Posted December 20, 2007

Chile – Don Bosco Patron of the “Pymes”, small and medium-sized businesses

(Santiago) – Because of the great esteem for the Salesian charism and the Salesian Congregation in Chile, St. John Bosco has been delared the Patron of National Small and  Medium-sized Businesses (Pymes). On December 4, 2007, the Communications Office of the Province of Chile (CIL) announced this decision made by the National Confederation of Medium-sized, Small and Micro Businesses, Services and Crafts of Chile (CONUPIA) in honor of its 40th anniversary.

In mid-October, the Salesian Provincial of Chile, Fr. Natale Vitali, was asked by the Confederation to approve this naming. The letter, signed by the National President, Iván Vuskovic, and by the Secretary General of CONUPIA, José Luis Ramírez, explained that their choice of Don Bosco as patron was  “in recognition of the extensive, manifold and fruitful work developed by the Salesian Congregatio in our country, in the promotion and the development of businessmen and qualified workers thanks to the training enjoyed by many generations in Salesian work-shops, technical schools, institutes and academic centers.”

Fr. Vitali expressed the satisfaction of the whole Province at the choice made of Don Bosco as the Patron of small and medium-sized businesses as being closely linked with the Salesian mission: working with young workers, the preparatioon and training of young Chileans in Institutes, Vocational Training Schools and Technical Training Centers. In preparation for the formal naming of Don Bosco as Patron, the Salesians prepared statistics on the number of students presently training in Salesian scools and centers in Chile. Additionally, they provided historical documentation of the contribution made by Don Bosco in the training of young workers in Turin, Italy, at the end of the nineteenth century. The report pointed out that there are clear and precise work contracts to safeguard the young workers from any sort of exploitation.

Italy – Christmas Concert for Darfur

(Verona) – “My greatest satisfaction is going into the workshops and seeing our youngsters learning a trade that will allow them to look after their own families, their own children.” These are some of the words Fr. Vincenzo Donati, a Salesian missionary for fifty years, the last fifteen of them in Sudan, spoken at the Christmas Concert held on December 9, 2007, at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona.

The short interview concluded the evening of Christmas music and song and with the spirit of solidarity promoted by Prime Time Promotions during its 15 years of Christmas Concerts. The Show was introduced by Mara Venier, a well-known celebrity in Italy. He provided thoughts for reflection in support of the solidarity campaign for Darfur launched by the Don Bosco in the World Foundation.

Those who performed in the course of the evening- some more than once - included: Michael Bolton, Anggun, Eugenio Bennato, Mario Biondi, Giovanni Allevi, the soprano Mika Kunii and the tenor Francesco Malapena, Gerardina Trovato, Lighea, Massimo Ranieri, Serena Autieri, The Virginia Gospel Choir, Ornella Vanoni, Ron and the duo RyanDan.

Two performances directly addressed the situation in Darfur: the song of Mattafix, “Living Darfur”, accompanied by some images from their video that documents the plight of the Darfur refugees, and Niccolò Fabi who sang “Millions of Days.” During his song some of the images he himself had recently filmed in Elobeid were shown. Fr. Donati, the Salesians and the youngsters from the center served as the background images for the music. At the end of his performance he said: “There are some very special people there who manage to give the youngsters hope for the future.”

“It was seeing those youngsters left to themselves and without any hope,” Fr. Donati said, “that moved me to take the initiative and do something. And so, like Don Bosco, we set to work. Our aim was to bring them together and offer them the possibility of building a future. At first we managed to provide for sixty or so youngsters, and now there are 400. But I would like them to be 4,000!”

Among those present at the evening were the Mayor of Verona, Dr. Flavio Tosi, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Verona, Msgr. Giuseppe Pellegrini, the Director of RAI 2, Antonio Marano, Fr. Pascual Chávez, Rector Major of the Salesians, his Vicar, Fr. Adriano Bregolin, Fr. Giovanni Mazzali, Economer General, and Fr. Tarcisio Scaramussa, Councillor for Social Communication.

After the evening concert, there was a Grand Gala Ceremony in Nobles’ Hall in the Great Palace of Verona. The Rector Major personally expressed his thanks to the perfomrers on behalf of the Don Bosco Foundation and presented them with a scroll and a silver medal of Don Bosco.

The Concert, recorded by the technicians of the RAI will be broadcast on the evening of December 24, 2007 by RAI 2. The channel will promote the solidarity campaign December 22-26th and will be inviting the people of Italy to contribute to the projects the Don Bosco in the World Foundation and with other members of the  Don Bosco Network on behalf of the young refugees in Darfur. For further information: www.donbosconelmondo.org

Italy – 12th Ongoing Formation Course for Missionaries

(Rome) – The Ongoing Formation Course for Missionaries organized by the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome in collaboration with the Department for the Salesian Missions began on September 18, 2007 and concluded on December 12, 2007. It provided a period of reflection and cultural, theological, and spiritual updating for those who had spent some years as missionaries 

This was the twelth course and had 47 missionaries enrolled. Ninetten Salesians and 11 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Perù, Bolivia, Angola, Ivory Coast, Benìn, Kenya, Congo, Cameroon, India, Nepal, Philippines, Korea, Sri Lanka, Timor, Belarus and Albania, as well as missionaries from other congregations took part in the course.

