Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Salesian Family

By Giovanna J, VDB

Turin, Italy, 27 April 2017 -- Next May 20-21 our Secular Institute of the Volunteers of Don Bosco will celebrate in Turin, Italy our Centenary Jubilee of Foundation. Anybody is invited to join our celebrations at Valdocco with the Rector Major of the Salesians, other Salesian Family members and our VDB members.

On the Boscolink you find the program, to you can share our joy of this event. We would like to renew ourselves and commit again with more enthusiasm to our vocation in the world, in the Church and in the Salesian Family.

Before this important event we would like to share some personal experience of our members in the EAO region, in order to let know better the joys and challenges of our Salesian Consecrated Life in the World. You can find them on the Boscolink

WHERE ARE YOU?

The question continuously coming in my heart while I prepare for the Centenary of the Foundation of the VDB Institute: “You, where are you found,” first of all on my spiritual situation: “You, where are you?” (Gen. 3:9)

14 years have already passed since my first profession. It seems that moment was long ago in which I was before the altar with the will of conserving myself entirely for the Lord and I felt my heart beating strongly.

8 years have passed from my perpetual profession. In my album are placed those moments in which I consecrated myself entirely to the Lord entrusting Him all the situations that would happen to me from then on.

I placed myself before the Lord, thinking again of the past times, asking pardon and saw again mistakes I committed, thus I will prepare to live the centenary.

First reflecting on the genuine love and enthusiasm of the first Sisters, I thought of my laziness, of my pride. And I meditated on the mercy of God who comes to look for me with tender voice.

Second: Thinking of my mission “The Lord takes the man and puts him in the garden of Eden because he was to cultivate it and take care of it” (Gen 2:15).

As God has placed the man in the Eden, so He has placed us in the midst of the world and has made us to take care of who we would have encountered in it. The family in which we belong, the local community, the community of work, the local Church are the Eden in which God has gifted me, which I ought to take care of. I work in a hospital in the psychiatric department.

One day, early morning, I have received a phone call from a patient I know, left for a moment from the hospital and told me of having drank wine and was wounded in the desire of dying.

I would have waited the answers there. I was praying of going back more quickly to the hospital and wait there anxiously.

Another sick, desperate for his own situation, wanted to die and after having drank the alcohol, walked close to the river Han to commit suicide. At a certain point, raising the eyes repented... perhaps, glancing at the nearby hospital. Every day, the life at the hospital is so.In the desire of supporting the patients, every day, I await there praying with the heart, the Father who await us, vagabond sons.

You suffer for a sick that refused to eat. I thought and prayed for understanding how to help him.“ I would like to be like Don Bosco...as Don Bosco would have done or as Jesus would have done.” Finally, I found a solution. They have brought the meal for consuming and starting in front of him, I begin to take the food with him. That patient, looking at my face, tells me: “Thanks to you, I take some spoon” and so started the meal, conversing, reached to finish a good part of food.

To become a happy VDB when with God, I have care of the Eden that was entrusted to me.

Once again, I ask myself in this moment in which we are preparing for the Centenary: “Should we not go more deeply in our mission? Towards the peripheries? Where do you find yourself now?

Third: Thinking of the community: “It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a suitable partner for him” (Gen 2:18).

The Institute of the VDB is a help for me who has not married. With the help of the “community-Institute,” of the Group, I learn to discern the will of God and to work with God.

One day, while I went to work, I received a bad news on the account of a nurse that I have encountered at the hospital.

For the whole time that it took me to reach the hospital, it was difficult for me to contain the anger and foresaw that I will be annoyed with that nurse who had made a big mistake and it was clear to me that all the good picture that with hard work I had built in myself fell in the twinkling of an eye.

I reminded myself of being a VDB and with clenched teeth, I reminded myself that Don Bosco, faced the difficulties with mild disposition, but I did not succeed to control my anger, did not succeed even to pray and in that moment, I reminded myself of my sister VDB.

I placed myself then in communication with the VDB In charge and told her of the situation, asked her for prayer and sent with the cellular phone to other VDB a message with request of prayers.

I arrived at the hospital with much calm, succeeded to resolve the problem. In the VDB Institute, God has given me the corresponding help to my needs.

While I thank God, I ask myself anew: “What help was I giving to my Sisters VDB? What contributions was I giving to the VDB Institute? In the community-Institute: “You, where do you find yourself?”

In this Centenary of the Foundation of the VDB Institute, I am moved by the marvellous work of the Providence, by the genuine love and the enthusiasm of the First Sisters and make on with me, on my personal life, a review that I will do also with the Group.

• Click for download VDB - Formation Magazine 'Crescere' (ENGLISH ed. 2014-2017)
• Related article: AustraLasia 4272(I)

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