ON LINE - SALESIANI DON BOSCO

MONTHLY
MESSAGE
ON LINE
n. 10 — 2013
24 October
MARIA INVITES US TO PRAYER
This October sees a great ecclesial event in the
course of this Year of Faith, namely Marian Day,
held in Rome on 12 and 13 October 2013. The
celebration is entitled "Blessed are you because you
believed". In this Year of Faith we are all invited to
renew our faith together with Mary, Mother of
God and perfect disciple of the Lord. For this
solemn prayer event, the original statue of Our Lady
of Fatima was brought to Rome, and Pope Francis
consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary. We in ADMA were present at this great
event, to express our unity with the Pope and to
participate in the act of consecration.
All this is a strong invitation to renew our daily
prayer life. Prayer works miracles in us and through us. It is an expression of faith in God the Father, and
of a life lived in His presence. Prayer is a source of joy and hope. It helps us to live life to the full and to
understand that life is a gift from God, to be lived in fullness and with total dedication. Mary loves us all:
we all are her children, we all have a place in her heart, we are all touched by her motherly love. She
wants to lead us all to the knowledge and experience of life and the joy of God.
In particular, we recite the rosary personally, in our families and in our groups. Our Lady wants us
to spend our day in communion with God, whatever we may be doing. This is possible if, during our
work and throughout the day, we seek God in our hearts. Instead of scattered thoughts and useless
words, we should fill our hearts with short prayers rising to God like flaming arrows of love. The grace
that is infused by prayer works miracles of conversion and holiness in our hearts. In fact, conversion is
one of the greatest miracles and it is achieved through prayer and grace. Encountering God in the
sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist renews the lives of people profoundly and opens them
to God’s plans. People who pray radiate God and save the world. They spread light, peace and joy.
They bear witness to the beauty and grandeur of the priceless gift of life. We have seen the power of
prayer and fasting to stop wars and direct nations on the path of peace. We arrange our day in such a
way that, through prayer, God is present in our thoughts, in our hearts and in our actions. Through daily
prayer we protect our families and our ADMA groups from harm and evil.
We are not alone: Mary not only calls us to prayer, but prays to the Holy Spirit to renew us and
strengthen us. She prays to the Holy Spirit, so that by helping others, we can heal ourselves. She prays
that through the power of the Spirit, we may become children of God and his apostles.
Lucca Tullio, President
Fr Pierluigi Cameroni SDB, Spiritual Animator
ON LINE
WAY FOR FORMATION 2013-2014
«Da mihi animas, cetera tolle»
2. Preferential love for the young and the family spirit
Encountering God in the young Sharing the Salesian spirit and the Salesian mission means, first of all, getting involved on behalf of young people. "We believe that God is awaiting us among the young, offering
us the grace of meeting with him and inviting us to serve God in them, recognizing their dignity and educating them to fullness of life." .
In this educational service, lay people and Salesians experience the contemplative dimension of their faith,
able to discover the workings of the Spirit in the hearts of young people. As disciples of Don Bosco, we
share in the heart of God, and come to understand better the importance and urgency of our vocation,
which is to make present to young people the love of Christ. Driven by this love, Don Bosco devoted himself entirely to their total education. Working for young people, especially the poorest, is therefore the
identity card of the Salesian vocation. It is the most engaging element of our charism, and the starting point
for a journey of deeper sharing of the Salesian spirit and of the Preventive System.
Pastoral Charity
To fulfill this vocation, all members of the Salesian Family open a friendly dialogue with all people of good
will who want to improve the situation of young people, especially the poorest in the world today. Following the example of Don Bosco, they choose charity for themselves and offer charity to others as a means
and the fundamental method of mission. In this work we enhance the important values of Salesian spirituality such as generosity, solidarity, simplicity, gratitude, fidelity, joy and optimism. even in the hour of the
Cross. In this way we express the paschal dimension of Christian life.
Apostolic charity is the heart of the spirit of Don Bosco, the substance of Salesian life, as well as the motivation of the apostolic commitment of the members of the Salesian Family. Charity is the very name of
God (cf. 1 Jn 4:16). It not only indicates the energies of the human heart but is also a participation in the
Father's fore-seeing mercy, the compassionate heart of Christ and the ineffable love of the Holy Spirit. This
is the badge of the disciples of the Lord: love one another with the same love with which God loves us.
It is apostolic: it is a participation in the infinite love of the Father who sent Jesus so that we might have life
in abundance, and a sharing in the concern of the Good Shepherd for the salvation of all. It is an opening
to the flow of love with which the Spirit operates in the minds and in the history of people.
