For the elderly
For the elderly members of the Salesian family and Salesian benefactors in Japan.
We pray for the elderly, who represent the roots and memory of a people; may their experience and wisdom help young people to look towards the future with hope and responsibility. [Pope Francis’ prayer intention]
Dear friends,
We are called, by virtue of our baptism, to be missionary disciples to proclaim Christ in the world, in our living conditions, so that the world may discover the presence of the Risen One. Christ entrusts us with a message of Love to bring, to proclaim, to share with those whom the Lord makes us meet in our daily lives.
He entrusts us with a message to be brought to others, not like the postman who brings a letter to the addressee without knowing its contents; rather, our attitude must be that of the perfume seller, who does not limit himself to offering the various fragrances; instead, in offering the perfume, he himself becomes involved. The message of Love that the Lord entrusts to us must involve us, it must intoxicate our lives so that we can share it with others.
I wish us all to be intoxicated by the perfume of Christ's love, to make the lives of those we meet pleasantly perfumed with this Love.
▀ Antonio Boccia
World Coordinator of Association of Salesian Cooperators
The Salesian Mission Office (SMO-USA) was founded by Fr. James O'Loughlen in 1947 with the aim of supporting Salesian programmes that teach young people various trades that help them find decent work and become self-sufficient, active members of society and good Christians. SMO-USA has tirelessly dedicated its efforts to helping young people and Salesian Missions for the past 75 years. As a result of this mission, we are now a global group of caring people dedicated to improving the lives of the world's poorest and neediest children and families.
I am pleased to announce that the 75th anniversary celebration of SMO-USA will take place this year on 22 November with the Rector Major in New York. This exciting milestone will be marked by a rejuvenation of our Salesian identity as we are blessed with the opportunity to meet again in person after two and a half years of the pandemic. We have continued to raise funds to save lives with programmes that support people in poor and disadvantaged communities around the world. We have carried out numerous mission projects abroad to support young people and light the way for families in need. But we try to maintain the meticulous balance between doing great things for the world, maintaining true Salesian identity and celebrating our spirit.
This November will be a wonderful time of joyful restructuring as we renew our partnership with our loyal, compassionate and generous donors, without whom our charitable mission would cease to exist. Their charity and kindness have enabled us to operate in the best possible way, and it is through this collaboration that we have – together – been able to help the children and families who suffer the most.
Finally, this important anniversary will be a time to recognise our devoted colleagues who have served and dedicated their lives all these many years. We will continue to journey together for the next 75 years to provide the world's young and poor with a brighter future – today, tomorrow and in the years to come.
▀ Fr. Augustine Baek, SDB
Director of SMO-USA
Fr. Umbe, ageing is a natural process. How do you think it affects the presence and work of the Salesian Family in Japan?
There are missionary congregations that have already withdrawn from the mission in Japan. We Salesians number about 70, of whom more than a dozen are elderly and sick. The birth rate in Japan has dropped from 5.1% to 1.3% and the negative trend is not stopping. In families, the only child cannot leave, so we have no local Salesian vocations. In each of the four schools and two institutes for children, there are two or three Salesians, the rest are all lay staff. True Salesian work is difficult because the young Japanese prefer to work. There are no young people in the churches, the mission is limited to adults.
For you, a senior missionary from Argentina, who is the missionary today?
I think that in rich countries a missionary has a lot of difficulties. The missionary should go to places where the government does not have the strength to work with the young and to educate the poor, to help them find work, to teach them a trade with their own hands as Don Bosco did. Who is a missionary today? In the Middle Ages, missionaries were the great founders of congregations: St Dominic, St Francis of Assisi, St Francis Xavier, St Anthony of Padua – all evangelised Europe. Today, missionaries are those who go to more developed countries or countries without religion.
What do you like best about the work of the Salesians in Japan?
I arrived in Japan after the war. It was a desperate time; Japan was still in chaos with a thousand difficulties. To tell the truth, the Salesian work before and after the war was wonderful. Monsignor Cimatti, in his efforts to support the works and feed the first Salesians, gave 3,000 piano concerts throughout the country, in China and Korea. A missionary is someone who, without a penny in his pocket, sets out to evangelise the whole world. Instead, a missionary who goes forth with lots of money makes a lot of noise but gathers nothing. I think that today we must have the courage to go ahead without a lot of money but with more trust in God and in Mary Help of Christians.
