date this wholesome and
educative organisation. It was a year during
which many youngsters joined the Brigade so as
to beef up the corps. The love and dedication of
the Officers shown towards the young is a sign
of Don Bosco’s spirit. During this year we also
remembered the coming of the Salesian Sisters
to Malta a year before. Their gentle and prophetic
presence adorns the Salesian Family in Malta
shedding upon it a new light through the religious
and feminine way of life. Not long ago we also
had the canonical visit of the Rector Major who
spent time in every House and had encouraging
meetings with all Salesians and with the Salesian
Family culminating in the Mass at Savio College
on Sunday 5th September. And lastly we cannot
forget the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to our
shores. Those were days of ecclesial renewal, of
great affection to the Vicar of Christ and of grace.
Notwithstanding these nice activities and
memories, the year 2010 brought also some
sorrowful moments. Several parents, Cooperators
and benefactors left this world and went to the
Lord. Yet it was also a year of grace, in that
Salesian students progressed in their formation
as Deacons (2), professed religious (3) or novices
(2). And now we prepare ourselves for Advent
and Christmas, keeping in mind that every death
brings forth a new life and every life brings hope
for a better future. And then we shall suddenly
be in 2011: what is awaiting us there? No one can
tell, but we possess the key to making ourselves
instruments of peace and unity, and ambassadors
of the love of Christ to a world distraught by
material goods that do not last. I pass on to
you the cry of Don Bosco: let us live every
ordinary moment with optimism and joy so that
extraordinary things may happen in our own life
and that of those around us.
5Hajja Salesjana
PEDAGOÌIJA
Salesjana
Kummenti fuq li Strenna 2010:
Il-Van©elu liΩ-Ûg˙aΩag˙
Minn Pascual Chavez – Trad. Joe Cini
Di©à rriflettejna fuq is-sej˙a tad-dixxipli,
li g˙alihom kien mument deçisiv, li qasam
l-img˙oddi mill-©ejjieni ta’ ˙ajjithom u tkompla
bil-fedeltà tag˙hom sal-mewt. Issa sejrin niflu
l-˙ajja ta’ kuljum ta’ Ìesù u d-dixxipli tieg˙u. Huwa
jistedinhom mhux sabiex jitg˙allmu xi tag˙lim
jew jiddiskutu ideat reli©juΩi, imma sabiex jaqsmu
fil-missjoni tieg˙u: li jkollhom ˙erqa g˙as-Saltna
u g˙all-Ligi ta’ Alla/Abba – dan jag˙ti tifsira lil
˙ajtu kollha. Imma s-sej˙a ma hijiex biss g˙al
xi xog˙ol li jrid jitwettaq imma mod ta’ ˙ajja fil-
profond b˙ala twemmin, dixxipulat u apostolat.
“Huwa sejja˙ lejh lil dawk li ried. ..u g˙aΩel tnax…
biex jibg˙athom jippridkaw, u jkollhom is-setg˙a
li jkeççu x-xjaten”(Mk. 3:13-15). Is-sej˙a lid-dixxipli
sabiex ikunu “Óbieb Ìesù” ma tag˙milx bidla
fihom awtomatikament: xorta wa˙da jibqg˙u bid-
difetti u l-limitazzjonijiet tag˙hom. Imma l-Mulej
jibda proçess ta’ formazzjoni li jintemm biss nhar
l-G˙id il-Óamsin: “Meta ji©i hu, l-Ispirtu tal-Verità,
iwassalkom g˙all-verità kollha”(Ìw. 16:13)
Wa˙da mid-diffikultajiet li mag˙ha jiltaqa’
Ìesù fid-dixxipli tieg˙u hija l-kburija u x-xewqa
g˙all-poter. Fl-istess waqt li huwa j˙abbrilhom
Il-Formazzjoni tad-Dixxipli
SABIEX TBIDDEL LIN-NIES HEMM BÛONN LI TÓOBBHOM.
L-ISFORZ TAGÓNA JASAL SA FEJN TASAL IMÓABBITNA (J.H.PESTOLAZZI)
6 Hajja Salesjana
il-mewt tieg˙u, huma jibdew jiddiskutu min hu
l-akbar fosthom (Mk 9:30-37). Ulied Ûebedew
sa˙ansitra j©ibu l-ommhom tg˙addilhom kelma:
“Ordna li dawn iΩ-Ωew© uliedi joqog˙du wie˙ed fuq
il-lemin tieg˙ek u l-ie˙or fuq ix-xellug fis-saltna
tieg˙ek”(Mt. 20:21). L-o˙rajn jinkorlaw, imma
Ìesù ma jikkundannax din ix-xewqa naturali,
iΩda minflok ifiehem it-triq li twassal g˙as-
suççess: “ Min irid ikun l-ewwel fostkom, g˙andu
jkun l-ilsir tag˙kom. Hekk ukoll Bin il-Bniedem
ma ©iex biex ikun moqdi, imma biex jaqdi” (Mt
20:26-27). Mhux façli li huma jifhmuh dan; `Ìesù
re©a’ kkorre©ihom wara li waqqfu lil wie˙ed li ma
kienx mill-grupp tag˙hom milli jopra f’isem Ìesù
(Mk 9: 38-40); jinkorla mag˙hom meta, quddiem
l-g˙adab tas-Samaritani g˙aliex kienu qed jaqsmu
mit-territorju tag˙hom, huma jixtiequ jsej˙u nar
mis-sema li jeqridhom (Lq 9: 51-69). Quddiem
din id-dg˙ufija umana Ìesù juri fehma, sabar u
mog˙drija. Imma ma jçedix fuq l-essenzjali: il-
fidi. Din trid tkun hemm. Ma jinteressahx li l-folla
ddawwarlu wiççha meta jitkellem kliem iebes (Ìw
6). Fidi Ωg˙ira tintwera wkoll fin-nuqqas ta’ ftehim
tat-tifsir tal-parabboli (Mt. 13: 10s) li hu, imbag˙ad,
kien ifissrilhom. L-istess meta j˙abbar il-passjoni
tieg˙u: “Huma ma fehmuhx dan il-kliem, u beΩg˙u
jistaqsuh” (Mk 9:32). Kienet l-attitudni ta’ min
jintebah li a˙jar ma jkunx jaf…
F’Çesarija ta’ Filippu Ìesù jistaqsihom x’ja˙sbu
n-nies fuqu, u jag˙mlilhom mistoqsija deçisiva:
« Imma intom, intom min tg˙idu li jien? » (Mk 8:29).
Mhux biΩΩejjed li jkunu jafu x’ja˙sbu l-o˙rajn ; xejn
ma jista’ jie˙u post l-opinjoni personali ta’ fidi u
devozzjoni lejn il-Mulej Ìesù. In-nuqqas ta’ fidi ji©i
muri minnhom, u anki mill-istess kap tal-grupp
Xmun Pietru, meta ma jaççettawx il-pjan ta’ Alla. U
Ìesù jçanfar lil Pietru bi kliem l-aktar a˙rax: « Itlaq
minn quddiemi, ja xitan, g˙ax m’intix ta˙seb fil-
7Hajja Salesjana
˙wejje© ta’ Alla imma f’dawk tal-bnedmin! » (Mk
8 :33 / Mt 16 :23). Hemm sitwazzjonijiet meta
wie˙ed ma jistax juri dg˙ufija jew kompromess.
Il-van©eli ma ja˙bu xejn, l-anqas il-mumenti ta’
mist˙ija. B˙al meta l-appostli abbandunaw lill-
Img˙allem fil-lejl li ©ie arrestat; u b˙al meta Pietru
ça˙du tlitt darbiet. Imma anki f’dawn il-mumenti
suwed, ix-xrara f’qalbhom ma kienitx mitfija :
l-im˙abba g˙all-Img˙allem i©©ig˙el lil Pietru
«jinfexx jibki »(Mk 14 :72) u lill-o˙rajn jiltaqg˙u
ma’ Kristu mqajjem mill-imwiet u mal-qawwa ta’
l-Ispirtu s-Santu (Atti : 1,18). Ma nafux wisq fuq
˙ajjithom, imma nafu li baqg˙u fidili lejn il-Mulej
u ssi©illaw din il-fedeltà b’demmhom.
Dun Bosco, mal-ewwel Salesjani, g˙araf
juΩa’ pedago©ija b˙al dik ta’ Ìesù. Ma kienx xi
‘nannu’ twajjeb li joqg˙od g˙al kollox ; imma
kien missier kollu m˙abba u ftehim, g˙alkemm
ukoll esiçenti. Kien jag˙laq g˙ajn wa˙da, minn xi
daqqiet it-tnejn, g˙ad-difetti u imperfezzjonijiet
tal-kollaboraturi Ωg˙aΩag˙ tieg˙u, imma ma kienx
içiedi fejn tid˙ol il-moralità, min˙abba l-periklu
g˙at-tfal tieg˙u. Qatt ma kien sodisfatt bin-nofs
kedda, imma kien jipproponi ideal g˙oli ta’ qdusija.
B’dan il-mod rnexxielu jipproduçi kapulavuri b˙al
Duminku Savio u Ωg˙aΩag˙ o˙rajn li mietu b’fama
ta’ qdusija.
DUN BOSCO, MAL-EWWEL
SALESJANI, GÓARAF
JUÛA’ PEDAGOÌIJA BÓAL
DIK TA’ ÌESÙ. MA KIENX
XI ‘NANNU’ TWAJJEB LI
JOQGÓOD GÓAL KOLLOX ;
IMMA KIEN MISSIER
KOLLU MÓABBA U FTEHIM,
GÓALKEMM UKOLL
ESIÇENTI.
8 Hajja Salesjana
FEASTS & EVENTS
NO
VEM
BER
DEC
EM
BER
JAN
UA
RY
CALENDAR OF SALESIAN
2010
Read ˙ajja Salesjana on the website: www.salesiansmalta.org
Pictures of Don Bosco set to reflective music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1dVsM9KAbw
1 – 3 Mid-Term Holidays
Wed 3 Sliema Salesian Cooperators’ Meeting at St. Patrick’s.
Fri 5 First Friday Devotions at St. Patrick’s – 6.15 p.m.
Wed 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Sat 13 Morning: Quarterly Retreat for Salesians. Evening: Symposium for the
Salesian Family at Salesian Theatre Hall, 6.30 p.m. Fr. Michael
Cunningham on ‘Salesian Spirituality Today’
Mon 15 Bl. Maddalena Morano FMA.
