(ANS - Rome) - In preparation for the meeting of Salesian Bishops in the places of Don Bosco, Bishop Luciano Capelli, SDB, Bishop of Gizo in the Solomon Islands, speaks today about the relevance of the figure and the testimony of Bishop Luigi Versiglia, Salesian bishop and martyr.

In light of the testimony of Bishop Versiglia, in your opinion what is the meaning of the image of the "Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his flock?"

First, the Good Shepherd to be really good must not only walk with the sheep and lead them, standing in front of them, behind them or in their midst. He must lead through the darkest valley, to water and fresh pastures. But he himself must become fresh grass and water for his flock ... A really good pastor should then become the lamb sacrificed on the altar. The duty of service must extend to the supreme act of love!

For many it is difficult to understand the meaning of Christian martyrdom. In the light of so many forms of persecution around the world, what is the value of the testimony of martyrdom at the present time?

The radicalism of those who give their lives for an ideal is a message that is more credible than ever in a secularized world. It is enough to think of the "martyrs" of fundamentalism, who inspire others to make the same "sacrifice" ... On the other hand there are some who live in evil and make no commitment to anything or anyone ... There is martyrdom freely chosen and martyrdom suffered through violence by terrorists, one sought and desired, the other undergone.  Any form of martyrdom is evidence that some people believe in violence and some believe in love. No one can remain indifferent to these mixed messages. And the only solution to violence is that of Christ: love that gives one’s life whilst forgiving the enemy.

What fruits have the Christian martyrs of the past in Asia and Oceania brought to the present-day Church?  The firm conviction that it is possible even today to love as God and Christ have loved us. Giving one’s life out of love rouses the persecutors from their torpor, if they have a heart open to seek the truth. Think of the centurion at the foot of the cross or the Island of Futuna in Melanesia, after the martyrdom of Peter Chanel. Evil exists, but good is more powerful.

What does it mean today to be a Bishop with a Salesian heart?

Here, in Melanesia, where the main problem is distance, being a bishop with a Salesian heart means being present, being with people ... physically.  It means assisting people to ensure that Catholicism does not adjust to the status quo, without dreams or hopes for a better future. And as the missionary Venerable Vincenzo Cimatti used to say, it means "friendship", a universal value that unites the hearts even of non-Catholics.

It means evangelizing, educating to the universal values ​​of the good citizen and the good Christian – be they Anglican, Buddhist, Muslim ... it means touching the heart of everyone, Catholic or not, to discover the sensitive fibre of the heart, to touch it with Salesian joy and spirit which is contagious and which gives dignity and strength to enable us to dream.

The full program of the meeting of Salesian Bishops in the places of Don Bosco is available on the website sdb.org.

Published 11/05/2015