Volume II, Issue 10 October 2020 THE OCTOBER MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR from the Salesian Bulletin DON ANGEL FERNANDEZ ARTIME, SDB “From Valdocco to the Whole World” We are a Family all belonging to Mary. In this issue: In, With, and For 3-4 the Church SF Groups & 5 - 6 Social Justice Dear Friends, Oratory. It was here, in this has come to life: The dream Strenna 2020 7-8 It all began humble and simple place, of turning the site of the Memory Lane 9 more than one that his precious work first Salesian Oratory, Pilgrimage 2022 10 hundred sixty began. In this, he followed Valdocco, into a space, a years ago the example of Our Lord place, and a playground IMPORTANT when a small who was born in a stable, in that speak of the Salesian DATES band of young men and the greatest poverty, and charism. boys who loved their with the sole protection of Here is the place – the Oct. 4 - New Encyclical: Fratelli the loving arms of his Tutti educator, Don Bosco, made Pinardi House – where Mother, Mary of Nazareth, Oct. 5 - Bl. Alberto Marvelli, the commitment to give life those first orphans who Salesian Past Pupil to a 'Society' - the “Pious and of her humble spouse, knocked on the door of Oct. 8 - Virtual Meeting with Society of Saint Francis de St. Joseph. Mamma Margaret's Don Lluis Playa, SDB, World Sales”. Out of this first Today as Yesterday kitchen were welcomed and Delegate to the Salesian Family, 1PM ET (open to all SF) small group grew a new In just a few days, October 2 where the Salesian Oct. 12 - Thanksgiving: Canada Religious Order, today -4, 2020, we will celebrate Congregation was born. It Oct. 13 - Bl. Alessandrina da called the “Salesians of with the public the is a place rich in our Costa, Salesian Cooperator Don Bosco”. realization of a “dream”, a charism and brimming Oct. 24 - St. Luigi Guanella, Prior to the gathering of beautiful dream, of making with life. Founder, Servants of Charity that small band, Don Bosco the Pinardi property a place Oct. 29 - Bl. Michael Rua, SDB had arrived at the that “speaks”. What has Nov. 5 - Mass for all deceased "Pinardi" property and taken place in transforming benefactors & members of SF (in SDB Houses) shed. He rented its two this space is much more Nov. 15 - Virtual Meeting with pieces of land to begin the than the mere remodeling of Don Angel, 1 PM ET(open to SF) first permanent Salesian walls and rooms. A dream Page 2 S. F. Snippets Today the invitation is made to Be still and listen in this house and from tourists who do not know everyone: Come! Get to know this courtyard (once Mamma anything about the Salesian world. Valdocco. Browse around. Margarita's garden). Here there was These will realize that something Experience this place. Be still and life and joy, mingled with difficulties great arose from nothing in this listen to what the “walls are and hunger, where everyone desired place, even if they should gain but a saying” because “at Valdocco, to become a saint. From these few superficial understanding, everything speaks”. square yards of land, there have to those who know, love, live, come 13 who have been declared and have our charism in their Venerable, Blessed, or Saint. They hearts. These will touch with their grew up here, allowing the Spirit to hands, see with their eyes, and sow in them the seed of 'sanctity know in their hearts how God lived in Valdocco'. Our Beloved Don brought forth from within these Bosco was a master in the art of walls something very beautiful for proposing lofty and beautiful ideals the young people of the world. to his boys. Today, these walls wherein the Here - on this Pinardi property - Salesian charism was born and Come to this house where matured, and from which it spread hundreds of young men and boys into the whole world, have been and dozens of Salesians lived cared for and preserved so as to alongside Don Bosco and became a remain a place of universal heritage true family in a home that was a throughout time. “school of sanctity”. From this house, these churches, Get to know this place that has and this playground Don Bosco will continued welcoming hundreds and continue to reach the whole world. hundreds of young people, From all over the world people will changing their lives by the life Don Bosco, Mamma Margaret, come to Valdocco to meet the Lord experienced here, helping them Dominic Savio, Michael Rua, Philip who has done great things, together become "good Christians and Rinaldi, Luigi Variara, and Leonard with Our Mother, Mary Help of