Wed 24 Commemoration of Mary Help of Christians at St. Patrick’s – 6.30 p.m.
Fri 26 Cultural tour for St. Patrick’s School
Sun 28 First Sunday of Advent. Sale of Poinsettias at St. Patrick’s Church.
Fri 3 First Friday devotions at St. Patrick’s - 6.15 p.m.
Sun 5 Bl. Philip Rinaldi, successor of St. John Bosco as Rector Major
Mon 6 Christmas Carols by the Emerald Society at 7.00pm - St. Patrick’s Church
Tue 7 Akkademja in honour of the Imm. Conception of Mary – Savio College
Wed 8 Feast of the Imm. Conception of Mary
Fri 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
Mon 13 Traditional Christmas Concert at St. Patrick’s Church at 7.30 p.m.
1 4 – 16 Christmas Activities Week at St. Patrick’s School
Thu 16 Christmas Pantomime by St. Patrick’s School at 7.00 p.m.
Fri 17 Christmas Pageant and School Parties till 12 noon
Fri 24 Commemoration of Mary Help of Christians- morning only.
Sat 25 Christmas Day
Fri 31 Te Deum Mass at St. Patrick’s – 6.30 p.m.
End of the Year Parties at Savio College and Salesiani, Sliema.
Sat 1 New Year’s day. Feast of Mary, Mother of God. World Day of Peace
Tue 4 Beginning of 2nd School Term
Fri 7 First Day of School Term at Savio College. First Friday Devotions at St.
Patrick’s - 6.15 p.m.
Mon 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions
9Hajja Salesjana
This Salesian tradition was begun by Mamma
Margaret who, to a second groups of boys Don
Bosco had taken in, one evening before they went
to bed, gave a little talk. When next morning Don
Bosco found them all still sleeping soundly, unlike
the first group who had gone off with the sheets
and blankets, he gave the credit to the little talk
his mother had given them.
“Above all the Good Night is a family event!”
Fr Chávez said, recalling how Don Bosco reserved
this task to himself or in his absence how Don
Rua brought the day to a close: “It is therefore
the specific role of the Father of the community,
the Rector or the Provincial; even in small
communities.”
The Rector Major mentioned three advantages
of the practice of the Good Night. The first is
that it can restore peace of heart at the end of
the day. “We are so used to living life at a fast
pace. Nowadays the great danger is to become
workaholics, which often leaves us with a sense
of frustration, physical tiredness, psychological
stress and spiritual emptiness. The Good Night is
a moment which helps the confreres to restore
peace in their hearts.”
The Good Night helps to re-focus on the centre
and the unity of one’s life. “At the end of the day,
we have done and experienced so many things;
the Good Night helps us to bring them all together
and avoid people going their own way and doing
their own thing.”
Finally the Good Night teaches us to see things
from a Christian perspective. “It is not a matter of
just saying something good, giving information
or offering some message, but of seeing life and
history through the eyes of a believer.”
“If we let the practice of the Good Night fall
into abeyance, the confreres’ lives will become
more and more individualistic, isolated. We need
to return to the tradition of Valdocco and once
again give force and significance to the practice
of the Good Night . The Good Night is one of the
characteristic features of the Salesians, not
found in other Congregations. It is one of the most
precious things that we need to preserve!”
A Good Night... on the Good Night
(ANS – Rome) – The Good Night, one of the
more characteristic features of Salesian life
and culture, was the subject of a short talk by
the Rector Major. The ‘Good Night’ is a short
talk given by the Superior to his community
and boys. This is given after night prayers,
when all have ended their daily chores and/
or are going to sleep.
10 Hajja Salesjana
Three Advents
One catechetical resource that can stimulate reflection on this question is
a famous Advent homily by one of the Church’s most eloquent preachers,
St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153). In his homily, St. Bernard suggests
that we think not of the advent of the Lord, but the advents Specifically,
he proposes, we can consider three advents: the past advent when “the
Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14), the future
advent when “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6), and the
advent right now in the present when Jesus comes to dwell in our hearts.
Even though we’re no longer waiting for the past advent of Christ, we’re
still in suspense about his future advent – and perhaps his present one.
Traditionally, we refer to those comings using three Images:
History: Jesus was a real person born in Bethlehem over 2,000
years ago.
Mystery: Jesus is always with us through the gift of grace. Grace is a
sharing in God’s own life and love that we cannot understand but believe in
through faith.
Majesty: Christ will come again – the second Coming – in glory at the end
of time.
The Eucharist and the Three Advents
Perhaps the best resource to understand the three advents of Christ is the
Eucharist, which is at the same time a memorial of Christ’s past coming
into and departure from the world, a promise of his future return, and the
way he comes to us today.
Advent
We often think of
Advent as the liturgical
season of waiting. But
it’s worth taking some
time to ask “Just what
exactly are we waiting
for?” Any honest
answer to this question
must confront a basic
difficulty. We know the
Lord Jesus has already
come and that he, in fact,
remains with us. So what
is there to wait for?
&Advents
11Hajja Salesjana
Il-Lectio Divina hija s-smig˙ attent tal-Kelma
ta’ Alla, u t-twe©iba tal-bniedem quddiem l-
istess Kelma. Hija laqg˙a personali tal-bni-
edem ma’ Alla, li timbuttah lura fil-˙ajja ta’
kuljum sabiex il-˙ajja tieg˙u tkun taqbel ma’
dik ta’ Alla
1. LECTIO - QARI
Sib silta mill-Kotba Mqaddsa. Tkun ˙a©a tajba
jekk issib silta mil-Litur©ija tal-Kelma li tin-
qara fil-Quddiesa tal-jum jew tal-Óadd. Aqra
s-silta b’attenzjoni g˙al darba, darbtejn, jew
tlieta, u fittex li tifhimha, jekk hemm bΩonn,
bl-g˙ajnuna ta’ xi kummentarju. Wara, ˙alli
mumenti ta’ skiet biex il-Kelma ta’ Alla tkun
tista’ tid˙ol fik u ddawwal il-˙ajja tieg˙ek.
2. MEDITATIO - MEDITAZZJONI
Ifhem sewwa s-silta li qrajt. Tista’ tirrepeti
xi versi li jkunu laqtuk. Ftakar u aqra siltiet
o˙rajn mill-Bibbja li jfakkruk fis-silta li g˙aΩilt,
jew siltiet li g˙andhom x’jaqsmu mal-istess
silta. Staqsi lilek innifsek x’messa©© g˙andu
Alla g˙alik? Dan il-messa©© kif qieg˙ed idaw-
wal lil ˙ajtek? Din is-silta x’qieg˙da tg˙idlek
biex tag˙mel sabiex tirran©a ˙ajtek u r-
relazzjoni tieg˙ek m’Alla ?
3. ORATIO - TALB
Il-Kelma t’Alla tqanqal lill-bniedem sabiex
iwie©eb lil Alla g˙all-messa©© tieg˙u. Per-
mezz ta’ dak li Alla wriek fis-silta mill-Kel-
ma tieg˙u, ressaqlu t-talbiet u x-xewqat
tieg˙ek, l-aktar sabiex tag˙raf tg˙ix kif jix-
tieq hu. Tista’ tuΩa xi Salm li l-kliem tieg˙u
jg˙inek tesprimi ru˙ek fit-talb tieg˙ek.
4. CONTEMPLATIO – KONTEMPLAZZJONI
Dak li bdejt fit-ta˙ri© tal-Lectio Divina, irid
jibqa’ mieg˙ek sabiex tag˙raf tibdel ˙ajtek
f’dik ta’ Alla. Fit-toroq tal-˙ajja tieg˙ek,
ibqa’ ag˙raf dak li Alla jixtieq minnek, u
˙allih ine˙˙i minnek dak li qieg˙ed ifixklek
milli ting˙aqad mieg˙u. B’dan il-mod, Alla
jkun qieg˙ed jag˙tik li dduq il-˙lewwa tal-
preΩenza tieg˙u f’˙ajtek.
Itlob l-g˙ajnuna tal-Ispirtu s-Santu biex
kif kien hu li dawwal il-mo˙˙ u l-qalb tal-kit-
tieba tal-Bibbja, ikun hu dak li jdawlek sabiex
tisma’, taqra u tg˙ix il-Kelma t’Alla.
Dan hu s-sellum li bih nitilg˙u mill-art lejn
is-sema… saqajh iserr˙u mal-art imma l-qu-
ççata tieg˙u tinfed is-s˙ab u tg˙arrex is-si-
grieti tas-sema.
Lectio Divina
12 Hajja Salesjana
Il-kamp sar fil-campsite t’G˙ajn Tuffie˙a ta˙t it-
tmexxija ta’ Lieutenant Joe Camilleri, Jesmond
Cassar u numru ta’ uffiçjali u leaders o˙ra. Ic-
Chaplain Fr.Eric Cachia sdb mexxa s-servizzi
reli©juΩi filwaqt li numru konsiderevoli ta’ leaders
˙adu ˙sieb li l-programm tal-kamp jimxi tajjeb u
b’mod organizzat.
Il-kamp minnu nnifsu kellu formazzjoni
spiritwali, speçi ta’ mixja, li l-campers kellhom
jipparteçipaw fiha mill-bidu sal-a˙˙ar tal-kamp,
bl-isem ta’ ‘Mission I M possible’.
It-tema tal-kamp kienet iç-çentinarju u
permezz ta’ attività kontinwa, il-Brigade wera
li g˙adu b’sa˙˙tu u frisk fl-ideat. Il-campers
inqasmu f’erba’ gruppi fejn kellhom jikkompetu
bejniethom sabiex jirba˙ l-a˙jar team. Permezz
ta’ dixxiplina fuq l-indafa, servizzi, spezzjoni
personali u tat-tined u anke m©iba, il-campers
jiggwadanjaw mhux biss punti g˙at-team iΩda
anke’ tag˙lim g˙all-˙ajja.
