austraLasia 1370
Timely release of work on Mamma Margaret
TURIN: 29th December 2005 -- In what is clearly an exercise in good timing, but also one which adheres to the high standards long-ago set by Don Teresio Bosco, Elledici has released his new 'Vita di Mamma Margherita, La Mamma di Don Bosco' (Life of Mamma Margherita, Don Bosco's Mother) in both hardbound and paperback edition, the latter selling for eight euro. It comes in a context where the expected commentary on the Strenna for 2006 (31st December) will heighten expectations that Mamma Margaret will finally be given the formal recognition that Salesian tradition has given her all these years - a woman of heroic virtue deserving the title 'Blessed'. These expectations have already been heightened by a not-so-chance remark of Pope Benedict XVI to the Rector Major when the former was taking possession, for a week or two, of the Salesian holiday spot in the Italian Alps: "Mamma Margaret's holiness is so obvious that we wouldn't even think the entire process is needed".
Other than St John Bosco's own reflections, contained, passim, in his 'Memoirs of the Oratory', the definitive 'life' of Mamma Margaret up till now has been the Lemoyne version published by SEI, 1956 . Teresio Bosco's draws on that, as also the scholarly works of Stella, Desramaut, Giraudi. It is significant that his bibliography also contains reference to the 'Positio', the document with the Congregation for Saintly Causes outlining Mamma Margaret's virtue and claim to sainthood. There is always a danger that a life of Mamma Margaret becomes a disguised re-run of the life of Don Bosco. Not so with Teresio Bosco. Naturally the two persons are intimately connected, but Teresio Bosco keeps Mamma Margaret on stage throughout in a way similar, perhaps, to a Chekhovian drama where even the foreground conversations cannot be understood without hearing the background ones.
For English-speaking readers there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that for the moment, the work is only available in Italian. The good news is that work has already begun on its translation and the hope is that this will be quickly finished so that discussions can take place on its publication in this language. In the meantime there are two English versions of Mamma Margaret's life available - or rather, one is likely still to be found on Salesian bookshelves around the Region and could be dusted off and read - Peter Lappin's 'Sunshine in the Shadows', while th other is long out of print, a version by the Benziger sisters, Marieli and Rita. In this regard there is further good news. Bosconet contains the full text of this latter version - you can download it from the homepage under 'Some Salesian texts in English translation'. In actual fact, re-reading this version, one senses that it is better than Lappin's and perhaps because written by women, retains some useful insights into the motherly presence in the Oratory.
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
Timely release of work on Mamma Margaret
TURIN: 29th December 2005 -- In what is clearly an exercise in good timing, but also one which adheres to the high standards long-ago set by Don Teresio Bosco, Elledici has released his new 'Vita di Mamma Margherita, La Mamma di Don Bosco' (Life of Mamma Margherita, Don Bosco's Mother) in both hardbound and paperback edition, the latter selling for eight euro. It comes in a context where the expected commentary on the Strenna for 2006 (31st December) will heighten expectations that Mamma Margaret will finally be given the formal recognition that Salesian tradition has given her all these years - a woman of heroic virtue deserving the title 'Blessed'. These expectations have already been heightened by a not-so-chance remark of Pope Benedict XVI to the Rector Major when the former was taking possession, for a week or two, of the Salesian holiday spot in the Italian Alps: "Mamma Margaret's holiness is so obvious that we wouldn't even think the entire process is needed".
Other than St John Bosco's own reflections, contained, passim, in his 'Memoirs of the Oratory', the definitive 'life' of Mamma Margaret up till now has been the Lemoyne version published by SEI, 1956 . Teresio Bosco's draws on that, as also the scholarly works of Stella, Desramaut, Giraudi. It is significant that his bibliography also contains reference to the 'Positio', the document with the Congregation for Saintly Causes outlining Mamma Margaret's virtue and claim to sainthood. There is always a danger that a life of Mamma Margaret becomes a disguised re-run of the life of Don Bosco. Not so with Teresio Bosco. Naturally the two persons are intimately connected, but Teresio Bosco keeps Mamma Margaret on stage throughout in a way similar, perhaps, to a Chekhovian drama where even the foreground conversations cannot be understood without hearing the background ones.
For English-speaking readers there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that for the moment, the work is only available in Italian. The good news is that work has already begun on its translation and the hope is that this will be quickly finished so that discussions can take place on its publication in this language. In the meantime there are two English versions of Mamma Margaret's life available - or rather, one is likely still to be found on Salesian bookshelves around the Region and could be dusted off and read - Peter Lappin's 'Sunshine in the Shadows', while th other is long out of print, a version by the Benziger sisters, Marieli and Rita. In this regard there is further good news. Bosconet contains the full text of this latter version - you can download it from the homepage under 'Some Salesian texts in English translation'. In actual fact, re-reading this version, one senses that it is better than Lappin's and perhaps because written by women, retains some useful insights into the motherly presence in the Oratory.
______________________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
