austraLasia
1385
A taste of two tales
-only available here
ROME: 10th January 2006
-- Fr Teresio Bosco needs little introduction to anyone. He has
done for hundreds of thousands of readers today what Fr John Baptist Francesia
did back in the immediate aftermath of Don Bosco's death - made the Saint known
and loved all around the world. Fr Carlo Socol might need a little more
introduction. A native of Udine, Italy, he completed his novitiate in
China, after starting out at Chieri, in 1964. Silver-haired and smiling,
he might be better known by his contemporiares in China for his financial acumen
(he was provincial economer for a number of years) but amongst his other traits
is the gift of being the popular historian. The fact that he started out
at La Moglia in Chieri, and that Teresio Bosco gives us many insights into the
actual Cascina Moglia experience not so far away in miles but distant in memory,
somehow links these two popular historians - for the moment and for the purposes
of this news item at least!
In the interests of 'fair
dealing' and copyright, we cannot give you the full texts in English of the
works these two authors are most recently responsible for, but if you go to
Bosconet at www.bosconet.aust.com and scroll down to the 'special' section on
the homepage, bottom-right, you can read some extracts from the recently
translated Mamma Margaret, by Teresio Bosco, and the yet-to-be-published work on
China's Salesian history by Carlo Socol.
The former work
by Teresio Bosco is typical of his well-known style. Trying to deal with
Mamma Margaret who wrote nothing becomes something of an evangelical
pursuit. If the Gospels managed to do it for someone who only wrote a line
in the sand, then Teresio Bosco could do it for Mamma Margaret! The trick
was to find witnesses and sworn depositions. TB has dug these up - well,
not literally - but they are there. Of course, to push the gospel metaphor
a shade further, Mamma Margaret's early days are a bit like the Infancy
narratives; TB's imagination has to work overtime. But MM's life and
work at the Oratory, now that's a different story, and you have a sample of this
that you can take a look at.
In the case of Carlo Socol's
as yet unnamed and unpublished work, he has beavered away in historical archives
in China and at the 'Archivio Centrale' in Rome and put together what will be a
true eye-opener for very many people. We know of Versiglia and
Caravario. What we didn't know of, at least other than in whispers, were
the many other wonderful Salesians who gave their lives for that fruitful
mission. Fr Socol goes a bit further than that, exploring some
understandings of Don Bosco's missionary dreams, but all those goodies will need
to wait until he publishes, some time in February, during the Centenary
celebrations in China. It will come out in Chinese and English. We
will let you know at the time.
Two final points. The
publication of the English version of Mamma Margaret? That depends, both
for publisher and punctuality, on various discussions taking place. The other
point is that the samples you have are 'work in progress' so if there are minor
blemishes, no need for dismay. The final product will be according to Hoyle (and the intentions of the respective
authors!)
VOCABULARY
According to Hoyle: in
accordance with the recognised rules. It was originally a book of rules
for cards and indoor games written in the 18th century, so historically
appropriate to context!
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