Ir-rispett lejn il-bandiera Maltija u l-colours
tal-Brigade permezz tal-fall-in, it-talb u
l-istruzzjonijiet, ir-rispett g˙as-superjuri u
l-formazzjoni reli©juΩa ng˙ataw priorità. Ma
naqasx l-anqas li jittie˙du kull prekawzjoni fuq
dak li g˙andu x’jaqsam ma’ sa˙˙a u sigurtà
TAÇ-ÇENTINARJU
Il-kamp tas-Sajf tas-Salesian Brigade, f’din is-sena çentinarja
tieg˙u, sar bejn it-13 u l-21 ta’ Awwissu. Grupp sabi˙ ta’ 61
ru˙ ipparteçipaw f’kamp annwali fejn barra li ˙adu pjaçir tfal
u Ωg˙aΩag˙ ta’ kull età, ©ew im˙arr©a f’diversi dixxiplini u
attivitajiet li ©ew organizzati.
IL-KAMP
13Hajja Salesjana
b˙all-formola ta’ sa˙˙a u kunsens g˙all-genituri
tat-tfal, fire drill, ta˙ri© fuq l-ewwel g˙ajnuna,
apparat tal-fire fighting u l-ewwel g˙ajnuna,
ezerçizzju ta’risk assessment u superviΩjoni
kontinwa.
Il-programm kien imballat bl-attività tas-soltu
ta’ kull kamp tas-Sajf, bil-˙inijiet tal-ikel ikunu
mumenti speçjali fejn kul˙add jin©abar flimkien
u jgawdi ikel bnin. Sport ma naqasx permezz tal-
volleyball, water games, g˙awm, sajd u l-mixja
ta’ bil-lejl. Il-kompetizzjoni g˙at-timijiet waqt
il-kamp kienet tinkludi bini ta’ dg˙ajsa u kostum
b’materjal riçiklat, treasure hunt u survival
game. Attività ta’ ©urnata s˙i˙a kienet tinkludi
˙ar©a g˙all-MuΩew tal-Pulizija, iç-çentru tal-
Akwakultura, l-Institute of Renewable Energy
f’Marsaxlokk u g˙awma f’bajja ramlija.
Il-Campfire ikkonkluda ©img˙a tajba fejn
il-©enituri u ˙bieb tas-Salesjani attendew g˙all-
serata kollha fer˙, talenti u ikel. Il-Brigade qed
i˙ares il-quddiem billi jirrekluta aktar membri
mieg˙u u jkompli jiççelebra ç-çentinarju tieg˙u
sa’ tmiem din is-sena.
Il-kamp ma kienx ikun success minghajr
l-g˙ajnuna ©eneruza tal-First Malta Red Cross
Branch, Nestlè, General Soft Drinks, Peel & Go,
Farsons, Twistees u Alf. Mizzi and Sons.
Is-Salesian Brigade tistieden lit-tfal u
Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ ta’ kull età biex jid˙lu membri billi
jikkuntatjaw lil Fr.Eric Cachia f’S.Alphonse House
jew l-Oratorju Salesjan, Triq K.Galea, Sliema
fuq 2133 1447 u email salesjani@gmail.com /
salesianbrigade@gmail.com
Joe Camilleri
Lieutenant Salesian Brigade
14 Hajja Salesjana
Blessed Michael Rua (5)
WHILE STILL A BOY, MICHAEL RUA MET
SAINT JOHN BOSCO AND WAS SOON WON
OVER BY HIM. HE LIVED IN THE SHADOW
OF THE SAINT, WAS HIS MOST TRUSTED
HELPER, AND BECAME HIS SUCCESSOR
AS HEAD OF HIS WORLDWIDE RELIGIOUS
ORDER, THE SALESIAN SOCIETY.
DECLARED “BLESSED” BY THE CHURCH
HE SO NOBLY SERVED, FATHER MICHAEL
RUA, WHO SHARED DON BOSCO’S
APOSTOLIC LABOURS, NOW SHARES
WITH HIM THE HONOURS OF THE ALTAR.
MISSIONARY CROSSES
One of Don Rua’s tasks as new Superior General
was to give out every year the special crosses for
departing missionaries. Some years there were as
many as 295 in one group.
Such a function mirrored Don Rua’s life at the
time: inspired by missionary zeal on one hand,
and harrowed by heavy crosses on the other. “If
I only had ten Don Ruas” other Salesians recalled
Don Bosco saying, “I could conquer the world.”
To Bolivia, Mexico, Colombia, China, India and
the United States, Rua would send his men, mostly
rugged late vocations. Typical of these stalwart
men of God welcomed by Rua was Father Michael
Unia. In four years with the lepers at Agua di
Dios (Colombia), almost single-handedly he built
a church, settlement, hospital, and school. He
began a vast agricultural plan, bringing water
over a hundred miles to that mountainous spot
by an elaborate canal system. The whole country
mourned him when he died of sheer overwork at
the age of 44. Such gigantic ventures cost money,
and Don Rua was often at his wits’ end to meet his
missionary commitments. Yet, when a procurator,
already in financial trouble, asked permission to
complete a church building, Rua’s answer seemed
paradoxical. “Yes, on one condition – that you find
accommodation for fifty poor apprentices.”
It was on his Salesian Cooperators that
Rua leaned for such funds, telling them that
the survival of society and the renewal of the
Church were at stake. Several world congresses
were organised, not as shows of triumphalism,
but because Rua knew that at such moments a
15Hajja Salesjana
crowd finds its heart and soul. “Courage, we have
Divine Providence,” he wrote, “and we have the
Cooperators. That is enough.”
His courage was to be sorely tested. From
Brazil arrived news of a train accident that killed
Bishop Lasagna and several other Salesians;
from France and Ecuador news of religious
suppression. In Messina, Sicily, it was a disastrous
earthquake killing 54 in one Salesian house alone;
in Turin itself Rua was called in as an outside
arbitrator in a prolonged cotton mill strike; in
Poland, an attempted breakaway by “stricter
observance” Salesians. On top of that, the Holy
Office now decreed that religious superiors could
no longer hear confessions of their subjects or
pupils – up to this time considered an integral
element of Salesian direction in education. For
a time also, the Salesian Sisters were compelled
to sever all family links with the Congregation.
Finally trumped-up charges against the Salesians
in Varazze led to unpleasant drawn-out court
proceedings. “Don Rua looks like a broken man,”
the house chronicle reported at the time. “If the
Lord gives me strength to complete this desert
crossing,” Rua humbly promised, “I will make a
pilgrimage to the Holy Land.”
A PILGRIM FATHER
By a third-class train journey, by steerage, by
donkey, and on foot, Rua kept his vow. He would
visit the many Salesian works in the Middle
East. “How these Arab people love Don Bosco!”
he marvelled with simplicity when mobbed by
enthusiastic crowds.
From there he visited practically every
Salesian house in Europe to maintain Don Bosco’s
spirit of unity. In London, Bishop Butt made the
interesting comparison that he had been more
impressed by the gentle, ascetic Don Rua than he
had earlier been “by the headstrong Don Bosco.”
Cardinal Bourne remained a lifelong friend and
admirer of the Blessed, as did many of the English
clergy.
In Malta, Don Rua’s visit is commemorated to
this day by a street named after him. He was not
at all pleased, however, when admirers there were
indiscreet enough to snip pieces of his cassock as
“relics”. “Not all lunatics are in padded cells,” he
was heard to mutter impatiently. In Rome, at the
Irish College, Don Rua had a long conversation
with Archbishop Carr of Melbourne who asked for
a Salesian foundation in his archdiocese.
Before each of these journeys, Brother John
Balestra would follow Don Rua’s methodical list
when packing his bag and not forget cocoa. This
last item was a concession to his weak stomach,
for Rua found that cocoa was the only drink he
could digest when he was travelling. Such long
journeys, in fact, had taken more out of him than
he realised, and on his return his health suffered
a steep decline.
GENTLENESS AT EVENING
Certainly in the twilight of his life Don Rua
seems to have mellowed beyond recognition, all
fatherliness and with no trace of the exacting
taskmaster. He had heeded Don Bosco’s wish, and
had made himself loved. For this reason, possibly,
some Salesians have consistently proclaimed him
16 Hajja Salesjana
“a second Don Bosco.”
“I have seen a miracle,” the Cistercian Abbot
at Nice would write, “Don Bosco is reincarnated
in Don Rua.” While scrupulously preserving Don
Bosco’s ideal, Don Rua had added a definite,
distinct contribution of his own, “With Don Bosco
– yes; but with the times as well.”
This estimate seems to be confirmed by a
former Superior General, Father Ricceri. “Saints
are not made in series, and each one has his
own special characteristics. But undoubtedly,
one characteristic Don Rua did inherit from Don
Bosco was that of work: work for his neighbour
so prolonged, unstinted and immersed in God that
one remains dumbfounded before it – more so,
considering his natural frailty. One thinks here of
Rua’s constant refrain, “True charity never grows
tired.”
For this reason despite his fatigue and
weakness, that left him with pitifully swollen legs
and reddened eyes, he would work to the end.
But on Carnival Day, with the playground alive
with merry-making youngsters, he could not
resist the temptation and he dragged himself
out onto the balcony to see the festivities. The
youngsters below went wild with enthusiasm,
madly cheering the frail, bent old man. It was to
be their last sight of him.
The great Cardinal Mercier called to see the
dying priest and after imparting his blessing
stooped to kiss Don Rua’s hand.
His last prayer when he came to die on April
6, 1910, was a short invocation he had learned
from Don Bosco as a little boy. “Dear Mother
Mary ever Virgin, help me to save my soul.” He
had finished the long desert crossing.
On Don Rua’s tomb they wrote a simple
epitaph but even that would have embarrassed
him. It read, “The Second Father of the Salesian
Family.” - END
17Hajja Salesjana
“A good priest is a truly human person who
expresses his love for God in prayer and in
love for people. These gifts are sanctified
and focused through the grace of ordination
when he becomes ‘a man for others’.”
Cardinal Cormac Murphy – O’Connor
• Do I really want to follow Jesus and show
his love to others, especially to the young,
as Don Bosco did?
• Is prayer and my own relationship with God
at the centre of my life?
• Do I want to be honest and ‘real’ before
God and others?
• Do I enjoy the life and company of other
people? Am I approachable?
• Am I concerned for the young, the poor
and vulnerable?
way of life?
Are you
being calledto the
PRIESTHOOD
And to the
SALESIAN
If you believe you have a calling to be a
Salesian priest then contact the voca-
tions director, Fr. Louis Grech SDB at:
Tel. 21 454546 / 21 456251
or e-mail: vocations@salesiansmalta.org
for more information
www.vocations.salesiansmalta.org
18 Hajja Salesjana
19Hajja Salesjana
Something
to think about…
I’ve learned that, no matter what happens,
how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life’.
