St. Joseph - Carpenter of Nazareth - model of initial proclamation
EAO, 19 March 2018 -- Every day we pray during the (second) Eucharistic Prayer that 'with Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, her spouse...we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life...'. Today's Solemnity of St. Joseph (19 March) may help us to 'Whisper the Gospel' (initial proclamation of Jesus) especially to the youth in need who receive education in our Vocation Training Centers or Technical schools.
The 2018 Salesian Mission Day (SMD) does suggest the attention to Jesus, the Carpenter of Nazareth and we are invited to pray to 'lead the young people to an encounter with Jesus, the 'Carpenter' of Nazareth'. The carpentry workshop of St. Joseph is an invitation to believe more in the humble, meaningful and effective presence of Salesian Brothers among the working youth also today. In the animation booklet of 2018 SMD we find three models of Br. Andrew (Mongolia), Br. Roberto (Cambodia) and Br. Luigi (Philippines).
Let's today remember our Salesian Brothers and all Salesians who share their life daily amidst the Training Center youth, for our instructors and teachers who are closest to the youth in need in the workshops. Rightley in many of our Training Center Workshops we find the beautiful statue of St. Joseph as the model for the teachers and protector of working youth.
And last but not the least, we congratulate and pray to all Salesians in our EAO region, who were baptized with the name of the Carpenter of Nazareth - Saint Joseph, starting with Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Bishop of Surrathani (Thailand) Joseph Prathan and Provincial of Vietnam Fr. Joseph Quang.
Also many of our technical schools or communities celebrate today their Saint Patron: Tainan (Taiwan-CIN), Kuching (Malaysia-FIN), San Jose Nueva Ecija (FIN), Cebu - DBTC (FIS), Anisakan-Provincial House (MYM), Chiang Mai (THA), Banpong-Sarasit (THA), Dong Thuan (VIE), Hoc Mon (VIE), Nakatsu (GIA), Tokyo-Machida (GIA), Blitar (ITM-Indonesia) and Kumgi (Papua New Guinea-PGS).
Happy Feastday of St. Joseph!
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