By Viet SC

HCM City Vietnam, 15 August 2023 -- At 6:00, Monday, August 14, 2023, at Don Bosco Parish of Ba Thon, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, the Salesian Province of Don Bosco Vietnam solemnly held the Mass for the first vows of 17 candidates, including 3 Samoan brothers from the Australian Province.

The Mass was presided over by the Father Provincial Barnabas Le An Phong. Concelebrating with him were the Salesian Fathers, the Guests, and the special presence of the Provincial of Australia, the Provincial of Hong Kong. Communion in prayer and sharing joy with the candidates in this Mass are also the Salesian Brothers, Religious of other Congregations and especially the relatives and friends of the candidates. After the Gospel, the rite of vows took place solemnly and fervently, consisting of 7 parts.

In the sacred atmosphere of the day of the Consecration, Fr Barnabas shared his feelings for the candidates in his homily. According to him, the vocation of a Salesian is a historical journey, in which each person's past is the years when God came, knocked on the door of the heart and called each person to follow Him in different ways. . Therefore, the vocation of candidates is the result of a Divine-Human Love, which is both the call of God and the cultivation of loved ones around the life of the candidates and their own efforts.

"And today, in the present moment, you are responding to the Lord's call with all the same conviction that Samuel (in the first reading): 'Here I am, you have called me'." The Provincial continued to share about the present and future of the professed vows; “At the same time, you do not make a vow to show off your abilities or appearances. As in the Gospel of John, the Lord wants you to be branches attached to the vine to bear fruit in your future tense.”

Before the end of the Mass, Father Peter Pham Van Bo, Rector of the Ba Thon community, expressed gratitude to everyone, all members of the community who contributed to organizing the Mass well.

In response, Father Provincial also thanked the Fathers and Brothers of the Ba Thon Community, for their sacrifices and hard work during their long continuous companionship with the novices. The Provincial also expressed gratitude to the parents and family members of the novices, he asked God and Mary to be present in the family of the novices who had followed the Vocation.

After Mass, everyone continued to share the joy and congratulate the New Salesian members during breakfast at the Parish Hall.

---

---