Volume II, Issue 1 January 2020 THE JANUARY MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR from the Salesian Bulletin DON ANGEL FERNANDEZ ARTIME, SDB “Four Boys and a Dream” Cari amici e I have in my hands a histori- that today the Salesian amiche: Dear cal document - a piece of pa- Family and Congregation friends of Don per that is a mere 4 inches extend to 136 nations of the Bosco’s char- by 2 inches - written by a world, taking care of the ism and read- young boy from the Valdocco boys, girls, teenagers, and ers of [Snippets Oratory, Michael Rua. On young adults - all of them and] the Salesian Bulletin - this tiny piece of paper he our main concern. the Salesian instrument of wrote the following: communication so dear to On the evening of Don Bosco himself, its January 26, 1854, we Founder. Shortly before I gathered in Don Bosco's We are a Family room: Don Bosco him- belonging all to Mary began writing these lines, I self, Rocchietti, Artiglia, had celebrated Holy Mass, Cagliero, and Rua; and In this issue: together with the General it was proposed that we Council of the Salesian Con- engage, with the help of In, With, and For 2-3 God and of St. Francis gregation (Salesians of Don de Sales, in an experi- the Church Bosco), in the “camerette" in ment in the practical SF Groups and 4-6 Sacred Heart Basilica. The exercise of charity to- ward neighbor, to even- Social Justice “camerette” are the room tually make a promise, To Educate Like 7 and the chapel, which is and then if it will be Don Bosco adorned with a typical altar deemed possible and of the time, where Don opportune, to make a Our Family News 8 vow of it to the Lord. Bosco celebrated his last From that evening the Mass in Rome, on May 17, name “Salesians” was IMPORTANT 1887. He would die in Turin given to those who DATES a few months later, on Jan- chose and would in the future choose to engage uary 31, 1888. Jan. 9, 2020 - Online Forma- in such an exercise. tor Session II, 8PM ET My thoughts flew for a few Of the four, three, Rocchietti, From out of nothing, a beautiful tree has grown: A Jan. 11 - Northeast SF Coun- moments, not so much to Cagliero, and Rua, became cil Meeting, 10AM that last Mass celebrated by Salesians. tree that today has thou- Don Bosco in that room as sands of friends and bene- CELEBRATE OUR JANUARY From a miniscule seed SALESIAN SAINTS!! to the simple, improbable, factors, thanks to whom we and unexpected beginnings can do so much good. A tree 8 - Bl. Titus Zeman It is amazing that these - with apparently no greater that has thousands and 15 - Bl. Luigi Variara short minutes have reached future - of what is today the us. But the truly amazing thousands of laity who 22 (23 USA) - Bl. Laura Vicuña Salesian Congregation and prodigious things are share the charism of Don 24 - St. Francis de Sales throughout the world. That the intuition and vision of Bosco and who work every 30 - Bl. Bronislaw Markiewicz beginning took place in an- this great and holy man, Don day in the houses of the 31 - St. John Bosco other little room - in Valdoc- Bosco, who had a heart full whole Salesian Family throughout the world. Jan. 16-19 - Salesian Family co - on January 26, 1854. of educational and evangeliz- Days, Torino I wish to speak of and share ing passion for his boys. Without any triumphalism Jan. 31 - Induction of new with you in this “month of The Holy Spirit made that and always with the invita- Cooperators, St. Francis de Don Bosco”, this "miracle" first encounter with four of tion to be conscious of our Sales Center, Miami fruit of the Holy Spirit. his boys bear so much fruit responsibility, I very often continued on the following page Page 2 In, With, and For the Church S. F. Snippets Snippets 2020: The Year’s Focus (Rector Major Letter, cont. from p. 1) In the year 2020, the Salesian Fami- heart of Don Bosco’s educational remind my brothers and sisters ly takes up the Rector Major’s Stren- approach - to empower them to around the world that we are custo- na “Good Christians and Upright become Good Christians and Up- dians of a great Treasure that does Citizens” as the guiding light of its right Citizens. not belong to us for it is a Gift of the life and ministry in the spirit of Don Holy Spirit to the Church for the As Fr. Angel notes in his Strenna Bosco. sake of children and young adults. 