Going Home at 40

Coming Home: Paul Walker

more than just being another philantropist, i think kindess will always be something that makes us go home.

I am sorry: Намайг Уучларай (Namaig Uuchlarai)... Confessions part 2/2

Beyond the 'felix culpa' and learning experiences in the school of God's people, I still am excited to be in awe again of the school of healing.

Of recent, in Mongolia, a socialist land that has 0.001 % catholics, I am still in awe and wonder at youths and adults who join their friends in a Catholic liturgy of reconciliation. One may ask why am I being surprised (again)? I am delightedly surprised once again because some of them are not catholics! These are non catholics who knowingly and willingly join their catholic friends in liturgical penitential occasions during advent, during lent, during summer camps, and at times just approaching a priest who was sitting down in a confessional that had a sign written in Mongolian cyrillic “Наминлал” (Naminchlal) which was the vernacular term for 'asking forgiveness.'

In these non Christians, those that comprise the majority of people in our mission presence in the frontiers, the sincerity and desire to seek forgiveness could only be attributed to God's generosity. God, the great Spiritual physician, has provoked them to come also to say their 'own version' of “Тэнгэр Бурхан мийн, Намайг Уучларай” (Tenger Burkhan minh, Namaig Uuchlarai: My God, I am sorry).

After learning from the wisdom of the swamps and rain-forest, once again I ask myself “who am I again to turn them away saying: “you are not baptized yet... you're not a catholic... these are only for Christians.” For all we know, rather than be angry, they simply would not understand why could they not be allowed to say 'sorry.' For in reality these simple souls would be more confused when catholic “monks” refuse to accept them in a confessional when they humble themselves to say their innermost faults and say “forgive me.” Who am I to turn them away in their sincere belief in an indistinct yet merciful God whom their friends said 'forgive sins.'

Who am I even to scandalize them by turning them away from a 'rare occasion' to embrace humility and an opportune desire to be transformed for the better. They trusted their friend. And therefore introduced them quicker to a new God. This “God” is not exactly the same as the one they heard from their ancestors. This God was not only to be called “Тэнгэр” (Tenger: the heavens) as one who is high and distant. This new name of God, “Тэнгэрбурхан” (Tengerburkhan: one among us from the heavens) is in fact so near, He is a refreshingly unique God who prefers to be called “Аав” (Aav) which means Father.

Unlike the first two years as a neophyte in the Gulf, seven summers in Papua New Guinea and thirteen winters in Mongolia have passed and I had the time to be more familiar with the vernacular. Understanding “Халх Монгол” (Khalkha Mongol) a bit more, a confessor or a “spiritual physician” is humbled and is re-educated in the working of divine mercy by what he hears when penitents truly express their sorrow for their sins and asks to be forgiven. It is truly humbling when people “come to confession” with the simple and sincere understanding of what it means to say “Намайг Уучларай” (I am sorry). What makes it unique is because these penitents were not even catechumens but simple people who recognize their faults and seek forgiveness from an invisible spirit greater than themselves. It is like imagining the God of the heavens waiting for them. But He was waiting probably not at the top of the stairway to heaven but was waiting just on the first step of the stairway closest to earth, so as to reach out and embrace them while the stood on earth. Who then am I even to dare say: “You cannot be forgiven” (because you are not baptized yet).

Reading the simple advices of St. Franics de Sales' Confession in his book Filotea, led me to appreciate not only this ministry but the relevance of this sacrament all the more. I have learned through bruises but I am happy to have scars to prove that I wish to learn well from THE spiritual physician. In the confessional with non Christians I do give a blessing knowing that I, as a mere steward of the church, can always make good use of these anointed hands which can heal not only through one noble and efficacious representation of the action of Christ and his Church. There are also vicarious and various ways like bestowing a blessing of the Mother of Christ, with the hope that through her intercession, her merciful Son would forgive these humble souls in ways only the οἰκονομία (oikonomia: economy) of salvation can explain.

I have learned not only through intellectual affirmation but in tangible appreciation that the mercy of God is so expansive. God's mercy is for all to receive and experience and not only for the baptized to enjoy. I have learned that heaven is not only 'booked' (hotel with reservations) for the Christians but is instantaneously (now) open and available for all men and women of good will even if they speak only Orokolo (Ahia language) or Khalkha Mongol.

One might say 'that is nothing new.' True, but it is different when one understands it in his mind than when one sees and partakes of the rejoicing in heaven 'when THE one lost sheep is found.' This has brought me at times at odds with the faith I have learned from classrooms and from life. Tasked with 'being ready to give an account of my faith,' I experience a profound conviction and joy when I say 'my job is not to work for conversion of people' ie. shifting from one religion to another. Instead, I understand 'my mission is to bring as many, if not all, to Jesus.' I would be happier if my task would be made faster when and if some were to request to be Baptized and thus help bring others closer to Jesus and not to some other place.

As for conversion? For me it should be left to describe transformation. From a god-less life to a god-plus life... likewise from a life of sadness to a life of joy; From a life of selfishness to a life for others; From a life of sin to a life of grace. This is for me is conversion. It peeves me when people come up to me after knowing I am a missionary and asks, how many have I converted? 10/10 they meant switching religion.

