On Sunday 29 September, at 12:30 p.m. (UTC+2),
at the basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco, 27 Salesians of Don
Bosco and 8 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will receive the missionary
crucifix, renewing their apostolic generosity in favour of so many young people
throughout the world.
As is the case every year, on the last Sunday of September, Don Bosco’s
missionary heart is renewed through the availability of the Salesians of Don
Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians sent as missionaries ad
gentes.
So much time has passed since that 11 November 1875, the day on which a
fundamental step was taken: the first group of Salesian missionaries headed for
Argentina began the transformation of the Salesians into a worldwide
congregation, now spread over 138 countries. Two years later, the FMA also
crossed the ocean, beginning the work of spreading beyond the Italian borders.
As we approach the 150th anniversary of the first missionary expedition, we can
take a closer look at the preparation of the Salesian new missionaries, which is
developed in the ‘Germoglio’ course organised by the Missions Sector
team and coordinated by Fr Reginaldo Cordeiro. The course runs for five weeks,
immediately before the missionary expedition. In prayer, in listening to
testimonies, in sharing experiences, in personal reflection and in joyful
coexistence with the other course participants, the new missionaries are helped
to verify, deepen and, at times, discover the profound reasons for their going
on mission.
Obviously, the discernment of a missionary vocation begins much earlier.
Traditionally, on 18 December, the day of the founding of the Salesian
Congregation, the Rector Major issues a missionary appeal indicating the
missionary priorities to be addressed. In response to the appeal, many Salesians
write their availability, after listening to God’s will, helped by their
spiritual guide and the director of their community, following the guidelines
of the Missions Sector. A profound re-reading of one’s own life and a careful
journey of discernment are required for the missionary vocation ad gentes,
ad exteros, ad vitam to mature. The missionary, in fact,
leaves for a lifelong project, with the prospect of inculturation in a
different country and incardination in a new Province, in a context that will
become ‘home’, despite the many challenges and difficulties.
On the other hand, it is important that there is a well-structured missionary
project in the Provinces, which allows the arriving missionary to be
accompanied, to fit in and to serve in the best possible way.
The Germoglio Course begins in Rome, with an introductory core, which aims to
provide departing missionaries with the basic skills and attitudes necessary
for a successful completion of the course. The motivations for the missionary
choice are addressed, in a gradual journey of awareness and purification. Each
missionary is invited to draw up a personal missionary life project,
highlighting the essential elements and the steps to be taken to respond
adequately to God’s call. Then an introduction to Italian culture and a meeting
on ‘emotional literacy’, fundamental for the experience of living to the full
in a context different from one’s own, and a session on missionary animation
and Salesian missionary voluntary work. All this in a community context, where
informal moments are precious and participation in community moments of prayer
is vital, in a Pentecost style where languages and cultures mix for the
enrichment of all. In these days, a pilgrimage to the places of Christian faith
helps to retrace the roots of one’s own faith, together with the closeness to
the universal Church, also manifested in participation in a papal audience.
This year, on 28 August, the pope showed closeness to missionaries, reminding
them in a brief conversation during a group photo of the figure of St Artemides
Zatti, together with the beauty and importance of the vocation of Salesian
brothers.
The second part of the course moves to Colle Don Bosco, Don Bosco’s birthplace,
where we get to the heart of the experience by going deep into the preparation
from an anthropological, theological/missiological and Salesian charismatic
point of view. Preparing oneself for the inevitable culture shock, being aware
of the importance and effort of getting to know a new culture and a new
language, and being open to intercultural dialogue, knowing that one will have
to face conflicts and misunderstandings, are fundamental elements for living a
true, human and full experience. Some missiological fundamentals help to
understand what the mission is for the Church, and notions on First
Announcement and integral evangelisation complete the perspective of the
missionary. Finally, the typically Salesian characteristics, starting with some
historical notes and then focusing on the present situation, discernment and
Salesian spirituality.
The group of missionaries then has the opportunity to visit Don Bosco’s places,
in a week of spiritual exercises on the move, in which they can face up to the
saint of youth and entrust their missionary dream to him.
The experience continues with a pilgrimage to Mornese, where the missionary
charism in the female version of St Mary Domenica Mazzarello is presented,
together with the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. The last few days are
spent in Valdocco, where the itinerary around Don Bosco’s places is completed
and preparation for the ‘yes’ to the missionary call is completed. A
conversation with the Rector Major (his Vicar in this case) and the Mother
General closes the programme before Sunday, when the missionary crucifixes are
handed over to the departed during the 12:30 mass.