I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you;
but, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others,
your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart,
I usually make the right decision.
I’ve learned that even when I have pains,
I don’t have to be one to others.
I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.
People love that human touch: holding hands,
a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
And I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
20 Hajja Salesjana
Malta Salesjana
IL-VIGARJU TAR-RETTUR MAÌÌUR
FIT-TUNISIJA
Fr. Adriano Bregolin, Vigarju tar-Rettur Ma©©ur,
wasal minn Ruma fl-ajruport ta’ Karta©ni
(Tunes) nhar it-30 ta’ Awwissu sabiex jag˙mel il-
Visita Kanonika tal-Komunità Salesjana fl-iskola
Ìewwa Manouba. Iltaqa’ u sar jaf lis-Salesjani
minn malli wasal u matul l-ikla ta’ filg˙axija
sabiex l-g˙ada filg˙odu seta’ jag˙mel Ωjara
lill-Arçisqof ta’ Tunes, Mons. Marroun Lahham.
Aktar tard dak l-istess jum, wara li kompla
jitkellem mas-Salesjani tal-komunità, huwa
©ie me˙ud g˙all-ikla ta’ filg˙axija f’wie˙ed
mir-resturanti miftu˙a matul ix-xahar qaddis
tar-Ramadan. Il-Vigarju kellu ˙in ikellem lil kull
membru tal-Komunità sabiex imbag˙ad, nhar il-
31 ta’ Awwissu, wara nofsinhar ©ie me˙ud iΩur
lis-Sorijiet Salesjani f’Menzel Bourguiba, fejn
PROFESSJONI PERPETWA
Nhar il-Óamis 11 ta’ Settembru, ir-Rettur Ma©©ur,
Dun Pascual Chavez, mexxa ç-çerimonja tal-
Professjoni ta’ Bro. Clive Mifsud. Din saret fil-
Knisja Parrokkjali ta’ San Pietru fil-Ktajjen ta’
BirΩebbu©a, liema knisja kienet mimlija kollha
kemm hi bis-Salesjani, qraba, ˙bieb u membri
tal-Familja Salesjana. Il-Patrijiet Salesjani kienu
hemm bi ˙©arhom sabiex jikkonçelebraw ma’
Dun Chavez. Kollox kien tassew organizzat,
b’kant mill-isba˙ u litur©ija mirquma. Kien
hemm ukoll presenti is-Salesian Brigade bil-
banda tag˙ha sabiex tilqa lir-Rettur Ma©©ur u
lill-mistednin kollha. Kienet verament okkaΩjoni
sabi˙a li tat gost lil kul˙add.
©ie milqug˙ b’˙afna fer˙. Dun Bregolin telaq
lura lejn Ruma fit-tielet jum, 31 ta’ Awissu, wara
nofsinhar. B’din iΩ-Ωjara s-Salesjani ˙assewhom
verament inkora©©uti fix-xog˙ol tag˙hom fost
tfal Misilmin, xog˙ol validu u verament Salesjan.
21Hajja Salesjana
SIÌRA FI ÌNIEN INDIPENDENZA – SLIEMA
Is-Salesian Brigade kompliet tiççelebra il-Mitt
Sena mit-twaqqif tag˙ha billi nhar il-Óadd,
19 ta’ Settembru, f’çerimonja qasira, ˙awlet
si©ra tal-ar©nu (pine tree) u po©©iet lapida
kommemorattiva fi ©nien Indipendenza ©o Tas-
Sliema. Il-Corp of Drums immarçja tul xi toroq
ta’ Tas-Sliema sal-©nien, fejn l-Onor. Ministru
George Pullicino ˙awwel is-si©ra. Wara dan,
il-commanding Officer, Mr. Joe Giorgio kixef il-
lapida li ©iet imbierka minn Dun Joe Forte SDB.
L-okkaΩjoni tkompliet b’riçeviment Ωg˙ir g˙al
dawk kollha li ˙adu sehem u b’laqg˙a ©enerali
bit-tema <<Passat Sabi˙, Futur Isba˙>>.
BBQ B’RISQ ‘7EVEN’
Nhar il-Óadd, 12 ta’ Settembru, matul il-
quddiesa tas-7.30 p.m., numru mdaqqas ta’ tfal
©ew formalment imsie˙ba mal-Youth Centre.
Wara l-quddiesa, fil-bit˙a ta’ l-Oratorju, ©ie
organizzat BBQ sabiex jin©abru fondi b’risq
il-musical ‘7even – A Dance Extravaganza’ li
sejjer jittella’ mill-Atturi Salesjani bis-sehem
ta’ ˙afna miΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ preΩenti. Fost dawk li
kienu hemm g˙al dan il-BBQ wie˙ed seta’ jara
bosta voluntiera u ˙bieb tas-Salesjani, fosthom
is-Sindku l-©dida ta’ Tas-Sliema, Dr. Joanna
Gonzi. Bil-g˙ajnuna ta’ bosta dan l-avveniment
kien suççess kbir. Prosit!
DREAM, DARE AND DO
Din kienet it-tema li ntg˙aΩlet g˙all-weekend
annwali ta’ li SPYS (Salesian Pastoral Youth
Service) li ©ie ççelebrat nhar is-17, 18 u 19 ta’
Settembru. Nhar il-Ìimg˙a bil-lejl, ta˙t sema
mimli kwiekeb, fil-˙emda tar-Ramla, il-membri
kellhom ˙in jirriflettu fuq il-˙olm tag˙hom g˙al
SPYS. L-imma©inazzjoni tag˙hom g˙enithom
jissu©©erixxu sa fejn jistg˙u jaslu u jag˙mlu
g˙al SPYS. Hekk, imbag˙ad, l-g˙ada s-Sibt, huma
tkellmu fuq x’kellhom il-˙ila jag˙mlu bil-fatti
li kieku verament setg˙u. U fl-a˙˙ar jum kull
persuna presenti giet ‘challenged’ turi kif ser
twettaq il-˙olm fir-realtà. Tlitt proposti ntg˙aΩlu
u ©ew studjati g˙as-sena li ©ejja, bi pjanijiet
konkreti ta’ kif dan seta’ jsir. Dan il-weekend
qajjem entuΩjaΩmu fil-membri sabiex i˙arsu ‘l
quddiem b’˙e©©a ©dida g˙as-sena li ©ejja.
22 Hajja Salesjana
O
ne day I scrubbed the kids until they
looked brand new and then put on my
best homemade dress, loaded them
into our rusty Chevy 51 and drove off to find
a job. The seven of us went to every factory,
store and restaurant in our small town. No luck.
The kids stayed crammed in the car and tried to
be quiet while I tried to convince who ever would
listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I
had to have a job. Still no luck. The last place we
went to was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that
had been converted to a truck stop. It was called
God does answer our prayers
A CHRISTMAS STORY
My boys ranged from three months to
seven years; their sister was two. Their
Dad had never been much more than
a presence they feared. Whenever
they heard his tyres crunch on the
gravel driveway they would scramble
to hide under their beds. He did
manage to leave $15 a week to buy
groceries. Now that he had decided
to leave, there would be no more
beatings, but no food either.
23Hajja Salesjana
hanging around and were dropping nickels in the
pinball machine. When it was time for me to go
home at seven o’clock on Christmas morning, to my
amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to
the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly
opened the driver’s side door, crawled inside and
kneeled in the front facing the back seat. Reaching
back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was
a whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked
inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with
the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other
boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and
bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for
baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There
was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and
flour. There was a whole bag of laundry supplies
and cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks
and one beautiful little doll.
As I drove back through empty streets
as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing
Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with
gratitude. And I will never forget the joy on the
faces of my little ones that precious morning.
Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago
December of 1958. And they all hung out at the Big
Wheel truck stop...
the Big Wheel. An old lady named Granny owned
the place and she peeked out of the window
from time to time at all those kids. She needed
someone on the night shift. She paid 65 cents an
hour, and I could start that night.
I raced home and called the teenager down
the street that baby-sat for people. I bargained
with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a
dollar a night. That night when the little ones and
I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for
finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big
Wheel. As the weeks went by, heating bills added
a strain to my meagre wage.
One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the
car to go home and found four tyres in the back
seat. New tyres! There was no note, no nothing,
just those beautiful brand new tyres. Had angels
taken up residence in Indiana ? I wondered. I
made a deal with the local service station. In
exchange for his mounting the new tyres, I would
clean up his office. I remember it took me a lot
longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do
the tyres.
I was working six nights instead of five and
it still wasn’t enough. Christmas was coming and
I knew there would be no money for toys for
the kids. I found a can of red paint and started
repairing and painting some old toys. Then I
hid them in the basement so there would be
something for Santa to deliver on Christmas
morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing
patches on top of patches on the boys’ pants and
soon they would be too far gone to repair.
On Christmas Eve the usual customers were
drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. There were
the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state
trooper named Joe. A few musicians were
As I drove back through
empty streets as the sun slowly
rose on the most amazing
Christmas Day of my life, I
was sobbing with gratitude.
24 Hajja Salesjana
MELBOURNE: 29 August 2010 -- Saturday, 28
August, was a significant day for Martin Tanti
SDB, and the Australia-Pacific Province. After
a long journey, Martin was ordained to the
Priesthood by his former Rector during his
years of formation, Bishop Tim Costelloe SDB,
in the Salesian Parish of St Margaret Mary’s,
North Brunswick. The Church was packed with
Salesians, Salesian Sisters, friends and relatives
from all over Australia. The presence of such a
large crowd was palpable evidence of the regard
and affection so many people have for Martin.
Martin’s family is of Maltese background, but
they grew up in Alexandria, Egypt. It was there
that the Tanti family first knew the Salesians.
Martin did his secondary schooling at Salesian
College “Rupertswood,” Sunbury, Victoria. Soon
after finishing his secondary schooling, Martin
began a long Salesian journey. At every stage
of his formation he was seen as a generous and
warm young Salesian, with much to offer and
receive from young people. Martin eventually
qualified as a teacher, and returned to his
theological studies. These were the first years of
the formation community at Clifton Hill. Yesterday,
at the ordination, there was a memorable
gathering of Salesians from that period: Bishop
Costelloe, Fr Frank Freeman and Fr Michael Ledda,
members of the formation team at the time.