To sum up, I was wrong to have served the “function of ministering” rather than for whom it was meant to represent. With all deference to my mentors of sacramentology, I remembered how we were responsibly, canonically and judicially to minister the sacrament of confession to many types of people which included the scrupulous and the callous. However I failed to see beyond the priestly scrutinies that assessed the “how to” be stewards of the “keys” of the church. I failed to see beyond the “when and why.” I ought to have remembered “for whom” ie. ON WHOSE BEHALF we stood in for. It is nice to be reminded time and again, that the “keys” to bind and to unbound, we were entrusted with were not only the keys for re-joining the 'ἐκκλησία' (ecclesia: visible assembly/church) but moreover, were entrusted with the keys of heaven's stairwell which led to a Father's waiting embrace as The “βασιλεύς”(basileus: kingdom)

(A Reflection on St. Francis de Sales tract on “Confession”) part 2/2

c:ako

I am sorry: Mi sori tru. Confessions 1/2

The best way to understand a sacrament is when you minister it. And probably the best way to misunderstand and even un-learn it is by not ministering it on God's behalf.

I was newly ordained and immediately assigned as missionary in the Gulf (spelled swamp-lands) province of Papua New Guinea. Together with 'The' veteran pioneer missionary priest of ours, we made our monthly pastoral visit (when there was enough fuel) to a village way inward the rain-forest of the Gulf. Winding through the snake like river, it took us two (2) hours to reach the village despite the a fast outboard motor on our dinghy. With almost the entire morning gone, we reached the village and sat beneath the shades of the their huts. Their homes were built from real all-organic (natural) material. The walls were weaved grass. Their homes were elevated on two (2) meters high stilts. They were elevated for practical reasons to avoid flash floods from the river and the usual visits of snakes.

It was in the Gulf that I began my initial ministry of confessing catholics in mission territories. The tribal language of theirs was obviously a universe of difference from the languages familiar to me. Their language was also different from the central village from where we departed. It seemed like for every meter you moved away from the central village, the vowels and syllables also mutate and evolve into another language of its own. It would be naive to call these dialects in this age of advanced linguistics. My baptism into missionary life before the sanctuaries of the Lord was just beginning when just ahead of me was a celebration of a liturgy of reconciliation in a language I thought I knew well, called mercy.

There was not a single word or syllable I could infer, by way of association, with any root the western world takes its origin from. There was nothing near Latin, Greek nor Hebrew. Needless to say nothing that resembles English or even Malay where some Indonesian, the nearest country to Papua New Guinea, words would have derived. What I was “hearing” in the humble and serene whisperings of these persons in confession was simply other worldly. I was the alien in their world. I was the alien in God's world.

After having confessed the remaining parishioners we celebrated the Eucharist. Having finished all other assistance to them by way of medicines and attending to their other material needs, we traveled back down the river to our parish depot, our base camp for the weekend. Arriving at our base we not only moored the dinghy to a tree but literally had to haul it up the river bank, which was about 3-4 meters above sea-level. Likewise we had to carry the out-board motor for safe-keeping since some people got accustomed to the generosity of nature that they take it for granted to ask permission when taking anything like a pineapple from a neighbors' backyard when everything belongs to their “wantok” (the same clan that talks the one-and-same language).

While eating the dinner we had just cooked ourselves, the de facto parish priest and veteran missionary asked me how did I find my first visit to the people of Ahia, the village in the inner rain-forest of the Gulf we had just visited. It was 'your typical feedback moment' probably because this visit would inevitably be part of many upstream trips I would make alone as part of my ministry.

The first great impression for me was not so much the sight of numerous large fruit bats called flying-foxes, with recorded wing-spans in excess of 1.5 meters, nor the eerie sound of crickets all through the trip. Instead, I eagerly narrated to him, my joy of seeing an opportunity to apply my pastoral training as a newly ordained priest. I regretfully boasted that since I did not understand nor could verify the sincerity of the contrition of the penitent, “I always gave a 'conditional' absolution to each one.” I was so confident to emphasize my application of the practical rule of making a judgement call 'when in doubt, apply conditions.' Oh was I terribly wrong.

I never forgot his answer. In fact I even would not want to forget this night even though it happened exactly twenty years ago. Few I guess would also forget their honeymoon years as I fondly look back at these moments of profound learning from a seasoned missionary I was fortunate to have been with.

“What!” my dear mentor angrily reprimanded me: “who are you to doubt the contrition and sincerity of these people!” My enthusiasm in narrating my pastoral application of my pastoral theory, went from 100 bars to 0 in two seconds. I was mollified.

He continued “who are you to withhold the great compassion and mercy of the Lord to these people!” I was melting cold in my own shame, since there was no one around except the two of us and the myriads of crickets that enveloped the silence of the chilly night.

Oh was I terribly wrong in relying on my mental doubt and on my inadequacy. I forgot all about the confidence and completeness of our merciful God.

