Hajja Salesjana

Dear friends of the Salesian Bulletin, I’m writing to you from Meruri in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. I write this greeting almost as if it were a journalistic report, because it has been only 24 hours since I arrived in the middle of this Brazilian state. But my Salesian confreres arrived 122 years ago, and since then we’ve always been present in this mission in the midst of forests and fields, accompanying the life of this indigenous people. In 1976, a Salesian and an Indian were robbed of their lives with two gunshots by facendeiros (great landowners). They are the Servant of God Rodolfo Lunkenbein, a Salesian, and the Indian Simão Bororo, killed because the landowners believed that the Salesians of the mission were standing in the way of their appropriatingmore land that belongs to the Boi-Bororo people. Yesterday, we had the joy of experiencing many simple moments. We were welcomed by the indigenous community upon our arrival and greeted each other – withouthaste – becausehere everything is unhurried. We celebrated Sunday Mass, shared rice and feijoada (bean stew), and chatted from time to time. For the afternoon, they’d prepared a meeting for me with the leaders of the various communities. A few women chiefs were present; in several villages a woman has the ultimate authority. We chatted. Top photo by ANS - www.infoans.org I ’MA SALESIAN AND I ’M A BORORO Diary of a Happy and Blessed Missionary Day by the Rector Major Don Ángel Fernández Artime 26 April-Ġunju 2024 hajja