Friday, February 28, 2014

News and Views from Rome - 4: PILGRIMAGE TO CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE CONSOLATA

On the third and last day of our pilgrimage – “Pellegrinaggio Sui Luoghi Salesiani” (24/2) we visited the church of St. John the Baptist and the Consolata. Both have a great history and significance.


The Church of St. John the Baptist (built by Don Bosco) is in the vicinity of Porto Neuova – the old railway station in Turin. This is the place where migrant youth arrived searching for job. They were vulnerable to unscrupulous men and women looking for recruitment especially into the flesh trade that was quite rampant in that area (something that continues even today).

The young Don Bosco was very concerned about these vulnerable youth. He set up the Oratory of St. Aloysius (the name is very significant) on December 8, 1947 to give some protection and help to these youth. Later he also set up a school to train these youth in some trade.


The girls and young women were even more vulnerable and Don Bosco was concerned about them too. He looked for women collaborators. Sr. Louisa Clara, a Daughter of Charity from Savoy, began to work for the girls on the same lines as Don Bosco. 

When Savoy separated from Italy Louisa Clara was recalled by her congregation like all the other members of her congregation working in the area of new Italy. Clara refused to leave her work and founded a religious congregation of her own and continued her work for vulnerable women.

Later, Benedetta Savio, from the village of John Bosco, and with whom John was on very friendly terms, decided to join Don Bosco in his work.  Don Bosco planned to start a religious congregation for women with her as leader, even before he had considered Maria Mazzarello.


Don Bosco sent two Salesians to fetch her from Becchi and bring her to Porto Neuvo. But that very day her married sister died and Benedetta decided to take care of her deprived nephews and nieces and stay back at Becchi.

Don Bosco’s work at Porto Neuvo flourished and he felt it important to set up a Church there and he named it after the “young” St. John the Evangelist, and patron saint of his great friend and benefactor, Pius the IX (his larger than life statue is prominent at the back of the church).

Pius IX also had great affection for this church named after his patron. He donated to this church the chalice offered to him on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his consecration as bishop.

The foundation stone of the Church of St. John the Baptist was laid on 14 August 1878 with the blessing of Msgr. Gastaldi. The construction was completed in 1882 and consecrated on 28 October by the Archbishop of Turin.

Don Bosco always had a great affection for this church he always referred to as the church of Giovannini (the young John.)  It is also one of the more beautiful churches in and around Turin.

The Salesian community at St. John Baptist today continues the work for the migrants, especially from Africa.

The Chaplaincy for the 10,000 strong Philippino community is headquartered here.


A number of saints have worked at St. John the Baptist. These include: Blessed Michael Rua, the first successor of Don Bosco; Saint Leonardo Murialdo; Blessed Luigi Guanella; Venerable Philip Rinaldi; Servant of God Vincent Cimatti; and Saint Callisto Caravario (martyred in China).

After a tour of the Church and the facilities and some refreshments we set off for the church of the Consolata (Comforter and Patron of Turin), walking distance from the Salesian Mother House at Valdocco.


The Church of the Consolata is considered the “nerve centre of the spiritual life of the people of Turin.” It is one of the most beautiful churches I have seen and the one I really liked. It provides a very intimate sacred space for the worshippers. The sanctuary is hexagonal in shape. The main altar is right in the centre and people can sit very close to it in all the six spaces around it.

Artistic works abound on the walls.


The body of St. Joseph Caffaso, the Confessor and Spiritual Director is kept in a casket under a side altar.

Don Bosco often used to walk into this Church to pray. It is here that he found “consolation” after the death of his mother, Mama Margaret.

Like Don Bosco, all the Bishops of Turin too often visited the church and sought consolation from the Mother of God.

The statue of “The Consolata” stands on a very tall pillar in the piazza next to the Church.


The Consolata was the last stop on our “pellegrinatio.”