Continuing his bombardment on my pastoral 'boo-boo' with all leverage and glory (rightfully) he hammered and honed in to explain truths that one can only admire as wisdom learned far beyond the confines of a classroom. “It was not the fault of these people that you do not understand what they were confessing.” He thundered. “We have no right to doubt, on the basis of our inadequacy to understand nor speak their language, the sincerity of these simple people in the rain-forest who asks for God's forgiveness. When these simple people come, bare-footed in their poverty, to seek forgiveness and absolution from you, a priest, don't doubt. And without “scholastic conditions,” absolve!”

The emptiness I felt for being engrossedly embarrassed was in fact somehow disturbingly pleasant because instead of desiring to close my ears to the powering reprimands, I found myself eagerly hungry for more. His reprimands were in fact very enlightening, purifying and very fulfilling to me and to anyone who understood and equally enjoyed the “power experiences” of God's merciful sacrament as a penitent.

In retrospect, I would reminisce that day as one of the “best practice” moments of my priestly life, when I learned again from scrap. I learned that there was, there is, there will be no reason to be stingy with the mercy of God. All the more am I humbled with wonder at the meaning of “mercy.” Mercy itself is so expansive that it even heals the ills not only of the penitent but its 'spiritual physician' as well. 'Spiritual Physician' was a term St. Francis of Sales fondly used when referring to the ministry of this sacrament.

Beyond the 'felix culpa' and learning experiences in the school of God's people, I still am excited to be in awe again of the school of healing.

Of recent, in Mongolia, a socialist land that has 0.001 % catholics, I am still in awe and wonder at youths and adults who join their friends in a Catholic liturgy of reconciliation. One may ask why am I being surprised (again)? I am delightedly surprised once again because some of them are not catholics! These are non catholics who knowingly and willingly join their catholic friends in liturgical penitential occasions during advent, during lent, during summer camps, and at times just approaching a priest who was sitting down in a confessional that had a sign written in Mongolian cyrillic “Наминлал” (Naminchlal) which was the vernacular term for 'asking forgiveness.'

In these non Christians, those that comprise the majority of people in our mission presence in the frontiers, the sincerity and desire to seek forgiveness could only be attributed to God's generosity. God, the great Spiritual physician, has provoked them to come also to say their 'own version' of “Тэнгэр Бурхан мийн, Намайг Уучларай” (Tenger Burkhan minh, Namaig Uuchlarai: My God, I am sorry).

After learning from the wisdom of the swamps and rain-forest, once again I ask myself “who am I again to turn them away saying: “you are not baptized yet... you're not a catholic... these are only for Christians.” For all we know, rather than be angry, they simply would not understand why could they not be allowed to say 'sorry.' For in reality these simple souls would be more confused when catholic “monks” refuse to accept them in a confessional when they humble themselves to say their innermost faults and say “forgive me.” Who am I to turn them away in their sincere belief in an indistinct yet merciful God whom their friends said 'forgive sins.'

Who am I even to scandalize them by turning them away from a 'rare occasion' to embrace humility and an opportune desire to be transformed for the better. They trusted their friend. And therefore introduced them quicker to a new God. This “God” is not exactly the same as the one they heard from their ancestors. This God was not only to be called “Тэнгэр” (Tenger: the heavens) as one who is high and distant. This new name of God, “Тэнгэрбурхан” (Tengerburkhan: one among us from the heavens) is in fact so near, He is a refreshingly unique God who prefers to be called “Аав” (Aav) which means Father.

Unlike the first two years as a neophyte in the Gulf, seven summers in Papua New Guinea and thirteen winters in Mongolia have passed and I had the time to be more familiar with the vernacular. Understanding “Халх Монгол” (Khalkha Mongol) a bit more, a confessor or a “spiritual physician” is humbled and is re-educated in the working of divine mercy by what he hears when penitents truly express their sorrow for their sins and asks to be forgiven. It is truly humbling when people “come to confession” with the simple and sincere understanding of what it means to say “Намайг Уучларай” (I am sorry). What makes it unique is because these penitents were not even catechumens but simple people who recognize their faults and seek forgiveness from an invisible spirit greater than themselves. It is like imagining the God of the heavens waiting for them. But He was waiting probably not at the top of the stairway to heaven but was waiting just on the first step of the stairway closest to earth, so as to reach out and embrace them while the stood on earth. Who then am I even to dare say: “You cannot be forgiven” (because you are not baptized yet).

Reading the simple advices of St. Franics de Sales' Confession in his book Filotea, led me to appreciate not only this ministry but the relevance of this sacrament all the more. I have learned through bruises but I am happy to have scars to prove that I wish to learn well from THE spiritual physician. In the confessional with non Christians I do give a blessing knowing that I, as a mere steward of the church, can always make good use of these anointed hands which can heal not only through one noble and efficacious representation of the action of Christ and his Church. There are also vicarious and various ways like bestowing a blessing of the Mother of Christ, with the hope that through her intercession, her merciful Son would forgive these humble souls in ways only the οἰκονομία (oikonomia: economy) of salvation can explain.