Eventually Martin finished his theological
studies, and asked for more time with young
people before taking the step into Diaconate and
Priesthood. In recent years he has directed the
Youth Club at Don Bosco, Brunswick, and has been
the Director of the Retreat Centre at Auxilium
College, Lysterfield. These were wonderful years
for Martin, as he settled into Salesian ministries,
and become closer to the Lord, Don Bosco and the
many Salesians of this Province who have come
to love and esteem him. Bishop Costelloe spoke
beautifully of Don Bosco’s use of the biblical image
of the Good Shepherd, and the importance of that
symbol for the Salesian life. It associates the
Salesian and the Salesian priestly life intimately
Long and rewarding journey of God’s love:
Fr Martin Tanti sdb
25Hajja Salesjana
with the Paschal Mystery. It is in Eucharistic
self-gift that Priesthood shows the goodness
and the love of God. Fr Martin gave a heartfelt
speech of thanks at the end of the Mass, and the
large attendance at the Ordination retired to the
Parish Hall for a wonderful evening supper where
many friends from all parts of Australia rejoiced
in one another’s presence, and in the gift to the
Church and the Province of Fr Martin Tanti SDB.
The Australia-Pacific Province beseeches
the Lord for many more vocations, so that
Don Bosco’s charismatic form of life will
remain alive and well in this geographically
most distant (from where it all started),
and largest Salesian Province in the world.
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Three things in life that once gone, never come back:
Time, Words and Opportunity.
Three things in life that one should always have:
Hope, Peace, Honesty.
Three things in life that are most valuable:
Love, Friends, Self-Confidence.
Three things in life that are never certain:
Success, Dreams, Fortune.
Three things in life that make a good person:
Sincerity, Hard Work, Compassion.
Three things in life that can destroy a person:
Pride, Greed, Anger.
Three things in life that are truly constant:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
A Happy Festive Season to All
Three Things
26 Hajja Salesjana
«Min ma jiftakarx fin-nanniet tieg˙u? Min jista’
jinsa sehemhom f’˙ajtu jew fil-˙ajja tal-familja
tieg˙u? Hemm ˙afna minna li msemmijin g˙an-
nanniet, b˙ala sinjal ta’ tnissil u ta’ rikonoxxenza!
G˙alina g˙exu ˙ajjithom u g˙amlu sagrifiççji, forsi
anke ˙allew ˙ajjithom. G˙adha drawwa fostna li
niftakru lin-nanniet bil-quddies li noffru g˙alihom
fl-annivarsarju ta’ mewthom, u xi mindaqqiet
bi Ωjara fuq il-qabar ukoll. Dawn u ©esti o˙ra ta’
m˙abba u ta’ fidi juru l-gratitudni tag˙na lejhom. »
Dan huwa kliem mimli g˙oΩΩa li l-Papa
Benedittu XVI qal waqt laqg˙a dwar il-familja
nisranija. Diskors s˙i˙ iddedikat mill-Papa g˙al
dan is-su©©ett daqsxejn mhux tas-soltu. “In-
nanniet,” kompla jg˙id, “huma teΩor li minnu ma
nistg˙ux in˙aΩΩdu lil uliedna w ‘l-ulied uliedna,
speçjalment meta huma jag˙tu xhieda tal-fidi
b’˙ajjithom.”
IR-RWOL TAN-NANNIET FIL-KNISJA
Benedittu XVI kompla tkellem hekk, “Meta niftakru
fin-nanniet, fix-xhieda tag˙hom ta’ m˙abba u
fedeltà fil-˙ajja, ji©una f’mo˙˙na l- persuna©©i tal-
Bibbja b˙alma huma Abra˙am u Sara, EliΩabetta
u Ûakkarija, Anna u Ìwakkin, kif ukoll dawk ix-
xju˙ tat-tempju, Xmun u Anna, u Nikodemu.
Dawn kollha jfakkruna li ‘l-Mulej jitlob il-˙iliet tal-
bnedmin f’kull età.
Il-Knisja wkoll, “Minn dejjem kellha attenzjoni
partikulari lejn in-nanniet, kull meta g˙arfet fihom
il-©id kbir uman u soçjali, reli©juΩ u spiritwali li
jippossedu”.
Il-Papa, imbag˙ad, fuq ir-rwol tan-nanniet
xe˙et, “˙arsa li kapaçi tifhem l-img˙oddi, il-
preΩent u l-©ejjieni”, u mieg˙u a˙na sejrin
nanalizzaw fil-qosor dawn il-waqtiet.
L-IMGÓODDI TAN-NANNIET
Nibdew billi ng˙idu li jekk immorru lura sew
lejn Ωmien l-img˙oddi, nsibu li ma kinux jeΩistu
nanniet. Ma kinux hemm g˙aliex il-˙ajja kienet
tant qasira li kienu jmutu qabel ma jsiru nanniet.
Skond çerti studji, in-nanniet bdew jeΩistu madwar
40,000 sena ilu.
Wara dan il-perijodu, il-mo˙˙ tal-bniedem
Ωviluppa aktar (Homo Sapiens) u tejjeb il-
kundizzjoni tal-˙ajja. B’hekk sar jg˙ix aktar fit-tul.
Insibu ©enituri f’sa˙˙ithom biΩΩejjed sabiex jg˙inu
lil uliedhom iwelldu t-trabi tag˙hom. B’hekk bdew
in-nanniet u n-neputijiet, bil-vanta©© li dawn in-
neputijiet kellhom il-privile©© li jkunu mrobbija
a˙jar, jikbru ‘mg˙allma’ u jkunu aktar f’sa˙˙ithom,
fuq tag˙hom u kapaçi.
Fid-diskors tieg˙u il-Papa ma marx lura
daqshekk fiΩ-Ωmien; beda minn meta n-nanniet
Enzo Bianco/Joe Cini
Hemm kriΩi fil-familja u fis-soçjetà; imma n-nanniet jistg˙u jkunu
risposta valida ˙afna g˙aliha “permezz tal-mod qawwi u matur li bih
huma j˙addnu l-valuri.” Din hija l-fehma tal-Papa Benedittu XVI
27Hajja Salesjana
bdew ikollhom mhux biss neputijiet imma wkoll
it-tfal ta’ dawn. « Fl-img˙oddi n-nanniet kellhom
rwol importanti fil-˙ajja u t-trobbija tal-familja.
Anke f’età avvanzata kienu dejjem preΩenti ma’
wliedhom, man-neputijiet u forsi anke ma’ wlied in-
neputijiet; dejjem ˙erqana, lesti g˙as-sagrifiççju u
g˙al kull ma ©©ib mag˙ha l-˙ajja ta’ kuljum. Kienu
xhieda ta’ storja personali u tal-komunità li kienet
tibqa’ tg˙ix fil-memorji u fl-g˙erf tag˙hom ».
IN-NANNIET ILLUM
Sa nofs is-seklu li g˙adda, in-nanniet kienu ftit,
kienu jsarrfu ftit u ma kinux jg˙ixu ˙afna. Kienu
jg˙ixu fil-©enb tal-˙ajja. Illum in-nanniet dejjem
jiΩdiedu u ˙afna jsiru buΩnanniet. Jg˙inu biex
tissa˙˙a˙ l-im˙abba fil-familja u bosta drabi wkoll
l-ekonomija tal-familja. I˙ossuhom me˙tie©a.
«Li tkun nannu jew nanna » - jikteb Anselmo
Bocci – «jfisser li wasalt g˙at-tielet edizzjoni
tal-istorja ta’ ˙ajtek! » I˙ossuhom aççettati,
speçjalment miΩ-Ωg˙ar tal-familja. Jikteb is-
soçjologu Lewis Mumfred, “Kull ©enerazzjoni
tirvella kontra l-©enituri, u tag˙mel ˙bieb
man-nanniet.”
Imma l-Papa jfakkar li llum, il-mixja
fl-ekonimija u fil-˙ajja soçjali ©iebu
mag˙hom bidla mill-g˙eruq fil-familja.
Hu tkellem fuq Ωew© bidliet negattivi u
perikuluΩi meta qal, “L-anzjani, u
fosthom ˙afna nanniet, sabu
ru˙hom qishom f’parking
area: xi w˙ud saru piΩ
fil-familja u jippreferu
jg˙ixu wa˙edhom jew
f’xi dar tax-xju˙ bil-
konsegwenzi kollha
li dan i©ib. Il-bidla
l-o˙ra, g˙ar minn
din, hija li da˙let
fost ˙afna il-
‘kultura tal-mewt’. B’çerta insistenza hemm min
qieg˙ed jipproponi l-ewtanasija sabiex ‘isolvi’ xi
sitwazzjoni daqsxejn diffiçli…”
U N-NANNIET TA’ GÓADA?
Ser ikollna aktar nanniet li jkunu aktar fuq
tag˙hom ; dejjem aktar teΩori ta’ esperjenza u
ta’ umanità, li jg˙ixu aktar fit-tul. Il-Papa jistaqsi,
“Quddiem il-kriΩi tal-familja, ma nistg˙ux forsi,
insibu soluzzjoni proprju minn g˙and dawk in-
nanniet li juru aktar qawwa fil-valuri ? » Hemm
bΩonn mela li ng˙oΩΩuhom, g˙aliex « Jekk in-
nanniet qed juru li huma ta’ g˙ajnuna prezzjuΩa,
jaqbel li nuΩawhom mill-a˙jar li nistg˙u. » U
g˙alhekk jissu©©erixxi li, « Qatt, g˙all-ebda ra©uni,
ma nwarrbu lin-nanniet mill-qalba tal-familja. »
« Óalli jer©g˙u jkunu n-nanniet, preΩenza
˙ajja fil-familja, fil-knisja u fis-soçjetà…xhieda ta’
g˙aqda u ta’ valuri msejsa fuq im˙abba fil-˙ajja
taΩ-Ωwie©, fuq fidi s˙i˙a u fuq il-fer˙ tal-˙ajja. »
28 Hajja Salesjana
Kull min huwa mid˙la tad-Djarju li kienet kitbet
Santa Fawstina, fuq sebg˙in (70) sena ilu, fejn
Ìesù stess kien sej˙ilha s-Segretarja tal-Óniena
Divina, insibu li kellha diversi dehriet mhux biss ta’
Ìesù, iΩda ta’ diversi qaddisin u an©li, u sa˙ansitra
tal-istess xitan. Ma’ dawn id-dehriet wie˙ed irid
isemmi li kellha ˙afna viΩjonijiet tal-Madonna.