upright citizens." Murialdo lived, walked, worked, prayed, and played, to name but a Christians, because “it is She who Browse around this space that mere few. Numerous others walked has done everything” and who saw, just like the little seed that is these grounds – so numerous that continues “to do everything” - in spoken of in the Gospel, the first this house and courtyard had to be union with Don Bosco, Mamma sprout of what would become a expanded. Larger churches were Margherita, and so many others. lush, green, and healthy tree that necessary because the boys soon The spirit of Valdocco is still very today spreads its branches over the numbered 500. They quickly much alive! entire world: Don Bosco’s Salesian outgrew the smaller churches: the We offer you far more than just Family. tiny Pinardi Shed Chapel and the beautiful walls... We offer you far Experience this home which Church of Saint Francis de Sales. more than just a museum... We offer witnessed how a young priest full On this land they walked a path of you far more than just works of of evangelizing and educational sanctity. At the end of this path we art... We offer you far more than passion inspired that band of his stand in the shadow of the beautiful just historical memories... We boys with enthusiasm and zeal to Basilica of Mary Help of Christians intend to offer you pleasant continue his dream: the first under the protection of Our friendship, encounters, and visits Salesians. It is they who gave Heavenly Mother who covers all of that will touch your heart and your continuity to the Congregation, Valdocco with her mantle. life as you gaze upon these places who succeeded Don Bosco, and who This house that we present to sanctified by those who walked made his missionary dream come everyone today to be visited and them. true, first in Patagonia, then in known is and will be a very From Valdocco to the whole world. much of the Americas, and today in meaningful experience for everyone: 134 nations. Be well! Don Angel Volume II, Issue 10 In, With, and For the Church Page 3 OCTOBER 4: FRATELLI TUTTI OCT. 5: BL. ALBERTO MARVELLI OCTOBER 10: CARLO ACUTIS Fratelli tutti is the title Pope Francis This October 5 marks the opening of The beatifica- has chosen for his new encyclical – a year to celebrate the 75th anniver- tion of 15-year dedicated, as we read in the subtitle, sary of the death of Alberto Marvelli. -old Italian to “fraternity” and “social friend- On September 5, 2004, at Loreto, Ita- y o u n g s t e r ship”. The original Italian title will ly, Pope John Paul II beatified a Carlo Acutis be used, without being translated, in young Italian layman, Albert Mar- on 10 October all the languages in which the docu- velli. In spite of his short lifetime of 2020 in Assisi ment is published, due to be released only 28 years, he was a hero of Chris- is fast ap- on October 4, Feast of St. Francis of tian charity. The Pope said of him, proaching. Assisi. The first words of the new “He has shown how, in changing Born in London on 3 May 1991 he “circular letter” (this is the meaning times and situations, Christian lay- died of leukemia on 12 October 2006. of the word “encyclical”) come from men are able to devote themselves He spent all his school life in Milan. the great Saint of Assisi, whose unreservedly to building God’s king- Carlo was best known for document- name Pope Francis chose. dom in family, work, culture, and ing Eucharistic miracles around the On 27 March, at the height of the politics, taking the Gospel into the world and cataloguing them all on a pandemic, the Bishop of Rome heart of society.” The Church is offer- website that he himself created in prayed for the salvation of all in an ing him as a pattern of sanctity in the months before his death from empty Saint Peter's Square, in the daily life for young Christians in the leukemia, but he started the pouring rain, accompanied only by 21st century. 'collection' of the Eucharistic mira- cles site when he was 11. The Eu- the sorrowful gaze of the Crucifix of Albert was born at Ferrara on March charistic website is available today St. Marcellus and the loving gaze of 21, 1918, the second of seven chil- in 18 languages, including Asian Mary, Salus Populi Roma- dren. From his boyhood, Albert lived ones. ni, protector, health or salvation of his faith ardently and prayerfully in the Roman People. his daily duties of study and work, in He was good at soccer, but especially “In this storm,” Pope Francis said, church, and in his social life.