I have learned not only through intellectual affirmation but in tangible appreciation that the mercy of God is so expansive. God's mercy is for all to receive and experience and not only for the baptized to enjoy. I have learned that heaven is not only 'booked' (hotel with reservations) for the Christians but is instantaneously (now) open and available for all men and women of good will even if they speak only Orokolo (Ahia language) or Khalkha Mongol.

One might say 'that is nothing new.' True, but it is different when one understands it in his mind than when one sees and partakes of the rejoicing in heaven 'when THE one lost sheep is found.' This has brought me at times at odds with the faith I have learned from classrooms and from life. Tasked with 'being ready to give an account of my faith,' I experience a profound conviction and joy when I say 'my job is not to work for conversion of people' ie. shifting from one religion to another. Instead, I understand 'my mission is to bring as many, if not all, to Jesus.' I would be happier if my task would be made faster when and if some were to request to be Baptized and thus help bring others closer to Jesus and not to some other place.

As for conversion? For me it should be left to describe transformation. From a god-less life to a god-plus life... likewise from a life of sadness to a life of joy; From a life of selfishness to a life for others; From a life of sin to a life of grace. This is for me is conversion. It peeves me when people come up to me after knowing I am a missionary and asks, how many have I converted? 10/10 they meant switching religion.

To sum up, I was wrong to have served the “function of ministering” rather than for whom it was meant to represent. With all deference to my mentors of sacramentology, I remembered how we were responsibly, canonically and judicially to minister the sacrament of confession to many types of people which included the scrupulous and the callous. However I failed to see beyond the priestly scrutinies that assessed the “how to” be stewards of the “keys” of the church. I failed to see beyond the “when and why.” I ought to have remembered “for whom” ie. ON WHOSE BEHALF we stood in for. It is nice to be reminded time and again, that the “keys” to bind and to unbound, we were entrusted with were not only the keys for re-joining the 'ἐκκλησία' (ecclesia: visible assembly/church) but moreover, were entrusted with the keys of heaven's stairwell which led to a Father's waiting embrace as The “βασιλεύς”(basileus: kingdom)

(A Reflection on St. Francis de Sales tract on “Confession”)

c:ako

Why bother following you!

Where do the youth today challenge me?

I have spent some time with young people in Oceania (PNG), in south-east Asia (FIL), in central Asia (MNG), and north America (USA), and I will premise my response to the question by saying 'again' that the difference is barely a millimeter thick. 

 

After 20 years of ministering amidst a handful or less than a fraction of the diversity of youth of the world, I can easily say that their lives are really very contrasting and yet not disparate. They live through different habitats, contrasting societies and iconic style of 'domus.' They are so different and so identical. They are manifestly distinguished from one another through external appearances. Spend more time with them, the youthful prose of joys, pains and hopes have the same refrain. They are very much open and attracted to someone and something with the semblance of truth and goodness. They have a very keen sense of justice even though they find it hard to practice it themselves. But they do demand it with ferocity when circumstances come close to home. Its a desire of a human heart to be fill up with goodness and truth. Values that constitute the very material of the human spirit. This shared heart beat becomes so obvious when ask them why they are so angry, so depressed and so rebellious. They all have been hurt and deprived of goodness or betrayed of the truth that was meant to be theirs.

I have been privileged to witness the cycles of these young spirits. It is easy to see coldness or indifference of bearing, suspicion and their deafening silence on the first day of encounter. But as days move into months and into years being in their midst, I have seen their realization of hope. But when they once again see glimpses of 'inconsistency' ie. Obscurity vision, lack of clarity of thought and contradictoriness of message from their mentors, their “fathers/brothers”, they become suspicious again and fall back into their silence and secret world saying to themselves, “they are no different from the rest of the quarreling noise of the house.”

What is this inconsistency? These youth of today ranging from 16-21 years of age demand more from us Salesians. What makes them fall back into their secret and exclusive world of their own, is the confusion they see once again in those they thought they could trust. Thus the inconsistency is the contrasting and at times conflicting messages the Salesians convey to them. Once they have seen, tasted and appreciated the truth and the good of discipline from one Salesian, they get so disillusioned so quickly when another Salesian presents another paradigm of relativism and individualism.

What is then the challenge of the young? On their part, there is nothing to blame when they get upset because they are simply the fruits of what we have made them to be. They become another chip of the old block of the spinning world ie. another person confused. The onus of the challenge is with the expression of our consecrated life today. They or shall I say, we need to get our act together as consecrated persons. The message we impart in our very lifestyle must bear a single message of this truth. The very message we as a team of educators must communicate is a clear message. And we pray that this message is true. When an international group of persons in 'consecrated life' are lives their humanity faithfully according to the 'charismatic expression proper to their consecration' it becomes so difficult to be unattractive to the spinning world. Unity and communion are so good and so rare even to the eyes of the cynical youth that they say 'there is something special here... something cool.'

The youth are like litmus tests (it would not be politically appropriate to call them guinea pigs) strips that can easily indicate the timeless element of the word of God: “how wonderful it is to see, when brothers live in unity.” And by unity I do not mean the robotic unity of uniformity and conformity. By unity I mean an inexpressible harmony of mind, heart and soul. A unity of kindred SPIRITs I should say. What better expression verifies this expression of one spirit, when people testified that the “difference” between Don Bosco and Don Rinaldi was their voice. The rest of their mind, and life expressions was conveying the same sincere and clear “message” - a profound consecrated life.

