Dear readers of Cagliero11,
in today's world we live as if we will never die. There are areas of life that we are aware of, but we are distracted by other things. Some of these topics are suffering, death... we know they do exist and, until they touch us, we pay no attention to them.
Death is part of life, it is a combination that the Creator, in his wisdom, has designed very well. As long as we are young and healthy, it does not occur to us to think about death or suffering, sooner or later they will come, it is the dynamic of earthly life. Anyone who has known and experienced parenting (physical or spiritual) knows the pain of losing a child.
Let us pray to the Lord for parents who have lost a child. May the consolation of the resurrection comfort them.
▀ Alberto Rodriguez Marmol SDB
President Foundation DON BOSCO NEL MONDO
2025 will be a special year: in addition to the Jubilee and CG29, we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first Salesian missionary expedition. It was in fact 11 November 1875 when the first Salesian missionaries left for Argentina, and since then the Salesian charism has continued to expand, reaching 137 countries around the world.
How best can we live this appointment?
Many Provinces have been preparing for some time, proposing itineraries, initiatives and activities because the celebrations will be mainly at the provincial level. The theme chosen indicates the direction to take: Give Thanks, Rethink, Relaunch. Let us take advantage of this event not only to look back and see how much good has been done, but also to rethink what ‘missions’ means today and to orient ourselves towards future projects.
The culmination of the anniversary will be 11 November 2025, when the Congregation's missionary commitment will be renewed in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, in Turin, with the sending of the Salesians of the 156th missionary expedition, in the presence of the Rector Major. For the occasion, in addition to the Salesians who will have started the ‘Germoglio’ course in October, a training and orientation course for new missionaries, there will be a world meeting of all the PDMAs (Provincial delegates for missionary animation) who will meet from 9 to 13 November, while on 8 and 9 November there will be a missionary animation meeting for young Italians, with a programme dedicated to them and a youth missionary mandate. On 13 November, there will be an opportunity to visit Genoa, from whose port the first missionaries left, and the Museum of Missionary Expeditions will be inaugurated.
Other major events will be the two round tables of Salesian missiologists and theologians, concrete occasions to promote a reinterpretation of Salesian missions.
Moreover, next year's Salesian Mission Day will help us to deepen this anniversary with a special edition and many interesting insights.
Stay tuned!
▀ Marco Fulgaro
Secretary for Missions Sector
Dear Fr Tiago, as regional coordinator of missionary animation (CORAM) in the Southern Cone, could you tell us what you like most about your region from the missionary point of view?
What I like most about the Salesian mission in the Southern Cone region is the richness and cultural diversity that we find in each country, which, however, requires constant dialogue, an ability to adapt, and respect for differences. The strength and hope of the young people and the vitality of the communities are also points of great joy, because they demonstrate how much the Salesian charism is alive and present here. Moreover, the commitment to the most vulnerable people, such as indigenous peoples, rural communities and urban peripheries, is something that deeply touches the heart of our mission. The Southern Cone region offers great challenges and, at the same time, wonderful opportunities to live the Salesian mission. Seeing the strength of the mission in so many different contexts is one of the greatest joys of this new mission of mine.
This month we are especially focusing on parents who have lost a child. What is the reality in Brazil in relation to this sensitive issue?
In Brazil, unfortunately, this is a major social tragedy, with countless families facing the pain of losing their children due to violence, homicides or murders, traffic accidents, and the growing mental health crisis. According to newspapers, in the last three years there have been more than 15,000 deaths of children and young people in the country, 90% of whom were boys. Parents, in addition to facing bereavement, often have to cope with social isolation. In the context of violence, there is also the aggravation of a society that often marginalises these families, especially when the victims are young people from the periphery, immersed in a culture of neglect and prejudice. We must also not forget the families that face the suicide of their children, a topic surrounded by taboos and misunderstandings.
Are the Salesians involved in any concrete way in helping these parents?
The Salesian Congregation in Brazil joins in the appeal of Pope Francis to be close to them and in solidarity with them. In prayer, we ask God to console these mothers and fathers, welcoming into their hearts every tear shed and every cry of pain. At the same time, the six provinces in Brazil are committed to the work of building a more just and fraternal society, where young people can live with dignity and families no longer have to bury their children so early. All this is done through social works, youth centres, oratories, parishes, schools, foster homes and socio-educational projects.
