Hajja Salesjana

17 5. 6. 4. 2. How did you come to know Don Bosco? Before I went to Chertsey I had never heard of St. John Bosco! But there was no escaping ‘Don Bosco’ as there were so many Fathers and Brothers in the community and they were our main teachers and assistants. Fr. Paine was the very embodiment of a Salesian Rector and we kids adored him and learned from him all about Don Bosco and the Salesians. It was Fr. Paine who suggested to my father that as I had expressed the wish to become a priest I should go to Shrigley, where I was to spend the next 8 years. As a consequence of my association with the Salesians at Chertsey and Shrigley both my parents were enrolled as Salesian Cooperators, though their loyalty was stretched as my brother was accepted as an aspirant with the De La Salle brothers! Though he entered their novitiate, he was never professed but remained a loyal friend of the Brothers. Who is Don Bosco for you and what strikes you most about him? St. John Bosco is the model of my religious life as a member of his family. When it came to education nothing was too much for our father and founder and I trust that this has been the inspiration of my poor efforts to be a disciple of his. Don Bosco spent his whole active life in the midst of the boys and I have tried to do the same, whether in the classroom or in the various recreational, musical and sporting activities which have kept me occupied since 1963. In which way are you part of the Salesian Family? I am a Salesian and have been since my first profession in 1957! As a part of the Salesian family I am an aging member of an active community contributing to the best of my poor ability to the life and apostolate of the community. The boys are our family and I try to spend as much time with them as my programme allows, especially during the long recreation after lunch. 3. Is there a phrase or a sentence from Don Bosco that inspires you in your life? “Give me souls and take away the rest”! I have spent all my Salesian life in schools and the motto of the Congregation is the rule of my life. What message would you like to pass on to the readers of Ħajja Salesjana? Dear Ħajja Salesiana readers, Don Bosco’s whole life was the living-out of his aim to save souls and to form good, honest and as far as possible, contributing members of society and of the Body of Christ, the Church. This must also be the inspiration of your membership within Don Bosco’s extended family, whether in your own family circles or wherever your life’s journey finds you. Don’t ever forget that Don Bosco always said that all his apostolate was the work of Mary, the Help Christians: trust Her, turn to Her when the going is not easy, and ask Her to support the Salesian religious who are at the ‘coal face’ frontline to be faithful to their mission on behalf of needy youth. April - Ġunju 2023 hajja