contents - don bosco's madonnadonboscosmadonna.org/2009archives/feb.pdf · february 2009 6 don...

February 2009 2 Don Bosco's Madonna

From The Editor's Desk:A Time of Terror....................... 3

2 - Remain In My Love- Fr. Erasto Fernandez. SSS.....4

"With God, All Things Are Possible"- Br. Damodar Wankhede sdb...7

Couple Love Modelled On The Trinity- Anthony Rudoni........................8

Why "Yahweh" Isn't Used in Catholic Liturgy

- Zenit News............................10

Witnesses In And For Our Times:Seven Servite Holy Founders(February 17)- Mario Scudu...........................13

Lectio Divina: Hail Mary: - BlessedAre You Among Women

- Roberta Fora.........................16

Quietspaces: Thinking About Lent- Raymond Maloney.................18

Family Secrets (4)- Helen Morgan........................20

Don Bosco The Great Dreamer- Natale Cerrato.......................23

NewsBits..........................................26

Teaching Holiness With Don Bosco: Michael Magone Helps His Companions - Claudio Russo 29

DON BOSCO'S MADONNA Mumbai FEBRUARY 2009 vol.10 No. 10

In a Cheerful Mood.........................15Loving Children to their

Loving Mother...........................32The Devotion of

the Three Hail Marys................33They Are Grateful to

Our Lady & Don Bosco.............34Thanks to Dear

St. Dominic Savio.....................35

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTS

Cover: The Holy Family

Mary is readyto accompany us

out ofthe deserts

of daily lifein orderto cross

the thresholdof life.


Fr. Ian Doulton sdb

A Time of Terror

As I write this page it is nearing Christmas but you will only read it two months hence. The city is still

reeling under the shock of the terror attacks and becausemy mind is still numbed by this horrid event I feel likereflecting with you on this scar left on our city of Mumbai.

Even though I was here at the Shrine and rather far from where theattacks took place I was still rather shaken. The scenes were like somethingout of the movies. As news filtered through the air waves I sensed thetension all around. For some time now even people who come to the shrinetend to look around when there is an unfamiliar sound of any kind. Theyare still rather edgy. Strange as it may seem, I became aware of the tragedyonly in the wee hours of the following morning. People who had no ideaof the geography of Mumbai were calling from many parts of the world toinquire how we were. They had already seen it on their TV screens, and inthe hours and days that followed, like most others I watched the unfoldingof that shocking tragedy for the next three days. It all felt so surreal:uncomfortably close, and yet eerily remote.

That sense of unreality remained with me in the days that followed. Insome respects, Mumbai returned quickly enough to a kind of normality.Buses and taxis began operating again, streets became congested as usual,shops and offices reopened, even the "BombayLocals" - suburban trainswere back to a regular service, and people went back to their dailyoccupations. Yet, behind the apparent normality, one could sense the grief,the anger and the fear. People talked incessantly about how a son couldhave been at that station, or a mother at the hotel. They recalled the horrorof having been so close to what had happened just an hour before it tookplace. And they were nervous. A police car zipped by: did it indicateanother attack? That tourist with a suitcase: could he be another terrorist?And that young man hurrying nervously by: could he be trusted?

Alongside the pain and confusion, there was also stories of extraordinarybravery and kindness. The emergency services worked as best as theycould in spite of all the post-fact incrimination. In what was a totallyunprepared situation they worked heroically and with calm efficiency.Firemen braved the sweltering heat to rescue those trapped inside closedspaces and later, returned to retrieve bodies. Hospital staff worked roundthe clock to treat the injured. People worked together to give succour to thetraumatized, and assured disoriented tourists and others who justhappened “to-be-in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time.” Everywherepeople listened, consoled and encouraged one another. In a sense Mumbaibecame one big community during those weeks, a community in mourning,certainly, but a community of care and concern too.

Later that month, as I made my way to the south of the city to wherethose dastardly acts took place, I thought of the parable of the wheat andthe cockle. Gross evil stalks our world certainly, but compassion and loveare abundant too. And, in the end, it is love that will prevail.


2. REMAIN IN MY LOVE!Fr. Erasto Fernandez, sss

CEL SERIES

John and I strained forward,’recalls TF, ‘as if to assist his

rickety dilapidated Jeep, climbingprecariously up a steep hill dirtroad strewn with loose slidingrock.’ A throbbing heartbeat later,they were suddenly catapulted tothe ground, the Jeep’s wheelsspinning dizzily pointedskyward. She screamed repeatedlyand frantically for John but hercries were met with a deafeningsilence. As a result of thisdevastating accident, TF becamea paraplegic but her spirit wasn’tyet beaten – she worked feverishlyfor several weeks in physicaltherapy. Every muscle and bonein her upper body screamed, butshe would not stop. Struggling tohold herself upright on parallelbars, she swung her legs ahead ordragged them behind her, refusingto accept their nagging numbness.But before long she was told by herdoctor: “You’ve given it all you’vegot, TF, but you’ve not shown theslightest improvement. I’m goingto have to discharge youtomorrow.”

An Uncertain Future“I will walk. I know it,” she

resolutely and stout-heartedlyprophesied to herself. Cradlingher head in her hands, with mistyeyes she recalled the sequence ofevents of her now shattered life.‘We had first become acquaintedas pen pals. I so admired John’sstruggle to become a doctor and toserve his people with no thoughtof personal gain. It was not just aprofession for him, it was a God-

given mission. So when he invitedme to spend the summer with himas an assistant and travelingteacher on vacation from myregular teaching job, I couldbarely contain my excitement.Many of the families he treatedlived in remote areas that oftenlacked roads, and the smallchildren had no benefit ofschooling…’

‘While we were on one of these‘good-Samaritan’ trips, abruptly,I cried out: “Stop, John! Stop!”Alarmed but calm, he listened tomy excited cries. “Look up there!”I shouted. “Look, an eagle! Oh!It’s my very first one.” Overcomeby its beauty and majesty, I wept.With quiet admiration he hadsaid. “From this moment on, youshall be known as Little Eagle.”In that moment we fell in love.Each morning after that, Johnwould call, “Come, Little Eagle,it’s time to soar. The children needyou.”

John and I had cared for themtotally, their bodies, minds andspirits. Our recompense was atbest a shared poor man’s meal, asincere heartfelt hug or a warmexpressive handshake. Gratefulwomen sometimes offered topatch our threadbare jeans withbits of colorful cloth. With themeager stipend we received fromthe government, we procuredupgraded medical supplies andnourishing treats for thechildren… And then came thatterrible accident in which he wasno more and I myself wasrendered a helpless paraplegic!’


What Next?These are the memories that

sustained and tortured her onceher dreams were shattered. Johnwas dead and her personal careerwas over because none of the cityschools provided wheelchairfacilities. The principal of her lastschool had offered to build aramp, but his request to have herreturn was denied by theauthorities…

In the hospital, she cried herselfto sleep. And then a strange thinghappened: she awoke one nightonly to see John sitting on her bed,and she heard his gentle voice asif he were whispering in her ear:“The Little Eagle that I know andlove would not give up so easily,”he seemed to chide her. “You haveto help yourself soar again - thecity children need you.Imprisoned in their concretejungle, they know nothing of thejoys of nature. Share yourbubbling joy with them; bring itinto the classroom. You have thisGod-given gift, Little Eagle. Don’tsquander it away.” Then he wasgone.

Reality or Dream!Brought back to the doctor’s

decision with a sickening thud,she repeated to herself softly: “Iwill walk. I know it,” to which thedoctor replied decisively:“Sweetie, you’re in denial; at somepoint you’ll be better off acceptingthe reality of your situation.”

Reality, she mused, as shedrifted to sleep that night. Butthen, it happened again! In herown words: ‘About 3 a.m. a voiceawakened me. “Come, Little Eagle- it’s time to soar.” John was oncemore standing over my bed,smiling. “Push your legs over the

edge and stand up.” He knelt atmy feet and gently rubbed my legsuntil they tingled. I swear I couldfeel his hands touching me. Thenhe stood with hands outstretchedand backed away. “Walk with menow.”

With hesitant, shuffling steps, Ifollowed him out of my room andinto the hall. My eyes were rivetedon John, coaxing every step. Astairway loomed ahead.

“One step at a time, Little Eagle;you can do it.”

The sensation in my legs wasalmost unbearable as I clamberedone painful step after another.Suddenly, from the stairwell door,the excited voices of the residentintern and head nurse carried upthe stairs.

“I’ll always be with you,” Johnwhispered and with a kiss on mycheek, he was gone…’

A Miracle of LoveFor the next two hours, doctors

poked and prodded; theymumbled to each other about ‘a


spontaneous something or other,’and finally left. When all wasquiet, a nurse came in and sat onher bed. “I saw the young manleading you up the stairs,” shesaid quietly. “Is he your guardianangel?” “Yes, he is” was theconfident and serene response!

