Bishopss Synod on the Youth 2018
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Volume 1, Issue 1 January 2019 “So That My Joy May Be in You!” Salesian Family Days Live-Streamed - January 10-13 Taking its inspiration from or to move away from one’s beautiful, exciting for every- Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhor- own brothers and sisters, but one, about which people may tation Gaudete et Exsultate to live one’s life to the full in never think or think very and the Synod on Youth, living an intense (and sometimes little.” our vocation to holiness is the difficult) experience of com- Strenna 2019 topic of the upcoming Salesian munion. Full Commentary See the Family Spirituality Days, Janu- A near-by God who reveals Portal homepage for much ary 10-13, 2019, to be held in himself in Christ: ‘Apart from more! #Holiness for you, too! Torino at Valdocco and live- me you can do nothing.’ (Jn. streamed in real time. 15: 5); ‘I have set you an ex- In this issue: As we read in the introduction ample that you also should to the Strenna, published in do as I have done to Salesian Family Saints of 2-3 July 2018: ‘Sacred Scripture you.’ (Jn.13:15) Holiness is January invites us to be holy: ‘Be per- not a theory of moral perfec- The Michaelites 4 Mrs. Norma Arellano from St. fect as your heavenly Father is tion, but a life that conforms John Bosco Parish in Chicago ADMA 4 perfect.’ (Mt. 5:48), and ‘Be to that of Jesus. Some charac- will accompany a group of Coming in Feb. 4 holy, because I [the Lord] am teristics of the life of Jesus, young people to WYD . Let us holy.’ (Lev. 11:44) Holiness is a which are close-by, concrete, keep them in prayer! gift, a mandate and a task. Holiness is for everyone be- “Strengthened by so many and such great means of IMPORTANT cause it corresponds to God’s salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or DATES fundamental plan for us. To state, are called by the Lord – each in his or her own become saints is not to be- way – to that perfect holiness by which the Father Jan. 19 - SSCC Formation Day/CPC come alienated from oneself Mtg, IL himself is perfect.” Gaudete et Exsultate #10 Jan. 22-27 - WYD Panama Bishops’ Synod on the Youth 2018 Feb.-June - Fr. Tim Ploch, SDB, and Sr. Chantal Mukase, FMA, visit us “Young people are looking for imitate, but instead living many who could meet this companions on the journey, testimonies to witness. Such expectation.” April 18 - 150th of Founding of ADMA to be embraced by faithful a person should evangelize by #10 Final Document from the May 25 - Marian Day, Stony Point, NY men and women who express their life. Whether they are Pre-Synodal Meeting with the the truth and allow young familiar faces in the comfort June 28-30 - Forming the Formator Young People Workshop, Stony Point, NY people to articulate their un- of home, colleagues in the derstanding of faith and their local community, or martyrs N.B. The Final Document in Nov. 7-10 - ADMA International vocation. Such people do not testifying to their faith with Congress VIII, Buenos Aires: Register English is still forthcoming need to be models of faith to their very lives, there are here from the Bishops. Page 2 The Salesian Ordo and Addenda et Varianda Our Salesian Saints of January are now available here Liturgical Resources here and numerous videos on our Saints here Bl. Titus Zeman, SDB Fr. Zeman was born into a Catho- to organize secret journeys to Vatican spy, and he was threatened with lic family on January 4, 1915, at Turin to enable religious to death. On February 22, 1952, in considera- Vajnory, near Bratislava. complete their studies. Fr. tion of some attenuating circumstances he Zeman took on this dangerous was sentenced to 25 years in prison. A student of theology at the Gre- task. gorian University in Rome and Fr. Zeman was paroled on March 10, 1964, then in Chieri, he spent his spare He organized two expeditions after 12 years incarceration. Indelibly time carrying out his apostate in for over 60 young Salesians. At marked by the sufferings endured in prison, the oratory. the third attempt Fr. Zeman, he died five years later on January 8, 1969, together with those escaping, surrounded by the glorious reputation of a When the Czechoslovak Com- Ordained: were arrested. He was subject- martyr and a saint. munist regime in April 1950 for- June 23, 1940 ed to a rough trial, during bade religious orders and began Fr. Titus Zeman is the 172nd “hero” of the Memorial: Jan. 8 which he was described as a deporting religious