Hajja Salesjana July-September 2020

THE GREATEST OF ALL IS LOVE THE MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR DON ÁNGEL FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME 26 H AJJA S ALESJANA Dear Friends and Readers of the Salesian Bulletin : Receive my cordial greeting at a time when all our minds are overwhelmed. We have entrusted ourselves to Our Blessed Mother throughout the Salesian world during this very painful period of the Covid-19, or “coronavirus”, pandemic. From all parts of the world, we have raised up prayers – and continue to do so – to ask the Lord through the intercession of our Mother for help and comfort in these terrible hours for us all, with the loss of so many lives, even while knowing that later, also, there will be other difficulties that we will have to face. But it happens that in the face of so much pain, so many tears, and death, even amid the most painful losses, we find people who are “the word of God” and its mediation for us through the witness of their faith and of their strength. Today I feel unworthy to use my own words when I have heard others’ words - ones which bear a great weight of authenticity, of tried and proven faith - and when I have seen true witnesses of ‘abandonment to God’. Therefore, today I wish to offer you the following testimony that will remain anonymous as to the names of those involved and the place where it happened. Reading this testimony, we will see what we human beings are capable of - FOR THE GOOD! She has just lost her husband. They had been married for more than 23 years and together they have had five children and formed a beautiful family. Today, at 50 years of age, the coronavirus has taken her husband away. The circumstances of life have separated them physically but they are more united now than ever before. It all started with a feeling of discomfort, on the day of the birthday of one of his daughters. He woke up with a fairly high fever. He had flu symptoms, congestion, and a cough that they thought would be but temporary. However, as the hours passed, the situation became more complicated. He had no respiratory distress but was suffering from dizziness. His family doctor had to make a house call to listen to his breathing. It was then that they called the ambulance and he was admitted to the hospital. At first, they had him under observation. They did not suspect at all that it was the coronavirus. At that time, they did not have the necessary material to do the COVID-19 test. “In moments of difficult trials such as these, it is love that gives us life” Photo by Steve Halama from www.unsplash.com