MISSIONI

Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation A Publication of the Mission Department for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Mission

Dear confreres and friends of the Salesian missions!

In almost all houses of formation that I have visited I am asked if a temporary missionary commitment – for a specific period – is possible. While the sending of fidei donum diocesan priests since Pius XII (1957) is a temporary agreement, in the Salesian tradition a temporary missionary commitment is envisioned only in exceptional cases, such as when: (1) a Provincial wants to facilitate the discernment of the missionary vocation of a confrere by sending him for 1-2 years in the missions; (2) a senior confrere would like to be a missionary for life, but is not sure of himself; (3) and there is a specific need and urgent task in the missions (formation or teaching, specific works that require a specialist, etc). In these cases, an agreement is signed between the two Provincials (Regulations 151.

While the missionary volunteer service is a commitment for a few years, the missionary vocation is a gift of self ad gentes - ad exteros - ad vitam. To be a Salesian missionary - educator and pastor in another culture - implies a commitment for life because the path of inculturation does not end in a few years, it is a commitment for life.

We pray for new missionaries during the Course for New Missionaries from September 4 in view of the 144 th Salesian missionary expedition on September 29th!

Fr. Václav Klement, SDB Councillor for the Missions

With the simple people I learnt to see how God works in our context

T he presentations during the Course for New Missionaries in Rome and Piedmont, with the topics related to culture, had created in me the right attitude towards other cultures and new realities. It is so easy to judge with our own criteria, so when I arrived in Guatemala I took a listening attitude by trying to see the work that God had done in this part of the world. So I learnt to look at reality with the eyes of faith that knows how to look beyond what is merely empirical and is open to the huge potentials inscribed in that reality. With openness, talking to many people, being in contact with their reality, I began to grow as a priest and as a Salesian.

I happened to talk to a 15 year old school boy, and, hence, this means that he was economically well off. The things he told me were like cold showers: “in Europe you waste money on useless things while that money could allow us to study. I am lucky because I have food at home and I have someone who worries for me, but I cannot study computer science at the university because we do not have enough money.” After this first shower he continued, “ ... I heard that from you give corn to the animals. Here it is our staple food and sometimes the only food. Those who are fortunate will have three daily meals ...

Here many kids are starving and would rather die than live starving! ...

You say that in Europe there is a crisis. But is it not that, in fact, you are just used to having too much, and now that you need to review your consumer spending you consider it an incredible thing?” But here I also met people who, in spite of the difficult situation, know how to build a better world. I was struck by a lady who welcomed to her home an abandoned child and took care of him just like her own son. She explained: “my husband left me 11 years ago with two children. I have no idea where he is or what he’s doing. I have experienced what it means to be rejected by those who should love you, and when a neighbour asked me to take care of their child because they were leaving for the United States and could not take him with them, I never doubted even an instant”. She is an example of a woman who knows how to share despite not having a lot, and one who has not closed her heart to love in spite of her own woundedness.

Thanks to the Course for New Missionaries I have developed the sense of wonder of what surrounds me, and so I learnt to see with the eyes of faith that God acts in this culture and reality. I'm really happy with the gift of God making me realise how important our ministry is and how great God’s gift is by calling me to be a missionary !

Fr. Giampiero De Nardi Italian, missionary in Guatemala

Members of the 144th Salesian Missionary Expedition

Interview of Fr. Francis Dufour, Superior of the Vice Province of South Africa in English http://vimeo.com/71570223

Salesian Missionary Intention

For new Salesian missionary vocations

That the witness of the 144 Salesian missionary expedition may inspire and strengthen the missionary zeal especially in young Provinces the world over.

As he does every year, also on the last Sunday of September 2013, the Rector Major presides in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco the sending of the 144 th Salesian missionary expedition. A tradition begun in 1875 provides an excellent opportunity to pray for the new missionary vocations ad gentes in all five continents. We pray especially for the young Provinces and those which have not sent any missionary for many years. We believe that the story of the beginnings of our congregation repeats itself: the greater the number of Salesians who ask to go to the missions, more young people knock at the door of the Salesian houses to offer themselves to Don Bosco forever.