The pilgrimage ended with Mass presided over by Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia, Archbishop of Turin. During his homily the Archbishop said that there will be an extraordinary exposure of the Shroud (burial cloth) of Jesus  (the patrimony of the Archdiocese of Turin) during 2015, the bicentenary (Jubilee) year of Don Bosco’s birth, for the veneration of the thousands of pilgrims expected that year in the city of Turin.

The archbishop also said that Pope Francis will be visiting Turin during this Jubilee year.


After the Mass, most of us walked over to the Mother House for another sumptuous lunch (I gorged on the salmon, a favourite!)

For those with a gustatory interest here is the menu of that farewell lunch: Spada Affumicata All’Agro Con Valeriana; Insalata Nordica: Russo Salmone Tonno;  Riso Al Vapore; Misto di Verdure All’Olio: Carciofini Pomodori  Funghi; Tagliere di Salumi; Raviolini di Magro; Pomodoro e Basilico; Filetto di Pollo alla Mandorla; Spinaci al Parmigiano; Bunet; Cestino di Frutta; Vine del Novarse; Acqua; and CafĂ© (Mouth watering, right! Wish I had a better stomach to do justice to all the food.)

After lunch, around 2.30 pm we got into our buses and returned to the Generalate in Rome reaching there a little before midnight.


Thus ended our glorious and very enriching “Pellegrinaggio Sui Luoghi Salesiani” (Pilgrimage to the Salesian Places) Turin, 22-24 February 2014.

I went to bed that night with a sense of gratitude and privilege,  with an increased love for and appreciation for Don Bosco, and the great Salesians of that early era and proud to be a Salesian.

 Deo Gratias! and to Don Bosco

Thursday, February 27, 2014

News & Views from Rome 3: PILGRIMAGE TO COLLE DON BOSCO

On the second day of our Pilgrimage to Turin (23/2), we visited Colle Don Bosco -- the hillock in the hamlet of Becchi in the district of Chieri d’Asti,  associated with Don Bosco’s birth and childhood.


A magnificent church in honour of Don Bosco (completed in the 1980s, and called Temple of Don Bosco) tops the little hill. It is actually built (by mistake!) right over the little house in which Don Bosco was born in 1815.

Don Bosco, as a priest used to visit his home village with his boys during holidays and used to point to a little house and say “That is my house.” Everyone thought he meant the house where he was born. That was a misunderstanding. He moved into that house only when he was 2 years old, after his father died.

And so the real house where Don Bosco born was not recognized as such and was torn down to build the Church. Felix Culpa –May be a happy mistake! The main altar in the Church now stands right over the place where Don Bosco was born.

The Temple is actually two churches built one over the other. The foundation stone was laid on 11th June 1961 and the lower Church was opened to worship in 1965. It can hold 700 people.

The upper Church was consecrated in 1984 but had been rebuilt since 1999. At the top of the steps leading to the Church there is a large bronze statue of Don Bosco, the work of the famous Italian artist Cellini.


The inside of the church is completely lined with beautiful beech wood. The rear wall of the sanctuary has a huge statue (8 metres high and 6 metres wide, weighing nearly a ton!) of the risen Christ made out of a linden tree.

The house in which Don Bosco lived since two years has been preserved much as it was, with some renovation needed to preserve it.  Don Bosco’s father Francesco had bought it just three months before he died.

That house contains the room in which John (that was Don Bosco’s Christian name) had his famous dream at 9 and is aptly titled the “Room of the Dream.”


Don Bosco had a step brother Anthony from his father Francesco’s first marriage and a biological older brother Joseph.

Anthony’s house (built after his marriage) was torn down to make place for a church (dedicated to Mary Help of Christians) between 1915- 1918, time of World War 1.  It was built to honour the centenary of Don Bosco’s birth (1815). There is continuous adoration to Jesus in the Eucharist in this church.


Joseph’s house where Don Bosco used to stay on his visits to Becchi as a priest has been preserved and renovated. It is quite a large house – much larger than the one I had expected. Looks like later in his life Joseph made quite a bit of money as a winegrower and winemaker.