Two months later, she returnedto her teaching job with a gaitsorely lacking in feminine grace,but carrying her forwardnonetheless. Her classroom isnow filled to bursting with all thewonders of nature. The walls arecovered from ceiling to floor withcolorful sights from the wild.Many teachers take pride inshepherding their charges to herroom to view live creaturesfirsthand. In each child’s eyes,wide with wonder, TF still seesher beloved John, smiling.

Love Endures ForeverA dreamlike story true, yet one

that baffled medical science,though not the logic of love. Thisstory is so much reminiscent ofwhat Jesus himself does for eachone of us. In his case though, hewas aware that he was ‘going tothe Father’ and so before he lefthis beloved disciples, he assuredthem of this abiding presence.Realizing how the shockingevents of his passion and deathwould demoralize every one ofhis timid followers, he returnedto reassure them: ‘Do not be afraid,it is I… I am with you till the endof time.’

Further, Christ’s risen presenceamong us today is not a merestatic presence, although we tendto understand it precisely in thoseterms: ‘Jesus is there – everyoneto him!’ However, in the abiding

sacrament of his love, he is notmerely there, passively as it were;he is much more ‘there-for-you/us.’ The Risen Lord is the Son ofGod and so shares in the attributesof God himself. One of theoutstanding qualities of God thatIsrael picked up way back duringtheir desert journey, was that Godis ‘Yahweh’, (I am who I am) theGod who is always present,whose love cannot allow him tobe absent to any given situation.And wherever he is present, he isactively present to save his chosenpeople. Our God and likewise hisbeloved son Jesus, our Risen Lord,is not like other deities that are themere work of human hands: ‘Theyhave eyes but they cannot see, earsbut they cannot hear… but ourGod is in the heavens, he doeswhatever he wills!’ (Ps. 115:3-11).

With this powerful God as ourfriend and traveling companion,is there anything we would notbe able to do if our faith in hispresence is strong and alive?With God nothing is impossibleand this would be our dailyexperience as often as we give hima chance! When we truly seek tobelong to him, and he knows thesincerity with which we come tohim, he will not let us down. ‘Cometo Me all you who labour and areoverburdened and I will give youstrength!’ (Mt 11:28-30).


NewsVOCATION PROMOTION

"WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE"Br. Damodar Wanhkede, sdb

Administrator, Bosco Snehalaya, Baroda, Gujarat

For further contact Fr Brian Moras sdb: [email protected]

My story begins at the homeof the dear Missionary Sisters

of Charity who took care of me eversince I could remember right up tothe time they placed me in a boardingschool in Amravati. When I was inStd. VIII a religious brother kindledin me a strong desire to become areligious, but when I expressed thisdesire to become a religious I wasbitterly discouraged. Thereafter I wasmore determined to want to followGod’s call to become a religious if itwas God’s will.

The year that I approached mybishop (a former religious) I had failedin my Std X exams (by one mark inone subject - English). So whiletrying to complete my Std. X I tookup the job of a peon at the school.Finally, having completed my SSC, Iwas sent to Nagpur to do an ITI course.On completion of the course I taughtat that same institute for twoyears…and once more expressedmy desire to become a religious.

The dear Missionaries of Charitycontinued to encourage me toseriously consider my vocation oncemore. That was when I joined theMSFS but…three years later Idiscontinued. After that I came toBombay to pursue my CTI to ensurethat I would have a recognizedtechnical degree. During that time Iwas directed to St. Joseph’s Tech.School Kurla where I met the rectorFr. Romulo. He invited me to try thelife of a Salesian Brother, many ofwho were working at the Institutethere. I visited the community severaltimes and some time later Fr.Vincent Rasquinha (Fr. Romulo'ssuccessor) suggested that I take acloser look at the life of the Salesian

brother. What I saw fascinated me.After Seven years in temporary vowsI took my perpetual vows as aSalesian Brother.

At this moment all I feel is asense of deep gratitude to the GoodLord and his Blessed Mother whoguided me and sent into my life suchwonderful people as the Missionariesof Charity, my adopted parents Mr.and Mrs. Gaikwad who loved me liketheir own child. And now for the past21 years I have been a happy andfulfilled Salesian brother.

God works in his own wonderfulways in each of our lives. His planfor each of us is the right plan andit is always good. He puts thisdesire to follow Him into our heartsand all we need to do is to followthis prompting. When you trust Godat the centre of your life He makesall things happen for you becauseyou are fulfilling his design.


COUPLE LOVEMODELLED ON THE TRINITY

By Anthony Rudoni

The Father is God, but God isnot only Father; the Son is

God, but God is not only Son; theHoly Spirit is God, but God is notonly the Holy Spirit.

Because of this Christiansbelieve in one God in threepersons: Father, Son and HolySpirit, distinct from one anotherbut each of the them can say thatthey are love par excellence because“God is love” (1 Jn 4, 8).

Speaking of the creation of man,the Bible says on its first pages“God created man” (Gen 1, 27).We note here that the verb issingular and at the same time weread a little further that God said:“Let us make man in our image”(Gen 1, 26). Note here that the verbis plural. It is only with therevelation of Jesus that we clearlycome to know the Trinity, theplurality of the one God. It mayperhaps be noted already whenthe Old Testament insinuates theTrinity while narrating theapparition at Mamre whenAbraham welcomed the threemysterious characters. Note therethe singular: “Sir, please do notpass by my home withoutstopping; I am here to serve you.”Then notice the plural, “You(plural) can rest here beneath thistree. I will also bring a bit offood…” (Gen 18, 3-5).

We find this same uniquenessand plurality present in man too:“So God created human beings,making them like himself. Hecreated them male and female”(Gen 1, 27).

It seems therefore that there is asimilarity between God and manup to this point: Just as God is oneand three so also man is somehowone and three. In this case fromunity to divine trinity one canpass on from unity to humantrinity.

But in what sense are we tospeak of the human trinity? Tocomprehend this one must return


to God. He is triune, becauseFather and Son are like the twopoles of the divine relationshipand the Holy Spirit is the link inthis relationship, the personifiedlove between the Father and the Son.

So too with man, created by Godin His image, he has two poles,male and female and betweenthese two poles there is arelationship of love that again inthe final analysis, is the HolySpirit!

Thus, just as the Holy Spiritunites the Father and the Son Heintends to unite the human couplewho are willing and working toform a complete family of Hischildren.

It is true that our selfishnessoften refuses the plan of the Father(that every human couple should

model itself on the Divine Trinity)but our refusal can never destroythe image that God had of manfrom the beginning. Man onlyprevents this image becomingresplendent. It remains dark,enshrouded in shadow. ButChrist, God made man havingredeemed us has given us back theability to become resplendent oncemore like the Holy Trinity.

Considering things as they are,it would seem appropriate toreflect on couple love here.Couples intending to live theirChristian marriage modelled onthe Divine Trinity according to theplan of the Heavenly Father aremade resplendent once more bythe redemptive grace of theIncarnate Son under the guidanceof ‘love’ in the person of the HolySpirit. Through Christianmarriage spouses are capable ofbecoming like God, one in three!

This order of couples seemed tohave been prevalent from the earlyChurch. The Pope St. Gregory theGreat who distinguished variouscategories of religious placed onthat list married couples as well.Even the Vatican Council II spokeof “Christian marriedcouples…attain holiness in theirmarried life and in the rearing oftheir children. Hence by reason oftheir state in life and of theirposition they have their own giftsin the people of God” (LumenGentium, 11).

The Catechism of the CatholicChurch expresses this samethought more explicitly: amongthe orders of the Church are foundspouses (1537). “Marriageintroduces one into an ecclesialorder and creates rights andduties in the Church” (1631).

Couple love reflects on earthGod's fidelity to man


Why "Yahweh" Isn't Used in Catholic Liturgyfrom Zenit News

To understand the Vaticandirective reiterating that the

name of God revealed in thetetragrammaton YHWH is not to bepronounced in Catholic liturgy, ithelps to know the history behindthe Jewish tradition, says a biblicalexpert.

Father Michel Remaud, directorof the Albert Decourtray Institute, aChristian institute of Jewish studiesand Hebrew literature, explained toZENIT that the message publishedin June by the Congregation forDivine Worship and the Sacramentsreflects current Jewish practice.

The Vatican note explained:“The venerable biblical traditionof sacred Scripture, known as theOld Testament, displays a seriesof divine appellations, amongwhich is the sacred name of Godrevealed in a tetragrammatonYHWH — hwhw.

“As an expression of the infinitegreatness and majesty of God, itwas held to be unpronounceableand hence was replaced during thereading of sacred Scripture bymeans of the use of an alternatename: ‘Adonai,’ which means‘Lord.’”

Biblical expert says it reflects Jewish tradition

Father Remaud said that “untilalmost the year 200 B.C., the divinename was pronounced everymorning in the temple in the priestlyblessing: ‘The Lord bless and keepyou: The Lord make his face to shineupon you, and be gracious to you’”(Numbers 6:24-26).