It is dynamic: it expresses liveliness of movement and the ability to innovate. It does not settle for what has
already been done, does not rely on habit, and avoids any form of mediocrity. Instead it tries, with passion
and creativity, to find the most needed and effective way to respond effectively to the expectations of
youth and ordinary class people.
For Don Bosco this is called the ‘oratorian heart’: it is fervor, zeal, giving of all one’s resource, searching for
new ways to help, putting up with difficulties, being ready to start again after apparent failure. It cultivates
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and spreads optimism. It is that faith-filled solicitude and charity which finds a shining example in Mary’s
total self-giving.
Don Bosco, a man of relationships The first gift that Don Bosco gave to his boys was a warm human relationship that was both serene and welcoming. Self-mastery allows him to give himself with extraordinary
efficacy and to bring into the relationship gradually, a pastoral and sacramental dimension. The educational quality of the meeting was always in the forefront of his thoughts. "Everyone you talk to will become
your friend," he suggests, and "being a friend of Don Bosco" meant everything at Valdocco. It included
spiritual commitment, inner happiness, educational cooperation, and the kind of joy that is found only in the
family. It was his firm belief that the Salesian spirit "must inspire and guide our actions and all our discourse." He says it forcefully in the letters to Don Cagliero and Don Costamagna in August 1885: "The
preventive system is truly ours. (...) Charity, patience, gentleness (...) this is true for the Salesians among themselves, with the students, and with others, both inside and outside our communities." "Learn to make yourself
loved," he whispered to Don Rua, almost as a last testament, and pointing to the secret of the Good Shepherd. At the end of his life, Don Bosco passed on as a precious heritage the deep conviction and insight
he had received in his dream at the age of nine. And, in his preference for the "relational virtues" as the
cornerstone of his educational practice, dialogue and operational cooperation, Don Bosco showed himself to be an excellent disciple of St. Francis de Sales.
A need for the people of today
Today people complain of loneliness and a widespread weakening of relationships. Many people, especially young people and the elderly, are becoming more and more afraid of death. The human sciences
describe man as a relational being. As early as the womb, he is involved in relationships. A positive relationship builds up the person and makes him or her happy. A negative relationship depresses and can destroy the person. In any case, relationships are at the heart of every educational approach. Relationships
are the basis of all collaboration, of the family spirit and educative pastoral ministry. "We must first become
brothers if we want to be pastors, fathers and teachers. The spirit of dialogue is one friendship rather than
service.".
The Salesian response: loving kindness
Listening to young people and lay people convinces us that there is a great hunger for relationships. We
are convinced also that there are many experiences in the Salesian Family which give hope of being able
to grow in this regard. These examples show clearly the value of loving kindness and the Salesian family
spirit. It may run the risk being reduced to a mere methodology and being manipulative of the other person. To avoid this, the relationship must be rooted in charity so that it becomes a real spirituality. It is the
fruit of a serene chastity, so dear to the heart of Don Bosco, affective balance and fidelity to the gift of
self for others. Strengthened and purified in this way, the educative relationship is expressed in a personal
encounter. It builds a formative environment, encourages people to work together as a group, and accompanies young people in their vocational growth.
The paper can be read at the following site:
www.admadonbosco.org/index.php?lang=en
and here: www.donbosco-torino.it/
For every comunication you can contact
the following email adress: [email protected]
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CHRONICLE
ADMA SICILY – Retreat
This year the ADMA Retreat in Sicily
took place from 12 t0 14 July 2013 at
the Shrine of Our Lady of Gibilmanna
(Cefalu and Palermo), run by the Capuchin friars. There were fifty-three participants from various local centers: Calatabiano, Canicattì, Capaci, St. Louis Catania, Gela, Ragusa, Palagonia, Taormina, Marsala, Messina and Syracuse St.
Louis. They were accompanied by their
regional spiritual animators, Sister Carmelina Cappello and Father Edward
Cutuli, and the president Luigina Ciaramella. The theme developed by Fr Mario
Gullo was: "The faith of Mary in her
coming to people in need". A group of young people from the Santa Maria La Strada centre in Taormina took part. They are members of the group of young diocesan evangelization and renewed their
membership during the Mass celebrated at the shrine.
In his talks, Fr Edoardo Cutuli said that ADMA is an public association of the faithful. Every member has
a duty to know the rules. He explained and commented on the third notebook of Mary Help of Christians. He insisted on the union and friendship of the members, and the importance of deepening our spirituality, because, he said, if the organization does not have a solid spiritual foundation it will decay.
