Fl-1877, Dun Bosco beda jippubblika “Il Bibliofilo Cattolico”. Wara sentejn , semmieh -Bollettino Salesiano”. Kien jo˙or©u bi ˙sieb li jg˙aqqad lil dawk kollha li g˙andhom g˙alqalbhom il-˙idma Salesjana fid-dinja kollha, billi jwasslilhom tag˙rif fuq il-˙ajja tal-Kongregazzjoni Salesjana. Tag˙lim siewi g˙all-˙ajja Nisranija. Insibuh imxerred mad-dinjakif iddur, mitbug˙ f’aktar minn g˙oxrin ilsien ewlieni … fosthom il-Malti wkoll fiç-çokontieg˙u. F’sena jitqassmu ‘l fuq minn g˙axar miljun kopja. Hawn Malta jo˙ro© ta˙t l-isem‘˙ajja Salesjana’ u kull xahrejn, barra x-xhur tas-sajf – Lulju, u Awissu. Jitqassam b’xejnlil kull min jitolbu. G˙alhekk wie˙ed jista’ jikteb lill-Editur:

Hajja Salesjanac/o St. Patrick’s School, Triq San Gwann Bosco,Sliema SLM 10, Malta.Tel. 21 33 0238 e-mail: joecini@onvol.net

Jie˙u ˙sieb Fr. Joe Cini SDB

Bord Editorjali Fr. Victor Mangion SDBMargaret Bu˙agiarAndre’ CamilleriJosie Grech

Jg˙inuh ukoll Fr. Charles Cini SDBEileen AldenJoyce Scicluna

Juliana KroegerJoe M. Busuttil

Óajr minn qalbna lill-˙bieb tag˙nali jibag˙tu xi ˙a©a tal-flus g˙an-nefqa biexil-Óajja Salesjana jista’ jintbag˙at b’xejnlil

• Dawk li mqar bit-talb tag˙hom jg˙inufil-˙idma Salesjana

• Dawk li jg˙inu l-vokazzjonijiet g˙all-˙ajja Reli©juΩa Salesjana

Infakkru lill-qarrejja tag˙na li l-˙idmaSalesjana Maltija tinfirex ukoll fl-Afrika ta’fuq, fit-TuneΩija.

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FUQIEX SE NAQRAW

Editorjal/Editorial ....................................Pedago©ija Salesjana

Ir-Rigal tal-Óajja 2 .........................Calendar of Salesian Events ................A˙barijiet minn Tag˙na .................Youth Point

The value of Eternity ........................Atturi Salesjani ...............................Something to Think About

I believe ............................................Lectio Divina .......................................Malli jitla’ l-qamar ..............................A quiet man ..................................25 years in Nigeria ......................The Salesian Cooperator Pennant .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BorΩa ta’ Studju ................................Il-Volontarji ta’ Dun Bosco ................Rector Major at SalesianCooperators’ World Congress ......A Salesian View of the World ...........The Ouija Board ................................St. Dominic Savio ...............................

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atul ix-xhur ta’ Diçembru u Jannarli g˙addew, iΩda l-aktar qrib il-jum

ta’ l-ordinazzjoni ta’ l-Arçisqof il-©did, il-meΩΩi tax-xandir kollha ta’ Malta kienuf’kompetizzjoni bejniethom biex i©ibulnaritratti, artikli u kummenti dwar l-Isqfijietmaltin. U tawna gost bis-s˙i˙. S’intendi l-aktar li kien jissemma u jidher kien l-Arçisqof il-©did Mons. Pawlu Cremona.“Óajja Salesjana” ma tistax t˙alli dawnil-©rajjiet jg˙addu ming˙ajr ma ssemmale˙inha sabiex tirringrazzja lil Mons.GuΩeppi Mercieca li temm il-kariga tieg˙uwara tletin sena ta’ servizz ©enwin, u tilqa’u tifra˙ lil Mons. Pawlu Cremona, waqt li

tawguralu.

Mons. ÌuΩeppi Mercieca mexxa l-knisjata’ Malta fi Ωminijiet diffiçli. Huwa werag˙aqal u prudenza li ma b˙alhom. Qattma kkomprometta d-duttrina tal-Knisja,la mil-lat soçjali u lanqas mil-lat morali.Huwa jibqa’ g˙alina xempju ta’ fedelta` um˙abba lejn il-Mulej Ìesu`. A˙na nixtiequnuru l-apprezzament tag˙na g˙at-tre©ijag˙aqlija tieg˙u, waqt li nawgurawlu sa˙˙au sliem, u tgawdija tal-mistrie˙ mist˙oqq.

Waqt li nilqg˙uh, nifir˙u lill-Mons. PawluCremona, ir-rag˙aj il-©did tag˙na. Di©a`,l-entuΩjaΩmu u l-ispirtu ferrie˙i tieg˙u,serqu l-qlub ta’ ˙afna. Il-missjoni tieg˙umhijiex façli u çertament g˙andu bΩonntat-talb u s-solidarjeta` tag˙na, li a˙na,b˙ala wlied Dun Bosco, inweg˙duh bis-s˙i˙.

Meta na˙sbu fil-wirt spiritwali li ˙allielnaDun Bosco, qabel kull ˙a©a o˙ra niftakrufil-qima u m˙abba lejn l-Ewkaristija, fid-devozzjoni lejn Marija G˙ajnuna ta’ l-Insarau fil-lealta` lejn il-Knisja. B’dan il-kliemdwar il-Knisja, Dun Bosco kien jifhemubbidjenza u rispett lill-Papa u lill-Isqfijiet,aççettazzjoni tat-tag˙lim u tad-deçiΩjonijiettag˙hom, g˙aqda mag˙hom fil-fehma u fit-tag˙lim tal-poplu t’Alla. Dan kollu huwawettqu anke meta huwa stess ma kienxmifhum jew kien imfixkel mill-istessawtoritajiet tal-knisja ta’ Turin. A˙na manistg˙ux ma nimxux fuq il-passi tal-missierspiritwali tag˙na u nkunu dejjem solidalimal-Papa u l-Isqfijiet tag˙na.

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Filwaqt li kien ma˙luq xbieha ta’Alla, li Huwa wie˙ed fi tliet Persuni,jigifieri li huwa f’komunjoni, il-bniedemiΩolat wa˙du, b˙ala individwu, ma jistaxikun “xbieha ta’ Alla”. Isir Alla-komunjonibiss jekk isir komunita` (fil-familja jewfis-soçjeta`). Il-Ktieb tal-Ìenesi infattijg˙id li “Alla ˙alaqhom ra©el u mara”.Imbag˙ad fdalhom il-kura tal-˙olqien ur-responsabbilta` ta’ kull ma ji©ri. L-esseriuman huwa esseri-komunjoni.

G˙aldaqstant il-bniedem huwamsejja˙ sabiex ipo©©i ru˙u f’relazzjonita’ sid mal-˙olqien, fejn ja˙kem sabiexjikkurah u j©ibu dejjem aktar g˙as-servizztal-bnedmin tad-dinja kollha. Dan jag˙mlupermezz ta’ l-intelli©enza tieg˙u applikata

g˙ax-xjenza u t-teknolo©ija, sabiex ikunhawn il-progress u l-©id. Imma l-bniedemimsejja˙ ukoll biex ipo©©i ru˙u f’relazzjonita’ a˙wa ma’ l-o˙rajn, ming˙ajr dominjufuqhom, imma biss bir-responsabbilta` lijikkurahom, b˙alma rag˙aj jindokra n-nag˙a© fdati lilu. G˙alhekk tin˙tie©lum˙abba kbira sabiex jista’ jkun ta’ sapportlilhom u mag˙hom jibni l-familja umana,ming˙ajr distinzjoni ta’ razza, kulur, ilsien,kultura, ©ens jew nazzjon. U fl-a˙˙ar il-bniedem imsejja˙ ukoll sabiex ipo©©i ruhuf’relazzjoni personali mieg˙u nnifsu.Konxju mill-aspetti kollha tieg˙u, jipprovajiΩviluppahom u jikseb armonija internau unita` ta’ ©isem, qalb, mo˙˙ u ru˙. Danhu possibli g˙al min jag˙raf lilu nnifsu,x’qieg˙ed jag˙mel f’did-dinja u x’doveri

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g˙andu jwettaq.