He said this blessing originatedout of the context of the next versein Numbers: “So shall they put myname upon the people of Israel,and I will bless them.”

Left unsaidFurthermore, the priest said that

the Mishna, the Jewish lawcodified toward the end of thesecond century, specifies that thename was pronounced in thetemple ‘as it is written,’ whileanother denomination (Kinuy) wasused in the rest of the country. Aftera certain period, the divine namewas no longer pronounced in thetemple’s daily liturgy.

“The Talmud leads one tounderstand that the decision wastaken to avoid a magic use of thename by some.”

According to Father Remaud’ssources, ever “since the death of


the high priest Simon theRighteous, about 195 B.C., thedivine name was no longerpronounced in the daily liturgy.”

The expert compared theTalmud’s testimony with the Bookof Sirach, which mentions Simonthe Righteous in Chapter 50.Chapters 44-50 remember all“godly men” since Enoch,including Abraham, Moses andDavid.

Father Remaud said the seven-chapter passage ends with thehigh priest Simon pronouncingthe divine name: “Then Simoncame down, and lifted up his handsover the whole congregation of thesons of Israel, to pronounce theblessing of the Lord with hismouth, and to glory in his name;and they bowed down in worshipa second time, to receive theblessing of the Most High” (Sirach50:20-21).

From the time of Simon theRighteous until the temple’s ruin,the name was only heard “as it iswritten” during the Yom Kippurliturgy at the temple of Jerusalem,where the high priest pronouncedit 10 times, continued FatherRemaud.

“On hearing the explicit namefrom the mouth of the high priest,the ‘cohanim’ [Aaron’sdescendants] and the peoplepresent in the atrium knelt down,prostrated themselves with theirface on the ground saying: ‘Blessedbe the glorious name of hisKingdom forever.’”

The Mishna does not say that thehigh priest pronounced the divinename, but that the name “came outof his mouth,” he clarified.

A whisperMoreover, continued Father

Remaud, it seems that toward theend of the period of the secondtemple — 70 A.D. — the high priestnow only pronounced the word ina whisper. This was explained ina childhood memory of RabbiTarphon (1st-2nd centuries), whorecalls that even straining to hear,he could not hear the name.

The biblical scholar also notedthat the formula of Exodus — “Thisis my name forever” (Exodus 3:15)— through a play of words inHebrew is interpreted by theTalmud of Jerusalem as “This is myname to remain hidden.”

“Today, the divine name is neverpronounced,” continued FatherRemaud. “In the Yom Kippur officeof the synagogue, which replacesthe temple’s liturgy by therecitation of what took place whenthe temple existed, the peopleprostrated themselves in thesynagogue when recalling —though not pronouncing — that thehigh priest pronounced the divinename.”

The Catholic priest noted that thefirst Christians called “Jesus by theterm ‘Lord’ (Kyrios),” by whichthey “deliberately applied the termused in Greek to translate the divinename.”

“In Judaism’s liturgical tradition,this divine name was onlypronounced in the liturgy offorgiveness of sins, on the day ofKippur,” he continued. “One mightsee an allusion to this tradition andto the purifying power of the Name,in this verse of the First Letter of St.John: ‘Your sins are forgiven for hisnames’ sake’ (1 John 2, 12).”


PROFILES

IN THE SERVICE OF GODTHE SEVEN HOLY FOUNDERS XIII CENT.

THE SERVITES (17 FEBRUARY)by Mario Scudu (T/A I.D.)

Let us take a leap back to the cityof Florence in the first half of

the XIII Century. The city was notlarge but it was already wellorganized. It was neitherpolitically or strategically importantyet but it distinguished itself for theresourcefulness of its citizens infields of commerce and industry.News travelled quickly in cities andthe countryside even though therewere no sophisticated means ofcommunication. Even those in theoutlying villages were wellinformed. But the news they heardat this time travelled quicker thanusual and most who heard itnodded in utter amazement andcommented: “What courage!” Butwhat were they so amazed about?This was something unprecedentedin the history of the Church up tothat time. – Some of the city’s finestand most famous merchants,craftsmen and small entrepreneurshad withdrawn some 18 kmoutside the city of Florence toMount Senario and formed acommunity. They devotedthemselves to prayer andcontemplation, to penance and the

apostolate. They were wealthyand had lived in luxury; theywere well connected within andaround the city state... yet they lefteverything – a gesture that raisedmany eyebrows. There were somewho criticized them. (Who wouldnot, when it came to peopleleaving so much to the Church?)They said: “Are they abandoningtheir wives and their children?”Not exactly, they did not abandontheir families (those closest tothem) to give themselves tocontemplation. In fact those sevengentlemen left the world with thepermission of their wives (not allof them were married, one waseven a widower). Not only didtheir wives approve of thedecisions of their husbands, theyimitated them by withdrawingand forming a religiouscommunity of women. That wasnot uncommon in those times.They had even provided for theirchildren (who had already grownup) with suitable inheritances.These seven gentlemen were wellrespected businessmen inFlorence. Their names were:


Bonfiglio Monaldi, BonagiuntaManetti, Manetto of Antella,Amadio Amidei, SostegnoSostegni, Uguccione Uguccioniand Alessio Falconieri (who liveda life of penance for about 110years).

The City of Florence in XIIICentury

Their decision was neithersudden nor surprising. On thecontrary, the seven were part of aconfraternity that was prevalentat the time in Italy. They belongedto the Friars of Penance, a namethat described their vocation. Theylived in a community in penanceand poverty and preached themessage of Francis of Assisi whohad died in 1226 but whosememory and fame were still verymuch alive drawing manyfollowers and admirers, even in thecity of Florence.

In the XIII century the city ofFlorence was undergoing a greatcultural and commercialupheaval. It was growing richboth politically and economically.There were also many monasteriesof mendicant orders (like theFranciscans and the Dominicans)and numerous groups ofChristians faithful to the Church.Therefore the Franciscan (andDominican) spirits were verymuch alive. The choice that theseSeven holy men made was notmatured in a desert culture butin the hectic and busy climate ofthe city. On the outskirts of thecity, besides the mendicantorders (mainly Franciscans andDominicans) there werenumerous groups of holy menand women faithful to theChurch. They lived their fidelityto the Church in a spirit ofpoverty and prayed for thereform of the Hierarchy that hadbeen lured away from the Gospelprinciples by the wealth of thecity state.

It is curious to note that theseSeven holy men were neverreferred to individually butalways as a group. Together theybelonged to the Brothers andSisters of Penance who were anassociation of laymen whoremained in their own homes,conducting their temporal affairsfrom the confines of their familiesand in the midst of theirbusinesses. Yet were committedto working for the poor and thesick while actively participatingin the liturgical life of the Churchand praying for the reformationof the Clergy. The teachings ofSts. Francis and Dominic (whosefame was still very prevalent)strengthened their resolve.

Mary commissions the SevenHoly Founders to be models

of service to God and Neighbour


God as Mary’s SlavesWhile Florence witnessed the

struggle for power over the city bytwo rival households, the Servites,with the approval of their bishopArdingus (Ardingo) moved, in 1233outside the gates of Florence to aneighbouring area called Cafaggio,into a house dedicated to Mary.There they lived a life of poverty,fellowship, and witness based ona literal interpretation of the Gospel.Seeking stricter isolation, theydeparted, at an unstated date, forMonte Senario, about 12 miles (19

km) from Florence, where they builta hermitage, continued theirpenitential life without distraction,and laid the foundation for whatwas to become their order.According to 15th–16th-centurylegends, on April 13, 1240, a secondvision of Mary disclosed her wishesthat they serve her, wear a blackhabit, and adopt the Rule of St.Augustine of Hippo;thenceforward they were known asthe Servants of St. Mary (or Servites).They returned to Florence, wherethey built a church called St. Maryof Cafaggio (later, SantissimaAnnunziata). Bonfilius was chosensuperior, and Ardingus approvedtheir community.

According to the Legenda,however, in 1244, after prayer andwith the advice of St. Peter Martyr,the Dominican preacher who wasthen preaching in Florence and whowas later murdered by the Cathari,they adopted Augustine’s Rule andthe black habit, which becamedistinctive of the Servites; at thistime also, they decided to retain thename of Servants of Mary, by whichthey were popularly known.

Pope Alexander IV formallyapproved the Servites on March23, 1256. The exact date of birthand death and place of death ofeach founder is uncertain. At thebeginning of the 16th century,however, it was recorded that thebodies of Bonfilius, Benedictdell’Antella, and Alexis Falconieriwere buried on Monte Senario. In1649, when the main altar of thechapel at Monte Senario wasbeing remodeled, the remains ofseven bodies were found, and,after being moved several times,they are now enshrined in theChapel of the Seven HolyFounders, Monte Senario.