I think, or better, I believe that because the youth who saw the truth and felt the goodness of Don Bosco was clearly understood as identical with what they saw and felt in Don Rinaldi or anyone who replicated Don Bosco's message of God's goodness and truth. These youth easily and willingly went further and beyond appreciation and asked to join and to be a consecrated Salesian. The the number of vocations increased and the number of missionary commitments quadrupled in the hands of Don Bosco's successors, his faithful spiritual sons.

Today, we find few applicants not even a handful. We not only find less applicants today but moreover, we even lose those young that entered and easily are disillusioned with the superficiality and inconsistency within the supposed brotherhood of consecrated persons. They lost track of the truth and the good that once compelled them to give up their companionship with their peers to become disciples of the Lord.

The youth challenges us today to renew our way of being consecrated Salesian before God and to each other again. The youth throw back the mission intention intended for them. We ought to be the first Good Christian and Honest Citizen. A fitting expression in my view is said in one portion of the prayer in preparation for the bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth in 2015. That is a “high standard of Christian living.” And any renewal of society and youth always seemed to begin with the renewal in spirituality and discipline of the clergy and consecrated persons. And this task of renewal is not only a millimeter thick. May Saint Carlo Borromeo help us with his wisdom and zeal for the house of the Lord.

c:ako
a reflection: "the youth challenges consecrated life and priesthood"

4 November, Feast of San Carlo Borromeo, my feastday!

ANS interview - Summer 2013

1. In service to the Church./How did the salesian mission start?
   

• By 1998 through the Salesian confreres in S.Korea, the Salesians received an invitation from the Apostolic Nuncio (Nunciature shared by S.Korea and the Republic of Mongolia) and the Missio Sui Iuris Superior of Ulaanbaatar (Msgr. Padilla, C.I.C.M./Scheute missionaries). The Salesian Provincial of So. Korea (Fr., Vaclav) made the first exploratory visits. Then the Councilor for the Missions (Fr. Odorico) likewise made his personal visit to Mongolia. These visits resulted in finalizing the proper response: a) that the Province of So. Korea could not accept an additional mission territory because they were already preoccupied with the Mission territory in Manchuria (Yanji). b) That the Mongolia Mission was offered to the Province of Vietnam instead. With the essentials in place the Provincial of Vietnam Fr. John Ty and his council accepted the challenge of the Rector Major who thus approved the creation of the Mongolia mission in the year 2000.
  

• As part of the Jubilee year celebrations of Third Millenium, and international set of 6 confreres were pulled from 4 countries (Vietnam, Korea, Slovakia and the Philippines) to do the pioneering work.
  
• In the peak of one of the worst winters of Mongolia, the Salesians entered not to visit but this time to stay in February 7, 2001. Three days later the designated superior of the team (Fr. Carlo Villegas) was left behind with a fraternal hug and prayer by Fr. Odorico and Fr. Ty in Ulaanbaatar to found the Salesian mission works in (a) putting up at once a technical school (a commitment previously accepted); (b) preparing a place and home to live for the other pioneers that would be joining Fr. Villegas, 9 months later and (c) begin immediately daily classes in Mongolian language.
  

2. Describe the salesians presences in Mongolia? (in brief…)

• Nine (9) years after formal diplomatic ties were established (April 1992) between the Republic of Mongolia and the Vatican. The Salesians are the second (men) religious congregation to work in the mission of Mongolia. The Catholic Church Mission of Mongolia was entrusted and began by the congregation (men) C.I.C.M./ Scheute missionaries (July 1992). It is to the CICM that the ecclesiastical mission territory was entrusted by the Holy See.
• The Salesians serve the Church in both fields of Indirect and Direct Evangelization. There are currently two (2) Salesian Presences. One in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar and the other 220 Kilometers north of the capital, Darkhan. Chronologically, the first of the Salesians presence is a government certified technical-highschool that began with 30 students in 2001 and is now catering to almost 300 annually. The second service is an Orphanage of 20 kids, the remains of what was before a center for youth-at-risk, the defunct third presence that was undersized and merged with the Salesian community that operates the technical highschool. To these formal education and orphanage, the Salesians abide by Mongolian Laws that prohibit the teaching of religion. In the north of the Capital, the Salesian presence began in 2005 as a youth and educational center which in turn saw the formal establishment of the Parish of Mary our Help (2007). An agricultural farm apostolate was also added to the services later (2009). It is with the government registration as a branch of the Catholic Church of Ulaanbaatar, that Church services and catechesis are freely exercised within the walls and premises of the Church.
  