U fl-a˙˙ar imma mhux l-inqas, il-bniedem huwa msejja˙ ipo©©i lilu nnifsuf’relazzjoni ta’ iben ma’ Alla. Sabiex jil˙aqdan l-g˙an, irid jag˙mel attenzjoni kbirasabiex jevita li jqis lil Alla b˙ala xi Sid lihu jrid jaqdi u li jista’ jittrattah kif irid,jew inkella li jqis lil Alla b˙ala xi m˙allefsever li jhedded il-liberta` jew il-fer˙tieg˙u. L-ewwel xbieha ©©ib il-biza’ utag˙milna lsiera, it-tieni wa˙da tipprovokaribelljoni u xewqa li nne˙˙u lil dan Allali jinda˙lilna. Ir-relazzjoni ta’ Ìesu` ma’Alla kienet mhux ta’ lsir jew ribell, immata’ iben. L-aktar xbieha karatteristika ta’Alla li Ìesu` tana hija dik ta’ missier. Lilukien isejja˙lu “Abba” – Papa`, u ma xtaqjag˙mel xejn aktar milli r-rieda ta’Missieru. Din kienet il-missjoni tieg˙u ul-ikel tieg˙u! Dan kollu, il-bniedem jista’jil˙qu permezz tal-fidi, li tifta˙lu qalbug˙all-im˙abba ta’ Alla.

FiΩ-Ωminijiet tag˙na, f’xi partijiet tad-dinja, qieg˙ed die˙el is-sekulariΩmu, fejnin-nies tg˙ix b˙allikieku Alla ma jeΩistix,u fejn il-fidi hija kkunsidrata ˙a©a privata.Dis-sitwazzjoni ssir ag˙ar, hemm fejnda˙al l-anjostiçiΩmu, çoe` twemmin fil-progress tat-teknolo©ija u x-xjenzaming˙ajr ebda traxxendenza, fejn insibuwkoll attitudnijiet u esperjenzi ta’atejiΩmu. Minn dejjem kien hemmtendenzi li jirriduçu lill-bniedem g˙all-dimensjoni wa˙da u jwarrbu l-o˙rajn,waqt li jmexxuh lejn kultura tal-mewt.G˙ax il-kultura hija l-mod kif il-bniedemjirrelata mal-˙olqien, ma’ l-o˙rajn, mieg˙unnifsu u ma’ Alla. Imma rridu nammettuli biss meta jkollu relazzjoni ©enwina ma’Alla, il-bniedem jirrelata sewwa ma’ l-o˙rajn. G˙aldaqstant il-mudell li fuquje˙tie© li nibnu ˙ajjitna sabiex ikollna xisuççess fit-twe©iba tag˙na g˙all-mistoqsijiet fundamentali dwar l-eΩistenza,g˙andu jkun Ìesu`.

MARCHSaturday 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions

10 – 11 “Manuvri tas-Sefturi” (Peter Coke) Atturi Salesjani – Salesian Theatre,Sliema

Sunday 11 Lectio Divina 6 at Savio College 10.00 to 13.00 hrs.Thursday 15 Bl. Artemide Zatti : Salesian Lay BrotherSaturday 17 Feast of St. Patrick. Special Mass for Irish Community at 10.30 a.m.

in SliemaMonday 19 Feast of St. Joseph. Bikeathlon & Meeting for Past Pupils at Savio

College19 – 23 Lenten Sermons at St. Patrick’s Church at 7.00 p.m.

Sunday 25 Rhythm and Dance School Annual Show at Salesian Theatre, SliemaThursday 29 Prize day for St. Patrick’s School. Leaving School Ceremony-Form 5 at

Savio CollegeFriday 30 Maltese Devotional Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. End of 2nd Term of

School

APRILSunday 1 Open Day at Savio College. Day Retreat for Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s.

5 – 7 Easter Triduum. Religious functions at Salesian Oratory, Sliema, and St.Patrick’s

Sunday 8 Easter SundayTuesday 10 Prayer Day for Salesian MissionsSunday 15 Car Wash organized by Past Pupils of St. Patrick’s.Monday 16 Beginning of 3rd Term of SchoolSunday 22 Lectio Divina 7 at Savio College 10.00 to 13.00 hrs.

21 – 22 “Dehra Mill-Pont” (Arthur Miller) : Atturi Salesjani – Salesian Theatre,Sliema

Friday 27 Prize Day for Savio College StudentsSaturday 28 Foundation Day Concert (Orchestra & Choir) for Assn.of Lyceum Past

Students

MAYTuesday 1 Public Holiday. Outing for PEPPRIN Children’s ChoirSunday 6 Feast of St. Dominic SavioMonday 7 Celebrations of St. Dominic Savio at St. Patrick’s SchoolThursday 10 Prayer Day for Salesian Missions

For any other info about the Salesians: www.sdb.org

For any other info about Salesians in Malta: www.salesiansmalta.org

Calendar ofSalesian Events

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TISLIJA MILL-KARDINALL-ambaxxatur ta’ Malta g˙as-Santa Sede,l-Eçç. Tonio Ganado, kemm il-darba kellug˙aliex jiltaqa’ mas-Segretarju ta’ l-Istattal-Vatikan, il-Kardinal Tarcisio Bertone,li kif nafu huwa Salesjan. Billi l-ambaxxaturGanado huwa mid˙la tas-Salesjani f’Tas-Sliema, il-Kardinal sikwit isaqsih g˙as-Salesjani ta’ Malta. IΩda waqt l-a˙˙arlaqg˙a li kellu mieg˙u, il-Kardinal mhuxbiss semma lis-Salesjani imma bag˙attislija speçjali, meta talab lill-ambaxxaturiwassal, “Un caro saluto e un abbraccioai miei confratelli e a tutta la FamigliaSalesiana di Malta”. Grazzi, Eççellenza

‘ÓAJJA SALESJANA’ FUQL-INTERNETFl-a˙˙ar numru ta’ ‘˙ajja salesjana’konna semmejna xi “websites” tas-Salesjani maltin. Nittama li xi w˙udminnkom marru fuq l-internet u raw

x’fihom dawn il-pa©ni sbie˙. Issa nixtiequnΩidu a˙bar o˙ra fuq das-su©©ett. Jekkwie˙ed jiftah is-“site” www.salesiansmalta.org, jinduna li n-na˙a ta’ fuq tal-pa©na, fuq il-lemin, ta˙t il-kelma “News”hemm “link” jisimha “˙ajja Salesjana”li tqabbdek ma’ l-a˙˙ar numru tal-BulettinSalesjan malti , çoe` ma’ “˙ajjaSalesjana”. Hemmhekk issibu l-pa©nikollha, l-artikli kollha bl-istampi bil-kulur.Mela issa, “˙ajja Salesjana” qieg˙dawkoll fuq l-internet.

PAST PUPILS TA’ L-ORATORJUIl-“Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco”ta’ l-Oratorju tas-Salesjani f’Tas-Sliemakellhom il-laqg˙a annwali tag˙hom nharit-Tnejn, 29 ta’ Jannar 2007. Ippresedutamis-sinjura Rina Camilleri u fil-preΩenzatad-Delegat Fr. Victor Mangion SDB, il-laqg˙a bdiet bil-quddiesa. Wara malajrinqraw ir-rapporti li soltu jag˙mlu is-

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Segretarja u t-TeΩorier. Il-PresidentNazzjonali, is-Sur Noel Camilleri,imbg˙ad, ˙e©©e© lil dawk kollha preΩentibiex ikomplu ja˙dmu bil-˙e©©a ta’ DunBosco. Wara dan kien hemm dibattitusabi˙ u mqanqal fuq xi inizzjattivi li Ω-Ωg˙aΩag˙ ta’ l-Oratorju kienu ˙adu uxtaqu jer©g˙u jorganiΩΩaw fil-©ejjieni.B˙ala konkluΩjoni tkellem Fr. VictorMangion li wissa lill-membri biex ikununsara konxji u kritiçi ta’ dak li jintqaljew jintwera fuq il-meΩΩi tax-xandir, usabiex jag˙tu dejjem u fuq kollox l-importanza li jixirqilha lill-˙ajja tal-bniedem.

KUMITAT ÌDID KOPERATURIIl-Festa ta’ Dun Bosco ti©i dejjemiççelebrata f’jumejn - nhar l-a˙˙ar Óaddta’ Jannar u nhar il-31 ta’ Jannar. Dansabiex jista’ jintla˙aq pubbliku akbar ujistg˙u jie˙du sehem il-membri kollhatal-Familja Salesjana. Ìewwa St. Patrick’s,din is-sena, nhar il-Óadd 28 ta’ Jannar,waqt quddiesa solenni g˙all-KoperaturiSalesjani u Past Pupils flimkien, ©ieppreΩentat il-Kumitat il-©did tal-Koperaturi Salesjani. Imsej˙in b’isimhom,

il-membri tal-kumitat telg˙u quddiem l-artal, u flimkien mal-©emg˙a fil-knisjatalbu talba li serviet b˙ala bidu uffiçjalital-˙idma tag˙hom. Nifir˙u lil dawn in-nies ©eneruΩi li jag˙tu ˙afna mill-˙intag˙hom u nawgurawlhom ˙idma ta’fejda fost s˙abhom.

