DB Alive - Salesians

THE SALESIAN BULLETIN
DON BOSCO ALIVE
Summer 2007
Cardinal Joseph Zen
Champion of Liberty
DON BOSCO ALIVE
Volume 88, No. 3
The Salesian Bulletin
Summer 2007
Publisher: Fr. James Heuser, SDB, Provincial • Executive Editor: Fr.
Thomas A. Dunne, SDB • Editor: Fr. Michael Mendl, SDB • Business
Manager: Mary Kate Havranek • Contributors: Salesian news agencies
ANS and austraLasia • Distribution:
Jo-Ann Donahue •
Graphics/Printing: King Lithographers, Mt. Vernon, NY
C O N T E N T S
Champion of Religious Liberty: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Cardinal Joseph Zen
Guided by God’s Love for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Fr. Pascual Chavez, SDB, Rector Major
The Culture of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Young, Pro-Life, and Proud of It!
Salesian Family News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Saints’ Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Youth Culture in the ’00s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
World Youth Day
Around the Salesian World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Recently Deceased Salesians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Founded by St. John Bosco in 1877, THE
SALESIAN BULLETIN is published internationally in 53 editions and 27 languages with
10 million copies in annual circulation. DON
BOSCO ALIVE (1999-present) is The Salesian
Bulletin published quarterly by the Salesians of
St. John Bosco, New Rochelle, NY. In the
USA it has appeared under several titles since
1911: Don Bosco Messenger (1911-49); Don
Bosco Magazine (1949-52); and The Salesian
Bulletin (1953-88, 92-93, 97). For free subscriptions send requests to: THE SALESIAN BULLETIN, 148 Main St., New
Rochelle, NY 10801 Tel: (914) 636-4225
E-mail: [email protected]
Copyright 2007
The Salesian Society, Inc.
www.salesians.org
THIS MAGAZINE IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH.
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Photo Credit: Jessica Meste, Amherst College
Champion of Religious Liberty
By Michael Mendl, SDB
“The new conscience of Hong Kong” and “a steadfast champion of
religious liberty and other human rights”—these are two of the accolades accorded Salesian Cardinal Joseph Zen by Amherst College
(Amherst, Mass.) as the college awarded him an honorary doctorate in
humane letters on May 27.
The college’s citation noted that the 75-year-old cardinal “for the last
decade has been the spiritual figure behind some of the most important
civil rights movements in the region [East Asia], speaking out for religious freedom, increased independence for Hong Kong and greater
accountability. A recent poll in Hong Kong’s Daily Apple listed him as
the city’s ‘most significant person.’”
Cardinal Zen’s stop in Amherst came during an extended tour of the
major Chinese communities of North America—14 cities. Where possible he also contacted local Salesians and/or their Chinese past pupils.
One of his purposes was to inform Chinese emigrants of the current
state of Church and society in both Hong Kong and mainland China.
Cardinal Zen had an unannounced half-hour meeting with President
George Bush at the White House on May 31. Neither the U.S. State
Department nor the Chinese government looked upon their meeting
favorably. It was, then, an indication of the weight that Mr. Bush gives
to “the plight of the religious in unfree countries,” columnist Robert
Novak wrote on June 21. Mr. Bush’s interest is said to have energized
the cardinal, who has expressed his frustration over Church-State relations and the suppression of democracy in his diocese; and through the
Salesian cardinal it is likely to energize Catholics all over China.
Chinese Catholics received a further boost from a long letter addressed
to them by Pope Benedict XVI, published June 30. It urged reconcilia3
tion between Catholics explicitly
loyal to the Holy See and those
belonging to the government-recognized (and controlled) Patriotic
Church Association. The letter also
advocated dialog and cooperation
between the Church and the government, seeking to assure the
Communist leaders that the Church
does not have a political agenda.
In January the Holy See called
Cardinal Zen and two other
Chinese bishops to Rome for consultation. It is believed that the
upcoming papal letter was discussed. Now, says the cardinal, Chinese bishops and priests can use the
Pope’s letter as a starting point for dialog with government officials.
Cardinal Zen, born Jan. 13, 1932, professed as a Salesian in 1949,
served as a seminary professor after his ordination in 1961, and was
appointed coadjutor bishop of Hong Kong in 1996. He succeeded to
the Hong Kong see in 2002 upon the death of Cardinal John Baptist
Wu. Pope Benedict named him a cardinal last year. When he turned 75
in January, he submitted his resignation to the Pope, as church law
requires.
The cardinal had hoped that the Holy Father would accept his resignation, leaving him more free to speak out strongly for human rights in
general and religious freedom in particular. Chinese officials, he says,
“are always directed by fear. They are full of fear about Hong Kong
people because we protest. For Communists, anyone who protests is
the enemy.” The Church does not have a political agenda, but it does
have a human rights agenda, particularly as regards freedom of religion.
Pope Benedict, however, wishes him to continue in office, to participate
actively in the Church’s mission in East Asia. “Obedience is a fundamental duty, grounded in our sacramental ordination,” Cardinal Zen
responded. “I look to the example of St. Joseph and submit myself to
God’s will.”
Already last year Cardinal Zen spoke out against government policies.
The occasion was the 17th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square mas4
sacre. “All the students asked for was a clean government,” he protested
at a prayer meeting in Hong Kong on June 4, 2006. The economy of
China may be booming, but so is public corruption, he said, with
results dangerous to public health and safety. “If the government had
listened to the kind advice of the students and workers, would today’s
country be a better country?”
The cardinal will remain a vigorous spokesman for human rights. On
July 1—the day after the Pope’s letter to the Catholics of China was
published—he marked the tenth anniversary of Hong Kong’s reversion
to Chinese sovereignty by taking part in a pro-democracy protest
march. On previous anniversaries he had led prayer services but
declined to march, fearing such a role would be divisive. Now he seems
to think the time has come for him to take a stronger stance in favor of
the voting rights promised to the people of Hong Kong when the U.K.
handed the territory back to China in 1997.
