Inde Exibit Gloria Mea? È Vero. (part 4/4)

(...continued from 3/4)

Does this memento have prophetic and spiritual value? Or was it another handout meant for the shelves?

After 125 years after the first group of missionaries received the missionary memento from the altar of the Basilica of Mary help of Christians in Turin, the Jubilee year missionary batch was listening to the Message of the Holy Father, John Paul II being read to them before the packed basilica in chilly November evening of 2000, A.D.

In that message¹ even the Pope inadvertently expressed that it is while doing mission that one realizes one's divine calling. The pope gloriously mentions in his message a large amount² of confreres have gone for the Salesian missions. It would be good also however to point out the need that 'would it not be better if missionaries took the mementos to heart earlier' and that means prior to the departure for the missions just like the 'old times'.³ The very time and age of today speaks of a shift of awareness which not even the pope is probably conscious of. He began this message by acknowledging that missionaries go in the name⁴ of their founder and rightly so when speaking of the work of the Congregation. But in fact it ought not to be so.

There is a need to really return not to the times of the founder but to the very spirit with which Don Bosco and his sons have responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It is unfortunate yet important to emphasize that the missionaries ought to know 'crystal clear' that they are not sent in the name of this or that founder ONLY but that they are fundamentally and essentially sent by God and by His Church. Some may say, that would be implied naturally. When one is sent by the congregation, it means being sent by the Church and by God himself. But these expressions are meant for the journalists to write about. But for the missionary himself or herself this is not anymore clear with all the cameras flashing and interviews pending.

It is the pristine awareness of the divine mandate that seems to have wavered as time went by. Just as a matter of fact the Pope notes well the number of missionaries having received the missionary crucifix,⁵ and yet what is not mentioned is the large number of missionaries who have also left the missions for one reason or another. There is something amiss. There are the same ceremonials of bestowing the missionary crosses. But the spirit of the missionary mementos, no more.

The Mementos of Don Bosco were read to the group that belonged to the 125^th anniversary expedition ie. The Jubilee edition. While in the upper room in Valdocco, the very room of the Founder himself, a photo copy of the memento printed on four portions of an A4 size colored paper was handed out to the 80 plus Salesian missionaries on day they arrived from Rome. Similar to all other Salesians, the text of the memento was a text the missionaries already had hopefully seen and just skimming have read in the appendix their own versions⁶ of the Constitutions and Regulations of the Salesian Society.

The word 'Amen' at the end of the text itself is very interesting. When one gives an ordinary advice it would not be concluded with an exclamation of faith. Was it a typographical mistake? Surely not since all versions of the text through the years always conclude with that 'Amen.' So why did Don Bosco place it? Don Bosco placed it because it was not a mere to-do-list. It should not be treated as a list of optional suggestions. It should not be considered as a regulation or rule. But as a last will and prayer testament from a Father to a son. An advice after some time may not be valid or relevant when circumstances change. And yet, a prayer is perennial, because it is not based on circumstance or of time. As like all prayers, it is a dialogue between a Father and a son. It is the prayer of Don Bosco to the Heavenly Father that his sons be as such encapsulated in the mementos' text. It is a prayer that a missionary should pray with so that he may have the grace to be as such.

Conclusion

Responding to the initial question of missionary failure, begs the question to propose an answer. And the answer to superficiality is profundity. And one of the more neglected sources of profundity are these mystical mementos of Don Bosco to his first missionaries. These mementos were not meant to be read but to be the 'screen-test' for aspiring missionaries. The mementos would serve a wonderful tool for discernment for a missionary vocation. It easily can pass as a sound 'audition-test' for those who were meant to be missionaries ad gentes.

In the mementos there is nothing to do with suitability for singing, playing more than one musical instrument, technical trade skills, or recreation skills. There is no mention of administrative and management skills. There is nothing at all about jungle-survival techniques. It does not even mention foreign-language skills as part of the essentials. There is nothing mentioned about anthropological strategies to work for indigenous people. There is nothing mentioned about pastoral care for migrants. It mentions how to love God and to win more souls, beginning with one's own.

The constitutions were, are and will still be Don Bosco joining the missionary as he walks the modern boarding ramps of a departing vessel for the missions. The Constitutions are the presence of Don Bosco. But the mementos were Don Bosco's reminder of the vicinity of the presence of mystery.

As the first ten missionaries received the mementos from the very hand of their Father Don Bosco, the started filing out from the altar of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians. Don Bosco and all the throng present were very moved as they bade their last farewells and the finality of life joyously given at the service of the Lord were just overwhelming. And these were not sentiments of petty heightened emotion. This was heroism at its humblest: total generosity to what lies unknown save the fact that God is there. Everybody knew and understood that these ten would be going out to the farthest corners of the world to speak of the goodnews of the Lord. And this was not a suggestion but a command to bring the light of the Gospels to all parts of the world.⁷ And because of this zeal, the missionary would risk all.

The reality of death is what makes the mementos enter into mystery. The finality of leaving everything, to include family, friends, mentors, own culture, own language and life itself brings the missionary into the threshold of mystery. Only with this context can a missionary understand the meaning and continual beauty of the mementos of Don Bosco to his missionaries.