LAN PARTYNumru sabi˙ ta’ sittin Ωg˙aΩag˙, tfajlietu ©uvintur, kollha bejn is-16 u 20 sena,iltaqg˙u fiç-Çentru TaΩ-Óag˙Ωag˙ tas-Salesjani f’Tas-Sliema sabiex jg˙addu l-a˙˙ar tal-©img˙a f’LAN PARTY (= localarea network). Dan l-avveniment, li kienqed ji©i organiΩΩat mis-Salesjani g˙at-tieni darba, sar bejn il-©img˙a 5 u l-Óadd7 ta’ Novembru 2006. Kull wie˙ed uwa˙da minn dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ kellhomil-kompjuter tag˙hom. Fuqu setg˙ujilag˙bu f’kompetizzjoni ta’ 5 log˙bietkontra xulxin, ta˙t forma ta’ turnament,kemm ukoll jisfidaw lil xulxin fl-istesslog˙ob teknolo©iku barra mil l-kompetizzjoni. Kien hemm kompjutersta’ kull g˙amla u marka, kif ukoll ˙afnamakkinarju ie˙or tat-teknologija ta’ l-informatika.

I tend to be inspired to write through some song I listen to. Onesinger, and songwriter, very much to my taste is Dido - a sweetperson with an excellent voice and with meaningful songs. Onesong, which strikes me most from her album is the title track LifeFor Rent, particularly the verse “I deserve nothing more than I get‘cause nothing I have is truly mine.” Think about it…is eternity somuch of a value? Is it a value after all?

Contact SPYS Tel: 21454546, 21456251info@spysmalta.org

www.spysmalta.org/spysint

Contact SPYS Tel: 21454546, 21456251info@spysmalta.org

www.spysmalta.org/spysint

Ashes to ashes...

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust!” All livingthings have to go through this process.Some believe we were nothing beforeour conception. Others believe that oursoul lived in the soul of someone orsomething else. The physical realityhowever is that there’s a beginning andan end. I would further extend this toinanimate, material objects that may haveeven been crafted by human hands.Everything begins and ends. Existentialistsin their time argued that life is one wholemeaningless journey starting at Birthtowards destination Death. Quite apessimistic way of looking at things, butdoesn’t it make a bit more sense if theword ‘meaningless’, is removed?

Attachment

We human beings tend to attachourselves to persons and things we feelwe belong to or deem important to us–our car, computer, television, or maybea youth group. On a different level, comeless material forms of attachments –attachments with family members,friends, husband or wife. It’s here thatthe value of eternity comes in.

Eternity

What is eternity? The very idea of it justblasts my mind. Think of the greatestnumber you can think of…it’s never theeternity-number…because if you addone to it, that would be even greaterthan your imagined number. So also theidea of who or what created theWorld…some claim it was the Big Bang.But, you may rightfully ask, what triggeredthe Big Bang, and what triggered thetrigger that caused the Big Bang? Basically,

the Latin expression ad infinitum will fitin nicely here…something that is foreveris eternal. But what is forever? Is thereanything that can be forever?

A World of Concepts

A rather Platonic way of looking at thingsis that there’s a world of ideals detachedfrom this world; that whatever we seeis a copy of the ideal which is the perfectform of something. The world we seeis a distorted version of the world offorms. Plato’s idea may seem a bitfarfetched at times, however, it is truethat the more detached something isfrom the world, the more ‘eternal’ it is.The concept of ‘Love’ is more eternalthan the love we practice, so is the

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concept or form ‘Friendship’ as opposedto friendship. And think about it, don’twe all try to struggle to at least comeclose to the perfect, ideal form of Loveor Friendship?

Belonging to this world…

Think about how your life would changeif your mobile were stolen, your carbroke down, or your computer got adestructive virus. I’m sure your life wouldchange, and some of us might feel it’slike the end of our world. However,how much worse would you feel ifsomeone special in your life weresuddenly taken away – a relationshipbroken, a loved one passed away, Aren’tall of these examples of losses, like“nothing I have is truly mine”?

…and not of this world

Very late in my teens I realised that wetend to crave for things that either donot last long, or else disappoint us - likebelonging to a group or organisationwhich is flourishing one day, and shutsdown the next; being so happy in arelationship today, but breaking uptomorrow. The older I grow, the moreI realise how meaningless things are ifnot given a higher purpose. I think aboutmy past and see that a number of peopleand things I was really attached to arenot important anymore. Each occasion,however, makes me realise that therehad to be something more, somethingbeyond… that’s always there and willbe there throughout my life, a being thatmust be eternal.

An Eternal Being

The concept of eternity struck me at

the same moment that I realised thatwhatever belongs to this world can’t beforever. The basic idea of Genesis iswhere all my questions always lead me…by going back to the account of Creationin the Bible. The Big Bang must havebeen triggered by something….Whenever I think of this, I just have tocome to the conclusion that some beingmust have caused the trigger. “Nothingcomes from nothing” is a linguisticallycontradicting statement, which howevermakes sense in reality. Nevertheless, Ibelieve in a Being that is the first causeof all things and all causes. This beingmust be God. God is Friendship. God isLove. God is Goodness, Honesty,Humility and Righteousness. God is theIdeal Form of all things. God shows usHis Love every morning when He givesus strength to wake up; when He letssomeone pass away peacefully insteadof suffering. God’s love can be seeneverywhere. Wars and other problemsof this world might not be a true exampleof love…unless thought of as somethingwanted by God. I often stress this point,and it’s good that everyone should realiseit. God created us humans as free beingsand He left us free to choose whetherto follow Him or not.

With Him and Through Him

If one tries to live life with God andthrough God, the disappointments in lifewill diminish. I’m not saying they willdisappear – after all we’re flesh and blood– we have feelings and we cry as muchas we may laugh. But if God becomesthe underlying, or rather higher purposetowards all our goals, our achievementswill be much more fulfilling because wewill know and understand that by doingwhat we’re doing we’re also pleasing theLord.

l-a˙˙ar jum ta’ Settembru feta˙ l-ista©un teatrali 2006/2007 g˙all-Atturi

Salesjani. Fit-Teatru Salesjan ta’ Tas-Sliemas-sezzjoni Ωg˙aΩag˙ ippreΩentaw ‘TheDancer... a breath taking journey’. Din kienetlejla ta’ Ωfin allegru g˙all-˙oss ta’ muΩikapopolari li tmur lura mis-snin ˙amsin sadak tal-lum. Óadu sehem madwar 30 tfajlau ©uvni li ma waqfu xejn g˙al sag˙tejns˙a˙ jippreΩentaw Ωifna wara l-o˙rab’kostumi differenti u kkuluriti. Kienjinvolvi ˙afna xog˙ol li beda fi Ωmien is-sajf meta Edwina Farrugia, li ddiri©iet dinl-attivita`, bdiet tag˙Ωel Ωg˙aΩag˙kompetenti jew lesti li jitg˙allmu jiΩfnu.Wara bdew il-provi li naturalmentΩammew lil dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ okkupatimatul ix-xhur s˙an tas-sajf. Flimkien ma’dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ kien hemm grupp ie˙orli wkoll kien attiv ˙afna, dan kien il-grupp‘Mamma Margerita’ mag˙mul minnmadwar 12-il mara ˙ajjata li ˙adu ˙siebi˙ejtu l-kostumi kollha ta’ din l-attivita`.Is-sagrifiççji li saru ssarrfu f’suççess kbirfuq il-palk quddiem udjenzi numeruΩi, li˙onqu t-Teatru Salesjan f’Tas-Sliema nharis-Sibt 30 ta’ Settembru 2006 u l-Óadd 1ta’ Ottubru 2006.