The New York Times has noted, “With his charisma, erudition and dedication to human rights, Cardinal Zen has become a celebrity” in Hong
Kong, “wielding considerable political influence as well as religious
power.”
“I am a troublemaker,” Cardinal Zen candidly admits.
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Guided by
God’s Love
for Life
THE RAINBOW
By Pascual Chavez, SDB
“I will never again curse the ground because of man…. I establish my
covenant with you and your descendants…and with every living creature.… I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant
between me and the earth” (Gen. 8:21; 9:8,13).
The book of Genesis shows how God the lover of life overcomes
chaos and with his creative word shapes the cosmos. Everything he
does cannot but be a masterpiece, given the skill of the Artist. But
already in chapter 3 and what follows, the scenario is very different.
The original plan of God is overturned because of the sins that flood
the face of the earth as a result of human violence and depravity, and
the world returns again to chaos.
Nevertheless, evil with its innate tendency to destruction and death
cannot have the last word. So, after the tsunami of the flood, God
establishes a covenant with humanity, pledging himself never to
Fr. Chavez is Rector Major of the Salesians.
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allow this world that he created to be destroyed and become a desert
peopled by anger and despair. The sign of this covenant with the
human race is the rainbow: immediately after the rain it appears in
the sky and seems to embrace the heavens, to remind creatures of
the promise of the Creator.
❆ God the lover of life loves not only human life, but the whole
of life, including vegetable and animal life, since all creation is the
work of his love. Besides the value and the dignity of human life,
from the first to the last page the Bible shows God’s loving care for
nature, as expressed in the words of Gen. 1:31: “God saw everything
that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Animals, plants, the
heavens, the sun, the seas—everything is good, everything is valuable
in itself, everything proclaims the glory of God, as Psalm 19:2-3
sings: “The heavens proclaim the glory of the Lord, and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands. Day unto day takes up the
story and night unto night makes known the message.” All creatures,
in fact, are invited to bless the Lord, as the Canticle of Daniel proclaims: “All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord”: angels, heavens,
water, sun and moon, stars of the heavens, showers and rain, breezes
and winds, fire and heat, cold and heat, showers and dew, frost and
cold, ice and snow, night-time and day, darkness and light, lightning
and clouds, mountains and hills, all plants of the earth, fountains and
springs, rivers and seas, creatures of the sea, every bird in the sky,
wild beasts and tame, children of men (3:57-88).
❆ But this acknowledgement is real only if and when in their turn
people recognize the dignity of the place where they live and determine to respect nature, to accept creatures, and to welcome the
wealth of their diversity. Only this practical acceptance of everything
that exists, but especially living beings, leads to the affirmation of the
value of creation and of the rights of human beings, who have been
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placed over them as their guardians. Only this practical acceptance of
everything that exists leads, consequently, to overcoming exploitation
and abuse, in order to achieve a development that respects the environment and establishes a harmonious cohabitation of people with
other living creatures.
Nowadays, industrial society has fostered the production and the
expansion of wealth, but too often it has gone too far in the exploitation of resources, leading to people being denied their humanity, so
that almost without realizing it they have been reduced mere to producers and consumers.
But the culture of life leads us to a genuine ecological attitude: to a
love for all human beings, but also for animals and plants; in other
words, to a love for all of creation and to the defense and the promotion of all signs of life against the mechanics of destruction and
death.
❆ In the face of the threats of disordered exploitation, the
destruction of nature, and non-sustainable development, which are
producing pollution, the greenhouse effect, deforestation, desertification, the impoverishment of resources—the results of insatiable
greed and a lack of responsibility not only with regard to creation,
which God has given us as a home for everyone, but also with regard
to future generations—it seems to me worth remembering the words
of the great Indian chief Seattle: “Whatever wounds the Earth
wounds the sons and the daughters of the Earth.”
God has pledged to preserve nature, but not without us. He has
made us his collaborators; he has given us this responsibility. The
“rainbow program” for safeguarding creation is the work of God, of
everybody, of each person.
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The Culture of life
Young, pro-life,
and proud of it!
By Cecile San Agustin
It felt like a rock concert. They danced,
they sang, they cheered. Loud and
proud, more than 1,000 Catholic high
school teens from all over New Jersey
celebrated being pro-life. The N.J.
Pro-Life Youth Rally sponsored annually by the Salesians of Don Bosco was
held at Seton Hall University in South
Orange on April 19. [The New
Rochelle Province’s Office of Youth
Ministry coordinates the rally.]
The daylong youth rally included a
morning prayer service, abortion facts,
a skit presented by students from Immaculate Conception H.S. in
Lodi, and speakers from Catholic Voices, N.J. Right to Life, and
Birthright. The Spirit Band, a musical group from parishes in Sussex
County, provided the music.
Sal Solo, former lead singer of an ’80s rock band, presented the
keynote address, hoping to inspire change among the young people,
so they might change the world. He had a transformation within his
own life. Finding emptiness in his life as a rock star, he began his
search for something more to his life.
A pilgrimage to Assisi changed Solo and showed him what to do with
his faith. “Somebody on this pilgrimage said to me, ‘Young people in
the world are looking for answers. They’re looking for the truth. They
Condensed from The Beacon, newspaper of the Diocese of Paterson,
April 26, 2007. Used with permission.
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listen to music. You’ve discovered what you’re looking for. You can use
music to tell them.’ And since that day my life has been dedicated to
teenagers just like you around the world,” said Solo.
He recalled the reckless lifestyle his band mates lived: “It was all
about booze, drugs, girls. The guys in my band used to sleep with a
different girl every night. He was a sex object. She was a sex object.
And that’s what those who are pro-life do not believe in.”
Thunderous applause followed as Solo said, “We believe we were
made in the dignity of God. We are sons and daughters of the King
of the universe. That makes us a royal family of princes and princesses, not to be cheapened, not to be treated in a casual fashion.”
