Hajja Salesjana

any longer. Among them, he launched his challenge to the “black tiger” – the desperate hunger of run-down neighborhoods. In this way, the Salesian with the meek smile founded, a little at a time as Don Bosco did, his Center for social relief. It had day and night elementary schools, a free clinic and hospital, a leprosarium, and a festive oratory. After he died, another Salesian took his place, then another, and another after him. This is the beauty of a large religious family. The site became a citadel of loving charity. Just a few weeks ago I entered that citadel in Chennai. For me, it was a magnificent experience. The work bears the name “The Beatitudes” and is known as The story began many years ago following the infamous First World War, in a little town high in the mountains of Italy, in a dignified poor family of thirteen children. One evening, after the children had been served their portion of polenta, one of them realized that their parents did not have any. “Why do you and Daddy have empty plates?” he asked his mom. She answered: “We are not hungry tonight.” “Then neither am I hungry,” he said, as he ran out into the barnyard in the darkness of the night. His mom caught up to him followed by his dad. It was then that little Orfeo said decisively: “If I become a priest, I will work only for the poor, for those who are hungry, just as I am hungry this evening!” Orfeo Mantovani entered the Salesian novitiate and left for the Salesian missions in India in 1934. India became his second and most beloved homeland. His bishop, Louis Mathias, was another Salesian giant. He had the beard of the patriarchs and was a courageous man. He immediately granted Father Mantovani his wish by entrusting to him the most squalid areas of Madras. Don Orfeo got to work immediately. On ground next to a train station, blackened by old coal deposits, he started to gather street urchins, those who were abandoned by everyone and who could not take it THE LITTLE CITY OF THE BEATITUDES by The Rector Major, Don Ángel Fernández Artime Within the megapolis of Chennai (Madras), amid the enormous industrial complexes and magnificent temples and in the exciting atmosphere of city life, there lies a luminous sliver of truly Salesian goodness. Photo by Stéphane Hermellin on Unsplash.com Photo by Dulana Kodithuwakku on Unsplash.com 28 Jannar-Marzu 2023 hajja