About thousand Salesian Family members together

By Fr. Peter Chinh, SDB

Xuan Hiep, Vietnam, 8 February 2018 -- To the annual tradition of the Salesians in VietNam, the Salesian Family Day of this year 2018 was held at the Day of the Kitchen Gods (December 23 of lunar calendar, a week before the Tet holidays in VietNam) at Xuan Hiep – Thu Duc. It was on Thursday February 8th, 2018 of solar calendar.

Present at the annual gathering were the members of the Salesian Family in VietNam: Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Quang, the provincial, and the Salesians, the FMA sisters, VDBs, Salesian cooperators and Salesian past pupils. The total number is about one thousand.

At 8:30 in the morning, all members of the Salesian Family gathered at the Philip Rinaldi hall to listen to Fr. Joseph’s explanation of the Strenna 2018. The FMA sisters performed a dance to illustrate the meaning of the Strenna.

This year, the Salesian Family in VietNam decided to introduce and disseminate the ADMA (Associazione di Maria Ausiliatrice) to publicity: parishioners in all Salesian parishes, and all those in other Salesian works. To help the members of the Salesian Family have a basic knowledge of this association, Sr. Thuy FMA had 15 minute talk to the Salesian Family and shared her own experience of this. Hopefully, the Salesian Family in VietNam would have some groups of ADMA in the near future.

Through dragon dance and traditional songs, the groups of Salesian Cooperators and Past Pulpils gave the traditional Tet greetings and best wishes to the provincial and all members of the Salesian Family.

At 10:45, a mass in honour of Saint John Bosco, presided by Fr. Joseph with the concelebration of 80 Salesian priests and the attendance of all members of the Salesian Family, was in the new church which was blessed and consecrated in last January 31st.

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