It-tieni attivita` ta’ l-Atturi Salesjani kienetnhar is-Sibt 25 u l-Óadd 26 ta’ Novembru2006, meta fl-istess teatru ppreΩentawil-kummiedja popolari ‘Dik l-ImbierkaZija,’ xog˙ol maqlub g˙all-Malti minn PaulVella mill-kitba ta’ Brandon Thomas –Charlie’s Aunt. G˙al darb’o˙ra er©ajna

rajna numru sabi˙ ta’ Ωg˙aΩag˙ jie˙dusehem g˙all-ewwel darba, fuq il-palktag˙na ma’ atturi stabbiliti. Id-direttur ta’din il-kummiedja, Paul De Bono, ˙ass lihemm bΩonn li jibdew jit˙arr©u atturi©odda biex ikompli jikber in-numru ta’atturi fi ˙dan il-kumpless Salesjan f’Tas-Sliema. Óadu sehem xejn anqas minn˙ames Ωag˙Ωug˙ u Ωag˙Ωug˙a g˙all-ewweldarba f’partijiet prinçipali u impenjattivi.F’kummenti li tana wara l-a˙˙arrappreΩentazzjoni, Paul DeBono qal li˙assu verament kburi bil-mod kifinterpretaw il-partijiet tag˙hom dawn iΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙ li ˙admu iebes g˙al sitt ©img˙ats˙a˙ biex setg˙u mhux biss jie˙dusodisfazzjon huma, imma wkoll taw pjaçirlill-udjenza numeruΩa li ©iet tarahom.

It-tielet produzzjoni ta’ l-Atturi Salesjanikienet Thriller ta’ Agatha Christie bit-titlu ta’ “Alibi” mill-ori©inal “The Murderof Roger Ackroyd”. Dan ix-xog˙ol ©iemaqlub g˙all-Malti minn Tonio Vassallo,li wkoll mexxa l-produzzjoni. Il-wirjietkienu nhar is-27 u 28 ta’ Jannar 2007.Issa, l-Atturi Salesjani saru mag˙rufasewwa ma’ numru kbir ta’ dilettanti tal-palk, li qatt ma jitilfu l-wirjiet imtellg˙inminnhom. Infatti sejrin jer©g˙u jidhru fuq il-palk nhar il-10 u 11 ta’ Marzu bil-kummiedja“Manuvri tas-Sefturi”, xog˙ol ta’ Peter Coke.

Infakkrukom li g˙al kull tag˙rif dwar l-attivitajietipprogrammati fit-Teatru tas-Salesjani, tistg˙u ΩΩurul-websajt tag˙hom : www.salesiantheatremalta.com

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t h a t o u r b a c k g r o u n d a n dcircumstances may have influencedwho we are, but we are responsiblefor who we become.

that no matter how good friends maybe, they are going to hurt you oncein a while, and you must forgive themfor that.

that just because others don’t loveyou the way you want them to, doesn’tmean they don’t love you with all theyhave.

that true friendship continues to groweven over the longest distance; samegoes for true love.

that it’s taking me a long time to

become the person I want to be.

that you should always leave lovedones with loving words: it may be thelast time you see them.

that you can keep going long after youthink you can’t.

that we are responsible for what wedo no matter how we feel.

that either you control your attitudeor else it controls you.

that heroes are the people who do whathas to be done, when it needs to bedone, regardless of the consequences.

that money is a lousy way of keeping

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score.

that my best friend and I can doanything or nothing and still have thebest time.

that people you expect to kick youwhen you’re down will be the onesto help you get back up.

that sometimes, when you are angryyou have the right to be angry, butthat doesn’t give you the right to becruel.

that maturity has more to do withwhat types of experiences you’ve hadand what you’ve learned from themand less to do with how manybirthdays you’ve celebrated.

that it isn’t always enough to beforgiven by others; sometimes youhave to learn to forgive yourself.

that no matter how badly your heartis broken, the world doesn’t stop foryour grief.

that just because two people argue it

doesn’t mean that they don’t loveeach other. And just because theydon’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.

that you shouldn’t be so eager to findout a secret: it could change your lifefor ever.

that two people can look at the exactsame thing and see something totallydifferent.

that your life can be changed in amatter of hours by people who don’teven know your name.

that even when you have no moreto give, when a friend cries out toyou, you will find the strength tohelp.

that credentials on the wall do notmake you a decent human being.

that people you care about most inlife are taken from you much toosoon.

that life is more precious than moneywill ever be able to be.

X’INHI L-LECTIO DIVINA?

Il-LECTIO DIVINA hija dik l-esperjenza li fl-antik kienu jg˙ixul-patrijiet fil-monasteri fejnquddiem il-kelma t’Alla kellhomil-˙in u anke l-kura©© li jaqrawha– LECTIO ©ejja mill-kelma latinaLEGGERE – waqt li fis-silenzjuj˙allu l-qari jinΩel mill-mo˙˙ g˙all-qalb.

G˙ax huwa l-qari tal-Kelma ta’Alla, Kelma divina, allura g˙andna

din il-fraΩi LECTIO DIVINA.

B’dan il-mod sieket u rispettuΩkienu jirriflettu kif dik il-Kelma liqed jaqraw g˙andha messa©© xitwassl i lhom f is-s itwazzjonitag˙hom.

Il-proçess li kienu jag˙mlu kiensempliçi u profond fl-istess ˙in.Waqt li jag˙mlu dan il-qari divin,kienu jimmeditaw il-Kelma –MEDITATIO. Il-meditazzjoni tal-Kelma fi kliem ie˙or tfisser li kienu

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Fabio Attard SDB

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jixtarru l-Kelma. F’dan il-kuntattpersonali u intimu, g˙alhekk, il-kelma li ti©i mixtarra kienet issirKelma g˙all-persuna, fil-qalbtag˙ha. Ma kinitx tibqa’ iktarKelma ‘hemm barra’ li ma tmissxlill-qalb. Imma kienet issir Kelmali g˙andha l-˙ila ddawwal il-mo˙˙u l-qalb tal-persuna fis-sitwazzjoniu l-isfidi li je˙tie© tiffaççja.

Mill-meditazzjoni – MEDITATIO– kienu jg˙addu g˙at-talb –ORATIO. Dan ifisser li l-Kelma litinqara – LECTIO – u l-Kelmamixtarra – MEDITATIO – issirtalba personali – ORATIO. Dak liqed ji©i mmeditat jissarraf f’talbali ‘l-persuna tag˙mel quddiem Alla,talba ˙ier©a minn qalb li qeg˙dakull ma tmur tit˙abbeb mal-Kelma.

Il-persuna li tag˙Ωel lill-Kristu,allura, lilu tisma’ – LECTIO – lilutixtarr – MEDITATIO – u lilu titlob– ORATIO – u g˙alhekk, fi ˙danproçess b˙al dan, lilu tikkontempla– CONTEMPLATIO.

Dan hu l-a˙˙ar stadju ta’ din l-esperjenza tal-LECTIO DIVINA.I l - k o n t e m p l a z z j o n i m h i xesperjenza li to˙ro©ni mid-dinjaimma hija l-istedina li Kristujag˙milli biex wara li nkun smajtu,immeditajtu u tlabtu, lilu bissinΩomm quddiem g˙ajnejja, lilun˙allih ikellimni fil-fond ta’ qalbiwaqt li ng i̇x il-˙ajja tieg i̇ ta’ kuljum.

EΩempju li jista’ jg˙inna nifhmudan l-istadju huwa dak ta’ omm u

t-tarbija tag˙ha. Avolja ma tkunxfl-istess kamra jew dar fejn hemmit-tarbija tag˙ha, xorta l-˙sieb u l-attenzjoni tag˙ha huma fuq l-g˙aΩiΩa tarbija tag˙ha. U bir-ra©un.

Hekk ji©rilha l-qalb li tkun“innamrata” ma’ Alla. Tkun fejntkun, tag˙mel x’tag˙mel, lilu tibqa’t˙obb, lilu tibqa’ ΩΩomm quddieml-g˙ajnejn ta’ qalbha. Ma tistaxtag˙mel mod ie˙or.

X’QED NAGÓMLU F’SAVIOCOLLEGE?

L-esperjenza ta’ tant ©enituri uwliedhon ©ewwa Savio Collegedarba fix-xahar hija proposta litg˙inna ng˙addu minn din l-esperjenza li tqarribna iktar lejnil-Kelma. Esperjenza li tg˙innaiktar niggustaw u nixtarru l-Kelma.U fil-˙biberija tag˙na mal-Kelman˙allu t-talb ikun esperjenza reali,esperjenza vera, li fiha kull wa˙dau kull wie˙ed minna naraw fejnninsabu quddiem i l -Mulej .

Minn din l-esperjenza naqraw a˙jaril-mixja tag˙na u liema huma dawkl-g˙aΩliet li fi ˙biberija tag˙namieg˙u nafu li je˙tie© li nie˙du.

