Hajja Salesjana October - December 2018

4 As 2018 slowly draws to its closure and fades into history, as Salesians of Don Bosco in Malta we have much to be grateful for. Much has been received by us during this year full of abundant graces. After a serene, healthy and beneficial journey in tandem with the Province of Ireland for almost forty years, since July we have now become a fully fledged Vice Province with our own first Maltese Provincial, Fr. Paul Formosa. The Vice Province has been named in honour of Our Blessed Mother, the Help of Christians and all the Province and its members have been duly consecrated to Her by our new Provincial on the 15th August 2018 at Mellie˙a’s National Marian Shrine. Besides this big event, we have had various other moments of joy and grace, such as the celebration in March of Savio College’s fiftieth anniversary since its foundation. We have also rejoiced with Fr. Kenneth Micallef as he was ordained a Salesian priest in April while in July and August we thanked God with Fr. Charlie Said and Sr. Theresa Curmi for 25 years of priesthood and 60 years of religious life respectively. We were then blessed with seven young Salesians who committed themselves to God, either perpetually or temporarily, vowing to follow Him in Don Bosco’s footsteps. Hence, in humble gratitude we acclaim, Deo gratias et “... IF YOU WANT TO FEEL REALLY RICH, JUST COUNT ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS YEAR THAT MONEY CANNOT BUY. ” E D I T O R I A L Deo grat ias et Mar iae! Mariae. Evidently 2018 for the Maltese Salesians has been a golden year that will forever be etched in our historical annals. All glory to God and His Mother for their constant assistance, blessing and guidance. It is with this attitude of humble gratitude that I encourage you aswell, dear Óajja Salesjana readers, to also turn to God and thank Him for all the blessings He has surely imparted upon all of you and your loved ones during this year. Seek and you will surely find many! These blessings may not be spectacular, but nonetheless, they are still special and important. Nothing is to be taken for granted for life itself is a magnificent gift and so are all the people who are dear to us, whom we love and cherish. Let us rejoice in the Lord Jesus and thank Him sincerely for He too appreciates our gratitude and willingly lavishes further blessings and graces upon us as we show Him our appreciation. Hence, if you want to feel really rich, just count all the things you have received this year that money cannot buy. May you all be blessed in knowing that our incarnated God, Emanuel, is God with us and God for us, forever accompanying us on our pilgrimage here on Earth and forever showering down graces upon us like the dewfall, to spur us forward towards Heaven our eternal homeland where He awaits us. Fr. Sandro Camilleri sdb