Dear translators,
Bear with me while I list a few important matters and possibilities.
First of all, please note that I am merely a 'conduit', and a largely anonymous one, which I would like you to respect, someone passing on useful information for this most important and central role in disseminating the charism that we call 'translation', because I am in the lucky situation of receiving so many items myself for translation from the Centre, and they may as well be shared. If we can model a useful approach in one region for the Congregation in this, there is every chance it may be followed in others or even adopted as a more general approach to translation throughout the Congregation, especially for languages other than the 5 or 6 more 'official' ones. That would need to be formalised. Maybe we can think of a proposal for GC29! In the end, we are interested in helping the charism to strengthen, spread... For the broader issues, don't hesitate to be in touch with Fr Ambrose Pereira, the SC coordinator for the EAO Region.
Secondly, there is already some interest sparked in another region (Africa-Madagascar). Would there be any surprise in that? I doubt it????
So a Nigerian Salesian, Fr Gerald, who is fluent in both English and French, is very interested in this process, and there is no difficulty, I am sure, in including him.
Thirdly, if you are a regular visitor to the EAO bosco.link website, then you could possibly benefit from visiting https://www.bosco.link/sc where you will be presented with two updated items: Translating Don Bosco 2024, and an updated (as of January this year) version of the Salesian Dictionary. Both will offer you lots of helpful insights.r
Fourthly and importantly: I am sure you have heard of the Servant of God Nino Baglieri, the first of the Salesian consecrated seculars (CDB or Volunteers with Don Bosco, the male group similar to the VDB) to be heading for the honour of the Altars.
His inspiring and saintly life as a quadraplegic is now a book under the English title God's Athlete. It was first published in Spanish by the Salesian CCS Publishers in Madrid. Its author is Italian Pina Bellocchi, and she immediately saw to its publication in Italian. The CDB then asked if it could be translated into English. That has now been done, and the book is in the final prepress stages for printing in Kenya by the Don Bosco Printing School, Makuyu.
I have the Word copy in Italian, and in its English translation. The CDB would be happy if this work were translated into local EAO languages. It is not a long text - my Word file shows it to be 54 pages worth.
Should any of you wish to translate this into your local language(s), let me know and I can give you either (or both) the Italian or English docx file. We have some photos but they are just amateur shots and not really of good print quality. However, something might be better than nothing.
Perhaps I should add that if you do wish to do a local translation and receive the English text, this does not mean that you are allowed to republish it in English???? Tempting, I realise, but that would not be fair to our people in Kenya, nor have the CDB given permission for that. Of course, if you wanted to produce maybe a digest of the story for the Salesian Family, or run an article in the Salesian Bulletin or... or... then no problems with that. Once we get info on what the cost of the Kenyan print version would be, that can be shared.
Just let me know if you would like the text and I will send it to you.
And finally, in some provinces and areas of our region there is more than one email involved. Where this is the case, it is up to you to agree among yourselves what to do about any items you are sent. Some are mainly for SDBs, others for the Salesian Family, and so on.
Happy Feast Day of St Francis de Sales!
Julian