Din hija t-tielet sena ta’ esperjenzatal-LECTIO DIVINA. Mixja li qedtkompli tissa˙˙a˙ . Mixja lipermezz tag˙ha b˙ala komunitàedukattiva, Salesjani, ©enituri uwliedhom, nixtiequ nkomplunikbru fil-qadi ta’ wliedna u fit-tis˙ie˙ tal-fidi tag˙na lkoll.

eta jiena kont g˙adni nibda bix-xog˙ol tieg˙i fil-Missjoni, l-isqof

sejja˙li u qalli, “Na˙seb li inti tajjeb ˙afnabiex tmur ta˙dem fil-parroçça l-©dida lise nwaqqaf”. Jien li dejjem kontubbidjenti g˙all-kelma tieg˙u, urejtu linie˙u gost immur f’˙idma ©dida. Infattifil-post ma kien g˙ad hemm xejn – laknisja, la dar tal-Fathers…biss ˙afnanies, ˙afna g˙erejjex u ˙afna ©iri tat-tfal.

Niftakar l-ewwel ˙a©a li g˙amilna -bnejna malajr kamra kbira tal-qasab libdiet isservi ta’ knisja. Din kienet timtelabin-nies , kol lha f id i u…kol lhasuperstizzjoni. Kont g˙al qalbi ˙afnaf’din il-parroçça fqira. L-hena tieg˙i metankun mat-tfal, g˙ax jien nittie˙ed malajrmill-entuΩjaΩmu sinçier tag˙hom. Imma

anki mal-kbar u ma’ l-anzjani kont immurtajjeb.

Fost l-anzjani kien hemm wie˙ed li manaqas qatt g˙ar-ruΩarju u g˙at-tag˙limtal-katekiΩmu. U fil-quddiesa kien jersaqjitqarben b’fervur kbir, hekk li anke jienkont nedifika ru˙i. Bdejt nitkellem ˙afnamieg˙u u l-konverΩjoni tieg˙u kienetissa˙˙a˙ il-˙ajja spiritwali tieg˙i. Kul˙addkien iΩommu b˙ala bniedem ta’ ˙ajjatajba.

Imma darba wa˙da, mara resqet fuqi ubil-mod il-mod qaltli, “Father oqg˙odattent minn dak il-bniedem!” Óassbitniu bdejt nimma©ina li forsi hemm daqsxejnta’ l-g˙ira. G˙alhekk dik it-twissijaf’widnejja ma ˙allitnix bi kwieti. Jien

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M

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bqajt xorta wa˙da nsellem u nkellem lildak l-anzjan. Anzi bdejt nosservah aktarfil-qrib u ng˙addi min-na˙a ta’ fejn kienjoqg˙od hu. Nistqarr li mill-g˙arix tieg˙ukien jo˙ro© du˙˙an ta’ ri˙a ˙elwa li manafx x’kienet.

LEJLA MA’ L-ISPIRTI

Ìurnata wa˙da kif kont wiçç imbwiççmieg˙u, qalli li kwaΩi kull fil-g˙axija hujkellem l-ispirti u j©ib twe©iba g˙al dawkli jkollhom bΩonn, inkella jitlob il- fejqanminn xi marda. Beda jg˙idli li ji©uh niessa˙ansitra mill-bog˙od g˙ax jafu li huma jqarraq b’˙add. “Tajjeb,” g˙idtlu,“anki jien nixtieq inkun naf xi ˙a©a. Matistax tkellimhom dwari lill- ispirtitieg˙ek?” U pront we©ibni, “G˙aliex le?Meta jkolli lejla franka nsejja˙lek.”

G˙addiet ©img˙a u jien qatt ma r©ajtfakkartu. Imma g˙odwa wa˙da, wara l-quddiesa, dal-bniedem twajjeb resaqinkiss minn warajja u minn ta˙t l-ilsienqalli, “Il-lejla malli jitla’ l-qamar nistennik”.Dix-xorta ta’ appuntament ˙asditni-g˙oddu qabadni it-tkexkix. L-ewweldarba li kien se jkolli esperjenza nid˙olfid-dinja misterjuΩa ta’l-okkult. Dik il-lejla qabel mort, qist li ng˙id b’devozzjonir-ruΩarju u rrikmandajt ru˙i lil Madonna.

Il-qamar deher tielg˙a minn fuq is-si©arg˙oljin u suwed tal-bosk u jien tlaqt lejnl-g˙arix ta’ dak il-˙abib. Bil-wieqfa jserra˙mal-©enb, b’sigarru tat-tiben f’˙alqu,hemm kien, jistennieni. Talabni nid˙olu npo©©i fuq banketta. Ìewwa dlam -dlam ma tara xejn ˙lief xi xquq fil-˙itan.Malli g˙ajnejja bdew joqog˙du ndunajtli hemm ©ew kien hemm xi brandi bil-familja ©a rieqda fuqhom. F’imnifsejjabdiet ©ejja r-ri˙a tfu˙ tal-©iΩmin. Ix-xwejja˙ po©©a ma’ ©enbi u qag˙ad kwietbla kliem donnu qed jistenna lil xi ˙add.

Jien kont attent g˙al kull ˙oss jew çaqliqli setg˙u ji©ru madwari.

X’˙in deherlu dak qalli “Ara waslu”.“Min wasal ?“ g˙idtlu jien. Qalli, “HumaΩew© spirti, wie˙ed jismu ‘mew© il-ba˙ar’u l-ie˙or ‘mera tal-qamar’. Qeg˙dinisellmulek, we©ibhom”. Jien ma kontqed nisma’ u nara xejn, iΩda billi n˙obbnobdi g˙idt, “Il-lejl it-tajjeb!” Dak il-mument b˙al smajt fil-bog˙od lil mini˙ar˙ar “Il-lejl it-tajjeb.” U bdejt niddubitajekk dik it-t˙ar˙ira kenitx xi log˙ba ta’l-istess ̇ abib tieg˙i. It-t˙ar˙ir u t-tgedwidfil-baxx issuktaw, u jien ma kont qedn i fhem xe jn . G˙a jne j j a bde j tinberraqhom biex Ωgur ma na˙sibx likont qieg˙ed no˙lom.

Fl-a˙˙ar indunajt li kien qed jing˙ad xikliem ta’ tif˙ir dwari, li n-nies tal-parroçça tirrispettani… li l-knisja tieg˙ihi l-isba˙ wa˙da… Issa aktar bdejtnissuspetta u qawwejt qalbi. F’dak id-dlam bdejt niddritta u ntawwal g˙onqi˙alli nara mnejn kien ©ej dak il-le˙enstramb. KwaΩi t˙okk mieg˙i, indunajt likien hemm il-branda bil-mara tax-xwejja˙. In-nifs tag˙ha ma kienx b˙alta’ wa˙da rieqda, imma skond il-kelmietli beda jg˙id ‘l-ispirtu.’ Malajr fhimt il-qerq kollu tag˙ha.

Kont se nqum u ng˙ajjat, ”Imbruljun u˙alliel” g˙ax kien jit˙allas tajjeb talli jilqa’n-nies. Imma mbag˙ad ˙arist lejn il-brandi l-o˙ra li fihom kienu reqdin is-seba’ wliedu u ©ietni ˙niena minnhom.Qomt u g˙idtlu, “Óabib, tid˙aq bissb’dawk li jemmnuk, imma b’Alla matid˙aqx Ωgur. Attent… il-lejl it-tajjeb.”U tlaqt i l-barra. Da’Ωgur, b˙alabniedem devot fil-knisja, jiena maridtux ikollu x’jaqsam ma’ l-okkult,imma lanqas japprofitta ru˙u mill-injoranza tan-nies!

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Carl was a quiet  man. He would alwaysgreet you with a big smile. Even afterliving in our neighbourhood for over 50years, no one could really say they knewhim well. Seeing him walking down thestreet often worried us.  He had a slightlimp from a bullet wound received inW.W.II. We worried that he might notmake it through our changing uptownneighbourhood with its ever-increasingrandom violence, gangs, and drug activity.When he saw the flyer at our local churchasking for volunteers for caring for thegardens behind the minister’s residence,he responded in his characteristicallyunassuming manner.

