The scope of this paper is to give a general – and not a comprehensive – background that will help us understand the political and ecclesial situation vis-á-vis the Salesian expansion in the EAO region in the 1950s.
Francesco Motto – “Catholic church and the missions in the twenty years between the world wars. Salesian missionary strategy” in “Implantation of the Salesian charism in Asia – Ideals, challenges, answers, results”
This paper could be considered precisely the second part of the one presented at the previous seminart. It is my intention to present a general framework within which many of the other papers that follow will find their place – at least those which will directly or indirectly refer to the third decade of the XX century.
Maria Fe Nuñez Muñoz,Pascual Chavez Villanueva,Yvonne Reungoat – “Appendix” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
Si riportano in appendice la lettera del Rettor Maggiore Don Pascual Chavez Villanueva a tutta la Famiglia Salesiana e di suor Yvonne Reungoat e suor Maria Fe Nuñez Muñoz ai partecipanti al seminario ACSSA svoltosi a Hong Kong.
Agnes B. Paulino – “The secular institute of the Don Bosco volunteers in the Philippines” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
Canon 710 defines as secular institute as follows: A secular institute is an institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within.
Anna Saksri Ngamwong – “History of the origins of the institute of the daughters of the queenship of Mary” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
Fr. Carlo Della Torre SDB is the Founder of the Institute of the Daughters of the Queenship of Mary. The History and the development of this Institution are strictly connected with the life of the Founder.
Maliwan Paramathawirote – “The identity of the sisters servants of the Immaculate heart of Mary in Thailand” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
The universal call of the people of God to holiness is carried out in a special way by the members of the Congregation of Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (SIHM). The sign of God’s merciful love towards the lnstitute is clearly manifested in the history especially at the time of birth in the Church, through its founder and its history.
Maria Mukai Yumiko – “Brief historical notes on the foundation of the sisters of charity of Miyazaki” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
ln the year in which Pope Pius XI promulgated the encyclical Rerum Ecclesiae (1926),on 16 February 1926, the Salesian missionaries arrived in Miyazaki, Japan, center of their mission, and capital of the province in the Island of Kyushu.
Ana Rosa Sivori – “The beginning of the daughters of Mary help of Christians in Thailand. The first twenty years (1931-1952)” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
The aim of this article is to present the beginning of the work of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Thailand. The FMA came to Thailand invited by Fr. Gaetano Pasotti, Acting Provincial of the Salesian Congregation and later the fust Salesian Bishop in Thailand, to help in the mission field of the Salesian Fathers who arrived in Thailand on October 1927 , after they were sent away from China.
Marisa Gambato – “The history of the mission of the daughters of Mary help of Christians inserted in the history of Salvation” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
The first article of the constitution of the FMA expresses this characteristic of the institute as follows:
“Through the gift of the Holy Spiril and the direct intervention of Mary, St. John Bosco Founded our Institute as a response of salvation to the profound hopes of young girls. He endowed it with a spiritual heritage that had its inspiration in the charity of Christ the Good Shepherd, and imparted to it a strong missionary impulse”. (Const.I ).
Elena Miravalle – “The mission of the daughters of Mary help of Christians in China” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
Msgr. Versiglia was forming a group of young catechists to send to the various mission districts, to help the missionaries, for the religious instruction of the women and of children. Upon their arrival, the Sisters found in the mission of 7 Kuneong. They helped each other, specially for the necessary relations with the externs, for the catechumenate and for the oratory.
Grazia Loparco – “The arrival of the daughters of Mary help of Christians in the far east” in “L’educazione salesiana in Europa negli anni difficili del XX secolo”
On this background, we see the great problems of inculturation; development of the Catholic Church in multi-religious contexts afflicted by the problems of international politics; relationships between missionary Religious Congregations, and, not the least, difficulties in communication and mutual understanding between these countries and the General Council resident in Italy.
Francesco Motto – “Storia e Congregazione. Un invito alla riflessione” in “Storia e identità salesiana in Africa e Madagascar. Questioni di conservazione del patrimonio culturale”
Il Rettor Maggiore, don J. E.Vecchi, che già nel 1997 aveva sottolineato l’importanza della storiografia salesiana (lett. Io per voi studio, ACG 361), nel 1998 è ritornato sull’argomento.
Francesco Motto – “History and the Congregation. An invitation to reflection” in “Storia e identità salesiana in Africa e Madagascar. Questioni di conservazione del patrimonio culturale”
The Rector Major, Fr J. E. Vecchi, had already in 1997 emphasized the importance of the study of salesian history (cf. Letter For you I study, AGC 361), and in 1998 he came back once more to the same argument.
Stanisław Zimniak – “Pro memoria pour la conservation du patrimoine culturel” in “Storia e identità salesiana in Africa e Madagascar. Questioni di conservazione del patrimonio culturale”
Durant le 1er séminaire international d’histoire de l’oeuvre Salésienne pour l’Afrique et Madagascar, qui a eu lieu du 11 au 14 octobre 2011 à Karen (Nairobi – Kenya), nous avons eu la possibilité de réfléchir spécialement sur les questions liées à la production et à la conservation de la mémoire salésienne. Il a été constaté qu’en ce qui concerne le soin des archives provinciales, (à part quelques exceptions comme celles des archives provinciales de l’Afrique Centrale) il reste beaucoup à faire, soit par rapport aux personnes responsables de ce secteur de notre congrégation, soit par rapport à l’état des structures nécessaires pour garder la mémoire de l’oeuvre des SDB de manière convenable. On rencontre plutôt une situation alarmante qui requiert des interventions avant qu’il ne soit trop tard, sans renvois indéterminés.
Stanisław Zimniak – “Pro memoria in relazione alla custodia del patrimonio culturale” in “Storia e identità salesiana in Africa e Madagascar. Questioni di conservazione del patrimonio culturale”
Durante il 1° Seminario Internazionale di Storia dell’Opera Salesiana per l’Africa e il Madagascar, svoltosi dall’11 al 14 ottobre 2011 a Karen (Nairobi – Kenya), si è potuto riflettere in modo particolare sulla questione legata alla produzione e alla conservazione della memoria salesiana. Si è constatato che nella cura degli Archivi ispettoriali (con poche eccezioni: come quello dell’Archivio ispettoriale dell’Africa Centrale) rimane assai da fare sia in riferimento al personale responsabile per tale settore della nostra congregazione sia in relazione allo stato di strutture che si dovrebbe mettere a disposizione per tutelare in modo conveniente la memoria dell’operato dei SDB. Si riscontra, piuttosto, una situazione allarmante che richiede interventi fatti in tempo debito, senza rimandi indeterminabili.