Communique #23 - from SAFCAM team

Communique #23                                            24 October 2020                      

After a 2-week break, greetings from SAFCAM on this date we commemorate Mary our Help.

We are reaching the last week of the month of the Missions and of the Rosary, and in 5 days’ time we celebrate the feast of Bl Michael Rua. There is on the website a proposed novena in preparation for his feast, and in the French part of the site, the excellent biography of Rua by Francis Desramaut.

In 2 months’ time we will already be at Christmas eve! (or will Christmas-20 be cancelled because of Covid-19?) Will 2021 see this pandemic ended?

Thankfully our region continues to be spared from the worst of the virus, but it is harmed tremendously by the debilitating restrictions being imposed with a view to curb the spread of infection.

I believe that there has been overkill, a disproportionate restrictive response to Covid-19.

And Corona-phobia may live long in the psyche of populations afraid to shake hands, hug, relate naturally with neighbours; afraid to attend church, mix in a crowd without a mask, catch a train or a flight,… I know we must care for those who are vulnerable, but there are limits to our ability to avert death completely.

The following analogy is not entirely valid but does point to the dangerous consequences in the efforts of governments to eliminate all covid deaths!

“The wildebeest in Eastern Africa migrate every year, in search of food to survive. When they reach the Mara River, the crocodiles are waiting. The wildebeest know they will lose a few when they cross the river but for the sake of the survival of the herd, they go ahead anyway. They have done this successfully for hundreds of years. And the herd survives. Implementing lockdowns is like putting up a fence to prevent the wildebeest from crossing the Mara River in order to save those that would be eaten by the crocs. As a result, the whole herd is at risk of dying of starvation.”

(by Kingsley Holgate)

Michael Rua – died 110 years ago; 110% Salesian!

At the explicit request of Don Bosco, Pope Leo XIII designated him to succeed Don Bosco as Rector Major in 1888. Nicknamed "The Living Rule" because of his austere fidelity, Don Rua was also known for his fatherliness and goodness. As the numbers of members and communities increased, he sent Salesians all over the world, showing special care for the missionary expeditions.

In the long journeys which he undertook to visit the Salesian works in Europe and in the Middle East, he was a constant source of comfort and encouragement, always referring to our Founder:

"Don Bosco used to say... Don Bosco used to do it this way... Don Bosco wanted us to..."

When he died, on 6th April 1910 at the age of 73 (same age as Don Bosco!), the Society had grown from 773 to about 4000 Salesians, from 57 to 364 communities [= 1.5 new presence every month during his 22 years as RM!], from 6 to 34 Provinces in 33 countries.

During the Beatification ceremony on 29th October 1972, Pope Paul VI declared "The Salesian Family had its origin in Don Bosco, its continuity in Don Rua… He made the example of Don Bosco into a school, his Rule into a Spirit, his holiness into a model. He transformed a spring into a river."

Meeting of Formation Delegates of Africa-Madagascar Region

ANS newsletter: The meeting of the 15 Provincial Delegates for Formation of the Salesian Provinces of the Africa-Madagascar Region took place from 16 to 20 October through the Zoom platform. The meeting was chaired by Fr Ivo Coelho, General Councillor for Formation, assisted by Fr Silvio Roggia and Salesian Brother Raymond Callo, of the Formation Department. Also present were Fr José Elégbédé, Delegate for Formation of the Conference of Provinces and Vice Provinces of Africa-Madagascar (CIVAM), Fr Camiel Swertvagher and Fr Francois Dufour, of the Salesian Formation Centre for Africa and Madagascar (SAFCAM), and Fr Alphonse Owoudou, Councillor for the Africa-Madagascar Region, who participated in several sessions. The Commission discussed various issues arising from GC28. Numerous suggestions were presented regarding the revision of the Ratio and the Criteria and Rules for admission. The Regional Formation Plan for the next six-year term (2020-2026) was drawn up. Strategies for the dissemination of materials on the Salesian Rector and on Salesian Personal Accompaniment were also shared.

Wishing you a blessed week ahead, in union of prayer, Camiel and Francois