He was well into his 87th year when, oneday, the very thing we had always fearedfinally happened. Three gang membersapproached him. Ignoring their attemptto intimidate him, he simply offered adrink from the hose. As Carl offered thehose to him, the other two grabbed Carl'sarm, throwing him down to the ground,and stole his retirement watch and hiswallet, and then fled.Carl tried to gethimself up, but he had been thrown downon his bad leg. The minister, who hadwitnessed the attack from his window,couldn't get there fast enough to helphim. "Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?"the minister kept asking. Carl sighed,shaking his head. “Just some punk kids.I hope they'll wise-up someday." His wetclothes clung to his slight frame as hebent to pick up the hose. Satisfying himselfthat Carl really was all right, the ministercould only marvel. Carl was a man froma different time and place. A fewweeks later the three returned. Carl againoffered them a drink from his hose. This

time they didn't rob him. They wrenchedthe hose from his hand and drenchedhim head to foot in the icy water. Whenthey had finished, they sauntered off downthe street, falling over one anotherlaughing at the hilarity of what they hadjust done. Carl just watched them. Thenhe turned toward the warmth giving sun,picked up his hose, and went on with hiswatering.

The summer was quickly fading into fall.Carl was doing some tilling when he wasstartled by the sudden approach ofsomeone behind him. He turned to seethe tall leader of his summer tormentorsin front of him. He braced himself forthe expected attack.”Don't worry oldman, I'm not going to hurt you this time."The young man spoke softly. Then hepulled a crumpled bag from his pocketand handed it to Carl."What's this?"  Carlasked. "It's your stuff back," the manexplained. "Even the money in yourwallet." "I don't understand," Carl said."Why would you help me now?"The manshifted his feet, seeming embarrassed andill at ease. "I learned something fromyou," he said. "I ran with that gang andhurt people like you. We picked youbecause you were old and we knew wecould do it. But every time we came anddid something to you, instead of yellingand fighting back, you tried to give us adrink. You didn't hate us for hating you.You kept showing love against our hate."He stopped for a moment. "I couldn'tsleep after we stole your stuff, so hereit is back." He paused for anotherawkward moment, not knowing whatmore there was to say. "That bag's myway of saying thanks for straightening me

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out, I guess." And with that, he walked offdown the street.

Carl looked down at the sack in his handsand gingerly opened it. He took outhis retirement watch and put it back on hiswrist. Opening his wallet, he checked for hiswedding photo. He gazed for a moment atthe young bride that still smiled back at himfrom all those years ago. Carl died onecold day after Christmas that winter. Manypeople attended his funeral. In particular theminister noticed a tall young man sittingquietly in a distant corner of the church. Theminister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson inlife. “We will never forget Carl and hisgarden."

The following spring another flyer went up.It read: "Person needed to care for Carl'sgarden." One day a knock was heard at theminister's office door.  Opening the door,the minister saw a pair of scarred andtattooed hands holding the flyer. "I believethis is my job, if you'll have me," the youngman said. The minister recognized him asthe same young man who, because of Carl'skindness, had turned his life around. Handinghim the keys to the garden shed, he said,"Yes, go take care of Carl's garden andhonour him." Over the next several years,the man tended the flowers and vegetablesjust as Carl had done. In that time, he wentto college, got married, and became aprominent member of the community, neverforgetting his promise to Carl's memory. Hekept the garden as beautiful as Carl wouldhave kept it. One day he approached theminister and told him that he couldn't carefor the garden any longer. He explained witha shy and happy smile, "My wife had a babyboy last night, and she's bringing himhome."”Congratulations!" said the minister."Tha t ' s wonder f u l ! Wha t ' s t hebaby's name?""Carl," he replied.

The feast of St John Bosco on the 31stJanuary 2007, marked the official openingof the celebrations commemorating the25th Anniversary of the arrival of theS a l e s i a n s i n N i g e r i a , whenrepresentatives from the fourcommunities came together for a specialfunction held in Akure.

Bishop Francis Alonge, Bishop of Ondowho had first invited them, unveiled theLogo that will be used throughout theyear. Bishop Alonge spoke of how hefirst met the Salesians in Ireland whenhe was still studying there, and seeingthe great work that they were doing

with the youth, especially through theirAgricultural schools, immediately soughtto bring them to Nigeria on becominga bishop.

The guest of honour was Dr E.E.Adewole, special advisor to theGovernor, of Ondo State on Education,and representing him for the event. Hepraised the sterling work that theSalesains contribute in training youngmen and so helping in building up thenation. Also present were Fr VincenzoMarrone and Br. John Patrucco, two ofthe first pioneers to arrive in this vastcountry.

Fr. Richard Ebejer SDB

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The highlight of the AnniversaryCelebrations will be the visit of theRector Major to Nigeria in October2007.  This will not be the first timethat the Rector Major will visit theEnglish Speaking West Africa Vice-Province, since he has already visitedLiberia in 2004 to mark the 25thAnniversary of the Salesian presencethere.

Special occasions, which will be markedduring the year, will be the Ordinationto the Priesthood of two NigerianDeacons on the 26th May in the Shrineof Mary Help of Christians in Akure,and the Perpetual Profession of twoNigerian Salesians at Onitisha on the14thJuly. The S.Y.M. will be organising three

congresses to coincide with theseoccasions. The Salesians in Nigeria havefour presences in Akure, Ibadan, Ondo,and Onitsha and there are around fiftyNigerian Salesians at present.

Richard Ebejer

Salesians of Don Bosco

Oke Odunwo

PO Box 937351001

ONDO Nigeria 

Mobile +234 80293 24600

The first pennant ever had by theSalesian Cooperators Association inMalta, was displayed in the Church ofSt. Patrick’s Sliema on Sunday 28thJanuary 2007. The original development of myidea on the pennant was sharedwith two of my grandchildrenMelchior and Denise – both 14years of age and very efficiento n t h e a c t u a lmechanics of slideshows on theirpersonal computer.Having drawn arough sketch of myidea I left it to themt o u s e t h e i rimaginat ion anddevelop the conceptand position of theelements. I followed them intheir every step ofthe process until theyhad completed theirtask; then we sent therough sketches to thedesigner in Malta, SilvioPace of Qormi.. Themanufature of the pennantwas then carried out in Francein the establishments ofPastorboni. The pennant is fully handembroidered with gold and

silver metallic threads and coloured silkthreads on crimson-corded silk.Embroidered in the centre, the badgeof the Association draws attention to

Louis Rengée’s oil portrait of theFounder Saint John Bosco within acircle bearing the motto ‘DA MIHIANIMAS’ (taken from the Coat-of-Arms of the Salesian Society and

the ideal of every Salesian). 

Around, all the border oft he pennan t i s

e l a b o r a t e l yembroidered withfoliage design invarious types of goldthread and bullions,and the bottom edgeis trimmed with athick gold fringe. Onthe reverse side ofthe pennant, linedwith satin silk material,an embroidereddedication ‘Donatedby the Members oft h e S a l e s i a nC o o p e r a t o r s

Association Malta – 8thDecember 2006’. Gold

cord and tassels drop downon the sides. The pennant is

mounted on a crossbar with anupright staff surmounted by aMaltese Cross standing on a smallsphere and is furnished with astand – the works of art by CutajarWorks in Malta.

The Salesian Cooperator

by Joe Busuttil - Coordinator

24

25

X’inhi BorΩa ta’ Studju?Hija somma ta’ flus li tg˙inna biex in˙allsuparti mill-formazzjoni ta’ Ωag˙Ωug˙ li qedi˙ejji ru˙u biex isir saçerdot.

Kemm trid tag˙ti biex twaqqaf BorΩa ta’Studju?Kapital ta’ Lm250.

Je˙tie© li bilfors tag˙ti s-somma f’daqqa?Le. Wie˙ed jista’jag˙tiha biççabiçça tant fix-xahar jew tant fis-sena.

Je˙tie© li bilfors is-somma tkunmog˙tija minnwie˙ed biss?Le. Jistg˙ujiftehmu flimkieniktar minnwie˙ed, ukul˙add jag˙tisehmu. IΩda minjo˙ro© wa˙du s-somma kollha, ikunFundatur ta’ dik il-BorΩa.

Jista’ wie˙ed i˙alli l-BorΩab˙ala legat wara mewtu?Jista’. U min jag˙mel hekk, jista’jikteb fit-testment: “In˙alli b˙ala legatlis-Salesjani ta’ Dun Bosco, is-sommata’ Lm g˙all-formazzjoni ta’Ωag˙Ωug˙ Malti fl-istess Soçjeta’.

Kien madwar erbatax-il sena ilu li gruppta’ tfajliet Maltin ˙assew is-sej˙a li joffru˙ajjithom lil Alla bi stil differenti -konsagrazzjoni fid-dinja fuq il-passi ta’Dun Bosco. Din ir-realta` kompliet tikberu tissa˙˙a˙ u qed tattira dejjem aktarΩg˙aΩag˙.

