In DB's garden

?

Shortcut

PrevPrev Article

NextNext Article

Larger Font Smaller Font Up Down Go comment Print Attachment
?

Shortcut

PrevPrev Article

NextNext Article

Larger Font Smaller Font Up Down Go comment Print Attachment

20171108_CIN.jpg


Model of Salesian missionary zeal, 

Fr. Nicosia - passed to the Salesian garden!


By Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, SDB
Provincial CIN


Hong Kong, 7 November 2017 -- On Monday, 06 November, 2017, at 17:15 hours Hong Kong time, the oldest Salesian confrere in the history of the China Province of Mary Help of Christians died, aged 102 years and 1/2. He died holding the hand of Salesian Fr. Denis Kong Che Chiu and surrounded by a dozen brothers and sisters who were praying at his bed-side in the St. Mary’s Home for the Aged of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen, Hong Kong.


The day had begun with the alert issued in the late morning by Fr. Gaetano himself to the Little Sisters, telling them in a very low voice: “Please, the Anointing.” He made this request even if he had already received the Anointing of the Sick several times before. The Little Sisters begin searching all around Hong Kong for the Provincial, who is doing the Annual Visitation to the Tang King Po School Salesian Community, or some other Salesian priest. Finally, they find young Salesian priest Fr. Carlos Cheung Sam Ioi who, from the near-by Aberdeen Technical School, rushes to Fr. Gaetano’s bed-side giving him the Anointing of the Sick, surrounded by the Little Sisters.


As he does so, Salesian Card. Joseph Zen Ze Kiun, who had arranged one or two days before to go and celebrate the Holy Mass at his bed-side on Monday afternoon, arrives and joins the dozen or so people already gathered in prayer. Among them is Miss Sophia To, the nurse that has been like the guardian angel of Fr. Nicosia for the last 50 years. After some time, the Rector of Tang King Po School, Fr. Peter Pong Ping Fai, informed of the critical condition of Fr. Nicosia, arrives together with Br. Aloysius Tam Chaik Kei, long-time pastoral assistant of Fr. Nicosia in his work for the Hansenian patients. A few minutes later, also Fr. Francis Hung Chi Kong, the Head of Casa Braga, and Fr. Provincial arrive. Together they sing Ave Verum and other songs and pray the Rosary. Fr. Provincial gives Fr. Nicosia the Apostolic Blessing and the Blessing of Mary Help of Christians. After the doctor has come to check the situation of Fr. Nicosia, Fr. Provincial, some time before 14:00 hours, leaves for his Bible class in the neighbouring Holy Spirit Seminary College, after the doctor has come and checked the situation of Fr. Nicosia.


At 15:00 hours Card. Joseph Zen celebrates the Holy Mass by the bed-side of Fr. Nicosia, giving him the Viaticum Holy Communion with a few drops of Precious Blood. At about 16:00 Card. Joseph Zen succeeds in contacting by phone in Catania (Sicily, Italy) the family of Fr. Nicosia’s elder brother (who died just three months ago, aged 104). His relatives are thus able to speak through the phone in the ear of their dying dear one. Card. Joseph Zen notices a tear coming out from his eye. At about 16:10, Fr. Provincial returns from the Seminary and, with Card. Joseph Zen, the Little Sisters, and Fr. Francis Hung, reviews the situation of Fr. Nicosia. They decide to take turns to assist Fr. Nicosia in his last hours. Fr. Denis Kong Che Chiu volunteers to be the first in the row of assistants in what will be the last hour of Fr. Nicosia’s long life. Fr. Provincial, Fr. Francis Hung, and Card. Joseph Zen go back to their places. They have hardly reached home that they receive the news of dear Fr. Gaetano Nicosia’s death.


Card Joseph Zen and Fr. Provincial then meet in Tang King Po School and decide the funeral arrangements as follow: Friday 10 November, Vigil Requiem Mass, presided over by Fr. Provincial, at 20:00 hours in St. Anthony’s Church West Point. Saturday 11 November, Funeral Requiem Mass, presided over by Card. Joseph Zen, at 17:00 hours in the same Church. The Burial will take place next week in Macau’s St. Michael Cemetery, where the first Salesians to die in China “expect the resurrection”. Hopefully, the Burial Funeral Mass will be presided over by the Bishop of Macau with the participation of Card. Joseph Zen. If at all possible, the Funeral will be celebrated in the Cathedral of the city that saw Fr. Nicosia’s Cottolengo-like services to the poor sick from 1963 to 2013.


Have a good rest in the Salesian Garden, dear Fr. Nicosia!


We pray that many Salesians will learn from his strong missionary life model and zeal!

Related news:

Resource - spiritual profile of Fr. Nicosia:

Related photo:




20171108_CIN0.jpg


20171108_CIN1.jpg


20171108_CIN2.jpg


20171108_CIN3.jpg


20171108_CIN4.jpg


20171108_CIN5.jpg


20171108_CIN6.jpg



List of Articles
No. Category Subject Date Views
99 MYM Fr. Cyril Francis (1929-2020) file 2020.11.26 521
98 KOR Fr Robert Falk (1932-2022) file 2022.07.28 246
97 AUL Fr Mika Leilua (Samoa-Pacific delegation) file 2022.07.28 249
96 AUL Fr Gerrit Kraan (1929-2022) file 2022.09.15 222
95 CIN Fr Gaetano Nicosia (+2017) Obituary Letter (ed. 2023) file 2023.11.06 60
94 WOR Fr Francesco Maraccani - mortuary letter file 2020.06.05 403
93 KOR Fr Archimedes Martelli (1916-1984) file 2022.09.01 215
92 6183_Rest In Peace, Fr. Joseph LEE Hei Lung, SDB file 2023.11.09 54
91 6175_In Memoriam Fr. Valeriano Barbero SDB (1938 - 2023) file 2023.11.06 52
90 6152_Br. Emanuel Kong Kwong Kuen goes to rest in the Salesian Garden file 2023.10.24 226
89 6150_Joyful and Communicative Salesian went to the Salesian garden - Fr Sakanashi 1 file 2023.10.23 282
88 6144_Forever a Salesian, A missionary everywhere file 2023.10.17 445
87 6119_Bro. Paul Chun Chanhom - welcome to the house of the Father file 2023.10.03 315
86 6009_Fr. Valentino Sosio, SDB, Has Gone To The Salesian Garden file 2023.07.13 84
85 5971(I)_A holy man, a Salesian priest, a Melanesian missionary file 2023.04.18 223
84 5960(I)_Funeral Mass for Father Joseph Nguyen Tien My, SDB file 2023.03.23 45
83 5947(IV)_Fr. Joseph Tani Satoshi (1954-2023), RIP file 2023.02.20 288
82 5934(III)_FIN: Death of Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB file 2023.01.27 76
81 5931(III)_Called and Chosen, Blessed and Broken - Fr. Eduardo 'Dudz' Hila, RIP file 2023.01.20 72
80 5924(V)_Fr. Augustine Won Taek Baek - Life Witness and Testimonials (1958-2022) file 2023.01.03 67
Board Pagination Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next
/ 5