The work of local councils is important, so members must be careful when electing a new council, to
choose people who want to be at the service of others. The president’s role is not to command but to
coordinate. In a Salesian community where there are different groups of the Salesian Family (ADMA,
past pupils, cooperators etc..), even though they have different roles, they should all agree on the same
goals and there should be no envy or rivalry. It is important to know the identity charter of the Salesian
Family. All local centres should participate in the initiatives promoted by the regional council - pilgrimages, retreats, and special times of sharing together. (Nerina Petitto, Secretary Regional ADMA).
Porto Novo (Benin) – A new ADMA group with 14
members has started at the St John Bosco community
in Porto Novo (Benin). The Spiritual Animator is
Fr Santos Marcos.
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ODXEL (INDIA) - "A DAY WITH MARY" FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOA
On 18 August 2013, Enid Varela, President, and other members of ADMA Odxel, Goa, in the Province of India-Panjim, organized "A Day with Mary" for more than 250 children of the Catechism and
Confirmation classes of Caranzalem, Goa, India. The children, divided into 15 groups, waved colorful
flags with the image of Mary and the message "Together, to Jesus through Mary," as they marched into
the room to the strains of "Walking with the Lord." The aim of this initiative was to raise awareness of
Mary, our Mother, and improve the children’s knowledge of her. Tina Costa taught the younger children to make medals of the Madonna with simple material of enamel and round discs. The others had
to answer questions and solve puzzles relating to Mary. The kids were happy to answer the questions,
in competition with the other groups. Many of them were seen to have a good knowledge of Mary. The
winners of the day were given special awards. Others also have received awards and refreshments.
Enthusiastic members of ADMA Odxel who led the meeting, in collaboration with the Students of Don
Bosco Panajim. (Fr Joaquim Lobo, Spiritual Animator, ADMA-Odxel).
NORTHERN PHILIPPINES - PRE-CONVENTION MEETING
On 25 August 2013, in preparation for the
31st National Convention, ADMA FIN
held a preliminary formation meeting and a
meeting of the members of the Council. Sister Maria Asela B. Chavez, FMA, Animator ADMA-FIN gave a talk on Jesus the
Good Shepherd, the message of Pope
Francis for World Youth Day 2013, and
the Strenna of 2014. The meeting was attended by members from the following
councils: Auxilium-Paranaque, San Ildefonso
Parish-Makati, San Juan NepomucenoPasay, San Isidro Labrador-Paranaque,
Liceo de-Pakil Laguna and Santa Maria Mazzarello-Tondo, Manila. It was agreed that the theme of
the National Convention this year will be: "ADMA: the disciple, like Mary, go and serve." The 31st National Convention will take place on October 26, 2013 in the parish of St. John Bosco in Tondo, Manila, and will be animated by the St. Mary Mazzarello group. Fr Nestor Impelido, SDB, Spiritual Animator ADMA-FIN presided at the Mass. The meeting was chaired by Mary L. Junifer Maliglig, president
of ADMA-FIN.
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PHILIPPINES: ADMA BIG DAY
On 6 September, the Educative
Community of the FMA College of
Mary Help of Christians in
Canlubang, Laguna (Philippines), anticipated the feast of the Birthday of
Mary, with a programme intended to
celebrate the love of Jesus and Mary.
In this way they wanted to put into
practice the theme: "With Mary, we
are a house that evangelizes." Fr. Edwin Ulanday, SDB. Presided at the
Eucharistic celebration during which
13 ADMAJuniors were introduced - a
real blessing! Sister Veneranda Casala, FMA Director, presented a medal
of Our Lady to each of the members to remind them of the maternal presence of Mary in their lives. In
the afternoon, during the meeting of the SYM (Salesian Youth Movement), ADMA Juniors together with
their leaders, Chavez Sr. Asela, FMA, and Mrs. Grace Carandang, animated the entire student body
in celebrating the feast of the Birthday of Our Lady, as part of their ADMA BIG DAY. They held six
workshops with various activities such as Marian games and quizzes, aimed at deepening their understanding of the virtues of Mary. In this way everyone can live the ideal of ADMA: devotion, imitation
and action. Live Jesus and Mary with joy! (Asela Chavez Sr., FMA - Provincial Animator).
SHALOM COMMUNITY (PALAZZOLO - ITALY) - MISSION OF EVANGELIZATION
From September 5 to 15, 2013, forty young people from the Shalom community of Palazzolo (Brescia),
founded by Sister Rosalina Ravasio, took part in a mission of evangelization in the parish of Villa di Serio
(diocese of Bergamo) under the guidance of Fr Pierluigi Cameroni. Some of these young people are
part of ADMA Youth. These young people had previous experiences of deviance and transgression but
have now become instruments of evangelization,
showing the perennial newness of the action of the
Spirit. They met people in
their own environment and
approached those who
were far from the Church
and faith. They also participated with some couples
from ADMA of Turin who
shared their experience. Fr
Roberto Carelli gave two
worthwhile talks on married
life and family.
