HONG KONG: 20 November 2012 --
On
19 November, 2012, Tang King Po School in Hong Kong, at its
morning
assembly led by the lay Principal Mr. Lee Kam Hung with the
participation of the 1,000 students and 100 teachers, mourned
the death
of one of its greatest past-pupils, the beloved Bishop
José Song Sui
Wan. The Salesian Provincial was also present together with
the members
of the local Salesian community.
This week Tang King Po School will begin the celebration of
its 60th
anniversary of foundation (1953-2013). For the celebration of
the 50th
anniversary, Msgr. José Song Sui Wan had been invited
to be the guest
of honour in his Alma Mater. This made it possible for many of
the
younger Salesians and past pupils to make the acquaintance of
this
great Brazilian Salesian born in China (Shanghai) and grown up
as a
refugee in Hong Kong, until 1959 when his family emigrated to
Brazil.
The China Province, on hearing the news of 71 year old Bishop
Song’s
death on 15 November in Campinas (Brazil), presented its
heartfelt
condolences for this great loss to the Campinas
community and the
whole of Salesian Brazil. Of course, this is a loss also for
the whole
Salesian Congregation and the whole Church, particularly for
us here in
China.
Most of the old Salesians here in Hong Kong had known dear
Bishop Song
in the 50’s as an intelligent, clever, and hard-working
Salesian
Aspirant. Some of them had been his Aspirantate companions.
Ten years
ago, as just noted, we younger Salesians were blessed with his
visit to
us. On that occasion, we came to know a very remarkable
Salesian Bishop
who would mix with our young people, play basketball with
them, whistle
and sing with them, and play magic with them! He told us that
he had
just been named Bishop of the Diocese of Rio Negro in Brazil,
the
diocese with the most water in the world! He told us that he
did not
know how to swim, but that Mary Help of Christians was his
life-jacket!
What a wonderful man! What a wonderful Salesian! What a
wonderful
Bishop! We thank God for having given him to us. We thank God
for
having given us the grace of knowing him. Now that, as we
believe, he
is in Heaven, in the Giardino Salesiano with Don Bosco, we are
sure
that he will be the heavenly intercessor for both Salesian
China and
Salesian Brazil.
As Chinese Salesians, we are grateful to the Brazilian
Salesians for
the love with which they loved this child of our great
motherland. We
thank them for having given him the opportunity of becoming a
Salesian,
as was his ardent desire when he left our Province as an
Aspirant, in
obedience to the Superiors. Among these Superiors was no one
lesser
than the Vicar of the Rector Major who was visiting our
Province just
when the family of Song Sui Wan was planning to emigrate to
Brazil.
Aspirant José Song asked to see him. The Vicar of the
Rector Major
encouraged little José (who wanted to stay behind,
letting his family
leave Hong Kong for Brazil without him) to follow his family,
assuring
him that in Brazil he would have the best of opportunities to
become a
good Salesian. Heartfelt thanks to the dear Salesians of
Brazil, who
made this promise of our Superior become true!