F’wa˙da minn dawn id-dehriet li Santa Fawstina
kellha, il-Madonna dehritilha b˙ala Omm Alla tas-
Saçerdoti. Fid-djarju bil-verΩjoni bil-Malti, f’pa©na
588, par:1585, wie˙ed jista’ jaqra r-rakkont ta’ din
il-viΩjoni ta’ Omm Alla.
DEHRA TA’ OMM ALLA
F’nofs dija kbira, rajt lil Omm Alla liebsa libsa
bajda, imdawra b’çinturin tad-deheb; u kien hemm
kwiekeb Ωg˙ar, tad-deheb ukoll, fuq il-libsa koll-
ha, bi kmiem forma ta’ V maqluba, infurrati bid-
deheb. Il-mantell tag˙ha kien ik˙al kulur is-sema,
mitfug˙ ˙afif fuq l-ispallejn. Velu trasparenti kien
qed jg˙attilha rasha ˙afif ˙afif, filwaqt li xag˙arha
twil kien imΩejjen b’kuruna tad-deheb fuqu li
kienet tispiçça fi slaleb Ωg˙ar. Fuq ix-xellug kienet
qieg˙da ΩΩomm il-Bambin Ìesù f’dirg˙ajha. Kont
g˙adni qatt ma rajt ‘il-Ver©ni mbierka f’din is-sura.
Imbag˙ad hi ˙arset lejja u qaltli : Jiena Omm Alla
tas-Saçerdoti. Ma’ dan il-kliem hija niΩΩlet lil Ìesù
fl-art minn fuq dirg˙ajha, g˙olliet idha l-leminija
lejn is-sema u qalet: “O Alla…bierek lis-saçerdoti”.
Imbag˙ad re©g˙et kellmitni g˙al darb’o˙ra: “G˙id
lis-saçerdoti dak li inti rajt.”
Il-Madonna g˙andha ˙afna titli sbie˙
speçjalment fil-litanija tar-RuΩarju, kif ukoll
diversi statwi u xbihat. IΩda kif iddiskrivietha Santa
Fawstina, la fil-Polonja fejn hemm is-santwarju
tal-Óniena Divina, l-anqas fi Stockbridge,
Massachussets, fl-Amerika g˙and il-Marian
Omm Alla
(MEÓUD U ADATTAT MILL-‘APPOSTOLAT TAL-ÓNIENA DIVINA’)
Fis-16 ta’ Marzu 2009, il-Papa
Benedittu XVI nieda sena ddedikata
g˙as-saçerdoti mid-19 ta’ Ìunju 2009
sad-11 ta’ Ìunju 2010 fl-okkaΩjoni
tal-150 sena mid-d˙ul fil-glorja tal-
©enna tal-Kurat ta’ Ars, San Ìwann
Marija Vianney (1786-1859), li issa
m’g˙adux biss il-qaddis protettur tal-
kappillani iΩda wkoll tas-saçerdoti.
tas-Saçerdoti
29Hajja Salesjana
Fathers li qed ixerrdu din id-devozzjoni, ma hemm
din ix-xbiha ta’ ‘Omm Alla tas-Saçerdoti’.
Na˙seb li l-Madonna tixtieq li tkun mag˙rufa
b’dan it-titlu ferm sabi˙ b˙ala Omm Alla tas-
Saçerdoti. Tkun ˙a©a sabi˙a li anke s-saçerdoti
jkunu konxji li Omm Alla hija Ommhom wkoll,
b˙alma Marija hija Omm is-Saçerdot il-Kbir, Binha
u ˙una Ìesù.
PITTURA TAL-MADONNA
Fl-inawgurazzjoni tas-Sena Saçerdotali il-Papa
ried jafda f’idejn il-Ver©ni Mqaddsa il-qalb ta’
kull saçerdot sabiex jitqanqal fih impenn ©did u
©eneruΩ g˙al dak l-ideal ta’ offerta totali lil Kristu
u lill-Knisja, li kien jispira l-˙sieb u l-˙idma tal-
Kurat qaddis ta’ Ars. Huwa spiçça d-diskors bl-
invokazzjoni sabi˙a ta’ “Marija, Omm is-saçerdoti,
itlob g˙alina”.
“G˙alhekk ˙adt ˙sieb biex nordna pittura li
kemm jista’ jkun, tkun kif ratha u iddeskrivietha
fid-Djarju tag˙ha Santa Fawstina. Naraw li fil-
Litanija tal-Madonna hemm 50 titlu sabi˙ mog˙ti
bil-©ie˙ lill-Omm tag˙na tas-sema. Tkun ˙a©a
xierqa li l-Ver©ni Marija tkun msej˙a wkoll b’dan
it-titlu li hija stess uriet ix-xewqa tag˙ha lil Santa
Fawstina.’’
Kif wie˙ed jinnota, il-Madonna g˙andha kuruna
tad-deheb fejn fuq jispiççaw bi slaleb Ωg˙ar.
Peress li Santa Fawstina ma kitbitx kemm il-salib
kien fiha din il-kuruna, jiena g˙aΩilt li nag˙mel
tnax-il salib biex niftakru fit-tnax il-kewkba li
kellha madwar rasha eΩattament kif insibu fil-
ktieb tar-Rivelazzjoni, 12 :1, ‘u kuruna ta’ tnax-il
kewkba fuq rasha.’’
B’idejha x-xellugija qieg˙da ΩΩomm ‘il Binha
Ìesù, tfajjel ta’ madwar sena sentejn g˙aliex
insibu li niΩΩlitu fl-art biex jimxi; filwaqt li b’idejha
tal-lemin qieg˙da tag˙mel sinjal billi tmiss sidirha
biex tikkonferma li hija Omm Alla, kif ukoll qieg˙da
tipponta b’sebag˙ha l-werrej lejn Binha Ìesù
s-Saçerdot il-Kbir, g˙aliex Hija Ommu, u g˙alhekk
Omm Alla tas-Saçerdoti.
OMM IL-ÓNIENA
B˙alma Ìesù, fil-Óniena Divina Tieg˙u, jerfag˙na
fuq spallejh b’mod speçjali fid-diffikultajiet u s-
slaleb tal-˙ajja tag˙na, “Ejjew g˙andi, intom ilkoll li
tinsabu m˙abbtin u mtaqqlin, u jiena nserra˙kom.”
(Mattew 11:28). Hekk ukoll tag˙mel Ommna Marija
Santissima, Omm Alla tas-Saçerdoti, li ©©orrna
fi ˙danha b˙al ma Ωaret is-Saçerdot Etern, biex
twennisna, t˙arisna u tipprote©ina ta˙t il-mantell
ka˙lani tag˙ha fil-˙ajja saçerdotali u tag˙na lkoll.
Fid-Djarju ta’ Santa Fawstina pa©na 153, par: 330
nsibu viΩjoni o˙ra tal-Madonna fejn qalet: “Jiena
mhux biss is-Sultana tas-Sema, imma wkoll Omm
il-Óniena u Ommok.” U f’dak il-waqt ˙ar©et idha
l-leminija, fejn kienet qieg˙da ΩΩomm il-mantell
tag˙ha u g˙attiet is-saçerdot bih.”
Kif kien i˙obb jg˙idilna l-mibki iΩda qatt minsi,
id-Direttur Spiritwali meta konna fis-seminarju, it-
twajjeb Dun Mikiel Attard, “Kollox isir fil-mument
tal-grazzja.” G˙alhekk nissogra ng˙id, tg˙id wara
sebg˙in sena wasal iΩ-Ωmien jew il-mument tal-
grazzja biex l-awtoritajiet ekleΩjastiçi jikkuntentaw
lill-Ver©ni Marija Santissima, biex tkun ukoll
ipproklamata fost titli o˙ra sbie˙ li g˙andha b˙ala
‘Omm tas-Saçerdoti’?
Din il-pittura tinsab fil-kappella Ωg˙ira ddedikata
lill-Óniena Divina fin-Nadur, G˙awdex. Hija xog˙ol
tal-pittur Ωag˙Ωug˙ Adonai Camilleri Cauchi, min-
Nadur ukoll. Ìew stampati fuljetti bil-kulur li barra
li fihom hemm il-pittura tal-Madonna Omm tas-
Saçerdoti u ta’ Ìesù tal-Óniena Divina, hemm it-
talba sabi˙a li kiteb it-twajjeb Mons. Salv Grima li
tkun ˙a©a tajba jekk is-saçerdoti jg˙iduha kuljum
b˙ala ringrazzjament wara t-tqarbin flimkien
mal-insara l-o˙ra; insibu wkoll talba sabi˙a g˙as-
saçerdoti miktuba mill-qaddisa nnifisha Santa
Fawstina u talba o˙ra.
Fr. Dominic Camilleri
30 Hajja Salesjana
Dun Bosco
fis-santi u kartolini
minn Renè Sacco
Nota: Qed nag˙mlu appell biex min ikun irid jibg˙at xi kumment jew iΩid xi ˙a©a ma’ dak li
qieg˙ed jidher f’din is-sensiela, ma joqg˙odx lura iΩda jikkuntattja lil Fr.Joe Cini (joecini@
onvol.net) jew lil Rene’ Sacco (rene.sacco@gmail.com). Nirringrazzjawkom bil-quddiem.
il-Óames parti
Sa mill-bidu nett tal-opra Salesjana, Dun Bosco
kien emmen fl-importanza tax-xog˙ol b˙ala mezz
li bih iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ jiΩviluppaw il-personalità u
d-dinjità tag˙hom b˙ala bnedmin. Ix-xog˙ol huwa
parti mill-identità tal-bniedem, g˙ax permezz ta’
dak li jaf jag˙mel (barra il-karatteristiçi fisiΩi)
l-individwu jiddentifika lilu nnifsu mill-o˙rajn.