Forsi xi w˙ud mill-qarrejja jistaqsu, minhuma l-VDBs? Il-“Volontarji ta’ DunBosco” huwa Istitut Sekulari fi ˙dan il-Familja Salesjana. Twaqqaf fl-1917 mit-tielet suççessur ta’ Dun Bosco, il-BeatuFilippu Rinaldi u g˙aldaqstant din is-senajiççelebra d-disg˙in sena mit-twaqqiftieg˙u. Il-membri huma lajçi kkonsagratiilli filwaqt li jipprofessaw il-voti, jibqg˙ujg˙ixu fid-dinja ming˙ajr ˙add ma jindunabil-preΩenza tag˙hom g˙aliex m’g˙andhom xejn li jiddistingwihom mill-persuni l-o˙ra. Huma jemmnu li l-preΩenza tag˙hom f’kull settur tal-˙ajjahija b˙all-˙mira, li g˙alkemm ma tidhirxhija effettiva, b˙all-mel˙ li jag˙ti t-tog˙ma

lis-soçjeta`. Ix-xewqa tag˙hom hija lijxerrdu l-kariΩma Salesjana kull fejn ikunuu bil-preΩenza ta’ madwar 1340 membrumadwar id-dinja, huma jwasslu l-˙olmata’ Dun Bosco fl-ambjenti tax-xog˙ol ul-appostolat.

G˙aliex ma jidhirx l-isem ta’ dawn il-persuni f’dan l-artiklu? Kif spjegajt fil-paragrafu ta’ qabel, il-membri ta’ dan l-Istitut Sekulari jag˙Ωlu li ma jg˙idux lihuma persuni kkonsagrati... mhux g˙axmhumiex fer˙anin bil-vokazzjoni tag˙homimma g˙aliex jemmnu bis-s˙i˙ li b’danil-mod huma jistg˙u jkunu mel˙ ta’ l-art.L-anonimat tag˙hom huwa sinjal ta’faqar… huma preΩenza silenzjuΩa immaeffettiva, preΩenza li tistimula d-diskussjoni u r-riflessjoni. Min jixtieq isirjaf aktar dwar dan l-istil ta’ ˙ajja, jista’jikkuntattja lis-Salesjani jew lill-VDBs fuqvdbmalta@yahoo.com Is-sit uffiçjalitag˙na huwa:

www.volontariedonbosco.org

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On 12 November 2006, the Rector Majorflew in from Poland to be greeted by 300Co-operators and Salesian FamilyDelegates. This meeting between thegroup and the Rector Major hadsomewhat epochal proportions, not somuch for the rapturous welcome, as forthe content of his address to theassembled Salesian world.

What were once the Regulations ofApostolic Life, have now become aProject of Apostolic Life - and indeedthe Rector Major made the point thatfrom here on, for 35,000 SalesianCooperators around the world, themessage is clear: Salesian Cooperatorsare to completely renew themselves inline with the one thing that matters, themission to poor and abandoned youngpeople, total self-giving, a spiritualitywhich is fundamentally and practicallythat of Don Bosco and the Salesian Familyas he wanted it to be.   

'This is an evangelical project of life', hepointed out.  ‘It is meant to transformyour lives. When Don Bosco presentedhis Constitutions to the Holy See forapproval, one chapter on the “externSalesian” was rejected.  Don Bosco thenfounded the Salesian Cooperators. DonBosco wanted you to be one hundredpercent Salesians and at the same timeto be open and docile to all social, culturalchallenges, the magisterium of the Churchand the Salesian Family’.  In effect, theRector Major spelt out the essentialfeatures of the spirituality as it touchesthe Cooperator, with the mission at itscore, total-giving as its driving force. 

The Rector Major asked the SalesianCooperators to shift mentality - not anAssociation, but a Movement.  Only ifthey come fully into a common sense ofMovement, along with all members ofthe Salesian Family, will they have impacton society today. 

He then spelt out the challenges to bemet by the Movement: evangelisation,life, family, education, and, he added'involvement in political life'. He clarifiedan oft-asked question: ‘Can non-Christians be Cooperators?’  Not in thesense of fully pledged members, sincethe Promise requires fidelity to the Popeand presumes Catholic baptism, but theycan cooperate in every other respect.He also addressed the difficulty ofseparated and divorced couples, askingfor understanding for people in difficultsituations. Separation and divorce per seare no reason why a person may not bea Salesian Cooperator.  Second marriageoutside the Church's understandingcreates other difficulties. These mattersrequire our constant attention and furtherstudy.

Rev. Fr. Alfred Sacco and Mr. Joe Busuttilwith the Rector Major

THE SALESIAN REGION OFSOUTH ASIAToday South Asia includes nine Provincesand the Vice-Province of Konkan in India,the Vice-Provinces of Myanmar and ofSri Lanka, and the communities andfoundations in the Andaman Islands(belonging to the Chennai Province).Then there are the Salesian Houses inNepal (belonging to the KolkataProvince), in Yemen (belonging to theBangalore Province) and in Kuwait (whichbelongs to the Province of Mumbai).Atthe beginning of the twentieth century,at the time of the arrival of the Salesians,India, Burma (now Myanmar) and Ceylon(now Sri Lanka) were British Colonies,while Kuwait was a British Protectorate.

India gained independence in August1947, Myanmar in January 1948, Sri Lankain February 1948 and Kuwait inSeptember 1961.  Nepal had been anindependent country from the secondpart of the eighteenth century. 

INDIAN HISTORYGeographically India is situated betweenMyanmar and Pakistan, in the southern

part of Asia with boundaries extendingfrom the Arabian Sea to the Gulf ofBengal. India’s original inhabitants werethe Dravidians, whose civilisation wasone of the oldest in the world, goingback at least 5,000 years. About the year1500 BC, groups of Arians invaded theIndian subcontinent from the northwest,and their fusion with the originalinhabitants gave rise to the classical Indianculture of the present day. Later theIndian territory witnessed regularincursions by Arabs, Turks and Europeantraders until finally, during the nineteenthcentury Great Britain assumed politicalcontrol over almost the whole of Indianterritory.  Prolonged resistance to Britishco lon ia l i sm eventua l l y led toindependence in 1947 . Wi thindependence, the subcontinent wasdivided into two: the secular State ofIndia and the smaller Muslim State ofPakistan. A war between the twocountries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistanbecoming a separate nation, calledBangladesh.

PEOPLE AND RELIGIONSuccessive waves of foreign invaders left

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In order to understand better the presence of the Salesians in thispart of the world it is necessary to know a little bit about the political,social and religious situation in this region. This time we talk aboutIndia.

A SalesianView of the Worldprepared by Fr. Victor Mangion SDB

an indelible mark on the culture of theIndian subcontinent.  Of the totalpopulation, some 72% is of Indo-Aryanorigin with 25% of Dravidian. Aconsiderable number of the inhabitantsare identified as Dalits. These are placedunder the heading of “scheduled castes”by the Indian government and are ableto enjoy certain social benefits.  Andthere are finally various tribes that arelisted as “scheduled tribes”. The Hindureligion (dharma) contemplates fourcastes in hierarchical order:  the Brahmins(the priestly caste), the Kshatriya (theprincely class), the Vaishya (thecommercial class), and the Sudra (theworking class).  The members of thesemain castes oppressed different groupsof the original inhabitants, and reducedthem to a class without caste at all, theDalits, the Pariahs.

During and after the struggle forindependence there was a strongreaction to this unjust situation, andtoday both government and Church doa great deal for the wellbeing of the

“casteless” group.  We have madespecific mention of this group becausesome 70% of Indian Christians belongto the Dalits and in some of our IndianProvinces they constitute the mainsubjects and beneficiaries of ourapostolate. 

Today, India is the biggest democracy inthe world and the country with thes e c o n d h i g h e s t p o p u l a t i o n(1,095,351,995), of whom 80.5% areHindus, 12.4% Muslims, and 2.3%Christians.  Within the country can befound enormous differences betweenrich and poor.  The literacy index is only59.5%. The official language is Hindi,while English enjoys the position of anational language.  In addition there are14 other official languages, each with itsown script, and 200 other non-officiallanguages, to say nothing of thousandsof dialects.  The overall result is thatIndia is a veritable mosaic of tongues,cultures and traditions, which allcontribute to a disconcerting complexityand a unique richness.

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to be continued …

Mumbai, India - 19 October 2006. Street Children in Mumbai who were celebrating “DiwaliMela” (Festival of Light) at the “ Don Bosco High School”, presenting a petition against the

violence they suffer to Mr. Shri Armes Deomane Medhekar, Local Councillor.