2020 video, Don Bosco always said But we must guard it and make it Following the tradition begun by Don that his politics were those of “the fruitful, as in the story of the Tal- Bosco himself, Fr. Angel Fernandez Our Father.” In line with this basic ents in the Gospel. This is our great Artime, S.D.B., Rector Major, offers principle, Fr. Angel places our Sale- responsibility, since imagining a his sons and daughters a New Year sian mission within the words of Je- Church and a world today without gift (a strenna) for fostering the unity sus in this foundational prayer: “Thy the Sons and Daughters of Don and growth of the Salesian Family Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on Bosco being present among young in the special circumstances in which earth as it is in heaven.” As followers people would be difficult, or at least we live and work around the world. of Don Bosco, we are called to con- would lack that predilection given to We have all witnessed the way that tribute to the coming of God’s King- them by the “Father and Teacher of our Rector Major has spent the last dom in the social and political areas Youth”, as Saint John Paul II named six years visiting the Salesian Fami- of our modern lives. him. ly in every part of the world. In his Snippets 2020 will explore the impli- Dear readers and friends, I wanted monthly letters and videos, he has cations and outcomes of this Strenna to share with you this small detail of shared with us his experiences of for all the members of the Salesian the beginning of this great reality: being with, listening to, and sharing Family in the United States and that Don Bosco had the 'genius' to life with young people and families in Canada with a view to unpacking found his Congregation from his own some of the most desperate circum- some of the implications for us Sale- boys – four boys from among the stances we could ever imagine. sians in this part of the world. To- many that were already in the Val- gether, we will review the back- docco Oratory in that year. the heart of Don Bosco’s educational ground of Don Bosco’s approach to approach: [empowering the young politics in his native Piedmont dur- I take the opportunity in the brief and us all] to become Good lines on this page, that will appear Christians and Upright Citizens. ing a very tumultuous period in the in the Salesian newsletters of the history of Italy. world in many languages, to say to In Snippets 2019, we read about his We will also look to the Catholic So- all of you, “Thank you,” in the name encounters with so many of Don cial Justice Doctrines for a clear un- of Don Bosco! “Thank you” for your Bosco’s Salesian Family who have derstanding of how the action on be- love of Don Bosco’s charism, of his gone to the neediest areas to work half of social justice is constitutive of Dream, and of all that was his rea- with those whose lives and well- the mission of the Church and disci- son for living: Jesus Christ the Lord being are among the most endan- pleship in Christ. We will explore and the young. gered in the world. Some of these the ways that various groups within May our Holy Founder bless you! missionaries have sacrificed their the Salesian Family have followed very lives in martyrdom as a result Don Bosco’s charism in taking up the With great affection, of their Christ-like service to others. social mission of the Church from Don Angel These reflections have been inspira- their very founding. And, finally, we tional and challenging to us in what- will present “To Educate Like Don ever circumstance we live and in Bosco” - monthly reflections and aids whatever ministry we carry on. At for implementing Don Bosco’s Pre- the end of these six long years, the ventive System in a way that an- Rector Major shares with us his re- swers the needs of our times. sponse to all the hope, joy, sorrow, Hopefully, we will be able to share and suffering he has experienced: As with the Snippets community the disciples of Christ in the spirit of Don experiences of our fellow Salesian Bosco, we too are called to seek out Family members in implementing and approach the neediest young the Strenna of 2020 in their local people and families to realize the centers and areas along the year. photo by: Achille de Sanglau, Rome, Feb. 26, 1867: Don Bosco poses with the butler of his host, Count Vimercati, the butler’s son, and Don Francesia - whom he is blessing. Volume II, Issue 1 Page 3 The Kingdom of God The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society.