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(ANS – Montevideo) – On the occasion of the arrival in Uruguay of the casket of  Don Bosco’s relic on Friday 9 September, Fr Daniel Sturla, Salesian Superior of the Province of  Uruguay, wrote a letter to the Salesians, lay people, the pupils of Salesian schools, members of the Salesian Family and more in general to all friends of  Don Bosco so that the pilgrimage of the casket might be an occasion for bringing them all together spiritually.

“Let us look towards Don Bosco!” – Fr Sturla writes.   “During the 26th General Chapter (GC26), on the pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, I saw beside his casket Salesians from all countries, races, colours and age, who were looking at him with great love, who were praying, smiling weeping.
Don Bosco has come to us here in our country. He was present with his spiritual sons in 1876. He contacted Bishop Jacinto Vera, the first bishop, (of Montevideo) and asked that one of the best Salesians, Fr Luis Lasagna, might stay in Uruguay”.

The Provincial continues: “He started our Province; he sent the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, just begun, to set up here their first centre in the American continent; he wrote letters to the Past Pupils of the Institutes in Montevideo,  Paysandú and Las Piedras and was always grateful to the benefactors who generously gave of themselves in Uruguay for his spiritual sons.”

“And Uruguay was generous to Don Bosco,” – Fr Sturla continues. “At once religious vocations sprang up  and a group of Salesian Brothers was established; the Past Pupils worked in the Oratories; and a tireless Cooperator translated into Spanish his prayer book for the young and devotion to Mary Help of Christians spread in Uruguay thanks also to the celebrations of the 24th of the month.”

“Let us welcome Don Bosco with great joy. We are sure that his presence will be a source of blessings for the Church and for our country. For the Salesian Family his visit will be a great incentive to renew its commitment on behalf of the young, and for youngsters it will be a meeting with someone who devoted his whole life to them.
Let us look at Don Bosco! He is for us a friend, a father a teacher. Let us go and listen to him As he did with the boys at Valdocco, to each one of us he will say a little word in our ear. Words which will renew in us the joy and the desire to be faithful to Christ and to the Church,”

The casket will be visiting the various houses in the “St Joseph” Province of Uruguay (URU) until Tuesday 23 September.

Published 14/09/2009