Solo spoke about Jesus as the model for a real man and about Jesus’
own sexuality. He explained to the teens the huge difference between
sex and sexuality; sexuality is part of personhood and what defines a
human being. He told them about the value of their own lives and
told them it is ultimately up to them to make a pro-life society.
He said to the teens, “We’re not in favor just of saving babies. We’re
in favor of every kind of life, and your life is wonderful.”
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Being young and pro-life
The youth rally proved to be
an uplifting experience for the
young people, who can often
feel wrong about their beliefs
in the MTV society they see
among their peers.
Mary Khanjian, a senior at
Mary Help of Christians
Academy, realized things she
wanted and deserved in her
life through Solo’s talk. She
said, “I never thought of Jesus as a ‘real man’ before. The way he
presented Jesus as a real man was inspiring. It made me realize
that’s really want I want in a man in my life, and Jesus is the best
example.”
It was Khanjian’s fourth time at the rally. She likes coming because
“it’s awesome to see the amount of teenagers who gather in support
of the pro-life movement. It’s inspiring to me to know that I’m not
the only one my age who feels so strongly about the right to life.”
Spreading the pro-life message to her peers is important for Katelyn
Monteleone, a senior at Morris Catholic in Denville. “It is a really
big deal, and people don’t take it seriously enough. Abortion is way
too common, and so many people die from it,” she said.
Dayana Dakis, from St. Anthony Parish, Passaic, said, “I don’t think
it’s right for people to kill a baby they don’t even know yet. I think
babies have the right to live, just like anyone else.”
Devin McCabe, a senior at DePaul H.S. in Wayne, came to get a
better grasp about the pro-life movement. He said: “I’m here to
form a consciousness about the issues. I want to know more about it.
Solo had so much enthusiasm about the issue and made my feelings
change about a lot of things.”
Lena Chilingerian, a senior at Pope John XXIII H.S. in Sparta, said,
“I can vote now and use that right to spread my belief. It’s really not
about the politics; it’s about the life. Those who can’t defend themselves need someone to defend them.”
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Celebrating a pro-life Mass
Praying for a culture of life was a main focus at the closing Mass celebrated by Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson. In his homily, he urged
the young to “respect the sanctity of life.” He said, “Our Gospel is for
the sheer hope for the present time in which we live. For our Gospel
is the risen Lord. Jesus is raised from the dead to restore creation to its
original dignity.” He encouraged the young people not to allow politics and media to influence their opinion on life issues and to be convinced that the Gospel message is the true word.
“This message will attract others when we ourselves do all we can to
help the woman with the unwanted pregnancy bring that child to
term, when we reach out to the sick and the terminally ill with love
and compassion, and when we assist the dying with understanding
and tenderness,” said the bishop.
The bishop encouraged the young people to look for God’s plan for
their own lives: “The Lord speaks to us, and so in the silence of your
heart listen to what the Lord is speaking. I know for many of you the
Lord is saying, ‘Come follow me’ as a priest or a religious. He is giving all of you a life that is beautiful and worth living.”
Rapid progress is being made on a new chapel at the Marian Shrine in
Haverstraw-Stony Point, N.Y. The chapel, designed by Salesian architect Bro. Andrew LaCombe, is expected to cost $1.5 million. To help,
call 845-947-2200, or write to Fr. Steven Dumais, SDB, Marian Shrine,
174 Filors Lane, Stony Point, NY 10980-2645.
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Ordinary People…
The
Salesian Cooperators
Extraordinary Vocation!
Founded by St. John Bosco in 1876, we number over 30,000 members
worldwide and are growing all the time! We are men and women just
like you, of all ages and from all walks of life, called by God to serve the
local Church in the Salesian spirit. Our vocation is one of presence and
service to the young and to the poor. In the words of our founder, Don
Bosco, “A Salesian Cooperator is one who, in a practical way, promotes
morality and contributes to society.” If you feel that God may be calling
you to join us in this rewarding work, simply contact us by phone or
email – there is no obligation. You have nothing to lose and a worldwide
family to gain. We look forward to hearing from you!
Fr. Thomas Dunne, SDB
Tel: 914-636-4225
Email: [email protected]
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Salesian Cooperators Evaluate and Plan
SALESIAN FAMILY NEWS
By Thomas A. Dunne, SDB
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The Salesian Cooperators held their
annual Leadership Weekend in
Stony Point, N.Y., July 27-29, 2007.
Representatives from Cooperator
units from most of the Eastern
Province gathered for three days of
community building, networking,
planning, training, and formation.
The leadership weekend offers local
units an important opportunity to
reflect on their pastoral experiences
and immerse themselves in God’s
presence and Don Bosco’s spirit.
One Cooperator observed, “The
Cooperator community is the only
place in my life where I can talk
freely about my experience of God.”
Photo Credit: Mark Williams
This year’s weekend was unlike previous ones in several respects.
The schedule promoted a spirit of discernment. Sharing sessions
were more spirited than usual. Discussions on implementing the
leadership manuals evidenced collaborative planning. New members found an environment that encouraged full participation.
The introduction of the Cooperators’ new Project of Apostolic
Life (PAL) fostered enthusiasm for the future.
The weekend had a healthy helping of typically Salesian joy and
spirituality. The Cooperator Provincial Council dazzled the
assembly with a skit highlighting the ingredients of Salesian holiness. Sr. Frances Gumino, FMA, spoke about Strenna 2007 and
applied its yellow umbrella emblem to the centennial celebration
of Salesian Sisters in the U.S., which begins August 5.
Participants explored the implications of the new PAL for formation, programming, planning, accepting new members, and choosing leaders. They looked into ways to improve formation and ministry by networking with neighboring units. A “toolbox” of helpful
guidelines for local Cooperator leaders was distributed. A discussion with Fr. James Heuser, SDB, provincial, centered on ways of
strengthening the Cooperator Provincial Council and local units.
The weekend ended with the members looking ahead to the
meeting of the Salesian Family with the Rector Major, Fr.
Chavez, in September.
