By Fr Alfred Maravilla, SDB
PGS Provincial

RMG, Rome, 5 December 2018 -- When Fr Václav Klement was elected Councillor for the Missions in 2008, I was called to be a member of his team of collaborators. I remember that after the World 'Consulta' for the Missions (September 2008) we had long discussions on how to foster missionary animation at the Congregational level. Fr Klement proposed considering the format of the FIN newsletter for missionary animation. MT 28:19. He proposed naming it in honour of the great Salesian missionary as well as the monthly day of prayer for the missions every 11th of the month, recalling that day in November 1875 when Don Bosco gave the missionary cross to the members of the first missionary expedition. Thus Cagliero11 was born.

The first issues were really a trial to see how confreres would react to this new publication. Since it was immediately translated into 5 languages in A4 format of 2 pages, it was not only very easy to read, it was also easy to print the 2 pages for the community, school or parish Bulletin Board. Initially we published some thoughts of Don Bosco and other Salesian missionaries. But not long after we decided to invite missionaries to share their experiences. This turned out to be the most attractive and most read part of Cagliero11. Many of these stories have been reproduced in innumerable editions of the Salesian Bulletin.

How many Salesians have discovered their missionary vocation after reading a missionary’s sharing in the Cagliero 11!

In many Provinces I have visited I often found a copy of Cagliero11 on the Bulletin Board. Now it is translated into 20 languages every month. Every month in our EAO region we are happy to see the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese translations in our communities.

Looking back after 10 years, I can only thank the Lord for this wonderful inspiration of the Spirit which is truly keeping alive Don Bosco’s missionary spirit.

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