Hajja Salesjana

the Salesian house into which one enters at age three and from which one leaves only at the end of one’s life, for the meeting with our Lord. They say here: under Don Bosco’s smiling gaze “from the womb to the tomb.” Perhaps what I am writing will surprise you. I admired the work of the Salesians, the service they give to thousands of families, children, teens, young adults, and the elderly. This is all a fruit of the collaboration among three congregations in the Salesian Family: this is its freshness and richness! Here the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and the congregation of the Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix, the SMA; all work together. Beginning at three years of age, children attend the grammar school run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, who also care for teenage girls. The Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix assist elderly men and women who have no source of welfare and no other place to live out the end of their days. The Salesian priests and brothers care for boys and girls of varying ages as well as taking in street children. Of course, besides all this, they visit the extremely poor families in the area and take care of the parish. All that happens there makes it seem to be, in a certain sense, a “little Salesian city.” I remained profoundly touched and promised them that I would speak of it to make it known because, as we learned from Don Bosco, the good that is done must be made known. I appreciate and value very much the collaboration that has begun among these three congregations of our Salesian Family. What matters here is not who owns the land or the buildings but the good that is done – and is done together – going out to meet the poorest and most fragile (here we think of those elderly persons who make us understand what frailty and insecurity are). If it were not for that little paradise called “The Beatitudes,” which God had in mind for them, frailty, poverty, and insecurity would have the last word. Whoever reflects on the Village of the Beatitudes cannot but marvel at the results brought about by a little shared love. Every day, food for 300 elderly persons is guaranteed, over 1,000 children are served, and over 15,000 people find relief for various needs, “all at zero cost.” Those who enter into this Village of the Beatitudes see with Photo by Sneha Sivarajan on Unsplash.com Photo by Kamran Ch on Unsplash.com 29 Jannar - Marzu 2023 hajja