IN A CHEERFUL MOODApology Letter

Lisa, my co-worker at the travelagency, needed to send a letter ofapology to a customer whose tripwas a complete fiasco from startto finish. I reminded her of a similarsituation a year earlier and dugout the letter I’d written then.

“All you have to do,” I told her,“is to change the details, the date,and the name.”

She looked it over and smiledwryly. “We won’t even need tochange the name.”

Parting WordsA pastor was leaving his area

and was saying farewell to hiscongregation at the Church doorsfor the last time. He shook the handof an elderly lady as she walked out.She said “Your successor won’t beas good as you.”

“Nonsense”, said the pastor, ina flattered tone.

“No, really”, said the old lady,“I’ve been here under five differentministers and each new one hasbeen worse than the last.”

Captain ComebackI worked in the biology

department at a local State College.The Maritime Institute alsostationed at the college, employed alicensed boat captain to man itsresearch vessel. It was commonknowledge that the captaincouldn’t swim. When newcomerslearned of this, they wouldapproach him about it.

“Is it true?” one of them askedincredulously. “You, a boatcaptain, can’t swim?”

“No, I can’t,” he replied. “Canpilots fly?”

Milk SwitchTo help a friend lose weight, I

told her that she should switch tolower-fat foods, including skimmilk. When she said her familywould drink only whole milk, Isuggested that she keep theirregular container and refill it withskim milk. This worked for quitea while, until her daughter askedone morning whether the milkwas okay.

“Sure, it’s fine,” my friendanswered, fearing she had beenfound out. “Why do you ask?”

The daughter explained, “Well,according to the expiration date,this milk expired two years ago!”

Bulletin BloopersSeveral members who have

been in the hospital are not ontheir way to recovery, for whichwe are thankful.

The Jack and Kill Daycare islooking for someone to help parttime on Saturdays.

What are you doing for LunchTuesday? Local Funeral DirectorBarry Gilbert will talk about thebenefits of cremation.

Leak RepairMy husband’s skills with do-it-

yourself home repairs are at bestmediocre. After spending severalevenings trying to fix a leak in thebathroom, he finally admitteddefeat and called a plumber, whofinished the job in ten minutes.

Watching him put away hisequipment, my son asked whathad been the problem.

“Well,” the plumber replied,“seems that your father got hold ofsome tools...”


'BLESSED ARE YOUAMONG WOMEN'

by Roberta Fora

If God had to choose Mary fromamong the young girls of 2009

you would certainly expect her tobe someone truly “special”someone worthy enough towelcome the Lord into her womb.

According to the world’s logicwe would think that God wouldimmediately find someone richand important, popular and wellaccepted. But no! What happenedwas exactly the contrary.

He chose a poor young and

humble girl, but above all someonetruly simple and with a pure heart.Mary was promised in marriage toJoseph, a descendant of David butshe was pure…a virgin. She had nophysical relation with any man.God is almighty and Maryconceived by the power of the HolySpirit and with that began the planof salvation of humankind.

Now we understand thatMary’s simplicity is actually her‘greatness.’ She becomes a modeland a constant reminder to usChristians who are so easily hurtand incapable of standing up tothe temptations that surround usand lure us away from holiness.

Perhaps, Mary is also blessedamong all women because she isthe “Virgin of Silence.”

There are no passages inscripture when you find Maryparticularly talkative.

She pondered all those thingsin the depths of her heart and sheprobably took her most important


decisions in a climate of that“productive silence,” a silencethat was not only the absence ofwords, but above all an attentivecontemplation of God.

Even today, the Lord does notspeak in noise, chaos or confusion.

We will be able to hear His voiceif we know how to quiet our heartsand our surroundings so as to letHis peace descend on us.

In a world full of noise and careit is not easy to follow the exampleof the Mother of Jesus. Our daysget more and more chaotic andtiresome as the hours fly by andwe run between one job andanother, looking after our childrenand spending time with ourspouse or friend or client.

That is how we are swallowedup in the deafening roar of life andwe risk finding no time to pause

and reflect. We cannot seem toclose our eyes and spend even alittle time in the dark corner of achurch to all His Word topenetrate our souls.

Help us, O Mary, to discover therare beauty of silence. Throughyour precious intercession maywe learn to savour inner peace aswe strive to take some time out ofour busy schedules to be silentand contemplate on the Lord.


DEDICATED TOTHE SEASON OF LENT

THINKING Aby Raymond

Some time ago I was discussing the subject of fasting with a ferventMuslim friend. He had a lot to say. He asked me if we Christians

had anything corresponding to Ramadan, the great annual month offasting among Muslims.

Not to be outdone, I described our tradition of the Lenten fast but, intelling my story I was only too conscious that the current practice amongCatholics was no longer the parallel to Ramadan which it once was.The Second Vatican Council had put it up to Catholics to have a morepersonal approach to such questions.

Penance and the CouncilPenance in some Christian cultures were rather severe. There were

stories of the ‘black fast.’ Though this was considerably modified inmore recent times, yet the practice of ‘one meal and two collations’ wasfamiliar to all prior to the Second Vatican Council. One of the basicconcerns of that Council was to take account of the changedcircumstances of modern times and of the non-European nature of auniversal Church. Norms once right for Europe are not equally suitablein the diverse cultures that now make up the Church.

Practising Self-DenialAt the same time, penance remains an obligation on all. Our sins

leave a residue of selfishness within us and, as a result, self-denial hasto be part of any life of faith. Most of the necessary self-denial does nothave to be sought out by itself: it is imposed on us by the ordinarydemands of living. Nevertheless, every so often, it is helpful to prepareourselves for these moments of difficulty by a self-imposed effort to say‘no’ to those things we would like to have or do. St. Paul was alreadyclear about this. He compared it to the way athletes have to keepexercising themselves long before the contest itself (1 Cor.9:24-27). Thiswas the point my Muslim friend put to me when we discussed thebenefits of fasting. Self-control is a necessary part of being human, butit is acquired only by practice.

Threefold FormThe traditional forms of voluntary self-denial are threefold: prayer,

fasting and almsgiving. These were identified already in the OldTestament (Tob.12:8), and have been continued in Christianity, as wesee in the collect of the Third Sunday of Lent.

All prayer requires some self-denial, since at the very least it demandsthe sacrifice involved in setting aside the time for it. That fasting requiresself-denial is obvious, though ‘fasting’ can be interpreted broadly as


ABOUT LENTd Maloney

referring not only to abstaining from food, but from other forms ofpleasure too, such as smoking, theatre and cinema. It was often linkedto almsgiving, in that the money saved by our abstaining can be givento some good cause.

Solidarity with JesusSo far, we have stressed the human aspect of self-denial, such as my

Swahili teacher would agree with, but of course far a Christian there ismore to self-denial than that. For us it is part of the cross which wemust take up daily if we are to follow Jesus (Lk.9:23). The daily crossesof life are just part of ordinary living, as we all know only too well. Inthe season of Lent, we bring that aspect to the fore in some voluntaryself-denial, in order to show our solidarity with our Saviour.

Easter is the annual commemoration of Christ’s death andresurrection. Lent is the annual commemoration of the way Our Lord,out of love for us, did not flinch from the sacrifice before him, but walkedtowards his death, knowing well how the die was cast (Lk.13:33).

St. Bernard went to the heart of Christian penance when he asked thequestion, ‘How can we be the pampered members of a Head crownedwith thorns?’ For Christians, penance is ultimately a matter of the heart.It is part of our union with Christ in love. He is the ‘tremendous lover’who, for our sakes, undertook all the self-denial in his life.

By voluntary self-denial during Lent, we undertake a token of all theself-denial involved in the following of Jesus; this helps us to integrateour sacrifices with his sacrifice and our crosses with his cross. Thereis always the aspect of exercising self-control, united with Christ.

Never AloneUnited with Christ in his sufferings, we are united with him in his

oblation on behalf of the world. Something of this overflows on ouroffering. Christian penance is never something we do only for ourselves;we do it for the sake of others as well.

Through our union with Christ, we can make to God an offering ofour self-denial to help others as well as ourselves. We can offer it forother members of our family, for wandering sinners, for the souls inpurgatory, for peace in the world.

A Christian is never alone. We are all members, one of another(Rom.l2:5). The application of this truth to Christian penance opens upa whole new vision of what self-denial can mean. It shows the dignityOur Lord can give to the simplest actions of his followers. Self-denialenables us to make up what still remains to be done in Christ’s oblationfor the salvation of the world (Col. l :24).


Episode Four

The Story So Far:While she and her fiancé, Jonathan,

were planning their forthcomingwedding together; Sarah Williamsreceives the news that both her parentshave been killed in a car accident.Originally Irish, Tom and BridieWilliams lived in Britain for manyyears, where Sarah, their only child,was born. Sarah has always believedthat she has no living relatives, butafter the funeral she is astonished tolearn that in fact she has cousins inIreland. Following an invitation fromher aunt, Nuala, Sarah arrives inDublin Airport to meet her relativesfor the first time. Suddenly she isstricken with panic, and decides totake the next available flight backhome...