Hungary – Conclusion of the diocesan enquiry into the martyrdom of Stephen Sándor

(Budapest) – At the end of the diocesan enquiry into the martyrdom of the  Servant of God Stephen (István) Sándor, a Salesian Brother born in Szolnok, 1914 and martyred in Budapest (1953), the Salesian Family in Hungary organized a morning of study and of prayer at Budapest on December 8, 2007. The events took plce at the Provincial House, in the church of Mary Help of Christian.

Dr. Antal Papp, a lawyer,presented the historical-political background to the sacrifice of the Servant of God. He told the large congregation of Stephen’s months of imprisonment and a show-trial. Transcripts of the trial, just recently made public were quoted at length. István was hanged on June 8, 1953.

After the talk, a solemn concelebrated Mass was celebrated. The Postulator General, Fr. Enrico dal Covolo presided, with many Salesians including the Provincial, Fr. József Havasi, the Vice Postulator of the Cause, Fr. János Sz?ke, the Vice Provincial and the Rector of the House.

In his homily, the Postulator pointed out that during the life of the Church Christian martyrdom been seen as a reliving in flesh and blood the duel between life and death, between the serpent and the Immaculate One. The martyr dies with the King of Life, and with Him reigns forever. He also invited the faithful from this point of view to consider “the pleasant young man, István Sándor, a Salesian Brother who had three great loves: books (he was a skilled printer), the house of God (he was master of ceremonies and in charge of the altar boys), the Salesian oratory (he was a great youth leader). For this reason and because he never tired of speaking to the youngsters about Jesus, István was hanged on 8 June 1953. He was 39 years of age. Today, for the first time, - Fr. dal Covolo concluded – we are remembering him in a special way, during this celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Why? Because today is the birthday of the Salesian Congregation, which István entered in 1940. But for us Salesians it all began a hundred years before, 8 December 1841, with that Hail Mary that Don Bosco said with all his heart, with Bartholomew Garelli. But today we are also celebrating the solemn conclusion of the diocesan enquiry in view of the beatification of István.” The Official Acts of the diocesan process have been entrusted to Fr. dal Covolo so that he can take them to Rome where the Roman process with the Holy See will begin immediately.

Tonga – First Salesian ordained priest

(Nuku`alofa) – The Australian Pacific Province (AUL) celebrated the ordination of Aleki Piula as a priest on December 6, 2007 in the “Malia Tupu`I Maculata” (Mary Immaculate) Cathedral in Nuku`alofa, Ma`ufanga Tongatapu, by Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi.

The Salesians don’t have  a community in Tonga and Fr. Aleki’s vocational story is an interesting one. In 1995, Aleki was teaching science in the Nukunuku Campus of the Tupou High School in Tonga where he met Mrs. Dolores Hoare, an Australian volunteer teacher of English. Speaking with her, he said he really wanted to work for young people and have a system for teaching them that did not rely on the stick. Dolores explained the Salesian Preventive System that she herself had learned from  Bro. Peter Swain, a Salesian brother in Australia. After getting in touch with Br. Peter, Aleki made his pre-novitiate in Samoa. After the novitiate, Aleki went to Fiji and then to Papua New Guinea.

Aleki is thus the only Tongan member of the Salesian Congregation. There is little doubt that his ordination today before his own people will stir up great interest in the Salesian vocation. Fr. Aleki celebrated his first Mass at Malia Fa`e`o e Ha`a Tangata Church `Utulau on December 8th. He will then begin his work as an assistant priest in the Salesian parish of St. John’s, Glenorchy in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Italy – Music ambassador of solidarity

(Rome) – A charity concert for the Child Health project organized by the Alma Salus Association was held in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Rome on December 4, 2007. The proceeds were st aside to help construct a Family Home for sick children from the Umberto I Hospital.

Over 400 people attended the event. The Concert, entitled Puer Natus est Nobis, was given by the Roman Inter-University Choir conducted by Fr. Massimo Palombella S.D.B. Pieces by Pierluigi da Palestrina, Johann Sebastian Bach, Tommaso Ludovico Da Vittoria, Domenico Bartolucci and Valentino Miserachs were performed for the enjoyment of all. The audience was thus able to enjoy some Advent and Christmas pieces of classical Roman polyphonic choral work and traditional German organ music.

Cardinal Oscar Luigi Maradiaga, S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucicalpa and President of Caritas International, in his few words invited those present to consider the needs of others and to “open their hearts to them as did Don Bosco.”

The  Alma Salus Association is involved in other voluntary projects connected with the work of the Umberto I Hospital in Rome, a project to help and support child victims of exploitation and violence in Albania, and the preparation of workers and volunteers who are involved in child health departments. The Concert will soon be available on CD with all proceeds from the sale going toward the Child Health Project.

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