Hajja Salesjana January March 2018

24 The Salesian Sisters are working in primary education and in nonformal co-educational setting with the Salesians in Malta. Their role in our Salesian Oratory in Sliema is highly appreciated. The Salesian Cooperators spoke about the challenges experienced today and the little time for spirituality they face in an ever changing secular Maltese society. The Rector Major spoke of the exceptional position of the distinctive position of lay people to be true and active witnesses of Christ in the world today. He had words of encouragement to believe in ourselves and to be burning beacons of hope and Christian love to others within our families, at our workplace and in our communities. The Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco stressed on the importance to remain faithful and loyal to their call to be ‘the salt of the earth and the light of the world’, so that they can emerge as leaders and be influential in the building of the Kingdom of God on earth. Fr. Angel spoke about the new leadership in the World Confederation and how they are trying to renew themselves and give a renewed meaning to what it means to be a past pupil and friend of Don Bosco in the world of today. A reawakening is taking place in the ADMA group in Malta through the re-establishment of groups in the different Salesian communities. The challenge is to attract more members especially from the younger age group. The question to the Rector Major dealt with how one can reconcile the different groups without confusing people. In his reply, the Rector Major emphasised the richness of the different groups – the Salesian Charism offers different perspectives but we all belong to one Family. There are different expressions of this one family. We have one identity but the different groups stress different characteristics of that identity. The diverse expression of the charism of Don Bosco is not to be seen as a weakness but as a strength within our family. The Volunteers of Don Bosco are lay consecrated women living in the world according to the spirit of Don Bosco. They have been present in Malta since the mid 1990’s. The Maltese/Gozitan group is made up of five young women. Reflecting on the strengths,