3. How did the salesian mission start?

• To be less formal and juridical in reply like the above, it would not be poetic only to say as always that the Salesian Mission began with St. John Bosco's Madonna, our Help. Because literally in every respect of trying to establish a Salesian presence in Mongolia, we made it clear that a medal of our Lady would be tossed into the barren semi-dessert Mongolian soil and would precede us. And indeed we are witness to these graces. Historically in time, we could also say that Don Bosco already began the Salesian work in its planning stages... when he mentions the name Tatar and Tataria (the old name of Mongol tribes) in the Biographical Memoirs of the Salesians. Moreover, the Salesian mission in Mongolia began consequentially also with the fruition of the Salesian Mission in China. It is to the Grand Mother – Salesian Province of China that the daughters of Salesian mission Provinces of Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, etc.) send forth her sons to other places as Mongolia, now one of the grand daughters. It is no wonder that the day before Fr. Carlo stepped into the Land of the Steppes, he sought out an aged and bent Fr. Mario Acquistapace, in Braga House in HongKong (China), Fr. Carlo vividly recalls Fr. Mario words and countenance when he was informed: Fr. Mario, tomorrow we enter Mongolia. To this Fr. Mario teary eyed said “This was always our dream, to enter Mongolia someday.” And to this day, Fr. Carlo keeps a stampita with the words Fr. Mario intentionally scribbled for him “(Mama) Maria will bless you.” And indeed she has and will always will.
  

3. How do you find the Mongolian youth?

• (personally speaking). Having been in Papua New Guinea for seven (7) years and now thirteen (13) in Mongolia, and definitely many years before that in the Philippines, It is clear for me that the differences in humanity can really only be a millimeter deep. Having said that, the youth of Mongolia like all other youth have its potential as well as its weakness. They do not differ I believe from any other youth of the world. They share the same aspirations of humanity and of youthfulness. They share the same courage and fearfulness as descendants of Chinggis Khaan. They share the same hunger for sympathy. They share the same receptivity to impartiality and goodness as well as sharing in the attractiveness to rationality and truth. They share the youth's daring to the point of even being imprudent. They need a friend who is faithful and constant to guide them in days of fickleness. They long for a teacher who helps them understand the beauty of life and the reality of pain. They seek a father and a mother who will protect them and call them as their own. When I asked these youth of various times and batches what are the kind of persons they like... the top three (3) answers I hear for the past decade... the ones who are joyful; the ones who are truthful and honest; the ones who are not drunkards, not a thief and not the ones who beat up others. If my students a decade ago were 18 years old, by now they are reaching 30... as they were young then and now as young adults, these values may get blurred by a society that is equally pandered by idols of economics, but definitely they do not disappear from their hearts. They simply lacked constant guide posts. If ever there is one picture to depict the resolve of the youth of Mongolia, it would be their resilience of spirit when I see them when it is still dark at early dawn... when its not only chilly nor cold but in very very freezing temperatures, they walk to school day by day when they could simply have stayed inside their warm beds. But they still came and wanted to learn... more.
  

3. What are the positive elements of Mongolia? (culture, people, religion, …)

• typical of the bloodline of Chinggis Khaan, they admire loyalty. Thus this is very well seen in their loyalty to their nuclear family and not to their extended family because of marriage. As a natural consequence they are loyal to their country's heritage like a true patriot; Moreover, this loyalty is expressed very deeply in their respect for elders so much so that their pronoun “Ta” (reverential 'you' for an elder) is used with differentiated from “chi” (for an equal or younger) for age differences. The accurate usage of these pronouns are means to resolve or even aggravate any confrontation.
  
• Mongolia's constitution upholds 'freedom of Religion'. But the exercise and practice of it is limited to the citizens of the country. Which translates as foreigners (missionaries) are restricted in the practice within the confines of the Church building and its premises. Consequentially, the best 'evangelizers' in terms of mobility are Mongolians themselves since the law is favorable to them. The prophetic role of Salesian Cooperators is limitless.
• Mongolia is a country professed in Buddhism; exercising religious indifference on a daily basis for the majority, but fundamentally shaman or animist in practice during days of pain, suffering and difficulty. For the few who are familiar with Catholicism, the term Christian is attributed colloquially for Protestant denominations and Catholic is given as a distinction from Protestant sects. There is a small percentage of Muslims that are predominantly from one of the Mongol tribes called Kazakh, which name generally situates which part of the country they predominate ie. North West.
• Being of Nomadic geographically, they have a natural acceptance of new ideas and new people. The downside of which is that this ready-acceptance of ideas and people can also mean the quickness to change and that lead to lack of constancy and persistence. Like all nomadic virtues, to be welcoming is one of the outstanding traits. This welcoming attitude towards others promotes the attitudes of tolerance and of forgiveness for as long as the hurt is not that personal.
• They love their mothers... When the Salesians exercise their devotion to Mary, the Help of the faithful. The natural affinity of Mongolians to a Mother are aroused. This devotion to the Mother in heaven is a win-win formula for catechesis and devotion.

3. What are the challenges?

• Without prejudice to the free exercise of Religion within the premises of our parish church, the preventive system in our schools and orphanage is without religion, like a three-legged stool lacking one leg. It does not bring depth in the work for a 'man fully alive' (Ireneus) or 'human transformation' this is so when the laws of the land welcome Reason and Loving-Kindness but not freely Religion (Christian).
  