As she picked up her luggagefrom the carousel, Sarah

noticed a young motherstruggling with two smallchildren and a heavy suitcase.Seeing this as a chance tocamouflage her entry into thearrivals lounge, where she

intended to bypass the unknownrelatives, she approached thewoman.

‘Can I heIp you?’ she askedpolitely.

‘Yes, thank you,’ the womanreplied. ‘If you could take Julie’shand, I can manage the baby andthe suitcase.’

Taking the little fair-haired girlby the hand, Sarah walked withthe family towards the arrivalsarea, where a large crowd ofpeople stood waiting behind aroped-off section. As she handedthe child over to her gratefulmother, she suddenly heard afamiliar voice behind her.

‘So there you are, Sarah.’She turned round and saw Jim

Brennan smiling at her. Her heartsank. There was no way out now.

‘Did you have a good flight?’ heasked, taking the suitcase fromher.

‘Yes, thank you,’ she replied.Just then her mother’s sister,

Nuala, arrived and, with a


beaming smile, hugged Sarahclose to her. ‘It’s great to meet youat last, Sarah,’ she said.

A tall, dark-haired youth nearbyintroduced himself as her cousin,Fergus.

‘I was so sorry to hear aboutyour poor mom,’ said Nuala.‘What an awful shock it musthave been for you.’

‘Yes, it was,’ replied Sarah, tearswelling up in her eyes.

‘Well, enough of that for now,’said Nuala cheerfully. ‘We invitedyou over to cheer you up, not todepress you!’ Sarah smiled at thestout, fashionably dressed, grey-haired woman who bore littleresemblance to her mother.

On the journey to Kilpatrick,Sarah sat with her aunt in theback of the car, while Fergus satbeside Jim Brennan who wasdriving. Shy by nature, she wasdreading having to make smalltalk with her new-found relatives,but she quickly realized that shedidn’t need to say much, since heraunt could talk for hours.

By the time the car arrived at itsdestination, Sarah had learned agreat deal about her new family.She knew that Nuala and Conhad five children, ranging in agefrom thirty-five-year-old Alfie,who was married, down tonineteen year old Fergus, whowas a philosophy student atTrinity College. She also learnedthat her mother had another sister,Kate, who was a widow with aDown’s syndrome son.

Some time later, the car pulledinto the driveway of a large, well-lit two-storey house on theoutskirts of Kilpatrick. Sarah was

stunned by the grandeur of theproperty in front of her, with itsneat, manicured lawns and well-kept grounds. She realized that hermother could not have been apenniless emigrant, coming froma home like that. Suddenly the halldoor flew open, flooding the wettarmac with light, andilluminating the occupants of thehouse as they came out to meet her.

Her Uncle Con was the first togreet her. He was a quiet, gentleman with brown-grey hair andgreen eyes framed by heavyspectacles. Behind him cameAlfie, a strikingly pretty womanwith dark hair and blue eyes; thenMaeve, a tall girl with red, curlyhair. Last, but not least, cameKevin, a tall, thin, dark-hairedman who bore an uncannyresemblance to her late mother.Two small children ran noisilybetween the adults. Sarah took oneof the children by the hand as shewas led into the hallway anddown a long corridor to the diningroom, where a table was laid fordinner.

It was a large, comfortable roomwith heavy oak furniture,magnolia-coloured walls andheavy, green velvet curtains. Ahuge coal fire blazed in thefireplace, which was surroundedby an ornate brass fender. Thearoma of roast beef wafted upfrom the kitchen below.

After her Uncle Con hadofficially welcomed her, she joinedthe family at the dining table for adelicious meal served up by Alfie.The conversation flowed easilyaround the table, and very soonSarah forgot her shyness andbegan to feel at home. Her cousinsenquired about her life inEngland, and she answered with


enthusiasm, telling them about herfiancé, her work and her friends.

When the meal was finished andthe dishes cleared away, they allgathered round the fireside incomfortable arm-chairs, while herUncle Con went in search of thefamily photo albums. Sarah satenthralled as her mother’s younglife was revealed to her through aseries of snapshots. When theyhad finished looking through thestack of albums, her auntproduced a chocolate box full ofold photos.

‘There’s one of your mothertaken with Kate and me just beforeshe got engaged to your Dad,’said Nuala, as she handed her anold black-and-white photo. Sarah

looked at the snapshot in her hand;the three sisters were by now easilyrecognizable, but she wonderedwho the fourth person was.

‘Who is the lady on Mum’s left,Auntie Nuala?’ she askedinnocently.

‘That’s your grandmother: yourmum’s mother,’ Nuala replied.Sarah looked in astonishment atthe large stern-faced woman, hergrey hair swept back in a bun, herdark eyes sharp and piercing. Sheremembered her mother’s words:‘You are the image of yourmaternal grandmother. She wassmall like you are, and verypretty.’ She did not resemble thiswoman in any way!

To be continued

Tertullian, an African theologian born about 155 AD, converted to Christianity about 193 AD. Except forSt.Augustine, he is the most important and originalecclesiastical author in Latin. In 206 AD before abandoningthe Church for a misguided sect he wrote the best of his threeworks on marriage, To His Wife. In this work he urges his wifeto choose a Christian and not a pagan husband should shechoose to marry again after his death. To encourage her tochoose a Christian husband he describes the happiness to

be found when two people united in one faith are made one in the Sacramentof Matrimony: “How shall we ever be able, adequately to describe thehappiness of that marriage which the Church arranges, the Sacrificestrengthens, upon which the blessing sets a seal, at which angels arepresent as witnesses, and to which the Father gives His consent?

How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one inhope, one in desire, one in the religion they practice. They are as brotherand sister, both servants of the same Master. Nothing divides them, eitherin flesh or in spirit. They are, in very truth, two in one flesh; and where thereis but one flesh there is also but one spirit. They pray together, they worshiptogether, they fast together: instructing one another, encouraging oneanother, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God’s churchand partake of God’s banquet; side by side they face difficulties andpersecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from oneanother; they never shun each other’s company; they never bring sorrowto each other’s hearts.

Psalms and hymns they sing to one another, striving to see which oneof them will chant more beautifully the praises of their Lord. Hearing andseeing this, Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Wherethere are two together, there also He is present, and where He is, there evilis not.” (John M. Cunningham OP)

To such as these He gives His peace


Don Bosco: The Times, The Man,The Facts

DON BOSCO THE GREAT DREAMERDON BOSCO THE GREAT DREAMERDON BOSCO THE GREAT DREAMERDON BOSCO THE GREAT DREAMERDON BOSCO THE GREAT DREAMERby Natale Cerrato (T/A:ID)

In the life of Don Bosco one findsthat he had a series of dreams

concerning his vocation to theyoung people of the Oratory, theCongregation, Salesian Missionsand on religious and politicalevents. Therefore one cannotunderstand Don Bosco unless oneconsiders him as ‘a dreamer.’

Actually, in a letter datedFebruary 10th 1885, Don Boscowrote to Mons. Cagliero: “I beg youonce more not to give too muchcredence to the dreams. If, however,they throw light on moral issues oron our rules then give them yourattention, otherwise you need not takethem seriously” (E 2532). Butconsidering the above one needsto examine the context keeping inmind Don Bosco’s othercomments. From these commentsthe reader will clearly deduce thatwhen he mentioned that not muchcredence need be given to hisdreams he meant that theircontents should not beexaggerated as perhaps some hadalready done by considering allof them to have been divinelyinspired. In fact, he neverintended to speak of the dreamsconcerning his own vocation. Hewas always very silent aboutthem.

Then what can be said of DonBosco’s Dreams?

Don Bosco’s dreams were of

various kinds, from those thatcould not have but been fromHeaven to those that hespontaneously had or imaginedand which he narrated to prove apoint. If one analyzes those aboutthe missions that were written inhis Memoirs, it would be difficultto refute that they were divinelyinspired. About the dream he hadwhen he was nine years old, forinstance, and which he mentionsin his Memoirs: “It was at that agethat I had a dream. All my life thisremained deeply impressed on mymind.” (MO 18). After havinglistened to the opinions of his

Fr. Ludwig Olive andMons. Louis Variara, the

first missionaries in China


family, in conclusion hisgrandmother commented: “Payno attention to dreams.” DonBosco adds: “I agreed with mygrandmother. However, I wasunable to cast that dream out ofmy mind. The things I shall haveto say later will give somemeaning to all this. I kept quietabout these things and myrelatives paid little attention tothem. But when I went to Rome in1858 to speak to the Pope aboutthe Salesian Congregation, heasked me to tell him everythingthat had even the suggestion of thesupernatural about it. It was onlythen, for the first time, that I saidanything about this dream whichI had when I was nine or ten yearsold. The Pope ordered me to writeout the dream in all its detail andto leave it as an encouragement tothe sons of that Congregationwhose formation was the reasonfor that visit to Rome (MO 20-21).