Don Bosco Volunteers Hold Sixth General Assembly
By Michael Mendl, SDB
In May the Don Bosco Volunteers (DBVs) celebrated their 90th
anniversary. The DBVs are a secular institute of women who have consecrated their lives to God while continuing to live in the world like
other Catholics. They are full members of the Salesian Family whose
mission is to carry out the Church’s pastoral work in areas hard to for
priests or religious to reach. There are 1,321 DBVs around the world.
In a message on their 90th anniversary, Fr. Pascual Chavez commended
the DBVs for their apostolic “passion for the world.”
The highlight of their anniversary year was their Sixth General
Assembly, which took place at Rome, July 15-27. Its theme was “The
vital role of the Group in the vocational identity and mission of the
DBVs.” Besides discussing the theme, 78 DBV delegates from 27
countries elected a new president, Olga Krizova from Slovakia, and a
new general council to guide the institute during the next six years.
Outgoing President Anita Mertens opened the general assembly by
reminding the delegates that they do not exist for themselves but for
mission. “Our mission field is as wide as the world. As DBVs we are
called to work everywhere and with everyone, creating our own particular way of relating with the world, with the young or less young; this
is the Salesian life in the secular context.”
Fr. Chavez addressed the assembly, urging the DBVs to allow the Holy
Spirit to guide them as they discern their mission and pursue holiness.
He called upon them to “listen to and respect diversity in different characters, opinions, and experiences.” Through pluralism and complementarity, the DBVs will bring apostolic originality to their mission.
In a homily, Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB, called the DBVs a “Fifth Gospel”
whose consecrated lives make them missionaries and “salt of the earth.”
Fr. Pascual Chavez, Olga Krizova, Anita Mertens, Fr. Adriano Bregolin
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SAINTS’ PROGRESS
New Salesian Blesseds
By Michael Mendl, SDB
This fall, 64 members of the Salesian Family will be beatified.
The first beatification ceremony will take place on October 28 in
Rome and will involve a long list of martyrs of the Spanish Civil War
(1936-1939). Among them are two groups totaling 63 Salesians: a
group from Madrid, headed by the Servant of God Enrique Saiz,
with 41 other martyrs; and another from Seville, headed by the
Servant of God Antonio Torrero, with 20 other martyrs.
This beatification follows one in 2001, which recognized the martyrdom of Fr. José Calasanz Marques and 31 companions from the
province of Valencia.
A new book from Spain, Los Mártires Salesianos de Madrid, Sevilla,
Bilbao y León (1936-1937) by Fr. Pablo Marín, SDB (Madrid: CCS),
tells the story of the 63 new blesseds.
Zefferino Namuncurá (1886-1905) will be beatified on November 11
at Chimpay, Rio Negro Province, in Argentinean Patagonia.
Zefferino, a native American of the Mapuche people, who were
evangelized by Salesian missionaries, aspired to become a Salesian.
The bishops of Patagonia have published a pastoral letter for “all
the men and women of Argentina, our homeland.” They present
the future Blessed within his cultural and historical context and
refer to some important events in his life, mainly emphasizing the
special way Zefferino lived his Christian life. “His life is a message
of holiness,” the bishops’ letter says, “lived seriously among his
people, and he was an example of how to take up the Gospel as a
way of life lived with great simplicity and humility. His message is a
witness that draws others in. His holiness is rooted in the Gospel
and in his own people.”
For information on Zefferino, see http://www.sdb.org/Index.asp?
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Giuseppe Quadrio
Maria Troncatti
Zefferino Namuncura Antonio Torrero
Enrique Saiz
Other Causes of Saints
In a decree issued June 1, Pope Benedict recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Fr. Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855),
founder of the Institute of Charity
(Rosminians), clearing the way for his beatification. Fr. Rosmini, a distinguished philosopher, was a close friend and supporter of Don
Bosco.
In July the Salesian postulator general, Fr.
Enrico dal Covolo, was busy in Peru and
Ecuador. In Peru the cause of the beatification
and canonization of Bishop Octavio Ortiz
Arrieta, SDB (1878-1958), was reviewed.
Bishop Ortiz strongly incarnated the spirit of
Don Bosco in his pastoral ministry and died
with a great reputation for holiness. He was
bishop of Chachapoyas for 35 years, an enormous diocese in Peru still undergoing first
evangelization.
The diocesan enquiry concluded in 2001. The
postulator’s office is now preparing the positio,
a dossier demonstrating the heroic life and the
virtues of the Servant of God, as well as his
reputation for holiness.
In Ecuador Fr. dal Covolo officially requested
of Archbishop José Mario Ruiz of Portoviejo
that he undertake a diocesan enquiry into a
presumed miracle of a cure attributed to the
Servant of God Sr. Maria Troncatti, FMA
(1883-1969). Sr. Troncatti was a missionary in
eastern Ecuador. At the Salesian mission in
Zumbahua, the postulator collected material
concerning a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Servant of God Fr. Giuseppe
Quadrio, SDB (1921-1963). Fr. Quadrio was a
theology professor in Turin.
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Youth Culture in the ’00s
World Youth Day
Dynamic Expression of
the Youthful Church
By Thomas A. Dunne, SDB
A Prayerful Vigil
As Pope John Paul II lay dying in April 2005, thousands of young people gathered in prayer on the cobblestones of St. Peter’s Square. These
young pilgrims had assembled to bid farewell to a friend for many
years who had shared with them a pilgrimage of faith. In the glow of
flickering candles, they kept silent vigil for hours as the Pope made his
final pilgrimage to the home of the Father.
This bond between the young and John Paul II had its origin in the
youth festival of faith that the Holy Father initiated on Palm Sunday
1984, as part of the Holy Year of the Redemption. 300,000 young people were gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate their Catholic
faith. By God’s grace, this gathering grew into World Youth Day: two
decades of international festivals for Catholic youth celebrating faith
through spiritual pilgrimage and evangelization.