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SAN JUAN (ARGENTINA)
On 8 September, Feast of the Birthday of Mary,
we celebrated ADMA Day. After a year of Christian, Salesian and Marian Formation, groups of
ADMA of the Artemide Zatti Province of Northern Argentina, declared their belonging as active
members of the Association of Mary Help of
Christians. At San Juan, Fr Orlando Sanchez, di-
rector of Don Bosco College, presided at
Mass, during which two new aspirants,
Beatriz Moreno Carrillo and Teresa
Roldán de Solís, asked to be admitted as
active members of the Salesian Family in
the Association of Mary Help of Christians. Indeed, they said their "yes " before
the altar of Our Lady, promising to spread
devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and to
Mary Help of Christians, to lead a Christian life according to the Gospel , imitating Mary in her concern for the young, the poor and the family. Subsequently other ADMA members renewed their commitment in a special prayer in which they repeated their promise of fidelity, as requested by Don Bosco,
on behalf of young people, family, home and the working classes : "Mary Help of Christians , to be faithful to my commitments I place my life in your hands. Give me your motherly blessing and the grace to love
Jesus and my brothers and sisters more and more. Amen". The Choir animated the celebration of the Eucharist, under the direction of Ms. Anabel (Stella Maris Correa de Recio ADMA -ARN).
CHIERI (TORINO) – A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
A photograph of the document of erection and
membership of ADMA of the St Teresa House of the
Sisters of Mary Help of Christians in Chieri is to be
found in the sacristy of the Chapel. The decree,
dated 24 November 1914, is signed by Fr Paul Albera, Rector Major and second successor of Don
Bosco. Sister Marilena Balcet writes: “When I saw it
I trembled. Once more Our Lady has gone before
us in our house. First there was the statue sent by
Don Bosco before ever the FMA arrived, and now
there is this document of Don Albera which I never
thought existed!”
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POLAND - SALESIAN CONGRESS
OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
The fourth Congress of Mary Help of
Christians took place on 21 September, in the parish of St. John Bosco in
Sokołów Podlaski, in the Warsaw
Province. It was entitled "Mary, in
Thee we trust". The Congress was attended by about 350 people from
various groups of the Salesian Family
from different parts of the country.
The Congress began with the introduction of the invited guests and the
singing of Totus Tuus, hymn of the
Sixth International Congress of Mary
Help of Christians ( Częstochowa
2011). Eucharist was celebrated At 10.30, presided over by the Vice Provincial, Fr Przemysław Solarski. The homily was given by Fr Janusz Zdolski, animator of the Association of Mary Help of Christians in
Pila . The second part of the Congress took place in the classrooms of the Salesian Institute, and was
moderated by Fr Piotr Przesmycki. It included various presentations and testimonies of some Daughters
of Mary Help of Christians and some Salesians. Sr Teresa Zegzuła spoke of the founding of the FMA
as an act of gratitude by Don Bosco to Mary Help of Christians. Sr Janina Stankiewicz spoke about
Mother Mazzarello’s relationship with the Virgin Mary. Sr. Anna Swiatek dealt with the Marian spirit of
Mother Laura Meozzi , while Sr. Hanna Lewicka showed a multimedia presentation entitled: "The Monument of Gratitude." Fr Stachal Stanisław, parish priest of the host parish, spoke of Marian devotion in
the city. Finally, Fr Dariusz Matuszyński , Director of the Salesian schools and of the Salesian community, and Sr Frackiewicz Hanna, Superior of the FMA community, presented the history of the Salesian
works in Sokołów Podlaski . To ensure the wider dissemination xxxx of the message of the Congress, n
order to encourage dissemination of the content emerged in Congress to all the participants was also
given a booklet containing the proposed relationship . The Congress ended with the blessing of Don
Solarski and an invitation for all to the next edition , to be held in Rumia , the Shrine of Mary Help of
Christians , in May , 2014 ( Mirosław Hartung )
IN MEMORY OF FRJOSÉ SÁNCHEZ RAMOS
Fr José Sánchez Ramos, Salesian of Don Bosco, who was for many years
ADMA Spiritual Animator in the Salesian Province of Madrid, died on 30
August 2013 at the age of 85. We entrust him to the Lord's mercy and to the
motherely intercession of the Help of Christians