Regarding the dream of 1844(that of the lambs that turned intoshepherds and the vision of thegreat church with the inscriptionon it: “Hic domus mea, inde, Gloriamea” – (This is my house from heremy glory goes forth), he wrote thatit was “the second Sunday ofOctober of that year (1844)... “Theprevious evening I had gone tobed with an uneasy heart. Thatnight I had another dream whichseems to be an appendix to the one

I had at Becchi when I was nineyears old. The dream lasted mostof the night. I saw it all in greatdetail. But at the time I understoodlittle of its meaning since I putlittle faith in it. But I understoodlittle by little as the dream beganto come true. Later together withanother dream (1845) it served asa blueprint for my decisions” (MO209-210).

But even the dreams that he toldthe boys and his Salesians, writesFr. Joseph Vespignani, amissionary in Argentina, theprovincial of the Salesian housesin America and a member of theSuperior Council:

‘One day I dared to ask DonBosco about his dreams and hisextraordinary gifts and he told us:“Tell me: what would a poor man likeDon Bosco do if help didn’t alwayscome from heaven? … He would turnonce more to his dreams...” DonBosco gave this ambiguous


answer.’ (G. Vespignani, A Yearat the School of Don Bosco (1876-1877), Turin, is 1932 p. 33)

There were times when DonBosco himself doubted some of hisdreams and in narrating them headded: “So give this dream whateverconsideration you wish” (EBM12,432), while on other dreams,like the one on Ludwig Olive, theyoung Frenchman who was sentto him by the doctors. Don Boscodreamt that a mysteriouspersonage had already informedhim about the youngster’srecovery when everyone else hadalready lost hope. While talkingabout this to Fr. John BaptistLemoyne, he did not hesitate to tellhim how to treat that vision. Hecandidly replied “that is true!”(EBM 18,213) Ludwig Olive, bythen a Salesian priest, went in1906 with Fr. Aloysius Versiglia(later St. Aloysius Versliglia) onthat first mission to China wherehe died in 1919.

People could have doubted thatDon Bosco actually said: “that istrue.” But Fr. Lemoyne stillremembers the date and themoment: it was the morning ofJanuary 5th, 1887!

Fr. Cafasso’s AssessmentJust as in the life of Don Bosco

in general, so also in the case ofhis dreams in particular, God’sintervention could not be denied.It would not be easy to classifythese by categories and so cautionis necessary in order to avoid anyhasty judgements. But we mayrecall the opinion of St. JosephCafasso who played a great rolein helping Don Bosco discern hisvocation and his mission. During

his first years in Turin, Don Bosconarrated to Fr. Cafasso the dreamsconcerning his vocation andasked his opinion. The saintlypriest answered him verycarefully: “Go ahead. You mayquite safely give special emphasisto these dreams. I am convincedthey are for God’s greater gloryand the welfare of souls.” (EBM 2,322)

In the best sense of the term, DonBosco was a ‘holy dreamer’. Fr.Pascual Chàvez the Rector Majorof the Salesians said: “Dreamingfor Don Bosco was without adoubt another form of believing, anew way of living ‘as if he sawthe invisible’.” And, to quote W.Nigg who said that our saint: “wastotally open to the supernatural andhis communication with that worldwas manifested particularly in hisdreams.”


NEWSBITSNEW YORK

Three tenors, who also happen tobe diocesan priests from NorthernIreland, have signed a recordingcontract with the RCA Victor labelof Sony BMG for one million euros.(US $1.27)

They are the Priests and theirdebut album, titled “The Priests”,went on sale on November 18,2008.

The Priests sing sacred music,including “Panis Angelicus” and“Ave Maria”. Their album wasrecorded, in part, in St. Peter’sBasilica in Rome, during a breakfrom their pastoral duties. Eachpriest is associated with a parishin the Diocese of Down andConnor.

Their arrangement with SonyBMG acknowledges the priorityof their priestly duties. Their shareof the proceeds will be used fortheir parishes and to supportretired priests.

Father Eugene O’Hagan, hisbrother Father Martin O’Haganand Father David Delargy spoketo Catholic News Service in NewYork on October 21, 2008 at theend of a promotional tour for their

album.The three began singing

together in high school, wheretheir schoolmates called them“Holy Holy Holy” because of theirshared goal to enter thepriesthood.

They continued singing togetherwhile they studied at the diocesanseminary, St. Malachy’s Collegein Belfast, and took voice lessonsfrom renowned teacher FrankCapper. When the trio attendedthe Irish College in Rome, FatherEugene O’Hagan continued voicelessons and the three priests sangon many occasions, including aMass celebrated by the late PopeJohn Paul II.

The priests, all in their 40’s, saidthey were inspired by Pope JohnPaul to spread the Gospel in newways.

In a blog about their experiencesin Rome, Father Eugene O’Haganwrote, “This has been a privilegedtime for us in many unexpectedways. We are, each of us, mindfulof the exhortation of the late PopeJohn Paul II to ‘put out into thedeep’ where, leaving the securityof the familiar shoreline, we mayhave the chance of helping thoseat risk of being swept along byperilous currents and tides,mindful to avoid being caught upin them ourselves. This is achallenge made to every followerof Christ in every era and no lessurgent in today’s modern world.”

Father Eugene O’Hagan saidBishop Noel Treanor of Down andConnor “is delighted that he hasthree priests putting the dioceseon the map.”

Richard Palmese, executive vice

Father David Delargy,Father Martin O'Hagan

and his brotherFather Eugene O'Hagan


president for promotion for RCAMusic Group, said that as anexecutive he is “excited about thegreat music and the vocal talentsof our three artists.”

“As a Catholic I’m proud to beable to support their ministry,” hesaid. “It’s a celebration of popularspiritual music and a celebrationof the priesthood. The priests arebringing a message to millionsthrough the ministry of song.”

Palmese continued, “These arehit songs, spiritual classics we’vegrown up with, songs that wecherish. It’s a very worthy productcommercially and spiritually. Weneed evangelism in these times.”

He acknowledged the Priests isnot a typical group for RCA andjoked that its members were the firstartists in his more than 30 years inthe business that he can promotewithout going to confession.

Father Delargy said the threepriests were grateful for theencouragement of their confreres,whom he described as “a verystrong fraternity of priests. Theyare delighted for us and verysupportive.”

The O’Hagan brothers addedthat their 93-year-old father was“over the moon” happy for themand convinced that their recentlydeceased mother “is having wordswith God” to assure their success.

The Three Tenorscelebrating Mass

TIANJIN – CHINASt. Joseph’s Cathedral in Tianjinhas been placing advertisementsin newspapers, inviting people to“come and see” the Catholicchurch.

The parish priest, Father LeoZhang Liang said that he believesSt. Joseph’s is the first parish inmainland China to place suchads, which contain contactinformation and catechism classschedules.

The cathedral, well knownamong local people as XakaiChurch, stands in a downtownarea that was called Laoxakai in1914, when construction on thechurch began.

Since the ads were placed infour dailies in mid-August, thecathedral has received about 20phone calls every day inquiringabout the Catholic Church orcatechism classes, Father Zhangsaid.

The ad reads: “An encounterwith Xakai”, withoutmentioning religion or theCatholic Church. Churchsources said that Catholicleaders had been advised toavoid using words like“Catholic” or “catechism”during the Beijing OlympicGames in August 2008.

In later ads, the text becamemore explicit, such as theinvitation, “What to knowCatholicism?” Father Zhangsaid some journalists of thepapers in which the ads wereplaced approached the parishand became catechumens.

Father Zhang said the idea ofadvertising in local newspaperscame from a lay person who hadadvertised his home for elderlypeople the same way.


Xakai Church, located behindseveral shopping malls, is opendaily to the public. Posted on itsgate is a sign with Jesus’ words,“Come and see”, in Chinesecharacters. During the holidayweek around national day, Oct1, the church was visited by asmany as 5000 people in a day.

Parishioners said they alsowere considering other ways toevangelize. They plan to producereusable bags with inspirationalwords such as “God loves you”printed on them.

With 30,000 Catholics XaikaiChurch is the largest parish inthe Tianjin Diocese, which isbased less than 70 miles southeast of Beijing. Last year, thechurch recorded 706 adultbaptisms. (UCAN, CNS)

HALLE - GERMANYGerman archeologists have stokedcontroversy by unearthingevidence that Reformation leaderMartin Luther lived well and didnot die as a pauper as commonlybelieved.

The Taipei Times reports Germanscientists have reconstructed adetailed picture of the domestic lifeof Martin Luther by trawlingthrough his household wasteuncovered during archeologicaldigs on sites where he used to live.

Beer tankards, grains of corn,cooking pots, his wife’s weddingband and even his toilet are amongthe finds dug up during the fiveyear project in the three places inGermany where he spent his life.