30

The OuijaBoard

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hat week was Halloween, and mytwo oldest girls wanted a party on

the Saturday before. I said okay, butone of the girls they invited brought aOuija board.

My girls sneaked it upstairs, becausethey knew I wouldn't allow it in thehouse. They also took this oil candle ofmine up with them, one of those thingswith a glass globe. They turned off allthe lights and were asking questions like'Who am I going to marry? How manykids am I going to have?'

"But then my daughter Ellen, who isvery bright, asked, "Am I going to havea happy life?' And she put the pointerdown and it started to move all by itself.First it went over and touched "Yes',then it swung back and touched 'No'.They were all, 'Whoaaa.' Not touchingit. Finally my daughter asked, 'Who areyou?' And it went over to the questionmark. So they got an idea. They pickedthe pointer up and used a piece ofmasking tape to attach a pencil. Andthen they put it down on top of a blanksheet of paper. And then they said,'Identify yourself.' And the pointerstarted to move again. They thought itwas writing, but it was drawing. Andthen, all of a sudden, the oil candleexploded – flame shot straight up intothe air, until it actually burned the ceiling.And the kids ran downstairs screaming,every one of them.

We heard this absolutely terrifiedscreaming, and then this thunderingdown the stairs, and the front dooropening, and all this shrieking as theyran outside. We thought they werehaving a good time, but then we heardcrying and sobbing. So we went out the

front door, and they were all standingin the front yard. I said, 'What did youdo, scare yourselves with ghost stories?'I told them to come in, but theywouldn't. My daughters told me,'Mommy, don't go upstairs.' Finally Icoaxed them all back into the house,but they were still crying and shaking.After a while they told me whathappened, but it came out very broken.

My husband tried to convince themthey were just imagining it. Finally Ellensaid, 'I know what. Go up and get thepiece of paper off the Ouija board.' Myhusband went up alone, and came backdown with the Ouija board and thepointer and the paper. And he said, ' Isthis what scared you kids? Who drewthis?' And they said, 'Drew? Isn't therea name on it? And Ron said, 'No, there'sa picture on here. But it's very faint.'So we turned on the lamp and held itunder the light and could see it clearly.It was a picture of Satan, but not theSatan a kid would draw. This thing wasso elaborate: Beard, horns, a figure ofa man sitting on a huge rock, legscrossed, with cloven hooves and themost horrible grin on his face.

"Ron took the Oiuja board and thepointer and the paper outside, andburned everything in their presence.My daughters' friends were still inhysterics, though. And they called theirparents and asked them to pick themup. They said, 'We're not spending thenight here. This is a weird house. Andwe think your mom is really weird too.'They left in tears, and my daughterswere in tears.

(A Mother – Tennessee, USA)

T

On the 150th year of his death, we present a very short biography

of St. Dominic Savio, in order to commemorate this event.

Dominic Savio died on 8-3-1857, was beatified on 5-3-1950 by

H.H. Pope Pius XII and canonized on 12-6-54 by the same Pope.

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PROMISE OF HOLINESS

Dominic was born on April 2, 1842, inSan Giovanni di Riva, near Chieri(Turin). On the occasion of his FirstCommunion, at the age of seven, heset out his life's programme: "I will goto Confession frequently andCommunion as often as my confessorallows. I want to make Sundays andfeast days holy. My friends will be Jesusand Mary. Death but not sin". At twelve,Don Bosco accepted him into theOratory in Turin and Dominic asked

his help in order to "become a saint".Gentle, serene and happy, he put greateffort into fulfilling his duties as a studentand helping his companions in everyway he could, teaching them Catechism,assisting the sick and settling quarrels.

ROAD TO HOLINESS

One day he said to a companion, whohad just arrived in the Oratory: "Youshould know that here we makeholiness consist in being always cheerful.We just try to avoid sin, which is the

St. Dominic SavioSt. Dominic Savio

33

great enemy that robs us of the graceof God and peace of heart, and wetry to fulfil our duties exactly." Hewas very faithful to his programmeof work, sustained by intenseparticipation in sacramental life, by afilial devotion to Mary and by joyfulsacrifice. God enriched him with manyspecial gifts.

LOVE FOR MARY

On December 8, 1854, when Pius IXproclaimed the dogma of theImmaculate Conception, Dominicconsecrated himself to Mary andbegan to advance rapidly in holiness.In 1856, he founded the ImmaculateConception Sodality among his friends.This was a group dedicated toapostolic action and peer ministry.

LOVE FOR THE EUCHARIST

Mamma Margaret, who had come toTurin to help her priest son DonBosco, one day said to him: "You havemany good boys, but no one surpassesthe beauty of heart and soul ofDominic Savio". And she explained:"I see him always praying, evenremaining in Church after the others;every day he leaves recreation tovisit the Blessed Sacrament; when heis in Church, he is like an angel inHeaven".

Dominic died in Mondonio on March9, 1857. His remains are in the Basilicaof Mary Help of Christians in Turin.His feast is celebrated on May 6. PopePius XI defined him as "A little, orrather, a great giant of the Spirit". Heis patron of young choir singers.

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Fr. Paul Formosa sdb Delegation Economer

Savio College, Buskett Road, Dingli, RBT 09.Tel: 2145 4546

Ghinil-hidma

Salesjana

awk li huma l-iΩjed fil-periklu l-aktar jin˙tie©u g˙ajnuna. Dawk lim’g˙andhomx le˙en je˙tie©u xi ˙add jiddefendihom. San Ìwann Bosco

kien jafu dan. Hu ˙adem f’˙ajtu kollha g˙aΩ-Ωg˙aΩag˙, g˙all-foqra u g˙aldawk li huma l-aktar fil-bΩonn.

Huwa fatt ta’ swied il-qalb li llum ˙afna Ωg˙aΩag˙ huma:vittma ta’ min juΩahom biex jistg˙ana

  abbuΩati sesswalment  uΩati mill-mexxejja tad-droga  imça˙˙din minn valuri essenzjali fil-˙ajja

Int tista’ tg˙inna. Meta qed tag˙mel hekk, int tkun qed tie˙u sehem fil-˙idmata’ Don Bosco. Alla biss ikun jaf il-©id li tkun qed tag˙mel.

A˙na s-Salesjani, fil-quddies u t-talb tag˙na, niftakru f’dawk kollha li jg˙inunab’xi mod jew ie˙or. Ma tit˙ajjarx tg˙inna int ukoll? Il-Mulej li qal: “dak litag˙mlu ma’ l-içken fost ˙utkom tkunu qed tag˙mluh mieg˙i”, Ωguribierkek g˙al kull g˙ajnuna li tista’ tag˙ti.

B˙ala g˙ajnuna g˙all-missjoni tag˙kom. Naf li din ma tqieg˙edl-ebda obligazzjoni fuqi u li nista’ nwaqqaf il-kontribuzzjonitieg˙i meta rrid.

Iva, nixtieq ng˙in lis-Salesjani. Se nibg˙at

ISEM

INDIRIZZ

On 26th April 1852, the

ammunition depot in

Turin, exploded. The

Oratory was situated

near enough to suffer

serious damages.

Fortunately no one was

hurt. As a memento of

this protection from

heaven, Don Bosco

printed five thousand

holy pictures

representing Our Lady

protecting the Oratory.

On top there were

printed the words: “In

danger and in need

recur to Mary” and

underneath the image,

“The sons of the Oratory

of St. Francis of Sales to

Mary our Consoler:

prostrated at your feet,

saved from the burning

powder, we give thanks

to you, Holy Virgin”.

(From “La Madonna

di D. Bosco” by

C. De Ambrogio

and G. Del Col)

r-Rettur Ma©©ur, qieg˙ed, din is-sena,jistedinna sabiex in˙arsu lejn wie˙edmill-isba˙ doni ta’ Alla li hija L-ÓAJJA.

Hu jag˙tina ˙jiel fuqiex nimxu metajg˙idilna

Ejjew ni©u mmexxija mill-im˙abbata’ Alla g˙all-˙ajja.

Imbag˙ad jistedinna sabiexf’dawn iΩ-Ωminijietmeta l-˙ajja hija mheddamill-kultura tal-mewt,a˙na, b˙ala FamiljaSalesjana, nikkommetturu˙na sabiexnilqg˙u l-˙ajja b˙aladon sagru ta’ Alla,in©ibu l’ quddiemil-˙ajja b’servizzresponsabbli,niddefendu d-dinjitàu kwalita` ta’ kull˙ajja, specjalmenttad-dg˙ajjef, tal-fqiru ta’ l-innoçenti.

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