Zeal and Risking everything for the Lord makes the memento a great spiritual testament⁸ and not mere practical options. It gives light and strength to missionaries and non missionaries just as Father Lemoyne seeing the ten receive the memento from the hand of Don Bosco and started filing out into the huge crowd that had to say their last goodbyes to these young men. He himself could not contain his deep sentiments and prophetically exclaimed 'Ah! Don Bosco, it begins to be fulfilled 'From here my Glory will go forth!' And Don Bosco deeply moved simply humbly says 'It is true.'⁹

Bibliography

H.Baratta. RESEÑA BIOGRÀFICA DE LOS DIEZ PRIMEROS MISIONEROS SALESIANOS LLEGADOS A LA ARGENTINA. Coleccion Archivo Historico Salesiano Nro. 5. Buenos Aires. 1986

G.Bosco. MEMORIE DELL'ORATORIO DI SAN FRANCESCO DI SALES: dal 1815-1855, Instituto Storico Salesiano-Roma. Fonti-Serie prima, IV. Intruduzione, note e testo critico a cura di Antonio Da Silva Ferreira. LAS, Roma.

E.Ceria, ANNALI DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA: Dalle origini alla morte di S. Giovanni Bosco (1841-1888). Società Editrice Internazionale, Torino.

E.Ceria. MEMORIE BIOGRAFICHE DI DON GIOVANNI BOSCO. vol. XI, Ed. 1930

F.Desramaut. IL PENSIERO MISSIONARIO DI DON BOSCO: Dagli scritti e discorsi del 1870-1885.

Bollettino Salesiano (Gennaio 1898) 5.

A.Giraudo. SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO: Insegnamenti di vita Spirituale, LAS, Roma: 2013

A.Lenti. DON BOSCO: HISTORY AND SPIRIT: Expansion of the Salesian Work in the New World and Ecclesiological Confrontation at Home. Vol. 6. ed.A.Giraudo, LAS, Rome:2009

MESSAGGIO DEL SANTO PADRE AL RETTORE MAGGIORE DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA DI SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO, Dal Vaticano, 9 Novembre (2000)

Preface, Constitutions and Regulations of the Society of St. Francis de Sales. Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco. SGS Roma: 1984.

REGOLAMENTI DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA. Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco, Torino: 1966.

REGOLAMENTI DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA. Società Editrice Internationale, Torino: 1924.

G.Soldà. DON BOSCO NELLA FOTOGRAFIA DELL'800: 1861-1888. Società Editrice Internazionale, Torino: 1987

E.Valentini,ed; A.Rodino DIZIONARIO BIOGRAFIOCO DEI SALESIANI.. Scuola Grafica Salesiana, Torino:1969.

E.Valentini,ed.PROFILI DI MISSIONARI: Salesiani e Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice.. LAS, Roma: 1975.

E.Viganó, ACG 336 (1991).

Research studies I did for the course Corso Monografico di Spiritualità Salesiana

Università Pontifica Salesiana - Roma: 2013-2014

1 MESSAGGIO DEL SANTO PADRE AL RETTORE MAGGIORE DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA DI SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO, Dal Vaticano, 9 Novembre (2000) §2. “Nei centri aperti a favore delle nuove generazioni, nelle opere professionali e di avviamento al lavoro, nelle scuole, nelle parrocchie, tra i ceti popolari e con i ragazzi della strada, essi sono chiamati a formare ed a preparare alla vita sociale e religiosa quanti la Provvidenza affida loro, perché diventino a loro volta annunciatori e testimoni del Vangelo.” cfr. Message of Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the Jubilee year of the church in 2000 and the 125^th anniversary of the departure of the first missionaries of the Salesians in 1875. (emphasis mine)

2 MESSAGGIO DEL SANTO PADRE AL RETTORE MAGGIORE DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA DI SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO, Dal Vaticano, 9 Novembre (2000) §1 “Oltre diecimila religiosi”

3 The first group of missionaries were prepared by Don Bosco himself, not only in material things but most of all spiritual.

4 MESSAGGIO DEL SANTO PADRE AL RETTORE MAGGIORE DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA DI SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO, Dal Vaticano, 9 Novembre (2000) §2. “Essi provengono da tutti i continenti, a riprova della diffusione dell'opera salesiana in ogni parte del mondo, e sono inviati, nel nome di Don Bosco e di Madre Mazzarello, ad agire in tutte le regioni della terra per compiere un'intensa attività di evangelizzazione e di educazione dei giovani.”

5MESSAGGIO DEL SANTO PADRE AL RETTORE MAGGIORE DELLA SOCIETÀ SALESIANA DI SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO, Dal Vaticano, 9 Novembre (2000) §2. “Molti di loro hanno ricevuto, prima di partire, il Crocifisso nella Basilica di Maria Ausiliatrice in Torino” (empahasis mine)

6 Translations

7 MB XI. p.384

8 A.Giraudo. SAN GIOVANNI BOSCO: Insegnamenti di vita Spirituale, LAS, Roma: 2013, p 183. The memento 'Ai primi Missionari' was precisely included within Part III: CONSACRATI A DIO PER LA SUA GLORIA E PER LA SALVEZZA DEI GIOVANI, in chapter 4: Consigli Spirituali Nella Correspondenza Personale Con Salesiani e Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice, of Don Aldo Giraudo's book SAN GIOVANI BOSCO: Insegnamenti di vita Spirituale.

9 MB XI, p. 389 'Inde exibit gloria mea' an inscription the Madonna wanted ascribed on the façade of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.