Many of the young people who gathered in St. Peter’s Square that
night had shared the pilgrimage of faith with John Paul II in one or
more WYD celebrations. In Buenos Aires, Compostela, Czestochowa,
Denver, Manila, Paris, Rome, or Toronto, these young people had
formed a bond with the Holy Father. Having shared with Pope John
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Paul II the energy of life in Christ, they wanted to spend the night
with him in prayer as his earthly life ebbed away. If, in years past, these
young people shouted out, “JP2, we love you,” after his death, they
whispered, “Santo.”
Pope Benedict XVI, Cologne, and Sydney
Only a few months into his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI entered
the spirit of these youthful gatherings by joining the WYD pilgrimage
in Cologne—1,200,000 young Catholics reflecting on the pilgrimage
of the Magi as an image of the holiness that is our call in Baptism:
“We have come to adore Him.”
At the closing liturgy, the Holy Father invited the young people of the
world to proclaim and celebrate the Holy Spirit at the next WYD in
Sydney in July 2008. The theme of this international gathering of
Catholic youth will be “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).
During 2007 young people around the world are beginning this pilgrimage in their homes, schools, parishes, and youth centers. Unlike trips
organized for the sake of tourism, a WYD celebration is a pilgrimage.
For 12 months participants will prepare through liturgy, catechesis,
scriptural reflection, prayer, penance, service, and community building.
Joined ever more closely with their family and parish or school communities, these young people will represent the Catholic Church in begging the Spirit to come down upon our Catholic people and world. If
the past is any indication of the future, we can expect that these WYD
pilgrims will be effective witnesses to the faith with their families,
parishes, and peers when they return from Sydney next summer.
Since Palm Sunday 2006, a large wooden WYD cross (entrusted to
the youth of the world by John Paul II as a sign of peace and hope)
and a large icon of the Virgin Mary (symbol of Mary’s maternal love
for young people) have been journeying around the dioceses of
Australia, inviting all Catholics to join their young people on a preWYD pilgrimage of faith. This symbolic pilgrimage will continue
until the young people carry the WYD cross and Marian icon into
Sydney at the start of the WYD celebration.
The WYD events will begin on July 15, 2008, with the opening Mass
celebrated by Cardinal George Pell of Sydney. Each morning young
pilgrims from around the world will participate in a catechetical session
and Mass. In the afternoons concerts, seminars, and conferences for the
young will fill the city. In the streets, plazas, and cafes will be found
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small groups of young Catholics reflecting on Scripture, praying, and
sharing experiences of living their faith in the modern world.
On Thursday afternoon the young pilgrims will welcome Pope
Benedict XVI. Friday morning is reserved for penance services. Later
that evening the streets and bridges of Sydney will become a Way of
the Cross. On Saturday the Sydney Harbor Bridge will be the focus of
a 10K pilgrims’ walk; tens of thousands of Catholics will cross the city
to attend an overnight vigil with the Holy Father at Randwick
Racecourse. Up to 400,000 pilgrims will camp out all night at
Randwick. The next morning an estimated 600,000 Catholics are
expected to participate in the final Mass with the Pope.
The Salesian Presence at WYD ’08
Plans are already in place for a strong Salesian presence at WYD 2008.
Leaders within the Salesian Family are drawing up plans for a gathering
of Salesian youths in Sydney. With the active collaboration of the SDB
and FMA provinces of the region, large numbers of Salesian youths from
East Asia and Oceania are expected to convene under Don Bosco’s banner. Thousands of Salesian youths from around the world will join them.
Bringing together so many members of the Salesian Youth Movement
is a very uplifting moment for all concerned. Sharing the spirit of Don
Bosco and Mary Mazzarello with people who seem to be “old friends
we have never met” is an affirmation of the effectiveness of Salesian
youth ministry throughout the world. Through music, prayer, dance,
drama, witness talks, small group discussion, and inspiring presentations, these members of the Salesian Youth Movement take strength
from one another and join in recommitting themselves to bringing
Don Bosco’s charism to those most in need.
Outcomes
The outcomes of any WYD experience are closely tied to its spirit of
spiritual pilgrimage and youthful evangelization. This yearlong pilgrim-
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age has a very powerful formative effect on the faith life of its participants. Those returning from a WYD experience tend to have a more
fervent spirit of prayer, greater moral direction, and closer connection
with the Church. They leave their experience with a greater desire to
serve the poor as disciples of the Lord Jesus.
Young people returning from WYD tend to have a broader horizon
regarding the place of the Catholic Church in the world. They come to
realize that faith in the Lord Jesus is not something unusual on a worldwide scale. They draw great strength in knowing that they are part of an
international movement of believers who are called in Baptism to be
Jesus’ disciples. They return to their homes with the realization that
they are appreciated and valued by the Church for the gifts of their person and talents. They tend to take seriously the call of the Holy Father
to take up the challenge to be like Christ to all they meet.
Young people return from WYD with the conviction that they are
called by their Baptism to be evangelizers in the world. They come
back to their families, friends, parishes, and schools with these sentiments ringing in their ears: “How does Jesus send you? He promises
you neither sword nor money nor power nor any of the things the mass
media make attractive to people today. Instead, he gives you grace and
truth. He sends you out with the powerful message of his paschal mystery, with the truth of the cross and the resurrection. That is all he
gives you, and that is all you need” (John Paul II, Homily for 1995
WYD Prayer Vigil, #17).
In prayer the Salesian Family accompanies these young people from
our Salesian schools, parishes, and youth centers who are beginning
their WYD pilgrimage during 2007. We expect to have over 70 young
women and men from our SDB and FMA centers in the Eastern U.S.
take part in this worldwide pilgrimage of faith. May their days in
preparing for this WYD pilgrimage render them open to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
21
Aroun
he
dt
SALESIAN AFRICA CONTINUES TO GROW
By Michael Mendl, SDB
New Vice-Provinces in Great Lakes Region and Mozambique
Salesian work in Africa has grown spectacularly. Between 1995 and 2006,
five provinces have become ten, and 568 SDBs have become 1,230. Such
growth required the erection of two new vice-provinces in 2006: Africa
Great Lakes and Mozambique.