But the Protestant Church inWittenberg has called “religiouslyirrelevant” the evidence that thepeace loving family used to throwdead cats into the rubbish bin andthat the nails Luther used to secure

his 95 theses to the church doorin Wittenberg – which led to hisexcommunication from theCatholic Church and launchedthe reformation -were in factdrawing pins.

“We’ve been able to reconstructwhole chapters of his life’shistory,” said Harald Meller, oneof the main researchers.

Protestants from around theworld were expected to flock toan exhibition at the historymuseum in Halle, where the bestof the discoveries are to go ondisplay starting on Friday.

Despite the widespread beliefthat Luther lived in poverty,evidence suggests he was a wellfed man, weighing a hefty 150kilograms when he died in 1546at the age of 63.

The most extensive researchcarried out at the family home inWittenberg showed that Lutherwrote his celebrated texts withgoose quills under lamps lit byanimal fat, in a heated room,which overlooked the River Elbe.


MICHAEL MAGONEHelps His Companions

by Claudio Russo

The Seven “Policemen”

From the “little rascal” of a coupleof years earlier, Michael became

the “guardian angel” of hiscompanions.

One day he received a letter from afriend asking him for his advice onhow to live a chaste life. Michael putpen to paper and wrote: “to give youan answer I would have liked tospeak to you and tell you more than Ican put down right now. I will onlygive you a few guidelines that mydirector gave me: stay far from badcompanions. Do not pamper yourbody. Avoid idleness and pray often.Frequently approach the Sacraments,especially the Sacrament ofConfession.” Then, remembering achat he had with Don Bosco headded:

1) Put your trust in the protectionof Mary and entrust yourself to her.Mary answers anyone who turns toher with trust and asks for her help.She is the best defence against the

devil.2) When you realize you are

being tempted, do somethingimmediately. If you avoid idlenessyou will overcome temptations.

3) Respect and honour sacredimages like the Crucifix. Make thesign of the Cross with faith saying:“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, help meto save my soul.” The devil greatlyfears these three names.

4) If a temptation persists, prayto Mary with the invocation:“Holy Mary, mother of God,pray for me a sinner.”


5) Do not take exaggerated careof your body. Keep all your sensesin check above all your eyes andavoid any bad literature.

6) Stay away from badcompanions. Spend your time withgood friends and during recreationspend time talking with them andstrive to imitate their dedication tostudy, in school, in the church andin the playground.

7) Approach the sacrament ofConfession and Communion asfrequently as your confessor suggestsand visit Jesus often in church.”

Michael Magone called theseseven suggestions the “sevenpolicemen of Mary,” because theywere a proven defence of purity.

A Pair of Gloves for WinterAs one of the seven “policemen”

Michael himself did not pamperhis body. He looked out forcompanions at the Oratory whowere in need and he was alwaysready to help them. “At recreationMichael was so enthusiastic thathe was oblivious of anything oranyone around him,” wrote DonBosco. But if he saw a companionwho wanted to take part in thegames, Michael would give him hisplace. “Very often I saw him giveup his place at Bocce and give hisplace to another companion,” DonBosco said.

If he saw a boy sad, heapproached him and sat close tohim to comfort him. He would offerhim some good advice and if it wasnecessary he even acted as amediator between the boy and thesuperior or with someone whocould help him.

In winter he would deprivehimself of his gloves and in theterrible cold of the city of Turin hewould lend them to someone who

didn’t have any.He gladly volunteered to serve

the sick and sit by their bedsideat night.

Michael’s Feast DayAmong the many boys at the

Oratory there was one who wasvery distracted and lazy. Thesuperiors were worried about hisbehavior and one day theydecided to tell Michael about it.

Magone took it seriously: firsthe made friends with the boy,playing with him duringrecreation, giving him little gifts;then he began giving him smallsuggestions to correct andimprove his behavior. Throughall these approaches Michaelmade no mention about religion,but he had a plan in mind.

As his feast day approachedMichael thought of takingadvantage of the occasion to puthis plan into action: “In threedays it will be the feast of St.Michael,” he reminded hisfriend. “Would you give me abeautiful gift?”

“I certainly will but if you hadnot spoken of it I would havegiven you a surprise,” replied theboy.

“I wanted to tell you because Iwould like you to give me a giftthat I will cherish.”

“Of course I’m ready to doanything to please you.”

“Are you sure?”“Sure.”“Even if it costs you a lot,

would you be up to it?”“I promise I’ll be up to it.”“I would like that on the feast

of St. Michael you bring the gift ofa good Confession and if you areprepared, also a goodCommunion.”


Surprised by this request, Michael’sfriend remained speechless, but heaccepted since he had promisedMichael. He realized that whatMichael had asked of him was for hisown good.

In the three days preceding the feast,Magone helped the boy to preparehimself for his Confession andCommunion, and on the feast dayMichael and his friend togetherapproached both the sacraments.

It was both a day of joy andhappiness. “We have celebrated abeautiful feast and I am truly pleased,”Michael admitted to his friend at theend of the day. “Now, tell me, aren’tyou happy with what you have donetoday?”

“Yes, I am thrilled, especiallybecause I was so well prepared.Thank you for asking me to do thisand for the good advice that yougave me and which I gratefullyaccept and cherish.”

“Of course, and I still have onemore piece of advice for you. We have

come through just half the feastand now I would like you togive me the other half of the gift.For some time now yourbehaviour was not as it shouldhave been. Your behavior didnot please the superiors and itconcerned your parents too.You even let yourself down,depriving yourself of peace ofmind and heart... one day youwill have to give an account ofthe time you have wasted.Therefore, now, before it is toolate, avoid idleness, remainalways happy and do notneglect your duties.”

That is the other half of the gift.To satisfy Michael’s request wasnot a problem for his friend.

The two became good friendsin the eyes of each other andalso to the other boys of theOratory. He became a model tobe admired and imitated. TheLord, through Don Bosco hadcaused the transformation.


LOVING CHILDREN TOTHEIR LOVING MOTHER

I thank you Mother Mary for a grace-filled marriage. Maria Wilbert, ChennaiMy grateful and sincere thanks to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,Mother Mary and St. Dominic Savio for helping my daughter get ajob better than the one she expected. Mrs. Alphonsa Jose, MumbaiThank you, dearest Mother for all the graces and favours received.

D. F. Colaco and Family, MumbaiThank you, dearest Mother, so much for the many favours received.

Betty Fernandes, MumbaiMy sincere thanks to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our LadyHelp of Christians for protecting our home from what could havebeen a terrible fire. Mrs. A. Goveia, ThaneThank you dear Mother Mary for the many favours received.

Mrs. E. D'Silva, MumbaiThank you dearest Mother Mary for all the favours received.

E. MenezesMy sincere thanks to Jesus and Mother Mary for curing me from atroublesome sickness that lasted for more than a year. J. Rodrigues, MumbaiI am grateful to Our Blessed Mother for curing me of a sickness inmy feet for eight years. I am most grateful. P.V. Thomas, CoimbatoreMy sincere thanks to Our Blessed Mother for curing me of an illness,for getting a job and for helping us in our difficulties. Mrs. A. D'Souza, MumbaiBelated thanks to Our Blessed Mother for saving my son from aterrible motorcycle accident and for a safe and successful operation.Do continue to protect us and keep us in your care. Mrs. Correa, MumbaiMy daughter was prevented from starting her examination in timebut thanks to the intercession of our Blessed Mother she passedher SSC examinations with a first class. Mrs. N. Braganza, GoaRecently while returning home I lost my wallet. I believe it was themedal of Our Lady Help of Christians that guided the person to returnit to me and I am most grateful to Our Lady for this grace. Bertha Lily Quadros, ThaneMy sincere thanks for all the help and graces that I have receivedthrough the intercession of Our Lady. Frances Menezes, GoaThank you, Mother Mary for all the support and help you have givenme and my family over the years. Mrs. Daisy N. Dias, KalyanOur sincere thanks to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and Our BlessedMother for saving me from an accident. O. Alemao, MumbaiThank you dear Jesus and Mother Mary for the safe and successfuloperation on both my eyes and also for a speedy recovery after astroke and a hip operation and for all the other graces and favoursthat I received. A Client of Our LadyThank you for protecting my family when a pressure cooker explodedin our kitchen. We were all safe thanks to Our Lady's protection.

Valeria Mascarenhas, Mumbai


THE DEVOTION OF THE THREE HAIL MARYS

The devotion of the THREE HAIL MARYS isa very simple yet most efficacious devotion.Everyday, recite Three Hail Marys, adding theinvocation: "O Mary, My Mother, keep me frommortal sin." Many people recite the Three HailMarys as part of their morning and nightprayers. To practise this devotion in time ofdanger, stress, special need or temptation, is asure means to obtain Our Lady's help.