• Salesians must face isolation... not loneliness. Because isolation (location in reference to the comfort zones of one's own shoreline) does not necessarily result in loneliness (social need). A depth of one's Christian faith and a healthy understanding of one's consecration results in a missionary who is 'at home' despite being geographically and sociologically isolated.
  
• Rampant urbanization and high percentage of unemployment are natural challenges for a post-socialist economy that may have the revenue sources but do not have the experience to apply the correct methods for economic sustainability. Of the three million population of the country more than a third is in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.
  
• Mongolians love to read. They have one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The Salesians in general have failed to master the language as to be able to write and be a fruitful force of communicating and sharing horizons through the apostolate of publication... a tool of Don Bosco and St. Francis de Sales that has more longevity than the spoken word of a homily or lecture.
  
• I smile with frustration when I am reminded by one of our Mongolian staff who translated the book about Don Bosco by saying at the end... “I love Don Bosco but not Jesus” (a bias borne of the fall out with the prosetylizing of protestant fundamentalists that condemn everybody except themselves). When Salesians are confused of their consecration and identity as religious, the result is confused messages to the people. The challenge of 'a high standard of Christian Life' (daily prayer to Don Bosco) is very true. I have said it many times before, it is not enough to say that we “love” Don Bosco. Because multi-national communities of Salesians are by-products of different novitiates from different countries and formed by different novice masters, the interpretation (method) of the supposed knowledge of Don Bosco is so diverse that it breeds disparity and not only diversity of values. It is primarily important for the Salesians to have the knowledge and love of “The Christ” of the Apostles and of Don Bosco. And the very method of knowing and loving Christ is fundamentally reflective on how we do Theology today.
  
• It is true that the immediate indication of suitability for mission ad extra and inter-gentes is health. But freezing cold of Mongolia was not the main factor for 'return-to-sender' confreres. Neither is it the food, nor the people and the culture or language. The most common denominator for fall out is the inability live the Christian Faith in high standards ie. Naturally translates into a happy and prophetic living life as a consecrated person.
• Government laws, People hostile to the Church and its various presence are not only a handful but are but natural reactions to a Christian history that began on the wrong foot as the fundamentalist protestants may have antagonized the indigenous Buddhist and Shamans brothers of ours. Moreover the natural flaws of 'nationalism' contributed to this animosity to anything 'foreign'. And the Socialist's preservation of the Buddhist status quo would be favorable to politically preserve their control of power than to deal with by-products of a true democratic society with the bio-diversity of beliefs. Yet the silver lining is basically healthy “interaction.” The lack of it breeds ignorance and with ignorance comes suspicion and animosity. But after 13 years interacting with hundreds of parents, students and government officials, I saw them come to the door with lots of suspicion and when they leave (specially the alumni that leave after three years with us) they leave not only with awe and admiration but with the eagerness to tell their relatives and friends to send over their sons and daughters at the soonest.
  
• Viva Cristo Rey!
   c:ako

TOUCHDOWN! Mongolia!2001, Feb 7. 3:45pm thirteen winters ago today.

When I received my "obedience" from Don Odorico and blessings from Don Vecchi to lead the founders of the mission in Mongolia, I began deliberately to filially seek out a way to meet the remaining (living) Salesian pioneers of my country of origin (Philippines). In the last winter months of the Jubilee year (2000) of North American west coast, I sought out Fr. Anthony DiFalco and met him in a nursing home in California. In the early days of February 2001 a day before my entry into Mongolia I was was privileged to be brought to "Braga House" in Hong-Kong... and meet Fr. Mario Acquistapace. Bent with age, he listened to what "good news" I was eager to tell him. "Father Mario, tomorrow we enter Mongolia." Upon hearing this his eyes teared up and said "this too was our dream. This too was Don Bosco's dream." I then asked him to write a note on a stampita that i could carry with me as an encouragement to what lies ahead. He wrote in the stampita of Pope Paul VI, "(mama) Maria, will be with you." And indeed she was, is and will be.

At 3:45 pm our Mongol Airlines (MIAT) Airbus wheels "touchdown"-ed in Buyant-Ukhaa airport (Mongolian: Буянт-Ухаа нисэх онгоцны буудал) in the coldest capital city of the world, Ulaanbaatar (The Red Hero), outer Mongolia. The temperatures then were nothing compared now a days.

My beloved "chaperons" (they would leave me behind two days later) then were Fr. Odorico and Fr. Ty, my new Provincial now that this mission was entrusted to the Salesian Jurisdiction of Vietnam. And after the brief introductions to the mission by some missionaries I was left to live in the mission center for a while whilst preparing our place, our school our educative-mission work. For us Salesians, we Educate by Evangelizing and we Evangelize by Educating. This implies that with a new Evangelization requires a New Education (a topic for next)

Fr. Odorico and Fr. Ty's prayers were and are really strong it seemed. Since the last words to their parting fraternal embrace to me were "I will pray for you; learn the Mongolian Language well; prepare the coming of the rest of the team; and ...the school,...a yes the school, it must open in September" (6 months from now). To my knowledge I think with Mama Mary's help I fulfilled MOST of that with the means available with the exception of the Language studies, that was not only impossible but foolish to say the least in hindsight.