The Great Lakes Vice-Province includes nine houses in Uganda, Burundi,
and Rwanda. It had 83 Salesians at the end of 2006, including 1 bishop, 39
priests, 24 seminarians, 10 coadjutor brothers, and 9 novices. The Salesians
have been in Rwanda since 1953, Burundi since 1962, and Uganda since
1989.
The vice-province of Mozambique counts eight SDB communities with 52
Salesians: 38 priests, 16 seminarians, and 8 coadjutor brothers. The Salesian
history in Mozambique began in 1907, was interrupted by revolution in
Portugal in 1913, and resumed in 1952. More than half the population of
Mozambique is less than 30 years old.
At the Salesian Youth
Center in the Gatenga district of Kigali, Rwanda, a
pump for drinking water
was opened in February.
Previously the local people
had to rely on rain water
or an unhealthy marsh.
The Salesians offered land
and lobbied for a public
pump, which the Canadian
Embassy helped finance.
22
Some children of the
Salesian parish in
Moatize,
Mozambique, with
Sandra Jetzinger of
Jugend Eine Welt, the
Austrian Salesian
NGO that supports
projects to give youngsters the chance to
escape from poverty,
drugs, and crime.
Developments in Darfur and Southern Sudan
Genocide in Darfur has been called the worst humanitarian crisis thus far in
the 21st century. It began in February 2003, has claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people, and has displaced more than 2,000,000. Some
refugees are staying with the Salesians in Wau and Khartoum. After months
of intense diplomacy by the U.N., the U.S., and others, on July 31 the U.N.
and Sudan reached agreement to allow a peacekeeping force into Darfur.
Sudan recently emerged from a 21-year civil war between the Islamist, ethnic Arab government in Khartoum and the Christian and traditional black
African peoples in southern Sudan. Some 2,000,000 people in the south perished, and another 4,000,000 were displaced. Southern Sudan was reduced to
one of the poorest regions in the world, with 90% of the people living in
poverty and the lowest school enrollment ratio in the world.
The January 2005 peace agreement between the central government and the
southern rebels made it possible to launch development programs in the
south, where the Salesians have missions in Wau, Tonj, and Juba. The Don
Bosco Network has responded with literacy programs and training in life
skills, arts, and trades. To learn more or to partner with the Sudan Program:
http://www.volint.it/sudan/contacts.html
The first 4 Salesians went to Sudan in 1979; now there are 37 staffing six
works: trade schools in Khartoum, El Obeid, and Wau and parishes in
Khartoum, Tonj, and Juba with assorted youth centers, schools, clinics, and
refugee centers attached.
The mission at Tonj covers 120 villages. Fr. John Lee Tae Seok, a Korean
Salesian who is a doctor, brings a distinctive form of pastoral health care to
this vast territory recovering from years of conflict. Children are still at risk
from unexploded munitions and general health problems, and some suffer
from leprosy. The clinic treats over 150 sick people a day, many of whom
arrive on foot from long distances.
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Fr. Jacob Thelekkadan, delegate for Sudan (adult at left), Fr. Patrick
Padinjaraparambil (center), and Fr. Henry Woo (2d adult from right) with some
youngsters in the new Salesian house in Juba.
Four Salesian Sisters also are in Tonj, operating a boarding primary school,
parish ministries, a dispensary, and more—trying in all efforts to elevate the
condition of women and girls.
The newest Sudanese work opened at Juba last November, staffed by two
priests and a brother. Eventually they will staff a parish at Gumbo, four miles
from Juba. But that area is still unsafe. So for now the Salesians stay in Juba
and carry out a daytime apostolate in Gumbo. They have to rebuild the
church, rectory, and school.
Salesians’ First East Coast Foundation Closed
As part of a reorganization plan in the New York Archdiocese, Mary Help of
Christians Parish on Manhattan’s
Lower East Side closed on May
20. The Salesians had been ministering to the spiritual, educational,
and material needs of that immigrant neighborhood since 1898.
In his homily at parish Masses that
weekend, Fr. James Heuser,
provincial, preached on the text
“the mother of Jesus was there”
(John 2:1). He said that, just as
Mary was with the Salesians and
the people whom they served in
1898 and through 109 years of
Mass, sacraments, preaching,
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schooling, processions, novenas, recreation, and other service to the young
and the poor, so Mary would also go with the parishioners and Salesians
wherever they will go in the future. He expressed the parish’s gratitude to
God for 109 years of grace, everyone’s sadness at its closure, and his confidence in God’s continued grace.
Finally, Fr. Heuser urged the parishioners: “Take the Salesian heart – marked
by an open welcome, concern for the person, a family spirit that keeps the
young central, a spirit of devotion and service – take that Salesian heart
wherever God leads you. Don Bosco does not belong to the Salesians; he
belongs to you … to share with others now.”
-- E-Service
Don Bosco in Historical Context
Fr. Arthur Lenti, SDB, leading English-language scholar of Don Bosco and
early Salesian history, has published the first of seven volumes planned under
the series title Don Bosco: History and Spirit. The series aims to furnish a solid,
complete set of material for Salesians and
other members of the Salesian Family to
use in order to understand Don Bosco better. Fr. Lenti has been teaching courses on
this material at Don Bosco Hall in
Berkeley, Calif., since 1985.
Vol. 1, Don Bosco’s Formative Years in
Historical Context, covers 1815-1844 and
counts 518 pages. It reviews the historicalsocial-ecclesiastical context of the time (5
chapters); the historiography of the Saint’s
life (3 chapters); and John’s family, childhood, and schooling (10 chapters). Fr. Lenti
supplements facts with ample documentation and his own judicious interpretations.
The book may be ordered from SRM Distribution Services (201-986-0503
or [email protected]). Price $55 + s & h.