If we look at who the Salesians of the 155th missionary expedition are, we
immediately notice how the paradigm shift is evident: all Provinces, and all
countries, can be recipients and senders at the same time. The missionaries are
no longer only Italian, as was the case at the beginning, or European, but come
from the five continents, in particular from Asia (11 missionaries, from the
two regions of South Asia and East Asia-Oceania) and Africa (8 missionaries),
while the Mediterranean region will welcome the largest number of missionaries
in this expedition. For some years now, the Missions Sector has been preparing
a map to graphically help visualise the distribution of new missionaries around
the world (you can download it here). This year there are five priests, two
brothers, one deacon and 19 Salesian students. Joining them are a few
missionaries from past expeditions, who were unable to attend the preparation
course.
Below is a detailed list of the new missionaries:
Donatien Martial Balezou, from Central African Rep. (ATE) to Brazil – Belo
Horizonte (BBH);
Guy Roger Mutombo, from Congo Dem. Rep. (ACC) to Italy (IME);
Henri Mufele Ngandwini, from Congo Dem. Rep. (ACC) to Italy (EMI);
Brother Alain Josaphat Mutima Balekage, from the Rep. Dem. of Congo (AFC) to
Uruguay (URU);
Clovis Muhindo Tsongo, from Rep. Dem. of Congo (AFC) to Brazil (BPA);
Confiance Kakule Kataliko, from Congo Dem. Rep. (AFC) to Uruguay (URU);
Fr Ephrem Kisenga Mwangwa, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (AFC) to
Taiwan (CIN);
Ernest Kirunda Menya, from Uganda (AGL) to Romania (INE);
Éric Umurundi Ndayicariye, from Burundi (AGL) to Mongolia (KOR);
Daniel Armando Nuñez, from El Salvador (CAM) to North Africa (CNA);
Marko Dropuljić, from Croatia (CRO) to Mongolia (KOR);
Krešo Maria Gabričević, from Croatia (CRO) to Papua New Guinea – Solomon
Islands (PGS);
Rafael Gašpar, from Croatia (CRO) to Brazil (BBH);
Fr Marijan Zovak, from Croatia (CRO) to the Dominican Republic (ANT);
Fr Enrico Bituin Mercado, from the Philippines (FIN) to Southern Africa (AFM);
Alan Andrew Manuel, from India (INB) to North Africa (CNA);
Fr Joseph Reddy Vanga, from India (INH) to Papua New Guinea – Solomon Islands
(PGS);
Fr Hubard Thyrniang, from India (INS) to North West Africa (AON);
Fr Albert Tron Mawa, from India (INS) to Sri Lanka (LKC);
Eruthaya Valan Arockiaraj, from India (INT) to Congo (ACC);
Herimamponona Dorisse Angelot Rakotonirina, from Madagascar (MDG) to
Albania/Kosovo/Montenegro (AKM);
Brother Mouzinho Domingos Joaquim Mouzinho, from Mozambique (MOZ) to
Albania/Kosovo/Montenegro (AKM);
Nelson Alves Cabral, from East Timor (TLS) to the Democratic Republic of Congo
(AFC);
Elisio Ilidio Guterres Dos Santos, from East Timor (TLS) to Romania (INE);
Francisco Armindo Viana, from East Timor (TLS) to Congo (ACC);
Tuấn Anh Joseph Vũ, from Vietnam (VIE) to Chile (CIL);
Trong Hữu Francis Ɖỗ, from Vietnam (VIE) to Chile (CIL).
These are the SDB members of the 155th Salesian missionary expedition, while
the FMA will have its 147th expedition.
The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians new issionaries are:
Sr Cecilia Gayo, from Uruguay;
Sr Maria Goretti Tran Thi Hong Loan, from Vietnam;
Sr Sagma Beronica, from India, Province of Shillong;
Sr Serah Njeri Ndung’u, from the East Africa Province, sent to South Sudan;
Sr Lai Marie Pham Thi, from Vietnam;
Sr Maria Bosco Tran Thi Huyen, from Vietnam;
Sr Philina Kholar, from India, Shillong Province, sent to Italy (Sicily);
Sr Catherine Ramírez Sánchez, from Chile.
Most of them still do not know their missionary destination, which will be
communicated after the formation course.
This year, a group belonging to the Community of the Mission of Don Bosco
(CMB), a group of the Salesian Family led by Deacon Guido Pedroni, will also
receive the missionary cross together with the Salesians and the Daughters of
Mary Help of Christians.
Let us pray that this varied vocational availability bears fruit throughout the
world!
Marco Fulgaro