To my knowledge... I have prepared the school to the best of my God given formation and experience (with 11 year as technical student of DB-Makati, 11 years as a Salesian-Educator-Priest in the making in DB Canlubang, DB Mandaluyong, DB Paranaque; and to my first mission territory as a very young priest – ie. 7 beautiful years in Papua New Guinea)

To my knowledge... my confrères then, now and in the future will always have a place warm enough to keep the presence of St. John Bosco thawed and unfrozen if they have enough means to pay the bills.

To my knowledge... my Mongolian proficiency is our 'corporate' lacunae which I hope and pray, may someday be realized and filled.

After twelve and a half winters, nearing 500 Mongolian Youths have passed through the doors of our home, eleven graduation ceremonies, from thirty (2001) to three hundred (2012) Mongolian students per year, from seven to sixty staff, from a Russian 'cold-war' military Forgon van to a Hyundai Hybrid, from a "domboo" (colloquial for stupid) to clearly a "Дон Боско, хатуу шуударгаа гэвч маш сайн сургуул. Манай Монголд энэ шиг хэрэгтэй" (Don Bosco, very strict and honest, but is a very good school. Our Mongolia needs more of this kind). Tengerburkhan (God of the heavens and of earth) is good.

A ministry of labor official once told me to my face after pinning a medal of honor on me, that he believes we ought to be a model school for the rest. A year later he was "mysteriously" killed... and words on the street say ... because he was an honest man. A dying man usually tells the truth. God rest his good soul.

I always told the students and staff and parents, "It is useless to gain knowledge and skills without moral values. Let us produce not only students with a high school diploma. Let us produce not only students with a technical skill. Let us produce also honest, truthful, respectful, hardworking and grateful citizens of Mongolia." ...and it all begins with a good foundation of educators in good homes (parents) and good schools (educative staff).

The secret?... I come to realize that people, young as well as older ones, do not reflect much. If we all did... reflect, the possibilities for transformation are limitless. Even the first pillar of the Preventive System is Reason. Rationality in the very human conscience is open to truth, to goodness, to transformation.

From plus 40 hot temperatures in summer to minus 40 deep freeze temperatures in winter... a non issue even for people like me born in the tropics. Our subsistence in the great steppes of the central plains of Asia, should serve as a myth-buster for naysayers since freezing climates are not Waterloos for mission. You should try listening to our confrères in Siberia. Yet my baptism into subzero 45s degree Celsius was very real when I had to go by foot and public transportation to and from my 5 month stint at Mongolian language school. But the warm reception of the Mongolian youth and elders to the truth and goodness within themselves makes it worth all the while for a Salesian to prepare the seed bed for their own generations to come to embrace the fullness of Truth and Goodness in the very Person whom Khublai and Temujin aka. Chinggis Khaan called prophetically as Tenger (Burkhan).

Its humbling to be chronicled in history specially from the Rector Major... yet at great risk and responsibility when one's main task is simply to live up to what the baptist said... That He must increase, and I must decrease. I believe we ought to have more courage to implement the “correct” and “unified” charism at all cost... learning from the past twelve years, not ever again to be compromisingly soft to the clamor of a few who demanded their individualism.... and in the end, are sadly lost. May the Lord and St. John Bosco grant us mercy.

When all things failed to convince my superiors, I asked Fr. Odorico why on earth did he choose me to be the founder among founders, he said... "because you're crazy." ...nuff said. :)

Viva JMJ! Christo Rey!

c:ako

--- (excerpt)----

ACTS 397: Letter of the Rector Major
Una Región misionera

La Región ha sido bendecida con la presencia de grandes misioneros, pioneros en algunos países: Mons. Luigi Versiglia (1881-1930), Mons. Ignacio Canazei (+1946), don Carlo Braga (+1972), don Mario Acquistapace (1906-2002) en China; Mons. Vincenzo Cimatti (1883-1965) en Japón; don Andrej Majcen (1905-1999) en Vietnam; don Archimede Martelli (1916-1984) en Corea del Sur: Mons. Ernesto Coppo, Señor Celestino Acerni (entrado en 1923, primer salesiano en el suelo australiano, en Kimberley) y don Joseph Ciantar (1893-1967) en Australia; y muchos otros personajes de gran relieve.

Quiero recordar también los nombres de Salesianos, pioneros en el período más reciente, 'fundadores' en los respectivos países de la Región: don José Carbonell en Indonesia; don Valeriano Barbero en Papúa Nueva Guinea; Señor José Ribeiro en Timor Este (1946); Señor Roberto Panetto y don Walter Brigolin en Camboya (Phnom Penh, 1991); don Pedro Balazar y Señor Francesco Tanaka en las Islas Salomón (Tetere, 1995); don Pietro Zago y don Hans Dopheide en Pakistán (Lahore y Quetta, 1998); don Julian Fox en Fiji (1999); don Carlo Villegas en Mongolia (Ulaanbataar, 2001).