Thank you Mother Mary for all that we received throughyou and the faithful recitation of the 3 Hail Marys. Bernard Anderson, SwedenI thank our Blessed Mother for the many favours and blessingsreceived. Mama Mary thank you for blessing our trip to the WYD,Australia. Pauline Abernathy, DubaiMother Mary is always with me guiding me and I can never be thankfulenough for all the good she is doing with me in my life.

Sharon, Mira RoadThank you dearest Mother for all the favours and blessings receivedthrough the recitation of the 3 Hail Marys. Jasmine D'Souza, MumbaiOur sincere thanks to Mary Help of Christians for granting us manyfavours and blessings including the cure from severe illness, migration,sale of the flat and for protecting us through the passing moments of life.

Florencio and Emily Coelho, MumbaiThank you dear Mother Mary for all the graces received through thefaithful recitation of the 3 Hail Marys. I. Godinho, MumbaiI am most grateful to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus for the success inmy M.Sc examinations. John D'Souza, GoaThank you, dear Mother Mary for the safe delivery of a healthy baby boythrough the faithful recitation of the 3 Hail Marys. Peter LoboI was once traveling with my husband, 7 year old daughter and 3 month oldson in a cab. We took an unused road instead of the highway. It wasraining and we lost our way. Imagine how we felt because there was nomobile signal, no mechanic, no one to ask for help. At first we blamedeach other. I was afraid holding both my children in my arms. My elderdaughter was enjoying the bumps. I was worried about my 3 month oldson who slept peacefully on my lap. My husband continued grumblingwhile the driver and I prayed silently. I told my daughter to pray the ThreeHail Marys with me asking our blessed mother to rescue us. Our driverprayed since it was his responsibility to take us safely to our destination.My husband lost his temper but we continued to pray and then we suddenlysaw a smooth road ahead. We’re most grateful to Our blessed Mother forgetting us out of that situation. Lourdes. Hubli


THEY ARE GRATEFUL TOOUR LADY AND DON BOSCO

Our sincere thanks to Our Lady, Don Bosco and St. Dominic Saviofor all the blessings received. Mary Anne P. Nadaraju, Durban, South AfricaThank you, dear Mother Mary, Don Bosco and St. Dominic Savio forthe numerous favours granted to us. Mrs. R. James, AustraliaThank you Mother Mary, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio for the variousfavours: (1) For saving me from a bike accident in which my wife,child and I escaped unhurt; (2) For helping me find a job; (3) Foryour continuous protection and intercession through life; (4) For goodhealth and peace; (5) For the gift of a baby. F.A. Fernandes, MumbaiThank you dearest Jesus, Mother Mary, St. John Bosco and St.Dominic Savio for helping us to go back to Kuwait and many otherfavours granted us, dear Mother please keep us under your care. A DevoteeDear Jesus, Mother Mary and Don Bosco our sincere thanks for allthe graces we have received. W. Almeida, MumbaiWe are grateful to Our Blessed Mother , Don Bosco and DominicSavio for the safe delivery of a baby boy named Ayden. Savio and Angela Rodrigues, GoaDearest Mother Mary and St. John Bosco I had high BP for quite anumber of years and with several other ailments I was very weak. Iam grateful that all the test reports were negative. I am most gratefulto Our Blessed Mother for that. P. Pinheiro, HubliThank you dear Mother Mary and Don Bosco for the many favoursthat my family and I received. Mrs. Lily Cabral, MumbaiMy heartfelt thanks to dear Mother Mary and Don Bosco for thesuccessful recovery of my husband. E. Fernandes, PuneThank you dearest Mother Mary and Don Bosco for all the blessingsand graces showered on our family. Mrs. Lorna CoelhoOur sincere thanks to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady,Help of Christians and Don Bosco for all the graces received. Helen, BhayandarMy heartfelt thanks to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mary Help ofChristians, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio for curing my sister of hersickness and for many other favours. D.M. MumbaiOur heartfelt and grateful thanks to Our Lady Help of Christians, DonBosco and Dominic Savio for the special favours received, may youcontinue to bless us. Paula Carr, BangaloreThank you dear Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco for asuccessful cure from Cancer. Jayne Dharmai, New ZealandI am most grateful to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, Mary Help ofChristians and Don Bosco for helping me survive in turbulent anddifficult times and also for providing for all my needs, financially,physically. Mr. Mark W. Dodd, Pune

APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYERFEBRUARY 2009

Holy Father's General Intention: That the Pastors of the Church may alwaysbe docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in their teaching and in their service toGod's people.

Missionary Intention: That the Church in Africa may find adequate waysand means to promote reconciliation, justice and peace efficaciously, accordingto the indications of the Synod of the Bishops' Special Assembly for Africa.

THANKS TO DEARST. DOMINIC SAVIO

Thanks to the scapular of St. Dominic Savio Iam happy to inform you that my grand-nephew'swife has given birth to a lovely baby girl on 20thOctober, 2008. I am so grateful to the HeavenlyFather, baby Jesus, Mother Mary and St.Dominic Savio for this beautiful gift. Mrs Iris Roberts, Kirkee, PuneOur sincere thanks to our dear Mother Mary Helpof Christians, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio forthe favour received. Mr. & Mrs. B. D'Cruz, GoaMy sincere and loving thanks to my Mother Mary,Help of Christians, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio

for blessing my daughter and grandchildren through their family crisis inCanada. Gemma Alvares, BangaloreThank you Dominic Savio for the grace of a successful operation of myson's hand and many other favours received. Mrs. Jennifer Dias, MumbaiMy sincere thanks to St. Dominic Savio for curing my neighbour's son ofa serious illness and my son Savio from a chronic cold. I am sorry forthe delay. Mrs. A. Fernandes, GoaOur sincere thanks to Jesus, Mother Mary and St. Dominic Savio for thesafe delivery and the gift of a healthy baby girl - Hailey Brooke to ourdaughter Stephanie and son-in-law Collin. Keith and Mercia de Sales, MumbaiThanks to Jesus, Mary Help of Christians and St. Dominic Savio for thefavours granted. M. D'Sa, VashiIn thanksgiving to Jesus, Mother Mary and Dominic Savio for the gift of alovely, healthy baby girl and for a quick recovery after a difficult delivery.

Mrs. Angela Philips, Calgary, CanadaMy sincere thanks to Don Bosco and Dominic Savio for helping mydaughter pass her Std. X examinations and for many other favours. Mrs Leitao, MumbaiMy sincere thanks for the many favours bestowed on me through theintercession of Mother Mary, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio. Mr. Andrew J. D'Mello, Virar


RNI no.9360/57Postal Regn. No. MH/MR/North East/089/2009-2011

WPP Licence no. MR/Tech/WPP-105/NE/2009-11posted at at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office

on 1st & 2nd of every month:

Subs: (One copy Rs. 20/-); Inland: Rs. 200 p.a; Airmail: Rs.400 p.a

Don Bosco's Madonna, has developed to its present form from a folder published in 1937,by late Fr Aurelius Maschio, on behalf of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Bombay.The magazine is sent to all who ask for it, even though there is a fixed subscription

(Rs 200/- India & Rs 400/- Airmail)). We trust in the generosity of our readers/benefactors.Whatever you send us will help cover the expenses of printing and mailing; the surplus if any,

is devoted to the support of orphans and poor boys in our schools and apostolic centres.To help a poor lad to reach the priesthood, is a privilege

You can help by establishing a Perpetual Burse with:Rs 5000/-, 10,000/-, 15,000/- for a boy studying for the priesthood;But any amount, however small, will be gratefully received.

Send your offerings by Payee cheque or Draft on Mumbai banks;MO/PO/INTL MO/BPO/Bequests, Wills, Perpetual Burses, all favouring Don Bosco'sMadonna or Bombay Salesian Society or Rev. Fr. Edwin D'Souza, (Trustee).Please address everything to:

Rev. Fr. Edwin D'Souza, sdb.,SHRINE OF DON BOSCO'S MADONNA,Matunga - MUMBAI - 400 019 - INDIA

Phone/Fax: 91-22- 2414 6320, email: [email protected]://www.donboscosmadonna.org/www.dbmshrine.org

MARY WAS THEREEarly in the morning of 5th July 2008 we weresaved from a serious accident. A chandelierwith heavy steel rod holding ten light shadesgot loose and crashed to the floor. My sonand daughter-in-law who were sleeping inthe room under the Chandelier got up withthe sound of the crash and all that theyexperienced was flying splinters of glass. Onone side of the room is a big glass fish tankand thanks to God’s providence the wires ofthe chandelier while falling got entangledwith the fan which was in motion and so thechandelier moved to the right and fell inbetween the fish tank and the spot where myson was sleeping and they both escapedwithout a scratch. This was surely thepowerful intercession of our dear Mother asI recite the 3 Hail Marys every night forprotection of my family and also my devotionto the Divine Mercy. Thank you Mother Mary. (Jenny Azavedo, Mumbai)

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