Fatherless

A friend of mine sent me an article that tries to say that we should not worry about the gun culture as much as the fatherless culture in America. In other words, the 20-year-old who shot up Newtown had a father in his life, he might not have become a killer. That sounds like a good ploy for not reforming the broken system that allows anyone and everyone to tote a gun in the USA. Maybe the author is correct.

Don Bosco College Library in 1967

On the other hand, I clearly remember a comment made by Fr Paul Aronica, who was my professor of literature at Don Bosco College, in Newton, New Jersey - way back in my college days at the start of the 1970s. We were studying the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Fr Paul compared the theme of fatherless Huck and fatherless Tom Sawyer to many other fatherless figures in American literature, cinema and television (there was no YouTube in those days). Fr Paul remarked that the United States created a fatherless culture when the merchants and plantation owners gathered in Philadelphia on 4 July 1776 sent a declaration of independence to the King of England. By throwing out the King, they disowned their father, and Unitedstatesians have been disowning their fathers ever since.

Throw out the father and collect guns! these are actually more American than motherhood and apple pie.

Contribution of Arthur Lenti

Chris Woerz has circulated by email to the Salesian Family an article from Chennai that quotes Fr Arthur Lenti abundantly. Chris speaks with pride at seeing our own Fr Lenti quoted by Salesians in another province.

Actually, from my vantage point in Rome, this is not new.  Arthur J. Lenti has become one of the important authors in the Salesian world now. I hear many quoting from his works. In Sicily, after the publication of his great Opus of 7 volumes, some professors have gone back to the Journal of Salesian Studies and have begun to translate some of those vintage articles into Italian. In Spain they describe his writing as scientific, enlightening and inspiring.

In a few days Arthur Lenti will celebrate his 90th birthday. His birthday is actually 31 January, feast of St John Bosco, whose life and work Fr Arthur has made the center of the last 28 years of his work at the ISS. But of course, when Arthur was born in the province of Alessandria, close to Torino, in 1923, Don Bosco was not yet a canonized saint. That canonization would not have come until Arthur was 11 years old. Nor were Salesian Studies his professional interest. Arthur trained at the Biblicum in Rome, and taught Sacred Scripture for many years. He was able, however, to use the biblical scholars techniques in approaching the documents, published and unpublished, around Don Bosco to give us a fresh understanding of the apostle of the young. This certainly accounts for the great wave of enthusiasm throughout the world for his contribution. Chris Woerz is right to be happy! More that that, we are right to want to learn from what Arthur has worked so hard to give us: a clear study of the life and times of St John Bosco so that we can look a the needs of our own times, and then to do what we can on behalf of the young, as Don Bosco would do.

It is good to see this happening. It validates not only the hard work of research and teaching done by Fr Arthur, but the whole purpose of the Institute of Salesian Studies in Berkeley. May the new leaders of the ISS find the resources and backing to move forward.

Traveling again

It is the second day of the new year. I've been with my mother in Bellflower for the holidays, where I could celebrate with family and life-time close friends. It is time now to begin my return trip to Europe, but I will pass five days in Berkeley to prepare for the Spring Term and to see my doctor(s). Well, they are not really "my" doctors, but I'm their patient. Sounds rather pompous to claim that I have a doctor or two really, when the reality is that I have to do what they say, and they don't do what I say.

On the other hand, I'm not sure that I can even claim having students, if that is the criterion. They rarely do what I say and I'm always scurrying to help them come through a semester somehow. No, I don't have my own students, but there are many students who have me as a teacher, or perhaps as an instructor. I don't have a cat or dog either.…… but I don't think anybody can have a cat.

Hmmm, very philosophical, but I've just finished a cup of coffee at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), after going through TSA security. I will be boarding a flight for San Francisco soon, and am happy for the new year, for the avoidance of the fiscal cliff, and for all the good friends in my life, with whom I wish I could spend more time. This week in Bellflower has reminded me how important that really is.