-- Michael Mendl, SDB
Salesian Sisters Storm the United Nations
Six Salesian Sisters (FMAs) and four Salesian young women participated in
the United Nations’ 51st Commission on the Status of Women, Feb. 29Mar. 9. The commission focused on the elimination of discrimination and
violence against women, specifically girls. In attendance were FMAs from
Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Rome, as well as Sr. Phyllis Neves from the
25
U.S.; and FMA pupils from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the U.S.
The four young women attested to their empowerment through the help of
the FMAs. Memory Phiri, an African student, was also asked to give testimony during an event called “Girls Speak Out,” moderated by Katie Couric
and broadcast worldwide.
As a result of the success of this year’s involvement in the U.N. commission,
the FMAs will be applying for status as an official organization within the
U.N., which the SDBs were granted early this year.
– Veronica R. Barrios in Partners in Giving
Restoration of Mary’s Basilica
Continues. For three years the basilica
of Mary Help of Christians in Turin,
built by Don Bosco between 1862 and
1868, has been undergoing a complete
restoration (see Don Bosco Alive,
Summer 2004). Interior work was finished last year; exterior work continues.
Pope Benedict Meets the Young
About 35,000 youths from every part of Brazil and other Latin American
countries, plus another 30,000 who could not fit inside the stadium, followed
the words of Benedict XVI enthusiastically during his meeting with them in
São Paulo on May 10. The Pope reminded them of their role as believers:
“You are the youth of the Church. I send you out, therefore, on the great
mission of evangelizing young men and women who have gone astray in this
world like sheep without a shepherd.”
Referring to the wide range of Christian experiences in which the young
people are already involved, the Holy Father called for even greater commitment. “We can never say ‘enough,’ because the love of God is infinite, and
the Lord asks us to open our hearts wider so that there will be room for even
more love, goodness, and understanding for our brothers and sisters, and for
26
the problems which concern not only the human community, but also the
effective preservation of the natural environment of which we are all a part.”
The Pope stressed that the Gospel is not about only what will happen after
death; it also concerns the present: “What must I do so that my life has
meaning? How must I live so as to reap the full fruits of life? Jesus alone can
give us the answer, because he alone can guarantee us eternal life. He alone,
therefore, can show us the meaning of this present life and give it fullness.”
Urging young people to spread the Gospel, Pope Benedict told them: “No
one may stay on the sidelines or remain indifferent in the face of this ecclesial initiative, least of all you young people. You are full members of the
Church, which represents the face of Jesus Christ for Latin America and the
Caribbean.”
-- ANS
Salesian Mission in Solomons Doing Well
Guadalcanal, scene of some of the longest and bloodiest fighting of the
Pacific campaign during World War II, is now going through peaceful economic and human development. Amid developments in Tetere, 17 miles east
of Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, lies the Rural Training Center
(RTC), established by the Salesians in 2001.
Five Salesians from Japan, Vietnam, and India staff a parish and the RTC. To
visit his parishioners, some of whom have not had a visit from a priest for
over 30 years, Fr. Dominic Kachira recently walked up the mountains and
came down on the weather coast. “The people have nothing but the rough
sea, yet they are ready to share the little they have,” said Fr. Kachira.
Fresh rice, vegetables, and corn now form part of the diet of students at the
RTC, thanks to the green thumb of Fr. Michael Laap, assisted by teachers
and students. The students also tend goats, pigs, chickens, and cattle under
the direction of Bro. Tanaka Yukihiro. Carpentry, woodwork, mechanics,
English, and music round out
the program. The 20 students
intern at Ela Motors, Solomon
Sheet Steel, and other sites
around Honiara.
When school closes each day,
Radio BOSCO provides entertainment, information, and
education. Run by youth volunteers, it has completed its
second year and stands out as
an example of a good commuRTC students planting rice
27
nity educational unit. On Sundays a youth center keeps youngsters of all ages
busy with soccer, volleyball, and other games and an evening movie.
-- Ambrose Pereira, SDB, in austraLasia
Salesian Sisters Spur Championship
Is God a fan of the San Antonio Spurs? Some of the Salesian Sisters in San
Antonio think so! The 23 sisters at the FMA Western Province’s provincial
house made national—even international—news with their rabid rooting for
the Spurs all season and 4 sisters’ presence at home playoff games in June,
courtesy of the NBA.
“We make a lot of noise in [our community TV] room,” Sister Angelina
Gomez told an AP reporter.
Sister Sandra Neaves, provincial, would not say exactly that God roots for
the Spurs: “I don’t know if God has a favorite team ... but when people try to
do it right, you really like them to succeed.” She added, “We pray for them
to win, but we also pray for them to continue their sportsmanship.”
Sister Neaves explained that basketball is appropriate for Don Bosco’s sisters:
“Our work is mostly with young people, so you go where the young people
are.” Being a basketball fan shows them that “you can be faithful to a lifestyle
that is upright and true, and do a lot of fun stuff.”
God may not be a Spurs fan. But the Spurs did blow by Denver, upset
Phoenix, and overwhelm Utah in the Western Conference playoffs before
sweeping Cleveland in the championship series.
For more, see: http://www.salesiansisterswest.org/NewsletterSummer2007.pdf
-- Based on an Associated Press story
Salesian Sisters gather in their community room to share their passion for the Spurs.
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Recently Deceased Salesians
Sr. Veronica Milyo, FMA (1912-2007)
By Catherine Altamura, FMA
Veronica was born Sept. 26, 1912. She often
spoke of her parents’ deep faith, fidelity to
Sunday Mass, participation in parish activities,
and daily Rosary.
After her religious profession on Aug. 29,
1934, Sr. Veronica taught in the Salesian
Sisters’ schools of New Jersey and California
for almost 40 years, generously giving the best
of herself, particularly to the students who
found learning difficult. She was demanding
but also understanding.
For 14 years she was the principal and superior of the FMA communities
of Mary Help of Christians in San Francisco and St. Anthony in Paterson.
All the sisters who lived with her affirm that Sr. Veronica loved her sisters,
accompanied them, and provided for their needs.
