World Presidency of ACSSA in Rome

Rome (Italy). From 8 to 10 November 2024, the World Presidency of the Association of Salesian History Scholars (ACSSA) met in Rome at the Salesian Pontifical University. The meeting was attended by members representing the world’s associates: Sister Inácia Chaquisse, FMA (Mozambique); Ms. Pamela Alarcón (Argentina); Sister Maria Imaculada Da Silva, FMA (Brazil); Sister Maria Rohrer, FMA (Tunisia); Father Matthew Kapplikunnel, SDB (India); Fr. Nestor Impelido, SDB (Philippines); Sister Paola Cuccioli, FMA (Italy); Sister Maria Maul, FMA (Austria); Fr. Bogdan Kolar, SDB (Slovenia); Fr. Stanisław Zimniak, SDB (Poland-Italy).

The presence of Fr. José Mendonça, Superior of Mary Seat of Wisdom Preprovince (UPS); Fr. Francesco Motto and Sr. Grace Loparco, former Presidents of ACSSA. Sr. Maria Luisa Nicastro, General Secretary of the FMA Institute of the FMA, enriched the meeting with interesting content and challenges.

Fr. Francesco Motto recalled the responsibility entrusted to the members of the Association to keep alive the historical memory of the Salesians, which otherwise risks being lost. Sister Grazia Loparco encouraged us to study the past in order to discover the seeds of a future that we cannot yet imagine.

Sr. Maria Luisa Nicastro recalled how the FMA Mother General, Sister Chiara Cazzuola and her Council are committed, also through official communications to the Institute, to encourage research in the Provinces on the missionary origins and, in particular, to support ACSSA members in their efforts to study history.

After these reflections, the Presidency focused on the organization of the Continental Seminars (Africa-Madagascar, Americas, South Asia, Europe, East Asia-Oceania) and the World Congress to be held in Brazil, whose themes will focus on Salesian missions, on the occasion of the 150^th anniversary of the first Salesian expedition (1875-2025) and that of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (1877-2027).

In this regard, the individual programs of each event were presented, including general themes: missions in the style of women, the concept of mission in different historical periods, the influence of missionaries in contexts and cultural areas.  Also specific contributions such as: missionary biographies, architecture/urbanistic, contribution of the press in spreading the testimony of missionaries in places of action, contribution of missionaries in safeguarding the specificity of the natives through the preservation/decoding of their language, their customs and traditions, and their specificities, education/evangelization through different educative realities  (schools, oratories, vocational courses, parishes, courtyards,…) and the various areas of cultural expression (study, music, theater, sports, literature, associations,…).

The speakers at the Congress will be not only SDB and FMA, but also other members of the Salesian Family and external scholars passionate about the history and missionary activity of the Salesians.

During the meeting, the members of the ACSSA Presidency also had the joy of meeting Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, who has always paid great attention to Salesian history, highlighting not only the origins and development of the work of Don Bosco, but also the challenges and prospects that arise from it. Fr. Ángel has in fact once again stressed that research and study are a privileged and crucial aspect to welcome and live the Salesian Charism.

In the course of the work, the activity of the six national sections – Poland, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Spain, and India was examined and that of the individual members. Updates were presented of the website of the Association and the annual magazine “ACSSA informs” that is also found online.

Another significant moment was the presentation by Ms. Pamela Alarcon of the “Rizoma Project”, which is to be implemented soon, in order to link all the historical archives of the two congregations.

In conclusion, the treasurer presented the economic performance of the Association, and the ACSSA members’ publications during the year were recalled and others approved, and are awaiting publication.

The membership of nine new members was confirmed: Mrs. Ana Martín García (Spain), Mr. Gonzalo Violante (Argentina), Fr.  João Bosco Monteiro Maciel, SDB (Brazil), Fr. Edson Donizetti Castilho, SDB (Brazil), Fr. Rodolfo Luís Leite Batista (Brazil), Sister Maria da Paz Milanez, FMA (Brazil), Mr. Samuel Resende Daldegan, Salesian Cooperator (Brazil), Mr. Albert Ramadan, SDB (Tunisia), Mr. Rinio Bruttomesso (Italy).

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