Joseph had even built a little chapel in his house (in 1948) where his brother John could say Mass when he stayed with him. Don Bosco used to come with his boys here and they used to say their rosary in the chapel. The chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.
.

The vestments and Missal Don Bosco used for Mass, as well as the kneeler he used for prayer are all preserved there in the little chapel.

Don Bosco’s successor Michael Rua received his clerical habit in that little chapel. It was also here that Don Bosco met Dominic Savio, who later went to Don Bosco’s school in Turin, died young at age 14 and is today a declared and much loved Saint in the Catholic Church.


I spent considerable time in that little chapel, saying the Rosary and praying for a whole lot of intentions --  for everything and everyone I could think of! Since Don Bosco had received many grace through his prayers I thought I could gain a few too!  Those moments remain for me the highlight of my visit to Colle.

Joseph’s house today serves as a museum which preserves Joseph’s tools, furniture and his wine-making equipment and other reminders of the Bosco family.

There is a larger than life statue of Mamma Margaret right in front of Joseph’s house.


At midday we had the Mass in the upper church of the Temple of Don Bosco, presided over by the Cardinal Severino Poleto of Turin. The Cardinal gave a very beautiful homily summing up the whole of Don Bosco’s (and Salesian) spirituality. He had a wonderful oratorical style.

What struck me most in the homily was his statement “One who does not demonstrate ‘amore volenzza’ (loving kindness) cannot be a Salesian.” I could not but to say to myself, “So many of us stand disqualified! The cardinal also emphasized the importance of fraternal community life and the necessity of being open to the real world of youth.


After the Mass we had a sumptuous lunch in the Mamma Margaret restaurant which can seat 700 patrons under the roof!

Soon after lunch we made our way again to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin. We had about two hours of personal time there for prayer and visiting before we prayed the Vespers (evening prayer) together.


After another wonderful supper at the Mother House we made our way to our hotel after a very satisfying and memorable day which helped us to know Don Bosco and his surroundings better and grow in our love of and devotion to him.

Colle Don Bosco has become a veritable pilgrim (and tourist) centre. Hundreds of people, young and old visit the place every day.




Tuesday, February 25, 2014

News & Views from Rome - 2 PILGRIMAGE TO TURIN - DAY 1

Members of the General Chapter went on a three-day pilgrimage to Turin – the Italian city in which Don Bosco began his work and where he died.

Basilica of Mary Help of  Christians in Turin

We left in three buses from Rome, leaving the Generalate at 5 am. The 900 km between Rome and Turin was covered in 10 hours. On the way we passed Florence and Bologna – two major Italian cities.

We stopped for lunch (we had been given a packed lunch to carry with us) around 1.30 pm at a way side Rest area  at Tortona.

Another View of the Basilica

From Tortona, for several miles, we had clear view of the beautiful snow-covered Alps Mountains in the distance. The bus moved at a steady pace of 100 km per hour (on cruise control). The upper limit of speed had been fixed by law and technology at 100 kmph – it could not go faster, although it had the capacity.

We reached Turin a little before 3 pm. After checking into the hotel we were driven to Val Salice (translated Willow Brook) where Don Bosco’s body was originally buried.

  The place where Don Bosco's body was initially buried. In the bottom right corner is his biretta.

Although he died at Valdocco, the place where spent all his priestly life, he was not allowed to be buried there, because of Municipality regulations. However, the City officials themselves suggested Val Salice, where the Salesian ran a school,  as it was outside the city limits.

Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888. His body was kept for public veneration till Feb 2. That evening the body was taken in procession around the city. It is said there were about 5000 people in the procession.
Interior of the beautiful Church at Val Salice

However, city police calculated that there were around 100,000 people paying homage to him that day in various parts of the city. He could not be buried that day, however, as his grave at Val Salice had not been ready.