Because of poor health, in 1995 she was transferred to the provincial
house in Haledon, N.J., where she remained until the Lord took her to
himself on April 13, 2007.
Sr. Veronica was always grateful to God for her religious vocation. On her
60th anniversary of profession, she wrote, “I am grateful for my Salesian
heritage, and I can say that my religious life has been very beautiful and
lived fully in the love of Jesus.” Sr. Veronica was ready for her final
encounter with Jesus, whom she loved and venerated in his merciful Heart.
The sisters of the Haledon Province are grateful for the shining example
of fidelity to her “Yes” to the Lord, pronounced generously in 1934 and
lived without regret for 72 years.
Fr. Serges Lamaute, SDB (1917-2007)
By Dennis Donovan, SDB
Fr. Serges Lamaute, SDB, the first Haitian Salesian, died on April 26, 2007.
Serges was born on Feb. 23, 1917, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. From childhood he wanted to become a priest. After various difficulties he was able
to pursue his vocation with the Salesians in 1941 and professed his religious vows in 1945. He was ordained a priest in Lyons, France, on June
29, 1950. After his ordination he served as teacher, parish priest, and hospital chaplain in Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Fr. Lamaute’s
29
fluency in English, French, Spanish, and
German endeared him to many.
Fr. Lamaute joined relatives in the U.S. and
became a member of the New Rochelle
Province in 1985. He served in Miami;
Goshen, N.Y.; Columbus, Ohio; Marrero,
La.; and Chicago as hospital chaplain, youth
minister, sisters’ chaplain, confessor, and
parish priest. He was founding pastor of
Santa Cruz Parish in Columbus (19931995). Sick and frail, he retired in 2004 to
St. Philip the Apostle Residence in Tampa.
Fr. Lamaute considered prayer essential to
his perseverance as a Salesian priest in God’s
service to the poor. On his 50th anniversary of priesthood, he wrote that a
priest is “a representative of Christ, or a living instrument in the hands of
Christ,” and he added, “I am in the hands of God, happy to serve Him,
the best I humanly can, for as long as He wishes.”
His confreres remember Fr. Lamaute’s gentleness, joy, and compassion.
Salesian Cooperators remember him as “a generous man who gave his
time willingly.”
Sr. Mary Sabina Schuchert, FMA (1916-2007)
By Catherine Altamura, FMA
Sr. Mary Schuchert, FMA, passed from the
provincial house in Haledon, N.J., into eternal life on April 28, 2007.
Mary was born at Muckenhof, Germany,
on April 21, 1916. At age 17 she felt the
Lord calling her to the religious life and
entered the Daughters of Mary Help of
Christians.
After her religious profession in 1938, she
was sent to study nursing and obtained her
license because she was supposed to be sent as
a missionary to Africa. But God had other
plans, and Sr. Mary came to the U.S. instead.
She was assigned initially as laundress in North Haledon and cook at
Villa Madonna, Tampa. After a few years, Sr. Mary was entrusted with
the nursery school at St. Anthony School in Easton, Pa. Creative, intelligent, and happy, she found a thousand ways to make learning easy and
30
pleasant. She dedicated herself with a passion to transmitting the faith
to the little ones, teaching them to pray and educating them to generosity, courtesy, and gentleness—her own outstanding characteristics.
One sister attests: “It was a delight to have Sr. Mary in community.
When she became sick in 1950 and couldn’t return to us, we keenly felt
the void left in our community.” When she got better, Sr. Mary
resumed teaching in various schools of the province for the next ten
years. In 1973, she returned to Mary Help of Christians Academy in
North Haledon, where she remained until she moved to the provincial
house because of poor health. Sr. Mary accepted the discomforts of her
illness and the burden of age with serenity, thanking everyone for the
smallest service rendered to her
Fr. Pietro Stella, SDB (1930-2007)
By Michael Mendl, SDB
Fr. Pietro Stella, a foremost scholar of the
life, times, and apostolate of St. John
Bosco, died suddenly on June 1, 2007, at
the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS)
in Rome.
Fr. Stella was also an expert on Jansenism,
an influential theological school in
Europe between the 17th and 19th centuries. Earlier this year he completed the
last volume of his three-volume Il
Giansenismo in Italia (1966-2007).
Besides teaching at UPS, Fr. Stella was
professor of Church history at the Sapienza University in Rome and the
University of Perugia. He was a founding member in 1981 of the
Salesian Historical Institute in Rome.
One of his techniques for learning about the theological context of Don
Bosco’s times was to hunt out at flea markets and antique bookstalls the
seminary notebooks of 19th-century priests, as well as textbooks they
used and books of popular piety from the period.
Two of Fr. Stella’s books have been published in English: Don Bosco: Life
and Work (1985) and Don Bosco: Religious Outlook and Spirituality with its
appendix, Don Bosco’s Dreams (1996). Untranslated are other works on
Don Bosco, Jansenism, and Church history, as well as numerous scholarly articles.
Fr. Stella was born at Catania, Sicily, on July 19, 1930, made his religious profession in 1947, and was ordained in 1955.
31
Salesian Theme
(Strenna) for 2007
Letting ourselves
be guided by
God’s love for life
At a time when life is
particularly under threat,
we in the Salesian Family
commit ourselves
Remember the Lord’s needy in
your will. Share the blessings of
the Lord with His poor. When
you give to the Salesians you help
give poor deserving youngsters a
trade and a Catholic education;
you support seminarians on their
way to the priesthood and religious life; and you help the elderly
and the poor through the social
programs of the Salesians.
The legal title of the
Salesians of Don Bosco is
Salesian Society, Inc.
For further details contact your
nearest Salesian school, parish,
youth center, or:
The Salesian Provincial
Office
148 Main Street
New Rochelle, NY 10801
(914) 636-4225
Web
Site:
www.salesians.org
32
Don Bosco Alive
The Salesian Bulletin
148 Main St., New Rochelle, NY 10801
• to accept life as an
inviolable gift,
• to foster life as a
responsible service,
• to defend the dignity and
quality of every life.