Ix-xog˙ol imwettaq, ikun xi jkun, jag˙mel lill-
bniedem ta’ ˙tie©a g˙all-kumplament tas-soçjetà
u g˙alhekk jag˙ti lill-istess bniedem sens ta’
utilità u kburija. L-oppost ta’ dan narawh f’dawk li
g˙al xi ra©uni jew o˙ra jitilfu x-xog˙ol jew l-impjieg
tag˙hom. Dawn spiss jispiççaw f’dipressjoni u
diffikultajiet o˙ra serji. Sintendi dan ma jg˙oddx
g˙al dawk li l-g˙aΩΩ huwa parti mill-©enetika
strutturali tag˙hom.
G˙alhekk barra mill-formazzjoni reli©juΩa
u spiritwali, Dun Bosco ˙aseb biex jag˙ti liΩ-
Ωg˙aΩag˙ li kellu ta˙t idejh, edukazzjoni tajba u
tag˙lim ta’ xi seng˙a li biha dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙
setg˙u i˙arsu lejn il-futur b’kura©© u b’fiduçja
fihom infushom.
It-tlitt santi li se naraw f’din il-˙ames parti tas-
sensiela, jittrattaw proprju fuq dan is-su©©ett,
ji©ifieri ix-xog˙ol. Diversi artisti li pin©ew imma©ni
ta’ Dun Bosco g˙aΩlu li juru lill-Qaddis imdawwar
biΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ li jidhru qed iΩommu diversi g˙odod
u affarijiet o˙ra konnessi mal-edukazzjoni u
x-xog˙ol.
Billi fuq dan is-su©©ett g˙andna diversi santi
fil-kollezzjoni, hemm çans li anke id-darba li ©ejja
naraw santi o˙ra bl-istess tema.
Appell: Nixtieq nie˙u din l-opportunità biex nistieden lil min g˙andu xi santi ta’ Dun Bosco li
jista’ jiddisponi minnhom biex jg˙addihomli ˙alli titkompla tikber il-kollezzjoni. Il-kollezzjoni
tinkludi ukoll lil S. Fran©isk ta’ Sales, S. Domenico Savio, Maria AwΩiljatriçi, u l-erwie˙ tajba
kollha Salesjani. Ni©bor ukoll domni, bolli, midalji u materjal ie˙or b’konnessjoni ma’ Dun
Bosco jew is-Salesjani. Grazzi bil-quddiem.
31Hajja Salesjana
L-ewwel santa li g˙andna din id-darba hi ta’ ori©ini Bel©jana,
preçiΩament ippubblikata mill-provinçjal tad-Dar Salesjana
f’Woluwe-lez-Bruxelles. Fuq wara nsibu novena lill-Marija
G˙ajnuna tal-Insara. Hemm ukoll konçessjoni ta’ 400 ©urnata
indul©enza g˙as-Salesjani u l-koperaturi tag˙hom, mitluba minn
Dun Rinaldi (it-tielet suççessur ta’ Dun Bosco) u konçessa mill-
Papa Piju XI waqt udjenza li kellhom nhar is-6 ta’ Ìunju 1922.
F’din is-santa li g˙andha qies ta’ 7.0 x 12.0`m, Dun Bosco jid˙er
imdawwar bi grupp ta’ Ωg˙aΩag˙ u tfal ta’ nazzjonijiet differenti,
iΩda li ˙afna minnhom jidhru qeg˙din iΩommu xi simh˙er qed
iΩomm biçça g˙odda tar-raba’ li qisu qed juΩa b˙ala standard
biex imexxi Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ warajh. Il-kliem li hemm in-na˙a ta’ fuq
tas-santa jffiser bejn wie˙ed u ie˙or “Óudhom ta˙t il-gwida
tieg˙ek (il-bastun ta’ rag˙aj) u mexxihom”. Interessanti hija
d-dehra tas-salib li l-artist inkluda fl-isfond. Jista’ jkun tfisser is-
slaleb u t-taqbid tal-˙ajja li kul˙add jrid jiffaççja.
Il-kwadru riprodott fis-santa tpin©a fl-1929 u j©ib firma
li qisha V.FALON. Sfortunatament, g˙adni ma ltqajtx ma’ xi
informazzjoni dwar dan l-artist. G˙alkemm din is-santa hija
stampata ‘monochrome’ bl-iswed, wie˙ed g˙andu jassumi li
l-kwadru originali huwa bil-kulur.
It-tieni santa li g˙andna, ©ejja mill-Olanda u fil-fatt hija ppubblika-
ta mil-‘Missieprocur Don Bosco’ li tinsab fi Jan Van Nassaustraat
34, Den haag. Is-santa hija kopirajt tad-ditta Kunst Adelt ta’ Maas-
tricht. F’din is-santa, b˙al ta’ qabilha, Dun Bosco jidher mdawwar
biΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ li jag˙tuk l-impressjoni li g˙adhom kemm ©ew lura
mix-xog˙ol jew l-iskola u daru ma’ Dun Bosco biex jisimg˙u dik
il-kelma ta’ ©id u inkora©©iment. Fuq wara tas-santa hemm talba
bil-lingwa OlandiΩa lil-Dun Bosco g˙al xi grazzja. Ma’ din it-talba
hemm ukoll 200 ©urnata indulgenza konçessa mill-Kardinal Mau-
rilio Fossati, arçisqof ta’ Turin. L-artist, li ma hemmx indikazzjoni
min kien, g˙aΩel li jpo©©i l-grupp ta’ persuna©©i f’ambjent ta’ belt
u fl-isfond tidher dik li x’aktarx hija l-BaΩilka ta’ Maria G˙ajnuna
tal-Insara ta’ Turin. Is-santa g˙andha qies ta’ 7.0 x11.0 `m.
32 Hajja Salesjana
It-tielet stampa. G˙al din id-darba m’g˙andniex santa fil-veru
sens tal-kelma, iΩda imma©ni minn dawk li fost il-kollezjonisti
jissej˙u ‘picture cards’ jew ‘trade cards’ li bit-Taljan jg˙idulhom
‘figurine’ u bil-Malti nirreferu g˙alihom b˙ala kupuni. Din li
qeg˙din naraw hi wa˙da minn sett ta’ sitta dedikat lill-opra ta’
Dun Bosco, u turi Ωg˙aΩag˙ qed ja˙dmu u jit˙arr©u fis-seng˙a
tal-˙jata.
Interresanti ˙afna hi l-istorja ta’ l-ori©ini ta’ dawn il-kupuni.
Madwar is-sena 1872, il-Baruni Justus Von Liebig li kien xjenzjat
u riçerkatur, introduça metodu pubbliçitarju innovattiv g˙al
prodotti tieg˙u li fosthom kien hemm estratt tal-la˙am li kien
suppliment nutrittiv popolari ˙afna fost il-parti l-fqira tas-
soçjetà li ma setg˙etx tixtri il-la˙am. Dan l-estratt kien jing˙ata
ukoll lis-suldati u avventuriri fuq vja©©i twal. Von Liebig ˙aseb
biex mal-prodotti tieg˙u jippubblika settijiet ta’ kupuni li wara li
ji©©emg˙u setg˙u jitbiddlu ma’ affarijiet o˙ra, mezz ta’ riklamar
li g˙adu jintuΩa’ sal-lum. Dawn is-settijiet, li kienu ta’ sitta, tnax,
jew tmintax-il kupun kienu ta’ kwalita’ tipografika eççezzjonali u
it-temi trattati jkopru dak kollu ta˙t il-kappa tax-xemx. Fost is-
su©©etti hemm il-˙ajja ta’ persuna©©i li ̇ allew marka u effett fuq
is-soçjetà, u ma setax jonqos li Dun Bosco jkun inkluΩ fost dawn.
Su©©etti o˙ra jinkludu natura, xjenΩa, muΩika, ©ografija, storja,
reli©jon, etç., etç. Dan is-sett dedikat lill-opra Salesjana jindika,
permezz ta’ diversi stampi o˙ra, f’hiex tikkonsisti din l-opra.
Jissemmew l-oratorji festivi, skejjel u orfanatrofji, kulle©©i,
skejjell u kolonji agrarji, skejjel tas-snajja’ u l-missjonijiet.
Dawn is-settijiet mag˙rufa llum b˙ala ‘Liebig cards’ huma
ta’ pre©ju kbir g˙all-kollezjonisti. Dawk tal-bidu kien ikollhom
dekorazzjonijiet artistiçi bi stil ‘Liberty’ mal-istampi minn artisti
ta’ fama.
Il-pubblikazzjoni ta’ dawn is-settijiet waqfu fl-1972. F’dawk il-
mitt sena ©ew ippubblikati 1900 serje. Dik dwar Dun Bosco ©©ib
in-numru 1461 u ©iet stampata fis-sena1947.
Nie˙du din l-opportunita biex fil-waqt li n©eddu l-appelli li g˙amilna fil-˙ar©iet ta’ qabel, insellu g˙all-
qarrejja kollha ta’ din ir-riviΩta, u nixtiequlhom il-festi t-tajba.
L-a˙˙ar donazzjoni ta’ Ωewg santi g˙all-kollezzjoni ©iet ming˙and Rev Sr. Georgina Grech tal-
komunità Salesjana tas-Sorijiet f’G˙awdex.
33Hajja Salesjana
Din l-istess xorti messet ukoll lill-Fathers Salesjani
kollha f’Malta, kif ukoll liΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ novizzi u
aspiranti, proprju dakinhar stess filg˙axija meta
lkoll iltaqg˙u mieg˙u g˙at-talb fil-knisja ta’ St.
Patrick. Wara dan, in©barna lkoll flimkien g˙all-ikla
ta’ filg˙axija. Fl-a˙˙ar tal-ikla, ir-Rettur Ma©©ur
kellem lil dawk mi©bura u qalilhom, li skond hu,
dan huwa Ω-Ωmien meta l-˙ajja reli©juΩa g˙andha
turi ru˙ha qawwija u ta’ eΩempju lid-dinja. Proprju
g˙aliex hawn kriΩi ta’ valuri, issa l-waqt li a˙na,
b˙ala reli©juΩi, ng˙ixu l-valuri nsara u nkunu dawl
g˙ad-dinja. Hekk intemmet din l-g˙axija li fiha
spikkaw ˙afna l-fer˙ u s-serenità.