He was finally buried on February 4th at the top of a long flight of  stairs. (Fr. Julius Barberis, who had been the Novice Master General of the Congregation later revealed that Don Bosco had told him in September 1887, just a few months before his death that he would watch over the young  Salesians in formation, precisely from that spot!)

Above the Main altar at Val Salice

Fr. Micheal Rua, the successor of Don Bosco, and Fr. Paul Albera, the second successor of Don Bosco were buried on the right and left of Don Bosco at Val Salice.

The body was later in 1927 was taken back to Valdocco and buried there.

Don Bosco's Statue in front of the Basilica

From Val Salice we went over to Valdocco, where Don Bosco began his work in 1841 and where he lived until his death in 1888, and where his incorrupt body is preserved and exposed for public veneration at  the magnificent Basilica of Mary Help of Christians that Don Bosco had built in gratitude to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Don Bosco's Body in the Basilica

In the evening we gathered for the Holy Eucharist at the Basilica. The Eucharist was presided over by Fr. Pascual Chaves, the Rector Major, surrounded by all the General Council members.

Taking inspiration from the scripture readings given for the feast of the Chair of Peter that was celebrated that day, he exhorted the Salesians to make Jesus of Nazareth the centre of their life, as did Peter in his confession at Caesaria Philippe.

Rector Major with the Performers

A lavish dinner followed after which the Salesians in post-novitiate training at Turin entertained the members of the Chapter and other invited Guests with a lovely musical performance.

After the performance we returned to our hotel. It was a very long day, but very exciting!

Entrance to the Mother House of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Turin

Friday, February 21, 2014

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM ROME!

I left for Rome along with my colleague and friend Br. Cyriac Kurias on 19th early morning from New Delhi and reached the headquarters of the Salesians of Don Bosco at Pisana in Rome on the afternoon of the same day.

I am in Rome as the elected delegate to represent the Salesian  Province of New Delhi at the General  Chapter of the Congregation (a six-yearly gathering of the representatives of the more than 90 Salesian provinces extending over 132 countries) to discuss matters of policy and elect the General Council of the Congregation for the next six years. Br Cyriac is a special invitee.

We flew Lufthansa and what struck me as I approached the aircraft was the very cheerful female flight attendant welcoming the passengers with all the friendliness you can imagine (very unlike the image of the stern German I had)!  And very unlike the dower faces that we usually encounter on flights both domestic and international.

And inside the aircraft all the flight attendants (they were all female) were surprisingly friendly and cheerful. But they could be stern as needed as when with a commanding voice a flight attendant told a passenger too eager to get off the plane after it landed even while the aircraft was taxiing to sit down.

After a two-hour layover in Frankfurt we flew into Rome. An Indian Salesian, Lawrence Maria, was at the airport to receive us and take us to the Salesian headquarters and help us get settled in.

Father Francesco Cereda, the Moderator of the Chapter, welcomed us as we sat down to a late lunch – and with delicious chocolate!


The Generalate (the name by which the Headquarters is known) is a huge place and it is easy to get lost. In fact, later in the evening I spent twenty minutes wandering around to find my way to the same dining hall where we had lunch. And I have lost the way many time after that!

After resting and trying to get a feel of the place on the 20th, I went to have “darshan” of the “Eternal City” by going over to the Coliseum and the Victor Emmanuel plaza and surroundings on the 21st morning with my colleagues Fr. Godfrey D'Souza, the Provincial of Mumbai, Fr. Ajoy Fernandes, the vice-Provincial of Mumbai and Br. Cyriac. (see photographs).

Tomorrow all of us Chapter members who arrived in Rome leave for Turin (where Don Bosco worked and died) for a three day pilgrimage before we officially begin our Chapter work. Some members will be coming over directly to Turin, including my friend and colleague Fr. VM Thomas, the Provincial of Guwahati. We were informed tonight that the night temperature in Turin is 0!

Fr. Michael Peedikayil, the provincial of New Delhi, and anther colleague and friend, reached the Generalate yesterday.


There are all together 220 Chapter members and three of us from New Delhi.