Hajja Salesjana April-June 2021

H AJJA S ALESJANA A brief introduction of yourself, your family and your studies. I was born at Paola on the 4th April 1938, son of Emanuel Forte and Rita Agius. I am the second of five siblings. I studied at the St Julian’s Primary School and then joined the St. Alphonsus Salesian School as an aspirant at the Oratory in Sliema. In 1953, I joined the Aspirantate at Don Bosco Oratory, Gozo and in 1956 I went to Sicily to continue my studies as an aspirant. In 1959, I entered the novitiate at San Gregorio di Catania, received the cassock from the hands of Don Renato Ziggiotti, Fifth Successor of Don Bosco, and professed as a Salesian in August 1960. In September of the same year I went to Turin to prepare myself to go to the missions. On 30th October, accompanied by other missionaries, I boarded the ship ‘Asia’ and after thirteen days we reached Bombay. After 1. How did you come to know Don Bosco? After receiving my First Holy Communion at the Sacred Heart School, St Julian’s, I frequented the ‘Salesjani’ in Sliema. Here, I came to know Don Bosco and many saintly Salesians who sacrificed themselves for us. Their dedication and the interest they showed in us touched me and I desired to 2. Fr. Joe Forte SDB Mill-album tal-Familja Salesjana 14 a very uncomfortable journey (5 days) by train from Bombay to Calcutta and another two days from Calcutta to Gauhati, Assam, I reached my destination. In January 1961, I joined the Salesian College in Sonada (Darjeeling) for my philosophical studies. After three years of practical training, I started my theological studies in Mawlai (Shillong) and continued my studies in Bangalore where on the 18th December 1969 I was ordained priest.