IΩ-Ωjara ta’ Dun Chavez hija Ωjara kanonika:
dover li jsir kull 6 snin, jew minnu jew minn xi
wie˙ed mis-Superjuri Ma©©uri li ji©i f’ismu. L-g˙an
ta’ Ωjara b˙al din huwa li s-Superjur jiltaqa’
mas-Salesjani sabiex janimahom, iqawwihom u
jg˙inhom jirb˙u xi diffikultajiet. Mag˙hom ukoll
jittie˙du xi deçiΩjonijiet sabiex ix-xog˙ol tal-
komunità jimxi g˙all-a˙jar.
Wara l-ewwel tlitt ijiem ©o St. Patrick, ir-Rettur
Ma©©ur tela’ Óad-Dingli, f’Savio College sabiex
jiltaqa’ mal-konfratelli ta’ dik id-dar. Dun Chavez
seta’ jara u jiltaqa’ ma’ ˙afna mill-istudenti
u ©enituri tag˙hom hemmhekk, nhar il-Óadd
filg˙axija, waqt il-quddiesa speçjali g˙all-Familja
Salesjana, li g˙aliha attendew ukoll Koperaturi,
Past Pupils, Óbieb tas-Salesjani, ©enituri u
Ωg˙aΩag˙ minn kull qasam tax-xog˙ol Salesjan.
Kienet esperjenza mimlija entuΩjaΩmu li kebbset
il-qlub ta’ kull min kien hemm.
Nhar il-Óamis 2 ta’ Settembru, ftit ˙in biss wara li Dun Pascual Chavez
Villanueva kien wasal Malta u mar direttament f’St. Patrick, Tas-Sliema,
il-komunità ta’ din id-dar kella x-xorti tiekol fil-kwiet mar-Rettur Ma©©ur,
titkellem mieg˙u u tisma a˙barijiet mid-dinja Salesjana.
IΩ-Ûjara tar-Rettur Ma©©ur
minn Joe Cini sdb
34 Hajja Salesjana
Nhar it-Tlieta 7 ta’ Settembru, dejjem ©ewwa
Savio College, kien hemm okkaΩjoni o˙ra ta’
fer˙ g˙alina s-Salesjani. Din kienet il-professjoni
temporanja ta’ Bro. Robert Vella u Bro. Kenneth
Micallef li kienet iççelebrata minn Dun Chavez. Ma
hemmx g˙alfejn ng˙idu li din ukoll serviet sabiex
turi kemm hija mimlija bil-˙ajja Ωag˙Ωug˙a, il-
Familja Salesjana.
Minn Óad-Dingli, ir-Rettur Ma©©ur re©a’ niΩel
lejn tas-Sliema u waqaf jiekol xi ˙a©a maΩ-
Ωg˙aΩag˙ li hemm fl-‘Osanna Pia Salesian Home’
u jara x-xog˙ol ©ewwa dik id-dar. Flimkien ma’
Fr. Savio Vella li jmexxi dan il-‘hostel’, kien hemm
il-Fathers mill-Oratorju ta’ Tas-Sliema: issa kien
imiss lilhom li jilqg˙u lil-Fr. Chavez. Matul it-3 ijiem
li g˙adda fil-Komunità ta’ St. Alphonsus, ir-Rettur
Ma©©ur kellu ç-çans ja˙rab sa l-Isla sabiex igawdi
xi ftit il-festa ta’ Marija Bambina. Sab il-˙in ukoll
biex iΩur u jitkellem mal-˙addiema tas-‘Salesian
Press’ f’St. Patrick’s, Tas-Sliema.
Nhar il-Óamis filg˙axija u l-Ìimg]a filg˙odu
kien imiss il-viΩita kanonika tal-komunità ‘San
Filippu’ ta’ l-Isla. Hemmhekk, barra milli ltaqa’ ma’
l- erba’ Salesjani li jiffurmaw dik il-komunità, huwa
qaddes il-Quddiesa tal-˙in u hekk seta’ jkellem
lin-nies li ssoltu jattendu hemm. Dun Chavez
apprezza ˙afna x-xog˙ol pastorali li qieg˙ed isir
hemmhekk u l-fatt ta’ kemm hi spiritwalment
siewja il-preΩenza Salesjana f’dawk in-na˙iet ta’
Malta.
Wara l-ikla ta’ nofsinhar, Dun Chavez sellem
lill-konfratelli u ©ie me˙ud g˙al darb’o˙ra tas-
Sliema. Hawnhekk, filg˙axija, saret çelebrazzjoni
˙elwa wisq. IΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ tal- Youth Centre flimkien
mat-tfal, ©enituri u membri tal-Oratorju, in©abru
fil-kappella sabiex, flimkien ma’ Dun Chavez u
madwar Ìesù fl-Ewkaristija, jag˙mlu adorazzjoni
u jitolbu g˙all-vokazzjonijiet. L-artal imΩejjen bil-
fjuri, il-kant sabi˙ u l-©abra fit-talb impressjonaw
lil kull min kien hemm. J’Alla Ìesù jisma’ dan it-
talb u jqajjem vokazzjonijiet fis-Soçjetà Salesjana
minn fost iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ tag˙na.
Hekku mela li nhar is-Sibt 11 ta’ Settembru wasal
l-a˙˙ar jum ta’ din il-viΩita kanonika. Imma kien
baqa’ xi ftit attivitajiet xi jsiru, u kollha importanti.
Filg˙odu ir-Rettur Ma©©ur iltaqa’ ma’ Fr. Paul
Formosa, li huwa s-Superjur Delegat tas-Salesjani
hawn Malta u mal-Kunsill tad-Delegazzjoni. Huma
tkellmu fuq is-sitwazzjoni li fiha tinsab il-Familja
Salesjana f’Malta u fuq xi pro©etti li qieg˙din ji©u
studjati sabiex jitwettqu. Imbag˙ad filg˙axija, Dun
Chavez re©a’ mexxa konçelebrazzjoni mal-˙afna
Fathers Salesjani li matulha saret il-professjoni
g˙al dejjem ta’ Bro. Clive Mifsud. Din saret ©ol-
knisja parrokkjali ta’ BirΩebbu©a, fis-6.30 ta’
filg˙axija, quddiem folla nies li mliet il-knisja.
Wara din iç-çerimonja, kien hemm trattament fejn
˙afna setg˙u jiltaqg˙u mar-Rettur Ma©©ur, jie˙du
ritratti mieg˙u waqt li hu kien qeg˙ed josserva
l-entuΩjaΩmu u l-fer˙ tag˙hom.
Hekk intemmet din il-viΩita kanonika li Dun
Chavez g˙o©bu jag˙mel lis-Salesjani u lill-Familja
Salesjana f’Malta. Kien privile©© kbir g˙alina li
©ie huwa nnifsu meta ssoltu jkun xi superjur
ie˙or li ji©i f’ismu. A˙na grati ta’ dan il-privile©© li
ng˙atalna u qalbna issa t˙abbat b’akbar im˙abba
lejn Dun Bosco u l-messa©© tieg˙u, « Ag˙tini
l-erwie˙ u ˙udli kull ma jibqa’. »
Iva, nixtieq ng˙in lis-Salesjani. Se nibg˙at
q5 q10 q25 q50
kull xahar kull tliet xhur kull
sena
b˙ala g˙ajnuna g˙all-missjoni tag˙kom. Naf li din
ma tqieg˙ed l-ebda obbligazzjoni fuqi u li nistà
nwaqqaf il-kontribuzzjoni tieg˙i meta rrid.
Isem
Indirizz
Int tistà tg˙inna. Meta qed tag˙mel hekk, int tkun qed tie˙u
sehem fil-˙idma ta’ Don Bosco. Alla biss ikun jaf il-©id li tkun
qed tag˙mel.
A˙na s-Salesjani fil-quddies u t-talb tag˙na, niftakru f’dawk
kollha li jg˙inuna b’xi mod jew ie˙or. Ma tit˙ajjarx tg˙inna int
ukoll? Il-Mulej li qal: “Dak li tag˙mlu ma’ l-içken fost ˙utkom
tkunu qed tag˙mluh mieg˙i”, Ωgur ibierek g˙al kull g˙ajnuna
li tista’ tag˙ti.
G˙in il-˙idma Salesjana
Dawk li huma l-iΩjed fil-periklu l-aktar ji˙tie©u g˙ajnuna. Dawk li
m’g˙andhomx le˙en je˙tie©u xi ˙add jiddefendihom. San Ìwann Bosco
kien jafu dan. Hu ˙adem f’˙ajtu kollha g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙, g˙all-foqra u
g˙al dawk li huma l-aktar fil-bΩonn.
X’INHI BORÛA TA’ STUDJU?
Hija somma ta’ flus li tg˙inna biex in˙allsu parti mill-formazzjoni
ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ li qed i˙ejji ru˙u biex isir Salesjan.
KEMM TRID TAGÓTI BIEX TWAQQAF BORÛA TA’ STUDJU?
Kapital ta’ b600
JEÓTIEÌ LI BILFORS TAGÓTI S-SOMMA F’DAQQA?
Le. Wie˙ed jista’ jag˙tiha biçça biçça, tant fix-xhar jew tant fis-sena.
JEÓTIEÌ LI BILFORS IS-SOMMA TKUN MOGÓTIJA MINN WIEÓED BISS?
Le. Jistg˙u jiftehmu flimkien iktar minn persuna wa˙da u kul˙add jag˙ti sehmu.
IΩda min jo˙ro© wa˙du s-somma kollha, ikun fundatur ta’ dik il-BorΩa.
JISTA WIEÓED IÓALLI L-BORÛA BÓALA LEGAT WARA MEWTU?
Jista’. U min jag˙mel hekk, jista’ jikteb fit-testment: “In˙alli b˙ala legat lis-Salesjani ta’ Don
Bosco, is-somma ta’ g˙all-formazzjoni ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ Malti fl-istess Soçjetà.
BorΩa ta’ Studju
Çempel lil Fr Eric Cachia SDB fuq 21 331 447
NEWSPAPER POST
ST. PATRICK’S SCHOOL, ST. JOHN BOSCO STREET, SLIEMA SLM 1925
G˙ax tweldilna
tifel, ing˙atalna
iben; is-saltna
tkun fuq spallejh,
u jsemmuh:
“Kunsillier
tal-g˙a©eb, Alla
setg˙an, Missier
g˙al dejjem,
Prinçep tas-
sliem.’’ (Is. 9,5)
L-isba˙ xewqat ta’ Milied hieni
u l-festi t-tajba lil qarrejja, ˙bieb u
benefatturi tag˙na kollha.