to concentra- Salesian Family. Fidelity to Christ traitor to the fatherland and a tion camps, it became necessary Louis Variara was born in Viarigi, Italy, on Louis arrived in Agua de Dios on August 6, Bl. Luigi Variara, SDB January 15, 1875. After his father Pietro 1894. The mission numbered 2000 people those who themselves heard Don Bosco preach a mission in their of whom 800 were lepers. He immediately suffered from leprosy: “The Daughters of the Sacred village in 1856, he decided to take Louis to became the life and soul of all who lived Hearts of Jesus and Mary.” He Valdocco to continue his studies. there, especially the children. He organized suffered much through the a band which brought unexpected festivity During his studies in the Novitiate at lack of understanding of to the peoples' lives. When Fr. Unia died a Valsalice, he came to know Fr. Andrew Bel- those who thought he should short time after his arrival, Louis had to trami, SDB, who impressed his with a joy in be removed from Agua de Dios a number carry on by himself. the face of suffering and illness. He also of times. Even in the face of calumny he said nothing. He died far from his beloved met Fr Unia, Salesian missionary to the He founded an institute of consecrated lepers, as obedience had demanded. lepers in Agua de Dios and answered his Religious from among the Community of call to follow him there as a missionary. Agua de Dios to serve their people, open to Memorial: Jan. 15 Long-suffering Bl. Laura Vicuña Laura Carmen Vicuña But she also became his concubine. Manuel Mora threatened Laura’s virtue, was born in Santiago, in she firmly refused him, sending him into a In 1900 Laura went to board with her sister Chile, on the 5th April rage in which he beat her mother merci- Julia Amanda with the Daughters of Mary 1891 to Joseph Domeni- lessly for Laura’s obstinacy. Help of Christians at their school. When she co and Mercedes Pino. came to realize that her mother was living Exhausted by sickness and sacrifices, she The Vicuña family were in an immoral situation, she offered herself revealed to her mother on the last evening Chilean aristocrats, to the Lord for her parent's conversion; she of her life: "Mamma, I am dying! A long forced into exile by the increased her acts of mortification and, time ago I asked Jesus to bring you back to revolution. They took refuge in Temuco in a with the consent of her Salesian confessor, God, and I offered my life for that inten- poor house, but soon after Joseph Domeni- practiced by vow the evangelical counsels. tion. Mamma, before I die, please give me co died suddenly, and Mercedes had to the joy of seeing you reconciled to God." take refuge with her two daughters in Ar- Having read Don Bosco’s Life of Dominic She experienced this joy before dying on 22 gentina. They came to Junín de los Andes. Savio, she decided to make the resolutions January 1904. Mercedes came to know a ranch owner to love God with her whole being, to morti- Manuel Mora and accepted working for fy herself and die rather than offend God. Memorial: Jan. 22 (23 in USA) him with him to provide for her daughters. And so, during the holidays in 1902 when Chastity; Laying down one’s life for another’s salvation Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 St. Francis de Sales Born in 1567, in a French border region, he At the climax of his trial, he opened his was the son of the Lord of Boisy, an ancient heart and prayed in these words: and noble family of Savoy. He received a “Whatever happens, Lord,... you who are very careful education; he undertook high- ever a just judge and a merciful Father, I er studies in Paris, where he dedicated him- will love you Lord.... I will love you here, O self to theology, and at the University of my God, and I will always hope in your mer- Padua, where he studied jurisprudence, cy and will always repeat your praise....” complying with his father’s wishes and From Valdocco, Francis de Sales Chapel The 20-year-old Francis found peace in graduating brilliantly with degrees in Feast Day: Jan. 24 Patience, Gentleness the radical and liberating love of God… utroque iure, in canon law and in civil law. And this was to be the secret of his life In his harmonious youth, reflection on the himself; he suffered as a true spiritual dra- which would shine out in his main work: The Treatise on the Love of God... With- thought of St Augustine and of St Thomas ma the principal theological issues of his out him neither St John Bosco nor the Aquinas led to a deep crisis.